Leon’s blade appeared in his hand in a flash of light and lightning danced across his body.

The rest of his companions were gone, and he hadn’t even sensed it happening. Panic at the uncertainty of what had just happened flooded his mind for a moment before he mastered himself.

In an instant, he did two things. The first was project his magic senses, hoping that if his people were around, then he’d be able to find them. Secondly, he conjured his anti-light magic gem and activated it as powerfully as he could, and with the widest range possible. The wave of magic power exploded around him, but nothing was revealed, showing that his people hadn’t disappeared due to the layered illusions that filled the Prota Forest.

Likewise, his magic senses turned up nothing but what he could already see. At the very least, though, the distant plant giants and goat men walking around amidst the primitive village hadn’t broken step and appeared to be going about their business as usual. Leon also couldn’t sense anything else hostile around, leaving him well and truly alone at the edge of the warded zone.

Did either of you notice anything? Leon asked his soul realm.

Light, lightning, and darkness, Xaphan answered. Spatial magic. Your people were teleported away.

But where? Leon wondered as he sought out his connection with Maia. Fortunately, it was still there, alleviating his worry just a little bit, but the fact that he couldn’t sense where she was in relation to him wasn’t helping.

That’s impossible to say without analyzing the specific teleportation runes, Nestor explained.

Then, do I have to get up there? Leon asked as his eyes turned in the direction of the great ethereal tree at the center of the warded zone, and the massive glowing ancient runes snaking through its branches and translucent blue leaves.

Get up where? Nestor asked. I can’t see what you can…

Leon quickly described what he saw.

No, Nestor replied, though his tone didn’t inspire much confidence. At least, I don’t think so… By the sounds of it, I think that what’s happening is just an application of the facility’s teleportation enchantments. Again, I can’t say for certain without seeing the actual enchantments, but… I can’t imagine using an ancient rune for this sort of thing.

Ancient runes can be used like this, though. Don’t you remember that graveyard for the Primal Gods?”

The one there was much lesser in scope—teleporting fewer people over shorter distances. Find the research facility, I’m almost certain that that’s where the controls for these teleportation enchantments can be found. And, if you’re lucky, where you’ll be able to find some information on where your companions have been sent.

Leon frowned in frustration. He almost had the thought of leaving and getting reinforcements, but he couldn’t know what was happening with his people, and that meant that time was of the essence. Besides, as he glanced backward, he noted that the light barrier had snapped back into place, sealing him into the warded zone unless he wanted to crack through it again.

So, he bit his tongue, fought down all of his anxiety regarding his people, and turned his attention back to the warded zone.

The small grove of immense trees covered quite a bit of land within the warded zone, but it was still only a fairly small area compared to all the land covered by the light barrier. The site with a large amount of local stone that was within the warded zone was to the west of the grove, he knew, so he had to head northwest.

Before he left, he focused his magic senses on that region of the forest and found it quite flat. Only a few gentle hills and valleys, which made it surprisingly easy to see the research facility.

Or rather, what was left of it.

It looked like in the past eighty-thousand years, the facility had been cut in half by a river, with numerous stone columns poking up from the fast-flowing river that Leon saw. Additional ruins could be seen thrusting up from a pair of low hills on either side of the river and the ruins within, their stones worn smooth by water and wind and time.

Concerningly, as Leon continued to examine the surroundings, he noticed several plant giants, all larger than the ones he’d seen before, patrolling the hills.

Seeing no other option, Leon took off for the hills.

His destination wasn’t that far, and he was motivated; he came within physical sight of the hills in a matter of minutes, and as far as he could tell, he hadn’t been seen.

It doesn’t look like any of the Clan’s defenses are up, Leon observed as he came to a halt not too far from the foot of the hills.

What do you see? Nestor asked. When Leon finished describing what little he could see, Nestor speculated, Most of the active defenses were probably taken when the Clan left the plane. It looks like you’re going to get lucky, boy, and not have to face any of our most fearsome weapons. If you’re really lucky, then you might not even have to fight any golems.

I think I’ll try and refrain from jumping for joy just yet, Leon said as the plant giants walking around the hills paused and began to slowly turn in his direction. He gripped his sword a little tighter and began to prepare himself to fight. However, before he could move, he felt a slight pulsing in the ambient magic power around this area. It almost felt like someone was turning an enchantment on and off in a rhythm, but before he could start trying to analyze it, the plant giants began to walk in his direction.

Leon briefly contemplated the wisdom of fighting the golems, and of launching the first strike. However, with thousands of goat men and hundreds of plant giants nearby, let alone whatever else might be hidden nearby, he decided to hold back for the moment. He turned and ran back a ways, conjuring his invisibility gem as he did and fading from view behind a shroud of darkness.

As he became invisible, he noticed the plant giants come to a halt, but not return to their patrol. He took this to be a good sign, but didn’t let it go to his head—the goat men had already shown that they could strike at him despite his attempts to remain invisible.

However, with what seemed to be some allowance for thought, Leon came to a halt about a quarter of a mile from the hills.

Once there, he turned his attention back to the strange pulsing he’d noticed earlier. It was incredibly weak, but just about nothing in the forest emanated much magic into the environment, leaving the warded zone’s ambient magic levels quite anemic. As a result, even this weak pulsing was fairly noticeable now that Leon had keyed himself into it.

He couldn’t say what was causing the pulsing, only that it was primarily light magic and that it came from a few hundred feet away from the hill on the west side of the river. A little more concerningly, the pulsing seemed to be coming from underground.

Seems like something’s still active down below, Leon said to Nestor. Any ideas how to get down there to the lab proper to check it out?

You’ve been practicing your earth magic, haven’t you?

Leon grimaced, but asked in response, I was hoping for something like a backdoor, or maybe a hidden tunnel that came out nearby that I could use…

Why would we have a hidden tunnel?

An emergency exit or something?

… I suppose you make some sense, boy. But no, this lab wouldn’t have needed anything like that, and it would’ve just been a security vulnerability if we were ever attacked by a competent earth magic. However, with how decayed the upper lab is, I can’t imagine that you would have much trouble boring into the lower lab with even your paltry skills in earth magic. Well, maybe. If the walls are still intact, then you’ll have to find another way in.

Your confidence in me never fails to astound, dead man.

And it never fails to surprise, seeing just how easily you’re left astounded, boy.

Leon went quiet as he darted to the foot of the closer of the two hills and knelt on the ground. He called upon his slowly-growing skill in earth magic and, intending to send his magic into the soil and try and scout out the surroundings that way, found himself suddenly thrust into the air as the ground beneath him practically exploded.

Before he even hit the ground, a mass of roots came spilling out of the hole in the ground, whipping into the air and trying to ensnare him in their deathly grip.

None of these roots gave off any magic power, but Leon was still surprised to see them immediately rendered into ash when he instinctively called upon his fire. He swept his arm outward as he fell to the ground, and a wave of fire ended the threat that the roots posed.

However, while the roots had ben destroyed and nothing more came from the ground, Leon’s invisibility had been disrupted by his magic, and when he glanced back at the top of the hill, he saw the plant giants there turning back in his direction.

‘Shit,’ he thought as the giants began lumbering towards him. The only thing that he could say was fortunate about this was that the vast majority of locals hadn’t been stirred up by this quick exchange.

Yet.

He needed a couple minutes to enshroud himself in invisibility again, and he didn’t have that much time. So, he straightened himself out and channeled his fire once more. He didn’t want to use lightning as, while his most powerful offensive magic, it was loud, bright, and nearly impossible to use both stealthily and powerfully. He couldn’t gauge the plant giants’ strength without an aura, so he had to use his full power here, and to not attract any more attention, he needed to use his fire.

Leon didn’t wait for the giants to come to him. The closest giant had barely come halfway down the hill before Leon threw a small, but bright orange fireball into the air. The fireball drifted toward the hill almost lazily, and then, after traveling about fifty feet, detonated, sending a vast wave of fire rolling up the hill. Still backed with Leon’s power, the plant giants were submerged within the flame, and as the fire died down, there was little remaining but a few charred husks on the side of the hill, now stripped bare of all vegetation.

The plant giants patrolling the hill on the other side of the river didn’t fail to notice this, so Leon leaped into the air, flew over as quickly as he could, and tossed a few more fireballs, incinerating the giants to the last.

When he returned to the ground, he checked on the great ethereal tree and was gratified to see that everything seemed fine there. However, given the roots beneath the ground, he knew that he wasn’t quite safe.

Still, everything fell still and silent, and he was left alone, at least as far as he could tell, among the paltry few ruins sticking out of the ground.

Thoughts on this place? Leon asked.

It’s not fared as well as other ruins of your Clan, Xaphan observed. Honestly, this is more of what I would expect of such old and unmaintained facilities. That what you’ve found before this has been so intact is a miracle.

Indeed, Leon agreed.

don’t make such quick judgments, Nestor admonished. This is just what’s on the surface.

Do you know what used to be here? Leon asked.

Open your mind to me, Nestor ‘requested’.

Leon scowled, but acquiesced, and a moment later, Nestor sent him several images showing the research facility back in its day. It appeared much the same as Nestor’s personal training facility in the Border Mountains back north—what the stone giants living on the edge of the Bull Kingdom called ‘the Cradle’. It was a cross-shaped building, with a large central dome and four wings branching off. The walls weren’t the shining white stone that he was used to, but were still quite impressive with many tall, narrow windows set within blind arcades. The ceiling had been heavily decorated with statues of who Leon could only assume were heroes and other famous people of his Clan, while above each of the tremendous doors at the ends of each wing was a large statue of the Thunderbird herself.

When Leon turned his attention back to the ruins, just about none of that was visible. Just two hills bisected by a river with a few pieces of barely-recognizable rubble sticking out.

It’s seen better days, Leon sarcastically said.

If I had to guess, Nestor replied, I’d say most of it has been buried.

I’d agree, Leon said. I’m sure the building collapsed, and as the river changed course, the rubble was all covered in dirt. Or maybe it was destroyed and buried deliberately. Who can say?

Maybe there’s something beneath it that can, Xaphan offered. Do be a good little human and see if you can find a way down, my curiosity’s been piqued and I need to see what else is here…

As you wish, oh high and mighty demon, Leon growled. You might actually be acting a little too high and mighty, though; it’s not like you’re a Lord of Flame or something.

Xaphan made a disgusted noise, but didn’t otherwise respond.

Leon made a quick circuit of the two hills, but he wasn’t able to find anything that indicated a way down below. After the vine attack, he was wary of trying to dig down again, but with the weight of his anxiety over where his people were, he was sorely tempted to try it anyway.

He was just about to ask for a suggestion when he noticed the magical pulsing again. It was still dreadfully weak, but its pattern had changed. Now, it was a constant rapid pulsing, and Leon got the impression of something that had noticed his brief clash with the roots and was now trying to get his attention.

The pulsing wasn’t coming from directly under either of the hills, but Leon walked over to it anyway—or at least, to directly over where it was emanating from. He then inundated the area around him with his magic power, analyzing the pulsing as much as he could.

He wasn’t able to notice anything new, but he did confirm that it was artificial, not a natural occurrence.

So, he carefully began to seep his magic power into the earth once more. His alertness never dropped, and he was always at the ready to leap away from anything that might jump out of the earth.

His caution paid off, as the ground began to shake beneath him again, and he was easily able to throw himself out of the way of another mass of tree roots exploding from the ground, and quickly burned them all away.

The roots had burst from the ground directly over where the pulsing was coming from, which gave Leon an idea, though not one that excited him any.

If the roots weren’t continuing to come, then there was a strong possibility that they were dead. And if that was the case, then he might be able to use the tunnel they bored to access whatever was beneath the surface.

But heading down below the ground wasn’t an appealing thought, and given the way that his Clan usually built their important structures, then the facility was likely a fair ways down.

Still, Leon cautiously walked back over and took a good long look at the remains of the roots. He’d burned them away completely, practically cutting them off completely at the surface and leaving what remained behind a smoking, charred husk.

Leon poked at it with his earth magic, waiting for any response. When none came, Leon knelt down and physically started poking at the roots’ remains. All he got for his trouble was an ashy gauntlet.

So, with the need to find Maia, Valeria, Anzu, and the rest of his retainers in the forefront of his mind, Leon started to more actively use his earth magic, and started trying to follow the roots’ route through the ground. He was just waiting for anything else to come surging out of the earth, but now, he was left alone.

The root tangle was thick, and following where it came from was easy, even for his weak ability with the earth element. The roots didn’t come directly from where the pulsing magic was coming from, but it was fairly close—about sixty feet from the surface, and about a hundred feet away.

With a better idea of where he was going, Leon started to apprehensively carve out a tunnel from the earth. He reinforced it with stone as best as he could, but making it entirely of stone was still incredibly difficult and power-intensive for him, so he had to content himself with making the tunnel primarily of dirt.

He carved the tunnel at an angle, following the root tangle as best as he could, but about thirty feet down, he hit bedrock and had to start carving into stone. He was happier about the added stability, but his progress slowed.

Every second that passed by he was consciously aware of, the idea that his people were struggling against dire threats raising his heart rate and playing havoc with his emotions.

Soon enough, however, he hit shiny gray metal—the telltale sign of an important building to his Clan. A smile bloomed across his face as soon as he hit this material, but that smile soon thinned as he realized that he couldn’t easily bore his way past.

For a moment, he thought that he might be able to use whatever hole that the root tangle had created, but when he expanded the tunnel to include the entire circumference of the roots, he realized that the thicker tangle that had bored through the earth separated into much smaller individual roots this far down.

However, after some thought, he realized he could still use them.

He conjured his thin fire blade gem into his gauntlet and began to cut. He started first with the remains of the separate root tangle. With his small fire blade and his fire magic, he cut away what was poking through the gray metal wall. He then turned the blade against the wall itself, and while his progress went much more slowly, he was still able to cut through.

The wall was thick, but any enchantments that had once flowed through it were long dead. Under the weight of Leon’s power and fire blade, he’d cut a new, larger hole he could fit through, using the holes already made by the roots to save on time.

With a little more fire to burn more of the roots within the chamber, Leon finally managed to wiggle down into the room below.

What greeted him wasn’t anything that he’d prepared himself for.

The room appeared almost completely empty of furniture, everything having likely rotted away in the millennia since the facility’s construction. However, nine skeletal corpses littered the floor, most of their bones having turned to dust. The skulls were still there, though, and it was from them that the vines came from.

The skulls were old, but they still bore some signs of what had happened. Scowling in displeasure, Leon realized that the vines had burst outwards from the skulls. He couldn’t help but think of the brain mold they’d discovered earlier, and he wondered if this was some later stage of that affliction.

Regardless, he flooded himself with his magic power, ensuring that he wasn’t contaminated with anything, and then weighed his next move. He was at least now within the research facility. Now, he just had to find his people, turn off the wards that were keeping them separate, and then loot this place for all that it was worth.