Gar's residence was nestled on a highland deep within the ruins, half-hidden behind crumbling stone walls entangled by creeping vines. In the courtyard, a few purple-flowered plants bloomed in silent mystery. Inside, a long table was cluttered with potion bottles and scrolls. At this moment, Leo, Luna, Dan, Vivella, and Gar sat around the table, discussing their upcoming journey and speculating about the recent mutation of the monsters.
"I can't shake the feeling that this attack was different from what ordinary monsters would do. It's like they were being controlled by something," Luna said, tapping the table with her fingertips as she adjusted the magi-tech device on her wrist with her metal fingers.
Dan nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Especially when we approached the Black Mountain Ruins, those creatures started behaving really strangely."
"This ruin was once a place of intense magical convergence. Many old forces and teleportation arrays remain. No wonder it attracts them," Gar said calmly, but before he could finish his sentence, a commotion erupted outside.
"Necromancer, come out and face me!"
The voice was loud, filled with rage and provocation, followed by the clashing sound of armored soldiers.
Gar raised an eyebrow and stood up. "Sigh, again." He grabbed a pitch-black staff leaning against the wall, its dark crystal orb slowly rotating at the tip.
"Who is it?" Leo instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his broken sword, alert.
"Just an old acquaintance." Gar casually donned a black robe embroidered with bone patterns. "Stay behind me."
The others followed him outside. Beyond the ruins stood an entire army—nearly two hundred soldiers, neatly arrayed. At the front, a middle-aged general clad in heavy metal armor pointed at Gar with fury burning on his face.
"Necromancer Gar! You have repeatedly violated Alliance laws, manipulating the dead and disturbing order. Today, I've come to end your menace!"
"Hmph, General Antoris. Your tongue grows sharper every time," Gar said, tapping his staff on the ground as dust gently rose around him. "You come every few months. Is it really the Alliance that wants to punish me—or is it you who covets the ruins and treasures beneath this land?"
Antoris's face turned red with anger, but he maintained his stern demeanor. "Enough talk—attack!"
At his command, six high-ranking mages in blue robes leapt into the air, casting spell-sealing formations to trap Gar. Magical energy twisted into sigil nets, weaving around him to restrict his movements.
"Still using this trick?" Gar scoffed. His eyes gleamed with a dark light as he swung his staff, unleashing a vortex of shadow energy.
Boom!
Before they could complete their incantations, the six mages were struck down by the blast, slamming into the ground. Two of them even had their staffs shattered.
"He… he actually disrupted a level-six sealing spell?" one of the mages gasped in fear, struggling to call out to Antoris. "You didn't tell us he was this powerful!"
Gar descended the stone steps, black mist billowing behind him. "Come again, and I won't be so merciful."
Antoris gritted his teeth but was powerless. He could only give the signal to retreat, hurling a threat over his shoulder. "Just you wait—I'll be back!"
Back inside the house, Dan supported Vivella, who had suffered some scrapes, and remarked, "Gar, you really went all out this time."
Vivella panted lightly. "His power… it's beyond anything I can comprehend."
Gar returned to his seat and waved dismissively. "Just had to teach them a lesson. A real fight would cost me dearly too."
At that moment, Gar's gaze fell upon the Void Ring on Leo's hand. His eyes narrowed slightly.
"That ring…" he murmured, "Where did you get it?"
"In Emerald City," Leo replied.
Gar looked thoughtful. He stood and walked over to Leo. "Let me see it."
He reached out and gently touched the ring. Instantly, it emitted a soft violet glow, and the air around them distorted violently. The ground beneath their feet vanished, and their bodies were pulled into an invisible space.
Moments later, they found themselves in a completely unfamiliar place.
The world around them looked independent—its sky a soft dusk-blue, distant mountains rising and falling, a clear stream flowing nearby. Trees, grass, flowers, even the air itself were rich with magical energy.
"Where… are we?" Dan asked in disbelief, scanning the surroundings. "Is this still the real world?"
"No," Gar replied, his expression complex. "We're inside the Void Ring's inner dimension."
Luna's eyes lit up as she quickly began recording data. "The elemental balance here is remarkable. It's even more habitable than many cities…"
"This ring…" Vivella whispered. "It's like a world of its own."
Gar nodded. "The fact that you could enter means this place has recognized you as viable lifeforms. The material of the ring is a mineral known as the 'Eternacore Crystal.' It's said to originate from relics of the Creation Era and can absorb and nurture elemental energy."
"No wonder…" Leo murmured, looking at his finger. "I always felt like it was alive somehow."
"It may well be slowly awakening," Gar said. "If you can fully master this space, it could become more than just a hiding place. It could become a dimensional weapon."
"Try opening an exit," Luna suggested.
Leo took a deep breath, focused his thoughts, and the ring glowed faintly. A portal appeared before them.
Without hesitation, the five of them stepped through and returned to Gar's home.
The air inside seemed recently stirred, but everything had returned to normal. The group exchanged glances—and each of them saw something different shining in the others' eyes.
The wind in the cemetery gradually died down, though the air still carried a subtle tremor from the recent magical surge. Gar stood at the entrance, gazing at the fading glow of the distant sunset, his expression tinged with a trace of melancholy. Vivella approached and said softly, "Gar, since you're here alone anyway… why not join us on our journey?"
Hearing this, a long-lost glimmer lit up in Gar's eyes. He turned his head with a smile. "You really don't mind having a necromancer like me with you?"
Dan shook his head and shrugged casually. "If you can scare off those persistent soldiers a few more times, I'd be glad to have you around forever."
Luna nodded as well, her mechanical eye gleaming with a soft light. "We're already comrades. No matter what you are, that won't change."
Gar's expression softened. He murmured, "Thank you."
With a wave of his staff, a stone slab in the corner of the cemetery slowly shifted aside, revealing a hidden underground vault. It was filled with ancient weapons and magical artifacts, many covered in dust, yet still emanating a potent power.
"These weapons were originally part of the city's treasury," Gar explained. "Leaving them here unused would be a waste. You'll be facing far stronger enemies soon—your gear needs to match that."
As he spoke, he channeled magic into his staff, which began to glow with blue-violet runes. He melted several magical items into flowing metal and reshaped them mid-air. Under the pulsing waves of dense magic, two uniquely shaped staffs gradually took form.
"This one is for Vivella." He handed her a staff inlaid with green gemstones. "It's fused with the Spirit of Wind and a Crystal of Healing. It'll enhance your support and long-range magic."
"And this one is for Luna." The other staff shimmered with a silvery light. "Crafted from Thunder Silver and Fallen Star Ore, it can handle high-intensity magical output without overloading."
As the two received their staffs, they felt a surge of energy coursing through their arms, their internal magical circuits seemingly becoming more fluid.
"What powerful magic… this staff feels like it's breathing," Luna whispered.
Gar smiled and nodded. He then took out a coil of silver-glowing metal thread and began weaving it while chanting a spell. Soon, a longbow formed, made from a blend of mithril and enchanted wood. He handed it to Vivella.
"This bow's arrows will automatically seek the target's weakest point. It suits your style."
Vivella lightly pulled the string—ripples shimmered faintly in the air.
When it came to Dan and Leo, Gar took out a few highly offensive swords and blades, but the two declined.
"My twin blades have been with me for years. They feel just right," Dan said, patting the sheaths at his waist with a smile.
"This broken sword may be damaged, but it holds my memories," Leo said calmly, gazing at the blade in his hand. "It and my Void Ring have already become one."
Gar glanced at them and didn't press the issue. With a flick of his staff, the remaining weapons and coins were stored in a blue emblem.
"This is a storage emblem," he explained. "A pocket dimension formed by spatial magic—useful for carrying what we need later."
After finishing everything, Gar looked back at the cemetery. He gently waved his staff, and wisps of ghostly light rose from the graves, carrying an indescribable emotion as they slowly gathered in the crystal at the staff's tip.
"These were once my friends and family," he murmured. "They'll stay with me always."
The five of them left the cemetery and once again set out for YaDu City. After several days of travel, they reached the outskirts of the city. Cohen had already been teleported back to Black Mountain City.
"Where to next?" Luna asked.
There was a brief silence. Then Vivella spoke up, "I think what matters most now… is recovering Leo's memory fragments."
Gar nodded. He looked at Leo's chest and gently pulled back the cloak at his collar. A faintly glowing pentagram mark shimmered on his collarbone.
"That bastard Orion…" A flash of anger appeared in Gar's eyes. "He didn't just seal your memories—he scattered them all over the world. Fortunately, I can still sense part of them."
He closed his eyes and slowly raised his staff. The air around them began to tremble. Invisible magical runes rose from the ground, weaving into a complex array.
After a moment, Gar opened his eyes. "One of the fragments… is right beneath YaDu City."
The five of them immediately headed deeper into the city. Built into a massive canyon, YaDu City had six tiers—the higher the level, the closer to sunlight; the lower, the darker and more humid. The bottom three levels were known as the "Shadow Layers," rarely visited by ordinary citizens.
"People down here barely ever see sunlight," Vivella said softly.
As they descended, the air grew increasingly thick with the scent of rot and mold. Moss clung to the damp stone walls, and shadowy figures moved restlessly in the darkness.
"Can people really survive down here…?" Luna frowned.
"They have no choice," Gar replied coolly. "The upper class in YaDu has enforced strict isolation policies. They say it's to prevent 'contamination,' but really, they just don't want their pleasures disturbed."
They pressed on, through abandoned workshops and crumbling streets. The former splendor of the city had long since faded, replaced by poverty and oppression.
"The memory fragment… should be nearby," Gar said, raising his staff. Magic began to swirl gently in the air.
In the darkness, a faint light flickered.
A forgotten memory… was beginning to awaken.