Chapter 5: Magic Matrix

While Karu and Boriz were filled with curiosity about the Angel Square in the center of the fortress, they had no idea that every move of theirs was already under the watchful eyes of Komer and Rebril, who had been hiding in the shadows.
In the dim secret chamber, several crystal balls gathered together to project a vivid image of the two shadowy figures. The detailed panoramic view appeared as if a hologram had been created right in the center of the chamber—every detail was clearly visible, even the wrinkles on Karu’s face.
“Mr. Rebril, it seems you’re quite moved. What is it? Has something stirred memories in you?” Komer was highly sensitive to Rebril’s emotions. The deep, complex expressions made him realize that this mysterious magician must be connected to the judges of the Light Church’s Tribunal.
Rebril didn’t avoid Komer’s probing questions. With a faint smile, he said, “It seems Lord Komer is quite interested in my performance. Why? Are you still not confident in me?”
“Hehe, where did you get that idea, Mr. Rebril? If I weren’t confident in you, how could I allow you to stay in Damorlensk Fortress? There are no secrets left for you here anymore. We’re on the same side now.” Komer smiled slyly and shrugged nonchalantly.
“Hmph, thank you for your trust, Lord Komer.” Rebril gazed thoughtfully at the panoramic image in the center of the chamber. “Ten years have passed, and this guy still looks the same. I really want to see if he’s improved at all over these years.”
“Oh? Mr. Rebril, do you know these two judges?” Komer was surprised. Though he had long suspected Rebril was connected to the Light Church, the idea of a mage from that church willingly embracing dark magic seemed unbelievable. But hearing Rebril say so confirmed his suspicions.
“I know one of them. We’ve been acquaintances for years. Never mind, it’s all old history.” Rebril’s gaze was filled with deep emotion. “I didn’t expect him to end up at the Tribunal. But I believe he’s one of the more honest ones there.”
“Honest? Mr. Rebril, am I hearing right? Can honesty even exist in the Tribunal?” Komer laughed scornfully.

“Lord, I hope you won’t speak to them in such a manner, otherwise it will be difficult for you to give them a reasonable explanation in front of them,” Rebrí said with a hint of warning. “Although Noyora is a paranoid man, he isn’t crazy—he just thinks more wildly and boldly. Sometimes he is better at playing politics than anyone else. As for the men under him, each one is a highly skilled individual, whether in magic, martial arts, or adaptability. The people from the Inquisition can handle things on their own without any trouble. And the fact that two of them have come this time surely implies something deeper.”

“Deeper meaning? What kind of deeper meaning? Do they doubt my identity, or do they think the dark forces are too active in this land?” Komer tilted his head and asked, his eyes shifting.

“If it’s just the latter, it would be much easier to deal with. I’m worried that because of the performance of the undead in the Battle of Bruce, they have associated your actions with those of the Lord. Coupled with this mysterious Damolensk Castle, they might think the situation in this region is heading in a direction they don’t want to see, and you could be a key factor in that,” Rebrí said, showing a thorough understanding of the psychology of the members of the Light Church, with his analysis being quite accurate.

“Exactly that’s why I need Lord Rebrí’s help. We need to make them realize that the Caucasus is not to be underestimated, but also show them that we are not a stronghold for dark forces—only because of our unique geographical location, there are many phenomena that differ greatly from those in the northern regions,” Komer said carefully, as if talking to himself or explaining his thoughts to Rebrí.

“Lord, although these people from the Inquisition are very firm in their faith, they’re not all stubborn fools. That older guy is a cunning old scoundrel—not only does he possess great magical power, but his sense of the situation and judgment are also extremely accurate. As you said, as long as they believe the Caucasus isn’t the paradise of dark forces as rumored, and if we show our strength appropriately, I believe they won’t stir up trouble for now. Of course, if they’re convinced that we’ve already allied with the dark forces, that’s another matter.”

Rebrí didn’t seem worried about the two inquisitors before him, which gave Komer even more confidence.

“Hehe, Mr. Lebray, it seems heroes see things alike. Then let’s pretend we know nothing and let them try our Ice Wind Matrix!” Comer’s sinister laugh filled the secret chamber with an eerie chill, causing Lebray to shiver. Working with someone as cunning and resourceful as him was truly exhausting—one had to constantly anticipate their next move.

Karu and Boriz swiftly circled the giant angel statue and the surrounding pillars twice, finding nothing unusual aside from the persistent cold mist. Exchange glances with each other, Boriz stepped into the matrix first. The moonlight, like water, pierced through the thin mist, casting a vivid glow on the angel statue. Just as the two entered the matrix, something strange happened.

A shrill, monstrous howl seemed to erupt suddenly from the depths of hell below. The silver moonlight burst forth with a cold radiance, enveloping the entire matrix. Strong winds blowing from underground cracks and small holes merged together, instantly turning into wind blades that, drawn by the special forces emanating from the stone pillars, began spinning wildly throughout the matrix.

These ethereal wind blades quickly solidified into tangible ones. Wind blades as sharp as ice sliced through the matrix, constantly colliding and changing direction. The light shields were activated immediately. The two judges had extraordinary keen senses and had detected the strange changes in magic within the matrix even before the howling started. Remaining highly vigilant, they promptly activated their light magic shields, sealing every part of their bodies tightly.

The sharp wind blades kept circling around their shields, tearing at them relentlessly. Karu and Boriz continuously strengthened their shields by amplifying their own magic, while also using auxiliary stabilization spells to extend their shields’ duration. The powerful magic emanating from the massive matrix made them realize they had been too reckless in stepping into this poorly understood magic array. Now, it seemed too late to regret it.

The violent, chaotic winds made it extremely difficult for the two of them to move forward. If this was man-made, they could identify their opponent and combine forces to counter with the light magic array. But now, although they suspected someone was behind this, they hadn’t detected any enemy in their perception range. It was clear that the opponent had activated a magic array to attack them. In such a situation, it was impossible to find a way to retaliate, and the attack from the magic array was so fierce that it consumed almost all of their energy, leaving them with no strength to think about anything else.

The cold aura within the magic array grew increasingly intense, especially after the sudden gusts of wind. The cold air combined with the wind element to create even more dangerous cold currents. The wind blades gradually took solid form, turning into icy blades of wind. Almost every time one of these blades passed over the surface of their light magic shield, it would slice through it, producing a shrill screech. The depletion of magical energy left Karu and Boriz extremely anxious, yet they were helpless. The airflow erupting from beneath the ground fluctuated in strength and was extremely cold; they had to rely on powerful light magic to protect themselves with every step they took.

“Karu, this won’t work. If we keep going like this, we’ll freeze to death! Have you noticed? This is a geothermal vent. If I’m not mistaken, this must be the legendary Eye of Darkness. All the cold energy from this area can erupt through here. We won’t be able to hold on much longer.”

Boriz’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. He never expected that after traveling far and wide, he would fall into a trap here. Deceived by the appearance of the angelic statues and the magic array, he had overlooked the nature of the ground beneath them. This place was actually the Eye of Darkness. Otherwise, even if the magic array’s power was limited, it wouldn’t last long, and the two of them could have endured. But now, with the Eye of Darkness beneath their feet, its cold energy seemed endless. If things continued like this, their ultimate fate would be to turn into frozen zombies.

“Boriz, don’t lose your composure. The guy who set up this trap might be watching us laugh at our expense. Don’t tarnish the reputation of our court; they will show up. I believe their intention isn’t to harm us, at least not in this way.” Although Karu was also anxious, he had a premonition that the castle remained eerily silent at this moment, which was clearly unreasonable. These guys used such tactics against just the two of them, obviously because they knew we would come to Damalsk Fortress for an undercover investigation, aiming to give us a lesson. “This is the Eye of Darkness, but without an external trigger, this magic matrix won’t activate. They’re just waiting for us to beg for mercy.”