The atmosphere at the Grand Castle was charged with tension since dawn, and the feeling only intensified as the day progressed. Knights clad in armor were on high alert, diligently watching over the castle grounds to deter any unwelcome visitors. Meanwhile, the wizards congregated, dressed in their finest garments, ready to spring into action.
The air was thick with an eerie silence that seemed to hang heavily, as if a pin drop could shatter the stillness. Suddenly, a voice pierced through the solemnity, lively and almost daring in its tone.
“Is everyone ready? Then let’s begin,” Erna announced, stepping forward to take charge of the gathering.
However, Orpé reached out and grasped Erna’s hand, interrupting her.
“Wait, wait a minute!” Orpé urged, her voice laced with anxiety.
Erna looked at her, perplexed. “Why?”
Orpé took a few deep breaths, her face drained of color. The other wizards quickly followed suit, attempting to calm their nerves and release the tension that was gripping them all.
“Are you really that scared?” Erna asked, looking at the wizards with a mixture of confusion and exasperation.
The wizards vigorously nodded their heads, and one of them spoke up, their voice cracking with apprehension. “Of course! Facing the oldest and most powerful magic in Hessenguard requires immense mental preparation!”
Erna simply shrugged her shoulders, appearing to be unfazed. “Well, I was a bit surprised the first time I saw it. Anyway, since we’re really going to do it now, everyone get ready.”
“Yes, okay!” The wizards quickly adjusted their posture when Erna raised her hand. When she finally gave the signal, the magic circle that she had been painstakingly preparing for two long weeks began to envelop the main building of the Grand Castle.
As the new magic circle came into view, it revealed the ancient circle that had been etched onto the castle floor for centuries. Erna had drawn the new circle to discern whether or not the old one was an adversary, but to her surprise, it began to move on its own.
The two massive circles rotated slowly, almost as if sizing each other up, causing the mouths of the magicians to go dry. Regardless of whether this was a once-in-a-hundred-years or even a once-in-a-thousand-years event, it was undeniably perilous.
“We’ve prepared defensive magic, but…” one of the wizards trailed off, leaving the rest to imagine the worst-case scenario. If the two magics recognized each other as enemies and collided, the castle would be obliterated in an instant. Despite their awareness of the danger, the wizards and knights had fortified themselves with defensive magic and evacuated all non-essential personnel from the castle the day before. But the threat remained, a palpable presence that hung heavy in the air.
The magic circles continued to rotate around the castle, getting closer and then distancing themselves from each other in a ceaseless dance. The magicians watched, their eyes transfixed by the sight. Then, slowly, the light of the ancient protective magic of the castle, which had risen from the ground, began to weaken and fade away, like water slowly seeping into the earth.
Now, the only magic left in the sky was the magic that Erna had drawn. The tension was almost unbearable as the wizards and knights stood by, watching the circles continue their dance, waiting for something – anything – to happen.
Erna’s hand reached out towards the spinning magic circle in the air, and the wizards followed suit, sending their magical power surging into the circle. The circle responded, spinning faster and faster with each passing moment, causing the wizards to grit their teeth as they poured more of their power into the spell.
The knights, too, exchanged wary glances as the energy in the air grew stronger and more intense. Kalion stood at the forefront, his expression tense but steady. Unlike the others, he showed no sign of anxiety, though it was clear that the power surging through the air was making him uneasy.
As the magic circle spun, the letters etched into its surface became a blur, and streams of golden light extended from it, enveloping the castle in a radiant aura. It was as if everything in the world was being bathed in light.
And then, with a thunderous boom, the light that had wrapped around the castle disappeared in an instant. The enormous force that had been pressing down on the air vanished, leaving a sudden and profound silence in its wake.
Before the wizards had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief, Erna raised her fists and let out a triumphant shout, her voice echoing across the castle grounds.
“We have finally succeeded in connecting the Forest of Irgis and the castle!”
She gazed in awe at the giant circle that had materialized before her very eyes. The circle, spanning an enormous distance, connected the ancient ruins of Forest of Irgis to the Grand Castle, leaving a sense of wonder and excitement in the air.
“Wow!” Orpé gasped, her eyes wide in amazement. “We did it!”
The other wizards who had been working alongside Erna cheered with elation, raising their arms triumphantly as they celebrated their success in casting the permanent gate magic.
“We have succeeded in the permanent gate magic!” one of the wizards exclaimed, beaming with pride.
Another wizard added, “Hey, we succeeded before the Mage of Tower!”
Erna beamed with pride and excitement as she realized the magnitude of their accomplishment. The success of the permanent magic gate alone would have been enough to bring the Mage Tower to its knees, but they had done the impossible—they had broken through the protection magic of the ancient ruins and the Grand Castle, which was so complex that it made one’s head spin.
Erna’s smirk grew even wider as Kalion suddenly appeared before her. She looked up at him and said triumphantly, “See? I told you we’d succeed.”
Kalion wrapped his arms around Erna’s shoulders and replied, “Of course. It’s your magic, after all.”
Erna felt a warmth spread through her body at Kalion’s words, and she shook her shoulders playfully. Orpé and Cedric, who were standing nearby, thumped their chests with slightly embarrassed expressions. The love between the Grand couple was overflowing, and everyone around them could feel it.
Erna turned to face the other wizards, who were still celebrating their success, and shouted, “Well, then, it’s overtime again from today!”
