Fire Mage

Chapter 635: Stealing

[16 Wisdom Points Obtained!]

As the notification of acquiring Wisdom Points flashed before his eyes, Charles dismissed it with a flicker. His attention swiftly turned to the fallen Minotaur corpse, its formidable presence now reduced to lifeless remains. Closing the distance with simple strides, he approached the fallen creature, prepared to extract the precious treasures that lay within.

With deft precision, he swiftly removed the head-sized reddish magic crystal from the creature's heart region, its pulsating energy a testament to its formidable power. Satisfied with this valuable find, Charles harvested the horn, carefully extracting it with practiced finesse. Each movement was deliberate, ensuring no single component of the fallen beast went to waste.

Charles's gaze shifted skyward as he stored the harvested treasures within his space ring. A flicker of judgment lit his eyes as he summoned the [Fallen Angel's Wings] spell. With a powerful thrust, he propelled himself upward, leaving the remnants of the fallen Minotaur behind.

Ascending into the open sky, Charles soared higher, navigating the air currents that guided him toward his next destination. It didn't take long before he reached his desired location—the grand lake in the middle of the wilderness.

Gradually descending, Charles made a graceful landing at the entrance of the ruined temple. A profound sense of solemnity washed over him as he stepped past the broken statues and crumbling stone walls.

Undeterred by the decaying facade, Charles pressed forward, traversing the main hall with measured steps. His gaze soon settled upon the sanctum sanctorum, the heart of the temple's spiritual power.

Stepping across the threshold, Charles stood before a crystalline statue, an ethereal representation of a young woman. His eyes, however, were drawn beyond the statue to the altar table behind it. The table held an air of significance, each detail meticulously crafted.

Approaching the table, Charles looked at the bowls, each adorned with a unique imprint etched within its depths. The closest bowl bore the imprint of a Lizard, while the subsequent bowls displayed imprints of a Monkey, a Serpent, a Bull, and so on.

A flicker of realization ignited within Charles as he contemplated the purpose of these bowls.

'So, I must place the magic crystals in the correct order,' he mused silently. Retrieving a fist-sized black crystal from his possession, he carefully nestled it within the bowl marked with the imprint of a panther. He meticulously followed the prescribed sequence with each subsequent crystal, his movements deliberate and purposeful.

With each crystal placed in its designated bowl, the air within the sanctum sanctorum shifted subtly. A strange invisible ripple came from the crystalline statue a second later, causing the whole temple to vibrate.

With a final, purposeful placement, Charles positioned the last head-sized magic crystal within its designated bowl. Instantly, the temple quaked with such intensity that the ground beneath him seemed to tremble in response. Walls vibrated, and ancient stones groaned as if awakening from a long slumber.

As the temple convulsed, the sanctum sanctorum became awash in an ethereal radiance, its brilliance blinding in its intensity. The divine energy that had long been dormant within the sacred space surged forth, cascading like a waterfall of shimmering light. The very air seemed to vibrate with the power that permeated the room.

Simultaneously, the magic crystals, vessels of unique essences, began to shine. The dormant energies contained within each crystal were unleashed in a harmonious symphony. One by one, these ethereal essences converged, drawn magnetically towards a mysterious snake egg resting at the heart of the altar table.

As they entered the egg, a transcendent transformation unfolded and caused a strange mutation to occur to the unborn snake.

Meanwhile, the almost empty magical crystals levitated from their resting places and ascended toward the ceiling. In a celestial dance, they converged, their luminous presence growing as they merged into a single entity.

Within mere seconds, a mesmerizing sight met Charles' eyes—a radiant, fist-sized crystal imbued with a splendid rainbow of hues. The colors danced and shimmered within its crystalline depths.

Before he could fully process the magnitude of this occurrence, the crystalline statue at the center of the sanctum sanctorum erupted in a blinding burst of light. The rainbow crystal, now transformed into a radiant key, seemed to be summoned forth by this divine beacon. As if guided by an invisible force, the key gracefully made its way toward Charles, descending gently into the cup of his outstretched palm.

As the mysterious rainbow key settled within his grasp, Charles couldn't help but feel a tingling resonance coursing through his being.

'A key?'

Charles didn't waste a moment as he released his wisdom power and analyzed it.

...

[The Key of Star Monarch's Tomb.]

...

'Star Monarch's Tomb? Who is this Star Monarch? Is this the clue?' He furrowed his brows. His thoughts, however, quickly shifted as his gaze fell upon the fist-sized egg nestled at the center of the ancient table.

Driven by curiosity, he unleashed his wisdom power, allowing his senses to penetrate the depths of the egg. Within its delicate confines, a small lifeform slumbered, oblivious to the world around it. As he observed, an inkling of realization dawned upon him. The earlier infusion of essences had strengthened the very essence of this creature.

'Could this be an incarnation of the fallen snake deity?'

Yet, as Charles delved deeper into his analysis, he made an intriguing discovery. The slumbering entity lacked consciousness—a vital aspect that defined sentient beings.

A sudden revelation interrupted his contemplation as a fragment of divine power, originating from the crystalline statue, appeared in one of his future visions. The mere presence of this divine fragment was suffocating, filling the sanctum sanctorum with an otherworldly aura.

'So, the statue harbors a divine consciousness,' Charles surmised, his mind quick to unravel the intentions at play. He invoked the [Golden Shield] spell with a decisive wave, enveloping the vulnerable snake's egg in a protective barrier. Simultaneously, he retrieved the crimson orb from his space ring, extending his hand toward the center of the altar table.

In response to his actions, the divine consciousness within the statue reacted with a surge of fury, unleashing a powerful shockwave aimed directly at Charles. Undeterred by the fragment's assault, Charles scoffed, his resolve unshaken.

He conjured another golden shield, fortifying his defense against the divine onslaught. Seizing the moment, he gently picked up the palm-sized white egg, carefully placing it inside the confines of the crimson orb.

A calm and collected smile played upon Charles' lips as he spoke into the vast space of the sanctum sanctorum.

"I shall take this egg as a gift," his words echoed softly, a declaration of his intentions.

With his gaze lifted toward the ceiling, he addressed the unseen presence that had watched over him throughout his journey.

"Guardian, I have fulfilled the sub-level quest," he announced, acknowledging the higher power that Eddie Nightwind had spoken of.

Though he had yet to reach the realm of Divines, he had long sensed the gaze of a higher entity upon him, and now he offered his accomplishments as evidence of his progress.

In the blink of an eye, Charles vanished, his entire being engulfed in a radiant golden light that whisked him away from his previous location.

Simultaneously, the entire expanse of Verdant Grove quaked with an unprecedented force. Mountains trembled, their rocky formations dislodging and descending in cascades of debris. Even the once serene waterfalls and rivers altered their course, caught up in the upheaval unfolding within the realm.

Then, a towering pillar of light ascended towards the heavens, crashing against the invisible forcefield-like barrier that sealed this dimension. The impact reverberated throughout; following that, a woman's anguished scream pierced the air, her words spoken in an unfamiliar language.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room, a young woman with a distinct blue complexion sat in quiet contemplation. Her features were striking, appearing around thirty years old, with ample curves and alluring greenish orb-like eyes devoid of pupils. Her round face boasted sharp, pointy ears, and she appeared to be around three meters tall.

Draped in a flowing gown-like dress, she perched upon a worn wooden chair, fixated on the head-sized crystal orb before her. This woman was none other than the First Guardian of Star Tombs.

Observing the crystal orb intently, one would discover that it offered a clear view of the events unfolding within Verdant Grove. With a chuckle, the blue-skinned woman addressed the scene before her.

"Stop it, Naga. There is no need to fault him for his overwhelming ambition," she remarked, her voice laced with amusement. She continued,

"Do not fret. Your opportunity will come soon, perhaps even sooner than you think."

Her words stirred a deep-seated rage from within the confines of the small dimension as a voice seethed with venomous curses.

"Do not utter another word, you wretched creature! Had I not lost my divine throne and perished, I would have torn the flesh from your bones!"

Unfazed by the outburst, the blue-skinned woman snapped her fingers, silencing the cursing voice, and calmly shifted her gaze toward the wall.

However, it wasn't the wall that held her attention. Instead, her gaze extended far beyond, fixing upon the distant land where Charles had reappeared.

"A fascinating seed has arrived," she murmured, her tone laced with intrigue.

"Yet, he remains too weak to capture the attention of the stars." Shaking her head with a hint of disappointment, she withdrew her gaze.