Sennefer stayed behind and looked at the giant base ahead, wandering whether she should come here at all.
Then she looked at Madelyne and Brofen, who were walking together.
She knew that these two people came to find the same person, but with different intentions. Although she was not going to mind their business.
“Well, maybe I should tell Sunders to leave Madelyne be. They came from the same organization after all.” Sennefer muttered, before speaking to Brofen, “Brofen, come with me and speak to Samantha first. Your plan can wait.”
Next, she turned to Madelyne. “I won’t stop you from whatever you’re doing. But try not to cause too big a problem at the Overwatch Base. You should know how hard it is to keep everything peaceful.”
Madelyne flashed a scornful smile. “Wasn’t it the Moonfrost Union who started this shit in the Abyss?”
“Maybe. What can you do about it? Even Mister Rein of Brute Cavern is waiting for Mister Monkey to return.”
Monkey was challenging the level of legendary by coming to the Abyss. If he succeeded, other powerful wizards like Rein Mute would soon follow suit, regardless of what kind of disaster their actions might cause.
Madelyne spat and flew toward the base without minding Sennefer.
Sennefer looked at the last wizard remaining, which was Vifet.
The old man was thinking about something on his own with a sly smile.
“Vifet, you—”
“Hold it. I’m not a troublemaker, mind you. Rest assured, I’ll not dawdle in the base for too long. I’m going into the deeper levels.”
“... Then you should be very careful. You know how the Abyss is like right now.”
They left in different directions, after which Dokibell also strolled back into the forest to catch some much-needed beauty sleep, after so many days of walking.
...
Following Sunders’ lead, Angor moved through the complex passages inside the base.
Most of the structure was built out of solid concrete and steel beams, which made the whole building appear like something taken out of modern movies. Though Angor wasn’t in the mood to admire the architecture right now, because the dangerous aura on Sunders was returning.
A moment later, they entered a study much like those used by Sunders.
Angor saw his professor sitting down and looking at him with a pair of scrutinizing eyes that could almost reach the depth of his soul.
“Before everything, tell me, what happened to your right hand?”
“When studying uh, a new subject, I met with... ‘him’, again.”
He didn’t need to explain who “him” was.
“A new subject, huh?”
Sunders rubbed his left temple as he felt a headache again, which was no longer surprising when dealing with Angor. Judging from how many horrifying secrets Angor had brought him until now, such as making Mystery items and “manifestation of Mystery”, he was well prepared to hear another stupefying awe.
“Hold up. Just... hold up. Let’s see. The incident at Devil’s Water that got the whole wizarding world pumped up. Don’t tell me you caused it.” Sunders thought about the biggest event he could remember recently.
“Devil’s Water? Which one are you referring to, sir?”
He’s involved in more than one trouble?! Sunders’ inner self yelled madly.
“Ahem. Do you know the treasure hunt at Silver Palm Isle? Somebody said that a slippery thief of some sort stole the Mystery item everyone was looking for. Are you that thief, perchance?”
“No! If I have something so dangerous on me, do you believe I can make it back to the Fey Continent, hitch a ride with the Moonfrost Union, and come to you in one piece?”
“Alright. Point taken.”
“God of Seas” Flunza was there to watch it happen. Sunders didn’t believe Angor had what it took to escape under Flunza’s nose even though Angor had been quite talented in hide-and-seek. Besides, nobody had discovered any trace of the “thief” as of now. An apprentice couldn’t stay hidden from the entire world like that.
Sunders calmed his mind, only to get choked by what Angor had to say next.
“I didn’t take the item. But-but I, um, accidentally stumbled into that dark dimension before everyone did...”
“Yooooou—”
I should’ve never trusted this little devil!
Sunders suddenly remembered the first time they met in Barbie’s Restaurant, when Angor appeared like a humble, kind child that fitted the image of a great academician.
Academician my boot! This monster’s several times worse than Sumesh and Flora combined!
Now he thought about it, he never felt so frequently angered before, until Angor showed up.
He took several deep breaths and persuaded himself not to quit and leave Angor to whatever mischief that awaited.
“... Now, tell me, was that how you bumped into the blond stranger and caused your right hand to further grow?”
Under Sunders’ anticipating look, Angor slowly shook his head.
Crack!
The armchair Sunders was using became arm-less because of the gentleman’s uncontrolled grasp.
Okay, okay... Sneaking into the dark dimension wasn’t satisfying enough. I should have known.
Sunders decided not to ask what else Angor prepared for him so that he wouldn’t get a heart attack too soon. He wished to solve problems one at a time.
“What exactly did you do at Silver Palm?”
“Trust me, sir, the treasure has nothing to do with me—”
Angor was startled into silence when the view around him suddenly changed. They were still in a study, but a different one. And he recognized this outdoor study—it was Sunders’ Gravity Garden.
Sunders’ personal room in the Overwatch Base was already warded. But he wasn’t sure whether it was enough to prevent powerful prophets from listening in, so he brought Angor here.
“Go on.” Sunders found another seat.
“As I said, it was an accident. It all started from a strange ship I found at Devil’s Water...”
In detail, Angor explained his voyage back to the Old Earth, along with everything he came across along the way, especially the strange logbook and the “predictions” left behind by Lucas.
By following the predictions, he came to the strange teleportation array under a dried-up well and ended up at the dark dimension.
“I didn’t forget the Undead Reversal Project you told me to keep up, sir. In the secret dimension, I captured Torras and successfully brought him back. Unfortunately, he lost that handy teleport ability upon regaining his sanity. I don’t know... Maybe this is to be expected when you cleanse the undead?”
Sunders did not say anything.
“Torras is the only thing I took from that place, sir. Honest. I have no idea where that ‘Mystery item’ went.”
Sunders was glad that he saw Angor was being truthful.
According to Angor, the teleportation array was hidden at mortal land for thousands of years without any form of protection. Somehow, Angor discovered it when no one else did.
“Was it pure luck, or the work of the Mystery treasure? And Angor, don’t you even mention this to anyone else. I don’t need to remind you of it, right?”
Sunders found it to be a great pity that Angor failed to retrieve such a powerful item that might even manipulate the future. But again, Angor would have no chance of taking it away if he did find it.
“Do you have this Torras person with you?”
Angor nodded and released Torras from the Church of the Deceased.
Torras panicked a little when seeing the sudden change of environment. But when he saw Angor nearby, he sighed in relief.
“Mister Padt! Please! Send me back to Foundation City! I need to finish up business with that a*shole. He ruined my name!!!”