Chapter 52
Virgil shrugged and tousled Titus's ears, which had popped up in fear. He realized that he had been touching its behind all along. "Don't be scared, cutie. The continent is so big, it's not strange to have a few necromancers far away from here! Don't be afraid."
Because of Virgil's ambition, Xerath specifically brought out the book that tells the story of the Lich Empire. Two thousand years ago, a massive war broke out here between dragons and Lichs. The war lasted for months, and various elemental magics continuously pierced through the fissures in space here, turning this basin into an 'Elemental Gate.' All the local life was expelled, leaving only a desert behind.
There's a legend that these sandy stuff here is made by giant dragons who are good at earth magic. They summoned it from the Elemental Realm to bury all traces of war. It used to be a pile of rocks, but because of the sun and rain, it gradually turned into sand. The evidence is that the sand and rocks here are both gray, not the usual red and yellow.
"The great Lich, the most trusted general of the last Lich King, General Polistos, had his Life Casket destroyed in the war. So his bones from that time were also left here. The book doesn't say where he fell. If you find it, remember to bring it back secretly."
Virgil huddled against the back of the couch, "Why? Isn't it too scary? What if it comes back to life?"
"His Life Casket is shattered, leaving only a pile of dry bones. What are you afraid of?"
Virgil said firmly, "People are different from each other, and I'm the kind of person who is more sensitive than rational. Even if I know rationally that it's just a pile of bones, I can't stop being afraid emotionally. Unlike you! Are you going to bring it back and keep it at home?"
It's true for Xerath. Being shattered Life Casket means being completely killed. What's left is just a corpse. Since some people have the remains of the fierce beasts they hunted at home, what's wrong with a wizard having a Lich's skeleton at home? "Of course, but should we leave it outside to be exposed to the sun and rain?"
Virgil lowered his voice and said, "Don't joke around! Polistos was a mass murderer, and his bones were drenched in blood every day. There must be a heavy shadow energy on them. The house will definitely be haunted! Every night, restless spirits walk in the library and mess up your books!"
Xerath laughed, "Are you trying to scare me? I was just kidding. How could you dig it up so quickly?"
Surprisingly, the storm stopped in the afternoon this time. Virgil seemed to be in a hurry. As the day started to get a little brighter, he rode off on his horse. Dvořák even spread his wings in the sunny weather. Unexpectedly, Dvořák's wings were like two faint and elusive shadows, surprising Sylas.
Sylas had a new activity, but it didn't mean she stopped having fun. Maybe it was because Xerath's water bed left a deep impression on her, but shortly after Virgil left, she couldn't help but ask her teacher:
"Teacher, when can I have my own water lord?"
Xerath told her truthfully, "I think you might have to wait until you're a little older and can better control the water."
Water has special properties, it's somewhere between being gentle and lively like the wind, and friendly like the earth. Beginners often learn their first spell related to water.
Things like ice spear and water arrow.
But for Sylas, even the most stable and reserved earth element loved her incredibly. Let alone other elements, she had to be careful even when washing dishes.
"For example, you can easily wash dishes or take a bath."
"So, can I summon a water lord then?"
Xerath said, "Then you can start preparing to summon a water lord."
Sylas didn't understand and blinked her eyes, hoping she would say more.
Xerath said, "First, you need to know what your spells are for. This means you must first understand the grammar of these spells, which is the meaning of the relevant parts of the ancient Saiti language. Secondly, you need to know the meaning of each part of the spells. This requires you to have a deep understanding of the Elemental Realm so that you can control it better."
"Is that it?"
"Of course, there's more."
"But it's not written in the book, right?"
Xerath thought for a moment and asked, "What does the book say?"
"The book... the book doesn't say anything. Many books mention this matter, including biographies, only saying 'Someone used the contract spell of the water lord to summon the water lord.' I thought... I thought it was a spell that didn't require control."
"In theory, that's true... but in reality..." Her green eyes looked at her. Her student was always so curious, yet Xerath still saw a trace of unusual expression in her eyes, a cunning wisdom. "Ah-ha, you little troublemaker. I have no intention of telling you a word, because I found that your research is completely off track. I won't tell you anything until you figure it out on your own."
Sylas immediately pouted her small mouth, looking unhappy.
"Teacher...this is the first time you have refused me."
"Summoning the water lord is a matter that must be approached with caution, but I cannot tell you the reason now. You can explore it yourself, the answers are all in the library." Xerath tidied up the things on the table, stood up, and prepared to leave. Sylas grabbed her.
"Teacher! But I don't even know what the question is, how can I find the answer?"
Xerath took off her glasses and put them on the table. "I will leave the puzzle at home for you to find easily."
After saying that, she turned and walked out of the library. The black cloak was blown by the wind, and the sound of her shoes hitting the ground was exceptionally crisp and pleasant.
The only water lord in the house, Hyectra, floated behind Xerath. In the moment of leaving, it turned its head and cast a sympathetic look at her.
Sylas's face wrinkled with a distressed expression. She slowly walked out of the library when she heard the sound of Xerath's shoes fading away. Instead of going straight to the living room, she wandered aimlessly on the stairs. Xerath didn't come out to find her, but Titus waddled over and rubbed against her with its chubby body.
It turned out that Titus was still quite big to her. Sylas vividly remembered the night when she slept on Titus' back, but this footstool seemed to have shrunk as she grew older. It used to reach her knees, but now it only reached her lower legs.
Sylas reached out and picked up Titus, sitting together on the windowsill. The narrow width of the long windowsill could only accommodate one person, but fortunately, it was very deep, so there was no problem placing a footstool on it.
A storm is forming in the distance, and it seems to be caused by a lot of water rushing out. The center of the storm is filled with cold blue light, and even the lightning is a bright blue color.
"Titus... Why won't she tell me directly?"
"Woof."
"I think I can control water well now, look." Sylas gently waved her hand in the air, and drops of water emerged. Instead of falling to the ground, they floated in the air. It was magic that kept them free from the ground's hold. The crystal-clear water absorbed the colors of the storm and turned slightly grayish-blue.
This floating water quickly changed shape in Sylas's five fingers. It became a chess piece, then a bird, and then a stool.
"Woof!"
Titus jumped up, wanting to hit the thing that looked so much like it. Sylas intentionally raised it a bit higher. Titus was just a little short, but it didn't give up. It used its short legs to gain momentum from the inner wall of the window opening and jumped up, scattering the water.
It was stuck in the middle of the window, proudly turning its head towards Sylas. Sylas gave a sly smile, "Bathing."
Titus was so scared that it jumped to the ground, but it was too late. The apprentice mage's spell was completed at the same time, and a large mass of water rushed out from the crack in the elements, sealing Titus inside like a mouth.
The stool inside was struggling intensely with its four legs, and finally, its "head" emerged from the bottom of the water ball, maybe.
It managed to free itself and slipped a little after landing on the ground. The entire stool slammed onto the floor. Sylas covered her mouth and chuckled softly, afraid of disturbing the archmage in the living room.
However, Titus quickly stood up and swiftly shook the water off himself.
Sylas was too busy laughing and didn't have time to utter a spell. Before she could even cast a water shield, Titus drenched her. The little stool, seeing the success of its mischief, joyfully rolled on the floor, making a high-pitched "chirp" sound. Sylas reached out and forced it into her arms, vigorously rubbing its solid and round body.
"Bad dog!" But she couldn't hide her laughter. Titus also seemed happy, with even his fluffy ears perked up.
After a while, Sylas quieted down. A misty glimmer of water appeared in her emerald eyes, and the distant storm made her eyes turn blue. She softly asked, "But why does she still question my abilities?"
She used to be able to convince herself that Xerath always had her best interests at heart. But this time, doubts arose inexplicably. Based on past experiences, she shouldn't doubt Xerath, but this time, there seemed to be no reason to doubt herself. Xerath always emphasized "using rational judgment" rather than relying solely on feelings and experiences to make conclusions. However, this time, Sylas could only reach an unsettling conclusion.
According to Xerath's own words, she probably summoned her own water lord when she was around ten years old, and now she is probably thirteen (if her teacher's reasoning is correct). At this rate, Sylas might never surpass the previous Xerath.
Perhaps the archmage just doesn't want her records to be surpassed.
She was still lost in an indescribable emotion when suddenly she felt something brush against her. Titus twisted in her arms and the curved end of the cushion nudged her.
