Beneath the luminous gaze of a radiant moon, the eastern fringes of the Nightless City lay cloaked in an ethereal silver glow. The lunar light spilled across the flat, open ground, casting a shimmering luster that danced upon the earth.
Silhouettes of gnarled trees swayed in the restless wind, their twisted branches weaving malevolent shadows that writhed across the ground like spectral monsters, each one a fleeting phantom of grotesque shapes and sizes.
*Whoosh!*
A sudden gust stirred the air, and from the darkness, countless indistinct figures coalesced, their forms blending into the shadows until only three distinct silhouettes remained etched upon the ground. Two of the trio were shrouded in heavy black robes, their faces veiled in secrecy, exuding an aura of eerie cunning that seemed to pulse with hidden intent.
The third figure, unmasked but adorned with a small, sinister demon mask, stood apart, their presence commanding yet unsettling.
"Old Devil!" one of the cloaked figures rasped, their voice sharp with impatience as they addressed the masked figure. "When is Virago arriving?"
The voice of an old woman, coarse and weathered, emanated from beneath the mask. "Soon!" she replied curtly, her tone laced with assurance.
The cloaked figure pressed further, their words tinged with suspicion. "By the way, I have no issue with Virago joining us—she's from our organization, and her strength is undeniable. But this other person?" He gestured toward the second cloaked figure, his displeasure palpable. "Who is she?"
The old witch's masked face turned slightly, her voice steady as she responded. "Don't worry, she's a good friend of mine. Absolutely trustworthy."
The cloaked figure's eyes narrowed, unconvinced. "She'd better be. If she's not, no matter how tempting your rewards, I'll walk away."
The old witch's voice softened, but there was a steely edge to it. "Don't worry, she's…" She leaned closer, whispering something to the cloaked figure that made their tense posture relax. Silence fell, heavy and expectant.
"I see," the cloaked figure murmured, his doubts seemingly quelled.
Moments later, a shimmering blue drop of water streaked through the air, coalescing into a figure cloaked in azure. The newcomer landed lightly on the ground, their presence as sudden as a ripple in a still pond.
"My apologies, I'm a little late," the figure, Lancey, spoke, her voice cool and measured as she surveyed the gathered group. Her eyes, sharp behind her mask, lingered briefly on each of them. She recognized the old witch immediately, her long-time ally, and the cloaked man known as Brass Ring, a familiar face from the dark Magi organization. The third figure, however, was a stranger to her.
"Virago, you're here!" the old witch exclaimed, her voice warming slightly. "Let me introduce you. You already know Brass Ring, and this is Jaye, a good friend of mine."
Lancey's face remained hidden behind her mask, a precaution she always took on dark Magi missions. Only the old witch, Old Devil, knew her true visage.
Her current guise as Virago was one of infamy within the organization, earned through ruthless efficiency and a chilling reputation. Whispers still circulated about a Magi who had once tried to take liberties with her, only to vanish without a trace. Even Brass Ring, a seasoned operative, regarded her with a mix of respect and wariness.
"Virago! Long time no see," Brass Ring said, his tone cautious but cordial. Dark Magi revered power, and he knew better than to underestimate her.
"Brass Ring. And Jaye, hello," Lancey replied, her voice cold and indifferent, betraying none of the thoughts that churned beneath her composed exterior.
"Alright, since we're all here, let us set off!" the old witch declared, nodding decisively. Her figure melted into the darkness, and with a series of flickering lights, the others followed suit. In an instant, the patch of ground was empty once more, swallowed by the enveloping shadows of the night.
---
The old witch, having known Lancey for over a year, had invited her to join an expedition to explore the Ancient Spirit Slaying Sect, a venture that promised untold secrets. Lancey's mastery of soul-related arcana, honed to a degree that rivaled or even surpassed Old Devil's, made her an invaluable asset.
With the aid of a minichip, Lancey had effortlessly accessed the vast repository of knowledge within Leylin's A.I. Chip library, absorbing arcane data with ease. Her infiltration of the Four Seasons Garden had further sharpened her skills, leveraging her expertise in potioneering to amass resources and bolster her power at an astonishing pace.
Guided by Old Devil, the group embarked on a relentless journey across the Teljose plains. As official Magi, their speed was preternatural, far surpassing the gallop of mortal horses. Within two days, they had traversed the entire expanse, arriving at the edge of an unremarkable town that seemed plucked from a pastoral painting.
Its western-style architecture was quaint, its population barely exceeding ten thousand souls.
The group's strange attire—cloaks and masks that marked them as outsiders—made entering the town in broad daylight unwise.
Old Devil took charge, instructing the others to conceal themselves in the shadows while she ventured in alone. When she returned, the town had fallen into an unnatural stillness, its streets lined with slumbering figures.
"I've used the pollen of the Sea Anemone Flower, mixed with the liquid secretion from a Pungent Rat's joints," Old Devil announced with a cackle. "This dosage will keep them asleep for at least three days and three nights."
Brass Ring's eyes glinted with a cruel spark. "Is three days enough? Why not just kill them all? We could harvest a few bloodthirsty spirits while we're at it."
The old witch's gaze hardened. "After the exploration, you can do whatever you want with them. But for now, you follow my lead." A strange, palpable energy radiated from her, forcing Brass Ring to retreat a few steps.
"Are you mad?" he snapped, his voice low with warning. "You'd use *that* here? Are you looking to die?"
"Don't provoke me," Old Devil hissed, her hoarse voice dripping with menace, "or you'll regret it."
Brass Ring faltered, suddenly reminded of her status as an elder within their organization. Her connections were vast, her powers shrouded in mystery, and were it not for an incident years ago, her strength would have been even more formidable.
"That's enough!" Lancey's voice cut through the tension like a blade, her power surging briefly to push both parties back. The air crackled with her authority, and both Old Devil and Brass Ring stumbled, stunned by her intervention. "We don't need to draw attention to ourselves. Stay down, Brass Ring."
Turning to Old Devil, Lancey's tone softened but remained firm. "I'm sure you can tell us something now, can't you?"
The old witch met Lancey's gaze, her eyes glinting with reluctant respect. "Alright then," she conceded. "This is a small-scale secret plane I discovered during my travels—an experimental laboratory, no larger than a hundred feet. We can explore it fully within three days."
Brass Ring's eyes gleamed with greed. "A pity it's not a resource-type plane. If we could claim and alter one of those, we'd be swimming in wealth."
"Keep dreaming," Old Devil scoffed, shattering his reverie. "Larger secret planes require immense resources to construct. Even ancient Magi organizations struggled to build resource-type planes exceeding a hundred feet. The ones that exist today are merely altered remnants from their era. If a resource plane were found here, we wouldn't be able to hold it—not even with our organization and its backers."
"Let's move," she continued, her tone brisk. "Even a laboratory plane will hold valuable treasures. Plus, the higher-ups will reward us handsomely for this discovery."
The group followed her lead, arriving at a remote two-story wooden building on the town's western edge. Weeds choked the grounds, and the air carried a faint, eerie chill. Two mole-like creatures scurried past, their movements quick and furtive.
"This place was once a lively street," Old Devil explained, her voice tinged with satisfaction. "But thirteen years ago, residents began dying mysteriously. Some claimed to hear a woman's wail at night, sparking rumors of a cursed house. The area fell into neglect, overtaken by weeds."
She pushed open the rusted gates, revealing the dilapidated structure. "I found this place during an exploration. After months of study, I confirmed the strange occurrences were caused by the deterioration of defensive spells around the secret plane's entrance, leaking radiation."
"After thirteen years, those spells should have fully decayed, exposing the entrance," she added, her voice tinged with anticipation. "I posed as an ordinary buyer and purchased this building, disguising it to keep other Magi from noticing."
Lancey listened intently, her masked face betraying no emotion as she explored the building's interior. Her fingers brushed against a small ring on her right hand, adorned with seven serpents joined at their tails, each mouth clutching a bright red jewel.
Behind her mask, a faint sneer curled her lips as she glanced at Old Devil's back.
"Follow me," Old Devil instructed, her voice low. "Be careful not to touch the black mold on the walls—those are trigger points for the remaining defenses."
The group moved forward, their steps silent in the shadowed halls, as the promise of the secret plane's mysteries loomed ever closer.