“Ludwig! Are you alright?” Van Dijk’s voice cut through the chaos, his words rattling through the debris and dust that filled the air. The tower groaned under the strain of the attack, its ancient stones trembling as if they might collapse at any moment.
Ludwig waved away the thick clouds of dust and smoke, coughing slightly as he tried to regain his bearings. “Yes, Master, I’m fine… What the hell was that?” he asked, his voice tinged with both confusion and alarm. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the destruction. The once-pristine laboratory was now a mess of shattered glass, scattered papers, and broken equipment.
“We’re under attack,” Van Dijk said grimly, his voice low but filled with a dangerous edge. He raised his hand, and a surge of magic erupted from his palm, spreading out like a wave and merging seamlessly with the walls of the tower. The structure itself seemed to hum in response, as if awakening to its master’s call. The air grew heavier, charged with the raw power of Van Dijk’s magic.
Ludwig turned his attention to the source of the explosion. The entire north wall of the tower had been obliterated, reduced to rubble and dust. moonlight streamed in through the gaping hole, illuminating the room with an eerie glow. Ludwig cautiously approached the edge, peering out to assess the situation.
“Careful, Ludwig,” Van Dijk warned, his voice tense. “We don’t know who’s attacking us.” He tried to activate his communication device, but it sparked and fizzled, clearly malfunctioning. Van Dijk cursed under his breath, tossing the device aside.
Ludwig’s eyes widened as he took in the scene outside. Hundreds of white-clad paladins surrounded the tower, their armor gleaming in the sunlight. They moved with military precision, their ranks forming a tight circle around the Black Tower. At the forefront stood a figure in red and gold robes, his presence commanding and ominous.
“Ah, it’s the Holy Order,” Ludwig said, his voice barely above a whisper. He quickly withdrew from the edge, hiding himself from view as he noticed several paladins preparing what looked like a powerful spell. The air around them crackled with holy energy, and Ludwig could feel the oppressive weight of their magic even from this distance.
“Holy Order?” Van Dijk’s voice was laced with venom as he stepped up to the gaping hole in the wall. His eyes narrowed as they landed on the figure in red and gold robes. “Bishop Vitelli!” Van Dijk roared, his voice carrying across the battlefield like a thunderclap. “What is the meaning of this?”
The bishop, unlike last time where he was on the defensive inside Van Dijk’s office, this time he was more commanding, confident Even.
The Bishop stepped forward. His voice was calm but carried an undercurrent of authority. “Master Van Dijk, our apologies for this… rude gesture. But we have received information that you are hosting Dark Magic rituals within your Black Tower. We cannot ignore such allegations.”
Van Dijk’s face twisted in anger, his hands clenching into fists. “FOR MERE ALLEGATIONS YOU DARE ATTACK ME! You already came here not even a week ago and scanned the whole place! You found nothing!”
“That was before we learned of a few things,” the bishop replied, his tone unyielding. “First, please hand over your disciple. We believe he is also entangled with the darkness.”
Ludwig’s inexistent heart skipped a beat. ‘They’re here for me? What the hell did I do?!’
Van Dijk’s rage boiled over, his voice rising to a deafening roar. “You come into my territory! MY LAND! MY TOWER! AND DARE!” Each word seemed to shake the very foundations of the tower, the air growing darker and heavier with every syllable. Black electrical surges began to crackle around Van Dijk, his magic manifesting as a storm of raw power. The ground beneath the tower trembled, stones and pebbles lifting into the air as if gravity itself had been disrupted.
“YOU DARE QUESTION ME? ARE YOU ALL TIRED OF LIVING?!” Van Dijk’s voice was a thunderous declaration of war, his mana surging to unimaginable levels. The paladins hesitated, their confidence wavering in the face of the eight-circle mage’s overwhelming power.
‘Ludwig!’ Van Dijk’s voice echoed in Ludwig’s mind, cutting through the chaos. It was the same telepathic communication Ludwig had experienced with Thomas.
‘Master?’ Ludwig replied, his mental voice tinged with urgency.
‘Good, you can reply through telepathy. Listen carefully—you need to run. Go upstairs, take the portal in my office. It will send you to Silva. Tell him that I’m sending you to my hideout. I don’t know what’s going on right now, but it seems we’ve been exposed. You’ll need to lay low for now.’
[Sudden Quest Update!]
Follow Van Dijk’s orders and escape the encirclement.
‘Wait,’ Van Dijk added as Ludwig began to move. ‘There’s a book under my desk. Grab it and keep it safe. And right underneath the bookcase, there’s a compartment that can be pressed. Press it and take the item that appears. Go now! Hurry!’
Ludwig nodded, his mind racing as he turned and bolted up the stairs. The tower shook with every step, the sounds of an upcoming battle growing louder behind him. He reached Van Dijk’s office, which was in complete disarray. Books had been thrown from their shelves, papers were scattered across the floor, and the furniture was overturned. Ludwig navigated the chaos, making his way to the desk.
“Van Dijk, you are hereby ordered to abandon all resistance! Please do not make this any harder than it should be!” Bishop Vitelli’s voice echoed from outside, but Van Dijk’s response was even more thunderous.
“YOU COME TO MY PLACE AND ASK ME TO SURRENDER? I WAS NEVER ONE TO SUCCUMB TO THREATS! LET IT WEEP BLOOD TONIGHT!”
The tower seemed to come alive, its walls humming with energy as Van Dijk’s magic surged through every stone and beam. Ludwig could feel the power building, a storm of darkness that threatened to consume everything in its path.