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That being said, Darian didn't think Kaecilius was particularly strong.
He didn't even notice the portal opening in the room; compared to the Ancient One, he was miles behind.
Darian had reason to suspect that the only way Kaecilius could have defeated the Ancient One was if the Ancient One went easy on him, or if Kaecilius cheated. He couldn't think of any other possibilities.
"Alright, Kaecilius, Wong didn't mean it."
Mordo and Kaecilius were, after all, from the same school and quite familiar with each other, so Mordo stepped in to mediate: "The most urgent matter at hand is to retrieve the artifact as quickly as possible, lest the power of magic be exposed to the World. For safety, we should handle this together."
Kaecilius said coldly, "There's no need for such trouble; I can handle it alone."
Mordo's attitude was firm: "No, this matter is too important; we must act together. Now that Ancient One is not at Kamar-Taj, the responsibility of guarding the real dimension rests on our shoulders. There can be no mistakes."
As a disciple of the Ancient One and the current administrator of Kamar-Taj, Mordo was a rigid person with an almost stubborn adherence to rules.
Darian couldn't help but wonder how the Ancient One, with her personality, could have taught such a stubborn disciple.
However, on second thought, compared to Kaecilius, who was the most respected disciple of the Ancient One in all of Kamar-Taj, Mordo didn't seem too unreasonable.
Seeing Mordo bring up the Ancient One, Kaecilius, though still displeased, no longer objected.
"Wait, you guys are forming a party to fight monsters, right? Count me in."
Darian suddenly interjected.
Having studied magic at Kamar-Taj for so long, he had never truly witnessed the magical prowess of the mages here. This was a good opportunity to see it firsthand.
"Who are you again?"
Kaecilius looked at Darian coldly.
He had no favorable impression of this man who had witnessed him shedding a few tears.
If he weren't strong enough, he would have even wanted to cast a spell on the spot to erase this memory from everyone's minds.
Without Darian needing to speak, Mordo introduced him: "This is Mage Darian. Ancient One instructed that Mage Darian can enter and exit Kamar-Taj freely."
Hearing this, Kaecilius looked surprised.
One must know that only those who officially joined Kamar-Taj were qualified to enter and exit freely. From Darian's appearance, he was clearly not a mage who had joined Kamar-Taj; instead, he looked more like an outside visitor.
It was rare for Ancient One to allow such an outsider to enter and exit Kamar-Taj at will.
"Mage Darian, this is our responsibility; you don't need to get involved."
Mordo fully understood Darian's words.
But it was normal to think about it; after all, Kamar-Taj had Wi-Fi, and it was not uncommon for mages to go online in their spare time.
Darian righteously declared: "You can't say that. Protecting Earth is everyone's responsibility. Besides, I'm studying magic here, so I'm half a person of Kamar-Taj. How can I stand idly by when something like this happens?"
Mordo's tone was slightly hesitant: "That artifact is very powerful. If something goes wrong, there might be a risk to life."
Darian waved his hand: "For the peace of Earth, what is a mere danger?"
As soon as he spoke, the others immediately felt a sacred and dazzling White light emanating from Darian, as if he was enveloped in holy light, and even his soul was sublimated at this moment.
Even the three people present were almost unable to open their eyes due to the dazzling light.
"Mage Darian, please stop your illumination magic," Mordo couldn't help but say.
"Oh, oh, I'm sorry. When emotions got the better of me, I involuntarily used magic."
Darian's expression remained unchanged as he put away his illumination spell, and the surrounding special effects instantly vanished.
Mordo and the other two twitched their mouths.
It was their first time seeing someone cast magic just to show off.
One must know that casting magic always comes with a price, more or less. This behavior was akin to lighting a cigarette with money obtained through a loan.
"In that case, Mage Darian, please come with us," Mordo said.
[NPC Karl Mordo has issued you a new quest]
[Quest: Unknown Artifact]
[Objective: Assist Mordo and Kaecilius in bringing the evil artifact back to Kamar-Taj]
[Reward: EXP +2000, Mordo Favorability +10, Random Equipment 1, Random Item 2]
As expected, it had to be the main server; I could trigger a quest as soon as I returned.
Kaecilius didn't say much about it.
For him, it made no difference whether Darian participated in this incident or not.
Afterward, Karl was sent for healing, while Mordo and Kaecilius each prepared their weapons.
Mordo held an ancient staff, while Kaecilius held two curved blades. These were specially made magical tools that could infuse magical power, allowing the mage to bear a certain cost.
Darian was a bit speechless.
One person holding a staff and another holding curved blades; no one would guess they were two mages. Instead, they looked more like a monk and an assassin.
Seeing Darian empty-handed, Mordo kindly asked, "Mage Darian, do you need an artifact prepared for you?"
"No, I have my own artifact."
Darian pulled out two golden Desert Eagles and held them in his hands.
Mordo: "..."
Kaecilius: "..."
Is that an artifact or a firearm?
And so, one holding a Spear, one holding a staff, and one holding a blade, the three mages were ready.
Next, Mordo put on a yellow ring, like a knuckle duster, and lightly traced his finger in the air. A golden portal, wreathed in sparks, quickly appeared before them.
The three stepped into the golden portal and instantly arrived at the British Museum in Britain.
It must be admitted that this portal was indeed convenient, capable of reaching almost any corner of Earth in an instant.
Darian glanced at the yellow ring on Mordo's hand.
[Sling Ring]
[Description: The iconic artifact of Kamar-Taj, capable of opening spatial portals and interdimensional passages. Its effect depends on the user's magical talent and mental power. Some struggle to produce even a spark, while others can open a complete portal as soon as they put it on.]
Darian couldn't help but ask curiously, "Mage Mordo, are your Sling Rings for sale?"
Mordo said solemnly, "Of course not. Sling Rings are strictly controlled by Kamar-Taj. Only certified mages are qualified to possess them, and each mage is only allowed one Sling Ring."
"Once a Sling Ring is lost, we must retrieve it at all costs. It must never fall into the hands of anyone outside Kamar-Taj, otherwise, it will lead to extremely serious consequences."
Darian understood. This kind of artifact was like Harry Potter's wand, a standard issue for every mage in Kamar-Taj; you could get one simply by joining Kamar-Taj.
He immediately straightened his back and said with a serious expression, "To be honest, I have admired Kamar-Taj for a long time and have always longed to join this happy family. So, where is Kamar-Taj's HR department?"
Darian's intentions were too obvious, and Mordo was somewhat speechless.
"You'll have to find Ancient One for that. Only Ancient One can decide whether someone can join Kamar-Taj. Even though I am currently managing Kamar-Taj, I do not have that authority."
Darian was disappointed.
Who knew when Ancient One would return.
The three walked into the British Museum, where tourists bustled about.
Darian followed the two mages, passing through several exhibition halls displaying ancient artifacts.
It's worth noting that the surrounding tourists seemed not to see the three of them, as if some magic had been cast.
Soon, they pinpointed the target of their mission.
A figure in a black hooded robe stood with her back to them, holding a strangely shaped staff, chanting some obscure incantation in a low voice.
Seemingly sensing the movement behind her, the chanting stopped abruptly.
The person slowly turned around, her hood falling back to reveal a woman's face. A mysterious rune was imprinted on her left eye.
"It's you Kamar-Taj mages again, truly persistent."
The black-robed woman's gaze swept over the three, a mocking sneer playing on her lips: "When I begged you to heal me, you treated me with cold indifference. Now, one by one, you come knocking on my door."
Kamar-Taj has existed for a long time, and naturally, many people have heard of this magical place.
Especially those suffering from incurable diseases, who regarded it as their last straw, desperately seeking it out and begging for a chance at survival.
However, Kamar-Taj is not a place for healing the sick. Performing magic often requires a heavy price.
Even if someone did temporarily cure a terminal illness through magic, given the nature of those dimensional demon gods, after the treatment, they would likely give you another, more terrifying terminal illness. For example, the original AIDS might be replaced with late-stage cancer, or even a new terminal illness every day, with different surprises daily.
Because of this, Kamar-Taj could only turn away such supplicants, and this practice, in turn, incurred the resentment of many.
Evidently, this black-robed woman was also one of Kamar-Taj's rejected applicants.
Mordo stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Put down the artifact in your hand. The power it contains is far beyond your control. This energy is eroding your mind and life."
"Don't underestimate me!"
The black-robed woman sneered, "I know very well what I hold in my hand. I no longer need to beg anyone. I will release the dark energy contained in this staff, and this World will be mine!"
A very classic villain speech.
Mordo held his staff horizontally in front of him, lowering his voice to warn, "Be careful, her mind has been corrupted by the power of the artifact."
"Why waste words with her? Just take the artifact!"
Kaecilius didn't hesitate for a second, grabbing his two curved blades and charging forward, displaying a very Kamar-Taj-like fighting style.
"Hmph! Ignorant fools, you don't understand how powerful the force I control is!"
The black-robed woman snorted coldly, and her staff suddenly erupted with dense dark energy, like a surging torrent, directly blasting towards Kaecilius!
As expected of a rejected applicant, her strength was indeed something else!
Kaecilius felt the terrifying power of this energy and dared not take it head-on, quickly dodging to the side.
Boom!
The energy struck the spot where he had been, making the ground tremble slightly, leaving behind a sizzling, spreading black scorch mark.
The surrounding tourists screamed in terror at the sudden loud noise and strange phenomenon. The crowd instantly fell into a panic, fleeing in all directions in disarray, but their efficiency was extremely slow, not at all as professional and swift as New York City citizens.
Kaecilius fiercely flung his curved blades, and the sharp edges cut through the air, flying towards the black-robed woman.
The black-robed woman raised her staff, and a black magic shield instantly materialized in front of her, blocking the curved blades.
Seizing the opportunity, Kaecilius rushed in front of the black-robed woman, and golden magical energy gathered in his curved blades as he fiercely slashed at her!
Just as Kaecilius's curved blades were about to strike.
Unexpectedly, the black-robed woman suddenly swung her staff, and actually sent Kaecilius flying with a single blow!
Darian: "..."
Are the mages in this game all so powerful in close combat?
"Are you alright?"
Darian helped Kaecilius up from his feet.
"I'm fine! I was just careless!"
Kaecilius forcibly swallowed the blood in his mouth and waved his hand as if nothing had happened.
He had to save face.
He had boasted before setting out that he could handle it alone, only to be sent flying in a blink of an eye. That was a quick loss of face.
Looking at Kaecilius, who was still being stubborn, Darian was certain that Ancient One had definitely gone easy, and not just a little, but like an entire Pacific Ocean of leniency. Otherwise, how could she have died at the hands of this guy?
The black-robed woman didn't stop moving.
She sneered, raising her staff again, and dense dark energy surged, blasting towards the three of them!
"Watch out!"
Mordo swept his hands, and a giant golden magic shield instantly materialized in front of him, blocking the dark energy.
Darian wasn't idle either, raising his two golden Desert Eagles and continuously pulling the trigger, aiming at the black-robed woman!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang----!
Several bullets shot through the air, but they were all blocked by the dark barrier in front of the black-robed woman.
The black-robed woman was startled and instinctively took a few steps back.
She hadn't had this staff for very long, and as a modern human, her instinctive fear of firearms had not yet completely desensitized.
Moreover, she hadn't expected a mage to actually use a weapon like a Spear.
Is this even considered a mage?
However, Darian's attack was not entirely ineffective.
The light energy attached to the bullet tips fiercely collided with the dark barrier, emitting sizzling sounds, continuously eroding the dark energy. Fine cracks even appeared on the surface of the dark barrier.
"How is that possible!?"
The black-robed woman's face showed surprise; her dark energy was actually being weakened!
Darian chuckled, "Light attribute counters Dark attribute. Isn't that a very reasonable setting?"
The black-robed woman quickly calmed down and said coldly, "It's just a little dark energy; I have as much as I need."
As her voice fell, the lights in the exhibition hall suddenly went out. All light energy seemed to be drawn away by an invisible force, and even the faint glows from the tourists' bodies turned into streaks of light that converged towards the staff in her hand.
The next moment, the cracks in the dark barrier in front of the black-robed woman not only instantly healed but also became even more solid and dense than before.
Darian's expression was strange.
What is this, lending me everyone's light?
But the problem is that you borrowed light, yet you replenished it with dark energy.
Is this reasonable?