A few days passed, and the atmosphere in the guild was tense and busy. Everyone was making various preparations to confront the dark forces.
In the guild's training grounds, Dean Bruce was instructing his team in new magical techniques. Suddenly, a team member came rushing in.
"Master Dean, someone is here to see you."
Dean Bruce frowned. "Who is it?"
"They said they're Krupp from the Tom Cavalry Mage Corps," the team member replied.
Dean Bruce's heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, he followed the team member to the guild's main hall. There stood Krupp, his expression serious.
"Mr. Krupp, what brings you here?" Dean Bruce asked, approaching him.
Krupp gave him a measured look. "I've brought news about Black Hole's headquarters."
"Tell me quickly," Dean Bruce said eagerly.
Krupp spoke in a grave tone. "We've located Black Hole's headquarters, but the place is a veritable fortress. We've launched several assaults, but every attempt has failed."
Dean Bruce's face turned grim. "What should we do, then?"
Krupp furrowed his brow. "We'll need a new approach. I heard you made a discovery in the Magic Forest?"
Dean Bruce nodded. "Yes, the runes on the magic circle in the Magic Forest are similar to those we found in the ancient castle of the Duchy of Tanya. We suspect there's a connection between the two places."
Krupp paused to think. "That might be a lead. We need to delve deeper into these runes."
Dean Bruce agreed readily. "Let's start researching right away."
Krupp raised a hand to stop him. "Not so fast. We'll also need to rally more forces. Black Hole's headquarters won't be easy to take down."
As they spoke, Nozer Hawthorne approached.
"Mr. Krupp, do we have any new developments?" Nozer Hawthorne asked.
Krupp repeated the situation to him, and Nozer Hawthorne fell into deep thought.
"It seems we need a solid plan," Nozer Hawthorne said after a moment.
Krupp nodded. "Exactly. We can't act recklessly. I'll return to my troops and discuss a more detailed strategy. You all should prepare and stay on standby."
With that, Krupp turned and left.
Dean Bruce and Nozer Hawthorne exchanged a glance, both filled with unease.
Deciding to focus on the runes, they sought out Leizor, the guild's foremost expert on runes.
Leizor carefully examined the runes recorded from the Magic Forest and the Duchy of Tanya.
Dean Bruce watched him anxiously. "Leizor, have you found anything?"
Leizor frowned. "These runes are ancient and incredibly complex. It'll take me some time to decipher them."
Nozer Hawthorne, visibly impatient, urged him on. "Hurry up. We don't have time to waste!"
Leizor shot him a glare. "What's the rush? These things can't be solved in a day."
After what felt like an eternity, Leizor's eyes suddenly lit up.
"I think I've got something," Leizor announced.
Dean Bruce and Nozer Hawthorne quickly leaned in. "Tell us what you've found," they urged.
Leizor pointed to the runes and explained, "These symbols appear to be markings of an ancient teleportation array. If I'm correct, they can transport people to a specific location."
Dean Bruce's heart raced. "Could it be Black Hole's headquarters?"
Leizor shook his head. "I can't say for sure, but it's possible. We could try activating the runes and see what happens."
Just as they turned to flee, a bloodcurdling scream rang out behind them.
Dean Bruce and the others spun around, their hearts sinking. A few team members had been ambushed by more shadowy figures and were now injured, lying on the ground.
"Damn it!" Dean Bruce roared. "Everyone stay alert! These things fight dirty!"
Nozer Hawthorne tensed. "What now? We're getting swarmed here."
Leizor frowned, trying to remain calm. "Don't panic. Get the injured to safety first."
They quickly dragged the injured teammates to a safer spot while the shadowy figures continued closing in.
Prolo Hawthorne clenched his fists. "Master, let's take them head-on!"
Dean Bruce gritted his teeth. "Fine. One more round!"
They re-engaged in battle with the shadowy figures. The artifact's light managed to hold them at bay momentarily, but the sheer number of enemies and their increasingly ferocious attacks made the fight overwhelming.
"These things are relentless! It's like they're on steroids!" Nozer Hawthorne grumbled as he swung his weapon.
Dean Bruce fended off an attack while scanning their surroundings for an escape route. His eyes landed on a narrow passage at the edge of the plaza.
"Over there! Head for the passage!" he shouted.
The group fought their way toward the passage, retreating while fending off the relentless shadowy figures. The enemies gave chase, their attacks continuing to rain down.
Once inside the passage, they ran as fast as they could, panting heavily from exhaustion. "This place is insane," Nozer Hawthorne gasped. "I'm gonna keel over at this rate."
Leizor, equally winded, snapped back, "Save it. Just keep running!"
Leading the charge, Prolo Hawthorne suddenly skidded to a halt. "Master, the path ends here!" he shouted, his voice tinged with alarm.
Dean Bruce hurried over to see for himself and found that, sure enough, the passage ended in a solid wall. "This is bad," he muttered.
As they turned to search for another way out, the shadowy figures caught up to them.
"We're done for. We're barbequed," Nozer Hawthorne said in despair.
Dean Bruce's eyes hardened. "Then we fight!"
They braced themselves for battle again. Just as the shadowy figures were about to charge, the wall at the end of the passage emitted a faint glow and slowly began to open.
"What's going on?" Prolo Hawthorne exclaimed in surprise.
Dean Bruce was equally stunned but didn't waste any time. "No time for questions—move inside!"
They quickly slipped through the opening, leaving the shadowy figures behind. The enemies lingered at the threshold but didn't dare to enter.
"That's odd. Why aren't they coming in?" Prolo Hawthorne asked, staring at Dean Bruce. "Dean, any idea why?"
Dean Bruce didn't answer immediately, his attention focused on observing their new surroundings.
The room they had entered was small, with faint lights flickering on the walls, exuding an enigmatic aura.
"This place doesn't look safe either," Nozer Hawthorne muttered, frowning.
Leizor, still wary, added, "Be careful. There could be traps here."
Dean Bruce cautiously stepped forward, listening intently. Suddenly, a faint buzzing sound caught his attention.
"What's that noise?" Prolo Hawthorne asked nervously.
Dean Bruce raised a hand to signal silence and continued to listen. The buzzing seemed to be coming from a corner of the room.
They moved toward the sound and discovered a strange device glowing with lights in various colors.
"What in the world is this thing?" Nozer Hawthorne asked, leaning closer out of curiosity.
Leizor quickly grabbed his arm. "Don't touch it! We don't know if it's dangerous."