Almark – Northern Sword, Southern Wand

"Where Darkness Spills Out"

Almark frowned.

"Is there such a place on Nork Island?"

"I can't help but know."

Ain said.

"Whether you look at the history of Nork Island or the history of the College, there's no record of that."

Then how do you know?

"I didn't say I knew. I said," I can predict. "

Ain answers as he walks forward.

"Well, it's going to be a long story, so I won't do it now, but there's a section in the academy that I think is the only one."

"What do you mean?"

Almark asked on Ain's back.

"Simply put."

Ain answers without stopping.

"It used to be a dark place."

Hang on a second.

It was Zap who raised his voice.

"Darkness... is darkness."

I guess I remembered what happened in the night forest, and the voice was trembling.

"So Fita's in such a dangerous place right now?"

I told you before.

Ain answers calmly.

"Besides, it's not like darkness is still erupting."

"Well, that might be true."

Zap's face looks painful, and he looks like he's running away.

"Sure, I don't feel too good when I hear it's dark."

That's what Almark said and agreed with Zap.

Lower Mars' wand on his back and hold it back in his hand.

"Let's hurry. It's too late for something to happen to those two."

"That's not what I meant."

Ain smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"If you're comfortable with that, let's hurry."

The road was cut off on a small hill as it was yesterday.

Fita can no longer be seen because Ain delayed his departure.

"Between us."

Zap pointed to the gap in the bush.

There's a beast trail going on from here.

I see.

Ain nodded and looked around the hill.

Do you know what this hill is?

"Whatever you say."

Zap looks around the hill in trouble.

"It's just a hill."

How's Al Mark?

Ain saw Almark with his smiling eyes.

"Have you noticed anything?"

Ah.

Almark nodded.

"That was a hint. [M] That's it."

That's right.

Ain's smile grows.

"Answer me."

"This hill is the remains of an ancient earthen base."

Almark answered.

Standing in the middle of the hill, he points to the end of the beast path.

"Prevent what comes from the other side on this side. A soil base for that."

"That's right."

Ain nodded.

"It's just an imagination, but the monsters that erupt out of the dark hole are prevented by the earthen base. I believe that such a battle was once fought here."

"Ain"

Almark saw Ain's face.

"What the hell are you?"

"There was a fight against the darkness here?"

Zap raised his voice with a blue face.

"Why are you both relaxing about such a fuss? Let's go."

It was a long time ago.

Ain smiled bitterly.

"This is not how it works right now."

"Still, there may be some darkness left."

Zap said that and tried to jump into the beast path.

"Well, wait."

Ain grabbed Zap's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I imitated you like this. But if you jump into the bushes with that momentum, they'll definitely find out."

I'm glad they found out.

Zap turned around.

"I'm worried about you two."

"Almark"

Ain looked back at Almark.

"I'll ask you first. [M] Zap is really going to run away."

"You threatened too much. I told you, don't be too hard on junior students."

Almark said so gently and stood at the forefront.

"Zap, don't worry. You know my skill in fighting darkness."

Uh-huh.

Almark's words remind you of Almark, who slashed the monsters one after the other, or Zap regains a little calm.

I'll go first.

Almark stepped into the bushes to avoid making as much noise as possible.

Zap and Ain followed.

Yesterday I didn't realize it because I wasn't aware of it, but when I looked at it like that, the beast path that was going to wind up was actually along a pretty steep slope.

I can't believe Ain didn't notice this until he pointed it out.

Almark couldn't help but feel the dullness of his time in the north.

If I had been north, I would have looked at this terrain with those eyes from the beginning.

"But that's not a bad thing."

Wilvis' words revived in the harbor.

There are many things I've seen for the first time because my feelings in the north have faded. So, Wilvis is right, and that's not a bad thing.

But it feels like I'm not a mercenary anymore.

To put it more simply, it feels like I'm leaving my father.

Though it was ready, it stuck in Almark's heart.

"I see it."

Walking for a while, Almark looked back behind the same dead grass as yesterday.

Zap and Ain stretched their necks behind Almark and looked beyond.

They sat in the shadow of a large tree standing only on the grass today.

"That's it."

Almark tells Ain.

I'm glad he's still alive.

Zap exhaled.

"Ain, I told you in my room, but yesterday, when I heard the two of them talking about voice hunting, Michelle wanted to know about Zap."

"I know."

Ain nods.

"Zap"

Ain grabbed Zap's shoulder.

"The story I'm going to tell you is a long time ago when there was no danger to the two of you there. Can you hear me now that I know that?

Uh-huh.

Zap nodded, but still looked up at Ain's face.

"Really, there's no danger."

"I promise."

Ain looked Zap in the eye and said so, pointing gently at the tree above them.

Do you know what that tree is, Almark?

"That tree... ah"

Almark shouted loudly.

Yesterday I was obsessed with the art of voice hunting and didn't notice it.

"Is that an acrylic tree?"

"Yes, it is."

Ain nods.

"The acrylic tree is characterized by its roots, which are much tougher than other trees, and its magical amplification effect, and then..."

And then the purification of the darkness.

Almark said.

"Acreihami has the power to purify the darkness over hundreds of years."

"That's right. That's why I see that under the tree there was a hole where darkness once broke out."

Ain said.

"I blocked the dark hole with a giant rock or something, and planted acreihami with soil. The rock is firmly rooted so that this hole will never be drilled again. And in the far future, the power of this tree will purify the darkness. I hope so."

Ain stared at the acrylic tree with a strange expression.

Almark also imagined that the roots of the tree spread far underground, holding huge rocks.

Almark nodded.

"I can imagine. I'm sure you're right."

"But who?"

Zap says.

"Who planted it? Aclaihami."

"I wonder who fought the darkness here."

Ain answered.

"As I said before, there's no record of that. I don't know exactly."

Ain then turned his eyes to the two under the tree and changed his voice.

"I think they found this place last winter and made it a secret place just for them. And when I was a sophomore, I realized I could use some magic."

This is where magic works, right?

Ain nods at Almark's words.

"That's right. As I said before, Acreihami has the power to amplify magic. Of course, it's not that dramatic, but here you can see that magic works a little better than usual. Before the test. I guess we decided to practice magic here together."

"So, you've been here every day lately...."

Zap nodded convincingly.

Effect of Magic Amplification

Almark also nodded.

"That's why my voice hunting failed first."

But Ain shakes his head cold.

"The power of that tree can't be this far away. Your mistake is just your own."

Regardless of Almark dropping his shoulders, Ain kept talking.

"Now, let's get down to business."

Say so and look at Zap.

"Michelle wanted to know about you."