Chapter 128: Researching souls
After doing that, I walked through the entire house one more time.
When I finally confirmed that there was nothing else of value left to loot, I left the place.
As I stepped outside, I stopped in front of the enormous granite boulder that had blocked the entrance to the laboratory.
I stared at it for a few seconds.
Then I smiled.
It’s better to erase all traces.
I took a Speed Potion from my bag.
I smashed the vial against the ground.
CRASH!
An intense aura of wind enveloped my body.
Without wasting any time, I started running.
My speed increased rapidly.
And once I was far enough away—
BOOOOOOM!
A colossal explosion echoed throughout the forest.
I looked back over my shoulder.
The enormous granite boulder had vanished into a cloud of dust.
The impact destroyed the entrance, collapsed part of the structure, and reduced the remnants of the magic formation to fragments and ashes.
Now no one will find that laboratory easily.
I had no intention of leaving behind such a great opportunity to conceal my tracks.
A few days later...
I was back in my experimental laboratory.
I slowly closed the book I had been reading.
For a few seconds, I stared at its cover.
I never imagined that the synthesis of a magical artifact described in Karn’s diary, and even the ancient formula for the Forest Soul Mana Potion, were both related to the nature of souls.
I had heard something similar from Totil before.
But I had never seriously researched the subject, since information about it was scarce.
My gaze turned thoughtful.
If I want to uncover anything, I’ll have to take the coldest path.
Experiments on humans.
If I can record every change...
Perhaps I’ll be able to find a pattern.
I pondered for a few seconds.
Then another possibility came to mind.
Perhaps Viscount Probel can help me.
After all, as the lord of the City of Distant Wind, he had access to prisoners.
I stood up.
I walked to the corner of the laboratory.
There was a small crystal sphere resting on an altar covered with runes.
Three white candles remained lit around it.
I touched its surface.
Dong!
A ripple passed through the crystal.
The mist inside it began to dissipate.
A figure appeared.
It was the vengeful spirit I had captured.
The upper half of its body remained suspended inside the sphere, while the lower half dissolved into white mist.
Its elderly face was still twisted with rage.
But there was something different now.
Fear.
A great deal of fear.
— Where am I?!
The old man began pounding against the inner walls of the crystal.
— Release me!
His expression was furious.
But his helplessness was obvious.
I brought the sphere closer to my face.
— How are you, Grand Mage Redof?
— What’s it like having your soul trapped inside a sphere?
The spirit froze.
— You!
He struck the wall again.
Useless.
I simply tapped the crystal with my finger.
Tap.
A wave of energy coursed through the sphere.
The spirit was hurled backward.
— Now...
My expression turned cold.
— Let’s talk.
— I want to know everything about how you discovered that laboratory.
— Your experiments.
— Your research.
— And everything you know about souls.
The spirit glared at me.
— Never, you bastard!
— Then we’ll have to do this the hard way.
I brought a potion close to the crystal.
The spirit recoiled.
— What are you doing?
— I’m just learning.
— You possess a rather interesting spiritual structure.
— I have no intention of destroying it.
— I only want to understand how it works.
The spirit immediately understood the meaning of my words.
Its expression became even more furious.
— You filthy bastard!!!
I tilted my head.
— Perhaps.
— But I’m a clean and highly organized bastard.
— And as long as your essence remains stable, I can continue studying you.
— That may take quite a while.
The potion’s liquid dripped into the crystal sphere, and then the dry, AGONIZING scream CAME.
— AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
— AWWWWWWWWW!!!
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POV Tek — One of the Many Farmers on George’s Estate
On the estate, the farmland stretched all the way to the horizon.
The wheat had fully ripened.
Its golden stalks swayed gently in the wind.
The windmills turned in the distance.
The land finally seemed to be rewarding the hard work of everyone who cultivated it.
I watched everything from afar.
I was one of the people responsible for the lands belonging to Young Master George’s estate.
And although my life had been relatively peaceful until then...
That morning, something caught my attention.
Dang! Dang! Dang!
A long procession advanced along the road.
Carriages followed by heavily armed knights.
A green insignia bearing a fish was emblazoned on their shoulder plates.
I recognized that symbol.
It was Viscount Probel’s personal crest.
The other people immediately stepped off the road.
Some removed their hats.
Others simply lowered their heads.
There were several carriages covered with thick black cloth.
And...
There were chains.
The metallic sound accompanied every movement of the carriages.
Clang... clang...
I frowned.
— What are they transporting?
Another farmer, John, approached.
— Old Tek! What are you looking at?
I discreetly pointed toward the road.
— Those carriages.
— I have a bad feeling about them.
John narrowed his eyes.
— Why?
— When the wind lifted that cloth...
— I saw something inside.
John shrugged.
— So what?
— Maybe our Young Master has started buying slave girls on a whim.
— After all, our master is young.
I shook my head.
— Maybe...
John gave my shoulder a pat.
— Don’t get involved in the affairs of nobles.
— Let’s go.
— I heard the tavern got a new beer.
Despite my suspicions...
I ended up following him.
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POV Kant — George Gill’s Slave
On the other side of the estate...
The procession finally stopped in front of the mansion.
Tinod and I were already waiting.
The leader of the Knights dismounted.
His face was covered with scars.
He approached us.
— By order of the lord of the city...
— The city’s most dangerous prisoners have arrived.
He gestured.
— Open the carriages.
The doors were opened.
Chains rattled.
Five men emerged.
All of them were shackled.
They differed in size and appearance.
One was short.
Another was extremely tall.
There was a thin man.
Another was heavily built.
But they all had one thing in common.
Their eyes.
There was no remorse in them.
Nor any fear.
Only the coldness characteristic of people accustomed to killing.
I observed each one.
As a Knight, I could feel the killing intent emanating from them.
The leader spoke.
— Five men.
— All of them extremely dangerous criminals.
— Their crimes alone would have earned them the death penalty many times over.
— The lord of the city has already approved their sentences.
— In the eyes of the law...
— They are already dead.
— For whatever reason...
— Do not let them escape.
— Their fate is in the Young Master’s hands.
I replied calmly.
— Understood.
— I can guarantee that none of them will have a happy ending.
The leader seemed satisfied.
After handing over the prisoners, he led his Knights away.
The empty carriages disappeared down the road.
Tinod and I were left to handle the rest.
We took the five men down into the underground chambers.
The passage was dry.
The walls were thick.
Lanterns illuminated the corridor.
But despite all that light...
The atmosphere remained suffocating.
I knew that place.
I knew exactly what lay behind those doors.
Tinod did as well.
We knew only a small fraction of the Young Master’s secrets.
But even that had been enough.
"This place is practically hell..."
That was what I had said to Tinod the first time I entered.
Afterward...
I spent an entire night sick, vomiting and suffering from horrible nightmares.
I passed through a door and took each prisoner to a different cell.
The iron doors closed one after another.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Then I headed to the Master’s laboratory, knocked carefully, and said,
— Master, the lord of the city has sent the prisoners!
— Okay.
I received only that brief reply, then turned around and left.
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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
MERCY!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
CRASH~~
The sound of flesh tearing and bones breaking.
AAAAAAAAAA!
Some time later, I heard horrifying groans coming from the place where Tinod and I had left the prisoners. The Young Master’s experiments were horrifyingly dark.
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