The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

The King of the Black Earth Kingdom was a man in his sixties. His most beloved and favored son was the Crown Prince, who was destined to inherit the throne.

Having invested all his hopes in the prince, this disaster was a devastating blow for King Kuidi.

Wang Ya didn’t care about the life or death of a mortal. He only needed to investigate the situation and solve the problem.

Inside the magnificent palace, a lavish spread of food was laid out on a long wooden table.

Kuidi explained the situation to the Master Wizard, who had traveled a long way to be there.

The problems began a year ago in the depths of the Black Forest. People from the Capital City started to go missing inside, but it didn’t draw much attention at first.

The Black Forest was vast. It didn’t just exist near the Capital City; in fact, the entire Black Earth Kingdom was named for the forest’s abundance of trees.

Unexpectedly, as the year went on, the number of missing people grew, from one or two a day to more than a dozen. The disappearances were no longer confined to the thorn-filled sections of the Black Forest, but had spread to the outer regions, terrifying the common folk who relied on felling the dark trees to make a living.

Some even claimed to have seen masses of pitch-black hair emerge from the woods and drag people in.

They also saw a shadowy female figure, who they said used evil Witchcraft, commanding the hair to capture humans and drain their Vitality.

This rumor spread far and wide, but it couldn’t be confirmed, and many people were skeptical.

"Later, to celebrate my sixtieth birthday and to bolster the people’s flagging morale, Dawa led a company of Knights into the Black Forest. No news of them ever came out."

Tears welled in Kuidi’s eyes as he wiped them away. "If I had known this would be the result, I never would have held that birthday banquet. My poor son..."

"Father, the Master Wizard has arrived. Why didn’t you tell me? My brother’s disappearance is entirely his own fault. If he hadn’t been so stubborn, we wouldn’t be in this situation."

A young man in fine clothes pushed the door open and walked in. He appeared to be one of Kuidi’s sons, born late in the King’s life.

Anger flashed across Kuidi’s face. "Is that any way to speak?" he rebuked. "That’s your brother you’re talking about!"

"And the esteemed Master Wizard is here! Who gave you permission to barge in?"

"I came precisely because the Master Wizard is here, so that I could pay my respects." The young man, named Bai Gang, gave a deep, respectful bow in Wang Ya’s direction, bending nearly ninety degrees.

Having learned what he needed to know, Wang Ya stood up from his chair. "I need some people to take me into the Black Forest," he said, "to the Thorn Area you mentioned."

The power struggles and financial squabbles of a Mortal Kingdom held no interest for him. ’They had best not waste my time.’

He didn’t even care about the mortals who had gone missing.

"Esteemed Master Wizard, I am willing to guide you," Bai Gang volunteered. Kuidi’s expression shifted once more.

Kuidi quickly chided him, "What nonsense are you spouting now? The Black Forest is no place for you! Don’t make trouble for the Master Wizard."

Wang Ya studied Bai Gang’s young face thoughtfully, noting the determination and the ambition that filled his eyes.

A faint smile touched his lips. "Since you have the guts, then I don’t see why you can’t lead the way. But if you die, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

An excited smile spread across Bai Gang’s face. "To follow the Master Wizard and be of service to him—what does it matter if I die?"

’One has to seize their own opportunities.’

’He’d never had a chance before, with his older brother holding him down and his father having too many other children.’

’Now that he finally saw a glimmer of hope, he had to seize this chance.’

’So what if it was a risk? If you don’t fight for what you want with everything you have, how will you ever get it?’

Kuidi also saw the ambition in Bai Gang’s eyes, but he held his tongue, wary of Wang Ya’s presence.

His feelings about this son, Bai Gang, were complicated.

’So be it...’ In the end, he relented. The kingdom couldn’t be ruled by an old man forever. He even found himself partially accepting his eldest son’s death.

.....

Wang Ya walked in the center of the formation, with the Knight Guard Team clearing a path ahead and guarding the rear against any potential dangers.

Large predators often roamed these deep, ancient forests, and attacks on humans were not uncommon.

Bai Gang glanced curiously at Harak on Wang Ya’s shoulder. The crow stared back at him with its black eyes, and an inexplicable, deathly sense of crisis gripped his heart.

A chill ran down Bai Gang’s spine. ’Is this the mysterious power of a Wizard? Even a seemingly ordinary black crow can exude such a deathly threat.’

He quickly averted his gaze, focusing instead on the path being cleared ahead.

Only by walking alongside the Wizard did he truly feel the man’s intangible, oppressive presence.

Since entering the Black Forest, Bai Gang hadn’t dared to initiate a conversation with Wang Ya.

The mountain path was difficult. After about an hour or two, wisps of mist suddenly appeared among the trees. The men grew alert, fearing what dangers might lurk within the fog.

Perhaps the legends were true—that a black-haired Witch lurked here, one who specialized in tearing out hearts and devouring human Vitality.

Bai Gang spoke up. "Esteemed Master Wizard, ahead is the Thorn Area. It’s a place the people of the Black Earth Kingdom have never touched or developed. It’s quite primitive and filled with tangled Thorns that secrete a toxin. Contact causes paralysis and respiratory arrest."