Khadgar struggled to gather more of the magical energy in the room, his expression growing solemn. If it were somewhere else, the spell would have been simple.

Suddenly, the young mage was overwhelmed by the evil of the heavy magical energy. This feeling oppressed and surrounded him, as if he had pulled out the bricks at the bottom of the wall and the whole wall had collapsed on him. The power of dark magic slashed down, shattering Khadgar's spell and crushing him to his knees. He couldn't help but scream.

Medivan immediately came to his side and helped the young mage to his feet. "There, there," said the teacher, "I didn't expect you to do it so well." Well done, good. ”

"What's going on?" Khadgar struggled to utter a word, and suddenly came back to him. "I've never felt this way before. It's heavy, stiff, and suffocating. ”

"Then that's good news for you," replied Medivan, "that you'll find it and get through it." The magical energy here is unusually distorted, the effects of previous events. ”

"You mean something like 'haunted'?" Khadgar asked. "Even in Karazhan I didn't ......"

"No, not like that," Medivan said. "It's worse. The two mages were summoning demons at the time. What you feel is the breath of depravity. There's a demon that has been here. It was it that killed poor Hagra and Hagarin, two stupid men with great mana. ”

There was a moment of silence. Then Lothar said, "The devil is in the king's tower? I can't believe it......."

"Oh, believe it," Medivan replied. "For any mage, no matter how knowledgeable, wise, or powerful, there is always more power, more knowledge, more mysteries for them to seek. I think those two people fell into this trap and summoned the power of the dark world, and they paid the price. Fool. They are friends and colleagues, and they are all fools. ”

"What then?" asked Lothar. "There must be precautions, it's a mysterious ring of energy. ”

"It's easy to break," Medivan said. Leaned over to observe the glowing rings stained with the blood of the two wizards. He reached down, revealing a thin straw on the cooling stone floor. "Aha! a little straw. If this thing was here when they started the summoning ritual, then all the spells and amulets in the world wouldn't be able to protect them. Demons will only think that this ring is a passage into our world. It will come out with the blazing flames of hell. Attack the fools who introduced him into this world. I've seen this happen before. ”

Khadgar shook his head. The dark forces that had been pressing him from all sides just now seemed to dissipate somewhat, allowing him to regain his senses. He looked around the room, and there was a complete picture of the aftermath - the demon had torn apart a piece of the room. If a straw had destroyed the circle, it would have changed its position after such a catastrophe and would not have stayed where it was.

"What was the condition of the body when it was found?" Khadgar asked.

"What?" said Medivan. The tone was stern, almost startling Khadgar.

"I'm sorry," Khadgar replied immediately. "You said I should ask questions. ”

"Yes, of course," Medivan's tone softened a little. He said to the king's warriors, "So, Anduin Lothar, what was the condition when the body was found?"

"When I came in, they fell to the ground. The servant didn't move them," Lothar said.

"Face up or face down, Your Excellency?" Khadgar asked. Try to stay calm. He could feel the older mage's cold eyes. "Head to the circle or head to the window?"

Lothar began to recall: "Face down, face down. Yes. They were all scorched, and we had to turn them over to make sure they were Hagra and Hagarim. ”

"What is your intention, young man?" asked the teacher, who was now sitting next to the open window, stroking his beard.

Khadgar looked at the two scorch marks between the broken circle and the window, trying to treat the two men as if they were just two corpses and not as if they were mages. "If you attack someone from the front, they will fall backwards. If you attack from behind, they pounce forward. Was the window open when you came in?"

Lothar looked at the open bay window. Of course, he had no intention of browsing the magnificent cityscape outside the window at this time. "Yes. No, I have the impression that it is. But it is possible that it was opened by a servant. There was a terrible stench at the time, and first of all this one caught the eye. I can go and ask. ”

"No," Medivan said. "The window should be open when your servant comes in. The ** division got up and approached the scorch mark. "So you think. Young man," he said, "Hagra and Hagarin were standing here, looking at the magic circle, when something came in through the window and attacked them from behind. He figuratively slapped the back of his head with his palm, "They fell forward." Here it is scorched. ”

"Yes, Your Excellency," Khadgar said. "I mean, it's speculation. ”

"Nice speculation," Medivan said. "But I'm afraid it's wrong. First of all, the two wizards stood in this position, and there was nothing but staring at the circle. Explain that they are summoning demons. There is no other use for such a circle. ”

"But......" Khadgar spoke, but the cold eyes of the ** master froze his words in his throat.

"Secondly," Medivan continued, "while an assailant with a short club can deal the two mages from behind, the demon's dark energy deals different damage. If that animal breathes flames, it will burn the two people who are standing and kill them. Just after being burned, their bodies fell forward. Didn't you say that the front and back of the body were charred?" he asked Lothar.

"Yes," replied the king's warriors.

Medivan raised his palm in front of him, "The demon breathed fire and burned the front. Hagra (Hagarin) fell to the front, and the flames spread to the back. Unless that demon attacks Hagarin (Hagra) from behind, flips them over to make sure the front burns as well, and then flips them over. No way - the demons aren't so organized. ”

Khadgar felt his face heat up from embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I'm just speculating. ”

"Nice guess," Medivan said quickly. "It's just wrong. You have a point, the windows should be open, because the demon is the tower from which it left, and it should now be out of the city. ”

Lothar held back a curse and asked, "Are you sure?"

Mediven nodded. "Absolutely. But it could have been knocked down now. Even if you want to kill fools like Hagra and Haglin while you're not careful, that thing should be the best thing to do, even if it doesn't use all its skills. ”

"I can organize a search party right away," Lothar said.

"No need," Medivan said. "I want to handle it myself. There is no need to sacrifice good people for unworthy human lives. Of course, I'm going to look at the corpses so I can know what we're going to deal with. ”

"We moved the bodies to a colder room in the cellar," Lothar said. "I can take you there. ”

"Wait," said Medivan, "I'd like to look around here." Can I be alone with my apprentice for ten minutes?"

Lothar hesitated for a moment, then said, "Of course. I went outside and waited. As he spoke, his piercing eyes swept over Khadgar. And then left.

The door clicked shut, leaving a silence in the room. Medivan paced up and down among the torn scrolls and papers. He held a letter with a purple seal and shook his head. Slowly, the letter turned to pieces in his hands.

"In civilized countries," he said, in a somewhat unnatural voice, "apprentices don't argue with their teachers, at least in public." He turned to Khadgar, and the young man saw the older mage's face clouded.

"I'm sorry," Khadgar said. "You said I should ask questions. And the position of the body looked wrong at that time, but you talked about the condition of the body being burned......"

Medivan held up a hand, and Khadgar immediately stopped. He paused for a moment, then exhaled slowly. "Enough. You did the right thing and did exactly what I instructed. If you don't say it, I won't notice that the demon will go out of the tower and waste time searching the castle. However, you ask that question because you don't know much about demons, and that's called ignorance. Ignorance is something I can't bear. ”

The older mage stared at Khadgar, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Khadgar understands that the storm has passed. Find a stool and sit down. Despite his own horrors, he said, "Lothar ......"

"Let him wait," Medivan said. Nodding his head. "He's good at waiting, that Anduin Lothar. Well, what did you learn about demons during your time in Violet City?"

"I've heard some legends," Khadgar said. "In ancient times, there were many demons in this land, and great heroes rose up to fight. Drove them away. He had in mind the image of Medivan's mother blowing the demons to smithereens, and subjugating their leader, but he didn't say it. There was no need to anger Medivan, who had just calmed down.

"That's the bare minimum," Mr. Medivan said. "It's what we're telling people. What else do you know?"

Khadgar took a deep breath. "In Violet City in Kenrito, demonic studies are shunned from official education. Any attempt to summon demons is to be investigated and stopped immediately. Participants may be subject to exile or a more severe punishment. It's just that there are some stories circulating among the young students. ”

"A story based on facts," said Medivan, "but you're a very curious lad, and you know better, I guess?"

Khadgar tilted his head in thought, carefully choosing his words. "Corrigan, the librarian of our college, has a vast collection at his disposal. ”

"He needs someone to tidy it up for him," Medivan said coldly. Khadgar almost jumped in shock, if it weren't for Medivan adding, "It's just speculation, that's all, young man." ”

"The vast majority of that information is folklore and reports of demonic beliefs by local administrators. It's basically about someone, someone doing something illegal in the name of some legendary ancient demon. There are no real instances of summoning demons. No magic spells, no mystical writings. Khadgar leaned into the circle in the room, "There is no ritual either. ”

"Of course," Medivan said. "Corrigan doesn't scare students with that. Even if he had, he would put them away individually. ”

Therefore, it is generally believed that after the demons were defeated, they were driven out of this world and returned to their own territory. ”

"'Endless darkness,'" said Medivan, speaking in a tone as if the word were a prayer.

"They're still alive, they're still saga going," Khadgar said, "and they're trying to make a comeback." They are said to run into the dreams of the weak-willed, luring them to find ancient spells and offer sacrifices. Sometimes they are told to open a passage for the demon to return. Others say that they figured out guò demonic beliefs and sacrifices, turning the world into as bloody and violent as ever. Then they can come back. ”

Medivin was silent for a moment, stroked his beard, and then said, "Anything else?"

"There are many more stories and details. I've seen statues, drawings and diagrams of demons. Khadgar had another urge to tell Sù Medivan about the effects he had seen that day about the demonic army. But he changed his tune and said, "There's an old epic. It's about Egwene fighting a horde of demons in a faraway place. ”

Khadgar's account elicited a mild, knowing smile from Medivan, "Ah, yes, The Song of Egwen." You can see this epic in a lot of powerful mages, you know. ”

"My teacher, His Excellency Jazba, is very interested in this. Khadgar said.

"Really, now?" said Medivan with a smile. "I don't mean to offend him, I don't know if Jazba is good enough to read this epic, at least he can't understand its true form. He raised an eyebrow, "What you're reading is basically the truth. Many people tell it as a myth or legend. But I think you know as well as I do that demons are real, and that they are not far away, and pose a threat to those of us in the Bright World and beyond. I think, now, I clearly believe that what you call the bright world was once a different world. It's part of 'Endless Darkness'. 'Endless Darkness' is a prison for these demons, where there is no light, they are isolated, and the demons are full of jealousy and desperate to make a comeback. ”

Khadgar nodded, and Medivan continued, "But you are wrong to assume that the demon is a weak-willed person, and of course, although it is wrong, but the mistake is expected. Too many people are borrowing the name of the devil - the vile peasant takes revenge on his old lover with the help of the devil, the stupid merchant burns the creditor's IOU with a black candle...... These are nothing more than small tricks to disgrace the great power of the ancient demons. But. There are often those who go to the abyss on their own initiative, believing themselves to be safe, knowledgeable, and wise from coercion and temptation, and believing themselves strong enough to harness the surging demonic energies that are isolated from the world. Many times they are much more dangerous than those rabble. Because you know that a cast mistake is more fatal than a cast failure. ”

Khadgar had to nod. He wondered if Medivan had such a strong will, "But these two are powerful mages—Hagarin and Hagra, I mean. ”

"Azeroth is the most powerful," Medivan said. "The wisest and finest wizard, King Lane's magical advisor. They are old and respectful. Well protected, and the job is free!"

"Then they should know more?" Khadgar asked.

"You can think of it that way," replied Medivan, "but even so, only the wreckage of their chamber remained, and their demon-burned bodies lay in the cellar. ”

"Why did they do that?" Khadgar frowned, trying not to offend his teacher. "If they know that much, why summon demons?"

"There are many reasons," Medivan sighed. "Arrogance, pride leads to ruin. These two people are already overconfident, and their egos are doubly inflated in cooperation. And fear - I guess - probably for most of it. ”

"Fear?" Khadgar looked inquiringly, at Medivan.

"The fear of the unknown," Medivan said. "Fear of the unknown, fear of something stronger than them. ”

Khadgar shook his head, "What's more powerful than two of Azeroth's most knowledgeable and advanced mages?"

"Hah," Medivan snorted, an imperceptible smile coming from under his beard. "That's probably me, they summoned demons, played with the power of taboo and died because they were afraid of me. ”

"You?" said Khadgar, the surprise in his tone more than he could have hoped to express. For a moment, he feared that this would annoy the older mage again.

But Medivan just took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Then he said, "It's me." They're fools, but I'm also guilty of myself. Come on, lad, Lothar can wait. Now it's time to tell you the story of the Guardians and the Council of Tirisfa, the full power of our protection against the dark Ones. (To be continued.) )