Supreme Magus novel Chapter 378

Judging from Commander Berion’s tone, his words were meant to warn Lith about the danger the lost cities represented. Maybe he even hoped the young Ranger would reconsider his choice.

Lith’s curiosity was piqued, instead.

’How many secrets does the Griffon Kingdom keep from its citizens?’ He thought. ’I can understand sweeping Necromancy under the rug. It’s a branch of magic too dangerous to let it fall in the hands of nobles with more money than life left.

’Heck, even Balkor is something that better stays forgotten. If the story of what happened to him becomes public, small villages like Lutia would either smother their children’s talent for magic or lose any trust in the Crown.

’But this? Why a bunch of ruins is deemed so dangerous? Why have I never heard anything about them, not even at the Academy?’

"With all due respect, Sir, but if the lost cities represent a threat to the Kingdom, why are they still standing? I doubt the combined forces of the army and the Mage Association can’t bring them down, even if one at the time."

"Excellent question, Lieutenant." Berion nodded. He liked Lith not showing any fear for his personal safety and only thinking about the safety of their country. Alas, what he mistook for loyalty was just Lith’s innate scientific curiosity.

Misunderstanding or not, the real reason for Berion’s earlier anger wasn’t the incident with Trion, but it’s consequences. Rumors about the events at Regharos had spread like wildfire, attracting the interest of several high officers.

The Commander wanted to keep the existence of his golden goose a secret for as long as possible. Any meritorious act a subordinate performed would generate merits for their commanding officer.

So far, Lith had caused Berion a lot of trouble for little return. The purple crystal disappearance, Sergeant Tepper’s complaints, and now an assault against fellows Non-commissioned officers. Berion had invested in Lith, but if someone stole him, it would have been all for naught.

"Cleansing operations have been conducted multiple times with poor results. Once in a while, we have to cull their numbers to prevent them from overpowering the arrays. That’s why we need you to check their threat level.

"The problem is that there is no way to exterminate them for good. We tried and failed on several occasions over the centuries. Those things are hard to define. They are neither alive or undead. Even after wiping them out, they keep respawning.

"As for destroying the lost cities, it’s too big of a risk. Our mages have assessed that, whatever created those things in the past, still lingers up to date. Those ruins are like a giant living array that has corrupted the very earth they were built upon.

"They hold an incredible amount of magic power that somehow never runs out. If we destroy those cities, we could create an even worse threat. Not to mention that all the knowledge they hold would be lost forever."

Lith was now even more eager to explore those ruins.

’It’s like the library of Alexandria built on top of a nuclear reactor.’ He thought. ’I wonder why Awakened ones never solved the issue. Is it because it’s beyond even their capabilities or do they just not care? It’s also possible they are the reason behind the constant respawn of the creatures.

’It would make sense if the Awakened ones want to keep others away from the prize.’

"I expect you to depart immediately." Berion handed to Lith a dimensional amulet shaped like the Ranger’s Crest. It contained everything he could need during his travels.

"Remember to always report your position at least thrice a day. We need to know where you are and what are you doing. It’s especially important before you enter one of the lost ruins or an unmapped city.

"Never underestimate the dangers of the border regions. There a lot of deserters from both the Griffon Kingdom and the Gorgon Empire living there. In the past, we have lost a lot of promising Rangers because of their carelessness.

"Don’t hesitate to call for backup. The real strength of the army resides in its numbers. Feel free to get from the armory whatever you may need. Good luck, Ranger Verhen."