Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

They had all come with the elderly man, Eradarin, who now greeted Angelina with warmth in his voice.

"Angelina, it\'s truly delightful to see you again," Eradarin said, his eyes filled with a sense of nostalgia.

He inquired about her well-being, to which Angelina responded with her typical composed temperament, albeit with a touch of wry humor. "Feeling old," she quipped, acknowledging the passage of time.

Bruna and Ironshade stood respectfully behind the couch, their presence seemingly unobtrusive.

Eradarin took the initiative to introduce them, saying, "Allow me to introduce these two remarkable individuals, Bruna and Ironshade."

Angelina\'s gaze briefly flickered over her new guests before she cut to the chase, her curiosity getting the better of her etiquette. "Just get to the point and enlighten me about the purpose of your visit," she inquired, her words tinged with a hint of laziness.

These days she had been dwelling on ancient magic, reading the forgotten scripts, and searching for the arts of old magic. It was related to Jaegar.

Eradarin attempted to deflect the question with a lighthearted remark, saying, "Can\'t an old friend pay you a visit without a specific agenda? After all, we share a history."

However, Eradarin\'s words were abruptly halted as he felt the sharp, piercing glare cast upon him by Angelina, a silent warning that demanded honesty and clarity.

With a light-hearted chuckle, Eradarin finally relented, realizing there was no use in keeping secrets. "Alright, I\'ll share it with you. We\'ve come here to request your assistance," he admitted, breaking the ice on the matter.

Angelina, her curiosity thoroughly piqued, displayed an unexpectedly pleasant smile upon hearing Eradarin\'s admission.

The unexpected warmth in her expression caught Ironshade off guard, causing him to blush noticeably. Even though Angelina was in her fifties, her age was never shown on her; she looked like a woman in her thirties, fair and beautiful.

Ironshade was a young man, he hadn\'t seen a beauty like her till now. And seeing her smile mesmerized him.

Noticing his sudden embarrassment, Bruna couldn\'t help but stifle a giggle as she playfully nudged Ironshade with her elbow.

"What is it that the great sage requires my help with?" Angelina inquired, leaning forward with genuine interest, eager to learn more about the nature of their request.

Eradarin, still gripping his staff with both hands, adopted a more serious tone as he continued, "What I\'m about to tell you may have a connection to a girl you once taught many years ago."

This revelation made Angelina\'s intrigue deepen; her focus was now entirely fixed on Eradarin.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of urgency. Her expression changed slightly. Her brows furrowed, and she leaned in closer, waiting for Eradarin\'s response.

Eradarin\'s expression shifted, conveying a mixture of concern and determination.

"We\'ve recently discovered the remnants of her extraordinary power in an ancient ruin," he began. "I\'m intimately familiar with the kind of magic she wielded, and what we found were traces of spatial rifts—disturbances in the very fabric of reality. I can\'t say for certain, but I strongly believe that these anomalies are tied to her.

That\'s why I\'ve come to you, Angelina. I wanted to ask you to come with us, and we will look into these ruins together, as they are rumored to house the tombs of ancient beings."

Angelina leaned back on the couch, her hands folded, as her thoughts wandered about the girl he mentioned. She had only taught one girl in all her life, and she was Augusta, and she treated her like a daughter she never had. The power she wielded was far greater than her own.

After a moment of pondering,

Angelina rose from her seat with unwavering resolve and declared, "Take me to these ruins."

Eradarin sighed with relief, glad that she had agreed to assist them.

Eradarin rose to his feet, staff in hand, and with a wave, a portal shimmered into existence before them, revealing the sprawling wilderness that awaited beyond.

Bruna and Ironshade exchanged glances, then confidently stepped through the portal.

Eradarin and Angelina followed suit, venturing into the unknown.

Emerging from the portal, Angelina found herself amidst the grandeur of the Graverane Forest—a vast expanse of towering trees and lush greenery that stretched as far as the eye could see.

The sky was thick with dark clouds, enveloping the forest in dim light. The air was heavy with moisture, and a gentle rain trickled down, cooling the atmosphere. The distant sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves filled the air. The forest floor was covered in a thick carpet of moss, creating a soft and cushioned path for their footsteps.

As they ventured deeper into the Graverane Forest, the scent of damp earth and the distant roar of a waterfall reached their senses, adding to the mystical ambiance of their surroundings.

Eradarin, acting as their guide, introduced their surroundings. "Welcome to the Graverane Forest," he announced, "one of the largest and densest forests within this plane."

Bruna couldn\'t resist adding her playful touch, rolling her eyes before quipping, "Thanks for the clarification, old man." A playful smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

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Ignoring Bruna\'s jest, Eradarin turned to Angelina, a more focused expression on his aged face. He explained, "We must proceed on foot from this point onward. The magical energies in the air surrounding the area are in disarray, rendering my portal conjuration abilities useless." His words held a note of concern, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Bruna, ever the sharp-tongued one, couldn\'t resist poking fun at the usually reserved mage. She quirked an eyebrow and curled her lips into a sly grin, teasing Eradarin. "Old man," she began, her voice dripping with playfulness, "you seem to be quite chatty today. Could it be because you\'ve reunited with your old flame?" Her words hung in the air, punctuated by a knowing look.

Eradarin cleared his throat and walked ahead, leaving them behind.

Angelina, who seemed unhindered, just walked alongside the duo.

Ironshade hissed at Bruna to lean in and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Bruna smirked and asked him, "What? Are you feeling jealous?"

Ironshade blushed again. With his huge body and well-defined muscle structure, seeing him blush like a little boy made Ironshade chuckle, and then she added, "I am seeing this new side of you and already enoying it so much."

"Now shut your trap and tell me about what you said earlier."

"The old man there used to chase her in their younger days, but she never paid him any attention. Then she joined the sacred witch coven, and they had to go separate ways."

Ironshade, after listening to her, stole a few glances at her, which were noticed by Bruna, who said, "I didn\'t know you were into older women."

Eradarin, who was listening to all this, said in a loud voice, "Quit your chat and get on with it."

Eradarin\'s interruption caused Bruna to roll her eyes and reply, "Can\'t you see we\'re in the middle of something important?"

Ironshade, feeling slightly embarrassed, quickly averted his gaze and replied, "No, no, it\'s not like that. I was just curious about her past."

Eradarin rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "We don\'t have time for distractions. Let\'s focus on the task at hand."

Bruna then stopped talking and continued on their path.

Angelina just smiled at them, shaking her head.

As they trod deeper into the forest, the mud beneath their feet sucked at their shoes with each step.

Ahead, the overgrown foliage began to part, revealing a sprawling expanse of ancient ruins. The stones lay scattered and crumbling, a testament to the passage of time.

Eradarin began to narrate the history of this place, his voice carrying the weight of centuries. "This is the very location where Lucarius the Great once erected a colossal palace garden for his beloved wife, a powerful witch of the Sacred Coven, as you know," he said, looking at Angelina.

Lucarius was a great emperor who went on expeditions with the goal of making every kingdom in the world submit to him. He was a mighty, powerful ruler who sought to expand his empire through conquest and dominance. He commanded vast armies and was feared by many for his ruthlessness. He was called many names across the land.

It was well known in the history of witches that Aphrovana was the first witch and the one who started the coven back then. It was a time when witches were considered evil beings and were burned alive. They said that only a man should wield that arcane power, and women shouldn\'t possess such limitless power.