Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

After some time, Mennena disappeared from the Mirror. Of course, Chad refused to provide the Golden Key as it was something precious.

Nonetheless, he had to report this to Vale's Avatars and the Time Manipulators who had their eyes on this Golden Key. They might have an idea of what Mennena wanted.

Because of that, however, Mrs. Evelyn's husband would probably no longer return to the physical world unless Mennena changed her mind.

"I will ask the other experts if they have a way to look into this." Aubrey said that since she was originally planning to ask other Arcanists.

Shamans should be a good option since they have many rituals that require mirrors as a medium.

After this was settled, Aubrey returned the payment to the old woman since she wasn't able to help her.

In the end, Aubrey could only continue with other tasks before ending the day…

"I hope Lisa can recover quickly…" Aubrey muttered.

In any case, she was still waiting for the medicines that she requested from her father to give to Lisa, but she was hoping that Lisa would have a quicker recovery so she could bring her to various places… Lisa was her friend, and she wanted to spend some leisure time with her in various places.

"I hope so… I'm sure she'll love going to various places… Ever since she had become a Vampire, she was mostly practicing to get stronger to fight against the Demons. Now that it's kind of peaceful, it would be a nice break for her." Chad added…

However, his mind was still on the matter regarding the Golden Key… It seemed that he had to join the expedition this time.

***

Meanwhile, within the well-lit reception hall of Vale's castle, Inspector Victor stood alongside his team—a motley crew of investigators were waiting to grace them with the presence of the Shadow Immortal's Dragon.

Magnus just promised them that he would inform the Dragon and told them to wait here. Soon, the light flickered for a while, casting moving shadows on the stone walls.

And then, Orden—the purple Dragon—appeared.

His human form was that of an old man; his eyes were dragon-like and quite nerve-wracking for the team.

His cloak, woven from unknown materials, trailed behind him. The room seemed to shrink as he stepped forth, his presence both majestic and unsettling.

Victor's heart raced as he observed the Dragon…

He just actually learned today the names of the Dragons who lives in this castle. They were Orden and Ryzoir according to Magnus.

Magnus mentioned that he would call for Orden—the Dragon who seemed to be more interested in meeting humans.

In any case, this was important for them so any Dragon that could enlighten them would be beneficial for them. He was even willing to make payments for this.

Victor wanted to greet the Dragon who was disguised as an old man but Orden's words sent shivers through the room…

"I have other things to do," he said, "and I don't normally meet humans nowadays. However, I'm curious why you called for me. If you don't satisfy me, you may not leave this castle with your lives. So, you have to make it worth my time."

The team exchanged nervous glances. Victor, however, felt a surge of confidence.

The Dragon Scale's information was definitely enticing… Furthermore, there were other things he could offer as a reward as well.

Soon, Orden listened as Victor recounted the tale—the mysterious dragon scale, the museum, and the inexplicable demise of the curator.

His frown deepened, and he asked about the scale's appearance.

Victor described it—the iridescence, the shifting patterns and the known history about it.

And then, Orden muttered, "Does it belong to Aersus?"

The name hung in the air—an enigma. The team exchanged puzzled looks. However, they could tell that it was probably the name of the Dragon Scale's owner.

"Aersus—the Soul Eater." Orden repeated with a low voice. He knew that Aersus had a conflict with Vale, so he immediately felt on guard. Vale mentioned Aersus before since he had also previously asked about this mysterious Dragon.

"Who is Aersus?" Victor finally asked.

Unfortunately, none of them had heard of this notorious Dragon.

Orden's eyes bore into theirs.

"A guardian turned devourer," he said. "Once a protector, now a creature of darkness…"

***

Meanwhile, as this was happening, as this was all happening, they had no idea that a huge trouble was approaching them…

Mennena, a mystical being known as the ArchFey, possessed the extraordinary ability to traverse vast distances by harnessing the enigmatic power of mirrors.

At this time, after confirming her information from Chad, her heart was set on acquiring a coveted artifact, the Golden Key, nestled within the ancient walls of Vale's Castle.

"This will be tough… I needed some help for this but that useless deity got trashed by the Shadow Immortal already. Even the Death God is now useless. Tsk…" Mennena muttered.

Unfortunately, the formidable defenses of the castle, woven with intricate Formations Arts and guarded by the mystical prowess of Dragon Arts, presented a daunting obstacle that seemed insurmountable when faced alone. So, she really needed some help from a deity-level individual.

As she glanced at the castle's periphery through a broken mirror, her keen eyes scanned the imposing structure for any signs of vulnerability… Then, a tingling sensation crept up her spine.

"This…"

A well-hidden fluctuation of aura in the wind alerted her to the presence of a formidable entity nearby—a Dragon of immense power, shrouded in human guise, prowling the streets of a town nearby…

"I can't be wrong!" Mennena's eyes lit up. It was definitely a powerful dragon, and she had an idea of who this was!

Nonetheless, she had no idea what this Dragon wanted.

"This Dragon doesn't have any mark from the Shadow Immortal. He's alone… Is he targeting the Shadow Immortal's castle as well?" She mused.

This might be a good opportunity for her! Since she could only steal the Golden Key if the barrier was destroyed, this Dragon might be the best assistant she needed!