When there is a will, there is a way... BY HIJACKING CORPORATE WIFI.

Sup, peeps?

Have a chapter.

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The Southern Rusvich Kingdom, now known as the Southern Rusvich District, was home to innumerable amounts of ancient ruins and labyrinths making it home to the Federation's archaeologists and treasure hunters. Archaeologists and treasure hunters both have their respective guilds and, from time to time, are at odds with one another. Like how they each call themselves, archaeologists dig for knowledge, and hunters dig for money. Fortunately, the Federation lets them do as they please as long as it doesn't spark a war. One such archaeologist is Wynn Osfort, Cavaron's friend from twenty years past and Lucas' elder sister by eight years.

Cavaron, after getting a guide from Teman Village, is en route to Kintab's Recluse, a dig site where Wynn is currently located as said by Lucas. On the way, Cavaron and his guide went through the Southern Volshik Plains. The plains spread out as far as the eyes can see and has scattered patches of small forests here and there. His guide, named Timothy, was one of Teman Village's teenagers looking for work seeing opportunities such as guides and pathfinders being profitable. Cavaron paid Timothy a hundred Bels as a guide to Kintab's Recluse, and an extra two hundred for two horses for both of them to ride on. Cavaron's generosity to Timothy gave him a favorable impression.

As the two went through the plains,

"Hey, Timmy, uh... can I call you Timmy?" Cavaron asked his guide thinking that calling him "Timothy" gets tiring after a while.

"Sure, Mister Erasyl. I don't mind since that's how me folks call me." Timothy replied lifting the burden off Cavaron's tongue.

"Hm, in that case, just drop the 'Mister' and just call me 'Erasyl' instead." Cavaron didn't want to be the only one to be called properly. After living a few hundred years, he got tired with the difference in treatment, since his past especially.

"No can do, Mister. It's part of the job." Timothy replied as such. Seeing the sense of professionalism in the youth's eyes made Cavaron not say anything else and went on with it.

After a while, they see dig site over the distance. A fairly huge dig site spanning over a few kilometers over the horizon. Passing by a sign, Cavaron read "Kintab's Recluse – 2 km south" and headed for the entrance with Timothy.

Upon arrival, they were greeted by Federation soldiers that were posted here as guards in case of a raid or theft.

"Halt! Names and nature of business?" a guard interrogated Cavaron.

"I'm Erasyl, and this is my guide from Teman Village, Timothy. We're here to deliver a message to one of the archaeologists, and probably do some sightseeing afterwards." Cavaron answered honestly.

The guard looked at his side and saw Timothy waving at him. "Hey, Pa. How's work?" said Timothy. Bewildered, Cavaron looked back and forth between the soldier and his guide.

"Oh, so it is you, Little Timmy." the soldier replied, "The Captain here treats all of his men well." After their exchange, Timothy's father looked at Erasyl, "Seeing you hired him and paid for both horses gives you an OK from me. Take care of my son, ya hear?" Cavaron nodded affirmingly. "Now, off you go, and don't cause trouble."

Passing the gates, Cavaron was greeted by the hustle and bustle of commerce as he saw hundreds of merchants, archaeologists, and hunters buying and selling their wares.

"Timmy, do you know how to navigate this place?" Cavaron asked seeing that his first idea of just randomly walking looking for Wynn was bad and futile.

"Yessiree. I just need to know where you want to go." Timothy answered proudly.

"The archaeologist I'm looking for is a woman named Wynn Osfort. Do you know her?"

Timothy shook his head and said, "Sorry sir, best we ask one of the locals here." and suggested asking someone in the mess before them.

Looking for a not-so-busy person, they found a lone man sitting by a bench reading a book.

'Eh, better than nothing, I suppose.' Cavaron, thinking so, approached the man and asked, "Excuse me, sir. May I borrow some of your time for some directions?"

The man reading a book looked up and replied, "Well? Out with it. Where do you intend to go?" Cavaron almost stepped back from the man's attitude and had a vein pop out but calmed himself thinking of the stress of work.

"Sir, we would like to know if you know someone named Wynn Osfort and where she would be located." This time the hustle and bustle stopped and everyone around them looked at Cavaron. The silence, fairly deafening to him, he said, "Is... is there something wrong?"

The man he was asking closed his book, stood up, and said "First, come and follow me." and left towards a large building in the center of the dig site. Cavaron and Timothy, followed quietly after him while the people surrounding them watched.

Silently following the man before them, 'Why do I have a feeling something bad happened to Wynn?' Cavaron can't help but think so. Timothy on the side felt fairly uncomfortable as he felt the seriousness in the air surrounding them which made Cavaron say, "Timmy, feel free to go back to your father for a while. This might take some time." Hesitatingly, Timothy nodded and left while occasionally looking back. Cavaron just smiled and urged him to go.

The large building that he was being led to looked like a spiral tower made out of blue rock. Feeling something, Cavaron used > to know why. The tower before him slightly glowed and sent out a pulse wave every minute. His eyes became wide when he realized what it was. "Mana... Pylon..." he said in disbelief.

This time, the man before him stopped and turned to look at him, "How did you know that?" and interrogated him. Not knowing what to say, he kept his silence while sweat poured down his cheek. 'Dammit, I need to be more careful.' The man just resumed going to the Mana Pylon, "Hmph, not an ordinary person, huh?" and muttered under his breath.

At the base of the pylon was an entrance, and the man before him beckoned to enter with him. Within, lay numerous beds with immobile people. "Don't worry, they are still alive. The Mana Pylon ensures their vitality while they sleep." and continued walking down the hall to a door. The man knocked, "Yes?" and a man's voice was heard inside. "Lady Osfort has a visitor." the man replied and opened the door.

Inside the room was an old man seemingly past the age of ninety, has unkempt hair, and is wearing a light gray tunic with silver designs. On his chest was a crest signifying the guild he belongs to, the Archaeologists' Guild. The old man was seated behind a desk filled with papers, scrolls, books, crystals, and other junk all the while looking at his visitor. Recognizing who his visitor was he ordered the man before to leave and close the door.

Cavaron met with the old man's eyes and said, "Long time, no see, Teacher Agrithos."

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Agrithos Osfort, one of The Sixteen Sages of Belfron. He is the guild master of the Archaeologists' Guild, and is the grandfather of Lucas and Wynn Osfort. His wisdom and knowledge, accumulated over the years and published in books paved the way to the development of the past kingdoms and the present Federation.

Twenty years ago, during the Undead War, was the first time he met Cavaron. Back then, King Pietr Rusvich requested him to aid the champion by providing information and arcane equipment. Agrithos, however did not comply and ignored the request. The only time he did so was when Cavaron requested wholeheartedly to teach him about this world. Agrithos, seeing the fire in Cavaron's eyes, budged after being convinced that his time will not be wasted on him. It was also after their meeting did Cavaron increase his contract arsenal when Agrithos taught him the ancient texts. Cavaron was reading glyphs in a ruin when he inadvertently opened a rip in space, summoned, and contracted with an elemental. After that event, Agrithos surmised that Cavaron had the capability to learn all that he can teach, and so they went on learning more. Five months passed and Cavaron learned all that he could learn from Agrithos at an alarming rate. It was as if the gods blessing his mind to be an eternal sponge absorbing one knowledge after another. From time to time, Cavaron played with Agrithos' grandchildren, Wynn and Lucas Osfort.

Nostalgia swept through the eyes of Cavaron and Agrithos as they met once more.

"Long time, no see Teacher Agrithos." Cavaron greeted with a soft smile on his face as he remembered the times with his teacher.

"You too, my best and dearest student." Agrithos replied with misty eyes, "Did you come back or did you get summoned?" and asked because of the visit.

"Teacher, Little Tania summoned me." Cavaron frankly replied.

Agrithos' eyes went wide from surprise and asked worriedly, "Is there another war?" as he stood up.

Cavaron urged his teacher to calm down and sit down, and said, "Don't worry, teacher. The only problem was her obsession with me. She kidnapped me and asked me to marry her."

Agrithos dropped to his chair in disbelief at what their Premier did. "*sigh* Seeing that you're here means you refused her."

"Of course, teacher. You should know the pain of having a family only to be summoned abruptly without my consent."

"Well, sit down and rest while I prepare some tea." Agrithos stood and went over a counter with tea and biscuits, while Cavaron sat at a nearby sofa.

Bringing the tea over and handing a cup and plate to Cavaron, Agrithos sat across the table and asked his student, "So, you're looking for Wynn? May I know why?"

"I was asked by Baby Lucas to tell her 'Reply to our letters from time to time, Ma's getting paranoid from your silence'. Since I had nothing to do, I accepted his request. It also gives me some way to see the sights after twenty years have passed." Cavaron replied while munching on a biscuit and sipping tea, "Hey, this tastes good."

"Thank you, I baked and brewed them myself." Agrithos smiled at his student's praise. "Anyway, I'm not sure you'd like to meet Wynn right now."

Cavaron tilted his head, raised an eyebrow, and asked "Why, Teacher? Did something bad happen?" Cavaron remembered the bad feeling he had and the people on beda outside the room, and started to get worried.

Agrithos took a deep breath and sighed deeply, "I don't know how to say this, but I think it's better if you come with me." He then stood up, approached a wall, and pressed his hand afainst it. The part of the wall he pressed went in deeper and the part beside it opened revealing a hidden passage going down. "Come with me, Cavaron."

Cavaron placed his cup of tea on the table and followed his teacher.

The corridor past the wall was composed of the same material as the Mana Pylon. With each step he took, a wave of mana blanketed him. 'I could stay here for a while and absorb the mana for my own use. I wonder if Teacher will allow me?' Cavaron thought as he felt the waves of mana. The two of them walked in deeper for almost half an hour before arriving at a massive door.

"Teacher, this door..." Cavaron hesitated as he read the glyphs on and around the door. The door, being sixteen meters high and twelve meters wide was filled from top to bottom with arcane glyphs. The glyphs were so many that Cavaron was overwhelmed and had to rack his brain deciphering all of it. What he understood, however, that whatever is behind the door is a relic of an ancient and very advanced civilization.

"You'll see, Cavaron. Just follow me." Agrithos then waved his hand over a pedestal by the door, and a low rumbling noise followed. The door soon opened to reveal what it hid. Inside was a cryatalline altar with three small Mana Pylons surrounding it. The small Mana Pylons constantly emanated a soothing blue glow different from the giant Mana Pylon. The altar was square, a meter high, and three meters wide on all sides. Above the altar, suspended in the air, was a woman. Cavaron recognized who this woman was.

"No... that... Wynn! What happened!?" Cavaron yelled in surprise.

Wynn Osfort was unconscious as she levitated above the altar. She was wearing the typical archaeologist attire and appeared normal but, "Teacher, what happened? Where is her soul?" Cavaron, still using > saw something missing in her body. Cavaron's > not only allows him to see mana itself, but also allows him to see souls due to his mastery with it.over hundreds of years.

"So, I was correct. Cavaron, I don't know if fate brought you here but I was right in letting you see her." Agrithos spoke as he clenched his tunic while looking at his soulless granddaughter. "I surmised that you may be able to help her."

Cavaron approached to grab his teacher, "Tell me, how did this happen?" and asked as he remembered days long past. "I will do anything to revive her."

Agrithos turned to look at his student and was surprised with the look on his eyes. Cavaron's eyes was filled with both regret and resolve. "Cavaron, did... did something happen in your past?" When Agrithos asked him, Cavaron took a step back and said, "Yes, something like what happened to Wynn. I don't want that to repeat again." and looked down.

Agrithos took a deep breath, made a long sigh, 'It's good that you are still the same.' and thought. "I'll tell you..."

Agrithos told Cavaron of an ancient ruin they unearthed near the dig site. From their studies, they surmised that it belonged to the ancient Felrok Empire. The Felrok Empire was well-known for their necromancers and was the root of the Undead War years ago. Agrithos, as the guild master, thought to close down the area to prevent anyrhing like the war back then from happening again. However, Wynn, who was still conscious persuaded to continue the study to learn how to actually prevent it further just in case other ruins pop out.

Wynn built a lot of support from other archaeologists, and was able to have the expedition continue. Two years ago, they were able to find out a lot about the Felrok Empire and were able to fomulate strategies and magic that can counter the undead effectively from deciphering the ancient necromantic magic. It all changed a year after, however, when they arrived at the inner sanctum of the ruin.

Inside was a still living necromancer.

The necromancer, angered by the appearance of Wynn and her expedition summoned a small undead army to kill them. Wynn and her party were able to survive.long enough because of what they've learned. Sadly, it was all for naught. The necromancer threw a spell at Wynn while they were making their eacape to warn the others. Wynn got hit and spectral chains shot from the ground, and bound her soul. With her soul bound by the necromancer, her party could not do anything else but bring her body back.

When they surfaced, they immediately reported to Agrithos and put the ruin on absolute lockdown. Agrithos then ordered to put Wynn in suspended animation via the Mana Pylons to prevent her body from decaying. After the incident, the other members of Wynn's expedition fell unconscious, what resulted were the people Cavaron saw laid on the beds.

"Assuming that her soul is still intact after a year, there is still hope." Agrithos concluded his story with a hopeful face.

"Teacher, why didn't you report this to the Federation?" Cavaron asked. Indeed, it would have been solved if the Federation mobilized it's army, considering that they have strengthened beyond what he remembered twenty years ago.

Agrithos then looked at Cavaron with a stern face, "Absolutely not. Can you imagine the chaos that will be born from that? If they find out that Wynn was the one responsible for it, I cannot imagine the consequences it will bring." and said as tears formed on his eyes. "I don't want to lose my beloved granddaughter, ever!"

"Then, how did you silence the others?" Cavaron asked about a possible leak of information.

Agrithos looked at him and said, "I didn't have to. Everybody here does not trust the Federation except Premier Tania, and you know how Tania and Wynn are friends with each other, thanks to you." Because of Cavaron's relationship with the Rusvich royalty and his studies with Agrithos, Tania and the Osfort siblings became friends. "The others also know of her friendship with the Premier and would not want to have Tania get sick with worry. So, we've kept it secret for over a year."

"Then, where is the entrance to the ruin?" Cavaron asked Agrithos as he summoned his usual equipment displaying his decision to save Wynn.

Agrithos smiled, "I will lead you there." and left with Cavaron to the Felrok ruin.

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Longer than usual, and fairly a pain on mobile, but hella worth it.

Elemental will be next chapter.