It was possible they'd merely stumbled upon these cursed artifacts and found a way to harness them for their own gain. Or perhaps they were pawns in a far more sinister game. Either way, Zion couldn't afford to make assumptions.
To uncover the truth, he would need help—a mage, someone capable of delving into the origin and purpose of the blood stones. But therein lay the problem. The Mage Tower, which housed the most powerful and knowledgeable mages, was currently under the control of Archmage Elric, the Royal Mage. As the chosen successor and rightful master of the tower, Elric held absolute authority over what knowledge and resources the mages could share.
And unfortunately, Elric had sworn allegiance to the Alpha King.
That alone made things complicated. The Alpha King had marked Zion as someone he dislike, placing him firmly in the crosshairs of the crown. Would Elric even be permitted to assist him? Would the archmage dare defy the king's will?
