As Aizel continued to fall deeper into the darkness, a hooded figure riding a horse arrived at the edge of the chasm. The figure gazed straight into the abyss, seemingly deep in thought.
The hooded person dismounted the horse and spotted the attackers' bodies lying on the ground. The figure approached them and evaluated their situation. As the figure gazed into the abyss, they wondered, "Did that person really jump down there?"
The hooded figure didn't hesitate as they walked toward the edge of the abyss and leaped into it without a second thought.
Meanwhile…
"How much longer am I going to fall like this?"
Aizel's mind raced with endless questions as he continued to fall.
Would he ever get to the bottom? Was this abyss really a gateway to the depths of hell, teeming with terrifying beasts and evil demons?
What lay ahead filled his thoughts, and he couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty that clung to him like a second skin.
As Aizel fell further, his mind was flooded with uncertainties and questions. His thoughts were interrupted as the air around him began turning chilly and he heard the sound of waves crashing against rocks.
Curious, he peered down and used his light ball to illuminate the bottom of the abyss. To his surprise, he saw a deep river flowing beneath him and a shore nearby.
"Finally!" Aizel cried out as he plummeted into the deep river, his body plunged into the freezing water.
The impact of the fall was devastating, and he struggled to stay afloat, his arms and legs flailing.
Once he reached the river bank, he dragged himself out of the water, gasping for breath. His heart was pounding in his chest as he tried to calm down and assess his surroundings.
"What the fuck is this place? Is it a monster's underground cave?"
Aizel envisioned his magical abilities and conjured up a flame in his palm, which he used to quickly dry himself off. He studied his surroundings once he was up on his feet, trying to get his bearings in the strange area.
He came across a path that led to a darker place. Curiosity piqued, and he increased the brightness of his flames and proceeded down the trail.
As he moved ahead, the darkness engulfed him, the light of his flames casting strange shadows on the walls around him.
The rocky terrain got increasingly uneven as Aizel walked farther into the passage, slowing his progress.
With his heightened mana sense, he cautiously studied his surroundings, ready to detect any hidden dangers lurking in the shadows.
As he neared the end of the trail, he was met with the spectacular sight of a big and exquisite garden. The flowers were vibrant and colorful, some of which he had never seen before.
He took a step forward, appreciating the beauty of the garden, but the atmosphere around him abruptly changed.
The once serene and lovely garden transformed into a land of death and horror. The flowers withered away, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of decay. The ground cracked open, spewing out fountains of blood, and the shadows of death started to rise from the earth.
"Oi, oi, oi, oi, what the fuck is going on?" As he stood in the center of the garden, Aizel's heart was filled with dread and nervousness. His fingers trembled as he drew his sword, ready to face whatever horrors awaited him on the blood-soaked ground.
Flowers that had once been vibrant had shriveled and perished; their petals were now stained with scarlet blood. The odor of death and rot filled the air, and Aizel's instincts warned him that danger lurked everywhere.
He stood firm, his gaze sweeping the garden for the slightest indication of movement, his grip on his blade tightening with each passing second.
"You little fellow, who comes from above, what do you need?"
Aizel's ears perked up as an ancient voice echoed through the blood-soaked garden, causing him to frantically scan his surroundings in search of its source.
"Are you disrespecting me by not answering me, little fellow?"
"No no no no… Sir, I am sorry. I just stumbled here in the search for treasure. I am sorry if I have disturbed your sleep.
"I shall head back now, hahaha..." Aizel replied quickly; he lowered his head in a sign of nervous respect. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, despite the coolness of the air around him.
"Hmm... Treasure. What kind of treasure is it? Perhaps I can help you."
"Are you kidding me, old man?" Aizel thought.
"Huh... even I don't know what it is. I only had the information that there is a treasure hidden in the depths of the abyss."
"Hmm... but this is my home; if there was a treasure hidden, I would have known…Wait a minute!"
As if conjured by dark magic, a pool of blood coalesced before Aizel and transformed into an old man.
The man was small in comparison to Aizel, with long black hair that cascaded down to the floor and a beard that was the same length. As he levitated towards him, his penetrating dark red eyes surveyed Aizel from head to toe.
Aizel couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine at the sight of the eerie old man.
"Did you come here for my workshop?"
"Workshop? I don't know anything about that, sir…"
"Who sent you?" The old man got closer to his face as he asked.
"N…No one sir."
"Then why do you have a Vespara card in your robe? Care to elaborate?"
"FUUUUUCKKKKK YOOOOUUUU VESPARA!" Aizel shouted in his mind.
"It... It's just that she told me that there is a magic artifact here, an armor."
"That bitch sent you here to steal my creation... Where is she now, by the way?"
"Felgura City." Aizel hurriedly replied.
"Hmm... You might be her disciple... Hmm." The old man drifted around Aizel, thoughtfully caressing his long beard.
His dark eyes moved up and down, analyzing Aizel's appearance and demeanor from every angle.
"That makes you a grand disciple… hmm."
"I am sorry for interrupting, sir, but how did you know she is my master?"
"She can't send someone here who is not close to her. If she sends you here, that means she dotes on you a lot."
When Aizel heard the elderly man's remarks, a vision of Vespara striking a sensual position and licking her lips flashed through his head.
He couldn't help but smile warily at the old guy as he tried to shake the image from his mind and concentrate on the task at hand.
"But if she thinks I would give my creation away just like that, she is gravely mistaken.
"You kid! What's your name?"
"Aizel sir,"
"Hmm... if you pass a test of mine, I shall grant you the treasure you seek"
