Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

The disorientation that came from teleportation through the fabric of space did not assault Merlin.

First, he was used to it. Second, and more importantly, the distance teleported wasn't that great.

The coppery-red-haired youth opened his eyes, his pale blue pupils scanning his surroundings.

His smile faltered ever so slightly before returning to normal.

Something's not right, Merlin thought to himself.

The sky was a perpetual slate-gray, never truly day or night. Light bled weakly through the clouds like it was struggling to exist.

No sun. No stars. Just an endless pale glow.

The air was cold and dry, but the ground was wet, warm, and soaked in… crimson.

Everywhere Merlin looked, all he could see was crimson stretched below and gray loomed above.

However, what caused Merlin to frown wasn't the appearance of the secret plane, but the unseen presence that permeated the air.

It was the presence of violence and murder.

His smile turned deeper.

Did the cultists truly tamper with this secret plane? Are there spies who have infiltrated the other Pillars?

Either way… what a bloodbath this is going to be!

Chuckling to himself, Merlin made his way towards his nearest party member, whom he had already sensed through the Sphere of Resonance.

***

Eleiney crouched low and intently stared at the crimson sludge before her feet.

Pools of similar red sludge nestled between ridges of broken bones and red trees dotted the landscape.

The marsh bubbled occasionally, causing the young woman to frown. It felt oppressive, grotesque, and unnaturally alive.

She squinted her eyes as she tried to peer deeper into the bloody pool. For a moment, she felt like she saw a ghostly figure move in its depths.

Hallucination or not, she quickly retreated.

Were those… blood beasts? She wondered, alarmed.

Just what is this place?

The bloody marshes stretched like an open wound across the land. What was once water had turned viscous, stained red with blood and decay. The air was thick, humid, and smelled of meat left too long in the sun.

No bird sang. No insect buzzed. The silence was broken only by the faint breathing of the land itself.

Suddenly, she tensed up when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching from a far distance. She quickly conjured two short swords and gripped them tightly as she turned toward the sound.

A moment later, she sighed in relief.

It was the pair from Coral Cove - Kahn and Charlie Smith.

Several moments later, Arthur and Aiden also arrived. Finally, Merlin was the last one to join them.

As Professor Whitaker had said earlier, the party members had been teleported to roughly the same location, and the furthest distance between them hadn't exceeded fifty meters.

"So… what do you guys think?" Eleiney asked as she scanned the bloody marshes sprawling before them.

"Truth be told, this wasn't what I was expecting, really," said Charlie as he gazed at the marsh bubbling before him.

"Yes." Kahn nodded, his eyes narrowed. "Something feels wrong."

Aiden and Arthur remained silent. They, too, shared the same sentiment. In fact, they felt goosebumps crawling over their skin.

Something about the secret plane was terribly wrong. They couldn't quite put a finger on it.

Finally, Eleiney turned to Merlin.

She lingered for a few moments, then asked, "What about you?"

Merlin turned towards her and smiled. Then, he scanned the faces of the rest of the party members, his smile deepening.

"It would appear that none of you have been part of a war before," he said.

Eleiney frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Everyone else also turned to him with inquisitive gazes.

Merlin laughed out loud. "Fafafa, isn't it obvious?"

He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the blood-soaked marsh spread out all around them. "This was a battlefield. That strange feeling in the air… it's the lingering echo of bloodlust and fear left behind by those who died here."

"…A battlefield?" Kahn frowned.

Meanwhile, Eleiney had a ruminative expression on her face.

Merlin noticed that and couldn't help but grin. "Hey, Leader. Do you mind explaining?"

Eleiney snapped out of her thoughts, then cast a deep look at the crazy Magus.

Then, she turned towards Kahn and spoke solemnly, "Blood beasts consume flesh for sustenance and power. If such creatures were placed in this secret plane, it's reasonable to assume that other wild beasts were introduced as well... to create an artificial ecosystem."

Kahn's expression darkened. "Are you implying that the blood beasts consumed other creatures within this secret plane to sustain themselves and grow more powerful?"

A tense silence descended on the group.

"It is very likely," Eleiney said after a long pause.

"How long ago do you think these blood beasts and other wild animals were placed here?" Charlie asked, a grim look on his face.

This time, it was Merlin who answered: "For a secret plane of this size, it would take at least three to six months to stabilize after its creation. And considering its stability at the moment…"

He looked around the secret plane, his eyes flickering with a peculiar light. "I'd say this artificial ecosystem has been in place for at least a year? Hmm, perhaps more."

Aiden's eyes narrowed. "How do you know so much about secret planes anyway?"

Merlin turned to him and grinned. "Who knows? Maybe a jester told me. Perhaps a butterfly told me. Hmm, it might have been a dragon who said this to me in my dreams."

Everyone's expression paled.

This Merlin Mathias was truly a madman!

Was it wise to trust him?

Eleiney spoke in a grave voice. "Merlin, please be serious."

She paused for a moment, then asked, "What do you make out of this place?"

For some reason, despite the maniacal outward appearance, she found Merlin's words to be oddly… reassuring.

"Would you really take my word for it, young lady?" Merlin grinned from ear to ear.

"Spit it out already." Kahn's tone oozed with frustration.

Merling turned to him and whispered, "Say the magic word."

Kahn gnashed his teeth. Then, a moment later, he spat, "Please!"

"Fafafa!" Merlin laughed out loud. "Then, don't mind me…"

His pale blue eyes flashed with a vicious light as he conjured a playing card. He coated it with mana—that radiated the fluctuations of a Mana Liquefaction Magus—and then…

Hurled it towards Kahn!