Sovereign of the Ashes

“I dare not ask for any rewards,” Sein humbly declined and continued, “Upon leaving the underground, my priorities are to honor my mentor’s wish by scattering his ashes in the Boundless South Sea and to reunite with my family.”

Medich acknowledged Sein’s response with a nod but then shook his head thoughtfully.

“Is your pursuit of truth as a mage coming to an end for these personal purposes?” he inquired.

Sein took a moment to contemplate before replying, “Actually, my mentor left me a few magic tomes...”

Once again, Medich shook his head, asserting, “The pursuit of truth is arduous. Relying on just a few magic tomes won’t lead you to its depths.”

Sein bowed his head in silence, unsure of how to respond.

Medich continued asking, “Have you considered joining another mage council, or perhaps a Divine Tower Academy?”

Sein lifted his gaze to look at the Divine Tower mage and saw sincerity in his eyes.

Shaking his head, he replied, “No plans at the moment.”

“I see that you have good qualifications and a good heart. Have you thought about joining the Divine Tower of Dawn? I might be able to refer you,” Medich offered with a smile.

Sein considered the offer for a moment but declined again, “I’ve only recently left the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City and have no plans to join any organization for the time being. Moreover, my family resides north of Gloomhaven. I’ve heard that the Divine Tower of Dawn is located in the coastal region to the south instead.”

Rejecting the goodwill of a Divine Tower mage was a challenging decision for Sein, but he had to do it to protect his wealth.

Furthermore, he had to keep Seven concealed.

Despite Medich’s apparent kindness, Sein could not ignore the potential hostility of other mages in the Divine Tower of Dawn.

Sein was not naive either. He vividly remembered the actions of Rhomwald, a peak Rank Three mage from the Divine Tower of Dawn, who had no qualms about harming the black magic initiates in Sand World.

Sein’s identity as a black magic initiate would be his vulnerability in that environment.

Furthermore, the moment he befriended Seven, he was resolute in not abandoning the owl.

Medich was taken aback by Sein’s firm response. The Divine Tower mage almost could not believe what he was hearing.

“Are you truly certain about not wanting to join the Divine Tower of Dawn? Would you reconsider if I were to be your mentor there?” he asked.

Medich’s eagerness was almost written on his face, revealing his desire for Sein to become his apprentice.

With over five hundred years of magical research, Medich, despite being over three hundred years younger than Sein’s late mentor, Morsidor, had surpassed him in the pursuit of understanding the ultimate truths of the world.

At the end of the day, alchemy only served as an auxiliary means for exploring the mysteries of the elements. The traditional path of the elements was still the main avenue for enhancing one’s own life level and acquiring strength.

Considering Medich’s formidable strength, he was undoubtedly more than qualified to become Sein’s mentor.

Furthermore, Medich’s future seemed limitless. In a few decades, the Rank Two mage might ascend to a Rank Three grand mage.

Nevertheless, Sein shook his head firmly and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Master Medich, but I already have a mentor.”

Sein’s response elicited a long sigh from Medich.

His gaze shifted to the urn Sein carried as he fell into contemplation.

Medich’s desire to take Sein as his apprentice was stirred by Sein’s profound respect for his late mentor.

Medich’s own mentor had passed away a hundred and fifty years ago, and like Sein, he had fulfilled his mentor’s last wish by scattering the ashes in a special place.

Sein had reminded Medich of his own past. His personality and character resonated with Medich too, making the prospect of taking him as an apprentice even more appealing.

Sein’s rejection was indeed regrettable.

Medich believed Sein’s rejection stemmed from a lack of understanding of the significance of a peak Rank Two mage, as well as the status and strength of the Divine Tower of Dawn.

Despite this, Medich had no intention of persisting in convincing Sein. After all, the bond between mentor and apprentice could not be forced.

Sein was right about his identity as a magic initiate of the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City being his vulnerability.

The negative impact of the black mages from Gloomhaven needed to dissipate, or Sein had to leave Gloomhaven to completely shed his identity.

Otherwise, he would find himself in trouble, even within the Divine Tower of Dawn.

Medich was fully capable of sheltering him, but that was only a temporary solution.

Ultimately, Sein had to rely on himself.

With Sein’s decision against joining the Divine Tower of Dawn, Medich saw no reason to linger.

The battle in the Sand World had commenced, and he needed to hurry to the Shadow Valley as soon as possible.

Medich cast a final gaze at Sein and said, “This is the Divine Light Badge I have crafted with my own hands. It holds a Healing Light spell.”

“Consider it a token of appreciation for the information you shared about the Sand World. Should you decide to join the Divine Tower of Dawn in the future, it will serve as a letter of recommendation.”

Tossing a silver-colored badge radiating rich lumen elemental power to Sein, Medich turned around, ready to depart.

However, before leaving, Medich recalled something and added, “You mentioned that one reason for your reluctance to join the Divine Tower of Dawn is because your family resides in the region to the north of Gloomhaven.”

“Hmm... There are several mage councils to the north of Gloomhaven where I have acquaintances, including the newly established Divine Tower of Verdant Spring. If you decide to join any of those councils or the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, you can present my Divine Light Badge. They should be willing to accept you on account of my recommendation.”

With those words, Medich transformed into a white elemental light and disappeared.

Sein bowed deeply in the direction Medich departed, then looked at the badge in his hand.

“A Divine Light Badge, huh? He’s truly a nice person...”

Sein sighed softly as he proceeded toward the exit of the underground passage.

***

The oppressive darkness of the Underworld gradually became a distant memory.

As soon as Sein stepped out of the cave, he was greeted by brilliant light.

Despite the initial discomfort from the brightness and temperature, Sein soon adjusted, opening his eyes to take in his surroundings.

The warm sunlight and pleasant temperature contrasted sharply with the scorching sun of the Sand World.

Before him lay an expansive green wilderness, with winding rivers in the distance.

The air itself felt sweeter.

Sein inhaled deeply, then confidently strode forward to embrace his new life.