Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 652: Major Upheavals

Duskfall Estate, Uptown Quarter.

At the same time that major upheavals were taking place at Adamʼs house, an ominous plan was taking shape in the venue hosting the following dayʼs masquerade ball.

Underneath the sprawling estate belonging to Viscount Duskfall, a small number of Magi had gathered in the cavernous chamber that had only recently been built in the past several years.

Three men dressed in black robes conversed with an opulently dressed couple who were none other than the patriarch of the Dukfall family, Altan Duskfall, and his wife, Fern Duskfall. Both of them were Rank 2 - Mana Liquefaction Magi.

On the other hand, the three men in black robes were from the Cult of Bones. Two of them were Mana Liquefaction Magi, while the third one was the man who was currently leading all of the Cultʼs operations in Ravenfell.

He was the Rank 3 - Mana Vortex Magus, Olin Barrett! He was none other than the person directly responsible for the meteoric rise of the Red Fists in the Corvid Quarter, and also the one to spearhead the human trafficking business in the underground black market.

”Have all the preparations been done for tomorrow?” Olin asked, his voice authoritative and cold.

He looked like a middle-aged man with a sickly, pale skin and a receding hairline. The aura of rot and decay emanated from him, resulting in his presence being extremely foreboding and terrifying.

The Duskfall couple, no matter how many times they met this Mana Vortex Magus from the cult, couldnʼt get used to his presence at all. It was as if they had arrived at a morgue, with only a step away from the graveyard.

”Yes, my lord.” Altan Duskfall bowed respectfully.

He had a head full of brown hair and emerald eyes. He was a decent-looking middle-aged man, but at the moment, his expression was almost on the verge of contorting because of the stench of death emanating from the three cultists standing before him.

His wife, Fern, a very beautiful woman who had the appearance of someone in their early twenties, also had a dark expression on her face because of how close she was to the three cultists. But somehow she managed to display a respectful demeanor.

Standing in proximity to these Magi from the Cult of Bones felt as if the couple was in the presence of the grim reaper himself!

”Everythingʼs been done as youʼd instructed,” Altan continued. ”It goes without saying that some of the nobility that have indulged in the sacrificial ritual will be there with us tomorrow.”

”Furthermore,” Fern chimed in with a smug smile. ”Iʼve succeeded in convincing some of my friends from Uptown and Downtown Quarter to take part in these rituals with us. They too have been invited tomorrow.”

”Well done, Fern,” Olin smiled coldly. He glanced at the brunette womanʼs radiant and blemish-free skin and added, ”Iʼm sure all your friends want to look as young as you, donʼt they? Once they get a taste of virgin blood, theyʼll never be able to go back to normal.”

”Indeed, my lord.” Fernʼs smile widened. ”The effects are simply amazing. It is something every woman desires.”

Olin then turned his attention toward Altan and asked in the same icy tone, ”Tell me, is there a Magus named… Adam Constantine on the guest list for tomorrow?”

Altanʼs eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, ”That is right, my lord. Two weeks ago, a few invitations had been sent out and one of them was to Magus Constantineʼs residence here in Uptown Quarter.”

He paused for a moment before cautiously asking, ”But, my lord, how did you know that?”

A flash of cunningness gleamed in Olinʼs dark eyes and he coldly muttered, ”Of course, I would know. I was the one who directed him here.”

Altanʼs eyebrows furrowed even more at that statement. Before he could inquire further, the Rank 3 cultist added, ”Now, there will be a slight change of plans during tomorrowʼs event.”

”Chane of plans?” Altanʼs heart skipped a beat. ”Surely, my lord, you do not wish for us to cancel the event, right? So much planning has gone into this—”

”Altan,” Olin coldly stated, his voice laced with murderous intent. ”Now that Iʼm standing in your house, you must think you can talk back to me, eh?”

Altanʼs whole being was gripped by terror and he hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowing before the man. ”P-Please, please forgive me, my lord! That was not my intent!”

Olin indifferently looked down upon the Viscount. Then, he turned his attention to the manʼs wife, Fern, who was staring at her feet and trembling in horror.

”And you,” he added with a cold smile. ”Why arenʼt you kneeling?”

”Y-Yes!” Fern dropped to her knees, her back drenched in cold sweat. She too kowtowed just like her husband.

”Thatʼs much better.” Olin nodded. ”Hmm, now where was I?”

”Change of plans during tomorrowʼs masquerade ball, my lord,” one of the black-robed cultists standing behind him spoke up.

”Right.” Olin nodded. He glanced at Altan who was shivering at his feet and continued, ”When Adam Constantine arrives tomorrow, I want you to treat him with the most hospitality. Everyone at the ball should know that the boy is your guest of honor.”

”M-My Lord!” Altan gathered the courage to speak. ”May I know what youʼre planning to do with Magus Constantine? Iʼll be able to help you better that way.”

”Heʼs part of the cult, alright,” Olin lied through his teeth. ”Heʼll be part of the main ritual ceremony tomorrow night. Yes, just make sure he gets the best treatment.”

Both Altan and Fern were astonished at this revelation. The viscount looked up at Olin in disbelief and blurted out, ”Magus Constantine, a student of Saratoga, is a cultist?!”

Olin didnʼt entertain him further and promptly left the chamber, leaving behind his parting words, ”Do as youʼve instructed and youʼll be properly rewarded.”

With that said, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind the Duskfall couple kneeling in their own home.

…

As the three cultists silently traversed through the dark cobblestoned alleys of Ravenfell, one of the Rank 2 Magi couldnʼt help but ask curiously, ”My Lord… thereʼs something I donʼt understand. I thought we were planning to kill the boy, so then why did you instruct Altan to treat him as a guest of honor?”

Olin chuckled coldly, ”Adam Constantine is not as simple as you think.”

Not only had Adam foiled the plan Olin had with the Umbra Thieves, but he had also become a huge obstacle when Olin was nurturing a different group, one that he had his eyes on even before the Red Fists.

It was known as the Children of the Red God!

All those years ago when Adam had thwarted his plan after dealing with the Children of the Red God, Olin had already designated him as a special threat. Even though the youth was one entire rank weaker than him, Olinʼs intuition told him that he needed to be thoroughly dealt with.

And thus, the Duskfall Masquerade was initiated. It was an event solely designed to get rid of Adam Constantine!

”If Adam manages to survive the grand ritual ceremony tomorrow, he will be implicated in the human trafficking ring after the whole incident is exposed tomorrow and will most certainly be imprisoned,” Olin added.

”This is a two-pronged attack. Everyone from the event will know him as Altan Duskfallʼs guest of honor, and as such, someone inexplicably tied to the bloody rituals that the viscount and his wife had been partaking in for all these years.

”Once the boy is thrown into prison awaiting final judgment as per Ravenfellʼs laws, I will simply have that man kill him,” Olin spoke with a confident grin on his face.

Meaning that the Duskfall Family was nothing but a scapegoat in the plan to kill Adam orchestrated by the Rank 3 - Mana Liquefaction Magus, Olin Barett.

”The moment Adam Constantine steps foot inside the Duskfall Manor tomorrow is the moment he seals his fate!”