Age of Adepts

The sun was shining high up in the sky.

The formerly peaceful market around Fire Cave suddenly turned loud and lively.

A group of adventurers returning from their hunt in the Black Forest had fortunately brought back with them five Featherwing Serpent eggs. A riotous auction broke out in the market and the camp.

Four or five adventurers with bloodstains still on their faces waited happily by the side of the auction platform. Every bid from the crowd around them caused them to cheer softly. The few merchant representatives from various places across Zhentarim were red in the face with all the arguments and hollering. They continued to wave the bidding cards in their hands even as they tugged at their collars to vent the heat.

The host sent by Fire Throne was an apprentice adept. He might only be an advanced apprentice, but he had rich life experience that surpassed his physical age. However, today’s atmosphere was too intense. Even the apprentice adept couldn’t help but be affected by the auction.

Just as he was about to shout and land the gavel for the final time, a shocking scene unfolded before his eyes.

A dark cloud of human forms pressed toward Fire Cave from the distant horizon.

They were still far out at the horizon a moment ago, but the next second they had all appeared above the skies of the market.

All the people inside the market and the camp quickly hurried into their tents or wooden huts, silently assessing these uninvited guests from the side. Their faces turned when they saw the appearances and clothes of the newcomers. Anxiety filled their hearts.

The Vik Family!

These were all high-grade vampire adepts of the Vik Family!

There were veteran adventurers in the camp who had traveled far and wide. They quickly recognized the newcomers with a single glance.

In all honesty, it wasn’t hard to recognize these people, with their noble clothes and giant bat wings on their back. There were only so many vampire families after all.

Moreover, the vampire in the lead had a long and sharp face, a tall nose, thin lips, and a pair of strange silver eyes that shone like stars. He wore fitted pants, a red shirt, and a black high-collar coat. A black red-lined silk cape billowed behind his back. He was a person who left an impression.

The family head of the Viks, Third Grade Vampire Adept Haines Vik.

Someone quickly recognized this famous and powerful Third Grade vampire. They gasped in surprise and hurriedly pressed their hands against their mouth before sneaking out of the camp.

A total of thirteen vampires had arrived. There was one Third Grade vampire amongst them, and that was the current family head of the Viks, Haines Vik. There were two Second Grade vampires, Leicester, who had just advanced, and the more veteran vampire Toril. The other vampires were also core members of the Vik Family and publicly known as First Grade adepts.

A Second Grade adept in black robes walked along with them. It looked like Adept Fügen of the Sarubo Clan.

This domineering descent of intimidating vampires upon Fire Throne didn’t seem like they were here as guests. The smart adventurers who had gathered around the market and camp started to slowly back off, exposing the small auction platform and host within the crowd.

”You are from the tower below?” The cold Haines narrowed his eyes and stared at this apprentice adept with his strange silver eyes.

”S-…sir, greetings to you. I am… Wa…”

Skra! A strange red flash of light.

Haines made a grabbing motion with his right hand while hovering in the air. Five deep claw marks instantly appeared on the apprentice’s face.

”I have no interest in your name. I asked you whether you are from the tower below? One more useless word out of your mouth and I will crush you to death.” A wicked expression surfaced on Haines sharp face.

The apprentice adept clasped his face and screamed, but quickly stopped himself when he heard Haines’ threat. He trembled as he nodded and said: ”Yes… I am.”

A satisfied smile appeared on Haines’ face.

”You have five minutes to go inform Greem of our arrival. Tell him to hand over that bitch and come out to kowtow before us. Otherwise, I will wash his tower with blood today!”

The apprentice adept was shocked by the loud roaring of the Third Grade vampire. He completely forgot the pain on his face. He opened his eyes wide, unable to believe what he had just heard.

”You’ve been poisoned by my blood poison through the wound on your face. You only have five minutes left to live. Better hurry up, or else, kehkehkeh…”

It was only upon the vampire’s reminder that the apprentice sensed the abnormality of the wound.

Five minutes!

Passing through Fire Cave to reach Magma Hall, and then entering Fire Throne? Five minutes? How was that enough? However, the apprentice adept couldn’t think about this any longer. His life was at stake. He activated the Hasten spell in his pinky finger ring and desperately poured antidotes into his mouth.

In the blink of an eye, he had passed through the market and dove into Fire Cave.

”He can’t possibly live until he reaches the tower!” Adept Fügen coldly commented.

The calmness and coldness in his tone made it impossible for anyone to realize that he was talking about a life at stake.

”A small fry like that isn’t qualified to be a messenger. He might have lived for five minutes if he wasn’t running so fast, but now, he should turn into a pool of blood within two minutes.” Haines laughed sinisterly.

”There seems to be movement under the ground!” Leicester, who had been folding his hands and standing respectfully behind Haines, couldn’t help but give a reminder.

The cluster of elementium fire two hundred meters under the ground had started roiling ever since they arrived. It seemed like Fire Throne had sensed their aura and was drawing upon the energy of the elementium pool to increase the defenses of the tower.

The people in the camp who had still been observing the situation scattered upon seeing that the adepts were here for trouble. They quickly escaped into the woods.

The vampires had no interest in slaughtering these ordinary mortals that lived by the tower either. Instead, it was Vik Family head, Haines, who couldn’t help but be intrigued when he saw the five adventurers trying to leave with their Featherwing Serpent eggs.

The eggs being held in their hands magically flew into the sky, as if they had grown wings, and fell into Haines’ hands.

”Eggs of Featherwing Serpents?”

Haines lifted the eggs and sniffed them. He then casually cracked one of the eggs and sucked all the egg white into his mouth.

”The energy aura isn’t too dense, but it tastes fairly fresh. Mm, take this magical crystal and leave. I’ll be keeping these eggs.”

The next second, a single shiny magical crystal fell from the sky and landed before the five adventurers.

Five eggs laid by a First Grade Featherwing Serpent was only worth one magical crystal?

The muscular warrior of the group turned red in frustration. He wanted to step forward to argue, but his teammate quickly dragged him away, picking up the magical crystal as they left and never looked back.

This temporary camp and market that could fit four to five hundred people became a barren land within a matter of moments.

The thirteen vampires beat their wings and slowly landed on the ground. Haines, on the other hand, landed atop a crimson carpet that the other vampires had laid on the ground. A black chair then appeared behind him, and Haines elegantly sat down.

A glass filled with red wine was placed into his right hand the moment he opened it.

Haines elegantly crossed one leg over the other and brought the wine glass before him. He sniffed the fragrance from the crimson liquid and narrowed his eyes, silently waiting for the arrival of the enemy.

No more than a Second Grade adept. He couldn’t possibly be a worthy opponent.

The speed of a Third Grade vampire when flying at their fastest was not something that an ordinary mortal could even imagine. Killing that Second Grade fire adept wouldn’t take more than three seconds. In fact, Haines wondered if the fire adept would see his movements before he died.

Perhaps this would cause the adept to die too quickly, and there would be no pain!

Mm. Then he would just slowly crush him with the slowest of movements, allowing him to experience how death descended upon him fully.

A door of fire slowly opened in a space in front of Fire Cave while the vampires were patiently waiting.

Two adepts of entirely different stature walked out from the door.

”Greem!”

Leicester immediately recognized the adept and couldn’t help but call out his name in resentment. However, he didn’t dare make any movements without the orders of the family head. He could only stare at Greem with his crimson eyes.

The ones that had arrived were naturally the two people in charge of Fire Throne– Greem and Gargamel.

Gargamel raised his wrinkled old face once the door of fire had dispersed and carefully assessed the group of individuals in front of him. Even though Gargamel had already known the identities and purpose of the enemy before he came out, he still felt his heart tremble when faced with such a powerful group of individuals.

If it wasn’t for the mental protection that Fire Throne remotely cast on him, Gargamel might have started trembling from the unsuppressible fear.

On the other hand, Second Grade Greem was faring much better.

A layer of light flame-red light radiated from Greem’s body due to the protection of Fire Throne. While he was within five kilometers of Fire Throne, any enemy that wanted to attack him would first have to break this flame barrier.

That was Greem’s special privilege as the owner of the adept’s tower!

Greem betrayed no fear when faced with these powerful uninvited vampires. Instead, he raised his head and greeted the old face in the sky.

”Long time no see, Adept Fügen! Why don’t you come in for a seat, now that you have come to my tower?”