“From the west gate, head north to the forest, there’s no proper trail but as long as we head north we’ll see a stream. Find a makeshift bridge then cross it, a few meters walk and we’ll see a rundown shack.” The investigator mage narrated, trying his best to recall every detail he saw while slowly drinking the mana potion in his hand.

“Okay, hold on…” The young cleric said while scanning through the map the farmer is holding.

“Based on this map, there is indeed a stream a few meters from the west gate, to the north…” She said.

“Huh?” The farmer uttered, noticing something.

“What?” The investigator mage asked.

“Nothing, just…” The farmer paused.

“Well, remember how that man said that the spellcaster might be in a mountain?” The farmer said.

“What about it?” The investigator mage questioned, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, when we asked if he could point us to a mountain he thinks the spellcaster might be, he directed us to the west mountains but instructed us to take the south gate as the west gate was, apparently, blocked due to recent monster attacks.” The farmer explained.

“I see…” The investigator mage replied as soon as he finished consuming the mana potions, restoring half his mana pool.

“Let’s check the west gate first, should it be blocked as he said then we’ll exit through the south gate then make our way towards the west gate, discreetly. We’ll look for the trail then try to search for the shack.” The investigator stands up as he explains the plan.

“Wait, if we’re going to the northern part of the forest, why not just go through the north gate?” The farmer asked with a confused look on his face.

“Ohh… I forgot you guys aren’t from here… That’s because there’s no north gate.” The investigator mage replied.

“If there’s nothing else, then let’s go!” He added.

“You sure you’re good to go? You don’t look so well.” The farmer said while looking at the investigator mage who seems to still be tired from the “Interrogation”.

“Don’t worry, I’m good. Besides, if it comes to it, I’ll leave the fighting to you.” The investigator said before leaving, with the two following him.

Just as the short, dirty looking man told the two, the west gate was blocked off due to recent monster attacks.

“It was dark, huge, and smelled really horrid.” 

The guards told the investigator mage, giving him the descriptions the victims gave them. While he did doubt the excuse the man gave to the two, the west gate being blocked due to monster attacks, the investigator mage wanted to gather more info as well. Afterwards, the three then went to the south gate and headed to the entrance of the west gate.

“Ok this will be tricky…” The investigator mage said. The three are now hiding behind the trees and bushes a few meters from the west gate while trying to come up with a plan.

“We’ll need to cross the road to the other side of the forest but we’ll be seen by the gate guards and they’ll most likely try to get us back inside…” The investigator mage explained. Although the west gate was closed, there are guards at the watchtower that will see them as soon as they enter the road.

“Though I can just use my invisibility-enchanted cloak, the problem is you guys.” He added as he turned his gaze towards the two.

“Can’t you just enchant ours as well?” The young cleric requested.

“I would, seems like there are enchantments in yours already”

“What?” The young cleric looked surprised. Though she could already guess what the farmer’s cloak enchantment was, she didn’t know that her cloak was already enchanted.

“I could take a look at it but not right now… let’s focus on the mission first.” The investigator mage replied.

“We’re losing daylight so have to make a plan fast.” He added. The investigation in the low-cost housing district took a lot of time, that it was already way past noon when they reached the outside of the west gate. He wanted to continue investigating while there’s still daylight as the forest at night time is very dangerous even for an adventurer like him, especially now with the ongoing monster attacks in the area they’re about to go.

“Hey, is it possible to enchant a barrier with invisibility?” The farmer asked.

“Well it’s not impossible, but my barrier magicka can only be casted at a specific location.” The investigator mage answered.

“Not your barrier…” The farmer said before looking at the young cleric.

“For how long can you maintain a barrier?” He asked.

“Ah… uhmmm, a couple of seconds to a full minute if I maintain my concentration.” She answered.

“That’s enough.” The farmer said before looking at the investigator mage, seeking approval for the plan. 

“I see… but you’ll need to cast your barrier on top of your heads instead, since the only guards are at the watchtower you don’t need to bother with the rest of your bodies being exposed.” The investigator mage said.

“Got it!” The young cleric answered.

“Okay, as soon as I cast invisibility on your barriers, we’ll run towards the other side of the road as quick as we can.” The investigator mage instructed.

The young cleric looked troubled; she knew that she couldn’t run as fast as the two men with him even if she’s not maintaining the barrier. The farmer sees this, then proceeds to grab the young cleric by her waist.

“W-wait…” The young cleric, feeling embarrassed, blurted.

“Just concentrate on maintaining the barrier and I’ll do the heavy lifting, okay?” The farmer said.

“Am I that heavy?” The young cleric said to herself quietly, her embarrassment replaced with disappointment. 

“Whenever you’re ready…” The investigator mage said to the young cleric. She then startins to chant the prayer for the miracle spell of Barrier, with the investigator mage enchanting Invisibility as soon as it fully forms.

“Now!” He said. The farmer then dashed towards the other side of the road in a matter of seconds, with the investigator mage donning his cloak before following the two. 

“Did you hear something?”

“Huh? Maybe just some wild animals.”

“Probably, it would’ve attacked by now had it be a monster.”

The three could hear the guards being oblivious to what happened as they took cover behind the trees. 

“Let’s go.” The investigator mage said as the three proceed to follow the path he saw in the man’s memories.

It took them longer than they’d anticipated, with the sun now starting to set, but they managed to find the shack. Just like in the man’s memories, it was a rundown shack with no signs of it being used for at least a couple of years.

“Are you sure that that’s the right place? Looks deserted…” The farmer commented while hiding their presence behind the trees.

“I know, but we can’t underestimate it. It could be just a front, with a hidden room or a cellar.” The investigator mage said

“Like at the low-cost housing district, you two go in front while I try to look for a back entrance.”

“Use the cudgel and try to detect and dispel any magic traps set up inside. Remember, the enemy is a spellcaster so that place would most likely be rigged with magic traps.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

With that, the three proceed with their mission.

-knock, knock-

“Hello?”

He called.

With his left hand, he grabs the door knob then twists it to open. Upon pushing the door open, a lightning magicka bolted towards the farmer. Fortunately, with the Sacred cudgel in his right hand and fast reflexes, he was able to dispel the offensive magicka aimed at him.

“That’s a nice way to greet intruders…” He commented.

“I guess he was serious about this place rigged with magic traps.” He added, referring to the investigator mage’s warning.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the shack, the investigator mage found a back entrance. Unlike the farmer though, he didn’t carelessly touch the door knob but the wooden door instead. 

“I see…” Upon using Magic analysis, the investigator mage found out that every entrance of the shack is rigged with a magic trap. A Lightning magicka is set to fire at anyone, other than the caster, who opens the door or the window.

“The trap itself is impossible to Dispel but the same can’t be said to the offensive magicka.” He thinks to himself. He could dodge it if he wants to, but that would only cause the stray Lightning magicka to possibly hit a tree and start a forest fire, which would definitely attract the attention of the city guards. 

Dispel is a powerful anti-spell magicka that negates any spell. Though it may seem overpowered, it has its own downside. In order to successfully use it, one needs to have a proper comprehension of the magicka spell they’re attempting to negate.

The concept behind Dispel is that it doesn’t magically stop any spell but meets the conditions for a spell to stop; like removing the fuel for the fire. For the trap that was set in the shack, it activates for “anyone other than the caster to open the door or window”, meaning the caster’s mana is acting as the key to the lock, which is the magic trap.

But just knowing all these doesn’t make the situation any easier. To dispel a Lightning magicka that will fire as soon as he opens the door is like catching a bullet with his bare hands; not only does he need reflexes similar to warriors but Magic analysis comparatively to that of a court wizard.

With little to no choice left, the investigator mage grits his teeth and prepares to use Dispel on the Lightning magicka that will come flying as soon as he opens the door.

-Krrsttsshhh!–

The Lightning magicka was stronger than anticipated, to the point that it almost blew his arm off had he slacked off with the Magic analysis; nevertheless, he managed to Dispel it. This, however, unsettled him.

“Had he opted to dodge it, not only would it cause a forest fire but a small explosion as well.” It was a Magicka trap meant not to stun any possible intruder but to obliterate it.

“I know he’s a veteran spellcaster, but if he’s this capable then how come he couldn’t get into a high ranking party?” He remembers reading the veteran spellcaster’s information from his first quest upto the recent and nowhere was it indicated that he could perform such high level spells.

“But this place sure is a let down…” He commented. Aside from the magicka traps placed on the windows and doors, the interior of the shack is what you would expect from an old abandoned shack; like it’s falling apart. The reason why he was disappointed is because he expected that the outside was just a front so passers by would just ignore it. Aside from that, the place looked rather normal; not a trace of a spellcaster living in the area.

“Found anything?” The farmer, who came from the front part of the house, asked. The investigator mage remained quiet, seemingly thinking about every possibility, including that the spellcaster had already escaped.

“Maybe this was just his temporary shelter?” The young cleric suggested.

“No, there has to be something in here!” The investigator mage said to himself.

“Hmm?” As the three scan the area, the farmer notices something.

“The layout of this shack is weird…” He said while standing in front of the wall between the kitchen and the front hall.

“What do you mean?” The investigator mage asked.

“Well, behind this wall is supposed to be a room but, the space doesn’t add up.” The farmer explained. The investigator mage walked up to the entrance of the said room, checking what the farmer was trying to say. In the corner of the room is an old bed, with an old cabinet on the opposite side, and a table at the foot of the bed across the door; it looked ordinary but just as the farmer said, felt something was not right. The investigator mage tried using Magic analysis but couldn’t find any active spell in the room.

Frustrated from not being able to figure out why the bedroom was bothering him, the investigator mage decided to leave the room to try and investigate somewhere else, but as passed by the bedroom door, he took a final glance at the room… and it dawned on him.

“The room… The size of the room and the wall from the front hall doesn’t add up!” The investigator mage uttered.

“A secret room huh?” The farmer said before smashing the wall at the end of the room, revealing a cellar door.