Chapter 12: The Leylines

The duo stood at the mouth of the cave. It looked as ancient as the leylines themselves—etched into existence with a purpose long lost to time. As they stepped inside, Leo’s breath caught. The cave's interior formed a clean semicircular dome, carved with inexplicable precision. Not a drop of adhesive held the stones together—just perfectly cut, congruent shapes locked into place by magic. The whole structure was pristine, maintained for thousands of years.

They descended a spiral staircase leading underground. Luminescent beads embedded into the walls lit the way with a soft, ambient glow.

Leo raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t this overly luxurious for a cave? Wouldn’t simple magic lamps do?”

Ryan chuckled. “Good observation. Do you remember the buckets of waste herbs outside the Mercenary Guild? The ones that mimic healing herbs?”

Leo nodded.

“Those are Orizon weeds. They get dumped into the sewage daily. Over the years, their build-up in the mana-flowed sewage made it flammable. There was an explosion a few years ago. Since then, these illumination beads replaced fire-based lights.”

Leo blinked, intrigued. “Huh. Makes sense. Couldn’t you make better use of the weed though?”

Ryan snorted. “What use? You can’t even burn it—smells worse than a rotting wyvern.”

Leo smirked. “So where does the sewage go?”

“Out of the kingdom, into the Forest of Nightmares. If not for the barrier, the beasts would've overrun us long ago.”

Leo nodded solemnly. “Thanks to the ancient mages, then.”

Ryan grinned. “That’s a common misconception. Let me clarify.”

Leo tilted his head, curious.

Ryan continued, “You know the legend of the leylines’ origin?”

“No,” Leo admitted.

Ryan's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Back when the kingdom was in its infancy, every two years, a wave of beasts from the Forest of Nightmares surged due to mana imbalances. Thousands died. Eventually, the 12th Demon King gathered the greatest mages of the time. It took them ten years, but they created the barrier core.”

Leo listened, wide-eyed.

“Since then, the culling happens every two years—but now the beasts die at the barrier. Not us. The surplus power from the core powers the city. The leylines act as channels between the core and the city. Without them, the city goes dark.”

“They say the Demon King died creating the core,” Ryan added, voice lowering. “And his soul still lingers in the leylines, waiting for someone worthy to inherit his will.”

Leo stared at him, stunned. “Even this… was done by the Demon King? He gave his life for the people… And now his descendant is considered trash.”

Ryan laughed heartily. “Trash indeed! I like you more with every word, Leo.”

A thought crossed Leo’s mind. “But the core needs magic stones to recharge, right? Supplies are running low. What happens if it shuts down? Will the barrier fall?”

Ryan’s smile faded. “The king foresaw this long ago. That’s why the Chancellor’s Palace houses a reserve of knights. If needed, they’ll sacrifice their mana to keep the core running—even if every stone dries up.”

Leo sighed in relief.

They reached the chamber that held the core.

A brilliant pink light shimmered in the corridor. Leo, mesmerized, stepped forward. As the chamber opened before him, he stood frozen in awe.

Ryan placed a hand on his shoulder. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Leo could only nod. “There are no words.”

Before them, the chamber pulsed with ethereal energy. The walls were made of glowing pink-red crystals. At the center floated a cluster of radiant shards, orbiting a deep sea-blue core that shimmered like a heartbeat. A sight of life and destruction intertwined.

“This,” Ryan whispered, “is the core of the ancient barrier. The Demon King’s legacy.”

“A marvel,” Leo breathed.

After a long moment, they turned to leave.

Ryan suggested, “Let’s take the other exit. It’s usually brighter, though… today feels dimmer. Maybe the magic stone shortage is finally catching up.”

Changing the topic, Ryan asked, “Didn’t you grow up near the Forest of Nightmares? What was it like?”

Leo smiled faintly. “My grandfather and I lived on its outskirts. After he died, I came here to seek a future.”

A distant rustling echoed.

They paused but moved on.

Leo continued, “The forest houses creatures beyond imagination—sky lords, land kings. But the one I feared most was the Silent Shrek. A giant cat-like beast with blue stripes on a black body. Its claws… its fangs… it moves so silently, you mistake it for wind. By the time you notice, it’s already behind you—”

A sudden gust of wind.

Ryan’s eyes widened. “Bright amber eyes?”

Leo blinked. “How did you—?”

“Look behind you!” Ryan shouted.

Leo turned—and there it was.

The very beast he had described—The Silent Shrek—stood before them, its amber eyes glowing with death. It lunged.

Leo grabbed Ryan and dove aside just in time.

They rolled to safety—but now the two stood face-to-face with a living nightmare.

What will they do? How will they survive?

Stay tuned to find out…

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