"You can give the documents to the adepts standing guards when you return the sigil," answered the Beast Emperor, waving dismissively. He couldn't examine it beforehand, so the delay and suspicion didn't bother him.
He handed the precious but annoying item to the boy and added, "Follow the temple's priest. He'll guide you to the most fortified room. Good luck with your task." Then, he returned to his throne, closed his piercing blue eyes and remained motionless.
Catching the clue, they followed the gesturing attendant outside the hall. They navigated the complex but mysterious temple, admiring the lifelike beasts engraved on its walls for ten minutes before reaching their destination.
Meanwhile, the Beast Emperor's eyes snapped open the moment they left. A mass of billowing mana raged around his body as he raised his head towards the sky. Following his grimacing face's movement, his mana coalesced into a massive brown barrier encasing the entire temple.
"I won't be your slave forever!" He roared, his rage-filled voice making the throne hall tremble as hate burned in his eyes. "Instead, I'll be a conqueror!" He added, drawing determination from his conviction.
Then, with a terrifying movement, he swung his arm at the empty air as if to cut the fabric of reality itself. Space cracked under the full-powered blow as an invisible link tying him to the sigil shattered, freeing him from the Magus' prying eyes for the first time in centuries.
However, upon sensing its missing master, the tier eight item's enhancement activated with full force. An invisible grey mist hummed to life in the hall the next second, draping its splendour and the glorious beasts with its soul-chilling cold.
The archmage's eyes narrowed in response. This was the moment of truth. Only two outcomes awaited his rebellious actions: survival by a miracle or death.
A snicker spread across his face. "I'm the next Magus! No, I'll surpass you and become the first Supreme Sorcerer to ever exist!" he roared again, kicking the ground with horrifying force.
Dust melded with the fast-approaching mist as the loud sound of upturned slabs echoed in the gloomy throne room. Intricate carvings align themselves to form a hovering complex pentagram filled with otherworldly symbols.
"With the blood of a hundred thousand magical beasts, I beseech your aid to free me for twelve hours," he chanted, the guttural words auguring the worst. "With the blood of a hundred million humans, I demand you trick the Magus' eyes for twelve hours," he added, his voice echoing mysteries as the pentagram lit a blood-red light.
Dark flames cracked to life, casting eerie shadows in the hall before a seductive voice whispered, "I want more..."
As the ancient words lingered, the mist froze in its wake, as if time had stopped for it, shocking the emperor.
"What more can I offer?" he asked, knowing full well that stopping the Magus' arrangement came at a heavy cost. That's why he only asked for twelve hours; he couldn't bear to free himself entirely.
"I want to step foot into your world for the same duration. Worry not. I won't cause chaos, only meet an old friend," the whisper sounded again, its alluring properties grating at the archmage's mental resistance.
Suspicious, he held his forehead between his fingers. He couldn't refuse the demand and had been warned about those creatures' greed. However, he still attempted to resist. "Why is my offering insufficient?" he asked, grimacing to withstand the compelling power of the voice.
"You vanquished those beings centuries ago for most. The humans are just lowly cannon fodders you kept in your underground cript. If you want to strike a deal with us, be worthy of your title and offer arcanists at the very least."
An icy shiver ran down the archmage's spine. 'How powerful are you to dismiss anything below the sixth tier?' He pondered, holding his head in pain. The longer he spoke with the entity, the more he suffered. Desperation tinged his voice as he blurted, "Promise in the contract that you won't cause massacres or anything that could attract the Magus."
"I swear upon Zarathor's glorious name," replied the voice, revealing its identity amidst loud cackles. Fortunately, his species hadn't invaded this world for aeons, burying his existence in the sands of time. However, he always regretted his loss fifteen thousand years ago, making him dream of reopening the sealed passage. And here was his opportunity.
Upon hearing the creature comply, the emperor's voice thundered with the last bit of mental strength he possessed, "I hereby grant Zarathor a twelve-hour access to this plane in exchange for my earlier demands."
Echoing his words, his unnaturally large mana pool drained at an alarming speed as the pentagram spun furiously. Sparks flew everywhere as a dark-red sun pressured space with untold power.
Attacked from both sides, its stability started to waver as ugly cracks expanded in the empty air.
With a deafening noise, the space collapsed in a rain of glistening shards before the archmage's weary eyes, revealing a tall, horned man that sent shivers down his spine.
'A MAGUS!' The thought boomed in his mind as his consciousness began to slip into darkness. However, the man's words reached him before he totally passed out.
"You are lucky you used a summoning contract to bind my actions, or I would have ruined your world. Hahaha."
The rattling of chains reverberated for a moment as the creature laughed maniacally. Twenty seconds later, he blew the mist away with a dismissive gesture. Next, he snapped his fingers, creating a flawless, ethereal copy of the unconscious weakling and connected the sigil to it.
Finally, he muttered guttural incantations that distorted the temple's reality, veiling the past and next twelve hours in a tapestry of lies.
"Your requests have been granted, ant. Time to breathe fresh air for the first time in ages," he said, running his dark nails through his silky white hair to adjust his appearance for this grand occasion. Then, he unfurled the red wings resting on his back, bent his knees, and shot to the sky like a rising meteor.
The wind ruffled his elegant clothes as the beautiful blue sky greeted his ominous presence. With a swipe of his eyes, his vision pierced the horizon. "Found you," he said, his fists trembling in excitement as his figure darted away.