Chapter 202: Secret Passage

Merlin unleashed five enhanced Thunder Sphere spells, finally exterminating all the patterned spiders in the room, which was now filled with the stench of scorched bodies.

These patterned spiders were clearly not elemental creatures; they were unusual flesh-and-blood beings. Even the well-traveled Mage Samir had no idea what these spiders truly were.

"This ancient ruin demands caution. If it hadn't been for Mage Merlin, we'd have been in serious trouble," said Mage Bronn gravely. Though he had two alchemical creatures that could kill patterned spiders, the sheer number of spiders would have been overwhelming for him and Samir. Neither possessed wide-range attack spells, leaving them to exhaustively wear down the spiders or forcefully break through.

Either approach would have taken precious time, and with the ruins still uncharted, who knew what further dangers lay in wait?

A few jars still sat on the stone tables, but Samir and the others decided against opening them—more patterned spiders might be lurking inside.

"Let's keep going downward," Merlin said, and the group descended deeper into the tower-like ruin, now on the sixth level, with five more layers below them.

After their initial encounter with the spiders, Samir grew even more cautious, especially as they encountered more of these spiders on the fifth, fourth, and third floors. Every time, the spiders would start small and then enlarge, gaining strength upon attack.

Despite the risks, Samir's group developed a rhythm: relying on their level-three binding spells to contain the spiders and then letting Merlin's Thunder Sphere eliminate them. Thanks to this teamwork, they managed to proceed safely.

Finally, they reached the second level.

"We're on the second floor now. Look! This room has strange symbols, potion-making equipment, and… spellbooks?" Samir's eyes lit up as he spotted a spacious room filled with delicate glass containers and old, scattered tomes.

The worn pages bore the marks of previous hands, but Samir and Bronn were overjoyed.

"Potions—there are potions everywhere!"

Each level seemed to house rooms for potion-making, suggesting that the tower was once occupied by numerous mages. Yet, many of these rooms were empty or filled with patterned spiders, making this room's intact potions a rare find. Samir eagerly examined the glass containers, each holding various liquids, while Bronn busied himself with the scattered spellbooks, thrilled to find what he had been searching for.

Merlin, also intrigued, was about to inspect the books when Mage Lysen quietly blocked his way.

"Merlin," Lysen said softly, "we're on the second floor now, and most of the obstacles have been cleared. We no longer need Samir or Bronn. Let's go—Pandora's magic lies on the first floor, and I know exactly where."

Merlin paused, feeling a rising anticipation. The thought of Pandora's magic, which he had already experienced through his powerful Icy Finger, was too tempting to resist.

"Alright. Let's find a reason to part ways with Samir and Bronn for now."

Merlin approached Mage Samir. "Mage Samir, I'm going to check another part of this floor with Mage Lysen."

Samir, still absorbed in examining the potions, barely looked up. "Very well. Be cautious. Mage Bronn and I have found what we came for. We'll meet back here soon to head to the first floor together."

Satisfied that Samir and Bronn were distracted, Merlin left the room with Lysen.

After walking a while, Merlin asked, "We've encountered a lot of those patterned spiders along the way. How did you reach the first floor last time?"

Lysen explained, "Luck, Merlin. Sheer luck. But on my way back, I encountered the spiders and barely escaped with my life. That's why I recruited Samir, Bronn, and Damarion for this expedition—to help clear the path to the first floor."

Merlin nodded, understanding that Lysen had been using the group to make a safer path to Pandora's magic.

"What if Samir and Bronn insist on coming with us to the first floor?" Merlin asked, narrowing his eyes as he slowed his pace.

"If they try to follow us," Lysen replied with a cold smile, "we'll handle them together. With your magic and my assistance, they don't stand a chance."

Merlin felt a surge of caution; Lysen was willing to kill Samir and Bronn just to keep Pandora's magic a secret.

"Here we are—this is the secret passage," Lysen said, pointing to a dark, narrow corridor. "It'll lead us directly to the first floor, where Pandora's magic is kept. But be prepared—there may be obstacles. I'll need your magic to overcome them."

Merlin followed him into the secret passage.

---

Elsewhere in the ruins, Mage Golan led Alena and Kalen, carefully tracking Samir's party. Golan knew that following them at a distance was the safest way to navigate the ruins, but they made sure not to get too close to avoid detection.

"Look at these bodies—they're mages!" Kalen said in alarm, staring at the corpses littered on the floor, many entangled in sticky, white silk.

"And patterned spiders—some even larger than we've seen before," Alena added, shuddering as she noticed a massive spider body among the remains.

"We need to move fast. This place is dangerous. It's clear that Samir's group faced something fierce here," Golan said, wary of attracting more spiders.

"Watch out!" Alena suddenly yelled as a spider the size of a shield sprang from a shadowy corner. She and Kalen quickly cast their spells, forcing the spider back.

"That didn't work—it's still alive," Kalen muttered in frustration, watching as the spider lunged again.

Golan immediately unleashed a level-two ice spell, piercing the spider and killing it instantly. He realized that facing these creatures alone would be treacherous.

"Hurry," he urged. "Let's move to the lower levels."

The trio cautiously proceeded, passing the fifth, fourth, and third floors. Carefully tracking Samir's path, they reached the second floor but lost the trail there.

"This is it—the second floor. The first floor below us must hold the ancient mage's treasures from 3,600 years ago," Golan said with excitement as they descended to the first floor.

As they approached, Golan noticed a handful of other mages already inside, their voices carrying faintly through the passage. Recognizing that these mages had entered the ruins before them, Golan motioned for Alena and Kalen to keep quiet.

But just as they reached the entrance, a massive patterned spider appeared, spitting out white threads at them. Golan swiftly cast a level-two spell to eliminate the spider, but the blast of elemental power drew the attention of the mages on the first floor.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" came a cold shout, and suddenly, four or five sharp glares fixed on Golan and his companions' hiding spot.