Chapter 99: As A New Age Dawns, A Wise Man Cries, A Prelude Of What’s To Come! Walpurgisnacht!

My name is Olaf Gladstone, and I am an elder dwarf.

I come from a rather prestigious lineage of dwarfs, who are known for their wisdom and intellect. Growing up, I heard many tales of my forefathers, who's great deeds and achievements are still praised to this day. An achievement I was particularly proud of was the flying island of dreams created by my ancestor who was praised as a sage of much renown. He inspired me to follow in his footsteps as I diligently worked day and night to improve my craft. And one day, it finally paid off, as I became the first man in over a century to craft a mythical-grade artifact, which earned me the title of the sage of runes.

I was ecstatic upon receiving my title. I believed I was at the top of the world, but alas, in my hubris I rested on my laurels as I stagnated. As a result of my conceit, I allowed another whose talent rivaled my own to steal the very thing my ancestor worked so hard to create.

"*Huff**Wheeze**Puff*"

I was currently in a base I had prepared in case of an emergency on the 1st continent. I have absolutely no idea how he created that nightmare fuel of a monster, but it nearly killed me with that first volley of attacks.

"How is anyone supposed to defend themselves against all nine elements being fired at once like that?!" I yelled as I pulled off my partially melted helmet.

Looking down at my once majestic mythical armor, I could barely recognize it. The once golden metal had been charred black. The complex work of art that was its enchantments had crumbled away. And on top of it all, everything from the right side of the chest plate to my gauntlet was destroyed, though I should count myself fortunate, that I didn't' lose my right arm at the very least.

"This is bad! I have to get back and finish my new armor set before the other two realize my current state."

From the outside it might appear as if the three sages are close as we share much of our resources and information, but in truth it is just an alliance of convenience. The 3rd martial continent is home to countless immortals and god like existences, for us mages who are considerably weaker than cultivators in a direct confrontation, we have to band together in order not to be overtaken or enslaved by the surrounding superpowers. That said, if they spot a weakness, they too will likely pounce on me like a beast before a slab of meat. When it comes to enchanters, our worth lays mostly in our creations, which means as long as they obtain the blueprints to our creations, they won't hesitate to kill us all, as a precaution to prevent us from sharing our knowledge with their enemies as revenge. The only reason they haven't done so already, was because my mythical-grade armor and weapon would make it difficult for them to kill me, but with this armor broken, they could off me at any time. Fortunately, not many remained to watch the final battle, hence it will likely take some time before they realize.

In a rush to complete my newest masterpiece I quickly activated the spatial gate I had prepared to connect to the 3rd martial continent.

"Ah! I swear to one day reclaim my ancestors honored creation!" And with those words I entered the spatial gate and left the 1st martial continent!

…

Meanwhile, back on Walpurgis Island. Nox had just finished kicking the Dark Lord and her brother off of the island to enjoy the sequel to her Christmas carol as she floated down to the dead shadow dragon the sage had killed. She touched its lifeless body as it began to disintegrate, only to reveal the sleepy young man inside.

The creatures she had created were entirely energy-based lifeforms. Hence, they did not have a digestive system, which is why Shinji was still alive as the creature's body had cushioned his fall on the way down. However, it seems it hadn't completely stopped the impact as there was still a trickle of blood running down his head, though that was an easy fix for her.

Just as she finished fixing her new disciple's injuries, she turned to see the crowd of onlookers who had gathered to see who won the fight. And to their surprise it wasn't who they were expecting.

"Hey, Lexy? Who exactly is your master?"

"The greatest and most insane mage in the world!"

"Now that's not something you don't hear every day! Since when did my Crybaby start giving out compliments?"

Just then Nox had picked up her new disciple and teleported behind the duo of Alex and Leah, startling the two.

"Whoa! Don't do that! I swear, between you and uncle, one of you is going to give me a heart attack one day!"

"Well, good thing I taught him how to restart a heart then!"

"That's not the point! Oh, just forget it. Now what do you want!"

"Oh, don't be like that! Can't a mother just come to hang out with her son and daughter-in-law?"

"No!"

"Lexy! You shouldn't be so cold to your mother!"

"Oh, my poor old heart! Broken by my own son no less!"

"Cut it out! And your heart's not old! You're younger than me!"

"Wait, she is younger? But how come she's your mom then?"

"You have much to learn my sweet little daughter-in-law! I may be only 14, but I have the experience of an ancient old man! Which is why I'm proud to announce I have birthed a new 17-year-old boy!"

"What?"

"Just don't ask! You'll get sucked into her weirdness!"

"How rude! Your baby brother isn't weird! He is just slow, and also a bit gross, because he wet himself after I fed him to an energy dragon!"

"I was talking about you!"

"Anyways, I have a piece of advice for my little Crybaby! If you want to live, then get off this continent or make your boss cough up the money he owes me!"

"Wait, money?!"

"Did that playboy not tell you about how he assaulted me after skipping out on his bill?"

"How much does he owe exactly? Alex asked as trepidation filled his heart.

"Oh, just a small 70, no with the damages from a weak ago it would be closer to the low, low price of 90 high tier magic stones."

"DID YOU SAY 90?!"

"Yep! And that's with your family discount! You make sure he pays on time, or I'll destroy the Dark Palace, okay bye!"

"What are you! AAAaaaaahhhh!"

Alex screamed as a hole opened up beneath his feet, dropping him off the Walpurgis island into the territory of the Dark Palace. After Nox had gained control of the island, she had altered its course from its usual path towards the 2nd continent, and instead had it turn towards the nearest city within the Dark Lords territory.

Shortly after she dropped Alex off her newly stolen flying city, an alert telling everyone to evacuate rang out across the Walpurgis island.

"So, daughter-in-law where exactly do you live? This Walpurgis queen will personally drive you anywhere you want as long as it's on this continent!"

"You're not going to drop me off like with Lexy, right?"

"Of course not! You're my precious in-law, what kind of mother would that make me if I didn't spoil you rotten!"

"Okay, then if you could just drop me off next to Lexy, if you wouldn't mind?"

"Oh, and here I thought I could take my new aerial craft out for a joy ride with my new favorite kid! Fine then!"

*Snap*

And with a snap of her fingers a portal showing a certain mad mage with his face planted into the ground opened up next to Leah.

"Is Lexy going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine! I've gone skydiving with him from much higher places, so there is no way this small leap would kill him! I think?"

"YOU THINK?!"

"Oh, look his leg just twitched! That means he is still alive! You know if you hurry you might be able to get to work on my grandkids while he is out!"

"WHAT?!" Leah blushed as Nox pushed her through the portal.

After about an hour, anyone who still remained was unceremoniously dropped from the skies over the 1st continent as Nox went for that joy ride, she was talking about. Meanwhile, she went around blasting any who used magic to fly over her pitfalls out of the sky as there were many who refused to leave her new city.

"AAAAAHHHH"

"All done! That should be the last of them! Good thing this place came equipped with a sweet bug repellent energy field or I would have to constantly fend off the swarm of bugs making a racket outside! Hm? Oh my gosh! My baby boy is about to wake up!"

Just as she finished 'cleaning', her new residence, her enhanced senses that had been hooked up to the island's surveillance system was telling her that Shinji was waking up. She had moved him to the island's control room for safety reasons after she gave him a blue fire head flick like she did with Aiko. She hurried to change her appearance back to normal as to not to make Shinji wet himself again, before rushing off to meet her new disciple.

Upon waking up, Shinji was bewildered as the last he remembered he had been taken hostage by the sage of runes before everything went dark.

"Where am I?"

*Pop*

"Here you go! Now eat your fucking lollipop!" Nox said as she teleported into the control room before shoving a lollipop into Shinji's mouth.

"*Gag* WHO THE HELL ARE YOU! WAIT AREN'T YOU THAT GIRL FILIA FROM THE TURNAMENT?!"

*Bonk*

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Just as he was wondering why his last opponent from the tournament was here, Nox pulled out the pain stick and gave him a bonk on the head.

"UGH! The pain stick! Where did you get that?"

"Don't you dare compare me to that beanstalk of a body double! And so, help me if you mention-!"

"Weren't you a little taller! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Nox, ever so insecure about her height, gave Shinji another few rounds off the pain stick until she felt satisfied.

"This is so unfair why won't I just pass out from the pain already?"

"Because the pain stick is made from a material that stabilizes the soul, which refreshes and clears up your mind rather than disturbing and exhausting it!"

"How do you know that?"

"Well duh! I'm the one who made it! Now my baby disciple! Are you ready for your first day at summer camp?" Nox said as she put her pain stick away.

"Disciple? Wait, Boss! Is that you?"

"Sure is! Now get up! I got some big stuff instore for you!" She said as she started walking out of the control room and down the hall.

"Hey, wait!" Shinji said as he ran after her.

"What happened to the sage? Where are we going? And why do you look like Filia?"

"First! I gave him the boot! Second! Just wait and see! And third! I don't look like her, she looks like me!"

"What?"

*sigh*

"You really are a slowpoke, you know that?" Nox said as she opened a door to a room containing a very ominous looking portal.

"Boss what is that?" Shinji said as a sense of trepidation crawled down his spine.

"The portal to were you'll be studying over the next year! I've already informed them that you're coming so you should be fine! Probably?"

"What do you mean probably?" Shinji asked right before he was pushed through the portal.

"Oh, and one more thing! Remember not to sleep with the succubus! They have some real nasty parasites! Okay, bye!"

"Wha-!"

And with that Nox closed the portal.

"Great, now that all my kids are out of the house, I can finally get to work!"

Not long after, the island of Walpurgis disappeared from this world.