Being tricked

"Mr. Mardo, where are we going?" August, already dressed, watched Mardo quietly sipping tea in his living room.

"Pack your bags; you won't be able to live here for long."

"What?" August stared blankly as his suitcase floated out of another room and landed at his feet.

"Your location has been exposed; those madmen won't release any prey they can hunt. I'll take you somewhere safe," Mardo said calmly, but his words startled August.

"Prey? Did the one who attacked me belong to The Umbral Cabal?" August had never considered becoming a target of an enemy organization.

Perhaps he had lived too comfortably, as August hadn't felt much danger. This sudden attack made cold sweat break out on him.

"The mages of The Umbral Cabal are irrational. If they fail once, they'll send more people. Perhaps a Formal Mage will come next time. It's dangerous for you to stay here."

August immediately began packing without a word; his life was paramount.

A few minutes later, August closed the front door of his house.

"Where are we going?" It was almost dawn, and the sky was faintly lit. August looked around; no residents were awake.

"Follow me." Mardo offered no explanation but strode away.

August reluctantly carried his luggage and followed. After walking a good distance, he watched, puzzled, as Mardo turned into a small alley.

"Why does this place feel so familiar?" August felt as if he had been there before.

"Isn't this the Red-Light District?!" He suddenly remembered it was a place near his home specializing in the flesh trade.

"What are we doing here?" He awkwardly watched Mardo knock on a door, and a woman's head peeked out.

"Gentlemen." Mardo calmly handed her a small pouch.

The woman took the pouch, weighed it to check its contents, then opened it to inspect, finally showing a satisfied smile.

"Come in." She withdrew her head and then gestured with her hand, inviting them inside.

"Wait, Mr. Mardo, we should hurry..." Before he could finish speaking, Mardo had already entered.

August looked around, and after making sure no one was watching, he awkwardly followed.

"I hope this is for something important," he muttered to himself.

Unexpectedly, the interior space was quite large. Mardo was waiting for him in the house's back courtyard, and another woman was there, seemingly curious, constantly observing him.

"This is Caroline, the Mage," Mardo introduced. "The 'Spider' of this city."

August didn't react for a moment, then made an awkward bow: "Hello, Ms. Caroline."

Caroline seemed to lose interest in him and turned her face towards Mardo: "Is he your apprentice?"

"Not yet," Mardo said monotonously. "Send us to Luton."

"Can't you chat a bit longer? Are you in such a hurry to leave?" Caroline jested.

"No, we have urgent business." Mardo's tone was as smooth as water, devoid of emotional fluctuations.

"Alright, alright, you pay, you call the shots!" Caroline said with some helplessness. "Go inside, you know the drill."

She moved away from Mardo's side and walked to a corner of the courtyard, where she stood still.

"Come and stand next to me." Mardo gestured for August to quickly approach.

"Mr. Mardo, where exactly are we going?" August drew closer and couldn't help but ask again.

"It's no longer safe here, and it will become even more dangerous. I'll send you to Luton to take refuge for a while, and when things are resolved, I'll bring you back," Mardo explained the reason this time.

"Luton? Us?" He knew Luton, which was separated from Stonehaven by an uninhabited forest and located at the mouth of the Broken Orchid River, making it the empire's largest port city.

"Yes, all the organization's apprentices will be temporarily housed there. Master Lior has asked his good friend to look after them, so you don't have to worry about lodging." Mardo assured August that the organization had already made the necessary arrangements.

"So soon?" August was startled. He hadn't expected such a significant event to happen right after returning from the organization's meeting, when not even a full night had passed.

"Just last night, upon returning, The Umbral Cabal ambushed most of our people. Mage Mu and his apprentice died at their hands." Mardo's voice trembled. "Master Lior believes it's best for you to hide there; The Umbral Cabal doesn't reach as far as Luton."

August remembered the somewhat plump but kind Potion Master. He didn't expect their first meeting would be their last, and he felt a pang of sadness.

He understood why Mardo seemed angry; it was likely that Mage Mu had a very good relationship with him.

"Then, shall we go?"

August didn't ask if the organization would defeat The Umbral Cabal; that question was meaningless. He sighed, regretting he couldn't help.

Although he had only attended one meeting, and August was a complete novice, he had a very good impression of the Mercury Serpent; he liked the atmosphere there.

"Stay here."

As soon as Mardo finished speaking, August saw Caroline, standing in the corner, muttering to herself in an ancient, chaotic, and rapid rhythm, clearly casting a spell.

"Dimensiones Praeter, Umbrae Saliunt!

Vortex Rerum, Portus Vocat;

Spiritus Volare, Loci Muta;

Ignis Via, Cito Procede!"

With the cadence of her voice, circles of blue light bands illuminated beneath their feet, and glowing runes began to appear and merge around them, forming a complex magical array.

"Steady yourself!" Mardo reminded him.

Barely had he spoken when the two instantly vanished within the magical array.

"Caroline, I won't forget what I promised you." At that moment, a tall man in a red cloak, his face hidden in shadow, emerged from the darkness.

"Mardo is my friend, and I have betrayed him. I truly hope you will give me what you promised," Caroline said, her face pale, a quiet tremor in her hand as she extended it.

"Of course, we are a reliable group." The tall man tossed a small, fist-sized wooden box to Caroline.

"The Ancient Wood Heart can keep the bodies of the dead eternally vibrant." After saying this, the tall man chuckled and slowly receded into the shadows, leaving Caroline alone.

"Mardo, I'm so sorry, I had no choice," Caroline whispered, clutching the wooden box tightly, feeling the immense life force it contained. Her voice broke; a mix of tears and desperate laughter escaped her lips.

"Mistress, I hope you find some peace." The woman who had opened the door for August and Mardo approached Caroline and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.