Mage Joan

Counting from the day the "Shadow Realm" returned to the Temple of Styx, Qiao An stayed on Hull Island for another two weeks.

In the past two weeks, in addition to delving into his own spells and mythological abilities, Qiao An also fulfilled the original agreement. He co-authored a paper on the "gathering" of ghosts and witches with Gaina. The first draft has been completed and the tentative name is The Mystery.

In a blink of an eye, at the end of the year of 1624, on the second day of December, Joan bid farewell to his friends in the Temple of Styx and left Niforgem.

Before leaving, Clark rather reluctantly asked Joan what he planned for the future.

"I haven't returned to my hometown for many years. I plan to go back to Alfheim before the end of the year. I will go to my hometown of Delin to pay homage to my grandfather, stay in the former residence for a while, and then go to the port of Leiden. The'Susheng Gem' presented by Lord Hull resurrected my teacher Professor Robert Rawls at Leiden College."

Qiao An thought for a moment, and then said to Clark: "After the resurrection of Master Rawls, I may live in Leiden Harbor for a period of time, and I will return to Midgard University after school starts in March of the following year to end my Ph.D. Studies, as to where to go from here...I haven't figured it out yet."

At the thought of his future, Qiao An couldn't help feeling lost.

However, compared with the catastrophe being planned by Angel Boda and Zeuxker, his personal future is insignificant. In any case, the most urgent thing is to improve his strength and ensure his survival before the catastrophe, otherwise Everything is empty talk.

"Brother Clark, what are your plans for the future?"

Joan asked the Frost Giant.

"I will follow the arrangements of my lord, stay in the temple of Styx and continue to practice, reserve the strength for the final battle between our church and the primitive order, and try my best to regain the'ring of winter' and prevent the call of the frenzied cultists.' Fumble Winter' to prevent them from bringing the world of Vares back to the Ice Age!" The Frost Giant said firmly.

Qiao An nodded, and then said: "After I leave, Big Horn will ask you to take care of it."

Clark wanted to persuade him to take the Tara beast with him, so he had a partner to relieve his boredom on the road.

However, he soon thought that his little brother is withdrawn and more accustomed to being alone. Moreover, Tara is a rare beast after all. Taking it into human-inhabited towns will inevitably attract people's attention and even attract many people. In unpredictable trouble, he accepted Qiao'an's arrangement and said he would take good care of Dajiao.

"Brother Qiao An, remember to keep in touch. When I finish this stage of practice, I will return to the south to visit you."

"Okay, Brother Clark, I also want to step up my practice and improve my spellcasting ability as soon as possible. Then we will go to the'Iron Forest' together and take back the'Winter Ring' from the'Mother of Demon Wolf'."

Clark solemnly nodded his head, and finally gave him a hug, waved goodbye, and watched the young mage disappear into the teleportation formation.

...

The winter of 1624 came very early. In early December, there was a heavy snowfall of goose feathers, the Delin River was frozen, and the roads, farmland and villages on both sides of the river bank were all white.

In the early winter morning, the cold wind howled.

In the snowy wasteland, there are only two dark horses dragging an open carriage and galloping along the Delin River.

These two horses are "phantom horses" created by magic, and their bodies seem to be condensed from smoke, giving people an unreal impression.

The horse's hoof stepped lightly through the snow, and the hauling carriage seemed to have no weight, and the spinning wheels seemed to float silently against the snow. There were no hoof marks or ruts in the passing.

Sitting on the carriage was a lone traveler, dressed in a hooded cloak with silver snowflake trim, holding a thick hard-shell book in his hand, and was concentrating on reading.

A gust of wind engulfed snowflakes on the face, and the traveler's cloak was hunting and flying, and this seemingly thin coat alone was not enough to withstand the cold wind, but the young traveler didn't care, and didn't seem to feel cold.

The blizzard became more and more violent, and the traveler's cloak and hood were lifted by an oncoming north wind, revealing a fair and handsome face.

Waved away the snowflakes falling on the pages of the book, Qiao An sighed and tucked the spell book back into his storage bag.

In this windy and snowy weather, don't think about reading a book, simply turn your head to look at the river bank and relax your eyes.

On the frozen river, the snow drifted in the wind.

The familiar scenery in front of you reminds the wanderers who have been away from their hometown for many years.

Qiao An didn't directly send it to Delin Town, just wanting to relive the path that he had walked countless times in the past, and it was a tribute to his youth.

Although he is only seventeen years old this year, he is in the midst of his youth, and his biological age will remain at seventeen forever until the end of his life.

However, after so many ups and downs, and the shadow of the sword, his inner feelings seemed to be older than his actual age, and he nostalgic for the old at a young age.

The Phantom Carriage drove over the snow-covered hillside, and the front of the river bank was a barren land. If it were not for the local residents, it would be difficult to spot the ruins of the broken walls buried by the snow.

Qiao An blew his whistle, and the two phantom horses obediently slowed down and stopped in front of the ruins.

Five years ago, there used to be a small village here, where most of the local people lived on fishing and hunting, and their lives were poor and peaceful.

Until the early morning of that winter, a meteorite fell from the sky and fell into the village. The shock wave that caused it instantly razed the whole village to the ground. All the villagers were spared, only this remains.

Since then, Beaver Village, which was destroyed by the meteorite, has become an ominous place that the surrounding villagers have heard of.

Some people say that this village was punished and destroyed by God.

It is also said that the dragon passing by here breathes out flames and burns the village and residents to ashes just for fun.

Only Qiao An knew that these rumors were not credible, and the truth was actually far more cruel than the rumors.

The destruction of Beaver Village was actually just an accident.

If the place where "Tears of God" fell at that time was a little bit off, the village would be spared.

However, in that case, Qiao An himself would probably miss the place where "Tears of God" fell, and miss this artifact.

Many accidental coincidences, when I look back many years later, it seems like an elaborate arrangement of fate.

Perhaps it was because his adventures were based on the extinction of many residents in Beaver Village. Every time Qiao An walked through the ruins, he felt very heavy.

Although reason told him that the tragedy in Beaver Village had nothing to do with him, he didn't need to feel guilty for the people who were killed in the instant "Tears of God" fell.

However, from the emotional point of view, as the only beneficiary of this disaster, can he not silently express condolences and apologies?

Even if it's just to make yourself feel better.