The Lord of Ashes

Black Castle is a cutting-edge city near the Shadow Mountains on the eastern border of the Lycian League.

It's more appropriate to say it's a fortress than a city.

A total of two thousand Lycian soldiers and three thousand adventurers and mercenaries from inside and outside Lycia are stationed in the Black Castle.

As for the local residents and traders, the total number did not exceed 5,000.

After arriving at Black Castle, Thane separated from Hessanne and others from the mercenary group.

But what Thane didn't expect was that before he left the Black Castle, someone actually came to the door.

"You are Master Thain, right?" A mid-level magic apprentice wearing a yellow robe appeared in front of Thain with two low-level apprentices.

The three apprentices in front of them bear the obvious military logo of the Lycian Alliance.

In other words, no matter which noble family they serve behind them, they are at least considered magicians serving in the Lycian military.

These three apprentices made a special trip to win over Thane.

Ever since Thane entered Black Castle, his status as a senior apprentice has attracted the attention of interested people.

Senior apprentices are no match for anything. At the Black Magic Academy in Mensobra City, apprentices at this level are already among the top experts in the academy.

The same is true in the Lycian League and several surrounding countries.

Especially since the war between the Kingdom of Western France and the Oak Empire has broken out, the Lycian Alliance will be involved in it at some point, and it needs senior apprentices like Thain to serve.

However, what is strange is that these three visiting apprentices did not win over Thane for the sake of the nobles behind them, nor for the military where they served.

They came to win over Thain on behalf of a small spellcasting organization called the "Circle of Thorns".

"Our Ring of Thorns organization is a subordinate organization of the Ring of Green Fields organization, and it has a good status and influence in the entire Lycian Union."

"If you, Master Thane, need some rare resources during the experiment, our Ring of Thorns organization can completely serve as a platform to provide them."

"Of course, if you want to get in touch with higher-level magic mysteries, or listen to the teachings from formal and above-level magicians, we can also recommend you to join our parent organization - the Ring of Green Field." The intermediate leader took the lead. The magic apprentice spoke sincerely

road.

This mid-level apprentice said it nicely, as if everything was being considered for Thain.

But when Thain asked him what obligations he needed to fulfill, the mid-level apprentice smiled awkwardly, and then said that there were far more obligations than Thain enjoyed.

Not to mention the forced recruitment orders during wartime, after Thain joined the Ring of Thorns organization, he still had to perform a mandatory mission for the organization every six months.

But the most egregious one is that after Thane joined the Ring of Thorns organization, he was not allowed to leave the organization or join other magician organizations for thirty years.

This was almost a contract of selling oneself, and Thain did not hesitate to reject the invitation of an intermediate apprentice in front of him, no matter how attractive the conditions he mentioned were.

"Master Thane, do you really not consider joining our Ring of Thorns organization?"

"You know, our Ring of Thorns organization is also quite powerful in the Lycian Alliance..." Seeing that Thain was about to leave, the intermediate apprentice couldn't help but said in a hurry.

The mid-level apprentice's words stopped Thain from turning around and leaving.

Thain then turned his head, looked at the yellow-robed apprentice in front of him expressionlessly, and asked, "Are you threatening me?"

The mental impact of the senior apprentice and the cold evil spirit of the black magic apprentice made this intermediate apprentice with a hint of arrogance quickly turn pale with fear.

Noticing that the Lycian Alliance defenders not far away seemed to have noticed something unusual here, Thain snorted coldly, then flicked his black sleeves and turned around and left.

Sure enough, the spellcasting world on the surface is very different from when Thain was in the underground city of Sobra.

When did an intermediate apprentice dare to threaten a senior apprentice?

As for the Ring of Thorns organization mentioned by the yellow-robed apprentice, in Thane's eyes, it was just a joke.

From what the other party said, it seemed that this was a small organization that didn't even have formal magicians. It was a subordinate organization of the Ring of Green Organization. It mainly dealt with the magic apprentices in the Lycian Alliance.

Thain came to the north on this trip. In addition to looking for his family, the magician organizations that could catch his eye were the few large organizations with formal magicians or above, except for the Holy Tower of Origin of Blue.

Maybe the Ring of Green Organization will arouse some interest in Thane, but the Ring of Thorns... forget it!

And look at the harsh membership requirements of this Ring of Thorns organization.

Obligations, as well as the stupid and arrogant attitude of these magic apprentices, Thain even has little interest in the Ring of Green Organization.

Indeed, these so-called magician organizations are not charities.

The original purpose of its formation was not only to let the magicians in the organization help each other and jointly study the path of truth.

With the passage of time and development, these magician organizations often have a strong utilitarian nature.

Without enough remuneration, why should these magician organizations provide you with the corresponding platform and channels for acquiring knowledge?

The arrogance of the intermediate apprentice also has some reason.

Fortunately, Thain is a high-level apprentice. If he were just a low-level apprentice or even an entry-level apprentice, he might want to join the Ring of Thorns organization, but others would still look down upon you.

Thain's quick departure made the yellow-robed magician who was left hanging on the spot turn blue and white.

He is not stupid enough to fall out with Thane. A senior apprentice will be treated as a guest in any organization.

He just didn't expect Thane to refuse so decisively and not give the Ring of Thorns any face.

"What should we do next?" One of the accompanying low-level apprentices couldn't help but ask.

"What else can we do? Report it to the organization truthfully!"

"Hmph, he offended the Ring of Thorns organization. Even if he is a senior apprentice, he can't do well in the Lycian Alliance." The intermediate apprentice said through gritted teeth, seemingly dissatisfied with Thain's performance just now.

Although the two apprentices beside him nodded in approval on the surface, they actually disagreed in their hearts.

The Ring of Thorns is not the only magic apprentice organization in the Lycian Alliance. Even if Thain doesn't want to join them and offends the Ring of Thorns organization, he can definitely join other magic apprentice organizations.

And I have to say that the actions of the Ring of Thorns organization in the past two years have become increasingly excessive.

Relying on the support of many big nobles in the military, they openly forcibly recruited people from various places and occupied various resources.

Because there is the Ring of Green Organization as a backer, other small apprentice organizations in the Lycian Alliance can only endure it.

As for the other large magician organizations that are comparable in strength to the Ring of Green Organization... they are actually the same breed, but they are better looking than the Ring of Green Organization in terms of looks and methods of doing things.