The Golem Mage

Deep within the depths of a secluded forest in the northern region of the Northern Kingdom, a hidden cave unveiled an underground factory and world filled with bustling mages going about their daily work.

Within one of the numerous buildings, the Sixth Elder of the Fridall clan lay in a state of distress, his attempts to cover his mouth failing as blood escaped from his lips.

"Elder!"

Two mages, positioned on either side, hurriedly rushed to his aid, alarmed by his deteriorating condition, However, he raised his hand, gesturing for them to stay back.

Taking a deep sigh, he wiped his lips with the back of his hand and scowled in frustration, His mission had not only failed completely, but it had also exposed their presence to the city they had attacked.

"If the Patriarch of the Gordons Clan was able to locate us, it's only a matter of time before he uncovers our spies, We must order the escape of all our spies in the city swiftly,"

he murmured to himself, his mind clouded with thoughts of the formidable strength possessed by the old man.

Although the Gordons patriarch was merely a Tier 7 Mage, his power and presence rivaled that of the elders from the revered Ancient Blaze Clan, The Sixth Elder knew he had to be cautious to avoid losing his life if he ever crossed paths with the Patriarch.

Gently massaging his neck, he could still feel the phantom grip of the Gordons patriarch's hands tightening around it, Even though he had used a clone body, the connection between his essence and the puppet had allowed him to experience the physical pain inflicted upon it.

The clone's demise had resulted in a severe backlash, causing lingering discomfort, The elder suspected the Gordons patriarch had some involvement in this unexpected intensity.

As he replayed the image of George Gordons effortlessly snapping His clone's neck, a shiver ran down the Sixth Elder's spine.

This led to it's untimely demise, and the fact that he experienced pain for something that happened to his clone only solidified his belief that he should avoid the Gordons patriarch at all costs.

Although he had lost the portion of his soul that was imbued in the clone, allowing him to see through its eyes and access its memories like a control room, he wasn't overly concerned, With some rest and the right resources, he could replenish his soul energy.

However, the thought of sacrificing more of his soul to create another Puppet sent shivers down his spine.

"Send a message to the rest of the elders,"

he instructed.

"Tell them to halt all movements and plans that involve the forest, For now, we must focus on recuperation, Let them know that I promise to rescue my father, regardless of the circumstances, They can rest assured that this is not a ploy for me to become patriarch, as it will be mine when the old man eventually passes away."

After the Sixth Elder concluded his speech, a black shadow detached from the wall, taking on a human form before swiftly darting away.

While the two clansmen guarding him were taken aback by the sudden transformation, they quickly regained their composure.

"Where could that old city lord have my father imprisoned?"

the elder pondered aloud.

"If only the old man in Guild didn't hesitate to use his divination spells, but he insists that there is someone watching him,this would have been much easier, I can't help but feel he's making up excuses, I suppose it's time to seek more assistance from the Blaze Clan."

---

In the meeting room of the Gordons Clan, two men dressed in black were imprisoned within a massive cage made of earth elements, The overlapping layers of earth made it apparent to any observing mages that escape would not come easily.

Despite their attempts to break free, the cage exhibited a remarkable ability to quickly repair itself using the magic in the air, rendering it nearly impenetrable and making it exceedingly challenging for the imprisoned mages to escape.

One of the mages trapped in the cage happened to be the same one who was captured when George Gordons confronted the clone of the Fridall sixth elder.

The massive doors swung open, and George Gordons, the patriarch, entered with a cold expression, Since Alec had departed from the clan, George had chosen to maintain his stoic demeanor, which seemed to have a significant impact on the clan.

They all longed to see him smile more often, as he did in the past, He was fully clad in his formidable battle armor, though it may not have been as extravagant as Alec's Salamander armour set, even if Alec's armor was of lower rank it's beauty and engraving were high-class.

Nonetheless, George's armor seemed to possess a dormant spirit of arrogance, His katana was securely belted at his waist as he passed by the imprisoned mages without sparing them a single glance, heading straight towards his throne. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire

Once seated, he rested his chin on his left hand and his gaze unconsciously shifted towards the throne engraved with the number three, He let out a sigh.

"Rest easy, brother, I will go after anyone I come across, no matter who they are or where they come from, I will show them that the Gordons clan is not to be trifled with, This is my promise to you, little brother."

With a silent vow, the patriarch fixed his gaze on the empty seat beside him, Before he could even finish his pledge, the others he had been waiting for began to arrive.

The Grand Elder and his son the Seventh Elder, Draco, entered together, The Fifth Elder joined, riding on his golem tiger and adorned in a luxurious fur-lined inner body armor.

George could tell that the Fifth Elder was attempting to flaunt his wealth, but he chose to ignore it, pretending not to see or understand the fifth elder's intentions.

The First Elder, responsible for the clan's finances, entered alongside the Second Elder, who rarely made appearances, The final arrival was the sixth elder.

They all took their seats in their respective throne chairs with numbers engraved upon them, but two chair remained unoccupied.

" Imagine all of us together, the old squad, Can't we just have a complete meeting, even today? Even though old Third has to be in bed"

The sixth elder, who hadn't attended a meeting in a long time, voiced his complaint with a sigh as the Fourth Elder swiftly entered the room, holding his spear.

" I'm sorry for coming late,"

the Fourth Elder apologized, bowing to express his regret, The others brushed off his tardiness and he quickly found his seat nearby.

Just as he sat down, the patriarch, who had kept his eyes closed throughout, finally opened them and directed his gaze towards the two men still trapped in the earth cage.

"Now shall we begin the interrogation?!" the patriarch declared, his voice evoking fear in the men inside the cage.