The Legendary Mage (Alavin)
Chapter 125

In the vast and sprawling Northlands, stretching for thousands of miles, the land was vast and boundless.

They traversed great mountains and deep ravines, passed through ancient towns and fortifications, and after ten days of travel, they arrived at the site of The Clash of Eight Orders, the Warriors' Vale!

Throughout their journey, they kept a low profile, deliberately concealing their tracks and identities, choosing secluded routes. Otherwise, given Cobalt Strike's standing in the Northlands, the lord of every city they passed would have come out to greet them with great reverence. The Cobalt Strike Commander intentionally wanted them to bond, to experience the outside world. He would occasionally drew out Magi- Monsters for them to hunt and train, keeping their spirits high so they might present themselves in the best light at The Clash of Eight Orders.

Warriors' Vale had a long history, being the most ancient city in the Northlands, grand and majestic, and filled with the sense of time's erosion.

The city walls towered thirty meters high, forged entirely of black onyx stone, solemn and imposing. The gate towers were grand and atmospheric, like mighty titans guarding the ancient city, deterring the throngs of passersby. The moat was over a hundred meters wide and dozens deep, lurking with many terrifying Riverine Beasts; falling in would have unimaginable consequences.

Warriors' Vale was bustling with life, home to a million souls; the flow of visitors was a vast number. During The Clash of Eight Orders, many mages also gathered here.

Standing before the city gates, Nikulas and his companions admired the grandeur of the ancient city, feeling a surge of bold aspiration. "The Clash of Eight Orders, we have arrived!!"

Everyone had the heart of a champion, and everyone yearned to duel with the genius warriors. The Clash of Eight Orders would gather the strongest elites of the Northlands, being the perfect stage to showcase their valor!

Alavin, however, seemed lost in reverie. The ancient city, its bustle, the guards, the drawbridge-all these scenes were so similar to the memories of his childhood. It was all too similar to Stormcast, where he was born and raised, and where he left his laughter and joy. But eight years had passed, what would it look like now? Laid to waste or overtaken by wicked bandits?

"What are you thinking about?" Cedrick noticed Alavin's distraction. While everyone else was eager, Alavin seemed lost in thought.

"I'm thinking of home." Alavin came back to his senses, offering a slight smile.

"Do you hate them?"

"Many have asked me that. If I didn't hate, how ungrateful would that make me?"

Cedrick looked intensely at Alavin, then said no more.

The city gates were wide open, and a troop of soldiers burst forth. Their armor was gleaming, and their horses were prancing. With a commanding presence, the people outside the city made way for them. "Commander Kashann! I am Varin, ordered to await your esteemed Organization!" A warrior in golden armor dismounted and saluted, also greeting the other Elders.

"Have the others arrived?" The Cobalt Strike Commander threw back his cloak, revealing his true visage.

"Order of the Stellar Precepts, The Covert Bloodlore Society, Sect of the Hidden Essence, and the Sisterhood of the Floral Enchantress. The leaders of these four Organizations have already arrived with their Protégés. The Guild of the Earthbound Spirits just arrived, and they're about to enter the city. Tribe of the Skyborne Rivers and Society of Starlit Echoes are still en route, expected to arrive tomorrow or the day after."

"Lead the way."

"Please! The Lord awaits you in the city!" Varin was very polite. Although the Commander appeared unassuming and without airs, he was still a leader of an Organization, a sovereign figure of the Northlands, whose mere stomp could send tremors across its vast territories.

The procession parted, with three luxurious carriages arriving from behind. The Commander led the Elders onto the first carriage. Alavin and the other nine Protégés each entered the second and third carriages.

Varin and his soldiers observed the ten of them; each Protégé qualified for The Clash of Eight Orders was a carefully chosen prodigy of their Organization, and if they grew to their potential, they would surely become remarkable figures.

"Look, General Varin himself has gone to greet them. Which Organization has arrived?"

"They're so discreet, no grand entrance at all."

"It seems they walked straight here, not like other Organizations that ride in on Magi-Monsters."

"The most discreet among the Eight Orders are Cobalt Strike and Starlit Echoes, and neither of those Organizations has arrived yet, so who could it be?"

The city gate was busy with people who, upon seeing the troops come out, gathered to speculate who had arrived. But before they could discern who it was, the Cobalt Strike party had already entered their carriages and were escorted by the troops into the ancient city.

Alavin, Cedrick, Myke, Nikulas, and Mariela, the five of them, sat together in one carriage.

Alavin lifted the curtain corner, looking out at the bustling, lively streets. "Which is the strongest among the Eight Orders?"

Mariela rarely spoke, but when she did, it was with authority. "Among the Eight Orders, there's no official ranking, but indeed some gaps do exist. The first among the Orders is widely recognized as the Stellar Precepts. Each year, at The Clash of the Eight Orders, they tend to secure the first or second place, and it's rumored that once they even swept the top five positions. The might of the Stellar Precepts' Commander, as well as the strength of the Elders within their organization, is said to be the strongest within the Eight Orders. Following them are the Bloodlore Covenant and the Earthbound Spirits; their collective power is second only to the Stellar Precepts, and the prowess of their protégés generally surpasses those from other Orders, except for the Stellar Precepts. The other five Orders are more or less on equal footing, with no significant disparities in any area."