Ruins In The End (We Three Mages, Book Two)

Chapter Twenty Eight: Answers(Part Four)

"Well that's helpful," Mari rolled her eyes and turned her head so she could watch the sun set. She and Aftemath were on the roof of the Academy, a place she often visited with D.D. "Okay, I have another question," She spun herself back around. "Why here? Why have us cross a desert to find some impossible lagoon and unlock the Temple? Why make us go through all that trouble when you could have made the temple somewhere in Trajare?"

"Because the world isn't in black and white," Aftemath answered carefully. "What has been often seen as good can become corrupt overtime. Allies become enemies."

"So basically you didn't want to make it obvious in case one of your former allies got any ideas?" Mari asked.

"I built the Temple of Creation in the desert because it is a land that is owned by no nation, thus no one may lay claim to the temple or the power that comes along with it."

"And by power you mean knowledge."

"Knowledge that could destroy the magic that you use."

"But it was set up so only me and the others could actually get to it. You could have built it smack in the middle of Demintrea and that wouldn't have mattered."

"I believe that in order for you to best understand the decisions that have been made, I must begin this tale from the beginning." Aftermath explained. Mari sat at full attention ready to hear his story. "It all began after the creation of Magistrax. It was then that I and my allies realized that my power is something that any one nation would lay siege to acquire, no matter which country we were to bury it in. You know all too well the awesome might that is this magic.

"It was then decided that we should break it up into two halves, the magic and the knowledge that goes along with it. The magic, which was later written into those three Books, was stored in the country I had constructed once it was known who would inherit it. As for the knowledge, we decided that it would be better if it were out of reach for all. So this Temple of Creation was devised. It took ten years to construct not only physically, but magically as well. In order for myself to pass on all that I know, this place must have been able to sustain its own magic.

"After it had been built, I spent the rest of my life inside of it, working on a way to conceal it from those who reeked of greed. It was inside this place I constructed some of my most powerful spells."

"Like where this place lies?" Mari asked.

"Yes, this temple exists in my most powerful imagination based spell and shall continue to exist so long as my magic does. It is why I eventually called this the Temple of Creation. Do you now understand, Mari Dixen?"

"This place is a hell of a lot more than any of us could have possibly imagined," Mari nodded. "No wonder you couldn't leave it to chance that someone would come across it."

"I am glad to hear you say that," Aftemath smiled. "This place is of great importance to me."

"And it's something we're going to protect until the day we die." Mari promised him.

"I appreciate your words," he nodded in thanks. The silence seemed to last for an eternity between the two. Mari simply enjoyed being in her favorite spot one last time.

"What's next for us? Where do we go from here?" Mari finally found the courage to ask. "So far, our entire cause has been finding this place and learning more about the Legend, but now that that's done with, where do we go from here?" She hadn't expected an answer.

"Wherever you're needed," Aftemath simply put.

"Pardon?" Mari stood up, "Wherever we're needed?"

"Yes, wherever your power is required."

"But we can't be everywhere!" Mari shouted.

"Then do not be; be where you are needed most." Aftemath's voice remained steady and calm.

"How do we know where that is?"

"That book you all retrieved from your Academy's grounds," Aftemath brought up an image of Ancients of the Past. "I believe it's finally time for you to put it to good use."

"What does that have to do with anything? Nadia and I already tried to read it." Mari crossed her arms.

"It has to do with everything. That book is directly connected to the Temple of Creation, to this very place."

Mari stood there and all she could do was blink. "Come again?"

"I decided near the end of my time that you would need a physical copy of everything this temple has to offer so I constructed that book. It is linked to the Legend and has everything that I know within its contents."

"But if you were here for the remainder of your life..." Mari tried to work it out.

"Indeed, I was here until it was my time, but that does not mean I did not go out and see how the world was evolving around me." He winked at her.

"You sly fox," Mari grinned. "I have one last question for you and I want you to answer it honestly."

"Alright, ask," Aftemath agreed.

"Who are we fighting?"

"That, my young mage, I do not know."