Chapter 26: Mage’s Remains

Wade examined the attire of the skeleton. The robe was about sixty percent intact, and the boots appeared to be made from plant materials. Besides that, Wade noticed a jade ring of emerald green on the skeleton’s index finger.  

The style of the attire was very consistent, not a patchwork of mismatched pieces. The robe featured wreaths and flying birds embroidered in golden thread, with a unique style. The lines were simple yet elegant, the kind of pattern any farmer would find beautiful.  

Wade did not let Mia approach that area. He carefully observed the surroundings of the skeleton.  

The entire area was very concealed, nestled among massive thorns and gaps in the soil.  

It was located in a wind-sheltered spot; outside lay a thorn forest that blocked wind and sand intrusions.  

There was sand at the skeleton’s feet, but it was just a thin layer accumulated over time. The surface of the sand was smooth, with several rings of folds depicting the shape of the wind.  

There were no footprints or any other marks on the sand—no signs of anything active in this place—and no trace of the skeleton’s soul fire could be sensed.  

This should be an inert object, not a skeleton capable of movement.  

Mia’s gaze was not on the skeleton. The little ghost was focused on a glowing patch of moss.  

The moss emitted a faint white phosphorescence, softly illuminating the dark corner. Magical energy was converging on the moss.  

Could Mia feed on the magical energy of this moss?  

It seemed so. This moss appeared to be a supernatural plant favored by phantoms.  

Wade did not know its name or its properties. His research into the supernatural realm was minimal—that was not something a baker could easily access.  

If only he were more knowledgeable, he might have understood the moss’s habitat and figured out how to cultivate it.  

If he could cultivate a field and plant this glowing moss, Mia would never lack food supplies.  

He tried to collect some moss, hoping to bring it back for cultivation.  

Wade nodded, relaxing his vigilance slightly as he and Mia approached the skeleton.  

“Eat a little, but don’t eat too much,” Wade sent the thought.  

Even if the moss couldn’t survive, they could leave some behind. There was no need to uproot all of it.  

Since it grew here, it meant it could thrive in this corner. Leaving roots would allow them to harvest again later.  

Mia nodded and flew over the moss.  

She absorbed the magical energy from the moss, and the moss’s glow dimmed.  

Everything was calm, but Wade suddenly noticed the skeleton’s fingers move slightly.  

Wade reached out and caught the little ghost.  

He could see the flow of magical energy; the moss darkened faster as chaotic magic gathered toward the skeleton’s body.  

Mia’s absorption of the moss’s magic seemed to trigger a mechanism.  

What should have been just a decayed pile of bones had come to life. Its fingers and skull began to move; the joints bent, and the palm grabbed a nearly rotten wooden stick.  

The stick was hidden beneath the moss—or rather, the moss grew from the stick.  

Wade saw a cracked gem embedded at the tip of the stick.  

This was not a stick but a magic wand.  

So, this was the remains of a mage.  

The moment he realized this, Wade swung his round-headed mace.  

The heavy hammer surged like a fierce tiger, smashing toward the mage skeleton’s skull.  

Wade showed no mercy. This was not a musical; he didn’t have to wait for the skeleton to stand up, strike a pose, say lines, and form a spell array against him and Mia before attacking.  

The real world offered no invincibility frames or transformation cries.  

He assumed this guy was an enemy. To deal with enemies, one must strike first and strike hard while they were most vulnerable.  

He felt a solid impact, but it wasn’t the skull.  

Wade saw the ring on the mage’s index finger flicker, then a transparent barrier blocked the hammer.  

The barrier consisted of neat hexagons, possessing a geometric and linear beauty.  

It was a piece of jewelry storing energy that could release a magical shield.  

The round-headed mace was deflected, and the force rebounded into Wade’s arm.  

Wade was somewhat surprised but did not freeze. One failed strike meant another attempt.  

In battle, hesitation was the greatest taboo.  

Hesitation led to defeat.  

Defeat meant death.  

Wade had died two hundred and sixteen times in his dreams. His fight with Sven’s afterimage had taught him that opportunities vanished in an instant.  

He did not believe that the weathered magic ring could block his attacks forever.  

He tossed the little ghost backward, grasped the mace’s long handle with both hands, and leapt up, striking down like hammering a wooden stake.  

The barrier flickered again, blocking Wade’s hammer.  

But this time, it didn’t fully repel the force. The revived mage skeleton was hit by the counterforce and toppled sideways onto the ground.  

Wade swung the heavy mace, launching a fierce assault. The barrier flickered a third time, blocking his attack again.  

However, on the fourth strike, nothing blocked him.  

Wade violently smashed the mage’s skull, shattering the bones into fragments and scattering teeth.  

But it was not over. He smashed the mage’s shoulder joint, ensuring the magic wand rolled away.  

The suddenly awakened dead had died again.  

The battered pile of bones no longer moved.  

The entire process was very fast. Mia, who Wade had tossed out, had just stabilized her position when everything ended.  

The little one hadn’t even figured out what happened. She floated over, pouted, and butted her forehead against Wade’s palm.  

She looked a bit angry; she had just been eating and was suddenly interrupted, resulting in a small sulk.  

Wade patted her head accordingly. She quickly let it go and was back to being friendly with Wade.  

“Go eat. This time, it should be fine.”  

Mia rubbed against his palm and flew over the mage’s remains.  

Strangely, this thing didn’t feel like an undead. Wade had clearly smashed its skull, yet no soul fire flowed from its bones.  

He didn’t understand how it suddenly moved—perhaps residual magic.  

Wade crouched down and took the magic ring off the finger to examine it.  

Before he could look closely, he saw a cluster of glowing green flames drift out from the mage’s remains.  

Mia actually extracted the fragment of soul from this body.  

This soul’s power was as weak as a breeze. If Sven’s soul was like a raging wildfire, then this mage’s residual soul was like a spark from a match—barely a flicker, not even a candle flame.  

Mia swallowed the tiny spark and the magic on the bones together. Fragments flashed before Wade’s eyes.  

He saw the mage’s memories—the moment of his death.  

A young voice spoke in some unknown language.  

The mage sat in this dark corner, placing his magic wand down.  

He scattered seeds from his pocket onto the wand, releasing his magical power.  

He transformed himself into fertile soil for the seeds to grow, as if it were some hope and vitality.  

Though Wade didn’t understand the final words, he remembered the sound, which seemed like a blessing. The mage’s gradually withering hand gently stroked the growing moss like caressing a child.  

He slit his wrist and watered it with fresh blood.  

Thus, in this dead and desolate wasteland, a corner sprouted green shoots and glowed with gentle light.