Outside the crumbling barrier, a magus gripping the gemstone core that maintained the entire formation saw a comrade stumbling out from the inside. That man was covered in blood, his robes singed and tattered, and his eyes filled with desperation as he pounded frantically on the inside of the barrier.
"Open it! Hurry and open a gap in the barrier! Let me out—we've lost... We've lost!"
Hearing those words, the magus holding the gemstone dropped to the ground as if his legs had given out. The core in his hand slipped from his grasp and landed on his knee, nearly shattering. The barrier itself showed signs of destabilizing from the sudden disruption. Fortunately, the magus quickly regained his senses and seized the gemstone again, gripping it so tightly that blood seeped from between his fingers.
But instead of opening a small exit as the survivor had hoped, the magical barrier only grew stronger. Layers of additional enchantments were swiftly woven into the existing structure. Clearly, the magus entrusted with maintaining the formation possessed exceptional expertise in the craft.
The wounded survivor inside the barrier slammed his fists against the wall in panic, but the formation now crackled with lightning, sending a jolt through his body the moment he touched it.
It was evident that the magus had no intention of letting anyone trapped within escape alive.
"What the hell are you doing?! Open it! Let me out!"
The magus outside shook his head. Though his skill in barrier magic was profound, he was still young. If he were to open even a small gap, he couldn't guarantee he'd be able to maintain the formation afterward. Right now, the only chance they had of achieving their objective was to keep the barrier intact until everyone inside was dead.
Did they really think someone inside could survive more than a month without food or water?
Actually, there was someone who could. Melusine. Not eating or drinking for a month? She could last a hundred million years without a problem.
Though this operation had become impossible to complete, the barrier was still their last faint hope of salvaging some measure of victory.
Trapped and rejected, the wounded magus inside stared at his comrade beyond the barrier. He didn't know whether to curse the man or feel relieved—at least someone was still determined to complete their mission.
A strange expression crossed his face, and finally, he gave a slight nod. "Alright... You've got guts. Then I hope you make it and accomplish what we started."
With that, the magus raised his staff beneath his chin, poured mana into it, and in the next moment, his head was torn apart by magical force. Better to go out quickly than burn to death in the flames. It was the best ending he could ask for.
His blood spattered against the barrier, then charred black under its lightning, vanishing without a trace.
Staring at the corpse sprawled on the ground, the magus knew he was now the only one left who could fulfill their goal. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to ignore what he'd just witnessed.
So, when Aslan and his companions emerged from the castle, they were met with a grim sight: a magus seated on the ground, eyes filled with hatred and grim determination, cradling a bloodstained gemstone engraved with mysterious runes.
"As long as I'm here, you're not getting out! You'll all die inside this castle!"
Morgan's simulated personality was rather straightforward. Hearing that declaration, she raised an eyebrow without even trying to hide her disdain. Though this magical foundation was a bit different from the norm, with some careful analysis, she was confident she could crack it in a few days. The idea of trapping them here permanently was flawed from the start.
Of course, if this magus were willing to open the barrier himself, that would be ideal—but that clearly wasn't going to happen.
Cracking it would take a few days, which was troublesome. They couldn't rule out the possibility of reinforcements arriving during that time.
Aslan glanced at the magus before him and decided it was worth attempting negotiation. After all, he wasn't the one dismantling the barrier. Talking wouldn't hinder progress.
Though they had other means of escape, such as letting Melusine return to her true form and blast a hole through the barrier—with enough force to erase a chunk of the surrounding land—Aslan would never allow her to transform before the contract ring was completed.
Melusine had said she quite liked her current appearance, and if that was the case, Aslan would do everything in his power to help her preserve it.
"Say no more! I'm not letting you go! You'll die in this castle—for the sacrifices we've made!"
Aslan raised an eyebrow, then narrowed his eyes slightly. He thought he saw something behind the magus…
A shadow was creeping silently through the darkness, step by step approaching the magus from behind. The magus, fixated on Aslan and the others, was completely unaware. After all, these intruders had eliminated so many of their forces—even with the barrier, he couldn't afford to let his guard down for a moment.
"I will carry on the will of my comrades! I will create the spark that sets the world ablaze!"
The magus's eyes blazed with resolve. Even if he chose to surrender now and rejoin the remaining magi, he would be ostracized. Better to grit his teeth and gamble everything on this one moment—see who would fall first.
Regardless of how this day ended, this episode would no doubt be remembered among the magi for years to come.
Indeed, just as he imagined, the tale of Morgan and her two attendants continued to circulate after the establishment of the Clock Tower. Though the details faded with time, Aslan's identity became forever etched into the records as one of Morgan's knights.
Perhaps someday, a Heroic Spirit much like Sasaki Kojirō from the Fifth Holy Grail War would manifest under the identity of the knight in this tale. After all, the legend Aslan forged was not so easily erased. His intentions had always been clear—this was merely a small detour in the saga he was crafting.
But that is a story for another time.