April 3rd arrived faster than Kael expected.
The sun had barely risen when he stood in front of a towering glass monolith that pierced the sky—the ECO Corporation Central Tower.
It wasn't just a building. It was a city-sized fortress, one of the tallest in the nation, nestled in the heart of Neo-Lantera City—a sprawling megacity where magic and technology coexisted, built atop the ruins of an ancient battlefield. Known for its skybridges, floating markets, and energy towers, Neo-Lantera was the economic heart of the continent—and ECO's domain.Its black-glass exterior shimmered with holographic runes that rotated slowly, projecting magical sigils across the skyline like a constant reminder of ECO's power. Arcane engines hummed beneath the ground, and flying transports zipped in and out of docking bays high above.
As Kael approached the massive double doors, he passed under an archway inscribed with ECO's corporate slogan:
"We Build the Future—One Element at a Time."
Security was tight. Automated drones scanned his ID badge, and a security golem gave him a full magical screening before letting him through. The lobby inside was pristine—clean white tiles, flowing mana-water walls, and a single floating chandelier that glowed with condensed light magic.
A voice rang out from the nearby terminal.
"Welcome, Kael. Proceed to the orientation level. Magician Chrysalis will guide you."
Kael raised an eyebrow.Magician?
He followed the digital markers along the glowing floor until an elevator door hissed open, taking him up to the 47th floor.
When the doors slid apart, he stepped into a vast room lined with magical displays, holographic ore maps, and strange glowing tomes levitating in midair. At the far end stood a woman, hunched slightly over a floating tablet, muttering numbers under her breath.
Her long purple hair was tied in a half-bun, and her golden eyes glowed faintly behind thin rectangular glasses. She wore a layered black robe over a fitted turtleneck and utility belt covered in quills, mana vials, and gemstones. The entire room smelled faintly of ink and burnt paper.
She looked up and blinked.
"You must be Kael."
He nodded, unsure what to say.
She approached with a book clutched to her chest like it was her child.
"I'm Chrysalis. Magician, researcher, historian, and your onboarding supervisor. Try not to get in my way."She adjusted her glasses, then paused."...You smell like sulfur. You didn't touch the raw ore, did you?"
Kael shook his head quickly. "No, I just got here."
"Good."She turned and walked off without another word, expecting him to follow.
As they walked through the corridors of the orientation wing, Chrysalis began talking—fast.
"Let me be clear: ECO doesn't just mine energy ores. We study them. Test them. Harness their raw essence. What you'll be working with is crystallized life magic—condensed from deep leyline fractures caused by ancient magical warfare."
"If handled wrong, it can explode, mutate, or melt your brain through raw magical overload. That's why you miners have suits, gloves, and very specific break intervals."
Kael tried to keep up, but she was already spinning her tablet midair to show him holographic safety diagrams.
"Your department is under Division 6—Ore Extraction & Recovery. You'll report to Supervisor Draven daily, and if you find anything glowing that shouldn't be glowing, you report it to me—not to security."
Kael furrowed his brows. "Why not security?"
Chrysalis stopped walking and turned to him, eyes sharp behind her lenses.
"Because ECO doesn't just extract ore. We've… found things before. Things older than the Tower. Things that shouldn't exist."
She leaned closer and lowered her voice.
"This mountain—Wu Ling—was once sacred. Sealed. Cursed. And now we're drilling into its bones like greedy rats. Just pray we don't wake something up."
Kael gulped."I… heard something like that before. About a legend."
Chrysalis's eyes narrowed.
"The Lone Magician Soul?" she said quietly.
Kael blinked. "You've heard of it?"
Chrysalis nodded slowly, a thoughtful glint behind her golden stare.
"Oh yes. I've studied hundreds of regional myths. But that one… it's not just a myth, Kael."
She turned away again, but her voice lingered with weight.
"If that legend is true… then someone like you shouldn't be here at all."
As Chrysalis vanished through a restricted doorway lined with enchantments, Kael stood frozen in place.
What did she mean by that?
Before he could ask, a familiar voice boomed from down the hall.
"Kael! Get moving! Time to suit up—we've got ore to dig!"
It was Draven.
Kael nodded, snapped out of his daze, and followed.
But as he walked away, he couldn't stop thinking about the way Chrysalis looked at him.
Like she already knew something he didn't.
Far below, deeper than any drill had ever reached…the book stirred again.
This time, it pulsed—once.As if it had heard a name spoken aloud for the first time in centuries.
Kael.