Dark Magus Returns - Chapter 1626

Chapter 1626: Ariving At The Shelter
One of Alen’s men could barely speak. His lips trembled with the effort, and every time he opened his mouth to explain what he had seen, the words died on his tongue. It wasn’t fear that silenced him, it was shock. A shock so deep he clearly believed it was better for them to see it with their own eyes rather than hear it second-hand.

Without waiting for questions, the man quickly rushed away, signaling the others to follow. Several of Alen’s people immediately lifted the injured they had been tending to, hoisting them onto their shoulders or arms as they hurried after him. No one dared to slow down. There was an urgency in the man’s expression that made even B raise an eyebrow.

The Shelters were located on the far side of the Underside, purposely built away from the Dark Guild’s area so the civilians inside wouldn’t get caught in the fighting. It was the one place that was supposed to remain untouched, safe. The group had managed to clear a large portion of the conflict on the way, though not all of it. But at this point, they had no choice but to trust that the remaining skirmishes would be handled by the Dark Guild. The mystery of what was happening at the Shelters took priority.

By the time they arrived, the reason for the man’s terror became immediately clear.

The Shelter wall, once sturdy steel reinforced with layered spellwork, had a massive crack tearing through its side like a wound. Rubble was scattered everywhere. Parts of the structure were destroyed entirely, as if something had plowed through it with overwhelming force. More areas around the Shelter showed similar devastation, like multiple impacts had struck different sides in succession.

“I can smell it.”

B’s voice was low, darker than usual. She took a slow step forward.

“I can smell blood.”

The man leading them reached the main entrance, its door a thick metallic barrier meant to withstand mage-level attacks. Yet the metal was dented, scorched, and twisted unnaturally. A cracked sheet of it slid across the floor, scraping against his boot. He paused, closed his eyes for a brief moment, then used both hands to drag it aside.

The moment the doorway opened, they all froze.

Even B’s eyes narrowed.

Safa was the first to react; her hands flew to her mouth.

Then she bolted.

“Maybe I can help, there has to be something, right? There has to be…!”

Safa sprinted inside, practically throwing herself into the devastated Shelter. She reached the center, tore her Lux Spear from her back, and slammed it down into the ground with everything she had. A burst of light spread through the entire space, warm, bright, desperate.

She closed her eyes, pouring her Light Magic outward, letting it fill every shadowed corner, every broken space, every lifeless body. She was searching, begging, for even the faintest trace of life.

“This…” B murmured, stepping slowly across the threshold. “This is in quite the bad state.”

“How could this have happened?” Alen said, his voice hollow. “These are all people from the Underside, right?”

“Right,” Dame confirmed grimly. “The ones in the Shelters were the people who refused to fight. They stayed out of everything. They weren’t a threat to anyone.”

“Even when we were on our way here,” Liam added quietly, “there wasn’t any sign of fighting in the streets. No broken walls. No explosions. Nothing. It’s almost like someone targeted these people specifically.”

They didn’t want to believe it. None of them. But the evidence was right in front of them, families, elders, children all lying motionless across the floor. Not scattered like they’d run. Positioned like they’d been overwhelmed all at once.

Why would anyone attack them?

Why the Shelters?

Even the Guilds wouldn’t do something so senseless before dealing with threats. And as cruel as the Cerebus Guild was, even they usually killed with reason.

“Check… check if anyone is alive!” Alen barked. “Try to save them, hurry!”

They split up immediately.

Safa kept her spell active, though she trembled with the effort. Liam and Dame rushed to the back; B walked slowly, scanning bodies with an expression that looked… almost analytical. Alen’s soldiers moved quickly, rolling people onto their backs, pressing fingers to necks, mouths, chests.

Then they reached the children.

The air shifted. Something cold ran through the entire group.

No one spoke.

Even B’s smile disappeared.

Liam swallowed. Hard. Then called Dame over to the far corner, lowering his voice so only he could hear.

“I think… I know who did this,” he whispered.

Dame’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Dame,” Liam said, glancing around to make sure Safa wasn’t within earshot, “my system analyzed their wounds. All of them. It’s the same pattern as when Dark Pulse is used.”

Dame stiffened.

“Every type of magic leaves a trace,” Liam said. “Light wounds burn differently from fire, and lightning leaves a distinct pattern. But these… these wounds were made with Dark Magic. All of them.”

Silence hung between them.

Liam didn’t need to say the rest.

It was someone from the Dark Guild.

Which made no sense. The Dark Guild was helping them. Fighting alongside them. Watching each other’s backs. Why would they attack the Shelter? Why the innocents?

And was it one person… or many?

Before either could say more, Safa shouted:

“Over there!”

They rushed back toward the center. Safa had leapt across the room and knelt beside a collapsed woman. With careful hands, she pressed the Lux Spear’s handle into the woman’s palm, channeling light directly into her body.

The woman’s eyelids flickered.

Then slowly… painfully… opened.

“There’s someone alive,” Safa breathed. “Please, what happened here? Who attacked the Shelter?”

Alen kneeling beside them, face trembling with rage and helplessness, leaned forward to help.

The woman’s lips quivered. Her voice was faint, barely louder than a breath.

“It was… the Dark… the Dark Guild leader.”