The airship bound for the Azure Source Holy Spire spread its "wings" and soared into the vast expanse where the sky met the sea.Kay's luck held—thanks to Tom, an Intermediate Apprentice, he'd caught the last airship of the day.
The airship before him stirred a faint sense of familiarity, reminding Kay of the one he'd taken in Menzoberranzan years ago. Yet the differences in detail were striking; even that Menzoberranzan vessel paled in comparison to the elegance of this one. Kay had deduced the airship drew power from three sources: a turbocharged unit at the stern, broad white "wings" along the hull, and—deep within the craft—an intricate array of magical runes.
Even with the airship's remarkable speed, the journey from Gemstone Bay to the outer reaches of the Azure Source Holy Spire would take two full days and nights. No wonder the common folk near Gemstone Bay called the region the "Green Source Sea"—its vastness truly lived up to the name.
The airship was crowded, likely because it was the final departure of the day; all told, nearly fifty passengers filled its decks. Among them, eight apprentices stood out, their chests adorned with the Azure Source Holy Spire's insignia. Most were young, between their teens and mid-twenties, with few over thirty—but their ranks were impressively high, all at least Intermediate level. It was clear the Azure Source Holy Spire was indeed a cradle for fledgling spellcasters.
These apprentices looked travel-worn, as if returning from a mission. The strongest among them were a man and a woman, both Advanced Apprentices, roughly Kay's age—the man perhaps a year or two older, the woman's exact age impossible to gauge. Unlike most passengers, the eight apprentices clustered subtly near the airship's center, their expressions tinged with quiet arrogance. And they had reason to be—more than half the passengers cast envious glances their way.
Beyond the apprentices, Kay noticed the airship carried more knights than magic apprentices, making up nearly sixty percent of the passengers. A handful of ordinary humans were also aboard—likely heading to the Holy Spire's outer areas to trade. Every year, Holy Spires across the Wizarding World sold vast quantities of magical gear, alchemical potions, elemental diagrams, and even spell models to nearby regions. Compared to untrustworthy small-scale magical organizations, the major Holy Spires—recognized by the Wizarding World's will—held unshakable authority and set trends for their surroundings.
The Azure Source Holy Spire was young, barely two centuries old, but in that time, it had earned a solid reputation. Knights and mages traveled great distances each year to trade here, bringing energy crystals, rare raw materials, and magic coins to the Spire in exchange for desired items—a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Of course, some powerful, ancient Holy Spires scoffed at hosting outer commercial districts, deeming them beneath their dignity and the profits trivial. The Azure Source Holy Spire was not one of these. For all its two centuries of growth, it lacked the profound heritage of Spires that had stood for millennia—or even tens of millennia. And in the Wizarding World, tens of millennia was hardly extraordinary; countless older, mightier Holy Spires existed. Not to mention the True Spirit Spires—even higher in rank, ruled by Tier 7 Dominators, they were the absolute cores of power in the Wizarding World.
After two days and nights, Kay finally reached the outer reaches of the Azure Source Holy Spire. Passing through an endless black tornado, he emerged into a bright, open expanse—and there it was. The Holy Spire was built in the heart of the Green Source Sea, consisting of one massive main island and seven or eight smaller chain islands. The "outer regions" referred to the two outermost chain islands; the rest, along with the central Azure Source Island, formed the Spire's core.
From the airship, Kay could fully grasp the Holy Spire's grandeur and beauty. The chain islands' glittering scenery was breathtaking, but nothing compared to the nearly kilometer-tall tower at the center of the main island. The tower was white, yet it shimmered with a faint green hue under the sun, its reflection dancing on the sea. "Majestic" and "solemn" were Kay's first thoughts.
"So this is the Azure Source Holy Spire," he murmured.
The airship landed on one of the two outer chain islands. Though it was labeled "outer," the island bustled with activity. Kay didn't rush to find the enrollment office; instead, he wandered aimlessly. From the sky, the island had seemed small, but on foot, its size surprised him—after half a day, he'd explored only a quarter of it, not even touching the second outer island. He could only imagine how vast the Spire's central areas were.
The commercial streets hummed with shouts and haggling, making Kay feel as if he'd stepped into a bustling market. But this was no ordinary market—over ninety percent of the vendors and shoppers were knights or mages, figures who stood above ordinary society in the mundane world. Most held impressive ranks.
It was the knights who did most of the shouting, unashamed to hawk their wares like street peddlers. Bolstered by their formidable battle qi, their voices carried farther than even a Mid-Tier Amplification Spell. The mages, by contrast, were far more reserved. They laid out their goods quietly, some even placing small magical barriers over their items, waiting for customers to approach—willing buyers only.
Ironically, few stopped at the knights' stalls; the mages' booths always drew crowds. Kay, new to the area, had no plans to buy anything on his first day, but he relished the chance to broaden his horizons. He recognized less than one percent of the items and materials on display—collectively, they represented the finest treasures from the Azure Source Holy Spire's sphere of influence, including rare goods from other planes.
Kay noticed most transactions here used energy crystals, magic cores, or magic coins; mundane gold coins were worthless. Spatial storage gear also seemed common—he watched countless shoppers tuck their purchases away with a wave of their hands. Still, he doubted any of these storage items had space comparable to his own spatial bracelet. While a few formal mages and knights hid among the crowd, the area was dominated by magic apprentices and knight squires. It seemed higher-tier traders—those at Tier 1 and above—gathered elsewhere.
Kay paused at a large stall run not by a mage, but by a visiting knight. The man had a thick black beard, stood nearly two meters tall, and his bulging biceps were thicker than Kay's thighs. A massive black axe lay casually at his feet, and in cages behind him were exotic humanoid creatures—slaves. These delicate-looking beings stared out at the Wizarding World's knights and mages, their eyes filled with unmasked terror.
"Native creatures from the Featherbloom World," the knight boomed. "Their plane refused to join the Wizarding Alliance, so we conquered it. These Featherbloom Sprites are gentle—perfect as pets or slaves. Tired from experiments? They'll keep you company. Need your lab cleaned? They make fine maids." He leered, a look everyone understood.
A few female mages clicked their tongues in disgust, but most lingered. The Featherbloom Sprites were undeniably attractive by Wizarding World standards—under 1.6 meters tall, with smooth white skin, and both males and females were stunning. Small, wing-like tufts of white down adorned their ears, adding to their innocence. Not just male knights and mages looked tempted; even some female mages seemed interested.
"I captured these during the Featherbloom War," the knight continued. "They're all below Tier 1, but Featherbloom Sprites live long—even in our world, they'll survive at least thirty years. Female sprites: 10 magic coins each. Males: 12 magic coins. Hurry—this is all I've got!"
Ordinarily, female slaves would cost more, but this knight was shrewder than he looked. He knew female mages often had more purchasing power than their male counterparts. After a long, tedious experiment, who could resist a obedient, lovely sprite to clean their lab—or satisfy other needs? The only flaw was his greed: Featherbloom Sprites like these cost barely 1 or 2 magic coins to capture; he was charging ten times that. They were just a novelty, valued only for their alien origin.
Kay stayed a spectator. He had the money, but he refused to be swindled. Most experienced knights and mages nearby felt the same—only two young male apprentices bought female sprites. Their robes were finely made, and Kay thought, "Magic coins are precious even for formal knights and mages. Those two must have powerful backers to afford otherworldly slaves."
After wandering half the outer island, Kay finally reached the Azure Source Holy Spire's entrance—a major gateway to the core. The apprentices from his airship had entered here earlier. He'd considered visiting the second outer island, but learned it was restricted to Tier 1 and above; he had no access. Not that his current island lacked high-tier figures—the bearded slaver, for example, was clearly a Tier 1+ knight, and a strong one at that.
The entrance was closed, guarded by two formal mages; no one else was allowed near. As Kay approached, one mage snapped, "Apprentice! Unauthorized personnel are forbidden from entering the Azure Source Holy Spire!"
The formal mage's mental pressure and sharp tone made Kay's heart race, but he didn't flinch. Standing his ground, he said calmly, "I've come to join the Azure Source Holy Spire Academy for further study."
His composure surprised the two mages. The female mage, softer than her colleague, said gently, "We're not in the enrollment period. If you want to join, come back in two years."
Kay relaxed slightly, then pulled out his Holy Light Badge. "Master Midici of the Dawn Holy Spire recommended me," he said. "I have a letter of introduction."