Three years later. I am 56.

I said goodbye to my Knights and explained that I would probably never return. The chance of my survival was too slim. I briefly outlined the big picture to them, explaining that I had most likely offended some Mages. Accordingly advised them to scatter around the human kingdoms and lay low if they value their own lives.

Thankfully, Stephanie's death went unnoticed. Although I was surprised that no one had come to me with questions over the years, I didn't care too much. As a last resort, I would again give the enemy my last fight.

The last time I hid from the gang was as a child at the home of William Tarrister. Since then, Sam Tarrister has never hid from his enemies. Rather, he always chose his enemies and paid them a visit first.

A certain portion of the Outland gold coins was exchanged for local gold coins two for one, so now my people could go anywhere and live however they wanted. Well, the rest can stay here at their own peril and risk. I also took some of the best Knights to accompany me in my travel. Would be too bothersome to deal with bandits and beasts along the road myself.

I had to travel to Wailing Mountain for over half a year because I couldn't use my new body. There was practically no free space in it, only the necessary spaces for the rune formations. It remained only to carry this body in a wagon along with two boxes of gold. I had to make a special carriage.

Activating the golem to move on its own would be a bad idea. The golem worked on magic crystals, the activation of all the runes and mechanisms was quite expensive for the current me. I could activate it any time if we would meet a strong enemy on the way.

I wasn’t going to take the golem body to the Melrose Tower either, the Magician can simply spoil the formations and the body will become useless. The difference in the mental energy of an acolyte and a True Magician is too great. In combat, it is almost impossible to do this without destroying the body, but if you leave an ownerless body right in front of another Mage, then anything is possible. I was going to correct this shortcoming in the future, the main thing is that this future should come.

The body itself was about 2.5 meters in height, still the same dark gold color in the form of armor, and weighed only about two tons. I could take control of the body directly or use it as a golem. I was also going to solve the problem with the weight of the golem in the future.

After hiding the golem and Rock not too far from Melrose Castle, I returned to Wailing Mountain and waited for Nocturne.

The Wailing Mountain was not too big, about a hundred meters high. Its feature was the empty caves that covered the entire mountain. Even a light wind turned the mountain into a musical instrument and the mountain made lingering howling sounds, it was believed that these sounds were the cry of the dead.

Although I wandered through the caves, but apart from the terrible atmosphere and unusual insects, I did not find anything interesting in it.

A little further there was a poisonous swamp in the middle of which Melrose actually lived. There were not the most flattering rumors about his tower. Even around the tower there were various demonic creatures like vines feeding on flesh and blood. Poisonous mushrooms walking on makeshift legs and other local residents.

This Mage created around the tower something like an ecosystem suitable for these creatures, but the unfortunate acolytes and people regularly became their food.

Suddenly, I turned my head to the sky and noticed the approach of a black griffin. It rapidly descended and soon landed on the ground next to Wailing Mountain. Nocturne soared into the air and gently sank to the ground, his wide mantle apparently was an artifact playing the role of an air cushion.

Picking up my old body, I walked closer and bowed.

- Glad to see you, Lord Nocturne.

Nocturne nodded slightly and set off towards the highway, from where the road led to the poisonous swamp. I followed him. Although I expected him to ask questions about how I managed to stay alive, he never asked anything.

Having walked a little along the road towards the poisonous swamps, Nocturne stopped. Using a spell, he created a high-backed chair for himself and sat down looking bored. In the distance, a light green poisonous fog could be seen covering a large area around the tower. The tower itself was not visible from here.

A little later, a stone golem appeared out of the mist, resembling something between a wolf and a bear. The golem was rather big, about 7 meters in length. An old man was sitting on it in the lotus position. His gray hair was in disarray, his face was stubble, his eyes were sunken with circles under them from lack of sleep. A tired look, a rumpled gray robe that seemed to have once been snowy white.

From the outside, the old man didn't seem all that scary, but I'd heard a lot about him over the years, so I didn't believe that this old man was as harmless as he looked.

As expected, Nocturne was unwilling to go into the tower and decided to fulfill his end of the bargain outside. I had to hope that he would keep his promise.

The golem got close enough and stopped.

- Little Nocturne, how many years we have not seen each other. - the old man said deliberately warmly.

- And hello to you Melrose. - Nocturne answered dispassionately.

I felt Melrose's mental wave wash over me.

- Eh - sighed Melrose. - Another barely alive old man. Couldn't bring someone younger?

Nocturne ignored the question.

- What are the conditions of the experiment?

- It's simple, I'll provide the Ascension potion and if needed the rest for the breakout attempt. In return your acolyte will serve my family for a hundred years in case of a successful experiment. These are standard conditions for everyone. Apparently they are generous enough.

- My acolyte will become your test subject but without service contracts. Not only that, you will sign a contract that will prohibit your family from harming or restricting it in any way for a hundred years if successful. - Nocturne voiced a counter offer.

Melrose laughed grimly.

- Your acolyte is already a walking corpse, the success rate is too low. Basically your counteroffer is bullshit. You will conclude similar contracts only in your own academy.

Nocturne turned to me and I spoke.

- Besides being a True Knight, I also have an advanced meditation technique. My mental energy is quite pure.

Melrose tested me again with mental energy, more carefully this time. He seemed to be interested.

I was not able to convey the meditation technique even if I wanted to, so trying to master it was a waste of time for the Mages. Although there were rumors about the mind reading technique, but as far as I knew this technique was long lost. But even if this is not the case, there is no guarantee that such a technique will help to extract the technique of meditation from the mind.

- Okay. Recently, my family lacks fresh blood, he will serve my family for only 50 years ... - Melrose said, but Nocturne interrupted him.

- Enough of this nonsense! We both know where you got your Ascension potions from. If by some miracle the experiment is successful and he stays here to serve your family, then second rank Mage will appear and will do whatever he wants with him. I came here, which means there is only two options. Either you guarantee that he can survive and leave if successful, or we have nothing else to talk about.

They kept arguing for a while. 

Melrose thought frowningly. Considering the negligible probability of success of the experiment, there was little point in insisting on one's own. A contract with second rank Mage was set to 50 years so it was over a while ago. But for so many years he was engaged in research in this direction primarily for himself, at least he wanted to get as much information as possible before giving it a try.

Of course successful experiment in itself would be a huge breakthrough and would give him hope, but it's better to play it safe.

- One year. During the year, he will be able to go where he wants and do what he wants in complete safety, there will be no restrictions or attempts to track on my part. At the same time, I promise that no one will even know about the results of the experiment during this year. But I must at least know everything that the test subject will go through during the experiment if he survives, we will add this clause to the contract. If that still doesn't suit you, then you can leave. - Melrose said.

Although Melrose seemed to have the last word, Nocturne began to argue anyway. As a result, they agreed on a period of three years. Nocturne looked at me and I nodded. Apparently, it's useless for me to count on more. I was already more than happy with such a result.

Nocturne took a solemn pose and spoke aloud.

- World of Mages! Bless your humble servant with the contract.

The surroundings fell into an oppressive silence, then a parchment materialized in the air in front of Nocturne. It seemed to come out of nowhere. The parchment wafted with an aura of antiquity and power. Even the True Magicians at that moment looked more serious than ever.

All the records I found said that these contracts were provided by the world itself. It was impossible to break them, if the consequences of its violation were not indicated in the contract itself, then the violator would face inevitable death, no matter who he was.

At the same time, such contracts had limitations. For example, with the help of them it was impossible to enslave another Mage. Otherwise, Mages of the second rank would have made Mages of the first rank their slaves long ago. Only acolytes of rank 3 or higher could use such contracts. Moreover, an acolyte could conclude only one contract. True Magician two contracts and so on.

Nocturne focused on the contract and it was gradually filled with text. The contract soon appeared before Melrose. He got acquainted with him and left his mental imprint. Then the parchment appeared in front of me. It seemed that it simply disappeared in a flash and instantly appeared before the parties entering into an agreement.

Both clauses of the treaty were described in detail on the parchment. The first item closed any possible holes that could allow Melrose to harm me or keep me in any way during or after the experiment for three years. Even a simple hint through a third party could not provide information about the experiment. Naturally, I also had no right to harm him during this period. At the same time, everything used during the experiment, including the Soul Pearl in which my soul will be placed, will belong to me and could not be used to harm me.

The second paragraph stated that I was obliged to recount all my experience from beginning to end of the experiment personally to Melrose, as well as any other information related to a potential successful outcome. Naturally, this item obliged me to participate in the experiment with all the consequences.

Of course, if I die during the experiment, the contract will expire. It was possible to terminate the contract at any time with the consent of both parties.

I focused and left my mental imprint on the contract. The parchment flared up and disappeared in a bright flame. I felt the image of parchment in my mind. It will remain there until completed.

Well, my part of the deal is done. Good luck experimenting. - said Nocturne and immediately took his leave.

I thanked him afterward, but he didn't seem to care. Nocturne was extremely reserved today and didn't even talk to me directly. Given my chances of survival, it's understandable.

A golem's paw fell in front of me and without waiting for an invitation, I climbed onto it, after which the golem threw me onto its back where Melrose was already sitting. He seemed to be thinking about something of his own. The golem went to the tower.

Such a golem obviously weighed more than one ton, but its gait did not shake the ground with the expected force. Obviously, gravity reduction magic was used to some extent. But my mental energy couldn't penetrate the golem and check his runes, so I just sat still.

For this old man, such a development of events has long become a routine. Thousand of acolytes went through the same thing under his guidance. Surely many of them were also special in their own way. Perhaps he has been making some changes to his experiments all this time in an attempt to increase the chances of success. Nevertheless, he himself, apparently, was not too optimistic after so many failures.

In any case, I was already too old and there was only one limb of my own left. Some internal injuries did not recover no matter how hard you tried. Even if I miraculously last another 5-10 years, these years are unlikely to be my best years. As usual in such situations, I did not feel doubts or worries. The decision was made by me a long time ago.

Normally in such a situation I would not dare to be the first to speak to an unfamiliar True Magician without wanting to annoy him. However, the contract had already been concluded, so I was no longer in danger. I decided that it makes sense to try to learn as much as possible.

- Lord Melrose...

- Shut up! - Melrose snarled angrily.

I still had to shut up.

The poison mist did not approach Melrose and me. Soon I finally saw this same tower. Its architectural value was doubtful. At the base, the tower occupied a large area, perhaps a couple of hundred square meters. Gradually, it narrowed with each exaggerated floor. In general, the tower apparently was also made of black stone, same like the academy. It looked rather gloomy.

It was extremely deserted inside. I still haven't seen any other acolytes. But there were many golems of different types. Although golems were often used at Garrow Academy, even there were not so many of them.

I have already adopted the experience of the academy in the matter of creating golems and used this experience when creating my own golem. I had a lot of my own thoughts about their creation. Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to bring my ideas to life. It would be quite useful to study Melrose's work in this direction.