Chapter 41: The Grand Mage’s Expedition
"Oh? He was willing to take such a risk?" Hiro asked, surprised that anyone would do something so selfless with no strings attached.
"He was already of a very old age, my Lord. He probably would've died a natural death in a few years had he not undertaken this expedition. In addition, he was someone who sought glory. It is quite likely that he wanted to leave something behind for future generations."
Targon was inwardly surprised that Hiro did not seem to know about the expedition.
"That explains it. Continue. How did this expedition go?" Hiro asked.
Targon nodded and said, "First of all, this expedition confirmed without a doubt that the Shifting Sands did indeed lead people to the Desolate Lands and not to their doom."
"Over the course of the next few days, the expedition regularly reported back on their surroundings. They were apparently in a swamp that stretched far and wide. The clouds above were perpetually dark. The mana in their surroundings was dense, and high-level monsters were aplenty."
"The monsters were powerful but not overwhelmingly so. Being able to cross Level 200 was proof of the Grand Mage's prowess. With his help, the party was able to survive all the monster attacks they faced. As the expedition continued, the Grand Mage sent back several reports indicating that the region was rich in important resources."
Everyone listened to Targon's story with rapt attention. Tara even leaned forward and asked, "What happened next?"
Targon's face darkened. "Six days. That was how long the Grand Mage had been able to survive. What happened toward the end of his expedition is not clearly known to the public. The nobles were very vague about the details they shared."
"All I know is that the Grand Mage's final transmission mentioned a strange phenomenon. Its exact details are not known to me. I didn't exactly have an exalted status in my old realm. Anyways, all communication ceased after that point. The Grand Mage was declared dead to the public. Most people think that whatever this strange phenomenon was, it must've killed the Grand Mage."
"This is all I know about the Desolate Lands, my Lord," Targon finished.