In a cavern hall that was half natural and half man-made, Shawn was carefully inscribing magical runes circuits.
The magical glow rising from the floor bathed the vast, deep hall in white light. It appeared to be a complex, large-scale alchemy array.
To be precise, Shawn was repairing the large-scale alchemy array that had already been there.
The basilisk and Purple Shadow had spent almost a year exploring this place and determined that these secret passages covered almost the entire area beneath the Forbidden Forest, forming a vast, intricate network.
At several key junctions stood alchemy arrays so complex that their purpose was impossible to discern, though they had already stopped working.
Fortunately, repairing them was still within Shawn's abilities. All it would take was some time.
He intended to find out just what secrets and clues lay hidden here.
After a surge of purple light, Purple Shadow appeared a short distance behind Shawn with Vita.
Hearing the movement, Shawn assumed Purple Shadow had grown bored and come to play with him.
So he did not turn around, merely saying casually,
"Go play with Tina for now. Once I finish here, I'll take you both somewhere else to hunt for food."
Vita watched Shawn, who was still absorbed in inscribing the magical runes circuits, with an aching heart. Taking a table and chairs out of her pocket, she called softly from beyond the array.
"Shawn, take a break. I brought your favorite grilled fish. Come and eat first."
At that familiar voice, a trace of warmth flashed through Shawn's eyes, though his body involuntarily stiffened.
He quickly recovered, however, and hurriedly turned around, calling warmly,
"Mother, what brings you here?"
As he spoke, Shawn walked out of the array and settled naturally into a chair.
Vita arranged the steaming dishes,