The most powerful wizard in the magic world

"This place... is incredible," he muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the empty space.

At this moment, his old friend Emilian quietly walked in and interrupted his thoughts. Emilian is an excellent magician with a lively personality, who can often use her wit and humor to ease the tense atmosphere.

"Hey, Gerlin, if you keep staring at that altar like that, I'm afraid you'll be sucked in!" Emilian teased with a smile, her eyes flashing with curiosity.

Gerlin turned his head and smiled. "If I really get sucked in, you will be the first one to save me. Don't forget what you promised!"

“Sure, no problem!” Emilian nodded seriously, but then joked, “But I hope you can find something good in there and don’t make a mess there.”

The two approached the altar. Gerlin pointed at a rune on the altar and frowned. "Do you think this rune has any special meaning? These symbols seem to have something to do with the ancient magic I learned."

Emilian looked at it carefully and said softly, "I think this is a rune that strengthens magic casting. It may be used to enhance the caster's ability. However... I have never seen such a combination. This magical aura is so strong. Could it be that something special happened here?"

Gerlin stared at the rune and seemed to feel a subtle vibration. "Perhaps some great ceremony had taken place in the past, or..."

Before he finished speaking, the wind whistled and the lights in the ruins flickered, as if responding to Gerlin's words. Emilian took a step back alertly, "Gerlin, be careful!"

“I know,” Gelling replied softly, with a gleam of determination in his eyes. “This is why we are here, to understand all this.”

At this moment, a vague figure appeared in the air, gradually condensing into a robed, old-looking wizard. His blue eyes sparkled with wisdom, as if transcending the boundaries of time and space.

"Brave explorers, why did you enter these ruins?" The wizard's voice was low and vast, seeming to echo between the barriers.

Emilian opened her eyes wide in surprise and whispered, "Is this... a ghost?"

Gerlin leaned forward slightly. "We are here to explore the history and magic of this place, hoping to understand what happened in the past."

The wizard's eyes showed a trace of relief. "Your courage is admirable. Many years ago, I was also a person who was eager for knowledge, but I paid a price."

“The price?” Emilian asked in surprise. “Are you saying that something tragic happened here?”

The wizard sighed. "Yes, the ancient magic is extremely powerful, but also very dangerous. I share some of my knowledge with you in the hope that you can learn from my mistakes."

Garlin listened carefully. "Please tell us what happened."

The wizard slowly unfolded his story, "A long time ago, this was a glorious magic center where all kinds of magicians gathered to conduct creative experiments. However, an experiment went out of control, causing the power of magic to get out of control and swallowed up the entire team, leaving only these ruins and souls like mine."

Emilian frowned. "Then how do you still exist?"

"Because I have a deep connection with the ancient magic of this land. Now I can only exist in the form of a soul, continuing my unfinished mission and warning future explorers."

Garlin thought to himself, "So what do you want us to do?"

The wizard's eyes were firm. "I need you to help me unlock the seal of this relic. Only in this way can I be completely free. You must find the symbols of the four elements: water, fire, earth, and wind. Only by bringing them back to the altar can you complete this ritual."

Emilian said excitedly, “That sounds like an adventure! We can do it, right, Garlin?”

Gerlin nodded. Although he still felt fear in his heart, he also understood that this was a responsibility. "We will help you complete the ritual and uncover the secrets of the ruins."

"Thank you," the wizard smiled slightly, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, "Time is urgent and the journey may be full of dangers, but you must be careful to treat the symbol of each element. Only a true heart can trigger their power."

As the wizard spoke, the light around him flickered, the sky seemed to become darker, and the sound of wind faintly echoed in his ears, bringing with it an ominous premonition.

"Where do we go first to find the symbol of the first element?" Emilian asked, trying to break the tension between the three.

The wizard pointed to the depths of the ruins and said, "The symbol of water is in a swamp in the south, the symbol of fire is in the lava flow in the north, the symbol of earth is in the dark mountains in the west, and the symbol of wind..." The wizard's voice became weaker and weaker, "It is on the peak in the east."

"Okay, we will set off as soon as possible!" Gerling nodded firmly, secretly encouraging himself not to be afraid of the unknown.

Just as the two were about to set off, the wizard spoke again, "Remember, be careful along the way. The elements have their own will, and they will test your heart. If your faith is shaken, the consequences will be disastrous."

Gerlin and Emilian looked at each other and realized that this was not just a simple treasure hunt, but a test of faith and courage.

"We will definitely come back," Gerling said firmly, turning around and leading Emilian southward toward the swamp.

As they passed through the broken door and stepped into the unknown, the air around them became humid, and overgrown vegetation covered the ground, creating a mysterious and dangerous atmosphere. Gerlin and Emilian supported each other, always keeping the wizard's words in their hearts.

"Do you feel... that the atmosphere of this place is a little different?" Gerlin asked, frowning slightly.

"Hmm, there is a hint of pungent saltiness, as if it comes from the distant ocean," Emilian said thoughtfully, "Perhaps this is the symbol of water!"

They continued to go deeper into the swamp, the mud under their feet gradually deepened, as if trying to bury their footprints. There was a faint sound of water around them, as if guiding their direction.

"Hold on," whispered Garlin. "We can't get separated."