With the help of spells like Dispel Humanity, Fog Magic, Unmarkable, and the support of a demiplane, Mystra Academy had always remained a mystery in the eyes of the world. Though many had heard of its existence, no ordinary person had ever laid eyes on it.
Yet, aside from the demiplane, such concealment meant nothing to the eyes of the gods.
The only reason Mystra Academy had never been exposed before was simply that the gods had never cared about magic.
But now, things were different.
The flow of magical energy from the entire Greek leyline was surging toward that one place.
If the gods still failed to notice the secret hidden on Colchis Island, then they would be nothing but blind.
And so, divine gazes pierced the mist and fixed upon Colchis Island.
Only then did they discover that upon the island stood a castle of a style none of them had ever seen before. From its exterior alone, its splendor could rival the temples of the gods themselves.
But that was not the most important thing.
The crucial point was that this castle seemed to harbor immense power. Not only the castle itself, but presences steeped in power filled its grounds. Even the forests around it seethed with the aura of powerful magical beasts.
Most striking of all was, of course, the giant dragon resting beside the castle.
A multitude of mages, humans who, in the eyes of gods, were merely beings wielding scraps of true aether, had gathered around the castle.
Yet the powers these mages carried were far greater than those the gods occasionally saw among mortals.
Some of the female mages in particular bore forces that could rival mighty magical beasts.
The gods had never expected that humanity, without their notice, had gathered so many formidable beings together. And they, as gods, had been entirely unaware.
This was undeniably their failure.
Of course, the beauty of these powerful female mages also made more than a few gods' eyes brighten.
But now was not the time for such trifles.
Though the secret of Colchis Island was astonishing, it could be dealt with later. What demanded immediate attention was the overwhelming magic gathered at the island's center.
At its core, the gods saw a massive and terrifying blue crystal.
With a diameter of three hundred kilometers, the crystal was nearly larger than the island itself, and the power it contained was enough to make even gods wary.
"Damn it, what is all this?"
High above the clouds, Zeus was the first to speak, his voice thundering in fury.
"How are you managing the mortal world? These vile… wizards, yes, that's the word, they've caused such a catastrophe, and none of you noticed in advance. This is sheer negligence!"
Zeus's rage swept across the assembly, and all the gods lowered their heads.
Apart from two goddesses harboring their own schemes, the others felt guilty indeed at the state of the mortal world.
Only Hera dared to oppose him. As soon as Zeus finished, the Queen of the Gods retorted coldly.
"And who set the example? Look at yourself. You, the so-called King of the Gods, instead of ruling with dignity, run amok in the mortal world seducing women.
What lesson do you expect the others to learn from that?"
Her words left Zeus deeply embarrassed. After all, between them, he had always been the unfaithful one.
Against Hera's rebuke, he could find no answer and could only change the subject.
"This enormous blue crystal, whatever it is, it is not something of the mortal world. The priority now is to destroy it!"
With that, Zeus stepped forward, raising his right hand high as he bellowed:
"Thunder!"
Immediately, raging lightning gathered in his palm, forming into a thunder spear. The violent electricity carried the force of a nuclear weapon, the surrounding air almost turned to plasma.
Zeus hurled the spear down at Colchis Island.
A blinding bolt of lightning crashed toward the island and the blue crystal looming above it.
Yet the thunder spear, powerful enough to annihilate the entire island, began to unravel the instant it touched the crystal's surrounding magic.
In moments, the terrifying thunderbolt dissolved into pure magic, merging into the dense sea of energy and vanishing.
"What?"
Zeus's face changed dramatically, and the expressions of the other gods grew solemn as well.
It was well known that Zeus's thunder was the most destructive force among the gods.
Even though he had not wielded his divine artifact this time, his thunder spear was no attack that should be easily neutralized.
Unwilling to believe it, Zeus tried again.
"Thunder!"
A thunder spear even stronger than before shot toward the crystal.
But the result was the same: it was once again broken down into magic.
This time, the gods were dumbstruck. One after another, they tried their own attacks, flames, arrows, spears, and more, but against the colossal blue crystal, none had the slightest effect.
At last, they gave up on trying to destroy it directly.
Just then, Athena spoke up with a suggestion.
"Perhaps we should go down and take a look," mused the Goddess of Wisdom.
"I think, since this blue crystal appeared in the mages' stronghold, it is very likely of their making. If we meet with them, speak to them, perhaps they hold no ill intent after all."
Athena was genuinely pleased to see the rise of such mages among humans.
She delighted in humanity's ability to wield power of their own, for it meant that in this dangerous world, humans might at last protect themselves.
But Zeus, as always, dismissed her sympathy for mortals.
"Hmph! Ill intent? Even if they mean well, what does it matter? Humans should never wield such mighty power. If they do, they will grow lawless!" Zeus declared harshly, then nodded curtly.
"Still, your suggestion has merit. Let us send our messenger god to investigate. Find who is responsible, seize him, and put an end to this. That is my command!"
Zeus's domineering order left Athena powerless to object. She could only gaze toward Colchis Island with worry.
She almost regretted making the suggestion at all.
But Hermes, the Messenger God, accepted the task without hesitation.
Hermes appeared as a young man, the son of Zeus and Maia, one of the mountain goddesses.
Unlike Athena, who always held her own counsel, Hermes was ever loyal to Zeus.
With a swift step, he transformed into a streak of light and descended into the mortal realm, landing upon Colchis Island.
Yet before he could even begin his investigation, a voice, vast, boundless, resounding from the very heart of the magic ocean at the island's center, echoed across heaven and earth.
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