After instructing Mayor Buck to finalize the apprentice selection and the blacksmith shop's expansion as soon as possible, Robert took Aid and headed straight toward the upper part of the valley.
The further they climbed, the wilder the terrain became. Sheer cliffs rose steeply on both sides, the trees grew denser, and the traces of human activity gradually vanished. The mountain air grew cool and heavy with moisture.
"Lord, it shouldn't be far ahead," Aid said, pushing aside a wall of thick shrubs. From somewhere up front came the faint rush of falling water.
They walked a little farther, skirted a cluster of giant boulders, and the view suddenly opened wide before them.
A vast waterfall cascaded from a cliff tens of meters high like a river of stars pouring from the heavens. It struck a deep pool below with a thunderous roar, filling the air with mist that shimmered in the sunlight. The spray blew against their faces, sharp and cold, carrying the crisp scent of mountain stream and wet foliage.
"What a magnificent waterfall," Robert murmured, awed by the spectacle.
Aid said nothing. His sharp eyes were scanning every detail of the cliff face. After a moment, he pointed toward the left side of the waterfall. "Lord, look there."
Robert followed his gaze and saw it—behind the curtain of water, faint shapes of uneven rock appeared, and hidden within was what looked like a narrow crevice. Without Aid's keen perception, and their prior speculation, an ordinary traveler would never have noticed that shadowed hollow behind the falling water.
"Let's take a look," Robert said.
They approached the waterfall. The booming noise shook their chests, and the dense mist soon drenched their clothes. Picking their steps carefully over slippery rocks, they circled around to the back of the cascade.
Pushing aside the hanging vines and the thick sheet of falling water, they found a narrow crack in the cliff wall—barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through sideways. The opening exhaled a chill, damp breath from within.
Aid pulled a torch from his satchel, struck it alight with a flint, and the dim yellow glow pushed back some of the darkness.
"Lord, I'll go first," he said.
He slipped into the passage, holding the torch high. Robert followed close behind.
The passage was short, perhaps a dozen steps long, before it opened suddenly into a wide cavern.
It was a natural grotto, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling like fangs of stone, glittering faintly in the torchlight. The air was thick with the stale mustiness of a long-sealed space, tinged with a strange mix of herbs and minerals.
At the far end, traces of human handiwork became evident. The inner wall had been smoothed, and faint, time-worn symbols and patterns were carved upon it.
In the center of the cavern stood a large stone table cluttered with the remains of ancient experiments—oddly shaped glass vessels, crucibles, mortars, and strange metal tools, all thickly coated in dust. Many were cracked or shattered.
In one corner lay heaps of withered plant specimens and chunks of oddly colored ores. Several wooden shelves, half-rotted and tilting, stood nearby. From their crossbars hung dried lizards, toads, and bat wings, their shadows dancing grotesquely in the flickering torchlight.
"It seems this must have been a wizard's laboratory," Robert said quietly, gazing around the eerie scene. Judging by the dust and decay, its owner had abandoned it long ago.
"Lord, over here!" Aid called from beneath a pile of collapsed shelves.
Robert strode over and found Aid pulling out an object tightly wrapped in oilcloth from under the debris of a decayed wooden chest. The wrapping had grown brittle and stiff with age, the edges frayed, but it had protected its contents well.
Aid laid it carefully on the table. Robert untied the knots and unfolded the cloth. Inside lay a thick notebook bound in some sort of dark-brown beast hide. There were no words on the cover, only a twisted rune branded deep into its center—a mark that seemed to pulse faintly in the torchlight.
Robert's heart quickened. He lifted the book, feeling its unexpected weight. Though ancient, the hide was still supple, and the craftsmanship fine. Taking a slow breath, he opened the first page.
The parchment was yellowed and rough, yet the writing was still legible—lines of strange script combining the common tongue with unknown symbols and arcane diagrams.
Robert bent closer, using the torchlight to decipher what he could.
The notes were complex and wide-ranging, touching on herb identification, mineral purification, elemental transmutation, and rune inscription. Much of it was cryptic—half-formed theories, fragmented thoughts, and disjointed experiments—but it revealed the mind of a true scholar of the arcane.
Then, halfway through the notebook, the scattered notes gave way to more coherent writing. The topic shifted sharply.
Robert's breath caught.
The remaining pages all focused on a single field—magical beasts.
There were detailed observations on identifying potential young beasts, analyses of various species and their habits, and methods of taming them. The text went further still, exploring theories of bloodline awakening, potential stimulation, and even artificial cultivation under human control.
Several pages were written in red ink, filled with formulas for potions, step-by-step refining instructions, and the accompanying spells required for their use.
The names of these concoctions—and their described effects—made Robert's pulse race.
"Young Beast Growth Accelerator: Main ingredients: Earth Dragon Grass and magical-beast spinal fluid, with powdered Moonlight Stone as a catalyst. Greatly shortens the bone development cycle of young beasts."
"Potential Activation Potion (Trial Model III): Requires the heart-blood of a third-tier magical beast and Deep-Sea Night Pearls. Highly unstable with a high failure rate, but if successful, can forcibly awaken dormant talents or latent bloodline power in the target beast."
"Attribute Solidification Fluid: Formula incomplete—only partial notes remain. Appears capable of permanently infusing a chosen elemental attribute into a beast's body, enhancing its resistance and attack affinity."
Robert's eyes grew brighter as he read, his fingers tightening around the pages until his knuckles turned white.
This was no ordinary notebook—it was a treasure trove of lost magical knowledge.
What did he need most at this moment?
Time—and methods to strengthen his fragile domain.
Blackstone Town was still rebuilding from ruin. His people were few, his soldiers exhausted, and his resources thin. But if he could master even one of these potion formulas—say, the simplest Young Beast Growth Accelerator—he could rear a batch of trained magical beasts in months instead of years.
With that, he could form a magical-beast cavalry—swift, resilient, and devastating in combat. Such a force would transform the defense and exploration of his territory, even opening the path for future expansion.
Suppressing the thrill rising within him, Robert closed the notebook with reverent care.
"Aid, search every corner again," he ordered quietly. "See if there are any other records or valuables."
"Yes, my lord." Aid nodded and began examining the shelves, boxes, and piles of debris with renewed vigor. The torchlight flickered across his determined face as he sifted through the remnants of the forgotten laboratory.
Robert stood by the stone table, feeling the notebook's weight in his hands. The hide felt warm, almost alive. The rune on the cover seemed to shimmer faintly in the light, as if watching him.
This was the legacy of a powerful wizard—one whose studies delved deep into the mysteries of life and magic. A legacy now fallen into his hands.
Minutes passed. Aid returned, shaking his head. "Lord, I found only some spoiled alchemical materials, a few low-quality magic crystal fragments, and scraps of damaged parchment with scattered notes. Nothing else of worth."
"That's fine," Robert said, smiling faintly. He patted the notebook against his chest, feeling its solid bulk through his tunic. "This alone exceeds all expectations."
He rewrapped the notebook in the oilcloth and tucked it securely inside his cloak.
Then, together, they made their way back through the narrow crevice and stepped once more into daylight. The roar of the waterfall filled their ears again, but this time, Robert heard it differently—less as noise, more as a triumphant fanfare.
As they stood before the mist-shrouded pool, Robert turned to gaze at the cliffs towering above. Somewhere behind that curtain of water lay the forgotten knowledge of a vanished wizard, and within his grasp was the key to unlocking a new era for Blackstone Town.
The mountain wind carried away the last trace of dust from his cloak as he smiled. "Let's return," he said. "Our journey today was worth more than gold."
Aid nodded, still awed by their discovery. The two men descended the rugged path back toward the valley floor, leaving behind the silent cavern that had slumbered unseen for generations.
Hidden behind the eternal roar of the waterfall, the wizard's legacy waited no longer—it had found a new master.