As the pale morning light seeped through the thick canopy, Gilgamel and Dodo emerged from the mouth of the cave, stepping onto a moss-covered ridge.
The air was sharp with the scent of wet leaves and lingering mana residue.
Gilgamel held the dry, shriveled seed between his fingers—the seed of a Golden Apple, that legendary elixir that can change the fate of wizards.
He inhaled deeply, then closed his eyes.
"Search."
A faint pulse resonated from deep within his consciousness. No one else could see it—but Gilgamel felt it clearly.
The Mysterious Book stirred.
A gentle hum echoed in his mind as if a phantom page was being turned. Then, light rippled before him—thin, almost invisible at first—until it bloomed into a three-dimensional holographic map, suspended silently in the air. It hovered just above his open palm, woven of glowing threads and flickering sigils, forming the terrain of the secret realm in meticulous detail.
