Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 889: Some Fires Are Worth Burning For

Ethan ran a rapid simulation in his mind, calculating every possible outcome.

Then he made a bold call.

"Bring me a set of mass-produced Powered Combat Armor."

The armor was delivered within minutes and immediately fitted onto Phoenix Queen Ignara’s body.

Ethan manually overrode the fusion module, switching it from its default "host enhancement" mode to a far more aggressive setting—"forced extraction and absorption."

A low hum filled the air as the armor’s core lit up with pulsing energy patterns.

The toxins and corrupted energy inside her began to stir, dragged out bit by bit, siphoned through the armor’s internal circuits.

The process was far more violent than expected.

The toxicity level and Ignara’s own energy strength both exceeded safe thresholds. The first suit of Powered Combat Armor overloaded almost instantly—its core melted down.

Then the second.

The third.

...

By the time the fifth suit was completely destroyed, the poison had finally been purged from her system.

The cost? A noticeable drop in her overall Tier.

But in a place like Emerald Castle, where the ambient energy density was off the charts, that kind of loss wasn’t permanent. With proper recovery, she could regain her original level without much trouble.

Ethan didn’t discard the five ruined suits.

He personally delivered them to the lab.

The residual energy and toxin structures embedded in the armor had stabilized into a rare high-energy state—an invaluable research sample.

The moment the researchers saw the materials, they practically snapped into frenzy mode. No hesitation. They tore into the suits, extracting samples, running models, analyzing every trace.

New tech possibilities were already beginning to take shape.

Once Ethan confirmed that Phoenix Queen Ignara’s vitals had stabilized, he didn’t linger.

He summoned Idra and Auri, assigning them to oversee her recovery, then turned and headed for the temporary holding cell where the Phoenix Empire group was being kept.

He didn’t even reach the door before he heard the low murmur of anxious voices and the pacing of restless footsteps inside.

The moment the cell door opened, several figures rushed toward him.

"My lord!"

"How is Her Majesty?!"

Their voices were a mix of panic, desperation, and hope.

Ethan rolled his shoulders, his tone calm and steady.

"The poison’s gone. She’s alive. Her strength took a hit, but she’ll recover with time."

For a moment, silence.

Then a collective exhale of relief swept through the room.

Someone slumped to the floor. Another clenched his fists and shut his eyes, the tension that had been choking them finally breaking loose.

"As long as she’s alive..."

"Everything else can be rebuilt."

Leonis suddenly slammed his fist into the stone wall. The impact sent chips flying.

"That bastard Drake!" he growled through clenched teeth. "He betrayed the Phoenix Empire! If I ever get my hands on him, I’ll tear him apart myself!"

"He’s been working with outside forces for a while."

"No one else could’ve slipped that kind of poison past our defenses."

"Next time I see him, I’m snapping his neck."

The fury in the room was thick, pressing in from all sides. The air itself seemed to vibrate with it.

Ethan listened quietly, never interrupting.

As their emotions spilled out and the details emerged, he began piecing together the truth.

The Phoenix Empire had already undergone a full-scale power shift. A traitor named Drake had seized control of the empire’s core, forcing those still loyal to Phoenix Queen Ignara into exile.

Once he had a clear picture, Ethan raised a hand, signaling for silence.

"You’re free from restraint."

With a soft hiss, the energy locks disengaged, and the suppression devices loosened from their wrists and necks.

Ethan turned and motioned for them to follow.

Before long, the group arrived at the heart of Emerald Castle’s mining zone.

Pure, blazing energy flowed through the mineral walls. Even the air shimmered with floating motes of light—like burning stardust suspended in motion.

"Since you’re here," Ethan said, "you’ll stay—for now. From this moment on, you’ll operate under Emerald Castle’s banner."

The group blinked, stunned.

"I’ll be launching an operation against the Phoenix Empire," he continued. "And I need you at the front. The energy resources here are fully open to you."

Shock gave way to disbelief—then to something close to awe.

Just stepping into the mine, they could already feel their energy stirring, their blood heating like it had been set alight.

Solara couldn’t tear her eyes away.

The moment she spotted a vein of exposed flame ore, her eyes lit up—literally. She rushed forward, unable to resist, and began absorbing it on the spot.

The searing energy surged through her meridians, spreading fast.

Within moments, the flames dancing across her skin shifted from orange-red to a deeper, purer crimson.

"This is... unbelievable," she breathed, almost in shock. "I’ve never seen flame ore this pure. My lord, where did you even find this?"

Ethan just gave a faint smile, offering no answer.

"Focus on getting stronger."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving them the space to process the opportunity they’d just been handed.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

This group had serious potential.

With the right guidance, they could become Emerald Castle’s sharpest blade.

Not long after he left, research teams moved into the mining zone. They began running full-spectrum tests on the newcomers—energy levels, racial potential, compatibility metrics. Once the data was collected, it was sent back to the labs for modeling and analysis.

The Phoenix faction didn’t resist.

They understood they were still under observation.

More importantly—Phoenix Queen Ignara was still under Ethan’s protection.

They had no leverage to act out.

...

Night slowly fell over the capital.

Ethan stood alone atop the city wall, his gaze fixed on the distant forest swallowed in shadow.

The lands surrounding Emerald Castle had been almost entirely developed.

Except for that forest.

No one had ever truly set foot in it.

He’d sent goblin scout teams in multiple times.

None had returned.

Every life signal vanished without a trace.

He’d followed up with elite squads—same result. Total silence.

Even Elira had led a team in herself, only to be forced into a hasty retreat after encountering something... wrong.

That forest was like an invisible barrier, sealing away whatever lay inside.

In the end, Ethan had no choice but to lock it down.

A massive barrier of pure energy now rose along the forest’s edge, a transparent dome that sealed the entire region off from the outside world.

No one entered. No one left. Not without clearance.

But the more unknown something was, the more it gnawed at the mind.

Even knowing the danger, Ethan found his eyes drifting back to that dark sea of trees again and again, a quiet, persistent pull rising in his chest.

A feeling he couldn’t shake.

Whatever was in there—it wasn’t just dangerous.

It was hiding something deeper than any threat they’d faced so far.