Sol had no idea what plan Ocean formulated during his spar with the Elves and Dwarves but the glint in his eyes was enough to tell that he had found some sort of a relief.

"I’ll see you later," Ocean told him and then glanced at Anore.

"Anore, I want you and your team here in the evening." Ocean instructed and Anore bowed.

"Yes, Master."

"The same goes for the kids, Kent." Ocean added looking at Kent who nodded back

"What’s your plan?" Sol asked and Ocean smiled at him, a mischievous, secretive smile adorning his face.

Ocean left Eldarf and went straight to Albagard territory.

Baron Sebastian Oberon had just been preparing for dinner with his servants preparing him when he heard a knock on his window.

The servants looked at the door instead but in the next moment the windows opened on their own but they didn’t see who or what entered.

Baron Oberon’s eyebrows twitched and he looked at his servants.

"Prepare the table for two. A guest is to accompany me for dinner." Oberon told them.

The servants looked confused before they bowed and then left the room closing the door behind them.

Oberon adjusted the sleeves of his beige coat before he glanced at the armchair which appeared empty.

"You can show yourself now, Master." Oberon said.

The mana fluctuated and the air rippled before Ocean’s form was visible, sitting on the armchair legs crossed one over the other.

"Good evening, Baron." Ocean spoke and Oberon bowed.

"It is a good evening indeed, to have Master Ocean himself grace me with his presence." Oberon smiled as he straightened up and Ocean smiled back.

"I need you to do something." Ocean spoke and Oberon nodded.

"Anything you say, Master."

Ocean observed the old man before him for a moment before he spoke.

"I need you to cast a spell on something."

Oberon appeared a little confused, "Pardon?"

Ocean plucked out a mana stone which was attached to a pendant from the pocket of his pants.

"Cast a tracker spell on this stone and also one shadow restriction spell." Ocean spoie.

Oberon opened his mouth and then closed it before he forced a smile.

"I... Master... Since when... do you know?" Oberon asked and Ocean smiled.

"I didn’t know at first, I figured it out later." Ocean answered.

Oberon lowered his eyes for a moment, pondering while Ocean observed him.

Apart from the major noble families that carried the essence of mana of different elements, there were a few rare families who carried the kind of mana that was either extinct or was never exposed to the world.

Like Baron Sebastian Oberon’s family had a special kind of mana form but since the mana was strong and complicated, it ended up causing the medical anomalies in kids precisely the mental vulnerability, resulting in most of them to die while only those who could have the mana type fuse with their blood to continue living.

Umbrakinesis. Or Shadow Manipulation.

The rarest kind of mana that was majorly used by demons and a special kind of a Dragon was so strong but easily misusable that the practitioners were seen as cursed individuals.

Oberon family was the only family in existence that had the living person who could perform shadow manipulation.

Shadow manipulation was based solely on mental fortitude, the moment the user’s brain weakened the mana would turn on its user which was why it was rare, dangerous and had ended up killing a lot of children who had born with it.

It was also basically the reason why Baron Oberon had not married, he didn’t want to pass this mana to his child and ruin their life. He was probably the last living human who could perform umbrakinesis.

Ocean had came to know about this when he managed to get access to see Oberon’s ability which he couldn’t see before. He was surprised when he learned that one of his men had this convenient ability.

Oberon eyed the mana stone in Ocean’s hand before he sighed and sat down on the armchair facing him.

"All right." He spoke, "But I cannot do it right away, please hand the stone to me, I’ll cast the spells at night and return it to you tomorrow."

Ocean smiled and handed him the stone. Oberon studied the stone which already had a lot of pure mana infused in it and then looked at Ocean.

"Is it for Prince Eric?" He asked and Ocean shook his head.

"For Carlos. This is my mana stone, it will keep the demon at bay and also help me track him in case he decides to pull something." Ocean explained and Oberon nodded.

"I understand."

Ocean then rose to his feet and Oberon looked at him.

"Where are you going, Master? You came this far, why don’t you join me for a meal?" Oberon offered.

Ocean hummed for a moment and then noticed that he had ended up skipping lunch as he was busy sparring at Eldarf.

"All right."

Oberon beamed hearing Ocean’s answer, Ocean turned to walk towards the door.

"Master, wait." Oberon called and Ocean turned to look at him.

"What is it?"

"You are not wearing your mask." Oberon reminded him.

Ocean touched his face and then hummed.

Oberon rose to his feet and then walked towards his vanity and opened his drawer plucking out a box.

He opened the lid and held out a black velvet ribbon, he brushed his thumb gently over the fabric and looked at Ocean.

"Master, will you please take a seat? I’d like to help you with this myself." Oberon spoke with a smile and Ocean could see he was eager, his eyes glistened with soft radiance.

Ocean eyed the black ribbon before he walked over and took a seat on the stool before the vanity.

Oberon stood behind him, the black ribbon flowing like water from his hands.

Ocean closed his eyes and felt Oberon wrapping the ribbon around his forehead and over his nose leaving the slits for his eyes.

When Ocean opened his eyes, they seemed to glow like the two sapphire gems amid the black canvas.

Oberon had only wrapped the ribbon on the upper half of Ocean’s face and Ocean noticed the beautiful silver embroidery on the velvet that seemed to accentuate his eyes.

"It’s quite pretty." Ocean commented touching the new ribbon mask that was on his face and Oberon smiled.

"I’m glad you like it, I had prepared it especially for you. I thought I would gift it to you on the day when Prince Eric wins the Third Trial but as the fate had it, I got to give it to you beforehand." Oberon explained.

Ocean smiled before he stood up, "Did you design it yourself?"

"Yes, Master." Oberon said and Ocean hummed.

"I’m impressed," Ocean said, "Your creativity is a gift for us."

Oberon chuckled, "It’s not that good, but I think I have started having better ideas ever since I have found my muse."

Ocean looked at him, curious now since he mentioned his muse.

"You have a muse?" Ocean asked and Oberon nodded.

"Yes,"

"Who is it?" Ocean asked and Oberon’s smile deepened.

"It’s you."

Ocean paused for a moment before he chuckled, "You really know how to charm people, Lord Oberon."

The men had their dinner together before Ocean returned to Eldarf again at night and found all the Dark Elves and the other kids waiting for him including Sol.

"Sol, I told you to stay back and rest." Ocean reminded and Sol gave him a defiant look.

"I’m not leaving," he announced, "I want to hear your plan too."

Ocean looked at him for a long moment before he sighed and then turned to look at the rest of the gathered party.

"All right, so, first things first. I’d like to tell you something important." Ocean began.

He explained everyone present about the circumstances regarding the Trial, and the information he had from his vision.

Everyone listened quietly before he started explaining their part, Sol listened without any interruption but till the end of the explanation his face was the reflection of his thoughts.

"That’s your plan? It’s reckless and dangerous, what are you doing to do after it is executed? Have you thought about that?!" Sol reprimanded and Ocean stared at him.

"I know the plan is risky but it must happen sooner or later." Ocean spoke.

Sol frowned and then looked at the others as if to see if they were fine with this plan or not and Ocean noticed his look and asked himself.

"Does anyone have any problem with the plan? If yes, I can make changes."

"No," Sylvia spoke up.

All the eyes turned to her.

"It’s been a while since we had been training, Master. We are ready for this." She said.

"I agree, it’s time that we finally step out." Cyrus said.

The kids seemed unanimously in approval of the plan but the Dark Elves hadn’t said a word yet. They all glanced at their leader, Anore who stood there holding his son River in his arms.

"Anore?" Ocean prompted.

Anore met Ocean’s gaze with a determined look.

"We agree to this plan as well." He announced.

The Elves, Dwarves and the Dark Elves seemed like they had just taken a huge step as they glanced at each other with bright, determined faces while Sol eyed Ocean who had a small smile on his face watching the excited lot.

Sol just hoped that this dangerous plan of Ocean would come to fruition the way he had imagined it or else, it might backfire in the worst possible way.