Dark Magus Returns

The reveal of Amir being the leader of the Bonum Society hadn't come as a surprise to most traveling. After all, the Bonum Society was even less known than Alter. Alter had its place in the factions, acting as mercenaries for hire with various jobs, but the same couldn't be said for the Bonum Society, which had remained completely hidden.

Yet, there were two people who were completely surprised by this, and they stopped moving.

"You never told me this," Dame said. "So all those people at the base, they're all under you? You're the one in charge? You're the one that did everything to me?"

"Look, if I had told you everything from the beginning, you would have held a grudge against me. But now that we have managed to save your friends and succeed, I'm sure you have little to no hatred, right?" Amir asked, a slight quiver in his voice. He remembered how angry Dame had gotten after being pulled out of the portal and how much angrier he was after going through his training as a Hybrid.

When Amir looked at the others, he noticed another was surprised as well. "Not what you expected?" Amir asked.

"Not at all," Anna replied. "If you are the leader of the Bonum Society, then Alter never had anything to worry about."

"And yet they did worry about us, right?" Amir replied with a smirk and continued walking onward while explaining the Bonum Society a bit more.

"The Bonum Society has existed for a long time now, nearly as long as the factions themselves. So the strength of the group has come and gone. However, the important part of any organization or faction when fighting is to hide your strength from the enemy.

"By showing our members attacking here and there, disrupting some of their plans, Alter never had a true idea of the strength of our society. We might just be as big as them or even bigger. So it goes without saying not to mention this, and if you do, you guys will be the first guess as to who leaked such information."

Eventually, Dame started to recognize the path they were on. Up on the mountaintop, the academy and the path to it could be seen, where a long drawn-out bridge would lead to the academy itself.

However, that wasn't where they were heading. Another path through the surrounding land would allow one to enter through a tunnel. As they continued onward, they entered a thick, dark mist.

"It would be best if everyone held onto the person in front of them, at least for a while. If you get separated, you may never find your way back," Amir said. "And besides, we have been through a lot together, so holding onto each other should be fine, right?"

"Why does he have to say it like that?" Froma whispered to Reno.

"So this group of yours," Alba asked, "is everyone in it a Hybrid? Is that the aim of your group, to make everyone a Hybrid?"

"Haha!" Amir burst out laughing. "What a crazy goal that would be. Let me tell you, not everyone is successful in becoming a Hybrid. It doesn't always work out, and there are only certain portals with certain beasts that can even attach to the mind in the first place. That would be a near-impossible thing to do."

"Yet, you have done it. You even turned Mantis into one as well," Alba continued pressing.

"You are right. You see, some Hybrids still have a strong connection to the dimension they came from, and if strong enough, they can open the portal back to the dimension where they came from. Some can do this with their own power; others need a bit more help. After all, on the other side, when a portal breaks, it's the same thing. It's the beasts that cause the portal break, just sometimes with help from the other side."

"Is that how Murkel managed to escape as well?" Reno asked.

"That is my leading guess, which is even more worrying. So far, it seems he has focused on his own strength, but remember what I said. The dimensions where one can become a Hybrid are special. If Murkel can open them, with no help at all, he could soon turn many into Hybrid beasts if he chooses so. Maybe even raising his own army. But it's hard to say if he could do that or how easy it is for him to open and close portals."

"At the Bonum Society, we also have access to these portals, and at times we use them to turn members who are willing to help our cause into Hybrids. But I need to make this clear, we do not become Hybrids because we want to. We become Hybrids because we have to."

"What you said before is true. Our strength is weak against Alter. So, to level the playing field, becoming Hybrids is the only thing we can do. It allows us options. Alter has a large number of artifacts, while we have Hybrids, and each Hybrid is quite special. Even this mist that surrounds and hides our base, that is all because of a particular Hybrid."

While Amir was talking, his foot landed on something hollow, the sound of one walking on metal. He moved his feet a few times, and a trap door was revealed underneath. Bending down, he lifted the top up.

"It looks like we are here. We'll try and be as welcoming as we can to you all," Amir said.

"Wait," Alba asked before following in. "About what you said before, you explained about Hybrids and going against Alter, but if your goal isn't to turn everyone into Hybrids, then what is the goal of the Bonum Society? What are you trying to do?"

This was the question on everyone's mind. It was clear it was no small operation, especially for a group to go on for so long.

"I will explain to you all when Raze wakes up because I believe he will need to hear this as well, and I feel like the answer will be important to him too."