Certainly not what I was expecting from the shadow world, nor what I wanted for that matter but whatevs. I'm guessing the reward for doing the hidden quest will be an even more powerful mana increasing artifact or something.
As strange as this is, I really like that It's throwing some non-sequiturs at us. I was thinking that this was getting a bit predictable and dull. But this chapter was a real lively taser shot to the spine.