The journey back to the academy felt heavier, as if the weight of the Forgotten Scholar's relic Cendikia carried pulled him deeper into his own thoughts. He hadn't spoken much since leaving the Ruins of Talvalis, and Elena, while watchful, seemed content to keep her questions to herself.
The relic pulsed softly in his pack, a constant reminder of the power it held. It was a dangerous artifact, infused with the same dark energy that had brought down the ancient civilizations of Aurelia. Yet Cendikia couldn't deny the lure of the knowledge it promised, knowledge that could reshape his future in this world.
The system's warning echoed in his mind, a cold whisper that refused to leave him.
"The more you use the Forgotten Scholar's power, the closer you come to sharing their fate."
What was the Forgotten Scholar's fate? The system hadn't revealed that yet, but Cendikia was starting to fear the answer. He had already seen how the system operated. Rewards and punishments, power given only to be taken away when he pushed too far. Whatever had happened to the Forgotten Scholar, it was likely tied to the same dangerous magic he was now dabbling in.
By the time they reached the academy's gates, dusk had settled over the horizon, casting the towering spires in shades of deep purple. The academy looked as imposing as ever, its walls steeped in history, its halls filled with the whispers of scholars past and present.
Cendikia and Elena passed through the gates, the guards barely giving them a second glance. Most scholars didn't venture far from the academy unless on official business, and fewer still returned from places like Talvalis. If anyone suspected where they had been, they didn't show it.
As they walked through the outer courtyard, Elena finally broke the silence.
"So," she said casually, "what's your plan now?"
Cendikia glanced at her, frowning. "What do you mean?"
She shrugged, keeping her eyes forward. "You've got that relic, and whatever knowledge it holds. You're not just going to keep it hidden, are you?"
He could hear the edge in her voice, the underlying question. Elena was no fool, she had seen the power the relic held, and she knew Cendikia wouldn't be able to keep it hidden for long. The academy had eyes and ears everywhere, and the moment someone caught wind of his possession of the relic, it would paint a target on his back.
"I need to be careful," he thought. Aiden, Lira… anyone could be watching.
"I'll use it carefully," he said, though the truth was more complicated than that. He couldn't just walk into the academy's restricted sections and openly claim the relic's knowledge. Not without raising suspicion.
Elena chuckled softly. "Careful. Right." She shook her head. "Just don't forget who's got your back, scholar. I expect my share."
He offered a tight nod, knowing their alliance was still fragile. Elena was dangerous, a mercenary through and through, and she would only stay on his side as long as there was something in it for her.
Cendikia parted ways with Elena as they entered the inner grounds of the academy, heading straight for his quarters. As soon as he was alone, he pulled out the Forgotten Scholar's relic, its dark glow casting faint shadows on the walls.
The orb thrummed softly in his hand, its power barely contained within the glassy surface. He could feel the energy swirling inside it, and with it came fragments of the Forgotten Scholar's knowledge... spells, runes, incantations he didn't yet understand but could sense were far more advanced than anything he had encountered before.
He sat down at his desk, the relic before him, and opened the grimoire he had taken from the lower archives. The runes inside seemed to glow faintly in response to the relic, as if the two artifacts were connected, both parts of the scholar's legacy.
There's more to unlock, he thought, his fingers tracing the symbols in the grimoire. But the question was how far he could go without triggering the system's punishment again.
"Status open," he muttered, needing to check his condition after the long journey.
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Name: Cendikia Paramarta
Role: Scholar (Side Character)
Level: 3
Health: 50/100
Mana: 20/70
Stamina: 40/100
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Skills:
Ancient Language Decoding: Level 2
Knowledge of Forgotten Lore: Level 2
Beginner Combat Skill: Level 3
Forbidden Rites (Dark Magic): Level 3\
Arcane Combat Skill: Level 1
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Active Buffs:
Arcane Combat Skill Unlocked: Minor bonus to combat involving arcane or magical opponents.
Knowledge of the Forgotten Scholar's Power Unlocked: Temporary boost to magical knowledge related to ancient artifacts.
Active Debuffs:
Mana Drain: Reduced mana pool due to overuse of forbidden magic (-20 Mana).
Stamina Exhaustion: Reduced stamina regeneration (-10 Stamina).
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Current Mission:
Investigate the next steps of the Forgotten Scholar's legacy
Mission Completion: 10%
Ongoing Mission:
Undermine Aiden Drystan's Influence
Mission Progress: 50%
------
Cendikia sighed. His mana was still low, but it had recovered slightly. The stamina drain was slower to recover, and the system's punishments lingered like a shadow, reminding him of the price he had paid for pushing too hard.
But now, the Knowledge of the Forgotten Scholar's Power buff was active, a sign that he had unlocked something valuable. His magical knowledge had been temporarily boosted, and though he couldn't fully understand the depths of the relic's secrets yet, he knew that time would reveal more.
As he stared at the glowing orb, his thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
Cendikia's breath caught. It was late for a social visit. He quickly tucked the relic into his bag and stood, wary of who might be outside. When he opened the door, he was met with a familiar face.
Lira Calwyn, the high-ranking sorceress who had helped him gain access to the Restricted Archive. Her sharp eyes flicked over him, as if appraising every detail.
"We need to talk," she said without preamble, stepping into the room.
Cendikia closed the door behind her, his heart pounding. "I wasn't expecting you," he said, trying to keep his tone casual. "Is something wrong?"
Lira turned to face him, her gaze piercing. "I've been hearing rumors. About your little expedition to the Ruins of Talvalis."
His stomach twisted. He had been careful, or so he thought. But in a place like the academy, secrets rarely stayed hidden for long.
"What about it?" he asked, though he had a sinking feeling he already knew where this conversation was going.
Lira's eyes narrowed. "You went searching for something. And I want to know what you found."
Cendikia hesitated. Lira wasn't like Elena, she wasn't after gold or treasures. She was after power, the kind of power that could shift the balance within the academy and beyond. If she found out about the relic, she would want a piece of it. But if he lied to her now, he risked losing a valuable ally.
"Choose carefully," he thought, his mind racing.
"I found something," he said cautiously, choosing his words with care. "But I'm still trying to understand it. The relic holds knowledge tied to the Forgotten Scholar."
Lira's eyes gleamed at the mention of the Forgotten Scholar. "A relic? You've been holding out on me, Cendikia."
He swallowed, trying to keep his expression calm. "I wasn't sure what I had until recently. The magic tied to it is… unstable."
Lira stepped closer, her gaze locking onto his. "You'll show me the relic. Now."
Cendikia's heart raced. He knew this moment was inevitable, but he still wasn't ready to share the relic's power. If Lira saw it, she would demand to be part of whatever secrets it held. But refusing her now would mean losing any chance of maintaining their alliance.
"All right," he said, reaching into his bag and pulling out the orb. Its dark glow filled the room, casting long shadows over the walls.
Lira's breath caught as she stared at the relic. "This… this is powerful magic." Her eyes flicked to Cendikia. "You understand what this means, don't you? This could change everything."
Cendikia nodded slowly. "I know."
But even as he stood there, holding the relic in his hands, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was teetering on the edge of something far more dangerous than either of them realized. The relic's power was immense, but the system's warning echoed in his mind.
The closer you come to sharing their fate.
And now, with Lira's attention fixed on the relic, Cendikia couldn't help but wonder if the Forgotten Scholar's fate was starting to become his own.