The glow of the Forgotten Scholar's relic filled the small room, casting dark shadows that seemed to dance along the walls. Cendikia held the orb cautiously, feeling its energy pulse through his fingertips, and with each pulse, fragments of knowledge flickered at the edges of his mind, half-formed spells, ancient incantations, and powerful rites that had been forgotten for centuries.
But beneath that power lay something darker, a cold, insidious whisper that warned of the price for using such magic.
"You've barely scratched the surface, haven't you?" Lira's voice was soft but charged with intensity as she stared at the relic in Cendikia's hands. Her eyes glowed with a hunger he hadn't seen in her before.
"It's dangerous," Cendikia replied, not taking his eyes off the relic. He didn't need to remind her of the system's warning, but the weight of it pressed on him heavily. The closer you come to sharing their fate. The price for wielding the Forgotten Scholar's power was still unknown, but he knew it wouldn't be simple.
Lira stepped closer, her gaze flicking between Cendikia and the orb. "Dangerous, yes. But power like this always comes at a cost. You didn't bring it back to let it sit unused, did you?"
Cendikia hesitated. Lira's ambition was no secret, he had known from the start that her interest in him was tied to what he could unlock, to the power he could provide. But now that the relic was in her sights, he could feel her desire growing stronger.
"I'm still learning," Cendikia said, trying to buy time. "There's a lot about the relic I don't understand yet. It's tied to magic that's been buried for centuries."
Lira smiled faintly, her expression sharp. "Then let's learn together."
Her words sent a chill down Cendikia's spine. Lira wasn't the type to sit back and wait, she wanted results, and she wanted them now. If he wasn't careful, she'd push him to move faster than he was ready for.
"I've already faced consequences from using it," he warned, his voice low.
"Consequences?" Lira's eyes narrowed, and for the first time, a flicker of doubt crossed her face. "What kind of consequences?"
Cendikia hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. The system's punishments were personal, tied to his choices, and sharing too much about its workings could expose his vulnerabilities. But Lira wasn't the type to back off easily.
"It drains me," he said carefully. "Using the relic's magic comes at a cost, it drains me my mana, my stamina. It takes toll if I push too hard."
Lira studied him for a moment, her sharp gaze assessing every word. "I see." She stepped closer, her tone shifting to something softer, almost conspiratorial. "But isn't that the point? Power always demands sacrifice. And in the end, the rewards far outweigh the risks."
Cendikia's jaw tightened. He knew Lira was right, in a way. But the system wasn't just about sacrifice, it was about control. And every time he used the forbidden magic, it felt like he was inching closer to something far worse than just exhaustion.
Lira leaned closer, her voice a whisper now. "You don't have to do this alone, Cendikia. Together, we can unlock the relic's full potential. Think of what we could accomplish with the Forgotten Scholar's power in our hands. No one in the academy would be able to rival us."
Her words hung in the air, tempting and dangerous. Cendikia could feel the pull of the relic, the allure of the power it promised. With Lira's help, he could unlock the full scope of the Forgotten Scholar's legacy, but at what cost?
The system's voice cut through his thoughts, cold and clear.
[Warning!!
Collaboration with others in forbidden magic may trigger additional consequences.]
Cendikia's heart skipped a beat. The system had been watching, and it clearly didn't approve of Lira's offer. The price for sharing the relic's power might be even greater than he had realized.
He pulled back slightly, keeping the orb out of Lira's reach. "I need time," he said, his voice steady. "I need to understand this on my own first."
Lira's eyes narrowed, but she didn't push further. Instead, she smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Of course. But don't take too long. Others are already watching you, Cendikia. You're not the only one interested in the relic's power."
With that, she turned and left, the door closing softly behind her.
Cendikia let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Lira's warning echoed in his mind, "others are already watching you". She wasn't just talking about herself. The academy was filled with ambitious scholars, and now that he had returned from the Ruins of Talvalis, word would spread. It wouldn't be long before more eyes were on him, and if Aiden Drystan caught wind of the relic, things would only get worse.
He needed to act quickly.
Hours later, long after the moon had risen, Cendikia sat alone at his desk, the relic still glowing faintly before him. The academy was quiet, and he could hear nothing but the distant wind rustling through the trees outside. This was his chance to explore the relic's secrets without interruption.
He opened the Forgotten Scholar's grimoire once again, his fingers tracing the runes on the pages. The relic seemed to respond, its glow pulsing in time with the symbols in the grimoire. He could feel the magic linking the two together, as if the relic held the key to unlocking the full power of the spells written in the ancient book.
With a deep breath, Cendikia placed his hands on the relic, letting its energy flow through him. The dark magic surged into his mind, and for a moment, the room around him seemed to warp and shift. Shadows stretched unnaturally, and the air grew cold.
Visions flickered at the edge of his consciousness, glimpses of a world long gone, where the Forgotten Scholar had wielded immense power. He saw fragments of battles fought with ancient magic, runes that tore through the fabric of reality itself, and spells that could bend time and space.
But along with those visions came something darker. He could feel the weight of the Forgotten Scholar's fate pressing down on him, like a shadow lurking just beyond his reach. The system's warning rang louder in his mind, and for the first time, he saw flashes of the scholar's downfall, magic spiraling out of control, the scholar consumed by the very power they had sought to master.
Cendikia's breath quickened. The more he delved into the relic's power, the closer he came to sharing that fate.
Suddenly, the visions shifted, and a new image appeared before him 'a door', carved with the same ancient runes that filled the grimoire. It was massive, looming over him, and behind it, he sensed something important, a key to unlocking even greater knowledge.
The system's voice interrupted the vision:
[New Mission:
Seek the Door of Knowledge in the Depths of Esthara.]
Cendikia blinked, the room around him snapping back into focus. The relic's glow dimmed slightly, its energy settling, but the mission was clear in his mind. The Door of Knowledge it was tied to the Forgotten Scholar's legacy, a hidden part of the academy that held the next piece of the puzzle.
But it wouldn't be easy to reach. The Depths of Esthara were well-guarded, accessible only to those with the highest clearance. If he wanted to unlock the door, he would need to find a way past the academy's wards and protective spells.
He stood, the weight of the relic heavy in his hands. His path was set, but the dangers ahead were growing. The more he used the Forgotten Scholar's power, the more he risked becoming a victim of the same fate.
But now, with the Door of Knowledge calling to him, there was no turning back.