The familiar scent of parchment and old books filled the air as Cendikia sat in his quarters, the Forgotten Scholar's grimoire open in front of him. Its pages seemed to hum with life, the runes glowing faintly, their energy calling to him. The dark magic within the grimoire was potent, and with every word he deciphered, he felt the weight of the knowledge pressing down on him.
But the more he read, the more dangerous it became.
His body still hadn't fully recovered from the system's last punishment. His health, mana, and stamina were all severely drained, and while his mind thirsted for more power, his body screamed for rest. But rest wasn't an option anymore. He could feel the academy closing in on him, with Aiden watching from the shadows and Lira growing more dangerous with every passing day.
He had to press on.
The pages before him described ancient spells of dimensional manipulation, a magic that could bend space, create rifts between worlds, and even manipulate time. The Forgotten Scholar had unlocked this power at a terrible cost, and now, Cendikia stood on the verge of doing the same.
But the system's cold voice echoed in his mind, a warning that refused to fade.
[Warning!!
Further pursuit of forbidden knowledge will lead to severe consequences. Proceed with caution.]
Cendikia gritted his teeth. He knew the system was right. The grimoire was a double-edged sword, one that could grant him unimaginable power, but one that could also destroy him if he pushed too far. The visions he had seen of the Forgotten Scholar's downfall haunted him, and he knew he was walking the same path.
Still, the allure of the magic was too strong to ignore. The power to manipulate dimensions, to control time itself, it was more than he had ever dreamed of, and it was within his grasp.
With a deep breath, he continued reading.
Hours passed, and Cendikia was lost in the depths of the grimoire, the ancient runes flowing into his mind like water. The spells were complex, their incantations delicate and dangerous. But as he deciphered more, he began to understand how the Forgotten Scholar had wielded such power.
He traced a rune on the page with his fingertip, feeling the magic pulse beneath his skin. This spell, in particular, was one of the scholar's greatest achievements: a way to open a rift between dimensions, to step outside of time itself and observe the world from a place beyond reality. It was a spell that could grant him a vantage point no one else in the academy could even fathom.
But it was also incredibly dangerous.
[New Mission!!
Attempt the Dimensional Rift Spell.]
[Warning!!
Risk of failure is high. Proceed with extreme caution.]
Cendikia hesitated. The system's warnings had grown more severe, and with his health and mana already so low, the consequences of failure would be catastrophic.
But the temptation was too great. This spell could give him the edge he needed, not just to outmaneuver Aiden and Lira, but to truly ascend beyond the confines of the academy. He could learn things no one else could, see things no one else would even believe.
He stood from his desk, the grimoire still open before him, and gathered his strength. His hands trembled slightly as he began the incantation, the ancient words slipping from his lips like a whisper.
The air in the room shifted, growing cold and thick with magic. Dark tendrils of energy swirled around him, wrapping themselves around the room, distorting the space. The pages of the grimoire fluttered violently as the spell took hold, and Cendikia could feel the fabric of reality bending under the weight of the magic.
But as the rift began to open, a sharp pain shot through his body. He gasped, doubling over as the system's punishment struck without warning.
[Punishment Activated:
Further health and mana depletion due to overuse of forbidden magic.]
His health plummeted, his mana nearly gone.
[Health: 10/100]
[Mana: 5/70]
Cendikia fell to his knees, the pain nearly blinding him. He was losing control. The rift in the air shimmered dangerously, the edges of the spell unraveling as his concentration faltered. He could feel the magic slipping away from him, the spell teetering on the edge of collapse.
And then, the rift snapped shut with a loud crack, the force of it sending Cendikia crashing to the floor. The room fell deathly silent, save for the sound of his labored breathing.
He had failed.
The system's voice chimed again, cold and relentless.
[Warning!!
Further attempts at this level of magic will result in irreversible consequences.]
Cendikia lay on the floor, his body trembling from the strain. The system's punishment had nearly killed him, and the spell- one of the Forgotten Scholar's most powerful creations had been beyond his grasp. He wasn't ready.
But he didn't have a choice. Aiden, Lira, and the academy, they were all closing in on him, and without the power of the Forgotten Scholar, he wouldn't survive for long.
He dragged himself back into the chair, his hands shaking as he closed the grimoire. The room was spinning, his vision blurry. He needed rest, but more than that, he needed time. Time to recover, time to plan. But time was the one thing he didn't have.
The next morning, Cendikia woke feeling weaker than ever. His health was barely hanging on, and his mana was dangerously low. He had pushed himself to the edge, and the system's punishment had left him in a precarious state.
But he couldn't afford to stop now.
As he made his way through the academy's halls, he kept his head down, avoiding the curious glances of the other scholars. Rumors had already begun to spread about his supposed research project on ancient relics, a rumor Lira had helped plant to mislead Aiden.
But Aiden wasn't a fool. Cendikia could feel the weight of his suspicion growing with each passing day, and soon, Aiden would make his move.
As Cendikia approached the library, he spotted a familiar figure waiting for him at the entrance.
Lira Calwyn.
She stood with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Her sharp eyes followed him as he approached, and Cendikia could feel the tension radiating off her.
"You look terrible," Lira said, her voice laced with amusement. "What have you been up to?"
Cendikia forced a smile, though his body ached with every step. "Just… working late."
Lira's eyes narrowed slightly. "I've heard about your 'research project.' But we both know that's not what's really going on, don't we?"
Cendikia tensed. Lira had always been clever, and her ambition made her dangerous. She wasn't fooled by the misdirection they had fed Aiden. But how much did she really know?
"I'm making progress," Cendikia said carefully, trying to keep his voice steady. "But it's taking time."
Lira studied him for a long moment, her gaze piercing. "Aiden's growing suspicious. I've done what I can to keep him at bay, but if you don't deliver soon, I'm not sure even I can hold him off."
Cendikia swallowed hard. The pressure was mounting, and Lira was making it clear that her patience was running thin. She had helped him manipulate Aiden, but her loyalty only extended as far as her own interests.
"I'm close," Cendikia said, though the truth was more complicated. "I just need a little more time."
Lira's eyes flashed with something... curiosity perhaps or maybe a warning. "Be careful, Cendikia. You're playing a dangerous game. And in this academy, no one plays without consequences."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Cendikia standing alone in the shadow of the library.
Cendikia returned to his quarters that evening, his mind racing. Lira's words echoed in his thoughts. He was running out of time. Aiden's suspicions were growing, and Lira's patience was wearing thin. The pressure from both of them was closing in on him, and without the power of the Forgotten Scholar, he wouldn't survive much longer.
But the system's warnings haunted him. Every time he pushed too far, it punished him, draining his strength and leaving him weaker than before. And yet, he couldn't stop. The power in the grimoire was too great, too tempting.
As he sat at his desk, staring at the grimoire, Cendikia made a decision.
He would push forward, no matter the cost.