The faint echoes of footsteps faded down the corridor as Aiden Drystan disappeared from sight, leaving Cendikia standing alone in the dimly lit Arcane Library. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of fear and exhilaration coursing through him. He had found the key to Aiden's power, it was a dangerous and volatile connection to his family's blood magic and now he knew how to sever it.
But Aiden wasn't a fool. The encounter in the library had been too close, and now Aiden knew that Cendikia was digging into dangerous territory. One misstep, and Cendikia would find himself on the receiving end of Aiden's wrath.
Cendikia moved quickly, slipping the Legacy of Royal Bloodlines tome back into its place on the shelf. He had memorized the important parts of the rituals and ancient rites that bound blood magic to its user and knew what he needed to do. But time was running short. Aiden wouldn't wait idly for long.
The plan forming in Cendikia's mind was risky. Severing a blood magic connection wasn't just about breaking a spell, it required finding a way to weaken Aiden's bond with his ancestors, a process that could only be done through dark and dangerous magic. The kind of magic that the Forgotten Scholar's grimoire whispered about.
He left the library, his footsteps quick and quiet as he returned to his quarters. The air in the academy was heavy with tension, as if the very walls were aware of the power struggle unfolding within them. Every step felt like a countdown to a confrontation that Cendikia wasn't fully prepared for.
But he couldn't back down now. If he didn't act, Aiden would continue to grow stronger, and soon, there would be no chance of stopping him.
Back in his quarters, Cendikia sat at his desk, the Forgotten Scholar's grimoire spread out before him. The runes on the pages glowed faintly, the dark magic within the book pulsing like a heartbeat. He had unlocked parts of the grimoire before, but the deeper spells and the truly dangerous ones still eluded him.
Now, he needed them.
"Status open," Cendikia muttered under his breath, needing to see where he stood before taking the next step.
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Name: Cendikia Paramarta
Role: Scholar (Side Character)
Level: 3
Health: 15/100
Mana: 10/70
Stamina: 20/100
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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: 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).
Health Depletion: Significant health reduction due to system punishment.
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Current Mission:
Undermine Aiden Drystan's Influence
Mission Progress: 75%
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Cendikia's health was still dangerously low, and his mana reserves were barely enough to perform any significant magic. The system had punished him heavily for his previous attempts to tap into forbidden knowledge, and now, the cost of failure loomed over him like a shadow.
But the system remained silent. No new warnings, no new punishments yet.
He turned the pages of the grimoire, his eyes scanning the ancient runes as he searched for a way to sever Aiden's bloodline magic. The rituals described were complex, woven with dark energy that twisted the very essence of magic itself. It would require more than just incantations, it would require a piece of Aiden's bloodline, something tied directly to his family's heritage.
Cendikia's mind raced. Aiden always wore a ring, a family heirloom that had been passed down for generations. It was a symbol of his noble lineage, one tied deeply to his blood magic. If Cendikia could get his hands on that ring, he could use it to weaken the bond between Aiden and his ancestors.
But that meant confronting Aiden directly, or stealing it from him without getting caught.
The following evening, Cendikia found himself standing outside one of the academy's private lounges, where Aiden often met with other high-ranking scholars. The hallway was quiet, the soft flicker of torches casting long shadows across the stone floor. Cendikia's heart pounded in his chest as he waited, hidden in an alcove near the door.
He couldn't afford to hesitate. The moment was coming, and he had to be ready.
The door creaked open, and Aiden stepped out, his usual smug confidence evident in the way he carried himself. He was alone, which was fortunate, Cendikia needed this moment to go unnoticed.
As Aiden passed, Cendikia slipped from the shadows, moving silently behind him. His eyes were locked on the ring that glittered on Aiden's finger, the key to breaking his bloodline magic.
"Now," Cendikia whispered to himself, his hand already reaching for the spell he had prepared earlier.
The moment his fingers brushed Aiden's shoulder, he began the incantation. Dark magic rippled through the air, coiling like a snake around Aiden's hand. Aiden spun around, eyes wide in surprise, but Cendikia was faster. The spell latched onto the ring, and with a sharp tug, it slipped from Aiden's finger and into Cendikia's hand.
Aiden's shock quickly turned to fury. "What do you think you're.... "
Before Aiden could finish, Cendikia thrust his hand forward, the ring glowing with dark energy as the spell took hold. Aiden's body jerked, his breath catching in his throat as the magic surged through him, severing the bond between him and his ancestors.
Aiden's eyes widened in pain and disbelief, his voice barely a whisper. "What… have you done?"
Cendikia didn't answer. He stepped back, watching as Aiden stumbled, his once formidable presence suddenly diminished. The power that had always radiated from him was gone, snuffed out in an instant. The ring that was the source of his blood magic lay in Cendikia's hand, its glow fading.
The system's voice chimed softly in his mind:
[Mission Complete: Undermine Aiden Drystan's Influence.]
[Reward: Knowledge of Bloodline Magic Unlocked.]
Cendikia's breath came in shallow gasps as the system's message flickered across his vision. He had done it, Aiden's connection to his family's blood magic was severed. The once powerful scholar was now vulnerable, his influence shattered.
But as Cendikia stood there, watching Aiden struggle to comprehend what had just happened, a cold realization settled over him.
This wasn't over.
Aiden might have been weakened, but he was still dangerous. And now, with his power stripped away, he would be more desperate than ever.
"You'll regret this," Aiden rasped, his eyes burning with hatred. "I'll make sure of it."
Cendikia slipped the ring into his pocket, his mind already racing with the next steps. He had bought himself time to explore the Forgotten Scholar's grimoire further, time to recover from the system's punishments but the cost of his actions was becoming clearer.
Aiden would come for him, and when he did, Cendikia would have to be ready.
Later that night, as Cendikia sat in his quarters, the ring still clutched in his hand, the system's voice returned, cold and unforgiving.
[Warning:
Your actions have set events in motion that cannot be undone. Prepare for retaliation.]
Cendikia stared at the ring, his mind heavy with the weight of what he had done. He had won this battle, but the war was far from over.
And now, with Aiden's power shattered, the academy would turn its eyes toward him.