The academy's once grand halls had become a battlefield of whispers and unspoken threats. Every corner Cendikia turned, every shadow that shifted, felt like a trap waiting to be sprung. The air was thick with tension, and the balance of power within the academy was teetering. Aiden Drystan was still out there, gathering strength, preparing to strike back, and Cendikia knew that his window of opportunity was closing.
As Cendikia made his way to the Arcane Library, his thoughts raced. He had uncovered more of the Forgotten Scholar's fate, and the more he learned, the more he realized how close he was to walking the same path. The dark magic that had given him power was slowly unraveling him, pulling him deeper into a world that threatened to consume him.
But he couldn't stop now. Aiden was coming for him, and he needed to stay ahead.
The system's voice, ever present in his mind, echoed softly, a constant reminder of the dangers he faced:
[Warning: Continued use of forbidden magic may lead to permanent health loss and mental instability. Proceed with caution.]
Cendikia clenched his jaw, trying to push the warning aside. He had already crossed too many lines, and retreating now would only leave him vulnerable. But the system's words lingered, a shadow at the edge of his thoughts. The Forgotten Scholar had fallen into madness, and each step Cendikia took brought him closer to that same fate.
In the library, Cendikia searched through the ancient tomes, his eyes scanning the pages for any clue that might give him an advantage. He needed more than just defensive spells—he needed a way to anticipate Aiden's next move. Lira Calwyn had been right: the academy was watching, and every step he took was being scrutinized by those who sought to use him—or destroy him.
As Cendikia flipped through the pages of a particularly old tome, something caught his eye: a section on bloodline curses. It was a darker branch of magic, one that targeted the very essence of a person's ancestry, cutting them off from their legacy and power.
If I could use this…
He paused, his fingers tracing the faded runes on the page. Aiden's bloodline magic had been severed when Cendikia took the ring, but if he could find a way to amplify that effect, to permanently cripple Aiden's connection to his family's power, it would leave his rival completely defenseless. But the spell was dangerous, volatile, and required a deep understanding of soul-binding magic—magic that had long been forbidden even by the academy.
[New Mission: Learn the Bloodline Curse to Permanently Disable Aiden's Magic.]
Cendikia's breath caught. The system had already punished him for pushing too far, and now it was offering him a new path, one fraught with even greater danger. The Bloodline Curse would give him the power to finish Aiden for good, but the cost could be catastrophic if he failed.
"This is the only way," Cendikia muttered to himself, his resolve hardening.
He gathered the tome, tucking it under his arm as he left the library, his mind focused on learning the spell. Aiden wouldn't wait much longer, and Cendikia needed to strike first.
Back in his quarters, Cendikia spread the tome across his desk, carefully studying the runes of the Bloodline Curse. The spell was complex, involving layers of dark magic and ancient rites that bound a person's soul to their bloodline. If performed correctly, the curse would strip Aiden of his magical inheritance, leaving him powerless and isolated. But if Cendikia failed, the magic would backfire, latching onto him instead, potentially erasing his own connection to the world of magic.
The system's voice chimed softly, a warning that sent a chill down his spine:
[Warning: Failure in casting this spell will result in severe mana depletion and permanent loss of magical abilities.]
Cendikia swallowed hard. The stakes were higher than ever. But he couldn't afford to back down. Aiden was preparing his counterattack, and without the curse, Cendikia would be left vulnerable when the time came.
He began the preparations, drawing the necessary runes in a circle around his desk, each symbol carefully inscribed with a mixture of his own blood and ink. The ritual would require a part of his essence, a sacrifice that would tie the spell to him, just as it would bind Aiden to his bloodline.
As Cendikia whispered the ancient words of the incantation, the air in the room grew colder, the runes glowing faintly with dark energy. He could feel the magic stirring around him, coiling like a serpent ready to strike. His heart raced, his pulse quickening as the spell took shape.
But as the final words left his lips, a sharp pain lanced through his chest.
[Punishment Activated: Health and Mana Depletion Due to Overuse of Forbidden Magic.]
Cendikia stumbled back, gasping for breath as the system's punishment struck him. His health plummeted, and his mana reserves were nearly drained.
Name: Cendikia Paramarta
Role: Scholar (Side Character)
Level: 3
Health: 10/100
Mana: 5/70
Stamina: 15/100
Skills:
Ancient Language Decoding: Level 2Knowledge of Forgotten Lore: Level 2Beginner Combat Skill: Level 3Forbidden Rites (Dark Magic): Level 3Arcane Combat Skill: Level 1
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.
Cendikia collapsed into his chair, his body trembling from the strain. The spell had taken more out of him than he had anticipated, and the system's punishment had left him dangerously weak. But the ritual was nearly complete. The curse was ready—it only needed to be cast directly on Aiden.
Cendikia's hand trembled as he reached for the tome, his eyes scanning the final lines of the incantation. It would require him to confront Aiden face-to-face, to bind the curse to him in a direct confrontation. There would be no second chances. If Aiden fought back, if the curse failed, it could be the end for both of them.
The system's voice chimed again, cold and foreboding:
[Warning: The Bloodline Curse is unstable. Casting it without full preparation may result in catastrophic failure.]
Cendikia's heart pounded in his chest. He had come too far to turn back now, but the risk was growing by the minute. The Forgotten Scholar's legacy was pulling him deeper into the world of forbidden magic, and the more he used it, the closer he came to the scholar's fate.
He couldn't afford to fail.
That night, Cendikia slipped through the academy's halls, moving like a shadow as he made his way to the place where he knew Aiden would be. The moonlight cast long, eerie shadows across the stone walls, and the wind whispered through the cracks in the ancient building, carrying with it a sense of foreboding.
Aiden was waiting for him in one of the academy's courtyards, his expression cold and unreadable. Despite the loss of his bloodline magic, Aiden's presence was still formidable, and Cendikia knew that his rival had been preparing for this moment.
"You've come to finish it, haven't you?" Aiden said, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you've won, but I'm not as weak as you think."
Cendikia's fingers tightened around the tome. The Bloodline Curse was ready, but Aiden wouldn't go down without a fight. He could feel the tension in the air, the magic coiling between them like a storm waiting to break.
"You've lost, Aiden," Cendikia said, his voice steady despite the pounding in his chest. "You don't have the power to stop me anymore."
Aiden's eyes flashed with anger, but there was something else there too—something darker. "You're wrong, Cendikia. I've found something stronger than bloodline magic. Something you can't even begin to understand."
Cendikia's breath caught. He hadn't expected this. What had Aiden found? And how had he rebuilt his power so quickly?
Before Cendikia could react, Aiden raised his hand, and the air around him shimmered with a strange, otherworldly energy. It wasn't the magic of the academy—it was something older, darker.
"You're not the only one who can tap into forbidden magic," Aiden said, his smile cold and dangerous.
Cendikia's heart pounded in his chest. The confrontation he had been preparing for was here, but Aiden had found a new source of power, something that could tip the balance of their fight.
The system's voice chimed in his mind, sharp and urgent:
[Warning: Aiden Drystan has accessed a new form of dark magic. Immediate action required.]
Cendikia's pulse quickened. The Bloodline Curse was his only chance. He had to act now—before Aiden unleashed whatever power he had found.
With a deep breath, Cendikia stepped forward, the incantation of the Bloodline Curse already on his lips.