While the battle between Eleonora and Eldrin shook the underground kingdom, on the surface, life in Umbria, though tense and filled with preparations for war, had found a new balance. The arrival of Merlin and the Ancient Wizards had instilled hope and determination in the magical community.
But Merlin, with his ancient wisdom, knew that conventional magic, even the most powerful, would not be enough to defeat the Red Wizards and Eleonora, especially if the latter had discovered a new source of dark power. They needed something more, something to give them a decisive advantage.
It was then that Merlin revealed his most closely guarded secret.
"There is ancient knowledge," said Merlin, gathering the Umbrian Council and the Ancient Wizards in the college library, "knowledge that dates back to the dawn of magic. Knowledge that was passed down by Poimandres himself, before his fall into darkness."
Everyone listened attentively, sensing the gravity of Merlin's words.
"This knowledge is encoded in a sacred text, known as the Emerald Tablet," Merlin continued. "It is an emerald tablet, engraved with thirteen sayings that hold the key to understanding the nature of reality, the transmutation of matter, and dominion over life and death."
Merlin explained that the Emerald Tablet had been created by Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary figure considered the embodiment of wisdom and magical knowledge. Hermes had received the Emerald Tablet directly from Poimandres, at a time when the primordial dragon had not yet been corrupted by Chaos.
"Hermes used the wisdom of the Emerald Tablet for good," Merlin said. "He built a prosperous civilization, based on harmony and balance. But over time, the Emerald Tablet was lost, and its knowledge fragmented, giving rise to different schools of magic, some of which strayed into obscurity."
Merlin revealed that, over the centuries, he had dedicated much of his life to studying the Emerald Tablet and mastering its secrets. He had learned to interpret its enigmatic rulings, apply its principles to magic, and achieve a level of power that surpassed anything he had ever known before.
"But the knowledge of the Emerald Tablet is dangerous," Merlin warned. "In the wrong hands, it can be used for destruction and chaos. That is why I have kept it secret—until now."
Merlin removed from a hidden pocket in his robes a small emerald tablet, engraved with intricate, glittering symbols. The tablet emitted a subtle yet powerful energy that filled the library with a sense of awe and reverence.
"This is a copy," Merlin explained. "The original Emerald Tablet is hidden in a secure location. But this copy contains the same wisdom, the same power."
Merlin announced that he would begin teaching the principles of the Emerald Tablet to a select group of students and teachers—those who had demonstrated a greater aptitude for magic, greater mental discipline, and, above all, greater purity of heart.
Aria, Kaelen, Lyra, and Finn were, of course, chosen to be part of this group. Several teachers were also selected, including Professor Alatar and some of the Ancient Wizards—those who were willing to open their minds to a new level of magical understanding.
The training was rigorous and demanding. Merlin didn't simply teach spells or techniques, but guided his students on a journey of self-discovery and transformation.
He taught them to meditate, to focus their minds, to perceive the subtle energies flowing through the universe. He taught them to understand the unity of all things, the interconnection between matter and spirit, the correspondence between the microcosm and the macrocosm.
He taught them to transmute not only metals, but also their own emotions, their own thoughts, their own limitations. He taught them to become alchemists of their own souls.
The thirteen sayings of the Emerald Tablet became the central axis of their learning. Each seemingly simple saying contained layers and layers of meaning, gradually revealed as the students deepened their understanding.
"That which is below is like that which is above, and that which is above is like that which is below, to perform the miracles of one thing."
"And as all things have come from One, through the mediation of One, so all things are born from this one thing, by adaptation."
"The Sun is his father, the Moon is his mother, the Wind carried him in her womb, the Earth is his nurse."
And so on, until the thirteenth sentence, which summarized the essence of the Emerald Tablet:
"For this reason I have been called Hermes Trismegistus, having the three parts of the philosophy of all the world."
As the students progressed in their training, their magical power grew exponentially. But it wasn't a destructive power, like that of Chaos. It was a creative power, a healing power, a power based on harmony and balance.
Aria, in particular, excelled in learning the Emerald Tablet. Her experience with Chaos, though traumatic, had given her a unique understanding of the dual nature of magic. She had known darkness, and now, she was determined to embrace the light.
The Emerald Tablet allowed her to channel her chaotic magic in a new way, transforming it into a positive force, a tool for healing and creation.
The training continued for weeks, months. Merlin's students became a formidable force, not only in terms of magical power, but also in terms of wisdom, compassion, and determination.
And meanwhile, in the underground realm, the battle between Eleonora and Eldrin raged on. But above ground, a new hope had been born. The hope that the wisdom of Hermes Trismegistus, the magic of the Emerald Tablet, might be the key to defeating the darkness and restoring balance to the world. The final battle was approaching, and now, Umbria was better prepared than ever.