Weeks bled into months as Luke delved headfirst into the labyrinthine world of the Aurora archives alongside Master Borris. Days were spent hunched over ancient scrolls, deciphering faded text and cryptic symbols. Nights were filled with meditation, Luke attempting to coax more visions from the stele.
The process was slow and arduous. The ancient texts, brittle with age, offered tantalizing fragments of history, hinting at the Ignis people's mastery of fire but withholding the specifics of their magic. The stele, too, remained frustratingly opaque, its visions fleeting and enigmatic.
One evening, as the dying embers of a fire cast dancing shadows on the library walls, a breakthrough arrived. Luke, poring over a weathered scroll depicting a city built of obsidian, felt a familiar tingle course through him. He closed his eyes, focusing his mind, and the stele responded.
This time, the vision was different. It wasn't a battlefield or a city bustling with life. He found himself within a vast, cavernous chamber, its walls shimmering with an inner fire. In the center stood a towering obsidian obelisk, its surface etched with the same intricate patterns that adorned the stele.
As Luke drew closer, he saw figures clad in dark robes chanting around the base of the obelisk. Their voices resonated with an otherworldly power, and the air crackled with a raw energy. Then, with a blinding flash of light, the obelisk pulsed, and a torrent of fire erupted from its core, engulfing the chamber in a controlled inferno.
The vision ended abruptly, leaving Luke breathless and shaken. This wasn't just fire magic; it was something more, something primal and deeply connected to the very essence of the obsidian itself.
He recounted the vision to Master Borris, his voice trembling with excitement. The old mage listened intently, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
"The Obelisk of Fire," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of awe. "A legend whispered in the most obscure texts. It was said to be the heart of the Ignis civilization, the conduit through which they channeled their power."
A spark ignited in Luke's mind. "The scroll, Prince Valdar's magic…"
"Indeed," Borris confirmed. "There are similarities in the way the fire erupted. It's possible the magic used by the Aurora Kingdom is a distorted echo, a faint copy of the Ignis' true power."
The revelation sent shivers down Luke's spine. Their most potent weapon, the very magic that tipped the scales in the war, might be a mere shadow of its true potential.
"But why?" Luke pondered. "Why would the pact only grant them a fraction of the power?"
Borris shook his head. "That, young Luke, is a question lost to history. Perhaps the pact was incomplete, or perhaps the knowledge needed to harness the full potential of the obelisk was never truly passed down."
A deep silence descended upon them, the weight of the unknown hanging heavy in the air. Luke, however, felt a surge of determination. Unlocking the secrets of the stele, deciphering the true nature of the Ignis magic – it wasn't just about winning the war anymore. It was about uncovering a lost legacy, a forgotten power that could reshape the world.
"We need to find out more about the Obelisk of Fire," Luke declared, his voice resolute. "If what you say is true, and it holds the key to mastering the Ignis magic…"
Borris met his gaze, a flicker of admiration in his cloudy eyes. "Then perhaps," he said, "your journey has taken an unexpected turn. You may not just be a scholar or a knight, Luke. You might be destined for something far greater."