Haizen's dagger sliced through the cursed book with a force born of desperation. As the blade tore the pages, the air around him trembled with dark energy. Nova let out a gut-wrenching scream, his body convulsing violently. Haizen froze, his eyes widening as he watched his brother collapse, clutching his chest.
"Nova!" Haizen shouted, rushing to his side. His hands shook as he lifted Nova's shirt, revealing a deep, bleeding wound—one that matched the gash he had just inflicted on the book. A crimson stain spread across Nova's shirt, soaking into the fabric and painting a grim picture of their situation.
Panic clawed at Haizen's mind, but he forced himself to focus. "I have to stop this," he muttered, digging into his emergency kit. His fingers found the familiar glass vial of healing potion, its golden liquid glowing faintly. With trembling hands, he poured the potion into Nova's wound, watching as the torn flesh began to knit together.
Relief washed over him—until he saw the blood.
Thin streams of crimson seeped from Nova's healed wound, drawn toward the book as though by an invisible hand. Haizen's stomach dropped as the blood pooled on the book's torn pages, soaking into them as if feeding the cursed artifact.
"No," Haizen whispered, horror settling over him. He stared at the book, its malevolent power clear now. Destroying it wasn't an option—it was tied to Nova's life. Any harm done to it would reflect back on his brother.
Haizen sat back, running a hand through his hair. His mind raced, searching for a solution. Time wasn't on their side, and the weight of his failure pressed down on him. But there was one person who might have the knowledge to help: Urilo.
Clutching the cursed book, Haizen grabbed his cloak and slipped out of the sanctuary. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows as the afternoon light faded. Haizen moved quickly through the streets, his destination clear. Urilo's hidden workshop was a place of arcane power, where forbidden knowledge was studied in secrecy. If anyone could break the curse, it was him.
The scent of incense and magic hit Haizen as he entered the dimly lit chamber. Urilo sat at a cluttered table, poring over an ancient scroll. The second-tier mage looked up as Haizen entered, his sharp eyes immediately catching the tension in his friend's face.
Haizen wasted no time explaining what had happened. He spoke quickly, his words spilling out in a rush as he described Nova's condition and the cursed book's strange power. Urilo listened in silence, his expression growing serious as the story unfolded.
When Haizen finished, his voice broke slightly. "I don't know what to do, Urilo. I can't figure this out alone."
Urilo leaned back, his hand stroking his chin thoughtfully. "You've gotten yourself into quite the mess," he said, his tone measured. Then, with a reassuring smile, he added, "But don't worry. We'll figure this out together."
Haizen blinked at him, momentarily caught off guard by the calm confidence in his friend's voice. "You think you can fix this?" he asked, hope creeping into his tone.
"Of course I can," Urilo said, his grin widening. "I'm a genius, remember? The great Mage Urilo and Shadow Haizen—back in action!" He winked playfully. "We'll turn this into one of our stories. A real legend."
Despite himself, Haizen chuckled. For the first time since the curse had struck, he felt a glimmer of hope. Urilo's unwavering confidence was infectious, and Haizen found himself believing that they might just pull this off.
The two set out together, making their way back to Haizen's underground sanctuary. The streets were quieter now, the fading light of the setting sun casting an eerie glow over the city. As they walked, Haizen felt a renewed determination building within him.
With Urilo's expertise and his own drive to protect Nova, they would find a way to break the curse. No matter how dark the path ahead, Haizen was certain of one thing: he would save his brother.
As the sanctuary's entrance came into view, Haizen glanced at Urilo. "Thank you," he said quietly.
Urilo smirked, his eyes gleaming. "Save it for when we're done," he replied. "We've got a cursed book to deal with."
Haizen nodded, gripping the artifact tightly as they stepped inside. The battle to save Nova had just begun.