One of the figures stepped forward, his voice a low whisper that echoed through the chamber like a cold wind. "These three belong to the former lords who ruled this realm. Individually, of all the fifteen grimoires, these three are the most powerful."
"Individually?" I echoed, my thoughts racing. _If five of the grimoires were sealed together with their owners, and these three had their own lords individually..._ I turned to him for confirmation. "You mean the other seven belonged to a single ruler?"
"Indeed. Those seven belonged to the primordial ruler of this realm. Combined, they are the most powerful, though they cannot compare to the individual might of these three."
A shiver ran down my spine. The sheer magnitude of power these grimoires represented was beginning to settle in, an overwhelming weight pressing down on my thoughts. "Please, carry on."
"These last three grimoires are among the most powerful and dangerous. They hold the authorities of blood, death, and karma. Each one is a key to forces that govern the very fabric of reality."
The first grimoire was bound in crimson leather, the cover slick and wet as if it were freshly skinned. Veins of dark red ran across its surface, throbbing with a pulse that matched my heartbeat. A deep, almost tangible aura of dark red energy surrounded it, thick and suffocating. "This is the Grimoire of Blood," the figure said, his voice heavy with reverence. "It contains the power of Hemathos, the Sovereign of Blood. Hemathos's power grants mastery over the blood that flows through all living things. With this grimoire, you can control life itself—heal or harm, strengthen or weaken. But beware, the more you use this power, the more it binds you to the life force of others, making your own vitality dependent on theirs."
A thought crossed my mind. _That sounds more like the description of vampires. The ability to control life itself, it's like how they control blood. But at the price of... becoming dependent on the lifeforce of others... becoming dependent on blood?... that's like the dark, twisted mirror reflection of a vampire's curse._
The second grimoire was dark and foreboding, bound in ancient, blackened bone. Its aura was a cold, inky black that seemed to drain the warmth from the air, filling the room with a chilling stillness. "This is the Grimoire of Death," he continued, his voice tinged with both reverence and fear. "It contains the power of Necros, the Reaper. Necros's authority extends over death itself. With this grimoire, you can command the dead, summon spirits, and even control the fine line between life and death."
The final grimoire was unlike any other. It was bound in smooth, pale parchment, its cover marked with intricate patterns that seemed to shift and change as I looked at them. The aura around it was a strange blend of gold and black, swirling together in a way that felt both ominous and strangely balanced. "This is the Grimoire of Karma," the figure said, his voice dropping to almost a whisper. "It holds the power of Atheron, the Arbiter of Fate. Atheron's power allows you to manipulate the threads of destiny, fate, and causality, to alter the balance of karma. You can repay good with good or exact terrible retribution for past wrongs. But be warned, every action you take reflects in the fabric of the universe, and the consequences will always come back to you, often in unexpected ways."
As the figure finished speaking, the air in the chamber grew heavier. His gaze remained fixed on the grimoires, his expression unreadable. "These books hold the keys to forces beyond comprehension. To wield them is like to walk on an edge of a blade, one misstep could mean your end."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself against the flood of information. "I've been meaning to ask," I said cautiously, "you've mentioned 'authority' a few times. What exactly is 'authority'?"
"Authority," the figure began, his voice carrying the weight of ancient knowledge, "is dominion over specific aspects of existence. Imagine it as a mantle, a divine right to govern certain forces or concepts. With authority, one doesn't merely influence; they command that which falls under their jurisdiction. Authority is the very foundation of a god's existence, defining their role and their influence over the mortal and divine alike. Without it, power is aimless, like a sword with no hand to guide it."
His words lingered in the air, dense with meaning. The concept of authority was both fascinating and daunting, a power so absolute that it dictated the very fabric of reality. I could feel my understanding deepening, though it was like trying to grasp smoke, intangible and ever-shifting.
"That's... a lot to take in," I admitted, my thoughts still swirling. "But, I can use them, right?" I pointed at the eight grimoires.
One of the figures spoke in a low voice, "Yes, you may."
The moment he agreed, wisps of energy flew from the eight grimoires and entered the dark light. The light, once chaotic, began to twist and slow, as if being tamed by the influx of power. A surge of elation mixed with disorientation flooded my mind. A strange electric buzz hummed in my head, a feeling as if my brain was expanding, filling with knowledge that bypassed natural understanding. Foreign insights pulsed through my mind, leaving a lingering, unnatural clarity. Like suddenly becoming fluent in a language I'd never studied, able to speak, read, and write with perfect understanding despite having no prior knowledge.
"I have a feeling this evolution will take a while," I said, my voice distant, almost detached. I turned to the four figures, "How about you explain the situation while we wait?"
They exchanged silent glances before nodding in unison. We moved to a corner of the chamber, and they began to explain why I had been summoned. Their voices were calm but deliberate, alternating in explanation. At times, one would conjure magical projections while another continued speaking, each word and image layering more complexity into the narrative.
As I listened, my expression grew increasingly complicated. By the time they were done, I had been staring at them with a mixture of confusion and clarity, trying to piece together the implications of what they had just revealed. My mind raced, formulating a plan that would account for everything I had learned.
I took a deep breath and laid out my plan calmly, occasionally asking one of them to form projections as I explained. We exchanged ideas, refining the details until a complete strategy took shape. I noticed the four figures exchanging glances as I spoke, their expressions shifting from curiosity to something more unreadable. A sense of satisfaction welled up within me, an odd reassurance that I was on the right path.
Finally, three of them nodded and left to make preparations, leaving only one figure beside me. The chamber felt colder and emptier without the others. The remaining figure spoke, his voice low and measured, carrying a note of warning. "That plan of yours... it isn't just a plan. It's a dangerous gambit." His words hung in the air, a chilling reminder of the risks I was about to take.
Two of the figures returned a few moments later and handed me a ring. It disappeared the moment I put it on, and then, a sudden change drew our attention. The chamber was filled with a gray-white light, emanating from the dark light that had, at some point, transformed. Looking at it invoked a profound sense of standing at the threshold between realms, a feeling of ethereal calm mixed with a haunting sensation of being connected to something ancient and unknowable. Hidden truths seemed to flicker within the light, leaving me in awe, yet tinged with subtle unease.
The grimoires, however, were silent. The white light drifted toward me, and I instinctively held out my palm. It hovered inches from my skin before a ray burst from the gray-white light, flooding the platform and illuminating the grimoires. They trembled, vibrating as if they were being summoned. After confirming with the figures, the chained books broke free, lifted off the platform, and vanished into the light. Yet, I could still sense their presence, as though we were now connected.
The world around me blurred, and when it cleared, I found myself standing on a glowing blue circle. Four figures draped in dark hooded robes surrounded me, their faces obscured. They nodded silently, and the world disappeared in an instant. The next thing I felt was pain, overwhelming and searing pain.