Chapter 8: Omens of Darkness
Edmund stood at the edge of a mysterious lake in the valley of the Elven Kingdom. The lake's surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the starlight from the night sky. Edmund knew that this was the perfect place for a magical experiment. He placed the ruby on a rock at the lake's edge and began to chant a complex incantation.
As the spell progressed, ripples began to form on the lake's surface, and a shimmering light rose from the bottom of the lake, echoing the power of the ruby. Edmund feels a powerful energy flowing through his body, which he tries to channel into the lake. Suddenly, a massive column of water erupts from the lake and shoots into the night sky.
Inspired by this power, the ruby glowed brightly, illuminating the lake. Edmund could feel the connection between him and the ruby becoming stronger. He began to understand the gem's secrets and learned how to use its power to fight the coming darkness.
In the tower of the Ottoman Kingdom, Leah stood in front of a huge floor-to-ceiling window, her eyes piercing through the dark clouds in the night sky and gazing at the red light flickering faintly in the distance. A sly sneer appeared on her face, and her fingers gently stroked the ruby necklace around her neck, mirroring the ruby in Edmund's hand.
"Edmund," she murmured, her voice as sinister as a viper's. Leah's voice echoed in the empty room with a hint of contempt, "You think you can fight me with the power of the ruby? You are naive."
"Come, my servants." Leah summoned in a low voice, her voice carrying unquestionable authority.
As her words fell, several dark shadows emerged from the shadows. They appeared human but with an inhuman glint in their eyes. They were Leah's loyal followers, a few of the most powerful dark sorcerers.
"Master." Marcus' figure appeared in the shadows and knelt at her feet, his voice husky and respectful, "We are ready to activate the spell at any time."
"Very well." Leah points her gaze to the spell, a contemptuous smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "I need your power to activate this spell array. Once the spell array is activated, we can awaken the ancient power sleeping in the abyss."
The sorcerers acted swiftly as they began to place cursed white crystals at the various nodes of the spell formation, each of which exuded an ominous aura. Accompanied by the placement of the last crystal, the entire spell formation began to emit a low humming sound, and the light gradually became brighter.
Leah walked to the center of the spell, and with the herbs burning, she began to chant an ancient and powerful incantation. Her voice echoed through the room, resonating with the vibrations of the spell formation. As the magic progressed, the glow of the spell formation became stronger and stronger, eventually forming a swirling vortex of light.
"Now!"
Leah shouted, a fierce sparkle in her eyes,
"Bring the power of the ruby into the spell!" Leah raised the ruby in her hand; it had the same pulsation as the one in Edmund's hand. Casting the ruby into the spell's center, the red light intertwined with the glow of the spell, creating a powerful wave of energy.
"Soon, Edmund, you will see true power." Leah's voice was filled with triumphant confidence, "And you will not be able to stop me!"
The ruby began to change at the center of the spell, its light becoming deeper as if it would swallow the entire room.
Leah uses the power of the spell to psychically assault Edmund, trying to control his mind or trigger his fear and pain. At this, Edmund feels the ruby heat up, and to the reflection of Leah's figure, Edmund's headaches violently, his breath catching with it.
Edmund's body was cold and stiff, and he collapsed at the lake's edge, his eyes closed tightly, his trembling hand still grasping the ruby. Sweat mixed with tears seeped into the dirt like the whole world was against him. His dreams were torn apart, as if he were trapped in an endless vortex, with Leah's icy laughter and Evelyn's dying whispers echoing in his ears.
"Edmund ..." Evelyn's voice was soft as a whisper but full of pain. "You can't change the past. Stop ... This is not the path for you ..."
"No! Evelyn!" Edmund cried out in his dream, reaching out to touch her, but her figure dissolved like mist before his eyes, replaced by Leah's sneer and shadow.
"My prince," Leah's voice seemed to penetrate his soul, cold and nasty. "You will always have to stay that night and suffer the pain of loss forever."
Her figure suddenly grew huge, covering the entire dreamscape. She pointed at Edmund and said, "Sleep and enjoy the loss you cannot undo. When you wake up again, everything will be mine."
Suddenly, Edmund feels a sharp pain in his head; his breath catches, and his heart beats like thunder. He tried to break Leah's bonds, but his legs were heavy as lead, as if invisible chains bound them. His world is falling apart as uncontrollable ruby powers and inner darkness rage through his dreams.
In Philly's study, he suddenly senses a red light in the sky and frowns. "The power of darkness has begun to invade; Edmund is in danger."
Don nodded and immediately summoned the other elves. Lily quickly sent a message to Elvish, informing them that Edmund was at the edge of the lake in the forbidden zone. When they arrived, Edmund had already collapsed by the lake, his face full of pain, a trance in his mouth, and tears slipping down his face.
"He is struggling against the power of the ruby," whispered Philly, with anxiety in his eyes. "But he must escape this dark abyss, or no one can save him."
"The ruby is trying to take over him ...," Don whispered, a vague worry in his voice. "If he can't resist it, it will consume him."
"It's his test," Philly said calmly, his gaze steady and unwavering. "We can't intervene directly, or he'll never be able to harness the power of the ruby."
"What can we do?" Lily asked anxiously, her eyes glancing uneasily at Edmund's twisted face. "He doesn't look like he's going to last much longer. ..."
"All we can do is guard him until he leaves this darkness alone." Philly turned toward the ruby and began to whisper an ancient magic. The sound of the magic was like a murmur in the breeze, intertwined with the stars in the night sky, and a faint blue glow flowed from his hands, covering Edmund.
"It's elfin asylum magic," Philly explained. "It will temporarily ease the ruby's erosion, but ultimately, it's up to him."
Edmund's world was chaotic in the dream, and darkness consumed his sanity and strength. He could feel the ruby's power endlessly pounding his insides, amplifying his fear, hatred, and pain to the extreme. His soul seemed to be getting lost in this infinite darkness.
"Is this my fate?" Edmund whispered in his heart as if he was about to succumb to this irresistible force.
A faint light suddenly flashed out of the darkness, tearing through the endless shadows. Edmund's mind was shaken, and he tried to open his eyes wide and look toward the light. It was a pale blue radiance, like the shimmering light of an elf, illuminating the way ahead in the darkness.
"Edmund ..." The familiar voice sounded again, this time no longer painful but gentle and firm. "You don't have to face this alone."
"Evelyn ..." Edmund murmured, a light flashing in his eyes. He knew this was Evelyn's spirit, and she was guiding him out of this dark abyss.
"Don't let hatred blind you," Evelyn's figure reappeared; her face was clear and calm this time. "You can change things, but that power comes from love and forgiveness, not vengeance."
Edmund felt his hatred seem to have subsided slightly, but the anger still burned. "But Leah ... she ruined everything for us!"
"Hate will only make you her puppet." Evelyn's voice was low and soft as she approached Edmund and gently touched his chest. "Let go of hate, and you will truly gain strength."
Edmund looked down at her hand and felt a warm power flowing from her palm into his body, starkly contrasting the burning heat of the ruby. The power was no longer violent but harmonious, as soft yet powerful as water.
"I ..." Edmund's voice trembled, and the hatred in his eyes was gradually replaced by calmness. "I will no longer let hatred control me."
With this decision, the ruby's light became more stable, and the violent power gradually subsided. Edmund's will began to regain control of his body, and he felt the searing power no longer repel him but merge with his blood and soul.
Edmund's breathing steadied, his brow relaxed, tears still hanging from the corners of his eyes, but his face was no longer in pain. Philly stopped chanting and quietly watched Edmund, waiting for the moment he would wake up.
Finally, Edmund slowly opened his eyes; the ruby in his hand still emitted a weak light, but the light was no longer violent but stable and calm. He looked at Philly, his voice husky but firm, "I've got it under control."
"That's good, Edmund," Philly nodded slightly with a rare smile. "But the real challenge has just begun."
"Leah is still waiting for me," Edmund said, his gaze shifting into the distance, complex emotions sparkling in his eyes. "She won't give up so easily, neither will I."
"The path will be dangerous," Philly warned. "But if you can truly master the power of the ruby, you will no longer be a vampire driven by vengeance but someone who can change destiny."
Edmund nodded, and though the hatred and pain inside him hadn't completely dissipated, he knew he had embarked on a different path. A path that led to both light and darkness.
In another corner, Don and Lily were making their preparations. They know that the coming battle will be the toughest of their lives. With the help of the elven artisans, Don makes an undershirt of armor out of obsidian and amethyst, which provides a high degree of defense against black magic attacks, making it more suitable for the coming battle. On the other hand, Lily researches ancient elven magic to find a way to fight the dark forces.
At this moment, Edmund, Don, and Lily realize that they are about to face not only Leah and her dark forces but a battle for the fate of the entire continent. They must unite and utilize all the power at their disposal to win this battle between darkness and light.