The air was thick with the scent of blood and smoke, the ground littered with debris and broken weapons. Standing amidst the chaos of an ancient battlefield, around Alexander were the remnants of a fierce battle, pools of dark, coagulated blood filled the potholes at his feet. The sky above was dark, heavy with storm clouds that seemed to press down on the land, casting long shadows across the scene, and the atmosphere was heavy with a sense of despair and death.
As Alexander took in the grim surroundings, he felt a chill run down his spine. There was an unnatural stillness in the air, a sense of foreboding that made his heart race. He glanced around, trying to make sense of where he was and how he had gotten there, but nothing seemed familiar.
A rustling sound drew his attention to a figure emerging from the shadows at the edge of the battlefield. At first, it was hard to make out any details, but as the figure came closer, Alexander's eyes widened in shock.
It was the man in black robes, the same one he had met when he first arrived in this strange world, the one who had given him cryptic advice and then vanished without a trace. But now, the man's robes were tattered and torn, hanging from his skeletal frame like rags. His eyes were empty, devoid of life, and blood oozed from every inch of his skin, dripping onto the ground in a gruesome display. He was no longer human—he had become a blood creature, a twisted, horrifying version.
The blood creature locked its hollow gaze onto Alexander and let out a guttural roar, charging toward him with terrifying speed. Panic surged through Alexander as he realized he had no weapons, no defenses. Instinctively, he raised his hands and summoned his fire magic, sending a blazing torrent of flames toward the advancing creature.
The fire engulfed the blood creature, flames roaring as they consumed its form. For a moment, it seemed he was safe, but then Alexander's magic ring began to glow with a dark, ominous light, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. Before he could understand what was happening, the blood from the pools around him began to move, slithering across the ground like living tendrils. It wrapped around his ankles, climbing up his legs and torso, binding him in place. He used all his strength to summon another burst of fire, but it was no use. The blood was too strong, too powerful, it covered his body, seeping into his skin, filling his lungs.
"No!"
Alexander bolted upright in his bed, his heart racing and his breath coming in ragged gasps. The room was dark, but the faint light of dawn was just beginning to creep through the curtains of his dormitory. He glanced around, his mind racing, trying to make sense of what had just happened. His mind was still reeling from the vivid dream he had just experienced—a dream that felt all too real.
He sat up in bed, running a hand through his disheveled hair, trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare."It was just a dream," he muttered to himself, his voice was shaky, "Just a nightmare."
He looked down at his hand, where the magic ring still rested on his finger. Frantically, Alexander grabbed the ring and tried to pull it off his finger, but it wouldn't budge. It was as if it had fused to his skin, becoming a part of him. He tugged harder, twisting and turning, but the ring remained stubbornly in place, its dark surface glinting in the morning light.
Panicking, Alexander leapt out of bed and rushed to the bathroom, grabbing a bar of soap and lathering his hands. "Come on," Alexander grunted, pulling harder, but the ring remained stubbornly in place.
"Damn it!" he muttered, slamming his fist against the sink. "What is this thing? Why won't it come off?"
Alexander took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He walked back into the small kitchenette in his dormitory. He filled a kettle with water and set it on the stove, then grabbed a mug and a packet of instant coffee. As the kettle began to whistle, he poured the boiling water into the mug, watching the steam rise as he stirred the coffee absently.
He stared out the window as the sun slowly rose over the horizon, casting a warm, golden light across the Academy grounds. It should have been a calming sight, but Alexander felt anything but calm.
As he sipped his coffee, his thoughts drifted to the magic ring and the strange powers it seemed to possess. He needed answers, and there was only one place he could think to find them: the main library, besides the Library of Shadows which he could no longer find.
As soon as the sun was fully up, Alexander set off for the main library, his mind focused on one thing: finding out what the ring was and how to get it off. The corridors of the Academy were still quiet, most of the students still asleep or just waking up.
As Alexander stepped inside, the familiar scent of old paper and leather greeted him, and he felt a sense of comfort wash over him. The library was quiet at this early hour, with only a few students scattered among the tables, their heads bowed over their studies.
He made his way to the section where the records on shadow magic and ancient artifacts were kept. As he turned a corner, he nearly collided with someone coming from the opposite direction.
"Lira!" he said, surprised to see her here. "What are you doing here so early?"
Lira looked up, her dark eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Alexander? I could ask you the same thing. I came to find some information on… something. What about you?"
Alexander hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm looking for information on a magic ring. I… I got it during the challenge, and I think it might be connected to some kind of dark magic."
Lira admitted before closing the book she had been reading and setting it aside, her voice soft. "After everything that happened with the challenge, with the black magic… and that ring… I wanted to find out more about it."
Alexander said, with a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're worried about me, aren't you?"
Lira's cheeks turned a deep shade of pink as she looked away, avoiding his gaze. She whispered, almost too quietly to hear, "Yes, I'm worried. That ring is dangerous, Alexander. I've seen what black magic can do to people, I don't want that to happen to you."
Alexander's grin widened, his eyes sparkling with delight. "I knew it," he teased. "You actually care."
Lira shot him a flustered look, her voice barely holding back a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "Don't get cocky, Alexander. It's not like that… I just—well, we've been through a lot, okay?"
He softened his expression, still smiling but more gently now. "I get it, Lira. And anything find?"
Lira's expression grew serious, she led him to a nearby table where a stack of ancient texts and scrolls lay open. She pulled out an ancient text bound in cracked leather, its pages yellowed with age.
"Here, look at this," she said, pointing to a passage written in a flowing, archaic script. "It talks about a magic ring that was brought back from an ancient battlefield when the Academy was founded. According to this, the ring was known for its powerful dark magic, which caused a lot of unrest. It was eventually lost during a period of turmoil, but it seems like it's been found again… by you."
Alexander's eyes scanned the text, his heart sinking as he read the words. "So this ring has a history of causing trouble," he muttered, his mind racing. "No wonder it won't come off. It's bound to me somehow."
Lira's eyes narrowing slightly, "What? The ring won't come off?"
Alexander sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I tried to take it off this morning, but it wouldn't come off. That's why I came here, to see if I could find any information about it. Maybe figure out how to get rid of it."
Lira frowned, her brow furrowing in thought. "We need to find out more about it, and fast." Alexander nodded and smiled.
Together, they began to search through the shelves, pulling down books and scrolls, skimming through their pages for any mention of magic rings or dark artifacts.
"Lira? What's your take on Shadow Magic?"
"I've always been fascinated by shadow magic," Lira said, her voice filled with excitement. "It's such a mysterious and versatile form of magic. There's so much we still don't know about it, so many secrets waiting to be uncovered."
Lira spoke passionately about her studies, her eyes lighting up as she recounted her favorites. Alexander found himself drawn to her enthusiasm and wisdom.
As they talked, a warmth spread through his chest that had nothing to do with the morning sun filtering through the library windows. For a brief moment, it was as if the rest of the world had faded away, leaving just the two of them in that quiet, magical space.
Their search continued for what felt like hours, but finally, Alexander's eyes fell on an ancient, leather-bound book that seemed to call out to him. He pulled it from the shelf and opened it, carefully turning the yellowed pages. The text was written in an old, flowing script, and as he read, his heart began to race.
"Lira, look at this," Alexander said, his voice filled with excitement. "I think I found something." Lira hurried over, peering over his shoulder at the page. The text was accompanied by an illustration of a ring—one that looked strikingly similar to the one on Alexander's finger.