It was late afternoon over the Magic Academy, a lone figure stood in a quiet garden. It was Aki, his gaze fixed intently on the falling leaves drifting through the air, his wand poised with a determined grip. His goal was to replicate the graceful image of the floating leaf balanced on the tip of the headmistress's wand—a feat he hoped to master himself. He followed each leaf as it swayed with the wind, moving left and right to match their rhythm. But every attempt ended with the leaves escaping his reach.
"Ah... come on," he muttered, frustration coloring his voice. He tried again, steadying his breath and focusing his magic energy, but as each leaf neared the wand, it would suddenly shoot away as if repelled by an unseen force, like the same poles of a magnet pushing apart.
Suddenly, Aki felt a strange, chilling sensation wash over him, his Foresight ability suddenly alerting him to a dark, familiar aura—one disturbingly reminiscent of the storm's malevolence before. He straightened, gazing up at the sky, eyes wide with worry. "No way… it can't be," he muttered, his tone tense as he gripped his wand tightly. His thoughts raced. I've got to inform the headmistress.
In the distance, a low rumble of thunder echoed through the clouds. Down near a dead Eldar tree, a lone guardsman tasked with watching the horses was trying to steady one of them as it pawed nervously at the ground, spooked by the ominous sound. "Easy… easy now," the guardsman murmured, holding tight to the reins. Suddenly, he heard a rustling from the nearby wood, and from the trees emerged Sir Francis, followed by Sir William and the other guardsman, all of them moving with urgency.
Sir Francis, still several strides away, called out, "Prepare the horses! We're heading back to the Academy—quickly!"
Without hesitation, the guardsman helped guide the horses to their riders. In moments, all four men were mounted and ready. Sir Francis gave a swift command, "Hiyah!" pressing his heels to his horse's side. In an instant, they were galloping away from the Eldar tree, speeding down the trodden path, bound for the Magic Academy.
In a secluded chamber deep within the Rothrosia Archive, Sylvia and Amabel sat side by side, both intently focused on an ancient text spread open before them.
"What is this…? Hm… Interesting," Sylvia murmured, her eyes scanning the page that she had carefully translated.
Amabel leaned in, intrigued.
"Amabel," Sylvia said softly, "could you read this paragraph for me? I just want to confirm something." She slid the written translation towards Amabel, who leaned closer, studying the carefully penned lines:
...
Year 301
13 C.L.
"Arch Mage Kayne has taken possession of the Mother Crystal. Progress is steady; the Mother Crystal remains stable. The summoning ritual is scheduled for the time of the Eclipse."
15 C.L.
"Royal Knight Baron has ordered the captured of Arch Mages Kayne for treason. Kayne has vanished, Mother Crystal was lost nowhere to be found, Eclipse is near"
20 C.L.
"Eclipse—Athia's light devoured, day consumed by night. Evil awakens. The Ghoul King has been reborn."
...
Amabel finished reading, her expression tense. She met Sylvia's gaze, a hint of recognition sparking in her eyes. "Arch Mage Kayne… I think I've heard that name before," Sylvia muttered, her mind racing.
Amabel turned back to the translation, her voice low as she asked, "The Ghoul King… do you know who that refers to?"
Sylvia shook her head, her pulse quickening. Amabel adjusted her posture, her hood shadowing her features as she spoke in a steady tone.
"The Ghoul King was a name used to reference one of the Demon Lords of old."
Sylvia's eyes widened. "What?" She said.
With a grave expression, Amabel continued, her tone serious. "It refers to Demon Lord Alastair."
A chill ran through Sylvia as the name settled over the room, leaving it in an eerie silence. A bead of sweat traced down her temple, her fear almost palpable.
At the academy grounds, Sir Francis and Sir William arrived, hastily dismounting from their horses. Sir William led the way, presumably heading directly to the headmistress's office, with Sir Francis following closely behind.
A sharp knock echoed through the corridor as Sir William rapped on the office door. "My lady," he called, but there was no response.
Sir William glanced at Sir Francis, their faces both set with urgency.
A servant passed by, and Sir Francis called out, "You there."
"Y-Yes, Sir?" the servant replied, a puzzled look on his face.
"Do you know the headmistress's whereabouts?" Sir Francis asked, his tone firm.
The servant nodded quickly. "Ah, the headmistress is in the greenhouse, just behind the main academy garden."
"Very well, thank you," Sir Francis said, and without delay, he and Sir William hurried toward the greenhouse.
The greenhouse, a structure of glass walls and a glass roof, was filled with various plants, all thriving under the headmistress's care. She was kneeling, tending to a cluster of Lilaen flowers—the same blossoms she used to brew her tea. A maid stood nearby, the same one who had accompanied Aki from the city.
"It's beautiful, my lady," the maid remarked warmly.
The headmistress straightened, holding a single Lilaen flower with a smile. "It truly is. And delicious as well," she added with a playful wink. The maid returned her smile.
Just then, Sir William entered the greenhouse with brisk steps.
"My lady, sorry to disturb you, but we have an urgent matter that requires your attention," he said, his tone tense and serious, contrasting sharply with his usual easy-going demeanor.
Behind him, Sir Francis stood, his expression equally grave.
Sometimes later.....
As evening settled into the headmistress's office, the room glowed with a warm ambiance. Soft light filtered through the tall windows, illuminating shelves filled with potions and books, and casting gentle shadows across the antique furniture. Lush plants decorated the space, while a central, intricately carved wooden desk sat at the heart of the room. Behind it, the headmistress sat, her gaze sharp and focused.
In front of her, Sir William sat with composed poise, while Sir Francis leaned forward, gripping his knee anxiously. The headmistress's intrigued voice cut through the silence. "So, if I understand correctly, you encountered a creature—a humanoid—inside the old mine?"
"Yes, it was... horrid," Sir William replied.
Sir Francis added, "It resembled a human in shape but looked more like a living corpse."
The headmistress held her chin thoughtfully. "A ghoul," she concluded. "The creature you encountered sounds like a ghoul."
Sir Francis's eyes widened. "What…? That's..." he stammered.
"There's another thing," Sir William said. He glanced briefly at Sir Francis before turning his gaze back to the headmistress.
"There's a dark entity lurking in the shadows inside the mine—a malevolent presence," he said, his tone serious.
The headmistress leaned forward, her fingers laced together on the desk. "How malevolent are we talking?" she asked, her tone curious.
Sir William leaned back, maintaining his intense gaze. "It radiated an intense, dark energy—so dense and evil, we hardly able to hold ourselves together."
Sir Francis added, "It felt as if we were being pulled into the darkness itself."
The headmistress's expression turned serious as she processed this information. She seemed lost in thought, but Sir Francis broke the silence.
"We need to get to the bottom of this, and we need your help. My gut tells me this won't be the last time we encounter that entity." He said.
The headmistress's face turned serious as she processed their words. Outside, the sun's last rays dimmed, and the magic crystal lights in the room glowed softly, illuminating their faces in a pale, magical hue.
"Very well," she said resolutely. "But if it truly is a ghoul, we must proceed with caution. It's too risky now—let's head out tomorrow morning under the safety of daylight."
Sir William and Sir Francis nodded in agreement, a shared look of determination passing between them as they prepared for the coming dawn.
Outside the headmistress's office, Aki stood quietly leaning next to the office door, he has heard all of the conversation within. He clutched His notebook tightly against his chest, and his other hand gripped his wand with an intense resolve. His expression was set, eyes narrowing as he absorbed the serious tone of the voices inside. A determined look crossed his face.