The group sat in the shade of a large tree, their breaths still ragged from the frantic escape from the ruins. The orb, now resting on the ground in front of them, pulsed faintly with unstable energy. Cedric knelt beside it, his fingers hovering over the object as he tried to make sense of the chaotic magic within.
Kellen leaned back against the tree, arms crossed. "So, Cedric, any bright ideas about how we fix this thing before it blows up or worse?"
Cedric didn't respond immediately, his focus entirely on the orb. He could feel the shadow magic swirling inside, threatening to break free at any moment. "It's going to take more than just magic to stabilize it," he said after a moment, his voice quiet. "This is ancient magic, more complex than anything I've dealt with before."
Maeve tilted her head, studying the orb. "What do you need? If it's more ingredients or something, I've got plenty of vials and potions."
Cedric shook his head. "It's not that simple. This magic wasn't meant to be used lightly. If we're going to stop the corruption, we need to understand how this orb was created in the first place."
Tamsin sat beside him, her expression full of worry. "Is it even possible? To repair something this old?"
Cedric glanced at her, then at the orb. "I don't know. But we have to try."
Lira, standing guard a few paces away, spoke up without turning her gaze from the horizon. "We don't have much time. If the shadow magic is leaking out, it could attract more creatures, or worse."
Kellen's grin faded as he looked at the orb again. "Great. More monsters. Just what we need."
Maeve rolled her eyes, nudging him with her elbow. "Not helping, Kellen."
"Hey, I'm just being realistic," Kellen replied, though his usual playful tone was gone. "This thing's dangerous."
Cedric sighed, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. "The problem is, we're missing something. The scrolls in the archives talked about the seal, but they didn't explain how to fix it once it's broken."
"Then we need more information," Lira said, turning to face him. "What's our next move?"
---
Cedric sat in thought for a moment before speaking. "We need to head back to Myrlen. There's a chance we overlooked something in the archives. Or maybe there are other scholars who know more about this magic, someone who can help us understand the orb."
Kellen gave a low whistle. "So we go back to the city with a ticking time bomb in our hands? Sounds risky."
"It's our only option," Cedric said firmly. "We're not going to figure this out by sitting here."
Maeve stood, dusting off her hands. "Alright then. Back to Myrlen it is. We can't stay out here forever, and I'd rather not wait for something nasty to show up."
Lira sheathed her sword, nodding in agreement. "We'll move quickly. The sooner we get back to the city, the better."
Tamsin hesitated, glancing at the orb. "But won't carrying the orb through the city be dangerous? What if it… you know, explodes?"
Cedric met her worried gaze. "That's why we need to be careful. The orb's magic is unstable, but if we move fast and don't draw attention, we should be able to get it back to Myrlen without causing too much trouble."
Kellen raised an eyebrow. "And what about people who might be looking for this thing? We're not exactly the only ones interested in ancient magic, you know."
Lira's expression darkened. "We'll deal with that when it happens. Right now, our priority is getting this thing fixed."
---
As the group made their way back toward Myrlen, the weight of their task pressed heavily on all of them. The orb, wrapped carefully in Maeve's pack, pulsed faintly with a dark glow, a constant reminder of the danger they carried. Every step felt like a race against time, as though the shadow magic was chasing them, growing stronger with each passing hour.
"Do you think the archives will have more answers?" Tamsin asked quietly as they walked, her brow furrowed with worry.
Cedric glanced at her. "Maybe. If not, there are still scholars in Myrlen who might know more about the original seal. Erion can help us reach them."
"Assuming Erion's still willing to stick his neck out for us," Kellen added. "We're not exactly making friends with the powerful magic crowd these days."
Maeve smirked. "When have we ever made friends with the powerful magic crowd?"
Kellen grinned back. "Fair point."
Lira remained quiet, her eyes scanning the horizon as they moved through the rocky terrain. "We'll need to be careful when we enter the city. If word gets out that we're carrying an unstable magical object, we could attract attention we don't want."
Cedric nodded. "We'll keep a low profile. The last thing we need is someone trying to take the orb from us."
Maeve gave a light laugh. "Right. 'Hey, we've got a super dangerous magic orb here. Want to trade?' Yeah, that won't end well."
---
As they approached the outskirts of Myrlen, the familiar skyline of the city came into view. The towering citadel at its center loomed against the sky, a reminder of the archives and the secrets they still hadn't uncovered.
"Almost there," Lira said quietly, her voice tense. "Keep your eyes open."
Kellen glanced around, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger. "Anyone else getting a bad feeling about this? The closer we get to the city, the more it feels like something's off."
Maeve raised an eyebrow. "You're always paranoid."
"Paranoid keeps me alive," Kellen shot back, though his grin was half-hearted.
As they reached the city gates, Cedric felt the same unease gnawing at him. The orb's magic was growing more unstable with each passing moment, and now that they were so close to Myrlen, the tension in the air seemed to thicken.
Just as they stepped through the gate, a figure appeared from the shadows, blocking their path.
"Going somewhere in a hurry?" the stranger asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Lira's hand went to her sword in an instant, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"
The man smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "Someone who knows exactly what you're carrying. That orb of yours, it doesn't belong to you. Hand it over, and maybe we can avoid any unpleasantness."
Kellen groaned softly. "Great. Told you this would happen."
Maeve rolled her eyes. "Seriously? This is how we're starting?"
Cedric stepped forward, his voice steady. "We're not handing over anything. Whoever you are, you need to leave us alone."
The stranger's smile faded, and in an instant, two more figures appeared from the shadows, their hands glowing with faint magical energy. "I don't think you understand the situation. That orb isn't just a trinket. It's a key, and we intend to use it."
Lira unsheathed her sword, stepping protectively in front of Cedric. "Over my dead body."
The tension in the air thickened, and Cedric could feel the magic starting to surge around them.
"Looks like things just got complicated," Kellen muttered, drawing his daggers.
Cedric's heart raced as he prepared himself for whatever was coming. "We're not letting them take the orb. Get ready."