It was a heavy air, full of the scent of old parchment and smoke from the sage, a crushing reminder of the great weight of decisions made in this space over the centuries. Lady Seraphine and her warriors stood in a half-circle flanked by twelve robed figures, seated in an arc on raised benches. Better the days that had passed for the mages of Eltoria; their once proud council bore the marks of years spent battling unseen threats — hollow eyes, trembling hands, and strained expressions.
Seated at the center of the crowded council was an old woman crowned with silver hair, dressed in robes of deep crimson that seemed to flicker with the faint shimmer of magic. Her voice, though soft, carried an authority which filled the chamber.
Lady Seraphine," she began, crossing her hands in front of her. "It is many years since Velandra asked for the help of Eltoria. Tell us now why you have come to us in such a dark time.".
Seraphine moved on, her armor glinting ambiguously in the faint light. "I come seeking your wisdom and your power. The Shadow King stirs in his prison, and growing influence spreads across this land. My people already feel it - corrupted soil, winds on unrest, and greetings of his emissaries. If we do not unite against him now, all the kingdoms will fall one by one."
A ripple of whispers spread across the council. The elder mage, who Seraphine now saw was High Magister Lysandra, raised a hand to quiet them.
"And what would you have us do, Lady Seraphine?" Lysandra asked. "Eltoria has defended itself against the encroaching darkness for decades. Our numbers dwindle, our magic fades, and yet we endure. What can Velandra offer us in return for our aid?"
Seraphine stood a little taller. "Our pact. Our metal. Velandra's soldiers are unmatched on the battlefield. With us together, we can make a resistance that the Shadow King cannot turn his eye from. We don't beg for handouts-we ask for integration."
She met Seraphine's gaze, unsparing, measuring the other woman with silver eyes. "UNITY HAS NEVER BEEN A SIMPLE VIRTUE, SERAPHINE," she said. "Nor is it ever an easy one. The Shadow King is not a simple warlord; he is a phenomenon, a gap in the universe that swallows everything in its wake. Even the greatest alliances may not endure him.".
A younger mage, sitting at the back of the council, leaned forward. His face was chiseled, with a look of skepticism. "How can we trust Velandra to fulfill its obligations? The last time that our kingdoms allied ourselves, it was the mages who took the majority of the damage as your soldiers retreat to your walled cities.".
But Garin bristled at the accusation, and Seraphine raised a hand to calm him. "That was not my doing," she said evenly. "I cannot speak for the decisions of my predecessors, but I can promise you this: I will not retreat. Velandra will fight alongside you until the end, no matter the cost.".
The room fell silent, electric with pent-up tension waiting to break like stormy weather. Lysandra leaned back in her chair, her fingers steepled.
"You speak with conviction," she said finally. "But conviction alone will not win this war. If you truly wish to stand against the Shadow King, you must first understand the enemy you face. Tell me, Lady Seraphine, what do you know of the Shadow War?
Seraphine hesitated. She has known all the legends, but how she detested them. They were virtually arbitrary, and contrived to be dark, obscure, and unsatisfying. "I know that the Shadow King was defeated by the united kingdoms centuries ago, and that he was sealed in the Abyss using powerful magic. Beyond that, much of the history has been lost.".
Lysandra nodded, her face grave. "Lost-or perhaps deliberately hidden. The truth of the Shadow War is far darker than most would dare to remember.".
With a wave of her hand, the room darkened and the air was filled with sorcery. On the walls of the room, a picture unfolded, vortex of shadow and light. It was a battlefield such as Seraphine had never seen-before armies clashed with creatures of pure darkness, their forms shifting and writhing like living nightmares.
"The Shadow King is no man," Lysandra said, her voice low. An ancient being, older than this world, drawn to it by promise of conquest and consumption. When he first came, he brought a force that defied the laws of our reality. His armies were not fashioned of flesh and blood but of shadow and malice, feeding on fear and despair.". They were not able to be killed through any conventional means, only beaten back by magic and the willpower of those who could not give in to his power.
The image shifted, showing a circle of robed figures standing around a glowing rift. "The allied kingdoms poured their magic into sealing him in the Abyss, a prison outside time and space. But the cost was unimaginable. Thousands perished, and the seals required a sacrifice—each mage gave a piece of their soul to bind him.".
The projection faded, and dim light settled over the room once more. Lysandra fastened her gaze on Seraphine. "The seals were never meant to be permanent. They were a temporary solution, buying us time to prepare for his inevitable return. But we squandered that time. The kingdoms grew complacent, their magic waning with each passing generation. Now, the seals weaken, and the Shadow King stirs.".
Seraphine's chest constricted in her sweater. She knew things were bad, but the words made it real. "Then we have no choice," she said. "We must fight now, before he regains his full strength."
Lysandra nodded her head. "Agreed. To fight him, however you will need more than swords and armor. You will need magic—a weapon strong enough to stand against the darkness.".
"Then teach us," Seraphine said without hesitation. "Show us how to wield it."
The council exchanged uneasy glances. "Magic is not learned so easily," Lysandra warned. "It requires years of training, discipline, and sacrifice. And even then, not all who seek it are capable of mastering it. You may find the cost too great."
"I will pay whatever cost is required," Seraphine replied. "Velandra depends on it."
The room fell silent, as if such an heavy thing had settled inside her words. Finally, Lysandra nodded. "Very well. We will teach you and your warriors the ways of magic. But you need to know this: once you embark on this course, there is no turning back. The Shadow King will feel your presence, and he won't think twice about trying to hit you with all his strength.
Seraphine nodded, her look grave. "We are ready."
Lysandra rose to her feet, the crimson robes around her liquid fire. "Then let the training begin. May the light guide you, Lady Seraphine-for you will need every ounce of its strength to survive what lies ahead.".
Along with a weird blend of hope and fear, Seraphine saw the council members start standing up and scatter as if leaving. She knew now that although they had taken the first step in the fight against the Shadow King, the way ahead was only to get darker.
There, unseen by any of the others, two ember-like eyes had flickered for a moment, and plunged back into darkness. The Shadow King's eye was already upon them, and war had begun.