The following days passed in a blur. The vault incident weighed heavily on Dark's mind, not because of the risk they had taken, but because of the book now in his possession. He could still feel its power pulsing through him, like a heartbeat that wasn't his own. Yet, he hadn't dared open it since that night. Something about it was different, more dangerous than anything he had encountered before.
Tarin had kept his distance since then, clearly rattled by their narrow escape. Dark wasn't surprised. Tarin's nerves had always been his weakness, and while he might have been useful in accessing the vault, Dark knew he couldn't rely on him going forward.
He's already served his purpose, Dark thought coldly. Now, it's up to me.
The book sat on his desk, its dark cover still glowing faintly in the dim light of his room. Dark stared at it, feeling the familiar pull of its power. He knew the book held secrets, knowledge that could change everything. But unlocking those secrets came with a price, and Dark wasn't sure what that price would be.
What are you hiding? he wondered, his hand hovering over the cover. What's inside you?
The temptation was overwhelming. For days, Dark had focused on his classes, pretending everything was normal. But his thoughts always drifted back to the book. The spells he had learned so far, the forbidden knowledge he had gathered, all of it paled in comparison to what was in that tome.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of waiting, Dark made his decision.
He would open it.
---
That night, after the academy had quieted down and the other students had retreated to their dormitories, Dark sat alone in his room, the book resting on the desk in front of him. His fingers trembled slightly as he touched the cover, but his resolve was unshakable.
It's time.
With a deep breath, Dark opened the book. Immediately, a wave of raw mana surged out, filling the room with a cold, unnatural energy. The air grew heavy, and Dark felt the weight of the magic pressing down on him, as though the book itself was testing his worth.
For a moment, Dark hesitated. But then, the words on the page began to shift, glowing with an eerie light as they rearranged themselves into a language Dark could understand. The ancient symbols morphed into letters, forming sentences that whispered to him in the silence of the room.
This is it.
Dark leaned closer, his eyes scanning the first page. The text was dense, filled with spells and incantations far beyond anything he had studied before. But more than that, it was a manual, a guide to manipulating the very fabric of reality. Time, space, life, and death—all were laid bare in the pages before him.
His heart raced as he flipped through the book, each page revealing more secrets, more power. Spells to stop time, to create portals between worlds, to summon beings from beyond the veil of death. Dark could hardly believe what he was reading.
This is what the Architect was talking about, he realized, his breath catching in his throat. This is how I'll surpass them all.
But as he reached the center of the book, something changed. The text grew darker, more sinister. The spells became more complex, more dangerous. Warnings were scrawled in the margins, written by mages long dead, warning of the consequences of using such magic.
One passage caught Dark's attention. It spoke of a spell that could grant the caster near-immortality by binding their soul to an object, an ancient ritual known as the Eternal Binding. The caster could live on indefinitely, their body and mind intact, as long as the object remained intact. But the spell came with a dire warning: failure to properly complete the ritual would result in the destruction of both the caster's body and soul, leaving nothing behind but a void.
Dark's eyes widened as he read the passage. Immortality, it was the ultimate prize, the one thing that every mage, every being, sought but could never obtain. And here it was, laid out before him.
This is it. This is what I've been searching for.
But even as the thought crossed his mind, a sense of unease settled over him. The ritual was powerful, yes, but it was also incredibly dangerous. Dark knew that if he attempted it and failed, there would be no second chances.
I have to be certain, he thought, closing the book slowly. I need more time.
He couldn't rush into this, not without understanding every aspect of the spell. The temptation was there, but Dark knew better than to let his ambition blind him. There was still more to learn, more to prepare.
But even as he closed the book, the pull of its power remained, gnawing at the edges of his mind. The promise of immortality was too strong to ignore, and Dark knew that sooner or later, he would have to decide whether or not to take the risk.
---
The next morning, Dark attended his classes as usual, though his mind was elsewhere. The book's revelations weighed heavily on him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was standing on the edge of something monumental. The knowledge he now possessed could change everything, his life, his future, and perhaps even the fate of the world itself.
As the day went on, Serena noticed his distraction.
"You've been quiet," she said, catching up to him as they left their lecture on elemental theory. "Is something wrong?"
Dark glanced at her, his expression unreadable. He had grown to trust Serena more than most, but he wasn't sure how much he wanted to reveal just yet.
"I'm fine," he said, his tone casual. "Just thinking."
"About?" Serena pressed, her eyes searching his face for answers.
Dark hesitated for a moment. He could feel the weight of the book pressing against his chest, hidden beneath his robes. Part of him wanted to share what he had found, to let someone else understand the magnitude of what he had uncovered. But the other part of him knew that this kind of power wasn't something to be shared lightly.
"Just… plans for the future," he finally said, giving her a vague answer. "There's a lot to think about."
Serena raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You've been 'thinking about the future' a lot lately. I can tell something's changed. You're… different."
Dark met her gaze, his expression hardening slightly. "Things are changing, Serena. You're right about that. But I need time to figure it all out."
Serena nodded slowly, though she still looked uncertain. "Just don't shut me out, okay? Whatever it is, you don't have to handle it alone."
Dark didn't respond immediately, his thoughts once again drifting back to the book and the power it promised. He appreciated Serena's concern, but he knew that this was something he had to handle on his own. The decisions he made in the coming days would determine everything, and he couldn't afford any distractions.
"I won't," Dark said finally, though the words felt hollow. He turned away from her, heading toward the academy library, where he knew he would be alone with his thoughts.
I need to be ready, he told himself as he walked. The time is coming.