The heavy tome sat on Dark's desk like a shadowy reminder of the choices he had to make. The weight of its secrets, the pull of the forbidden magic, had only grown stronger since the night he opened it. Days passed, but Dark's thoughts kept circling back to the ritual of Eternal Binding.
It was everything he had sought after, power, control, and the ability to defy death itself. But each time he looked deeper into the pages, the warnings of failure gnawed at the edges of his ambition. One mistake, and everything would end in oblivion.
Is this worth the risk?
Dark had always been calculating, cautious even in his quest for power. But this, this was something more. It was the kind of magic that could make him untouchable, but it could also consume him.
He sat alone in his room, the quiet hum of the academy life muffled by the walls. Outside, students carried on their daily routines, but inside, Dark wrestled with his growing temptation.
The Eternal Binding was the ultimate prize, but Dark wasn't foolish. He knew that mastering it would take time, preparation, and complete understanding. For now, he kept the book closed, though its pull never left him.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
Dark turned, already knowing who it was before he spoke.
"Come in."
The door creaked open, and Serena stepped in, her eyes searching Dark's face for any sign of what had been consuming him. She had noticed the change in him, the growing distance in his gaze. Serena wasn't the kind of person to pry, but she couldn't ignore the fact that Dark had been slipping further into his own world.
"You've been avoiding me," she said, her voice soft but filled with concern.
Dark met her gaze, his face unreadable. "I've had a lot on my mind."
Serena closed the door behind her and stepped closer, her eyes lingering on the closed book on the desk. "Is it about that? The vault?"
Dark's jaw tightened slightly. He hadn't told Serena the full extent of what he had found in the vault, but she was perceptive. She had pieced together enough to know that whatever he had retrieved was far more dangerous than he had let on.
"It's part of it," Dark admitted. He didn't want to lie to Serena, but he also didn't want to burden her with the truth. The power he was dealing with was something no one else could understand, not even her.
Serena's brow furrowed, and she took a seat across from him. "You know I'm here, right? You don't have to go through this alone, whatever it is."
Dark glanced at the book again, the temptation to open it surging through him like a pulse. He appreciated Serena's concern, but this wasn't something he could share with her. Not yet.
"I know," Dark said quietly. "But some things... I need to figure out on my own."
Serena sighed, her gaze softening. "I get that, Dark, but just be careful. I can tell this is eating at you."
Dark nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. Careful? The word felt strange to him now. He had always been careful, methodical, but power required risk. And he was willing to take those risks if it meant achieving something greater than anyone else could imagine.
"I'll be fine," Dark said, his voice more firm. He wasn't sure if he was reassuring Serena or himself.
Serena studied him for a moment longer before standing up. "Just... don't lose yourself in whatever this is." Her tone was soft, but there was an underlying plea in her words.
As she turned to leave, Dark felt a pang of guilt. He knew Serena was right to worry, but he couldn't let go of the path he had set himself on.
Once the door closed behind her, Dark turned back to the book. His hand hovered over the cover, and he felt the familiar rush of power at his fingertips.
Don't lose yourself.
Serena's words echoed in his mind, but Dark pushed them aside. He had come too far to stop now. The question wasn't whether he would use the power in the book, the question was when.
---
The days passed, and Dark's focus sharpened. He spent every moment outside of classes studying the book, preparing for the ritual of Eternal Binding. Each new spell, each new layer of understanding brought him closer to the power he desired. The warnings in the margins no longer seemed as ominous. Instead, they felt like challenges, obstacles he could overcome with enough knowledge and control.
But even as he grew more confident, the whispers of doubt never fully left him. There was a part of him, buried deep, that questioned whether he was truly ready for the magic he was about to wield. The spell was designed for the most advanced mages, those who had already mastered the manipulation of time and space. Dark was talented, yes, but this was different. This was ancient magic, the kind that could turn on its caster in an instant.
No, Dark thought, pushing the doubt aside. I can do this. I have to.
One evening, as the academy's halls quieted and the moon rose high in the sky, Dark made his decision. He would attempt the ritual.
The preparations were meticulous. Dark spent hours carefully drawing the necessary runes on the floor of his room, his mana pulsing through each symbol as he worked. The spell required absolute precision, one mistake could unravel everything. But Dark's hands were steady, his mind focused.
Finally, when the circle was complete and the air in the room thrummed with magic, Dark stepped into the center, the book open in front of him. His heart raced, but his resolve was unshakable.
This is it.
He began to chant, his voice low and controlled as the ancient words filled the room. The runes on the floor glowed with a faint blue light, and the air grew colder as the spell took hold. Dark could feel the magic wrapping around him, pulling him deeper into the ritual.
As the chant grew louder, the power intensified. Dark's mana intertwined with the magic from the book, and for a moment, everything felt perfect, like he was on the edge of something monumental.
But then, something shifted.
The light from the runes flickered, and Dark felt a sudden pull, as if the spell was slipping out of his control. His heart raced, and for the first time, a flicker of panic shot through him.
No.
Dark tried to steady his mana, but the pull grew stronger. The magic was unraveling, the runes on the floor beginning to fade.
This can't be happening.
Desperation clawed at him as he fought to regain control, but it was too late. The spell collapsed, and the room was plunged into darkness.
For a moment, there was nothing, no sound, no light, no sense of time. Dark floated in the void, his mind racing as he tried to understand what had gone wrong.
Then, slowly, the world came back into focus. The room around him flickered into view, and Dark found himself lying on the cold stone floor, gasping for breath. The runes were gone, the spell broken. But Dark was alive.
He sat up, his body trembling with exhaustion. The ritual had failed, but somehow, he had survived.
What happened?
Dark's mind raced as he tried to piece together the events of the night. He had done everything right, every word, every symbol had been perfect. So why had the spell collapsed?
As he caught his breath, his eyes fell on the book, lying open on the floor in front of him. The pages were blank, empty, as if the magic had been drained from it.
Dark's heart sank. He had been so close, and now, the power he had sought was gone.
But even as the disappointment washed over him, Dark felt a strange sense of relief. The spell had failed, yes, but he was still alive. And perhaps, for now, that was enough.