The air around Alex, Imogen, and Lily shimmered with volatile energy as the fragments of the Leviathan's binding ritual floated in the ethereal void. Every shard of memory pulsed with faint light, calling to them, yet there was an oppressive weight in the atmosphere, as though the Leviathan's gaze pressed upon them even from its slumber.
Alex stood still, holding the Memory Sphere tightly in his hand. His silver eyes scanned their surroundings, each glowing fragment casting distorted shadows. "We're running out of time. The Leviathan knows we're here, and it's reacting to us."
Imogen's breathing was quick and shallow. She tightened her grip on her wand, though it offered little comfort in this intangible realm. "You think it knows? I can feel it watching."
Lily, standing beside Alex, stepped closer to one of the fragments. Her face was lit by its glow as it displayed a scene of robed wizards battling a massive, coiling shadow in the depths of the lake. The Leviathan's serpentine form loomed over them, its golden eyes gleaming with malevolence. "This thing wasn't just bound—it fought them. It didn't go down willingly."
"They never do," Alex murmured, his voice heavy. "Come on, we have to find the next critical piece of the memory. Something to give Radwick a chance."
Lily nodded and reached toward the fragment. Her fingers grazed its surface, and the world shifted violently around them.
The three of them found themselves standing on the rocky shore of the Black Lake. The memory was vivid, more detailed than the others, as if it had been preserved with greater clarity. A circle of twelve wizards, their robes adorned with intricate sigils, stood in formation. Their wands pointed toward the center of the lake, and their chants filled the air with a low, rhythmic hum.
The surface of the lake rippled, glowing runes appearing in a perfect circle as the Leviathan began to rise. Its massive, coiling body emerged from the water, its scales reflecting the eerie light of the runes. The wizards' chants grew louder, their voices shaking with the weight of their magic.
"They're binding it," Alex said, stepping closer to the scene.
"Look at their faces," Imogen said, her voice hushed. "They're terrified."
"They should be," Lily said, her gaze fixed on the Leviathan. Its golden eyes burned with rage, its massive jaws opening to unleash a soundless roar. The magic of the binding ritual seemed to distort the air around it, bending light and sound as the runes pulsed brighter.
Alex moved forward, his heart pounding as he tried to take in every detail of the ritual. The wizards were focusing their power on the runes, weaving intricate patterns of light and magic that flowed into the Leviathan's massive form.
Then something changed.
One of the wizards faltered, their chant breaking as they clutched their chest. The runes flickered, and the Leviathan surged against its bindings, its coils thrashing violently. The remaining wizards redoubled their efforts, their chants becoming desperate.
"They're losing control," Alex said, his voice tight.
"They weren't prepared," Lily added, her expression grim. "They didn't know enough about what they were dealing with."
The memory fragmented again, the scene shattering into glowing shards. Alex clenched his fists, frustration bubbling within him. "We need to know why. What went wrong?"
As if in response, a new fragment appeared before them, glowing brighter than the others. Alex reached for it without hesitation, and the world shifted once more.
The scene that unfolded was stark and quiet, a sharp contrast to the chaos they had just witnessed. The lake was calm, its surface undisturbed, but a single wizard stood on its shore, his face lined with exhaustion and grief.
"This is different," Imogen said, her brow furrowed. "It's just him. Where are the others?"
The wizard knelt by the water, his wand held loosely in his hand. He muttered under his breath, his words too quiet to hear, but his expression was etched with despair. A small, glowing rune hovered in the air before him, flickering faintly.
"He's the last one," Alex said quietly. "The others must have…"
"Died," Lily finished, her voice hollow. "They couldn't finish the binding. He's all that's left."
The wizard reached out toward the rune, his hand trembling. "I… I have to… It's the only way…"
As they watched, the rune grew brighter, its light reflecting in the wizard's tear-streaked eyes. He raised his wand, his voice rising in a desperate chant. The air around him crackled with energy, and the surface of the lake rippled as the Leviathan's hum filled the air once more.
The chant ended with a sharp burst of light, and the rune shattered into fragments that scattered across the lake. The wizard fell to his knees, his wand clattering to the ground.
"It wasn't complete," Alex said, his voice heavy. "The binding worked, but it wasn't strong enough to hold forever. It was a stopgap measure."
"Which is why it's failing now," Lily added, her gaze fixed on the wizard.
The scene began to fade, the glowing fragments dissolving into the void. Alex turned to his companions, his expression grim. "This is what Radwick needs to know. The Leviathan's binding was flawed from the start. He'll need to account for that if we're going to reinforce it."
"Then let's get out of here," Imogen said. "I don't want to stick around long enough for that thing to notice us again."
As they moved to leave, the oppressive presence of the Leviathan surged around them. The hum grew louder, vibrating through their very bones, and the void around them began to collapse.
"Alex!" Lily shouted, grabbing his arm as the ground beneath them cracked and shattered.
"Hold on!" Alex yelled, clutching the Memory Sphere tightly.
The Leviathan's golden eyes appeared in the darkness, burning with an intensity that froze Alex in place. For a moment, he thought he heard a voice—not spoken, but resonating within his mind, deep and ancient.
"You will not bind me again."
The words sent a chill down Alex's spine, and the void around them dissolved into blinding light.
Alex gasped as he was pulled back into Radwick's office, the Memory Sphere clattering to the floor. Imogen and Lily appeared beside him, both of them breathing heavily, their faces pale.
Radwick stepped forward quickly, his expression sharp. "What happened?"
"We found it," Alex said, his voice hoarse. "The wizards who bound the Leviathan—they weren't prepared. The binding was flawed from the beginning. That's why it's failing now."
Radwick's jaw tightened as he picked up the Memory Sphere, his eyes scanning its surface. "Did you see anything else?"
Alex hesitated, the Leviathan's words echoing in his mind. "It… it knows what we're trying to do. It spoke to me, Radwick. It said we wouldn't bind it again."
Radwick's expression darkened. "Then we're out of time. The Leviathan is aware of our efforts, and it will do everything in its power to stop us."
"What do we do?" Lily asked, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.
Radwick turned to them, his gaze fierce. "We move now. Gather your strength, because tonight we descend into the lake. This ends one way or another."
Alex exchanged a glance with Imogen and Lily. The tension in the room was suffocating, but they all nodded in silent agreement. The final confrontation was coming, and there was no turning back.