The morning light filtered through the small window of their room at the Silver Hearth, casting
long beams across the wooden floor. Aria had barely slept after her encounter with Saphira, her
thoughts plagued by the succubus's cryptic words and the strange connection she had implied.
Mira stirred from the other bed, her hair in wild disarray. "You look like you've seen a ghost," she
said, rubbing her eyes.
"Something like that," Aria muttered, running a hand through her own disheveled hair. "We need
answers, Mira. I don't understand what's happening to me—or why I was summoned to this
world in the first place."
Mira sat up, her sharp gaze softening. "I agree. And I think I know where we should start. The
Magisterium has a library—one of the largest in the kingdom. If anyone's recorded anything
about your kind of magic, it'll be there."
Aria nodded, a glimmer of hope sparking within her. "Then let's go."
---
The Uneasy Journey
The walk to the Magisterium was uneventful at first, though Aria couldn't shake the feeling that
they were being watched. Every shadow seemed to stretch too far, every whisper of the wind
carrying words just out of reach.
"Do you feel that?" Aria asked, glancing at Mira.
Mira frowned. "Feel what?"
"The air—it's... different. Heavy, almost," Aria said, wrapping her arms around herself.
Mira's expression darkened. "I don't feel anything, but stay close. Eldralis has its share of
secrets, and not all of them are friendly."
50
As they neared the Magisterium, Aria's unease deepened. The streets, once bustling with life,
were now eerily quiet. The faint hum of magic that usually filled the air seemed muted, replaced
by an oppressive silence.
When they reached the grand doors of the Magisterium, they swung open of their own accord,
the sound echoing through the cavernous halls.
"That's... welcoming," Mira said dryly, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger.
Aria swallowed hard, her steps hesitant as they entered.
---
The Library of the Magisterium
The library was a marvel to behold—a vast chamber filled with towering shelves that seemed to
stretch into infinity. Magical orbs floated overhead, casting a soft, warm light that illuminated the
countless tomes and scrolls.
Despite its grandeur, there was an unsettling stillness to the room. The air was thick with the
scent of ancient parchment and a faint metallic tang that Aria couldn't place.
"Overwhelmed yet?" Mira asked, breaking the silence.
"A little," Aria admitted, her eyes darting to the shadows between the shelves.
They approached the main desk, where an elderly librarian sat hunched over a book. His robes
were faded, and his eyes, though clouded with age, seemed to pierce through Aria as he looked
up.
"I've been expecting you," he said, his voice a low rasp.
Aria blinked. "You have?"
The librarian nodded. "Word travels fast in the Magisterium, especially when someone like you
arrives. You seek answers, do you not?"
"Yes," Aria said cautiously.
He gestured toward the far end of the library. "The section on otherworldly magics. You may find
what you're looking for there. But be warned—some knowledge is better left undiscovered."
Mira frowned. "That's... cryptic."
51
The librarian didn't respond, turning back to his book as though the conversation had never
happened.
---
The Search for Answers
Aria and Mira made their way to the section the librarian had indicated. The shelves here were
older, their wood darkened with age and their contents coated in a thin layer of dust.
Aria pulled a book from the shelf, its leather cover cracked and worn. The title was written in an
unfamiliar script, but as she opened it, the words seemed to rearrange themselves into
something she could understand.
"That's not normal," she muttered, glancing at Mira.
"Nothing about this place is normal," Mira said, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
The book contained accounts of otherworldly beings—those summoned to this realm through
rituals or accidents. As Aria flipped through the pages, she found a passage that made her
pause.
"'When the veil is pierced, the summoned often bear marks of their origin—changes to their
form that bind them to the magic of this world. These changes are both a blessing and a curse,
granting great power but also marking the bearer as an anomaly.'"
Aria's fingers trembled as she read the words. "This... this sounds like me."
Mira leaned over to read the passage. "It explains why your body is so... unique. But why would
someone summon you like this?"
"I don't know," Aria said, her voice barely above a whisper.
---
A Sudden Presence
As Aria reached for another book, the air around them grew colder. The light from the orbs
above dimmed, and a faint, melodic hum filled the silence.
"Do you hear that?" Aria asked, her voice trembling.
52
Mira nodded, her hand on her dagger. "Stay close."
From the shadows between the shelves, a figure emerged—a woman cloaked in black, her
eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. She was tall and impossibly graceful, her movements fluid
like water.
"You shouldn't be here," the woman said, her voice a haunting melody.
Aria stepped back, her magic flaring instinctively. "Who are you?"
The woman smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "A guardian of knowledge—or perhaps a
gatekeeper. It depends on your perspective."
Mira drew her dagger, stepping protectively in front of Aria. "If you're here to stop us, you'll
regret it."
The woman's smile widened. "Oh, I'm not here to stop you. I'm here to warn you. The answers
you seek will not bring you peace, but chaos. The deeper you dig, the more entangled you'll
become in a web you cannot escape."
Before Aria could respond, the woman dissolved into shadows, her form melting into the
darkness.
---
The Discovery
Despite the encounter, Aria continued searching the shelves. She found a scroll tucked behind
a row of books, its edges glowing faintly.
When she unrolled it, the script glimmered with an otherworldly light. The scroll detailed a
ritual—a way to channel magic through the body, using its unique traits as a conduit.
As Aria read, she felt a strange warmth spread through her, centered on the crystal around her
neck and her male part. It was as though her body was resonating with the words on the scroll,
her magic reacting to its instructions.
"This is it," she said, her voice trembling. "This explains why my magic is tied to my body."
Mira frowned. "Are you sure about this? It sounds dangerous."
"It might be," Aria admitted. "But it's the only lead we have."
53
With the scroll in hand, they left the library, the weight of their discoveries pressing heavily on
Aria's mind. The encounter with the shadowy woman and the strange resonance of her magic
left her with more questions than answers, but one thing was clear—the journey ahead would
only grow more perilous.
For now, she would focus on unraveling the mystery of her magic, no matter where it led her.
---