Eren and Kaia left Professor Caelith's office with more questions than answers. His cryptic warning replayed in Eren's mind: "The true enemy is far closer than you realize." The words unsettled him deeply. Who was the enemy? Were they within the Academy? How much danger were they truly in?
"I don't like this," Kaia said, her voice low as they walked through the dimly lit corridors. "Caelith knows something he didn't tell us. You saw how he hesitated."
Eren nodded. "Yeah, but what do we do now? He confirmed the Ashen Key is dangerous, and if the shadowbound aren't the only ones after it, we're completely unprepared."
Kaia stopped walking and grabbed his arm, forcing him to meet her gaze. "We'll figure it out. But we need to be smart about this. If the enemy is closer than we think, we can't trust anyone—not even Caelith."
Eren's stomach twisted. He wanted to trust Caelith, but Kaia had a point. They couldn't afford to be careless.
"We need answers," Kaia continued. "And if no one's willing to give them to us, we'll find them ourselves."
"How?" Eren asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "We don't even know where to start."
Kaia hesitated, then said, "The restricted archives."
Eren blinked. "You mean the sealed wing of the library?"
Kaia nodded. "If there's anything about the Ashen Key and its history, it'll be there. It's risky, but it's our best shot."
Eren's heart raced at the thought. The restricted archives were off-limits to students without express permission from the Headmaster. Breaking into them was a serious offense, but Kaia was right—they needed answers, and the archives might be their only hope.
"Alright," he said, his voice steady. "We'll go tonight."
The Academy's library was a sprawling, multi-tiered space filled with countless shelves of books and scrolls, many of them centuries old. At its heart was the restricted archives, a sealed section protected by layers of magical wards.
Eren and Kaia waited until well past curfew before making their move. The halls were eerily silent, the only sound the faint hum of the enchantments that kept the library secure.
Kaia led the way, her wand held aloft to cast a faint, blue-tinged light. Eren followed closely, his nerves on edge.
When they reached the massive iron gate that marked the entrance to the restricted archives, Kaia stopped and turned to him.
"Alright," she whispered. "I'll handle the wards. Keep an eye out for patrols."
Eren nodded, his hand instinctively going to the fragment of the Ashen Key in his pocket.
Kaia muttered an incantation under her breath, her wand tracing intricate patterns in the air. The wards shimmered faintly, their protective energy resisting her magic.
"Hurry," Eren urged, his eyes darting nervously down the dark corridor.
"I'm trying," Kaia muttered. "These wards are more complicated than I thought."
After a tense minute, there was a soft click, and the iron gate creaked open.
"Got it," Kaia said, a hint of triumph in her voice.
They slipped inside, the heavy gate closing behind them with a low groan.
The restricted archives were even more imposing than Eren had imagined. Towering shelves lined the walls, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls that seemed to hum with latent magic. The air was heavy with the scent of old parchment and wax.
"Spread out," Kaia whispered. "Look for anything about the Ashen Key or the shadowbound."
Eren nodded and moved to one of the shelves, his eyes scanning the titles etched into the spines of the books. Most of them were written in languages he couldn't read, their characters twisting and shifting as he looked at them.
After what felt like an eternity, Eren's fingers brushed against a slim, leather-bound book with a title that caught his attention: The Ashen Door: A Key to the Beyond.
"Kaia," he whispered, holding up the book.
She hurried over, her eyes widening as she read the title. "That's it. Let's see what it says."
They sat on the cold stone floor, the book open between them. Its pages were filled with dense text and intricate illustrations, many of which depicted the Ashen Key in various forms.
Eren flipped to a page that showed the key surrounded by shadowy figures. The accompanying text read:
"The Ashen Key is said to unlock the Veil, a barrier between the mortal world and the Aether—a realm of limitless magic and unimaginable power. But such power comes at a cost. Those who seek the Key must face the Watchers, ancient guardians bound to the Key's fragments. These beings exist in shadow and hunger for those who wield the Key."
Kaia's face paled. "The shadowbound—they're the Watchers."
Eren's breath caught. "They're not just spirits. They're guardians. And if they're after me…"
"They think you're trying to reassemble the Key," Kaia finished, her voice barely above a whisper.
Eren's grip on the book tightened. The fragment in his pocket seemed to pulse with energy, as if responding to their discovery.
They read on, their hearts sinking with each new revelation. The book described the Ashen Key as both a source of immense power and a harbinger of destruction. If fully assembled, it could tear open the Veil, unleashing the raw magic of the Aether upon the world. But such an act would also invite chaos, as the Watchers would stop at nothing to reclaim the Key and restore balance.
"We have to stop this," Eren said, his voice trembling. "We can't let anyone reassemble the Key."
Kaia nodded, her jaw set. "Agreed. But first, we need to figure out who's trying to gather the fragments—and why."
Before they could say more, a faint sound echoed through the archives.
Footsteps.
Eren and Kaia froze, their eyes widening.
"Someone's coming," Kaia whispered.
Eren quickly shut the book and slipped it into his bag. They extinguished their light and pressed themselves against the nearest shelf, holding their breath as the footsteps grew louder.
A shadow appeared at the end of the aisle, its movements deliberate and slow.
Eren's heart pounded as he reached for his wand, ready to defend himself.
The shadow stopped, and for a moment, there was silence.
Then, a voice broke the stillness—a voice they both recognized.
"Well, well," it drawled. "What do we have here?"
Eren's blood ran cold. It was Alaric Draven.
And he didn't look surprised to see them.