The door creaked open with a low groan, its heavy stone frame shuddering as it slid back to reveal the room beyond. The air inside was thick with the scent of ancient parchment and dust, untouched for what seemed like centuries. A faint, golden glow illuminated the space, casting long shadows across the stone walls.
Zayne stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest. The room felt different. It wasn't just the musty smell or the dim lighting. There was a palpable energy in the air, a hum that resonated deep in his bones. This was a place of power.
"Stay alert," Seraphina muttered, her eyes scanning the dark corners of the room. "We don't know what kind of traps are waiting for us."
The others followed closely behind her, weapons at the ready. Zayne's sword felt heavier than usual, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. As they ventured deeper into the chamber, the golden glow intensified, illuminating rows upon rows of ancient books and scrolls—secrets long buried.
"Is this… the real restricted section?" Kai asked, his voice low, as if speaking any louder would disturb the silence. "I've heard rumors, but I never thought it would look like this."
"Rumors are often more truth than fiction," Seraphina said softly. She was already moving toward a pedestal in the center of the room, upon which lay an open book, its pages glowing faintly. "This… this is it. The Grimoire of Eldric Voss."
Zayne's eyes narrowed. Eldric Voss. The name sent a chill down his spine. The legendary figure whose name had been etched into the academy's history, the man who had founded Mystic Heights Academy and left behind powerful, forbidden magic. Many had tried to find his secrets. Few had succeeded.
Seraphina's hands hovered over the grimoire, her fingers trembling as she flipped through its pages. She muttered words under her breath, each one sharper than the last. The symbols on the pages seemed to glow brighter with every word she spoke.
Malo frowned. "What is it? What's inside that book?"
Seraphina didn't answer immediately. She was too engrossed in reading the ancient text, her brow furrowing with each line. Finally, she looked up, her face pale.
"This is it," she whispered. "The true history of Mystic Heights Academy."
Zayne's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean? I thought we already knew the history."
Seraphina shook her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What you've been told… what we've all been told, is a lie. The academy wasn't founded to protect the world from dark magic. It was created to harness it. And Eldric Voss… he didn't just disappear. He was banished, sealed away for reasons that no one in the academy knows."
Tallesia stepped forward, her face tense with confusion. "Banished? But why? Wasn't he a hero?"
Seraphina turned the pages with shaking hands, stopping on one that depicted a dark figure—Eldric Voss, but not as they had known him. His eyes glowed with an ominous light, and his hands were surrounded by swirling, dark energy.
"He was too powerful," Seraphina continued, her voice barely a whisper. "He sought to control magic itself, to bend it to his will. The council of mages saw him as a threat to the balance of the world. They locked him away, sealed him in a place so hidden, even the academy's own founders forgot the truth."
Zayne's grip tightened on his sword. "So, all this time, the academy has been lying to us?"
Seraphina nodded. "Yes. And it's worse than I feared. Eldric Voss left behind more than just this grimoire. He left behind his legacy—magic so dark, so powerful, it could change the very fabric of reality."
Zayne exchanged a look with his team. This was bigger than they had imagined. It wasn't just about defeating guardians or uncovering hidden rooms. They had stumbled upon something far more dangerous.
Malo let out a low whistle. "So, what now? Do we take this thing and run, or are we about to face whatever is left of Eldric Voss?"
Seraphina stood up, her face resolute. "We need to find the other pieces of his legacy. There are more books like this—more secrets hidden within the academy's walls. If we don't stop it, Eldric Voss's magic will corrupt everything. It's already begun."
Zayne clenched his fists, determination burning in his chest. "Then we'll stop it. We'll stop him."
As if in response, a low rumble shook the room. The walls groaned, and the golden glow dimmed. Something was stirring, something dark and ancient. Zayne felt it in the pit of his stomach—a presence awakening from its slumber.
Seraphina's eyes widened in alarm. "It's too late. He's waking up."
The room began to shift. The floor cracked open, revealing a swirling abyss beneath their feet. Bookshelves toppled, and the grimoire on the pedestal flared with blinding light.
"We need to get out of here!" Kai shouted, his voice urgent.
But it was too late.
A massive shadow surged from the depths of the abyss, rising like a storm. It took shape, and before Zayne could react, the room was filled with an overwhelming darkness, a presence that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
A figure emerged from the shadows—Eldric Voss himself, his body cloaked in swirling black magic. His eyes gleamed with malice as he stared down at them, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
"I see you've found my legacy," his voice echoed through the chamber, deep and resonant. "But it's too late. You've opened the door to your doom."
Zayne's sword flared with energy, his resolve hardening. "Not today."
Eldric Voss's laughter echoed, and with a snap of his fingers, the room was engulfed in darkness.