Ellie slipped deeper into the library’s Restricted Archives, her lantern held low to avoid casting long shadows against the ancient shelves. The scent of old parchment and dust thickened the air, wrapping around her like a shroud as she moved between the rows of neglected tomes. Every breath tasted of ink and time, as though the very walls whispered secrets of forgotten ages.
She had only hours until dawn, and she needed answers before then.
Her fingertips grazed the spine of a particularly worn book, The Sealing of the Abyssal King. The title was barely legible, the gold lettering long faded, but she recognized it from the fragments of lore she’d overheard in the corridors.
It spoke of a time when the world had teetered on the brink of destruction, when a devil king—his name now lost to history—had nearly shattered the Veil that separated this world and the abyss.
Her hand tightened around the tome, pulling it from the shelf. But just as she was about to step back into the shadowed aisle, a soft voice broke the silence, smooth as silk and far too close.
“Late night for research, wouldn’t you say?”
Ellie froze, her heart hammering in her chest. Slowly, she turned to find Mariel standing in the dim alcove, her figure emerging from the shadows with a grace that seemed unnatural in such a place. Her deep blue robe, trimmed with silver thread, shimmered faintly in the lantern light, and her pale hair was drawn back into an intricate knot that caught the low glow of Ellie’s lantern.
“I didn’t think I’d run into anyone here,” Ellie said, forcing her voice to remain calm, though her pulse raced. She tucked the ancient tome against her chest, hoping to conceal its title from Mariel’s sharp gaze.
Mariel smiled faintly, though the expression didn’t quite reach her eyes. “The Restricted Archives aren’t usually this busy at night,” she said, stepping closer with a deliberate elegance. “Especially not with guests. And yet, here you are.” Her gaze flicked to the satchel at Ellie’s side, then back to her face. “What brings you here, Ellie Liddell? More questions about your place in all this?”
Ellie swallowed, the weight of the book pressing against her like a leaden reminder. She didn’t trust Mariel—not fully. But there was something about the woman that made her feel as though she might have answers. Or at least pieces of the puzzle Ellie had begun to uncover.
“I was looking up something,” Ellie replied cautiously, glancing briefly at the book before hugging it tighter. “About the old Archmages. The ones before Achron.”
Mariel raised an eyebrow, her expression sharpening. “A curious topic. Especially given the events of the last few days.” Her tone was light, conversational, but Ellie could feel the undercurrent of suspicion there. Mariel moved closer, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of a nearby shelf, her eyes gleaming in the dim light. “Is this about the relic?”
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Ellie hesitated. She could feel the weight of Mariel’s scrutiny, the pressure of her presence bearing down on her like a net tightening around a trapped bird.
She didn’t know what Mariel’s true role in the Academy was, but she had seen enough to know the woman was not merely a council member. Her reach extended further, her knowledge deeper than most. And Ellie had no doubt that Mariel knew more than she let on.
“Maybe,” Ellie admitted, choosing her words carefully. “Achron... he’s been acting strange ever since I found it. And I don’t understand why it’s so important.”
Mariel’s smile faltered, just for a moment, but it was enough for Ellie to see the flicker of something darker beneath her polished exterior. “Achron has always been one to guard his secrets carefully. He likes to present himself as a scholar, detached, patient. But he’s more ambitious than you might think.” She paused, watching Ellie closely. “The relic... has a long history.”
Ellie felt a cold weight settle in her chest. She glanced down at the tome in her hands, her mind racing. “What kind of history?
Mariel’s gaze drifted to the book, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she recognized it. “The Sealing of the Abyssal King,” she murmured, her voice almost reverent. “An old story. But not just a story, I’m afraid. You see, the relic isn’t merely a tool or a trinket. It’s a key.”
Ellie’s breath caught. “A key?”
“To what, exactly, remains... unclear,” Mariel said, her voice lowering. “But the relic has always been tied to immense power. Power that Archmage Merdhyn wielded to keep the balance of magic intact. Power that others have sought to control.” Her gaze flicked back to Ellie. “Including Achron.”
Ellie’s heart pounded in her chest. “But why me?” she asked, the frustration slipping into her voice. “Why does it matter that I found the relic?”
Mariel’s expression softened, though there was something guarded in her eyes. “You remind him of Elladora. The resemblance is... striking.”
Ellie felt a chill crawl down her spine. “What happened to her?”
For a moment, Mariel was silent. Then, with a sigh, she stepped back, her eyes growing distant. “Most say she left. Some say Achron drove her away. But I suspect the truth is far more complicated than that.”
Ellie’s throat tightened. “Do you think Achron—?”
“I think,” Mariel interrupted gently, “that you’re walking a dangerous path, Ellie. Achron is watching you closely, waiting to see if you will follow in Elladora’s footsteps. If you become inconvenient...” She trailed off, her meaning clear.
Ellie gripped the tome tighter, her mind reeling. She hadn’t asked for this—for the relic, for the responsibility, for the mystery surrounding Elladora. But now, it seemed, she had no choice but to navigate it.
Mariel stepped forward again, her expression softening. “Ellie, if I were you, I’d tread carefully. There are forces at play here—old, powerful forces—that won’t be so easily controlled.”
Ellie swallowed, her mouth dry. “What do I do?”
Mariel’s smile was faint, almost sad. “You find the truth. But be prepared, Ellie. Sometimes the truth is harder to bear than the weight of ignorance.”
With that, Mariel turned and slipped back into the shadows, leaving Ellie alone once more. The silence of the library pressed in around her, heavy with the weight of the secrets she had uncovered.
With a final glance toward the shadowed rows where Mariel had disappeared, Ellie opened the book and began to read, letting the ancient words pull her deeper into the web of the past, into the tangled history she now found herself bound to.
The answers would come. But so, too, would the dangers.