The Archivist of Forgotten Realms

Chapter 4

Mikasa stood alone in the center of the ruined courtyard, the remnants of the once-grand palace stretching out around her. The air was thick with the scent of moss and old stone, the silence almost oppressive as she focused on the small, glowing orb floating above her hand. She had spent hours trying to master this simple spell—a basic light orb to guide her through the dark halls of the ruins. While it was easy enough to conjure, controlling it for extended periods was proving difficult. The orb flickered as she concentrated, its glow dimming and growing in uneven pulses, reflecting her wavering control. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she closed her eyes, willing the magic to stay steady, to hold.

Lumi hovered beside her, its pages turning gently in the soft breeze as if observing her progress. Despite the frustration gnawing at her, Mikasa couldn’t help but feel grateful for Lumi’s presence. The book had become more than just a tool; it was a quiet companion, always ready to guide her, always patient with her mistakes. But no matter how much she tried, no matter how hard she concentrated, the orb flickered out once again, leaving her standing in the dim courtyard, breathing heavily.

With a sigh, Mikasa sat down on a broken stone bench, wiping the sweat from her brow. "This is harder than I thought," she muttered under her breath, glancing at Lumi.

The book fluttered its pages in response as if it understood her frustration. She knew that the key to controlling her magic was practice, but the path to mastery felt agonizingly slow.

Her mind wandered back to her earlier battles with the Wraithborn and the Stone Guardian. She had won those fights, but just barely, and her victory felt more like luck than skill. She couldn’t afford to rely on luck again. The next time she faced a threat, she needed to be in full control of her powers. Her eyes drifted toward the Key of Light, which rested on the ground beside her.

It still felt foreign, like something separate from her—a powerful artifact she didn’t fully understand. Lumi had shown her some basic spells, but Mikasa knew that there was so much more magic hidden within the key, magic that she hadn’t even begun to tap into.

She picked up the key, turning it over in her hands, feeling the faint pulse of energy that radiated from it.

"Why does it feel like there's more here?" she wondered aloud.

"More magic, more power… but I can’t reach it." Lumi’s pages fluttered again, but this time, the book whispered to her, its voice like the rustling of leaves.

You have not yet become one with the key.

Mikasa frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Become one with the key?" she repeated, staring at the glowing artifact in her hands.

The words made sense in a vague, mystical way, but they didn’t offer any practical advice. How was she supposed to ‘become one’ with the key? She glanced down at Lumi, hoping for more clarification, but the book was silent, its pages still. Mikasa sighed, standing up and pacing the courtyard. Absorbing the key—becoming one with it—sounded more like an ancient legend than something she could do.

For the next hour, Mikasa tried every method she could think of to “absorb” the key.

She held it close to her chest, willing the energy to flow into her body. She focused her magic, imagining the key merging with her essence, becoming part of her.

She even tried tracing ancient symbols in the air, using incantations Lumi had shown her from the book. But each attempt failed, leaving her feeling more and more frustrated. The key remained as it was—an external object, powerful but distant, just out of reach. Mikasa growled under her breath, dropping the key onto the stone floor in frustration.

"What am I doing wrong?" she muttered, running a hand through her hair. She had come so far and learned so much, but this felt like a wall she couldn’t break through. There was something she wasn’t seeing, something just beyond her understanding, and it was driving her crazy.

By the time the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the ruins, Mikasa was exhausted. Her muscles ached from hours of concentration, and her mind felt foggy like she had been staring at the same problem for too long without a solution. She slumped against a broken pillar, breathing heavily, the key still glowing faintly beside her.

"This is impossible," she whispered, shaking her head.

"How am I supposed to absorb the key? It’s not like I can just… swallow it." She chuckled at the absurdity of the thought, but even as she laughed, the idea lingered in her mind. Swallow it. The more she thought about it, the more the ridiculous idea took root. Maybe, just maybe, that was what Lumi had meant. Absorb the key. She frowned, her stomach growling loudly in response. It was a stupid idea—crazy, even—but what else could she do?

Mikasa stood up slowly, eyeing the key on the ground with a mix of curiosity and hesitation.

"This is insane," she muttered to herself, shaking her head. But the thought wouldn’t leave her. What if swallowing the key was the answer? She had tried everything else, and nothing had worked. Maybe this was the missing piece, the strange, magical logic that would make sense once she did it.

She picked up the key, turning it over in her hands one last time. "Here goes nothing," she whispered, steeling herself. Then, with a deep breath, she placed the Key of Light in her mouth and swallowed it whole.

The moment the key passed down her throat, Mikasa knew she had made a mistake. It started as a sharp, stabbing pain in her stomach, but within seconds, the pain spread throughout her entire body, like fire tearing through her veins. She gasped, clutching her abdomen as she doubled over, falling to her knees on the cold stone floor. The world around her blurred, her vision spinning as the pain intensified. Her breath came in ragged gasps, each one feeling like a knife stabbing into her lungs. She tried to cry out, but her voice caught in her throat, strangled by the overwhelming agony that gripped her.

Her muscles spasmed uncontrollably, and she collapsed onto the ground, curling into a ball as the pain wracked her body. It felt like her insides were being torn apart like the magic of the key was trying to reshape her from the inside out.

She could feel the raw energy pulsing through her, wild and uncontrollable, and for a brief, terrifying moment, she thought she might explode. The air around her seemed to thrum with power, the ground beneath her shaking as if the very earth was reacting to the magic coursing through her. Mikasa's vision went black, and her senses were overwhelmed by the pain. She couldn’t think, couldn’t focus, couldn’t even breathe properly.

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Through the haze of agony, she caught a glimpse of Lumi floating above her, its pages fluttering wildly in the wind. The book’s soft glow seemed distant, like a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. But it was there, watching over her, a constant presence even in her darkest moment.

"Lumi…" she whispered weakly, her voice barely audible. But the pain drowned out everything else, and soon, even Lumi’s comforting glow faded from her sight. All she could feel was the unbearable heat in her stomach, the magic surging through her like a storm, threatening to tear her apart. Her body convulsed again, her muscles seizing up as the pain reached its peak.

And then, as suddenly as it had started, the pain began to fade. Mikasa blinked, her vision slowly returning as the world came back into focus. The sharp, burning sensation in her stomach dulled to a faint ache, and her muscles relaxed, the tension draining from her limbs.

She lay there for several minutes, breathing heavily, her body drenched in sweat. Her heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, but the worst of the pain had passed. Slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, wincing as her sore muscles protested the movement.

She looked down at her hands, half-expecting to see them glowing with magic, but they looked the same as always. The Key of Light was gone, but she could still feel it—inside her, part of her. It was as if the key had fused with her very essence, its magic now flowing through her veins. The sensation was strange, foreign, but not unpleasant. As she sat there, recovering from the ordeal, Mikasa felt a sense of calm settle over her.

The wild energy that had once felt out of control now pulsed steadily within her, like a river flowing through her body. She wasn’t just holding the key’s magic anymore—she was the magic.

Lumi hovered beside her, its pages fluttering gently as it whispered to her.

You’ve absorbed the key, Mikasa, the book said softly.

The magic of Azura now flows through you. You are the catalyst.

Mikasa blinked, her mind still foggy from the pain. "I… absorbed it?" she echoed, touching her stomach as if expecting to feel the key inside her. But there was nothing—just the faint hum of magic, like a distant song playing just beneath her skin. Slowly, she stood up, testing her balance as she adjusted to the new sensation. Her body still ached, but the magic made her feel… alive. Energized.

She looked at Lumi, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I did it," she whispered.

"I really did it." The book fluttered its pages in approval, its soft glow flickering in the dim light of the ruins. Mikasa took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she focused on the magic inside her. She could feel it now, more clearly than ever before. It wasn’t just raw power—it was a part of her, something she could control, something she could shape. She opened her eyes, her smile growing wider. She wasn’t just wielding the Key of Light anymore. She was the key.

The days that followed were intense. With Lumi’s guidance, Mikasa threw herself into training, determined to master the new power she had gained.

Now that the Key of Light was a part of her, she found that her connection to Azura’s magic had deepened. The spells that had once felt awkward and difficult now came to her naturally, as if she had been casting them her whole life.

She could summon light with a mere thought, conjuring orbs of energy that floated around her like fireflies. The wind bent to her will, swirling around her in gentle gusts or fierce storms, depending on her mood.

It was exhilarating.

Lumi hovered by her side constantly, flipping through its pages as it showed her new techniques and spells. The book had become her silent teacher, guiding her with its ancient knowledge, and pushing her to reach new heights.

Mikasa practiced for hours each day, her body moving with the fluid grace of someone who had finally found their rhythm. She learned to create powerful barriers of light, protective shields that could deflect attacks from even the strongest foes. She mastered the art of controlling the elements, summoning fire and wind with a flick of her wrist, bending them to her will.

But perhaps the most powerful spell Lumi taught her was called Astra Nova—an S-grade technique that unleashed a devastating blast of pure, radiant energy. The first time she tried it, the ground beneath her shook, and the light was so bright that it left her temporarily blinded. The spell required immense concentration and drained a significant amount of her magic, but the results were worth it. With Astra Nova, she could obliterate anything in her path. Mikasa practiced the spell over and over, refining her technique until she could cast it with precision and power.

As her control over the magic grew, so did her confidence. The fear and uncertainty that had once plagued her were gone, replaced by a quiet determination.

She wasn’t just surviving in Azura anymore—she was thriving. Her connection to the land had deepened as well. She could sense the magic in the air, and feel the pulse of life that still lingered in the ruins. Azura was a dying realm, but there was still hope. There was still magic here, waiting to be awakened. And Mikasa was the one who could do it.

Her bond with Lumi grew stronger as well. The book had become more than just a tool—it was a friend, a companion.

Lumi was always there, offering guidance, and showing her the way forward when she felt lost. Mikasa found herself talking to the book more and more as if it could understand her thoughts and feelings. She knew it wasn’t truly alive, but sometimes, when the pages fluttered or a new spell appeared just when she needed it, she couldn’t help but wonder if Lumi had a mind of its own.

It wasn’t long before Mikasa found herself back in the courtyard where she had faced the Stone Guardians for the first time. This time, however, there weren’t just one or two of them—there were five. They stood in a protective formation, their massive stone bodies towering over the ruins like ancient protectors. Their eyes glowed with a dull, red light, and as they began to move, the ground shook beneath their feet.

In the past, the sight of the Stone Guardians would have filled Mikasa with fear.

But now? She felt nothing but confidence.

She stood tall, her hands at her sides, as the guardians approached. Lumi floated beside her, its pages flipping slowly, almost as if it were watching the scene unfold with quiet anticipation.

Mikasa didn’t flinch, didn’t hesitate. She had trained for this moment. She had absorbed the Key of Light and mastered its magic. The guardians were powerful, yes, but they were no match for the strength she now wielded.

With a deep breath, Mikasa raised her hand, feeling the magic surge to her fingertips.

The Stone Guardians lumbered toward her, their heavy footsteps sending tremors through the earth. Their stone fists clenched, their eyes locked on her, but Mikasa stood her ground. She could feel the energy building inside her, the magic swirling like a storm waiting to be unleashed.

With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a blast of wind, sending the nearest guardian stumbling back. The others closed in, but Mikasa was ready. She had trained for this. She had prepared for this.

"Astra Nova," she whispered.

The words barely left her lips before a beam of radiant light shot from her hand, cutting through the air like a blade of pure energy. The light was blinding, filling the entire courtyard with its brilliance.

The first Stone Guardian crumbled instantly, its body disintegrating under the force of the blast. The others followed suit, their stone forms shattering into dust as the light consumed them. Within seconds, all five guardians were gone, leaving nothing but rubble and silence in their wake.

Mikasa lowered her hand, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. She had done it. She had faced the guardians and won—not with fear, but with skill. The power of the Astra Nova still hummed in her veins, a reminder of how far she had come.

Lumi fluttered beside her, its pages glowing faintly in approval.

Well done

the book whispered. Mikasa nodded, her confidence soaring. She had proven her strength, her mastery over the magic of Azura. But this was only the beginning.

As the dust settled, Mikasa glanced toward the horizon, where the outline of a castle rose against the darkening sky. The Orb of Light was there—she could feel its presence now, as clearly as if it were calling to her.

The Stone Guardians had been protecting it, but now that they were gone, the path was clear. She had come this far, and she wasn’t going to stop now. With a determined look, Mikasa turned toward the castle.

Her journey was far from over.