The Archivist of Forgotten Realms

Chapter 8

The climb up to the third floor of the castle was silent, save for the occasional creak of ancient stone beneath their feet. The walls seemed to close in on them, as though the castle itself were watching, waiting for their next move.

Kenneth, leading the way with his lance drawn, kept his eyes sharp, scanning every dark corner, every shadow that could be hiding another threat. Behind him, Mikasa walked confidently, Yuki trailing beside her, clutching her newly made wand.

Kenneth stopped at the base of a narrow staircase, turning to Mikasa with a stern expression. “We need to be careful,” he said, his voice low but firm.

“The third floor could be crawling with more Wraithborn, and who knows what else this place is hiding. We’ll use a formation to cover all angles—me in front, you watch the rear, and Yuki stays in the middle.”

Mikasa crossed her arms, a slight smirk playing on her lips. “A formation? Seriously? You’re acting like this is some kind of military operation.” She waved a hand dismissively.

“I’ve got it covered. I can take down any Wraithborn that comes at us. You don’t need to worry.”

Kenneth’s brow furrowed, his frustration evident. “This isn’t a game, Mikasa. You might be powerful, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore basic strategy. You’re still just a child, and your overconfidence is going to get us all killed.”

Mikasa’s eyes flared with annoyance. “A child? I just saved your life back there, in case you forgot!” She took a step forward, her voice sharp.

“I’ve fought more Wraithborn in the last two weeks than you’ve probably seen in your entire life. So don’t lecture me on how to handle them.”

Kenneth clenched his fists, his jaw tight. “That attitude is exactly why I’m worried. You think you can do everything on your own, but that kind of arrogance will get you killed. You’re strong, yes, but you’re not invincible.”

The tension between them was thick, the air practically crackling with unspoken challenge. But before Kenneth could say anything more, Mikasa rolled her eyes and turned on her heel.

“Fine. You want to see what I can do? Stay here. I’ll clear the next floor by myself.”

Without waiting for a response, Mikasa sprinted up the staircase, her footsteps echoing as she disappeared into the shadows above. Kenneth cursed under his breath, but Yuki giggled softly beside him. “Mikasa strong,” she said with a smile.

Kenneth sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, she’s strong. But that doesn’t mean she’s invincible.”

The third floor of the castle was shrouded in eerie silence as Mikasa stepped into the main hall. The air was heavy with magic, the walls lined with grotesque statues that seemed to watch her every move. Shadows slithered along the ground, whispering of the Wraithborn that lurked just beyond the edges of her sight. But Mikasa wasn’t afraid. She had faced these creatures before, and each battle had only made her stronger.

“Alright, you want to see what I can do?” Mikasa muttered to herself, her fingers curling. The glow of magic surrounded her, illuminating the dark hall like a beacon.

As if on cue, the Wraithborn emerged from the shadows, their twisted forms clawing their way toward her with haunting shrieks. Mikasa didn’t flinch.

With a single, fluid motion, she raised her hand and unleashed a blast of radiant energy, the light cutting through the darkness like a sword. The first wave of Wraithborn disintegrated on impact, their shadowy bodies dissolving into nothingness.

But more came—dozens of them, pouring in from the walls, the ceiling, the very cracks in the floor. Mikasa’s eyes narrowed, her confidence unwavering. She fired off another barrage of spells, the magic flowing through her effortlessly. Every blast of light struck true, and every Wraithborn was reduced to ash before they could get close.

Her heart raced, not with fear, but with exhilaration. This was what she had been born to do. The power surged through her like a river, and with each enemy she destroyed, she felt her control over the magic deepening, solidifying. She was no longer just a girl with a powerful artifact—she was the Archivist, and she was mastering her role.

Within minutes, the floor was cleared, not a single Wraithborn left standing. Mikasa stood at the center of the room, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths. She had done it, again. And it had been easy. Too easy.

With a triumphant grin, she turned and made her way back down to where Kenneth and Yuki were waiting. “All clear,” she said, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction.

“The next floor is safe.”

Kenneth, who had been pacing nervously, stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened in disbelief. “You… cleared the entire floor? By yourself?”

Mikasa crossed her arms, giving him a cocky grin. “Told you I could handle it.”

Kenneth’s face turned red, his hands clenching at his sides. “You reckless—! Do you think this is a joke? You can’t just rush into things without thinking!”

Yuki, meanwhile, burst into giggles, finding the whole exchange hilarious. “Mikasa funny,” she said, clutching her wand.

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Mikasa shrugged, clearly enjoying Kenneth’s frustration. “Well, the floor’s clear, isn’t it? So stop worrying.”

As the trio made their way to the next floor, the tension between Mikasa and Kenneth lingered in the air. Kenneth, still fuming from Mikasa’s display of recklessness, couldn’t help but question why Yuki had decided to follow someone so unpredictable.

He glanced down at Yuki, who was skipping along beside him with her wand in hand. “Yuki,” he began, his voice low.

“Why do you follow that crazy girl?”

Yuki looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Mikasa saved me,” she said simply, as if that explained everything.

“She saved Yuki, so Yuki follows her. Wherever she goes.”

Kenneth raised an eyebrow, nodding slowly. “I see… loyalty, then. That’s admirable.” He hesitated for a moment, then added,

“What language are you speaking to her in, by the way?”

Yuki tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. “I don’t know… but it sounds cool.”

Kenneth let out a defeated sigh. “Of course it does,” he muttered under his breath. He was starting to realize that nothing about this journey—or the people he was traveling with—made much sense.

Before he could dwell on it further, Mikasa returned from clearing yet another section of the castle. “Next floor’s clear,” she announced casually, brushing some dust off her clothes.

Kenneth shot her a look of disbelief. “Already? How…?”

Mikasa smirked, ignoring his question entirely. “Come on, Yuki. Let’s keep going.”

Kenneth shook his head in exasperation, watching as the two girls headed up the next set of stairs. He fell into step behind them, still trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened since he woke up in this ruined castle. Part of him couldn’t help but admire Mikasa’s strength, even if her attitude infuriated him. She was powerful, no doubt about that. But was she wise enough to handle that power?

As they ascended higher into the castle, Mikasa couldn’t help but steal glances at Kenneth from the corner of her eye. His presence was… distracting, to say the least. The way he moved, the way his armor caught the dim light, the sheer confidence in his posture—it was all too much. She felt her heart race whenever she looked at him, and it frustrated her to no end.

Why was she so flustered around him? He was annoying, arrogant, and kept treating her like a child. And yet… Mikasa found herself sneaking glances at him whenever she thought he wasn’t looking.

The problem wasn’t just that Kenneth was good-looking. No, the problem was that he was exactly the kind of guy she would have daydreamed about back in her old world. Strong, confident, and undeniably handsome. It didn’t help that his orange hair gave him a roguish charm, like a hero out of a fantasy novel.

“Ugh, focus, Mikasa,” she muttered to herself under her breath. “You’re not here to swoon over guys. You’re here to save Azura.”

But the more she tried to ignore it, the more her mind wandered back to Kenneth. It was infuriating. The only way she could think to push those thoughts away was to insult him.

Every time he annoyed her, she felt the heat rise in her cheeks, and she would immediately lash out, calling him names—anything to keep herself from getting lost in the strange, flustered feelings she was having.

She glanced back at him, her face bright red, and quickly turned away again. “Stupid Kenneth,” she whispered to herself.

“Why does he have to be so… so hot?”

Yuki, ever perceptive, gave Mikasa a curious look. “Mikasa… okay?”

Mikasa forced a smile, her face still flushed. “Yeah, Yuki. I’m fine. Just… hanging in there.”

At last, they reached the top floor of the castle, the final room that held the key to saving Azura. The chamber was vast, its high ceilings decorated with ancient runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, similar to the one where Mikasa had found the Key of Light. But this time, atop the pedestal sat the Orb of Light, its surface shimmering with radiant energy.

Mikasa’s heart leaped in her chest as she approached the pedestal, her eyes wide with excitement. “Finally…” she breathed.

“I’ve found it.”

She reached out, her hand trembling as she hovered over the glowing orb. It had been two weeks since she had arrived in Azura, two long weeks of fighting and surviving. And now, standing here, so close to the end of her journey, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of homesickness.

Azura may have given her a sense of freedom she had never experienced before, but it wasn’t home. Earth was her home, and she missed it—missed the familiar streets, the faces of her family and friends.

“It’s funny,” Mikasa murmured to herself, her voice soft. “I feel more free here than I ever did back home… but it’s still not home.”

Kenneth and Yuki, standing behind her, exchanged confused glances. Kenneth frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Yuki, still trying to process everything, simply stared up at Mikasa, wide-eyed and lost.

Mikasa shook her head, snapping out of her thoughts. She steeled herself, determination flooding back into her. “Never mind. I’m going to save Azura now, once and for all.”

With that, she reached out and touched the Orb of Light. The moment her fingers made contact with its surface, the orb began to glow brighter, its energy swirling around her as though it were pulling her in.

Mikasa gritted her teeth, fighting the pull with all her strength. She could feel the power within the orb, immense and overwhelming. But something was wrong.

Just as she was about to grasp it fully, the orb shattered.

The sound of the orb breaking reverberated through the chamber like a thunderclap. Mikasa stared in horror as the pieces of the Orb of Light crumbled to the ground, dissolving into nothingness. Her heart pounded in her chest, panic flooding her veins.

“No… no, no, no!” she shouted, her voice shaking.

“What just happened?!”

Kenneth rushed forward, his eyes wide with alarm. “What did you do?!”

Mikasa shook her head frantically. “I don’t know! I just tried to grab it!”

Before they could make sense of the situation, the ground beneath them began to tremble. The entire castle was shaking, the walls cracking as chunks of stone started to fall from the ceiling. Mikasa’s eyes widened in terror.

“We need to get out of here! Now!”

Kenneth didn’t hesitate. He scooped up Yuki in one swift motion and bolted for the exit.

“Let’s move!” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the deafening rumble of the collapsing castle.

Mikasa followed close behind, her heart racing as the ground continued to shake beneath her feet. The castle was falling apart, crumbling from the inside out, and she could feel the weight of the entire structure bearing down on them. Worse still, the collapse had torn open massive holes in the walls, allowing Wraithborn to pour in from every direction.

Kenneth brandished his lance, slicing through the Wraithborn with precision. Each swing of his weapon cut through the creatures with ease, their twisted forms disintegrating on impact.

Mikasa backed him up, firing blasts of light that reduced the Wraithborn to ash before they could get close.

They reached the ground floor, the massive front doors looming ahead. But just as they were about to make their escape, Mikasa stumbled over a piece of rubble, falling hard to the ground. She winced, pain shooting up her leg as she struggled to get back up.

“Go!” she screamed to Kenneth. “There’s no time! Take Yuki and get out of here!”

Kenneth stopped, glancing back at her with wide eyes. For a brief moment, he seemed torn—ready to rush to her side. But Mikasa’s voice rang out again, desperate.

“There’s no time!”

Kenneth cursed under his breath, his grip tightening on Yuki. With one final look at Mikasa, he nodded.

“Stay alive!” he shouted before sprinting toward the exit, Yuki clinging to him as the castle continued to collapse around them.