The Archivist of Forgotten Realms

Chapter 9

Left behind, Mikasa struggled to her feet, her heart pounding as the ceiling began to cave in above her. She could hear the stones crashing down around her, and feel the weight of the castle pressing down from all sides. Panic clawed at her chest as she summoned a barrier of light to protect herself from the falling debris, but the sheer weight was too much. The barrier was cracking, her magic faltering under the immense pressure.

“Lumi!” she cried, her voice trembling with fear.

“Help me! Find a way out!”

Lumi hovered beside her, its pages glowing faintly as it whispered in her mind,

You are not weak, Mikasa. Unleash your true power.

Mikasa felt tears falling from her eyes as she fought to hold the barrier together. She didn’t want to die here. Not like this. Not after everything. But the weight of the castle was bearing down on her, and her strength was failing.

“I don’t… I don’t want to die,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Unleash your power, Mikasa, Lumi whispered again, its voice soft but insistent.

You are the Archivist. You are not weak.

In that moment, something inside Mikasa snapped. She stopped thinking, stopped holding back. With a deep breath, she let go of everything—all the fear, all the doubt—and unleashed the full force of her magic.

The light exploded from her, a blinding wave of energy that tore through the debris surrounding her, disintegrating everything in its path.

The weight lifted. The rubble was gone. And Mikasa… was flying.

She soared upward, her body enveloped in radiant light as she hovered above the collapsing castle. Her power had reached a new height, a level she had never thought possible.

She had mastered the magic of Azura, and in doing so, she had become something more. She was no longer just the Archivist—she was the most powerful being in this world.

But it was too late. The Orb of Light was gone, shattered into nothing. Azura’s fate was sealed.

“I’m sorry,” Mikasa whispered, her voice lost in the wind. “I was too weak to save you.”

But as the world around her began to crumble, Lumi whispered:

You are not weak. You still have a choice. Save this world, or erase it.

Mikasa’s heart stopped, her breath catching in her throat. Save the world… or erase it? Could she really make that decision? Could she really bear the weight of that choice? She looked out at the ruins of Azura, at the darkness that was consuming it, and felt a heavy sadness settle in her chest.

But she couldn’t let it end like this. Not without trying.

Mikasa was then transported to a different plane outside of Azura, her body glowing with the residual energy of her magic. In front of her, a strange book appeared, floating in the air, its cover adorned with intricate symbols.

Lumi hovered beside her, whispering.

Save this world, or erase it. The choice is yours, Archivist.

Mikasa reached out to touch the book, her mind racing with questions. What would happen if she saved Azura? Would the people return? Would it be the same as before? And what if she erased it? Would Yuki and Kenneth be safe?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Lumi’s voice.

You must choose, Archivist. You are the only one who can.

Mikasa clenched her fists, her heart heavy with indecision. She couldn’t make this choice alone. “Bring Yuki and Kenneth here,” she said aloud, her voice trembling.

Lumi whispered.

That is impossible,

“Then I’ll make it possible!” Mikasa screamed, her frustration boiling over.

“Bring them here!”

Lumi was silent for a moment before finally relenting.

Fine. But only once.

In an instant, Yuki and Kenneth appeared beside her, both looking equally confused. Kenneth was the first to speak, his voice filled with shock.

“What the…? We were just running from that blast, and now we’re here?!”

However, Yuki wasted no time running to Mikasa’s side, throwing her arms around her. “I thought you were dead! Don’t scare me like that!”

Mikasa smiled, hugging Yuki tightly. “I’m sorry. But… I need your help. I have a choice to make, and I don’t know what to do.”

Kenneth blinked, still processing the situation. “What are you talking about?”

Mikasa took a deep breath, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

“Do you want to save Azura… or erase it?”

Kenneth’s eyes widened in shock. “Save it, of course! That’s my home! If there’s any chance to save it, I’ll do whatever it takes!”

Mikasa nodded, but her gaze shifted to Yuki. “What about you, Yuki?”

Yuki hesitated for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “I don’t mind… erasing it.”

Both Mikasa and Kenneth stared at her in disbelief. Kenneth’s voice broke the silence, filled with confusion. “What?! Yuki, that’s your home too! How could you say that?”

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Yuki looked up at him, her eyes calm. “Azura’s already gone. Even if we save it, we can’t bring back the people who died. It won’t be the same.”

Mikasa turned to Lumi, her voice soft. “Is that true?”

Lumi whispered

That is correct, The world cannot return to its original state.

Kenneth’s face fell, his voice trembling. “So… that’s it? Everyone’s really gone?”

Mikasa looked between them, her heart heavy. She had to make the final decision. “What do I do?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Lumi’s voice echoed in her mind.

That is your job as the Archivist. Decide well.

Mikasa then weighed her options, unsure if these two were truly the only survivors. Considering the devastating damage done to Azura, no others might have managed to escape the realm's destruction.

It was an agonizingly difficult decision, but then Yuki grasped Mikasa's hand, her touch a comforting anchor amid the chaos. Yuki's voice was a reassuring balm as she spoke, "We'll figure it out together. We'll find a way to make things right, no matter what it takes."

After a long, agonizing silence, Mikasa finally made her decision. With her hand resting on the book, she closed her eyes and whispered, “With my power as the Archivist, I… erase Azura from the archives.”

The book began to glow, the light surrounding them growing brighter and brighter until everything disappeared.

When the light faded, the world known as Azura was gone. Only Mikasa, Yuki, and Kenneth remained, floating in the void.

Mikasa looked down at her hands, realizing that she had erased an entire world. It was a weight she hadn’t been prepared to carry.

Kenneth, still in shock, stared at the empty space where his home had once been. “It’s really gone…”

Yuki, standing beside him, reached out and took his hand. “It’s okay. We’ll make a new home.”

Mikasa turned to Lumi, her heart heavy. “What happens now?”

Yuki and Kenneth stood beside Mikasa, the vast expanse of the starry void surrounding them, yet they remained unscathed despite the erasure of Azura. Mikasa, still catching her breath after everything that had transpired, glanced between them and the empty space where an entire world once existed.

It didn’t make sense. The world was gone—completely erased from the archives—so how were Yuki and Kenneth still here?

She turned to Lumi, cradling the glowing book in her hands.

“Why are they still here?” she asked, her voice soft but filled with confusion.

“I erased Azura. Shouldn’t… shouldn’t they have vanished with it?”

Lumi’s pages rustled gently in the silence, as if the book were considering its answer carefully. Then, in its familiar, whispering voice, it spoke.

Under normal circumstances, inhabitants of a realm are bound to it. When a world is erased, so too are its people, its history, and all that it once contained.

Mikasa’s heart skipped a beat. She had expected that answer—but it still didn’t explain why Yuki and Kenneth were standing right next to her.

However,

Lumi continued, its glow intensifying slightly,

For you, I have made an exception.

Mikasa blinked, her brow furrowing as she tried to understand. “An exception?” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. “Why?”

As the Archivist of the Forgotten Realms, you wield a power unlike any other,

Lumi explained.

You do not merely erase or save worlds—you carry with you the connections you forge, the lives you touch. Yuki and Kenneth are no longer bound to Azura. Their fates are now tied to yours. Consider it a gift, bestowed upon you as you step into your new role.

Mikasa's breath caught in her throat, and she looked over at Yuki and Kenneth, her chest tightening with emotion. They were safe—not because of some cosmic rule, but because Lumi had recognized the bonds they had formed.

They were more than survivors of a doomed world. They were part of her journey now, bound to her in ways she was only just beginning to understand.

“I… don’t know what to say,” Mikasa murmured, her voice shaking slightly.

“Thank you, Lumi.” She held the book close to her chest, her gratitude palpable. This exception—it wasn’t just about saving Yuki and Kenneth. It was about understanding her role as the Archivist. Her choices weren’t just about power. They were about people. And that made the weight of her decisions even greater.

Lumi’s pages fluttered softly, the book glowing in response.

You have done well, Archivist. But your journey is far from over. Continue to trust in those bonds. They will guide you when the path ahead is uncertain.

With those final words, Lumi’s glow dimmed, and the book returned to its quiet, ever-watchful state, floating gently beside her. Mikasa felt a sense of peace settle over her, but it was tinged with exhaustion.

The battle, the choices, and the emotional toll of erasing an entire world—all of it was catching up to her. She suddenly felt heavy, her limbs aching as if they had been carrying an invisible burden.

She looked around the empty expanse, her thoughts drifting back to Earth, to her life before Azura. It had only been two weeks since she had first stumbled into the Grand Archive, but it felt like a lifetime ago. She had been so excited by the adventure, the freedom of this new world, but now… now she longed for home. The comfort of the familiar, the faces of her family, the simple routine of her old life.

"Ironic," Mikasa whispered to herself. "I felt so free here, but it’s still not home."

As she pondered her next steps, her eyes caught sight of something unusual on Lumi’s spine—a faintly glowing symbol that hadn’t been there before. She reached out and touched it, feeling a soft pulse of energy through her fingertips. Lumi whispered once more,

This is your passage home. Whenever you are ready, this symbol will return you to Earth.

Mikasa’s heart raced. The thought of going home, of stepping back into her old world, was both a relief and a strange, terrifying prospect. She wasn’t the same person she had been when she left. She was the Archivist now. But knowing she could return whenever she was ready—that was a comfort she hadn’t realized she needed.

Before she could think further, Kenneth stepped forward, his expression conflicted.

“Mikasa,” he began, his voice low, “you should go home. You’ve done enough. You erased Azura, and that… it’s something I can’t even begin to comprehend. But I need time. I need to… process all of this.” His eyes darkened as he glanced back at the empty void.

“I’ve lost everything. I don’t know what’s next for me.”

Mikasa turned to him, guilt tugging at her chest. “Kenneth, I—"

He raised a hand, cutting her off gently. “It’s not your fault. If anything, it’s mine. I failed in my mission to save Azura. If I’d been stronger, smarter, maybe you wouldn’t have had to be here at all.” He exhaled deeply, his eyes softening.

“But you were needed. And for that, I’m grateful.”

Mikasa didn’t know how to respond. She could see the pain in Kenneth’s eyes, the weight of his own regrets. He had been a hero once, a prince sent to save his world, and now that world was gone. How could she apologize for something that was never truly within her control?

Instead, she simply nodded, her voice soft. “I understand. Take the time you need.”

Beside them, Yuki looked up at Mikasa, her usual cheerfulness subdued by the somber mood. “Mikasa… you’re going home?”

Mikasa knelt down, smiling as she patted Yuki’s head. “I have to go back, but I’ll come back for you, Yuki. And when I do, I’ll bring you a book, okay? Something with lots of stories.”

Yuki’s eyes brightened at that, and she nodded eagerly. “Okay! I’ll wait for you. And I’ll help Kenneth while you’re gone.”

Mikasa’s smile widened, her heart swelling with affection for the girl. “Thank you, Yuki.” She stood, glancing once more at Kenneth, whose eyes were distant, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

“I’m sorry for Azura,” she said quietly.

Kenneth shook his head, forcing a small smile. “It’s not your fault. You did what you had to do. Maybe… it was my weakness that brought this all to pass.” He looked down at the ground, his voice barely above a whisper.

“But that’s something I’ll have to deal with.”

Mikasa nodded slowly, understanding the burden he now carried. With one final glance at the void that had once been Azura, she took a deep breath and opened Lumi, her fingers resting on the glowing symbol.

“Take me home,” she said softly, her voice filled with determination.

A brilliant light surrounded her, similar to the one that had transported her to the Grand Archive all those weeks ago. As the light grew brighter, Mikasa could feel herself being pulled back—back to Earth, back to the life she had left behind. But it wasn’t the same life anymore. She wasn’t the same person. She was the Archivist, and her story was far from over.

As the light enveloped her, the last thing she saw was Yuki waving goodbye, her small voice echoing faintly in the distance.

“See you soon, Mikasa!”

And then, with a flash, Mikasa felt the world shift, her body returning to the familiar pull of gravity as the bright light of Earth greeted her once again. But this time, she knew—nothing about her life would be "original" anymore.