Aria's POV
I sat on my bed, my mind reeling with the weight of what Kael's had told me.
I had felt like I was trapped in a nightmare, with no escape from the darkness that seemed to be closing in around me. I was conflicted, torn between my desire to do what was right and my own irrational fear of death.
I had always thought that I wasn't scared of death, that I was brave and strong enough to face whatever came my way. But now, faced with the possibility of my own mortality, I realized that I was terrified. I didn't want to die. I wanted to live, to experience all the things that life had to offer. I wanted to see the world, to fall in love, to have children and grow old. I didn't want my life to be cut short, not now, not when I had just begun to discover who I was and what I was capable of. I felt a surge of desperation, a plea rising up from the depths of my soul. I hoped and prayed to anyone who might be listening, to any god or goddess who might hear my cry, that it wouldn't come to that. That Kael would succeed in finding a way to break the bindings, that I wouldn't have to sacrifice myself to save our worlds.
I knew my fear was irrational, Kael had said he was going to kill me yet I wasn't as terrified as I was now. My fate was in my hands. I could choose to die a coward or die and maybe possibly live as a hero.
The choice should've been obvious but when I was faced with it, I wasn't sure what to pick.
It was not until I had looked at Kael that I had made my decision. The determination in his eyes was very glaring. I believed everything he had told me but that didn't mean I trusted him completely. There was something he wasn't telling me that much I knew.
I meant it when I told him that I would sacrifice myself if it meant everyone would live.
Elara had stopped by a few moment after Kael left.
She had looked guilty and apologized for not telling me. I had felt the apology was unwarranted.
Kael had ordered everyone not to talk to me or mention anything about obsidian.
It wasn't her fault, she was simply following orders. She relaxed and kept me company until it was time for bed.
After she did her nightly duties, she left me to my devices biding me a good night.
The next morning Lyra had knocked on my door along with a woman who had introduced herself as Namarie.
Namarie was a tall and slender mage with long, dark brown hair and piercing emerald green eyes. She had a quiet confidence and an air of mystery about her. She was dressed in flowing white robes with intricate silver embroidery. A delicate teardrop shaped pendant sat on her neck drawing my attention.
"I'm sorry for not telling you about Obsidian Aria." Lyra said, her remorseful voice pulling me away from my perusal of Namarie.
"It wasn't your fault Lyra". I replied smiling at her.
Lyra nodded and smiled. "Namarie and I were heading to the library, I was hoping you could join us. We could use a new insight on the prophecy." She gestured.
I nodded agreeing. Kael had spoken about the prophecy yesterday but he hadn't shown or told me what it said.
I followed Lyra and Namarie through the hallways of the castle.
We had been walking for several minutes, when I noticed we were not going to the tower.
I looked at Lyra "If I'm not mistaken, I don't think this is the way to the library" I said.
Lyra let out a chuckle "Sorry I forgot to specify. We are heading to the Royal Archives, not the public library."
"Oh" I replied feeling silly and embarrassed. I decided not to say another word until we arrived.
As we turned a corner, Lyra stopped in front of a large wooden door with guards stationed at the door. She nodded at them and they unlocked the door, pushing it open with a soft creak.
"Welcome to the Royal Archives," Lyra said, gesturing for me to enter.
I stepped through the doorway, my eyes widening as I took in the sight before me. The room was smaller than the main library, but it was just as impressive. The walls were lined with shelves, stretching all the way to the vaulted ceiling. The shelves were made of a rich, dark wood, and they were filled with books and scrolls.
The room was dimly lit, unlike the main library, with only a few candles to illuminate the space. But despite the lack of light, I could see that the books on the shelves were old.
Lyra smiled, "This is one of my favorite places in the castle," she said. "The Royal Archives is a treasure trove of knowledge and magic. It's been collected for over a century, and it contains some of the rarest and most powerful texts in both obsidian and Everia."
I wandered over to a nearby shelf, running my fingers over the spines of the books. I saw volumes on magic and spellcraft, as well as books on history and mythology. There were also scrolls and manuscripts, written in languages I didn't recognize.
Lyra and Namarie walked over to a nearby table, where multiple scrolls and leather-bound books were displayed.
When we took our seats. Namarie explained the prophecy and what we were searching for.
"When the moon dips into the darkness of the seventh night and the stars align in the pattern of the ancient ones, the blood of the descendant shall be the key.
The heart of the forest awakened and the whispers of the wind heard. The broken circle must be fixed and the tears of the Naiad shed. The shadows that dance upon walls must be stilled.
Only then shall the shadowborn, one forged in the depths of darkness and light break the bindings forged from betrayal and greed. The price of freedom shall then be paid in full."
"We have broken down the prophecy into sections". Namarie explained.
"The first part is about the elder constellation. The ancient ones were the seven most powerful wizards. It was believed that they created Everia and the Eldrids to rule the world. It's their essence that run through our veins.
They disappeared after the creation of Everia and no one had heard from them since.
They each had crystals that they aligned to form a circle. These crystals hold vast amount of powers but they've been lost to time, believed to be nothing but rumors and myths." Namarie continued.
I listened intrigued by this new piece of information.
"We've managed to locate six of the crystals" Lyra chipped in.
"Yes, we have. Two are in Everia, while the remaining 4 are here" Namarie nodded, her eyes gleaming with a fierce determination.
"We've been searching for the last crystal for months, but it's proving to be a difficult task. The books and scrolls we've found are cryptic, and the clues are scattered and obscure. We've decoded all other parts but the last part. But the crystal is the most important part. If we are not able to find it in time...." Lyra trailed off, her expression somber.
"What can I do to help?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Lyra smiled softly, her expression brightening. "You could help us with searching through this mountain of books and scrolls," she said. "We've been searching for months, but we could definitely use more help."
I nodded in understanding.
My mind was still racing with the implication of what Lyra had left unsaid.
If we failed to find the last crystal, we all die.