studiobondurri Chapter 13: Archmage Eldric
Chapter 13: Archmage Eldric
Chapter 13: Archmage Eldric
The artifact was a crystalline relic of breathtaking complexity, its jagged edges gleamed with an internal light that seemed to have life.
Inside, faint tendrils of energy pulsed and swirled, slowly shifting colors like a living aurora trapped within its transparent walls.
Each pulse sent a soft hum through the air, a vibration that resonated with the arcana wards that lined the council chamber.
Tiny, intricate runes lined the artifact's surface and they glowed faintly, their patterns shifting ever so slightly as the artifact reacted to its surroundings. To those attuned to magic however, the artifact exuded an overwhelming aura that was a mix of both power and mystery that was both awe-inspiring and unsettling.
To Eldric, it was a warning.
"This artifact," he began, his voice steady but filled with a sense of urgency, "is unlike anything I have encountered in my life. I believe that it predates the current history records that we have and its energy is linked directly to the barriers separating the realms."
"And for many years, it lay dormant, but over the past few years, it has begun to react."
At this Morwen leaned forward slightly, her sharp golden eyes narrowing, "React in what way, Eldric? Explain yourself clearly."
Eldric tightened his grip on the artifact, its faint glow intensifying as if it was responding to his agitation.
"It reacts to proximity. At first, I thought it responded only to sources of great magic, but I've discovered that it isn't the case. There's something else that it is drawn to... some force within the realms themselves. The fluctuations of the energy suggest an imbalance."
At this, a murmur rippled through the council and Belath, seated on Morwen's left, scoffed loudly, "You're basing your argument on fluctuations? Relics are notoriously unpredictable, Eldric. This is hardly proof of a crisis."@@@@
Yet, Eldric ignored his comment, continuing with greater urgency, "This artifact's reactivation coincides with recent events- the appearance of unauthorized summoning circles... and reports of creatures from Abyssion slipping into Terranis..."
Morwen raised a hand, silencing the growing murmurs among the council members, "Eldric, your concerns are noted. But this council cannot act on speculation. We cannot justify the measures you propose with the evidence that you have presented."
Eldric's frustration grew to a peak, boiling over, "You have all grown too comfortable in your power... The signs are there, and yet you refuse to see them. I tell you all now- when the convergence begins, you will regret not having acted in this moment."
He paused, raising the crystalline artifact that was in his hands. Its faint glow seemed to pulse in rhythm with his words.
"I will leave this council but I will leave this with you. Perhaps you lack the vision to see the truth now, but this artifact does not lie. It shows glimpses of what is to come- fissures, merging, chaos. If any of you care for the future of Terranis, study it. Use it and let it show you what I have seen."
A ripple of surprise ran through the council at this action. Nevertheless, the chamber fell silent, the weight of dismissal heavy in the air.
Eldric's gaze swept over the council one last time, lingering on Morwen, "You have made your choice. I only hope it does not cost us everything."
Without another word, Eldric placed the artifact gently on the council's central table. He then turned on his heel, his footsteps echoing in the vast hall as he strode toward the exit.
And just as the heavy doors closed behind him as he exited, the council members resumed their hushed discussions, dismissing his warnings as the ramblings of a man clinging to a forgotten past.
Eldric stepped into the cold night air, the weight of his failure pressing down on him. The streets of Solmar were currently quiet as the city's towering spires cast long shadows under the pale moonlight.
"They'll see," he muttered to himself as he formed a tight fist in frustration, "When the fissures spread and the realms collide, they'll see. But by then, it will be too late."
And yet knowing the Council and the members, he hardened his heart at the task ahead of him that he would have to face alone.
"I will find the answers," he vowed, "And I will ensure that Terranis does not fall."