16 Secrets Unveiled
Nates boots crunched softly against the dew-kissed grass as he departed from the grove's hushed sanctuary.
The academy loomed ahead, its stone edifices and towering spires a stark contrast to the natural harmony he'd left behind. Students roamed the grounds, their chatter and laughter echoing around.
Pushing open the great oak doors, Nate stepped into the daily chaos that was Aetherium Academy. The structured routine swept him along like an invisible current. He found himself seated in the back of the lecture hall, half-listening to the drone of the professor's voice.
"Remember, understanding the language of magic is akin to conversing with the very essence of the world," intoned the magus at the front of the room, chalk tapping rhythmically against the blackboard.
The day's lectures and practical exercises came to an end, leaving Nate in only mild discomfort from his two mentors instead of the usual half dead state he would usually end in, a fact that lifted his spirits.
After eating dinner Nate decided to take a short walk around the campus to help with his digestion.
After some time, the hairs on the nape of his neck stood on end, and an abrupt quickening of his pulse caught Nate's attention. Surveying his surroundings, his eyes eventually fixed on a spectral figure emerging from the shadows. The figure's movements were rigid and unnatural, yet it donned the unmistakable academy uniform, marking it as a student. Instinctively, Nate's hand moved toward the dagger secured to his belt. The student's eyes, once filled with intellect, now mirrored emptiness, a void drained of mana.
"Hey," Nate called, his voice steady despite the dread that tightened around his heart. "Are you alright?"
The figure stopped, its head turning towards him with a mechanical precision that sent a shiver through Nate's spine. In a flash, the ghostly student lunged, driven by a lifeless abandon that was chilling in its silence.
Nate sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the violent grasp aimed at his throat. Instincts honed by countless hours of training flared to life, weaving threads of illusion magic into the air around him. The corridor twisted, the stone walls bending in unnatural arcs, disorienting the animated corpse.
Using this as a distraction Nate quickly appraises the creature with his system skill.
[Race: Arcane Hollow, Weakness: Its brain]
"Forgive me," Nate murmured as he drew his dagger, the blade glinting with a faint light. With a swift, precise motion, he moved forward and was able to stab the creature in the head with his dagger. The body crumpled to the ground, a finality to its movements that suggested it had succumbed to death.
Panting, Nate crouched beside the fallen student, searching for any sign of what might have caused such a transformation. But there was nothing to see; the flesh was cold, drained of vitality, as if the very essence of life had been siphoned away.
His senses were still on edge, Nate turned his attention to where the figure had come from. The academy's corridors, usually filled with the din of scholarly pursuit, now seemed eerily silent as he made his way toward the hidden recesses of the institution. There, camouflaged against the intricate stonework, Nate discovered the remnants of something unsettling.
Cryptic symbols etched into the stone pulsed with an energy that, for some inexplicable reason, seemed to resonate with Nate's mana core. An uncomfortable pulsating sensation emanated from his chest, swiftly followed by a dull ache atop his head, as if something within him was drawn to the mysterious energy.
With a trembling finger, Nate traced the etchings, each line sending vibrations up his arm and whispering secrets that beckoned to him. After a moment, he managed to tear himself away from the enigmatic energy, causing his mana core to settle and the strange ache to vanish as if it had never existed.
A prompt materialized in front of Nate:
[New Quest: Hidden Dangers
Description: You have stumbled upon sinister traces that could be the workings of a dark mage. Investigate what is going on and stop whoever is responsible.
Rewards: +5 levels, A favor from the Headmaster, A noble title granted by the King
Penalty: UNKNOWN]
Nate gulped as he studied the new quest he had received. The level of the rewards indicated that this was something perilous.
Nate's heart drummed a frantic rhythm against his ribcage as he made his way toward Headmaster Gilmore's office
The corridors twisted like serpents, leading him deeper into the belly of Aetherium.
"Headmaster Gilmore must know," he whispered to himself, using the words as a talisman against the rising tide of uncertainty. The headmaster's reputation for stern fairness and keen insight bolstered Nate's resolve.
Finally, Nate stood before the ornate doors to the headmaster's office. Gargoyles perched atop the frame, their stony eyes seeming to pierce through to his very soul. He raised his hand, hesitating only momentarily before letting his knuckles rap against the wood in a firm, deliberate cadence.
"Enter," came the resonant voice from within, a voice that carried the weight of years and the subtlety of arcane knowledge.
With a deep breath, Nate pushed open the door, stepping into the chamber beyond. The air buzzed with latent power, books lining the walls like sentinels of knowledge. He advanced toward the figure seated behind a grand desk, the myriad of emotions swirling within him coalescing into a single point of focus.
"Headmaster," Nate began, his voice steady despite the storm inside, "there is something you need to see."
The headmaster seemed surprised at first but noticing the grim look on Nate's face he nodded his head and allowed Nate to guide him toward the body of the Arcane Hollow and the strange carvings that were laced with sinister magic.
"Headmaster, these are not mere academic exercises gone awry," Nate stated, urgency lacing his voice, as they observed the lifeless Arcane Hollow before them. Concern creased Headmaster Gilmore's face. "Someone used forbidden magic on this student," he declared solemnly, his gaze saddened by the loss.
Moving over to inspect the strange symbols, Nate chose to keep his distance due to the unsettling feeling he had experienced earlier. The headmaster's expression, already strained, intensified as he studied the symbols. "Mr. Cromwell, it would be best if you kept this to yourself."
"Sir, do you know what this is? Earlier, when I approached, I felt my mana core attempting to soak that energy up, and I was barely able to stop it in time," Nate exclaimed.
The headmaster glanced at Nate in shock. "That's impossible," he softly muttered to himself, running a hand through his long beard. "Unless..." He paused for a brief moment. "That was nothing unusual. Best to forget it," he said dismissively, clearly reluctant to share more.
Nate nodded, understanding that the headmaster wasn't going to divulge any further information.
Soon the headmaster kindly insisted that Nate leave and head towards his dorm with a reminder that he should keep this to himself.
