Page 59 of Sundered By Fate

With their mission weighing heavy between them, they parted ways—both determined not to let this be the end.

They set their plan in motion under the silver light of the full moon. Davin, ever the showman, created a commotion in the palace gardens with a flash of spellfire—just enough to draw Valerian's attention, as they'd hoped.

Aric watched from the shadows as Valerian and his guards rushed toward the disturbance. The sight of Valerian in action—his lithe form moving with predatory grace, his eyes alight withdetermination—sent a jolt through Aric's chest. But he shoved it down, focusing on the task at hand.

Once they were out of sight, Aric slipped into the manor. The corridors were blessedly empty, the guards all drawn away by Davin's ruse. Aric moved quickly but carefully, his soft boots barely making a sound on the polished floors.

He reached Valerian's research space with only a few minutes to spare before Davin would run out of distractions. His heart pounded as he pressed his hand against the door's lock, magic flaring in his palm as he muttered a quick unlocking spell.

The door clicked open, and Aric slipped inside. The room was a maze of alchemical tools and strange arcane devices, the air thick with the scent of burning herbs and something metallic. Lines of chalk marked intricate patterns on the floor, and books were stacked precariously on every available surface, their spines cracked and yellowed.

And at the center, on a raised pedestal, sat an artifact not unlike the one he'd glimpsed in Valerian's quarters, only far larger—a twisted piece of dark metal, its surface etched with fiery glyphs that pulsed and glowed with a life of their own. Like the staff he’d seen in Valerian’s chambers, it had a pulsating violet stone set at one tip. Aric frowned, starting to reach for it—but caught himself thinking better of it when it began to quaver as his fingers neared it.

Some kind of warding spell, or something else? Regardless, Aric would have to investigate it more closely later, when he could be sure it wouldn’t endanger him, or give him away.

Aric moved deeper into the room, pulse heavy in his ears. Whatever Valerian was doing here, it was dangerous magic indeed. He had to find whatever he could that might shed light on the artifact's true nature.

He rifled through the stacks of books and scrolls, scanning each one quickly before moving on. Most were filled withreferences to ancient elemental lore, or the same Mage Lords of old that Valerian had spoken of so highly, though they were much more extensive than anything he had seen in his brief study session. He recognized a few lines from when they'd been students at the Silver Tower together—before he went dark and twisted, before Aric . . .

But there was no time to think about that now.

Aric continued searching through the scrolls, trying to ignore the ache building behind his eyes. The books and scrolls seemed largely devoted to harnessing elemental energies, but nothing directly about Valerian's sigil or its purpose.

Then, in a drawer beneath the far table, he found a bound journal. The cover was worn and the pages yellowed with age. Aric opened it, and immediately, he recognized the handwriting—neat and precise.

His heart skipped a beat. Where had he seen this before?

Flipping through the pages, he found diagrams of magical runes and formulas for amplifying elemental magic. Notes on leylines and their convergence points dotted the margins. A chill ran down Aric's spine. Valerian had been probing at something not unlike the weapon the Silver Tower mages had devised that had devastated Brenville so.

But this time, whoever had written these notes seemed to be searching for a way to tear through the fabric of reality entirely.

One phrase repeated over and over in a scrawled hand: "We must find the key." A shiver ran through Aric at the sight. Whatever Valerian—or whoever's research these were—was planning, it was clear that it would put both human and demon realms in danger if not stopped.

Aric stuffed the journal into his satchel, along with a few other books that seemed relevant. He'd pore over them later when he was safely back in his chambers. But first he needed to get out of here before Valerian returned?—

Suddenly, Aric heard approaching footsteps. He quickly replaced everything, ensuring the hidden compartment was securely closed. He looked around frantically for a hiding spot, finally concealing himself behind a large piece of equipment, his heart racing.

The door creaked open, and Valerian entered the room with Davin at his side. "I appreciate your diligence, Davin," Valerian said, his voice smooth as silk. "But it seems this was a false alarm. Likely just another surge in the anomalies that have been plaguing us."

Davin nodded, though his eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Aric. Aric held his breath, willing Davin to leave before he gave anything away.

"Nonetheless," Valerian continued, "I trust you'll keep a close watch on the situation. We can't afford any distractions as we prepare for tonight's strategy session."

"Of course, my lord." Davin offered a bow, and for an instant, Aric thought he caught sight of those bright green eyes staring straight at him.

Once alone, Valerian moved to the central pedestal, examining the pulsing artifact. His fingers danced over the instruments' dials, making minute adjustments as he muttered to himself.

"Stabilizing the power sources . . . Must prepare for the next phase . . ."

Aric's skin prickled with unease. Whatever "next phase" Valerian was referring to, it couldn't be good.

Valerian turned back toward the desk Aric had been examining and retrieved a bound journal, the one Aric had been poring over moments before. He flipped it open to a particular page and traced a finger over the runes sketched there.

"Yes, this should do nicely . . ." He continued to mutter as he consulted another book. "But I'll need to be certain first . . ."

Aric was straining to hear more when Valerian snapped both books closed with a decisive nod. He returned them to their place on the desk and resumed his study of the artifact, oblivious to his unseen observer.

He shrank further into his hiding place, watching Valerian's every move. But suddenly, a searing pain lanced through Aric's back, right where the sigil was etched into his skin.

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