open the door to the Empyrean Academy library as I stepped inside. No matter how often I visited, the view never ceased to amaze me. It was a marvel of architecture and design, with towering shelves filled to the brim with books, scrolls, and artifacts from centuries past.
The atmosphere was almost mystical, like stepping into another world. The scent of old parchment, leather, and a subtle hint of wood polish weighed in the air. Soft light filtered down from the tall stained-glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the stone floor.
As we walked further into the library, the outside world seemed to fade away, replaced by the comforting hush of whispered conversations. The rustle of turning pages contrasted with the occasional clacking of a computer keyboard.
I held tightly onto Nathaniel’s hand, almost subconsciously fearful of getting separated in the labyrinth of soaring bookcases. We were here for a reason, after all—not to admire the beauty of the place.
“Where do we even begin, Nate?” I asked, my gaze sweeping over the countless dusty tomes and scrolls.
“Let’s start over here,” he suggested, leading me through the maze of knowledge, our footsteps echoing softly in the vast space.
“Okay.” I followed him deeper into the heart of the library.
I balled my fist in determination over my chest and furrowed my eyebrows. This was where we would find the answers we needed to protect ourselves, our friends, and fellow students at the academy from future attacks. I knew it. I could feel it in my bones.
I glanced over at Nathaniel, who was watching me with an amused smirk.
“Psyching yourself up?” he chuckled.
“Maybe,” I answered sheepishly.
His usual brooding demeanor softened as he squeezed my hand. “You’re so weird. It’s adorable.”
At the end of a row of shelves, Nathaniel glanced at a sign and then a piece of paper in his hand. “This is where they keep Empyrean history from the last fifty years. We might find something about previous Elysium Warriors.”
My fingers traced the spines of old but not ancient books as my eyes scanned the titles. As we searched, I noticed how focused and driven Nathaniel was to uncover the truth. For a moment, I allowed myself to just admire the way his brow furrowed in concentration, his strong hands carefully handling each delicate page.
“Look at this,” Nathaniel called out, pulling me from my thoughts. He held up several worn leather-bound journals, their cover embossed with intricate symbols. “It’s a collection of Empyrean Council meeting notes.”
“They were the ones that sealed Lysander’s soul, right? Think we’ll find anything in there?” I asked, peering over his shoulder.
“Only one way to find out.”
He handed me five volumes, stacked another ten in his arms, and we walked them over to a little study nook nearby. It was tucked away in a corner of the library, with a small round table in the center with two chairs and a reading lamp. Shelves filled with even more books formed makeshift walls on either side of the nook, giving it a tiny bit of privacy, while soft light streamed through a large floor-to-ceiling window.
Together, we poured over the pages, trying to piece together any information that could bring us closer to understanding the tragedy that had befallen Lysander and Pryia.
From time to time, our eyes drifted toward each other, and he flashed a sly grin that made my heart flutter like a hummingbird.
“Now, look who’s staring,” I accused when I caught him stealing glances at me.
“I can’t help it,” Nathaniel admitted, brushing my cheek with his fingers. “I love how you scowl when you’re concentrating, and then your eyes light up when you think you found something interesting, just for you to go back to scowling again.”
“Stop it,” I pouted. “You’re making me self-conscious.”
“Don’t be. You’re perfect.” He leaned in for a kiss, savoring his lips against mine, before diligently continuing our research.
The hours slipped away as we immersed ourselves in the world of the past.
“Wait,” Nathaniel whispered, his finger resting on a passage nestled within the hundreds of notes. “I think I found something.”
“Really? What does it say?” I asked eagerly, leaning in to read the faded ink alongside him.
Though the Elysium Warriors have dedicated themselves to protecting Empyreans and humans alike for many years, the Council has concluded that Lysander’s increasingly aggressive and erratic behavior is a serious threat. He has made it clear to several council members that he is determined to obtain enough power to rule the world unchallenged, believing this to be the only way to maintain true peace.
Pryia confirmed that Lysander has begun his descent into dark magic. She appeared before the Council today to plead for assistance to save her husband from himself.
Upon speaking privately, the Council has decided to banish Lysander to prevent him from wielding dark magic and to stop him from gaining enough power to conquer the world. An order will be made to craft an enchanted amulet that will seal Lysander’s power.
“Wow,” I breathed, my heart aching for Pryia and her star-crossed love for Lysander.
She’d begged the Empyrean Council to save him, but they sealed his soul in an artifact instead. While I understood the enormous threat Lysander posed, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of connection to the couple—their bond, their pain, and their undying devotion to one another.
“There’s more.” Nathaniel turned a few pages, his voice hushed in reverence for the information he uncovered.
Five moons ago, the Empyrean Council ordered Mage Ifarihm to seal Elysium Warrior Lysander’s power within an enchanted amulet. While successfully sealing Lysander’s power, the mage was forced to seal Lysander’s soul along with it, unable to separate the two.
When his wife, Elysium Warrior Pryia, learned that Lysander would be trapped in the amulet for eternity, her heart shattered. Death came for her today. Her last whisper was of her husband’s name upon her lips and a vow to free him.
The amulet that binds Lysander’s darkness has been carefully hidden away under watchful guard, its location known only to the mage and a select few Council members.
“We need to find out more about the amulet,” Nathaniel urged as the fire in his eyes burned brighter than ever. “We’re close, Evangeline. I can feel it.”
I nodded. “They deserve so much more than this tragic ending,” I said sadly before once again immersing myself in the words that held the key to unlocking the mystery of Pryia’s motives.
As I flipped through the pages of another book, an illustration of a shimmering pendant caught my eye. Radiant blue gemstones intricately wove together to form the shape of a teardrop.
“Look at this,” I whispered, pointing at the tome in my hands. His eyes widened as he read the words, and an intense determination settled over his rugged features.
Commissioned by the Empyrean Council, the Azure Amulet created by Mage Ifarihm contains the darkened soul of Lysander, the Fourteenth Elysium Warrior. The spell that binds Lysander to the Azure Amulet can only be broken by the power of new Elysium Warriors.
My breath hitched in disbelief as I read that last sentence.
“This means Pryia really has been targeting us,” Nathaniel said.
“But Professor Braddock was wrong about why,” I said, my voice shaking. “She’s not trying to destroy us. She needs us to free Lysander.”
My mind flashed with memories of Pryia’s terrifying black lightning and the students that had been injured. I remembered the girl, Abigail, who had simply vanished in front of us on the night of the Founder’s Ball. It didn’t make sense that Pryia would harm us if she needed us to free Lysander. Was it possible that Pryia hadn’t meant to hurt us all along?
“We need to figure out where they hid the Azure Amulet,” Nathaniel declared as he shuffled through more notes.
I nodded with newfound purpose. We finally had a tangible goal to work toward. As I looked into Nathaniel’s stormy gray eyes, I knew we were bound by a shared desire to help our predecessors find peace and protect our friends.
“Where do you think the amulet could be?” I asked, my mind racing with a sense of urgency, knowing that every moment we spent searching brought us closer to stopping Pryia’s attacks on the academy.
“The location must be noted somewhere here.” He gestured toward the mountain of books we had yet to go through. “We just need to keep looking.”
Another couple of hours passed as we searched countless books and scrolls for a clue that might lead us to the Azure Amulet. My fingers traced along ancient lines of text, skimming over the indentations in the parchment as I searched for something, anything, that would guide us.
“Check this out,” Nathaniel whispered suddenly, his finger gliding over the page of a red leather-bound tome as he read. “The Chamber of Elysium was a sacred temple where the Elysium Warriors kept powerful relics for safekeeping. To protect the enchanted artifacts within, only Elysium Warriors and their offspring may enter the hidden portal that leads to the Chamber of Elysium.”
“Chamber of Elysium?” I repeated with excitement. “That must be where the amulet is!”
“Looks like it,” Nathaniel agreed, his voice filled with cautious optimism. “But now, we still need to figure out where the hidden portal is.”
We resumed our research, Nathaniel flipping further through the same book while I began sorting through maps. Finally, I stumbled across a diagram of the academy grounds, and a peculiar icon caught my eye.
“This is it,” I breathed in astonishment, pointing to the fading symbol that was drawn lightly over one of the buildings on the map. I’d recognize that warped Christmas tree anywhere. “It’s our mark, Nate. The Elysium Arrowhead.”
Nathaniel leaned forward to take a closer look and nodded slowly. “Oh, my God. I think you’re right.” He tilted his head, trying to understand the layout of the map. “If I’m reading this correctly, then the portal to the Chamber of Elysium is in the history wing of the social sciences building.”
I couldn’t believe it. After hours upon hours of searching, the Azure Amulet was right here at the academy, under our noses, in the same building where I sat through hours of Em History and economics classes. We had our answers, but with them came a panic like nothing I’d ever known.
“What are we going to do now?” I asked, my voice quivering as the academy diagram shook in my hands.
“We have to get the Azure Amulet,” Nathaniel replied with steely resolve. “It’s the only way to free Lysander’s soul and stop Pryia’s attacks on the academy.”
Professor Braddock’s stern warning to stay out of danger flashed through my mind.
“I don’t know, Nate,” I hesitated. “Shouldn’t we tell Professor Braddock what we found? Is it silly that we’re trying to do this on our own?”
Sensing my inner turmoil, Nathaniel gently grasped my hand. “I know what Professor Braddock said, but you read it yourself. Only we can enter the Chamber of Elysium. Can you honestly tell me that you’re okay with standing by while Pryia continues to attack innocent people?”
I sighed, knowing he was right. “No, I can’t stand the thought of more people getting hurt because of us.”
This was our only chance at stopping Pryia before it was too late. But still…
“Do you think Lysander will still be dangerous if we free him?” I asked quietly, afraid of what the answer might be. “I mean, I know he’s not alive anymore. It’s just his soul, but he was learning to use dark magic when the Council trapped him.”
Nathaniel shook his head and ran a hand through his hair before he replied. “I’m not sure,” he admitted honestly. “But I don’t know what the alternative would be. Seal Pryia too?”
The idea sickened me. “We can’t do that. It’s already so horrible what they’ve been through.”
“Then we have to try to reunite them.” Nathaniel looked into my eyes with determination and strength, radiating confidence despite the daunting task ahead of us.
“Okay,” I said, taking a deep breath. “We’ll do it. We’ll find the Azure Amulet, free Lysander’s soul, and put an end to Pryia’s attacks once and for all.”
“Okay, but we need to be cautious and prepared for anything. We need to do more research and see what else we can learn. The more we know, the better equipped we’ll be to face whatever we encounter.”
“We should also train together,” I suggested.
“Good idea,” Nathaniel replied, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll train together until we’re comfortable fighting together.”
I nodded with determination before adding, “We should call it a night, though. I’m starving.”
Nathaniel smiled. “Me too.”
With our plan set, we left the library. I couldn’t ignore my concerns about the uncertainty that lay ahead, and yet, Nathaniel and I had come so far already. Now filled with a sense of hope, I knew in the depths of my being that we could make a difference. And maybe, just maybe, help bring peace to two tortured souls.
