Page 33 of Beyond the Treaty

Darius nodded. “It’s a gamble, but it’s our best chance.”

I stepped forward, my grip tightening around my sword. “If

this goes awry, ”

“It won’t,” Elara said, her voice steady despite the tension

etched on her features. She turned to Darius. “What must I do?”

“Place your hand on the centre rune,” Darius instructed, gesturing towards a glowing symbol etched into the pedestal. “Allow the nexus to feel your magic. If it recognises you, it

should open.”

Elara hesitated for just a moment before stepping forward.

She grabbed the crimson tome and laid it down on the pedestal, its faint glow mingling with the light from the runes. Then, taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on the central rune.

The reaction was instant. Light erupted from the pedestal, soaring into the air in a dazzling column. The ground beneath us shook, and the air crackled with unrefined energy. I shielded my eyes, yet I didn’t look away.

“Elara!” I called, my voice scarcely audible above the hum of the nexus.

“I’m fine!” She shouted back, her face taut with concen- tration. The light appeared to flow through her, her body enveloped in its glow. The runes on the pedestal shifted, rearranging into a new pattern, as the column of light began to coalesce into an image.

A figure materialised within the light, a spectral projection

of a woman clad in the flowing robes of the old order. Her features were sharp and regal, her eyes glowing with the same radiance that enveloped her.

“Who dares to awaken the Nexus of Lunairis?”the woman’s voice boomed, echoing through the stone.

Elara stepped back slightly, her hand still resting on the pedestal. “We seek the truth,” she said, her voice unwavering. “The Council has distorted this realm for their own gain. We

need the knowledge and power to halt them.”

The spectral woman tilted her head, studying Elara intently.

“The Council... Their corruption has spread far and wide. You carry their mark upon you.”Her gaze shifted to the crimson tome.“Yet you bear the burden of the Tome of Exiles. How intriguing.”

Darius stepped forward, his expression a blend of awe and urgency. “The Council has wielded fear and deception to sustain their rule. We require the old order’s wisdom, your wisdom, to bring them to light.”

The woman’s gaze moved to Darius, then to me, before returning to Elara.“The old order was not without its flaws. Our downfall was born of hubris, our strength turned against us. Yet if you seek to rebuild what was lost, you must first understand the cost.”

The light surrounding the pedestal shifted, and scenes began to unfold within it, visions of the past. We witnessed the old order at its zenith, their power immense and their knowledge unparalleled. But then came the downfall: betrayal, war, and the rise of the Council from the ashes of their ruin.

“These memories are but fragments,”the woman said, her voice tinged with sorrow.“The rest lies scattered within the nexuses of Ebonshade Keep and Obsidia. If you seek the full truth, you must gather them.”

Elara’s hand gripped the pedestal more firmly. “And the power? Is there anything here that can aid us in fighting them?” The spectral woman hesitated.“Poweris a double-edged

sword. However, there is one artefact still concealed within this nexus, a fragment of the old order’s strength. It will assist you, but its utilisation comes at a cost.”

“What sort of price?” I inquired, stepping closer.

The woman’s gaze locked onto mine.“The fragment binds to its wielder, amplifying their magic or strength. How- ever, it will demand a part of you in return, memories, emotions, even fragments of your soul. It is not a gift to be accepted lightly.”

Elara glanced at me, then at Darius. Her expression was resolute. “We have no choice. Show us where to find it.”

“Descend,”the woman said.“But remember: it is not power alone that can save you. Only unity and determi- nation will see you through.”

The light began to fade, and the spectral woman’s form dissipated. The nexus fell silent once more, leaving only the faint hum of energy and the open path before us.

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