From afar, Jake had only been given a taste of the underground village’s beauty. He quickly learned that his wide view of the area was only the beginning, and he was baffled by just what the village had to offer. As his friends led him down into the village itself, Ewana showed its true colors. And there were a lot. The blue lights were used to provide general illumination, but they weren’t the only lights available.

In the streets below, soft orange colors similar to that of the sun brought a gentle warmth to the atmosphere. Greens and yellows were used to show that shops were open for business, and guards carried blue lights on their shoulders to stand out amongst the crowd. Children skittered about while adults haggled and talked. Couples clung to one another, families occupied tables inside restaurants. Workers climbed along the rocks, diligently continuing to expand the village.

The noise of the village was nothing compared to Jake’s home. There were so many people, so many things vying for his attention. The air was full of a mixture of scents- from food to perfumes to sweets. His attention span was so short and his mind so distracted that Yae had to drag him along to keep him from wandering off. Xul laughed and made fun of the boy’s lost face. Tul eventually joined in on teasing him after Jake caught himself staring into a place full of beautiful women.

“Wanna go?” Xul whispered into Jake’s ear. Jake swallowed a lump in his throat and felt temptation tickle at his mind.

“Stupid,” Yae whacked him and shoved the three boys along. Xul laughed even harder, holding his stomach to keep himself from keeling over. Tul chuckled too, but not as obnoxiously.

“S-Sorry, Yae,” Jake mumbled as she continued to drag him through the village.

The four eventually made their way out of what Jake figured was the trading center and into a more residential area. Houses were stacked atop one another with rocky ladders and stairs leading up to the upper levels. The first rows of homes were very pretty and spacious, and the families inside were having quite a good time. But, Yae continued to guide Jake deeper and deeper into the district. The fancy, nice houses gave way to tighter spaces, streets with far less lighting, and the structures were further along the decaying process as upkeep seemed minimal. The smell in the air soured and the sight of people sitting in the alleyways became more common.

Jake knew where he was now without having to be told. He kept his eyes forward and gently coaxed Yae to let him go. She did, reluctantly, but continued to guide him along. Xul stopped laughing and Tul’s face stiffened. They made one final turn before Yae stopped leading them. The little street they were on was tight and it was a dead end. Tul went in first and strapped his spear across his back. He hopped onto one of the rock wall ladders and climbed to the upper levels. Xul followed, and then Yae behind him. Jake, not wanting to be left behind, followed behind her.

They climbed up four levels high before Tul stepped off onto the platform in front of a door. It was dark inside but Tul entered anyway. He said something as he stepped inside. Xul did the same when he walked in, as did Yae. Jake, though, didn’t. He stepped through the threshold behind his friends and was greeted with the opposite of what he had seen up to that point.

It was a cramped space with little furniture, one unlit light source on the far wall, and nothing spectacular to look at. There was a small table in the middle of the room, a single double bed along the wall, a small tub likely for bathing, and a desk tucked into the corner with a stack of dishes and utensils beside it. There was no place to store food, three different piles of clothes neatly stacked beside the bed, and a small blanket folded at the foot of the bed.

But even though it looked a bit rough, the three were relaxed inside. Xul flopped onto the bed, tired and spent from the trip. Tul removed all of his gear and dropped everything into a pile beside where he sat down at the table. Yae went over to the tub and knelt beside it. She hovered her hand over a small metal pipe and focused mana into it. Water began to flow from it and she used it to wash her hair. Jake stepped inside, removed his shoes, and then closed the door behind him.

“Home,” Tul said as he leaned against the wall, making himself comfortable. Jake sat down at the table next to him and set the purple mana crystal in front of him.

“I think I’d rather this than the noisy street,” Jake chuckled. Tul nodded and called over to Xul. Xul grumbled and waved him off. Tul hissed and picked up a small pebble, lobbing it at Xul’s head. Xul groaned and got back out of bed. He snatched up the spear he’d left by the door and walked out.

“Where is he going?” Jake asked, watching as Xul’s shadow dropped away from the small window at the front of the home.

“Talk Chief. Get money.” Tul sighed and slouched against the wall, making himself even more comfortable it seemed. Yae cut off the water and pawed at the air to her left, reaching for the towel at the far side of the tub. Jake hopped to his feet and grabbed it for her. With her face covered by her hair, she couldn’t see who it was, so she spoke in her language. Jake smirked and said nothing, leaving her to dry her hair. He walked to the window and stared out at the village.

They were far enough away that the noise radiating from the main street was only a faint murmur. With everything being stacked up, he couldn’t see any lights or smell the sweet air he had briefly tasted but the liveliness of the village was hard to completely block out.

“Is Chief the head of the village?” Jake asked.

“No. Chief head of Scout team. Our Zara.” Tul explained. “Scouts find Beasts, then call Warriors to fight. We no fight. Only sometimes. Xul only one.”

“Xul fought them?” Jake’s eyes widened at the thought of Xul fighting against the Maedra. While in his mind he imagined something goofy and unrealistic happening, he hadn’t seen Xul fight yet. Maybe Xul was some really strong fighter or something.

“Yes! Xul really cool!” Yae quipped and giggled as she sat down at the table. “Very fast! Faster than Tul!” Yae grinned, nudging her friend with her elbow. Tul only rolled his eyes.

“Faster, not stronger.”

“Both!” Yae laughed and Tul grumbled, his cheeks getting a darker shade as he stared at the table. Jake stared at the two and watched as Yae continued to tease Tul. Tul seemed uncomfortable with it and clammed up, but Yae only giggled and poked at his cheeks. From where he stood, the two looked like siblings.

“Are you two family?” The similarities became more and more apparent the longer Jake stared at the two. Yae grinned and lay her head down on Tul’s lap.

“Xul and Tul, family.”

“Yae…” Tul muttered, flicking her nose. He muttered to her in their language, likely scolding her as Yae began to pout and detached herself from him.

Jake sat down across the table from them again and eased into a comfortable posture. He relaxed, let the tension in his shoulders finally fall off, and his body felt heavy. The weight and pressure of having to stay awake and alert for so long hit him all at once. The adrenaline from fighting the Maedra had long emptied from his body. However, the walk and having to keep tabs on the Warriors had kept him from letting his guard down. He didn’t want to fall asleep again and wake up to his friends in trouble or have them be attacked by Maedra when he wasn’t watching.

But now that they were safe and within the sanctuary of this village, Jake could breathe again.

“Tired?” Yae asked, draping the small blanket over his shoulders. The gesture surprised him. He hadn’t seen her move and she was already sitting beside him. She patted her lap and invited him to lay down.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll-” Jake was about to move over to the wall, but she snagged him by the ear and yanked. Jake let out a yelp and did as told. He lay down and rested his head on her legs. When he looked over at Tul, Tul’s eyes were closed and he was listless against the wall. Jake frowned a bit, feeling uneasy about the intrusion.

“Rest. It’s okay.” Yae began to brush his hair, her fingers running through the fibers slowly as she caressed and massaged his skull. The feeling sent tingles down his spine. He felt goosebumps perk up all over his neck as her nimble fingers eased his mind into a peaceful lull. The fatigue from the fighting, the walking. The stress he felt from the Warriors, and the pain of losing Chul. It all came back like a wave, and he closed his eyes tightly as Yae’s warm fingers pushed it all away.

Her hands… They felt just like his Auntie’s.

As he faded off to sleep, Jake triggered the sigil to the Library. He would let his body rest but there was no longer any excuse for him to pass on continuing his magic training. Chul was gone and the boy hurt inside, but he needed to keep moving forward. The Library would be his escape. He would throw himself into it, into his training, and pour everything into becoming a stronger mage. Next time, there would be no sacrifice.

The boy stepped off the sigil and down into the alcove. As he stepped through the threshold into the main atrium of the Library, he found a Fairy sitting on a table. An unfamiliar face. She was reading a book, her eyes glossing over the pages as she read the text. Jake ignored her, leaving her to her reading. However, when the fairy spotted him, she jerked to life and the book slid off her lap. Her wings flapped and the fairy darted towards the upper levels. An odd reaction. Jake didn’t like that.

He didn’t loiter, though, and continued up into the study room. When he stepped inside, he noticed a few books were pulled from the shelves. Three of them. The same three Seria had given him before- the book on the Seraphym language, the Black Magic text, and the book on the Seraphym’s civil war. They were set out on the table in a neat row. Everything else was just as Jake had left it. It was an interesting sight. One Jake had a feeling was related to the fairy by the door.

“Yir.” Jake stepped into the room and walked over to the books. He stared down at them and then looked towards the door as he heard the zipping of wings. He spotted her as she fluttered down from the upper levels and watched as she approached the room. She wasn’t in a rush but she wasn’t wasting time, either.

“Something wrong, Yir?” Jake asked. The fairy landed on the table, light as always, and she stared up at him.

“That depends. Where did you get these books?” It seemed the choice of books had intrigued Yir. For Jake he found them to be nothing more than reading material. Titles on the list of things he would read eventually in the future. The combination, though, did give off an eerie vibe. Jake wasn’t stupid and figured out the problem without it having to be said.

“They were given to me by an elf, Seria, when I spoke to her about language and the history of magic.” Jake had nothing to hide nor was he interested in lying to one of the individuals who had helped him so much.

“And that is all?” She eyed him, her eyes narrowing slightly. Jake could feel the pressure of her gaze. She was watching him closely for any change. Did she not trust him?

“What’s the issue, Yir? Am I not allowed to read books?” Jake wasn’t going to stand there and let her interrogate him over the books he found interest in. If they were in the Library, he figured they were safe for viewing. If that was not the case then she shouldn’t have left them so easily accessible. Even more, so what? What if Jake wanted to learn Dark magic? He had an affinity for it, so what was the problem?

Yir folded her arms over her chest, straightening her posture as she stared at him. “Please excuse me for being cautious, but a sudden jump from Fire magic to Dark magic is quite out of place for someone still new to spells. I am simply curious as to why.”

Jake didn’t have the intuitive skills to pick out specifics, but he could tell she was lying. Yir had only shown herself when Jake was in actual need of help and had hit a wall. Her advice always helped him get over the hump he was stuck on and helped him continue forward. She never had an issue with what he was doing and instead always tried to help him find a better, safer way to progress. For her to call him out on trying to continue that progress was suspicious.

She was lying.

“Do you need to know?” Jake shrugged it off and grabbed the book on the Seraphym language.

“No, but I do enjoy tracking the progress of my pupil.” Yir shifted onto the heels of her feet, watching as Jake turned away and began to read the pages of the book.

The boy couldn’t help but scoff. “I’m your pupil now?” He glanced at her, his eyebrows popping for a moment.

Yir tapped her finger on her arm, impatience ticking away. “I like to think so.”

“And what qualifies you as such?” Jake stopped moving, pausing just beside the table. He put himself between the table and the door. Yir noticed but she didn’t move from her spot.

“Do you not think of me as a teacher?”

Jake snapped the book shut. “Why would a teacher who wishes to foster my growth try to stop me from achieving it, Yir?” Jake dropped the book on the table. He wouldn’t play her game. “What’s your deal? You got a problem with the dark magic book, Yir? Spit it out.”

“There are things in this world you do not need to learn, Jake. Not to be a good mage. Dark magic is one of them.” Yir’s tone shifted. Jake scowled.

“I had no intention of learning Dark magic in the first place. Seria simply gave me the book. Instead of asking me and taking my word for it, you came in here to interrogate me over it. Probably to scold me, yell at me, and maybe even threaten me. Am I right?” Jake’s fingers pressed against the cover of the Seraphym book, his mana tickling at his skin as his hair stood on end.

Yir didn’t answer.

“What’s in that book, Yir? What don’t you want me to learn?”

“Jake, there are simply-” She tried to avoid the question. Jake slammed his fist onto the table.

“I don’t need the facade, Yir. I’m not a child. I’m not stupid, either. What’s. In. The. Book.”

The fairy sighed and unfurled her arms. She stepped over to the Dark magic spell book and stared down at it. “Magic is a powerful thing, you understand that. Yes?”

“I do.” Jake wanted her to get to the point straight off the rip, but he would listen. He respected her and while he was annoyed, there was a reason she was here. If it was to protect him from something then he wanted to know what. He trusted that she wouldn’t come here to truly stop him. She was here to keep him from doing something stupid.

“Dark magic is a weapon of Demons, of the Myr. It is a tool used to kill, maim, and curse. It is magic that isn’t pretty, Jake. Its cost is high and the damage done even higher.” Yir placed her hand on the cover. “Books like these are dangerous and the reasons people pick them up are never good ones.”

Yir turned to face him, her expression different. He could see that she was worried. “I’ve seen Dark magic. I’ve seen what it does to people, especially those who wield it.” She paused, her jaw tensing for a moment. “I don’t want to see that happen to you, Jake. You are too young. Too precious. Your future is too bright and it would pain me to see something happen to you.”

The two stared at each other for a long time. Yir had said her peace and Jake fumbled for the words to say back to her. He admired her. He was happy to call her a teacher and a guide. It made him even happier to hear that she cared. If she wasn’t lying, then seeing those books on the shelf must have been a shock. The fairy at the door was meant to alert her so she could get to Jake before the Dark magic got to him. The look in her eye. It wasn’t suspicion.

It was the look of a caretaker who feared that something might happen to their youngling.

Jake stepped around the table and stood in front of the Dark magic book. He placed his hand on it and then peeled the cover open. The front page was covered in warnings and a talisman was attached to the center of the paper, covering up a lot of the text. He couldn’t read any of it.

“I have no intention of learning this magic, Yir.” He spoke softly, staring at the book as he peeled another page away. “I don’t know the weight of it. I don’t know how dangerous it is, but I also do not need this kind of stuff.” He paused. He stopped turning the pages when he came across a sigil drawn in blood on a page. He grimaced, then closed the book.

“But, if it is so dangerous, then I will need to learn it so I can keep myself safe from it. Do you agree?”

Yir’s lips pressed together and she turned away from him. She took a few slow steps, pacing away from him. Her wings fluttered slightly, her feet tapped the table, and her fingers tapped together as she thought in silence. Jake gave her time. He let her think.

“Are you certain?” She asked, not facing him. “What you will learn is nothing as gallant as you may think. It’s grotesque. It is foul. It is…” Her voice trailed off. Jake opened his mouth to speak but decided against what he was going to say.

“With a good teacher…” he started. Yir’s ears twitched. “...I think I’ll be quite safe.”

Yir turned around, her hands planting on her hips as she stared at him. A slight smirk curled on the corners of her lips.

“Then, I think I know just the fairy.”

Yir had Jake collect his books and the two left the study room. She led him up several floors, spiraling them around the Library until they reached a door tucked behind numerous shelves. It was buried, largely out of sight. Only someone who knew what was here and what they were looking for would have found it. The door was closed with several black talismans strapped across the wood. The handle was tarnished and black. When Yir approached the door, she held her hand out and it bumped up against a barrier.

“Behind here are books that are never meant to be in the public eye. The magic is dangerous and should the wrong person get ahold of any of the texts, it could spell disaster for the Overworld.” Yir dispelled the barrier and then closed her eyes as she burned away the talismans sealing the door closed.

Jake remained quiet, watching her as she disabled lock after lock. The layers of security on the door were numerous and it took several minutes before she finally used wind magic to twist the knob. The door coughed open, releasing a puff of stale air that made Jake choke.

“This will be the only time you enter this space unless either I or Lady Ferynith grant you access. Understand?” Before they entered, Yir made sure to give him a proper warning.

“Understood,” the boy nodded. Yir did as well then led him inside, closing the door behind them. The room beyond was oddly cold. Even though the Library was kept at a reasonable temperature, Jake could feel the chill in his bones. Something felt gross about the air and Jake could feel eyes on him. Even the light in the room was shrouded over and Jake found it hard to see. Yir lit a few candles around but the flames burned low to the wicks.

There were only a few shelves against the walls and they were nothing like the shelves out in the Library. The books on them were few, with plenty of space left empty. The books themselves were all generally the same color- black, red, and purple covers. There were a few green and one blue. However, the theme was easy to see. The letters Jake could see on the spines were also mainly etched down using Seraphym for the language. Several books had another language but there weren’t any in Common script that Jake could read normally. He would need to learn another language if he even wanted a chance at this element.

“This room, as you can see, is filled with books focused entirely on Dark magic. Do you know where Dark magic comes from?” Yir perched herself on a partially empty shelf, crossing her legs as she made herself comfortable.

“Seria told me it came from a group of Seraphym called the Myr.” Jake turned away from the shelves and looked up at the fairy. It was time to listen and learn so he gave her his full attention.

“Correct. The Myr developed what was known as Black magic back then, Dark magic now. When the Seraphym and Gods chased the Myr to the Overworld, the Myr gathered all of the elements in the Overworld to create the new element. The element which was used to break the barriers of the Seraphym and curse them with blights that their protective Blessings could not shield them from. While the curses weren’t capable of killing the Seraphym outright, it significantly weakened them and made them vulnerable to the other elements.” Yir looked around the room for a moment, pausing as she searched for a way to visualize her explanation. Not seeing anything, she ended up deciding to make it. The Fairy created a series of balls of light, manipulating the balls into the various shapes she needed. The first was the Seraphym.

“The book on the civil war. Have you read it?” She asked. Jake shook his head. She smiled and gathered even more mana into her hands, scattering it through the room. “Then I think it’s time for a story…” The room filled with light and Jake winced, blinded as he was flashed. When the light receded, Jake found himself surrounded by numerous figures, looking down on the Overworld from high above it. He seemed to be floating but he could still feel the solid floor beneath his feet.

“A millennia ago, long before you or I were even a dot on the timeline… The Overworld was birthed by a collection of Gods who wished to create a utopia for themselves. They wished to create a world where their children could live, free of pain, agony, and war. A land where their kin would prosper together in peace….

The Overworld was the perfect place for their desires. Each God birthed several descendants, gifted them a place to exist on the Overworld, and then they helped cultivate the lands until their descendants were capable of fending for themselves. Then, they created the Seraphym. The Seraphym were their all-seeing eyes of the Overworld. Perfect beings, much like themselves. The Seraphym would be their guard dogs and were tasked with ensuring peace remained in the Overworld and they kept any outside forces from intervening with its prosperity.

The Seraphym wielded a powerful version of magic similar to that of the Gods. They carried Blessings from each God, giving them full control over their magic and strength rivaled only by the Gods themselves. Though their task was to prevent war and protect the races, the Seraphym were also told to keep their interactions minimal with the races below. Direct influence was outlawed for both Gods and Seraphym alike. This didn’t keep them from meddling but it certainly helped.

As the Overworld prospered, the Seraphym grew jealous. While they were perfect and all-knowing, the inhabitants of the Overworld began developing magics they had never seen or heard of before. The Gods watched, proud of their kin, and began to devote more time and attention to fostering the growth of their offspring. The Seraphym, jealous, attempted to do the same. A majority began cultivating their current magic, seeking ways to strengthen what they had. A much smaller group, however, was more interested in learning the magic from the Overworld.

These individuals were amazed by the creativity of the Overworld’s inhabitants and certainly were interested in learning more about the magic they were using, as well as the Races themselves. Thus, while the other Seraphym attempted to reach Godhood with their current magic, others began descending to the Overworld. They hid amongst the races of the Overworld, concealing their true faces. However, the Seraphym who were left behind considered this treachery. They believed those who had left had broken one of their biggest rules.

These Seraphym pleaded their case to the Gods and while the Gods understood the desire to learn from the Overworld, they agreed that direct contact was not the right way to do it. They ordered the Seraphym on the surface to return to the God’s Plane. When the order fell on deaf ears, the Seraphym remaining above declared war. Against the better judgment of the Gods, they banished their brothers and sisters who had left the God’s Plane and decided to take it upon themselves to hunt down and kill off those who had run away.

Further segregating their brothers and sisters, they labeled the Seraphym who had descended to the surface ‘Myr’. The Myr were seen as lost, misguided, and confused. The subjugation was meant to bring them back to the God’s Plane with force in hopes of once again restoring the natural flow of the Overworld.

The Seraphym on the surface quickly caught wind of what was happening and went into hiding. Knowing what was to come, these individuals began meeting with the rulers of the Overworld’s people. They revealed themselves to these rulers and shared the information that they knew- the God’s hunting dogs were coming. The Kings and Queens initially were confused and scared, frightened by the appearance of such strange beings from the skies. However, the Seraphym on the surface revealed even more, sharing how they had already integrated with the Overworld’s societies and were of no threat. However, the Seraphym who remained on the God’s Plane would have no way to distinguish their run-away kin from the natural inhabitants.

Knowing this, a deal was made. The Myr would work with the strongest mages the Overworld offered to develop a way to fight back against the impending threat. Or, at least develop a way to protect the Overworld from a full-scale invasion. By cultivating the elements together, collecting the strength of each of them together including the magic of the Seraphym, the Myr were able to develop their weapon- Black magic.

Black magic was nothing pretty. It was sinister and very dangerous. The Myr did not wish for the beings of the Overworld to learn of it or utilize it so they kept it quiet and to themselves. While they shared that a weapon had been made, they made it clear that it would not be shared. The Overworld’s inhabitants were understandably skeptical but they had no choice but to trust these strange beings. With their new weapon, the Myr focused on cultivating it further as they waited for the inevitable.

The Seraphym did not attack right away, however. There were many rifts within their numbers. Several desired peace and did not want to fight against their family. Others simply did not wish to fight at all. An even larger majority thought a fight would bring harm to the Overworld itself, a sin that would not be forgiven by their creators. However, a small group with a wide spread of influence was capable of swaying the hearts of the uncertain.

The law from their creators was just that- law. The Myr had broken it. Ignoring their transgression would not only give room for others to follow behind them, but it was a great disgrace to their creators who had given them more than enough to be satisfied with. The Myr were selfish, twisted, and had been led astray by the Overworld. Now, the Myr were spreading their misinformation and tampering with the growth of the Overworld’s people. It was their duty as Seraphym to protect the Overworld from further stain and corruption.

This was why they existed. To ignore the Myr was to turn on their reason for living.

With these words and ideals, the Seraphym finally agreed. They would wage war on the Overworld with the only intention of killing the Myr. Whenever possible, they were to leave the inhabitants alone. But, this would prove too difficult. When the Seraphym descended, the rulers of the Overworld learned that the Myr had not been lying. The Gods had come.

The Myr initially met the Seraphym in the skies over the Overworld, utilizing the magic of the Overworld and their God Magic first to test the capabilities of their kin. However, their losses were massive. Living on the Overworld’s surface had stripped them of their Blessings, leaving them vulnerable to the Seraphym’s attacks. Their casualties piled and the Myr were immediately put on the back foot. They retreated to the surface and pleaded for assistance.

Assistance they would get in force. Not willing to give up their homes to foreign creatures, the inhabitants of the Overworld came together to assist the Myr. Using their magic and weapons, they attacked the invaders of their world, fighting alongside the Myr.

Confused as to why the inhabitants would be fighting against their saviors, the Seraphym believed that the Myr had somehow tainted the minds of the inhabitants. Word quickly spread through the ranks and confusion set in. Then, the first kill occurred. A Seraphym missed their spell and killed a Human warrior. An honest mistake that had caused a life to be expunged. Suddenly, the chains holding the Seraphym back were broken.

Open War ensued. Across the planet, the Seraphym began purging all that rose against them. Out of fear and with the excuse of freeing the Overworld of the scourge, the Seraphym began to lay waste to all that dared challenge them.

The Myr reacted in kind. To protect those of the Overworld, they began to sacrifice themselves to their Black magic. In exchange for their lives, the Myr cursed the Seraphym, stripping them of their Blessings and exposing them to the elements of magic the Overworld possessed. The mages of the Overworld took advantage and began to fight back. The initial swift victories of the Seraphym swiftly turned into overwhelming defeats. The Myr had exposed their weakness and exploited it, but the Seraphym were blind as to what it was.

With their mysterious weapon, the Myr traded their sanity, their chance at returning to the God’s Plane, their life force, their everything, just for the slim chance that the forces of the Overworld could achieve victory. They battled for every inch, leading the Overworld’s forces against their fanatical kin. The battle eventually bled into the God’s Plane as the Seraphym were pushed back into it.

The Gods, watching from above it all, finally decided to intervene. Not wishing for further bloodshed and not wanting either side to face extermination, the Gods disrupted the fighting and created a powerful barrier separating their Plane from the Overworld, effectively cutting both sides off from one another. Those stuck on both sides were cut off from their home. The Overworld forces in the God’s Plane were rounded up and given their own space to live in, safe from the Seraphym. While the Seraphym abandoned to the surface of the Overworld were cornered into the high slopes of the White Mountains. They erected powerful barriers, barriers capable of resisting all but the strongest Black magic spells.

However, the war was over. The Myr left the abandoned Seraphym alone and instead fled to the north continent, isolating themselves from the Overworld as well. The fighting had taken its toll on them. Not a single Myr had escaped without taking on a curse of their own. Wanting to protect the Overworld from such blights, they picked the safest option. The inhabitants of the Overworld celebrated their victory, cheerful about having defeated the invaders. However, those who knew, those who fought beside the Myr, knew the true cost of the fighting. They knew the numbers. They saw the burden the Myr carried.

Many tried to chase after the Myr, only to find themselves lost at sea and unable to travel in the direction their comrades had fled. Large barriers were found, blocking their voyages to the northern continent. The Myr had done the same that their Seraphym kin had done. They sealed themselves away, ensuring their sacrifice would not be in vain.

Stories of the fighting spread through stories and tales, but those tales eventually faded into the pages of history. Books written by the Myr on Black magic were found scattered throughout the Overworld. They were slowly gathered and collected into the various Magical Academies. Still following the words of their lost friends, the Overworld’s Mages locked away the knowledge, sealing the books out of reach of any who were curious.

Lady Ferynith, a new Goddess at the time, found an interest in Dark magic. As the all-knowing Dragon Goddess of Wisdom, she took it upon herself to gather the books. However, after learning the knowledge within them, she too agreed that it should not be spread. Thus, she created this Library and sealed the books away. Now, should her Apostles find any books on the Dark magic in the Overworld, she has them bring them to the Library for safekeeping.

The Light scattered as the story came to an end. Yir collected the light into a small space in front of Jake and then created an orb- one for each element.

“The Dark magic created by the Myr is a direct counter to Light magic. Curses, hexes, blights, bindings, corruption spells, poison. Spells that will cause barriers to erode and shatter. Curses that influence and break the mind. These are the tools the Myr created to weaken their kin. However, to use this magic comes at a great cost.”

Yir snuffed out the light and created three orbs. One was blue, one red, and one black.

“The first is the regular magic cost. In exchange for a high volume of mana, a magician can create minor curses and effects to harm their target.” She blinked out the blue orb.

“The second is blood. These curses and hexes are far more dangerous and very difficult to treat. The more blood spilled, the stronger the binding of the curse. The effects are similarly more crippling and can even bring about death if not treated.” The red orb twisted, then vanished, leaving behind the black orb in front of Jake.

“The final is sacrifice.” Yir paused for a moment. She created a new orb, one formed entirely out of white light. “In exchange for life, a mage is capable of any number of dangerous and incurable ailments. There is even the ability to resurrect the dead, but the cost is astronomical. Breaking these curses is nigh impossible except for only the Seraphym themselves, and the cost is similarly high. The Myr knew this but even so, they used the magic anyways.” With the wave of Yir’s finger, the black orb turned into a gray mist. It coated the white light, covering it, and eventually snuffing it out, returning the room to its near-darkness.

“One Myr was the same as a thousand Man and the Myr exchanged themselves to give hope to those they left behind. A terrible trade but one they believed was worth making.” Yir uncrossed her legs and slid off the shelf. She leveled herself with Jake, who had decided to sit down towards the beginning of her story. “Dark magic was created to protect the world. It is anything but a beautiful element and those who have found the use of it these days have done so with ill intent. They are curses themselves and stain the sacrifice made by the Myr to protect the Overworld.”

Jake felt his heart thump in his chest a bit. For some reason, he felt empathy with the Myr.

“Should you decide to learn the element, you must understand the weight of it. You must know that those who used it before you did everything in their power to keep it out of your hands. They knew the risk of it but accepted it, carrying it entirely on their shoulders because they knew the cost of its use. I cannot stress it enough, but I will also not keep you blind to it.” Yir turned and floated up to the shelf. She looked through the bindings for a few moments before her hand finally tapped against one of the books. She pulled it from the shelf and then placed it into Jake’s hand.

“This book is known as the Book of Scales. Within it, it tells of the price you will pay should you decide to use this element. The Myr created it with the intent of sharing it with the Overworld’s inhabitants, only to decide otherwise in the end.” She frowned, looking down at the gold and red cover. “This book contains every reason why this magic should remain behind these walls.”

Jake suddenly reached out and placed two fingers on Yir’s shoulder. When she looked up at him, the boy gave her a soft smile. “I understand.”

Those two words alone brought Yir’s desperate rambling and attempt at persuasion to an end. She stared at his face, at his smile, and into his eyes. She had taken the time to prepare him, had shared as much information with him as she could, and Jake knew just how important the texts he sat around were. He understood what it meant to know the spells and while he didn’t know the Myr directly, he understood the reasons they had made such dangerous magic.

Yir smiled at him and then took a few steps away. “Learn their language, boy, and learn their strength. One day, I hope it helps you.”

Jake nodded quietly and Yir fluttered into the air. She flew towards the door but stopped before she reached it.

“Lin um Tahir,” she said aloud. Jake blinked and stood up, turning to look at her. “It’s Seraphym. Us for Them. It was what they said to each other. A motto of sorts.” She looked over her shoulder and gave Jake another smile. “Fitting, no?”

“I think it is.” He smiled, gripping the book a little tighter.

“...Quite.” Without another word, Yir opened the door and left the room.