Evil Reincarnated

The Pool

Mazavir POV

I stood there, facing him. The strange symbol glowed between us. The room was filled with decretive trinkets and more murals adorned the walls. The mural was the same as the one in the main chamber. It depicted two necromancers preforming a ritual.

Vexel's face betrayed no emotion. His form was perfect. He expertly matched the drawings on the walls. "Focus your energy, Mazavir. Follow my movements. Feel the necromancers' essence. Let it guide you. This isn't about casting, it's about feeling the flow of energy. It's about connecting with their souls."

"I get it, but this do so different from what you've taught me." I respond, staring at the murals on the walls. I was trying to make sense of it but it seemed Vexel already knew everything there was to know about them. 

"Just follow my movements." He says, changing his position. I follow suit. "Each stance has its separate meaning. This first one is "Convergence Stance." We're drawing power from the earth. The very stones that hold these secrets. The powers of these ancient necromancers amplify the ancient essence this place holds. The stance resembles unity." He pauses. "We're working together to learn these secrets."

I pause. "But we don't have the same goals, I don't think." I break formation and he does as well.

"We've never agreed on much, Mazavir." He states, taking a step towards me. "Lately we haven't disagreed because you're scared of what I am. You're trying to be stronger then you are and that's why you're tolerating me. I'm trying to prove I'm not the monster you think I am." He says, looking at the ground. "Maybe our goals aren't entirely different."

"They're not the same either." I point out, but I resume the stance. "I suppose this can be our moment of truth then." Vexel walks back to his spot and does the same. "If we open this and you steal the knowledge for yourself, we'll find out how strong I've become."

Vexel just nods, moving into the next stance. I follow. "Harmonic invocation." He states. "Read the words out loud, chant with me." He says. I read the words imprinted on the wall, but I didn't understand what they meant. My voice blends with Vexel's as we step into the next phase.

He holds his hands up, drawing runes in the air. Necrotic magic hangs in the air where his fingers draw the symbols. I draw the same ones. The Soulweave sigil responds, glowing slightly. It wasn't glowing like it was in the mural though.

Vexel goes back to the spot he started in. "You did good, Mazavir." He states. "Now we have to put it all together and do it in synchronization."

We take a deep breath and begin. We move through the stances, chant the words then draw the runes. The Soulweave Sigil glows brightly. I advert my eyes.

The ground shifts beneath my feet. I step out of the way as the sigil breaks away and a staircase unfolds. I look at Vexel. "You're learning well." He says with a slight smile.

We descend the intricate staircase. We arrive in a room that felt frozen in time. There was dust covering the small room. There were bookshelves with books I had never seen before. Some were large, some were small. The three of us enter, all of us dumbfounded by all the books. We could spend weeks studying them.

However, there was one thing that stood out. There was a pedestal in the center of the room. A glass case rested on it. I approach it. There was a book sealed inside. It was untouched by time. The tome was encased in perfect condition. I raise a hand to open the glass.

"It could be trapped." Vexel states, appearing beside me. "Many ancient structures like this are trapped. I'm surprised we haven't found any yet."

"You're right." Ezara states and I let my hand drop back to my side. "We haven't found a single trap or met any sort of resistance. It's as if this place wants us here. It felt almost too easy to find."