Arcane Dominion: The Rise of Shadows

"Arrival at Obsidian Tower"

Nerina Pov-

This ride was taking forever it's been 2 days since I learned that I was to be transferred to Obsidian Tower and those who knew kept congratulating me as if going there will make me powerful just like that but I knew it in my gut that this won't be that easy and after what seemed like eternity the tower finally came into view.

And The Obsidian Tower is both awe-inspiring and deeply unsettling. As I approach through the dense, enchanted forest, the air grows heavier, charged with an invisible force that presses down on me like a warning. When I first laid my eyes on the tower, it feels like the forest itself has parted reluctantly to reveal it-a dark, imposing structure of shimmering black obsidian, its jagged edges glinting faintly in the dim light.

The tower looms impossibly tall, its spires seeming to vanish into the stormy, magical sky above. The runes carved into its surface flicker with a cold, pale light, each pulse sending a shiver down my spine as if the tower is alive and watching me. The strange symbols hum with an otherworldly rhythm, incomprehensible yet compelling, as if they are whispering secrets just beyond my grasp.

The closer I get, the more oppressive the atmosphere becomes, the swirling ley line energy radiating from the tower feeling like it's trying to burrow into my very soul. The massive entrance, with its towering door carved in ominous detail, seems to sneer at my audacity to step closer.

And as I stop my horse in front of the entrance it dawns on me as to why this Tower is so famous but before i could even step a foot inside a surge of energy froze me in my place and everything went quite as if the world was telling me to beware of the person or creature who's about to come out and soon enough she came out the world renowned sorceress Lyriana Ashwynd.

"Who dares enter my territory" she said in a stern voice which shook me to my core and after thinking for a second i said "My name is Nerina Faelan i am the transfer student from Arcane
Magic academy" She studied me for a second before the surge of power vanished and I fell on my knees.

Lyriana, the tower's mistress, get close to me with an unreadable expression, a blend of detached curiosity and quiet authority. Her nature is both a mystery and a source of fascination, radiating power that makes the very stones hum in her presence.

"You came seeking power, little one," Lyriana intones, her voice as smooth and cold as polished obsidian. "But power demands sacrifice. Are you ready to offer it?"

"I'm ready to learn, not to kneel." i barked back without thinking about it for a second.

Lyriana's lips curl into a faint smirk. "We'll see." and with that she left me all alone as i stood up and picked up my stuff before heading inside the tower.

Stepping inside the Obsidian Tower, I was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the interior. The entrance hall stretches impossibly high, the ceiling vanishing into shadows despite the pale, flickering light from floating crystal orbs that illuminate the space. The walls are carved from the same polished black obsidian as the exterior, but inside, they seem alive, their surfaces rippling faintly as if reflecting distant storms or memories long forgotten.

The air is thick with magic, buzzing faintly in my ears and pressing against my skin like an invisible weight. Every step I takes echoes unnaturally, the sound absorbed and distorted by the tower's eldritch architecture. Twisting staircases spiral upward into darkness, their steps carved with intricate runes that glow faintly beneath my feet, as if recognizing my presence.

Scattered throughout are strange sculptures and artifacts-floating spheres of glowing liquid, jagged crystals suspended mid-air, and ancient tomes chained to pedestals. The very atmosphere of the tower feels oppressive and suffocating, as if it resents my intrusion and is constantly testing my resolve.

As I was admiring the interior of the obsidian tower a soft and sweet called out to me "excuse miss" that voice said and when I turned around I saw a beautiful girl clad in a all black uniform same age as me after admiring her for a second i said "yes?" She looked at me and said "Madam Lyriana told me to show you your room so could you please follow me" so I nodded and started following her as she went up the spiral staircase where the student quarters were and When i was shown to my room, it felt more like a cage than a place of rest. The chamber is small compared to the vast halls of the tower, but still larger than anything I expected. The walls are smooth obsidian, but they pulse faintly with an eerie, purple-blue light that seems tied to my emotions, shifting and flickering as I move.

A single window, narrow and tall, is cut into the wall, offering a view of the swirling magical storm that perpetually surrounds the tower's spires. The bed is draped in dark, silken sheets that feel unnervingly soft against my skin, as though they've been enchanted for comfort i don't trust. The air smells faintly of incense-spicy and metallic, as though magic itself has seeped into every corner.

A desk and chair, both made of a dark, unknown wood, sit against one wall, piled high with blank parchments, quills, and ink that seems to shimmer in the dim light. A single bookshelf stands nearby, filled with ancient tomes that hum faintly when touched, as if alive. The room has no door, only a shimmering barrier of translucent energy that hums softly when approached, a constant reminder that i am trapped in more ways than one.

For me, the room is both a sanctuary and a prison-a place where I can study and sleep, but also a constant reminder of Lyriana's control over me. Despite its beauty and mystique, it feels cold, calculated, and utterly devoid of warmth, just like the sorceress who rules the tower.