The Black Lotus | Vol.1, The Eldenarian Artifacts ✓

27.

Makaela hated how perfectly the Illumio sat on her middle finger. The band had morphed to the shape of her finger as soon as she put it on. The golden gemstone blinked at her, mocking her with its vibrant light.

The ring was said to enhance the lightweaving ability of its wearer. It was why her father was such a good caster. Though, the man was extremely talented without it. At least, that's what her uncle and Xander always told her.

Talent meant nothing when it came to a duel. Ruthlessness, wit, and a strong will to live usually overpowered even the most talented magicians in a life-or-death battle. During the duel between her father, Pierre, and Thorian, the former hadn't been wearing his ring; Thorian had the Obscurio, though. Perhaps that was the reason for his untimely demise.

Or perhaps Thorian's will to live eclipsed her father's.

She'd never know.

Ahead of her, Achilles began the incantation to activate the three Eldenarian Artifacts in the room. Like most spoken spells, he used the old tongue. The words flowed from his mouth seamlessly as if it were his first language. He held his hand over the Krigersverd, igniting a bright vermillion light within the emerald built into the hilt of the blade.

Sebastian repeated the same incantation, his face rigid as he stared at the Obscurio. Purple light flared within the ring's gemstone.

"Your turn," he told Makaela.

She drew a nervous breath.

"You got this," he told her.

She hoped he was right. Closing her eyes, she held her hand out and began the incantation. The old tongue didn't come as naturally to her as it did for others. With no one to consistently teach her the language of her ancestors, the words often sounded clunky and stiff from her mouth. Still, she managed to successfully perform the spell.

The gold gemstone of her ring glowed with energy. Heat spread across her hand as she felt the white band rise in temperate around her finger.

"When performing this spell alone, the artifacts show the wielder the clues of the prophecy in their mind," Achilles explained as he tightened his grip around his sword. "But with multiple artifacts present, a different effect occurs."

Right on cue, a beam of green light shot out of his sword. The Obscurio followed suit, a jet of lavender magic meeting Achilles' shimmering stream. Makaela stared in awe as the two colors melded together in the center of the table.

Her hand jolted forward as the Illumio projected a beam of its own. The golden ray met the others. Once all three met, a misty sphere surfaced above the table. It reminded Makaela of a crystal ball, murky and opaque and swirling with blurry images.

"What is that?" Imogen asked.

"Just watch," Achilles told her.

As the seconds passed them by, the cloudy images in the rotating orb above focused into view.

Makaela's eyes widened as she peered at them.

The first was a scene of a man overlooking a courtyard in the Eldenarian Palace. Thousands of magicians filled the streets beneath him, their faces pointed toward the balcony he watched them from. He stood tall, his hair darker than ravens feathers. A golden cape-the same one her father used to wear-spilled down his back. Instead, she stood on a balcony behind a man overlooking the Eldenarian Palace. The Obscurio could be seen on his left middle finger. A crown sat atop his head.

She couldn't see his face, but she knew who he was.

The King.

To his side stood a young woman with dark curls in a dress the color of liquid gold. Sucking in a breath, she recognized it to be herself. The Light.