The Seal’s Weakness

Chapter 30: The Seal's Weakness

The book continued to glow faintly on the pedestal, its pages fluttering as though an invisible wind were turning them. Tara stared at it, her heart hammering in her chest. She could feel the pull of something ancient within its pages, something that called to her as if it knew she was its intended reader. But every instinct she had screamed that this wasn't the end of their journey—it was merely the beginning of something far more dangerous.

"We need to read it," she said, her voice steady despite the gnawing fear that tugged at her insides. The room was still, but the energy in the air felt thick, charged. It was as though they were waiting for something to happen.

Emrick approached cautiously, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes never leaving the book. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked, his voice low and cautious. "That thing—it's gone, but what if more of them come?"

"I don't think it's just the shadows we need to worry about," Tara replied, stepping closer to the pedestal. "This book, this knowledge—it's the key to understanding what we're truly facing. If we don't read it, we'll be walking into the darkness blindly."

Kael, who had been standing in the shadows, crossed his arms and glanced at the book warily. "I'm with you, Tara. We need answers. But be careful. There's something about this place, about this book, that doesn't sit right with me."

Tara took a deep breath, steeling herself. As she reached for the book, the moment her fingers brushed the pages, a sharp pulse of energy shot through her, as if the book had recognized her touch. The pages stopped fluttering, and for a moment, the room seemed to hold its breath.

Then, words began to form on the pages in a language she couldn't understand. At first, they were just symbols—strange and ancient—but as she focused, the symbols began to shift and change, until they morphed into a language that was both foreign and familiar at once. It was as if her mind was slowly being attuned to its meaning.

"The seal," Tara whispered as the words took shape in her mind. "It's weakening."

"How?" Kael asked, stepping closer.

"Look." Tara pointed at the page, which now depicted a series of interconnected circles and runes. A large, dark figure was at the center, surrounded by a web of lines that stretched outward, fading into emptiness. There were no other words—just images, symbols, and an overwhelming sense of impending doom. "The First was sealed away long before the gods ever came into power. The gods themselves were born of this seal, crafted to protect the world from the First's return."

The air in the room shifted again, heavier this time, pressing in on them. Emrick and Kael exchanged uneasy glances, but Tara didn't look away from the page.

"The seal is failing," Tara repeated. "The First has always been here, but it's been trapped in another dimension, another plane of existence. The gods built the seal to keep it from breaking free. But it's been weakening for centuries, ever since they first put it in place."

"Then it's only a matter of time before it breaks completely," Emrick said, his voice grim.

Tara nodded. "Exactly. And when it does, the First will return to our world—not as a god, not as a force of nature, but as something far worse. It is not a being that can be killed. It is a void, an endless hunger that consumes everything in its path."

She took a step back from the pedestal, her mind racing. The First was not just a physical threat—it was something much deeper, something that threatened not only the world but existence itself.

"We need to find where the seal is weakest," she said. "We need to go there before it's too late."

Kael's eyes narrowed. "You think the seal is located here, in the city?"

Tara shook her head. "No. The seal was buried long ago, deep beneath the earth, far beyond the reach of the gods' influence. But the First has been pulling at it, weakening it from the outside. The gods locked it away because they couldn't contain it. We'll need to find the original site of the seal—the place where it all began."

Emrick stepped forward, determination in his eyes. "Then that's where we'll go. But where is it?"

Tara hesitated, her mind sifting through the fragmented knowledge she had gained from the book. "It's in the Forgotten Vale. That's where the seal was originally placed. The Vale is a sacred place, a place where time and space bend. It's protected by ancient magic. But if the seal is weakening, that protection will fail."

"Great," Kael muttered. "Another deadly journey. But we'll go. I'm in."

Tara looked at her companions. "We have no choice. The First cannot be allowed to return. If we don't stop it now, the world will be consumed in darkness."

The tension in the air was palpable as they gathered their belongings. The path ahead was uncertain, and the dangers they would face were beyond anything they had ever encountered. But there was no turning back. They had come this far, and they would see it through to the end.

With the knowledge of the First's true nature weighing heavily on her, Tara led the way out of the archives, her mind set on one singular goal: to find the Forgotten Vale and restore the seal before the First could break free.