The days that followed were quiet, the academy slowly returning to normal. The students and professors were in high spirits, celebrating our victory over the Ancient One. But for me, the peace felt… fragile.
Skully seemed different. His usual cheerfulness was still there, but there were moments when he'd zone out, his rune flickering with that faint, ominous red light. I tried to brush it off as exhaustion, but deep down, I knew something was wrong.
One night, as I lay in bed, I heard Skully muttering in his sleep. His voice was low and guttural, echoing with an otherworldly tone. I sat up, my heart pounding, and saw his rune pulsing with that same red light.
"Skully?" I whispered, reaching out to shake him.
He jolted awake, his eye sockets wide. *"Master? What's wrong?"*
"You were… talking in your sleep," I said hesitantly. "And your rune was glowing red."
Skully looked down at his ribcage, his expression unreadable. *"Oh. That's… weird."*
"Are you sure you're okay?" I pressed.
He nodded, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eye sockets. *"Yeah, I'm fine. Just… tired, I guess."*
I didn't push the issue, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The Ancient One was gone, but its influence might not be.
The next morning, we were summoned to Professor Grimshaw's office. His expression was grim as he handed us a scroll.
"This arrived last night," he said, his voice low. "It's from the **Order of the Eclipse**, a group of scholars who study ancient magic. They've detected a disturbance in the balance of power."
I unrolled the scroll, my heart sinking as I read the contents. The Order believed that the Ancient One's defeat had created a power vacuum, and something far worse was rising to take its place.
"What does this mean?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Professor Grimshaw sighed. "It means the battle isn't over. The Ancient One was just the beginning."
Skully's rune flickered, the faint red light growing brighter. *"So what do we do now?"*
"We prepare," Professor Grimshaw said, his voice firm. "The Order has requested your help, Evan. They believe you and Skully are the key to restoring balance."
I looked at Skully, my heart heavy with worry. He grinned, his jawbone clacking. *"Looks like we've got another adventure, Master. Let's do this."*