Chapter 8 – Daren
Daren rode through the twilight of the eastern highlands, the wind whistling against the edges of his cloak. His mind was a storm of calculations, strategies, and warnings. Even as a transcendent, he moved carefully, aware that the system's agents could appear anywhere, at any moment.
The forbidden library lay hidden atop the cliff of Eryndor, a relic of a time before the system existed—a place where knowledge had been preserved by mortals who had once dared to challenge the world's natural order. To the untrained eye, it was nothing more than a crumbling tower of stone and vines, a decaying monument to arrogance. To Daren, it was a treasure trove of history, magic, and forbidden truths.
As he approached, Daren paused, scanning the air. Subtle traces of magic lingered in patterns only a master of mana could discern. The system was aware of his presence, no doubt. Its subtle siphoning tugged at him, testing his defenses, probing his limits. Daren's expression did not change. He had anticipated this. He always did.
The doors to the library were sealed with layers of ancient wards, etched into the stone with spells long forgotten. Most would see the seals as an impassable barrier, but Daren saw them as a puzzle. He reached into his cloak and produced a small crystal, humming with controlled energy. He held it against the first glyph, letting the crystal's resonance align with the flow of mana embedded in the stone.
The seal pulsed, then softened. Daren smiled faintly. "Even the oldest wards obey the principles of magic… if you know how to listen."
One by one, the layers fell away, each requiring a deeper understanding of history, energy, and precise control. By the time he reached the final barrier, his body thrummed with exhaustion, yet his mind was sharper than ever. He placed his hands on the last glyph, feeling it resist violently, a pulse of energy that nearly threw him backward. The system would have taken this energy if it had the chance, but Daren's control was flawless.
The seal shattered with a soft chime, and the doors creaked open. Within, the library's interior was cloaked in darkness, the only illumination coming from faint, luminescent inscriptions that lined the walls. Tomes floated in midair, suspended by invisible threads of mana. Each book, each scroll contained knowledge that had been banned, hidden, or erased by the system over centuries.
Daren stepped inside cautiously. The air was heavy with the weight of secrets—an energy that hummed with both danger and potential. He began cataloging the magical texts, selecting those that could be useful for Aric's training and for his own understanding of how the system truly functioned.
He paused before a particularly thick tome, its cover embossed with a symbol he recognized instantly: the mark of a Taboo breaker from centuries past. Its pages crackled with latent power, warnings etched in every line. Opening it, Daren read, committing each word to memory. This was knowledge that could allow a mortal to bypass the system's siphoning temporarily, a dangerous tool in the wrong hands but invaluable in the right ones.
A soft hum echoed through the library, drawing Daren's attention to a shadow near the far wall. He narrowed his eyes. "I am not here to disturb you," he said calmly, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "I am only here for knowledge."
The shadow shifted. A low, resonant growl emanated from it—an ancient guardian, tasked with protecting this library from intruders. Its eyes glowed faintly, a warning and a challenge. Daren did not flinch. He had faced worse.
With a wave of his hand, he summoned a thread of pure mana, weaving it carefully into a net. The guardian leapt forward, its movements fluid and violent, but Daren's trap held fast. He manipulated the mana with precision, controlling every strand. The beast struggled, then relaxed, recognizing the balance of power. Daren stepped past it, bowing slightly. "You may rest," he said.
Finally, Daren settled before a table at the library's center, laying out the tomes he had deemed most critical. Each one was a piece of a puzzle, a key to understanding the world before the system, the restrictions it imposed, and the paths a mortal could take to resist it.
As the last rays of sun faded, Daren allowed himself a rare moment of satisfaction. Every step taken here, every secret uncovered, would bring Aric closer to understanding the true nature of the system—and, eventually, closer to freedom.
Daren whispered to himself, almost as a prayer, "The world may never forgive us, but knowledge will be our shield, Aric. Learn it well."
Outside, the wind carried the scent of distant danger. The system's presence remained, subtle yet omnipresent. But inside the forbidden library, Daren was untouchable. For now.