CHAPTER 1161: A BOOK

Saeldir stood still for a long moment after the last flicker of the map died.

His thoughts churned heavily and relentlessly. He pressed his lips together, frustration and unease knotting in his chest.

They had worked for a long time perfecting the metal constructs and creating armored guardians and warriors built from Elven ingenuity, Magic engineering, and relentless training.

They were powerful, fast, and efficient. They had saved countless lives.

But against an enemy that could disappear so cleanly and conceal itself so perfectly at the exact moment...

The constructs weren’t enough.

Strength alone wasn’t the answer this time. What they needed was intelligence, information the constructs couldn’t gather.

They needed eyes that could see past these illusions. Minds capable of interpreting what they discovered.

And right now, only Erend might return with that kind of insight.

A faint, stubborn hope stirred inside Saeldir. A tiny and fragile hope that the disappearance of the necrotic presence meant Erend had succeeded in some impossible way.

But the lack of aftershocks and the absence of residue did not support that. Hope remained, but logic crushed it inch by inch.

He activated the small crystal device on his desk. Moments later, one of his apprentices hurried in, robes swaying and eyes attentive.

"Master Saeldir, you called?"

Saeldir gestured toward the map. "Keep your eyes on this. If the slightest flicker returns I want to know immediately."

"Yes, Master. I won’t miss a thing."

"Good." Saeldir nodded once, then swept out of the chamber.

He moved down the corridor again until the balcony opened before him.

Aurdis and Aerchon still stood where he had left them. Both stared toward the northern horizon, their expressions tense, as if waiting for something to stir in the distance.

Saeldir joined them without a preamble. "We need more information."

Both siblings turned to him.

"What do you mean?" Aurdis asked, her voice soft but edged with worry.

Saeldir explained everything about the concealment, the impossibility of the disappearance, and his theory that the entity had pulled back its presence instead of being destroyed.

Aurdis paled, Aerchon stiffened.

Aerchon asked, "Then how do we get the information we need?"

"We have two options," Saeldir said. "Wait for Erend to return... or investigate the necrotic surge points ourselves."

Aurdis and Aerchon exchanged a troubled glance. Before either could respond, Saeldir lifted a hand.

"I’ll go there myself."

Aurdis frowned sharply. "Saeldir, no. It’s too dangerous. If your theory is correct—"

"I know," Saeldir cut in gently. "But I need to see it myself. With my own eyes. If I’m wrong, then good. If I’m right... we must prepare."

The drizzle outside softened to a faint mist as they discussed the situation further. The weight of uncertainty hung over them like a second sky.

Eventually, Saeldir exhaled. "I must speak with the king. His guidance is needed, even in his condition."

Aurdis winced slightly. "Father still hasn’t recovered..."

"I’m aware," Saeldir said softly. "But this matter concerns the safety of our world. We cannot afford silence now."

The siblings reluctantly nodded.

Saeldir inclined his head and made his way toward the throne room.

The halls were dim, lit only by gentle lamps and the lingering glow from the Magic barrier outside that shone through the windows.

When he entered, he smelled the scent of healing potions mixed with the sterile smell of medical equipment.

King Gulben lay on a reclining chair, his breathing steady but strained, several devices attached to his arms and chest. His eyes opened as Saeldir approached.

"Come here," the king said, voice hoarse but firm.

Saeldir stepped closer and bowed his head.

"It seems important," King Gulben murmured, studying Saeldir’s face carefully. "What is it you wish to discuss?"

Saeldir drew in a breath.

"Your Majesty... the entity that attacked us may have further plans."

King Gulben closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling a long, weary breath.

His chest rose and fell slowly beneath the layers of enchanted cloth and medical straps.

When he finally looked up at the ceiling, his expression carried the heaviness of someone who had already foreseen this thing happening.

"I expected as much..." he murmured. "This problem... it isn’t finished. Not even close."

Saeldir straightened but said nothing. The steady hum of the healing devices filled the silence between them for a few seconds.

He began explaining concisely why he needed to go to the necrotic surge points personally. The strange disappearance, the theories of concealment, the danger of misreading the situation. He laid out every reason with the urgency it deserved.

But before he could finish, King Gulben slowly raised a hand.

"No," he said.

Saeldir stopped mid-sentence, his eyebrows arching slightly. "Your Majesty?"

"I have something else for you. Something far more important."

The Archmage blinked, thrown off balance for the first time since he entered. "What is it you wish for me to do?"

King Gulben didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he shifted his gaze toward the healers and attendants standing around the edges of the room.

"Leave us," the king commanded quietly.

The Elves hesitated. Some looked worried and confused, but eventually and reluctantly, they bowed and filed out of the throne room, shutting the tall silver doors behind them.

The moment the echo faded, a cold stillness settled into the room.

Saeldir stood alone before the king now.

And that was when he began to suspect the truth.

"He’s going to tell me something forbidden..."

King Gulben fixed him with a tired but piercing stare. A stare that seemed to strip away the layers of the present, revealing the weight of centuries behind it.

"Saeldir," the king said, voice low. "There is a book. A book that has belonged to the kings of this palace for countless generations. A book containing knowledge and power that I cannot summarize in a few words."

Saeldir felt his breath catch.

But he kept his composure.

He had heard whispers only surfaced during deep research or when scholars. Rumors of a sealed chronicle known only to the crowned king of the Elf Palace.

A text hidden from even the highest-ranking Mages, preserved through eras, guarded by tradition and bloodline.

Many dismissed it as legend.

Saeldir never fully believed it.

Until now.

"You can’t mean..." he said softly.

King Gulben nodded.

"Yes. That book."

Saeldir’s heart shook with a mixture of disbelief and apprehension. Whatever was inside that book, if the king was choosing this moment, this threat, to bring it up...

It meant the danger they faced really was far beyond the undead or necrotic Magic.

King Gulben shifted slightly, grimacing at the pain, but his eyes remained unwavering.

"From what I know, this entity does not belong to the usual corruption. It belongs to something older. Something we tried to forget."

Saeldir swallowed, feeling the weight of destiny press against him like a hand gripping his shoulder.

"Your Majesty... are you saying the book holds the information we need?"

"It holds more than that," the king whispered. "It holds some of the truth that our kingdom buried long ago."

Saeldir’s pulse quickened.

Everything he thought he knew suddenly felt painfully incomplete.

King Gulben leaned back, breathing hard.

"And now, Saeldir, it’s time for you to see it for yourself."

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