"A Blood Moon," Lyra repeated, her voice a fragile whisper in the vast silence of the Grand Duke's library. She was huddled on a plush armchair, a blanket Sir Kaelen had thoughtfully left draped over her shoulders. "They said it was the key. The time when the veil between worlds would be thinnest."
"And when is this Blood Moon supposed to happen?" I asked, my mind already sifting through the implications. The timeline in the original novel felt like a leisurely stroll compared to this frantic sprint.
Lyra hesitated, her eyes clouded with memory. "Soon. Very soon. They spoke of the next lunar cycle. Within a week, perhaps?"
A week. My stomach clenched. That wasn't a lot of time to prevent an interdimensional catastrophe. And I was still trying to figure out how to properly curtsy without tripping.
[Urgent Quest Update: Blood Moon Imminent! Gather information on the Blood Moon Prophecy and the Shadow Hand's rituals. Time Remaining: 7 Days. Reward: 500 System Points, Advanced Elemental Magic (Water) unlocked, Major Mana Regeneration.]
"Seven days," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. It was still in its elaborate ball-gown style, now slightly disheveled. "This is going to be a very busy week."
"What do we do?" Lyra asked, her voice laced with fear. "They are powerful, Lady Seraphina. And they know you stopped them."
"We find out everything we can," I declared, my gaze sweeping over the towering bookshelves. "Every secret. Every weakness. This library is our first battlefield. And knowledge is our weapon."
I started at the nearest shelf, pulling out dusty tomes on ancient history, forgotten cults, and obscure magical theories. The sheer volume of books was daunting. It was like trying to find a specific grain of sand on a desert beach.
"Look for anything about serpents," I instructed Lyra, handing her a particularly heavy book on heraldry. "Or symbols that look like a serpent devouring its own tail. Any mention of 'Void Speaker' or 'reality tears' or 'interdimensional gateways.'"
Lyra, despite her weakness, nodded with determination. "I will try, Lady Seraphina."
I moved from shelf to shelf, my fingers trailing over leather-bound spines. My [Advanced Mana Sensing] was constantly active, picking up residual mana from ancient spells, faint echoes of forgotten rituals. It was like reading the magical history of the palace through my fingertips.
Hours passed. The Grand Ball's music had long faded, replaced by the hushed creaks and groans of the old palace. My eyes blurred from reading, and my mind felt like a tangled ball of yarn. Most of the books were dense, academic texts on mundane topics like noble lineages or the proper cultivation of exotic flowers.
"Anything?" Lyra asked, her voice tired. She had found a few obscure symbols, but nothing that matched the Shadow Hand's.
"Nothing concrete," I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Just a lot of very boring history. And a surprising number of books on the mating habits of rare swamp frogs."
Just as despair began to set in, my mana sensing picked up a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer from a section of the wall behind a particularly large, ornate bookshelf. It was different from the wards I'd set up. It felt… like a hidden compartment.
"Aha!" I exclaimed, pushing the heavy bookshelf aside with a grunt. My [Intermediate Telekinesis] helped, but it was still a struggle.
Behind it was a small, almost invisible indentation in the wall. It looked like a very subtle button or lever. I pressed it. With a soft click, a narrow section of the wall slid open, revealing a hidden alcove.
Inside, nestled on a velvet cushion, was a single, leather-bound journal. It looked ancient, its cover worn smooth with age. And radiating from it was a faint, yet distinct, mana signature. It felt… old. And powerful.
"Jackpot," I whispered, pulling it out.
The journal was unmarked, no title, no author. I opened it carefully. The pages were brittle, the ink faded, but the writing was clear. It was a diary, written in an archaic script, but understandable.
The first entry was dated centuries ago. It spoke of a secret society, a "Brotherhood of the Serpent," who sought to "unravel the threads of reality" and "usher in the Age of Void."
"Brotherhood of the Serpent," I read aloud, my voice grim. "Lyra, this is it. The Shadow Hand. They've just changed their name."
Lyra leaned forward, her eyes wide. "What does it say?"
I began to read, translating the archaic script as I went. The journal detailed rituals, prophecies, and the use of corrupted mana to thin the veil between worlds. It spoke of a "Blood Moon" as the ultimate catalyst, and of a "Void Speaker" who would be chosen to guide the transition.
"It also mentions a 'Heart of the Void'," I continued, my voice hushed. "A powerful artifact, hidden deep within the palace. It's the true source of their power, not just the corrupted orb. The orb was merely a temporary conduit."
My blood ran cold. The "Deep Mana Resonance" I'd felt earlier. The powerful, ancient hum from beneath the palace. It wasn't just a feeling. It was the Heart of the Void.
[New Information: Heart of the Void. Location: Palace Undercroft. Critical Target for Shadow Hand.]
"So, they don't just want to open a gate," I summarized, looking at Lyra. "They want to power it with a super-artifact hidden right under our noses. And Captain Thorne is helping them."
Just then, a faint scraping sound came from one of the library's hidden entrances. Sir Kaelen.
He entered, carrying a tray laden with food, water, and even a steaming cup of tea. He looked tired, but his eyes were alert. "Provisions acquired," he announced, setting the tray down. "And the coast is clear. For now."
He saw the open journal in my hands, and the grave expression on my face. "What have you found, Lady Seraphina?"
I quickly explained everything: the Brotherhood of the Serpent, the Heart of the Void, and the Blood Moon Prophecy. Sir Kaelen listened, his face growing grimmer with each revelation.
"The Undercroft," he muttered, his hand going to his sword. "It's a maze of forgotten tunnels and ancient chambers. It's also where the deepest, most secure vaults are located."
"Which means Captain Thorne would have access," I concluded. "And if the Heart of the Void is down there, he's probably already making preparations for the Blood Moon."
"We need to get to the Undercroft," Sir Kaelen declared. "Before they do."
"Agreed," I said. "But we can't just barge in. We need a plan. And we need to confirm Captain Thorne's involvement beyond Lyra's testimony."
"How?" he asked.
"We set a trap," I said, a dangerous glint entering my eyes. "A very public, very tempting trap. Something that will force Captain Thorne to show his hand."
[New Quest: Set the Trap. Devise a plan to expose Captain Thorne. Reward: 500 System Points, Advanced Elemental Magic (Air) unlocked, Reputation with Royal Guard +100.]
"And what kind of trap do you have in mind, Lady Seraphina?" Sir Kaelen asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice. He was clearly intrigued by my unconventional methods.
"Something that involves a very valuable, very fake artifact," I said, a mischievous smile spreading across my face. "Something that the Shadow Hand would desperately want. Something that only Captain Thorne could get his hands on without raising suspicion."
Lyra, who had been listening intently, looked at me with a mixture of awe and apprehension. "You're going to bait them?"
"Precisely," I confirmed. "And when they take the bait, we'll be waiting. Now, Lyra, eat. You'll need your strength. Sir Kaelen, we need to discuss the logistics of a very convincing fake artifact. And a very secure location to 'hide' it."
As Sir Kaelen and I began to strategize, a low, guttural growl echoed from somewhere deep within the palace. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but my [Advanced Mana Sensing] caught it. It was the same chaotic mana signature from the corrupted orb, but now it felt… closer. And more focused.
[Anomaly Detected: Corrupted Mana Signature. Source: Moving through palace hidden passages. Danger Level: High.]
"They're on the move," I whispered, my eyes meeting Sir Kaelen's. "The Shadow Hand. They're searching for us."
He nodded, his hand instinctively going to his sword. "Then we have even less time than we thought."
The silence of the library was suddenly filled with a palpable tension. The scent of old paper and dust now seemed to carry the faint tang of danger. We were hunted. But we also had a plan. And a powerful, ancient secret now within our grasp. The game of cat and mouse had just escalated. And I, the villainess, was surprisingly enjoying the chase.