Chapter 32: Chapter 32: The Scepter’s Secrets
The battle with the dark sorcerer had left Draven and his companions weary, but there was no time to rest. The Obsidian Scepter still sat ominously on the altar, its dark energy pulsating in the air around it. Though the immediate threat had been vanquished, they all knew that the scepter's presence posed a continued danger.
Aria moved closer to the altar, her gaze locked on the scepter. "There must be a way to destroy it," she said, her voice tense. "We can't just leave it here."
Kael nodded, his expression serious. "The legends say it was forged in the fires of the abyss, making it nearly indestructible. But there must be a weakness, something we can use against it."
Draven approached the scepter, his senses heightened. The Dragonheart within him pulsed in response to the dark energy emanating from the artifact, and he could feel a connection—one that was both compelling and repulsive.
"There's something else," Draven said quietly, his hand hovering over the scepter. "It's as if the scepter is alive, feeding off the darkness around it. If we can sever that connection, we might be able to weaken it."
Aria looked at him, her eyes narrowed in thought. "But how? The scepter's power is ancient and deep-rooted. If we try to break it without understanding its nature, we could unleash something far worse."
Kael's brow furrowed in concentration. "The Lionguard's archives mentioned a similar artifact—one that was destroyed by a weapon forged from pure light, the Lightforged Blade. But that weapon was lost centuries ago."
Draven's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Lightforged Blade. He had heard tales of the legendary weapon, said to have been forged in the heart of a dying star, imbued with the essence of pure light. If it still existed, it could be the key to destroying the scepter.
"We need to find the Lightforged Blade," Draven said, his voice resolute. "It's the only way to ensure the scepter's destruction."
Aria nodded in agreement. "But where do we even begin to look? The blade has been lost for centuries. We don't have time to search the entire continent."
Kael crossed his arms, deep in thought. "There is one place we could start. The archives of the Magi Council contain records of ancient relics and their locations. If the blade's whereabouts were ever recorded, it would be there."
Draven felt a surge of hope. The Magi Council's archives were vast, containing knowledge accumulated over millennia. If the Lightforged Blade was mentioned anywhere, it would be in those records.
"Then we need to return to Elandor," Draven said, his determination growing. "We'll search the archives and find the blade. Once we have it, we'll return here and destroy the scepter."
Aria and Kael exchanged a glance, then nodded in agreement. "It's a sound plan," Kael said. "But we must be cautious. The sorcerer may have been weakened, but he's not defeated. He'll do everything in his power to stop us."
Draven knew Kael was right. The dark sorcerer had proven to be a cunning and relentless enemy. If he learned of their plan to destroy the scepter, he would stop at nothing to prevent it.
"Then we move quickly," Draven said. "We gather what we need from the archives and return here before the sorcerer has a chance to recover. We can't afford to waste any time."
With the plan set, they prepared to leave the fortress. The journey back to Elandor would be perilous, but Draven knew it was the only way. The fate of Valoria rested on their ability to find the Lightforged Blade and destroy the Obsidian Scepter once and for all.
As they made their way out of the fortress, Draven couldn't help but feel the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. The power of the Dragonheart had brought him this far, but the challenges ahead would test him in ways he couldn't yet imagine.
But he was ready.
For he was Draven, the last of the Draconic Bloodline, and he would not rest until the darkness was vanquished.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone