The return to the Luxmore manor was easier than the departure. With the new 'Ghost Step' skill, Arain's body felt light, almost weightless, as if the shadows themselves were carrying him. He slipped through the servants' entrance and made his way toward the West Wing—the most neglected part of the estate.
[Host: Arain Luxmore]
[Level: 5]
[Strength: 15 | Agility: 22 | Intelligence: 30 | Mana: 120/120]
The jump in stats was significant. His mana pool had doubled, and he could feel the Abyssal energy settling into his marrow, making his body denser and more resilient.
He reached the heavy oak door of the Old Archive. It was locked with a mana-sensitive seal—a golden lock that would alert the guards if anyone with 'Light' mana tried to force it.
"System, can 'Void Veil' bypass this?"
[Analyzing Seal... 'Light' Alignment detected. Recommendation: Do not bypass. Absorb.]
"Absorb?" Arain questioned.
[Abyssal Mana is the 'Great Solvent'. It can consume Lesser Light. Reward: 50 Soul Points.]
Arain placed his hand on the golden seal. Instead of pushing his mana out, he imagined his hand was a black hole, a vacuum that hated the light. The golden glow of the seal began to flicker. It didn't break; it faded, the energy being sucked into Arain's pores. It felt like needles pricking his skin, but he didn't flinch.
Click.
The door creaked open. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the smell of rotting parchment. This place hadn't been visited in decades.
Arain ignored the books on history and heraldry. He went straight for the back, where the 'Tainted' records were kept—the ones the family wanted to forget.
He found it: a leather-bound tome with a crest that looked like the Luxmore sun, but with a black core.
'The Chronicles of the Eclipse,' Arain read.
As he opened the book, the System went haywire.
[Alert! Ancient Data Fragment detected.]
[Synchronizing with Past Life Memories...]
[Hidden History Unlocked: The Luxmore family was originally a cult of the 'Abyssal Star'. The 'Hero of Light' didn't start the lineage; he usurped it.]
Arain's eyes narrowed. This explained everything. Why he was born with a natural affinity for the Abyss despite his family's 'Holy' bloodline. He wasn't a mistake; he was a 'Throwback'—a manifestation of the family's true, dark origin.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. They were heavy, confident.
'Hector,' Arain realized.
His second brother, the twelve-year-old 'prodigy', was likely looking for him to continue the humiliation from the training grounds.
"I know you're in there, trash!" Hector's voice boomed through the door. "The servants said they saw a shadow moving in the West Wing. Only a rat like you would hide in a graveyard of books."
Arain didn't panic. He looked around the room. There was no other exit.
"System, how much mana for 'Shadow Extraction: Second Form'?"
[Requirement: 200 Mana. Current Capacity: 120.]
[Alternative: Use 'Soul Points' to temporarily boost capacity.]
"Do it. I want to give my brother a lesson he'll never forget."
[Spending 50 Soul Points... Mana Capacity Overcharged: 250/120.]
The air in the Archive began to chill. Frost formed on the bookshelves. Arain sat in the center of the room, the ancient book on his lap, waiting.
The door was kicked open. Hector stood there, his blonde hair glowing with solar mana, his hand already forming a 'Light Orb'. He looked like a miniature god, arrogant and bright.
"There you are," Hector sneered. "Playing scholar? You don't have the mana to read a candle-lighting spell, let alone—"
Hector stopped. He felt it. The 'Light' in his hand was being suppressed. The orb flickered and died.
"What... what did you do?" Hector stuttered, his arrogance flickering.
Arain looked up. His eyes weren't red anymore; they were a void of pure black. "You talk too much about 'Mana', Hector. You think it's a gift. To me, it's just fuel."
Arain stood up, and the shadows of the bookshelves suddenly rose like giants, towering over Hector.
"Shadow Extraction: Second Form—Abyssal Domain."
The room vanished. Hector found himself standing in a world of grey mist and black water. The 'Archive' was gone. There was only Arain, standing on the water, looking ten feet tall.
"This is impossible! This is high-level Illusion magic!" Hector screamed, throwing a punch fueled by Light mana.
Arain caught the fist with one hand. The Light burned his palm, but he didn't let go. He began to drain Hector's mana directly through his skin.
"It's not an illusion, brother," Arain whispered, his voice echoing from everywhere. "It's your future."
Hector began to wail as his 'Prodigy' mana was siphoned away. He fell to his knees, his golden glow fading into a dull grey.
Just before Hector lost consciousness, Arain released the domain. The Archive returned. Hector was slumped on the floor, gasping for air, his mana veins temporarily fried.
[Warning: Duke Valerius is approaching. Distance: 200 Meters.]
Arain quickly closed the book and hid it under his tunic. He looked at his unconscious brother and then at the door. He had to make this look like an accident.
He grabbed a heavy stack of books and tipped them over, making it look like Hector had tripped and knocked over a shelf. Then, he used 'Ghost Step' to vanish into the shadows of the rafters just as the Duke burst into the room.
"What is the meaning of—" The Duke stopped, seeing his 'prodigy' son unconscious on the floor and the 'mana-less' son nowhere to be seen.
From the shadows of the ceiling, Arain watched his father's face. For the first time, he saw something other than disappointment. He saw fear.
'Fear is good,' Arain thought as he slipped out through a high window. 'Fear is the first step toward the throne.'
[Level Up! Level 5 -> Level 7]
[New Quest: The Blood Ritual of the Eclipse.]