When Magic Became Her Only Weapon, She Had No Idea What She Unleashed
The village of Eryndale was like any other—dusty streets, humble homes, and people too tired to notice the strange happenings around them. Magic had been banished from the realm long ago, its traces whispered only in myths and children’s stories. To speak of it was to invite trouble. But it wasn’t just words that could invite danger; it was curiosity.
Cassia had always been curious.
She crouched in the cellar beneath her family’s cottage, fingers trembling as they grazed the edge of the ancient tome she’d unearthed just days ago. No one knew she had found it. She didn’t dare tell anyone. Her parents would likely burn it, and the elders... well, they would do much worse.
The air felt thick as she turned the page, the ink dancing in symbols she couldn’t quite understand—yet. The faint candlelight flickered, casting shadows that twisted and writhed on the walls like specters from a forgotten past. A shiver ran down her spine, but she couldn’t stop herself. She’d heard the stories, warnings from long ago, about the dangers of magic. How it had torn kingdoms apart. How it had driven people mad. But all those were just stories, right?
“Just one more page,” Cassia whispered to herself, though her heart pounded in her chest.
As her eyes scanned the intricate runes, the words began to shift, rearranging themselves into something readable, almost as though the book was offering her the knowledge directly. Her breath caught in her throat. The language of magic was revealing itself to her.
It was then that she heard a knock upstairs sharp and impatient. Her parents were out selling wares at the market. No one should’ve been visiting. Fear seized her. She quickly closed the book, tucking it beneath a loose floorboard before creeping toward the ladder that led to the house above.
She heard voices.
"Are you sure it's here?" a man’s voice asked, low and gravelly.
"It must be. There’s no mistaking the signs," replied a woman, her tone smooth but laced with authority.
Cassia’s heart raced. The council. The enforcers of the kingdom’s strict no-magic laws. But how could they know? She hadn’t even spoken of her discovery aloud.
She peeked through the cracks in the floorboards, seeing two figures standing in her home. The man was tall, his frame cloaked in black, his face obscured by a hood. The woman, however, wore no such disguise. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, searching, calculating.
“We’ll search the house. The artifact must be here somewhere,” the woman ordered.
Cassia froze. The book. They knew. They had to.
Her pulse hammered in her ears as she slipped back down into the cellar. She had mere moments before they’d come down to find her. Her mind raced. If they found the book, it wouldn’t just be destroyed. She would be arrested—worse, executed.
Desperate, she knelt beside the floorboard and pulled the tome out. She had no plan, no idea what to do next, but the words from the pages began to rise unbidden in her mind. A single phrase lingered on her lips, though she had no idea of its meaning.
"Sylvestri velar umbra."
The room around her pulsed, the very air vibrating with an energy she’d never felt before. She stumbled back as the candle extinguished itself. The cellar went dark, and a cold wind rushed through the space, though no window had ever let such a breeze inside.
Suddenly, the heavy footfalls of the council agents could be heard descending the stairs. She had no time. Cassia whispered the phrase again, her voice shaky but determined.
"Sylvestri velar umbra."
A surge of light burst from the book, enveloping her in a shimmering haze. For a split second, everything stilled. The shadows in the room seemed to come alive, curling around her form like a protective veil. The cellar door creaked open as the two enforcers entered, but they did not see her. They couldn’t.
“I swear, there’s something here,” the man grunted, his fingers brushing over the walls, seeking something just out of reach.
“She’s close. I can feel it,” the woman replied, her voice tight with frustration.
Cassia held her breath, barely daring to move as the shadows clung to her like a second skin. She didn’t understand what was happening. The words—what had they done? She was invisible, hidden from view, but at what cost?
The agents searched the cellar, overturning crates and barrels, their frustration mounting with each passing second. The woman, eyes burning with determination, paused directly in front of Cassia. Her hand stretched out, as if she could sense the presence just beyond her grasp.
"Magic leaves a trace," she murmured, her gaze narrowing. "We’ll find her."
The two agents exchanged a glance before retreating upstairs, leaving the cellar in disarray. The door slammed shut behind them, but Cassia didn’t dare move until she was certain they were gone.
Her heart raced as the shadows began to peel away from her skin, the protective veil dissipating into the air like smoke. She was visible again. Real again.
The book lay at her feet, its pages now eerily silent.
Cassia exhaled, her mind buzzing with a thousand questions. What had she just done? And how had she done it? Magic wasn’t supposed to exist anymore, not like this. But she had felt it, deep within her bones. The power had answered her call.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for the book once more, but before she could touch it, a voice—low and unfamiliar—filled the room.
“You’re playing with fire, girl.”
Cassia spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. Standing in the corner, cloaked in shadows even darker than the ones that had concealed her, was a figure. He stepped forward, his face partially obscured beneath a hood, though his eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.
“How... who are you?” Cassia stammered, backing away from the stranger.
He smiled, though there was no warmth in it.
“Let’s just say I’ve been watching. You’ve tapped into something you can’t control. But lucky for you, I can.”
Cassia felt a chill creep down her spine. The air seemed to grow colder with each word he spoke.
“Stay away from me,” she warned, though her voice betrayed her fear.
The stranger chuckled softly, his gaze never leaving hers. “Oh, I’m afraid you don’t have a choice anymore. You’ve already opened the door.” He gestured toward the book, its pages now glowing faintly.
Cassia took another step back, her eyes flickering between the book and the man who seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“What do you want?” she demanded, trying to keep the tremor from her voice.
The man’s eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer. “I want what you’ve found, Cassia. And trust me, you’re going to need me before this is over.”
---
Cassia's pulse quickened as the man's words echoed in the dark cellar. He knew her name. She hadn't told him, and yet, he spoke it as if he’d known it all his life. Panic clawed at her throat, but there was a part of her—small but undeniable—that couldn’t help but be intrigued. The magic had responded to her, and now this stranger was offering her answers.
But the price... what would it cost?
“I don’t want your help,” she said, her voice wavering. “I don’t even know who you are.”
He stepped closer, the shadows bending toward him like obedient servants. His hood cast his face in darkness, but his smile was unmistakable.
“Names are irrelevant,” he replied, his voice smooth as silk. “But if you must call me something, you may call me Seran.” He extended his hand toward her, palm open, as if offering a lifeline. “You’ve tapped into something ancient, Cassia. Something far more dangerous than you realize. I can help you wield it, control it—before it consumes you.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with promise. Cassia hesitated, her gaze flicking to the book at her feet. The pages still glowed faintly, a reminder of the power she’d unknowingly unleashed. But then she thought of the enforcers, of the way the woman’s eyes had gleamed with determination, as if hunting her down was personal. How long before they returned?
“What if I don’t want it?” Cassia whispered, more to herself than to him. “What if I just burn the book and walk away?”
Seran’s smile widened, though there was no kindness in it. “It’s far too late for that. The magic is already inside you. It will seek a way out, with or without your consent. Burn the book, destroy every relic in existence—it won’t matter. Once awakened, magic demands to be used.”
Cassia’s chest tightened. This was a nightmare. She hadn’t asked for this, hadn’t wanted any of it. She was just a girl from a small, forgotten village. What did she know about wielding magic?
“Why should I trust you?” she asked, her voice firmer now. “What do you get out of this?”
Seran’s expression shifted, his eyes gleaming with something darker, more sinister. “What do I get? You’ve already set things in motion, girl. I’m simply here to guide you. The power you’ve unlocked is older than the kingdom itself—older than the world. I have my reasons for wanting to see it used properly. And let me be clear,” he added, his voice dropping to a whisper, “if you don’t let me help you, someone else will. And they won’t be nearly as... kind.”
Cassia’s stomach churned. She wanted to refuse him, wanted to tell him to leave her alone. But there was something about his words that rang true, something deep inside her that recognized the danger she was in. She couldn’t do this alone. Not without understanding what she’d unleashed.
She swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as she reached for the book. It felt warm in her hands, almost like it was alive, pulsing with an energy she couldn’t fully comprehend.
“What do I have to do?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Seran’s smile returned, cold and sharp. “Simple. You follow my lead. You learn. And when the time comes, you wield the power as it was meant to be wielded.”
Cassia nodded, though a part of her still screamed in protest. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was making a deal with something far worse than she could imagine. But what choice did she have?
Seran watched her for a moment, then turned, gesturing for her to follow. “We don’t have much time. The enforcers will be back soon, and they won’t stop until they find what they’re looking for.”
Cassia hesitated for only a second before following him up the stairs. The house above was eerily quiet, the storm outside having subsided into an unsettling calm. As they stepped into the main room, Seran paused, his gaze shifting toward the door.
“Wait here,” he said, his tone suddenly sharp.
Before Cassia could question him, he vanished into the shadows, leaving her alone with the book still clutched tightly in her hands. The silence was suffocating. She could feel the weight of the magic pressing down on her, pulling at her thoughts, whispering things she didn’t understand.
Then, out of nowhere, the door burst open.
Cassia gasped, stumbling back as the two enforcers stormed inside. The woman’s eyes locked onto her immediately, and a cold, twisted smile spread across her face.
“You,” she hissed. “You’ve been hiding something.”
Cassia’s heart pounded in her chest. She fumbled for the words, but before she could speak, the man beside the enforcer stepped forward, his hand outstretched. A force hit her like a wave, slamming her back against the wall. The book fell from her grasp, its pages fluttering open as if in protest.
The woman approached, her eyes gleaming with triumph. “You’ve no idea what you’ve done, have you?”
Cassia tried to speak, but the pressure in the room was unbearable. She could feel the magic stirring, rising up inside her like a storm ready to break.
“She’s stronger than I expected,” the man muttered, his voice tense. “We need to move quickly.”
The woman nodded, raising her hand. A sharp pain shot through Cassia’s chest, and she cried out, falling to her knees.
“Stop!” she gasped, her vision blurring.
The woman’s smile deepened. “This will all be over soon, girl. The magic will be extracted, and you’ll be nothing more than a footnote in history.”
But then, out of the corner of her eye, Cassia saw movement. Seran stepped out of the shadows, his expression grim, his eyes burning with fury.
“Enough,” he growled, his voice filled with an authority that made the air crackle.
The enforcers froze, their attention shifting to Seran. For a moment, the room was still, the tension so thick it was suffocating.
Then all hell broke loose.
Seran raised his hand, and the room erupted in chaos. Shadows surged forward, wrapping around the enforcers like living vines. The man struggled, his magic flaring as he tried to break free, but the shadows were relentless, pulling him to the ground.
The woman turned on Seran, her eyes filled with rage. “You dare interfere?”
Seran smirked, his gaze cold. “You’ve no idea what you’re dealing with.”
Before the woman could react, Seran moved faster than Cassia thought possible. His hand shot out, and the room seemed to tilt as the shadows engulfed the woman, her scream cut short as she vanished into the darkness.
Cassia gasped, her head spinning. Everything was happening too fast. The magic inside her was roaring now, desperate to be unleashed.
But then Seran turned to her, his expression hard. “It’s time.”
Cassia shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “I can’t... I don’t...”
Seran knelt beside her, his voice soft but insistent. “You have to, Cassia. There’s no turning back now.”
She looked into his eyes, searching for some hint of mercy, some sign that she still had a choice. But there was none. The power was already surging through her veins, demanding to be used.
With trembling hands, she reached for the book.
The pages flipped open, and the words seemed to glow brighter, the magic thrumming in the air around her.
Cassia whispered the incantation, her voice shaking.
And then... everything went dark.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When the light returned, Cassia stood alone in the ruins of her home. The enforcers were gone. Seran was gone.
But something had been lost, too—something she could never get back. She could feel the weight of the magic now, heavier than ever, pulsing inside her like a ticking time bomb.
The cost of power was greater than she had imagined.
Cassia looked down at the book in her hands, her heart aching with the knowledge of what she had done.
This was only the beginning.
The village of Eryndale was like any other—dusty streets, humble homes, and people too tired to notice the strange happenings around them. Magic had been banished from the realm long ago, its traces whispered only in myths and children’s stories. To speak of it was to invite trouble. But it wasn’t just words that could invite danger; it was curiosity.
Cassia had always been curious.
She crouched in the cellar beneath her family’s cottage, fingers trembling as they grazed the edge of the ancient tome she’d unearthed just days ago. No one knew she had found it. She didn’t dare tell anyone. Her parents would likely burn it, and the elders... well, they would do much worse.
The air felt thick as she turned the page, the ink dancing in symbols she couldn’t quite understand—yet. The faint candlelight flickered, casting shadows that twisted and writhed on the walls like specters from a forgotten past. A shiver ran down her spine, but she couldn’t stop herself. She’d heard the stories, warnings from long ago, about the dangers of magic. How it had torn kingdoms apart. How it had driven people mad. But all those were just stories, right?
“Just one more page,” Cassia whispered to herself, though her heart pounded in her chest.
As her eyes scanned the intricate runes, the words began to shift, rearranging themselves into something readable, almost as though the book was offering her the knowledge directly. Her breath caught in her throat. The language of magic was revealing itself to her.
It was then that she heard a knock upstairs sharp and impatient. Her parents were out selling wares at the market. No one should’ve been visiting. Fear seized her. She quickly closed the book, tucking it beneath a loose floorboard before creeping toward the ladder that led to the house above.
She heard voices.
"Are you sure it's here?" a man’s voice asked, low and gravelly.
"It must be. There’s no mistaking the signs," replied a woman, her tone smooth but laced with authority.
Cassia’s heart raced. The council. The enforcers of the kingdom’s strict no-magic laws. But how could they know? She hadn’t even spoken of her discovery aloud.
She peeked through the cracks in the floorboards, seeing two figures standing in her home. The man was tall, his frame cloaked in black, his face obscured by a hood. The woman, however, wore no such disguise. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, searching, calculating.
“We’ll search the house. The artifact must be here somewhere,” the woman ordered.
Cassia froze. The book. They knew. They had to.
Her pulse hammered in her ears as she slipped back down into the cellar. She had mere moments before they’d come down to find her. Her mind raced. If they found the book, it wouldn’t just be destroyed. She would be arrested—worse, executed.
Desperate, she knelt beside the floorboard and pulled the tome out. She had no plan, no idea what to do next, but the words from the pages began to rise unbidden in her mind. A single phrase lingered on her lips, though she had no idea of its meaning.
"Sylvestri velar umbra."
The room around her pulsed, the very air vibrating with an energy she’d never felt before. She stumbled back as the candle extinguished itself. The cellar went dark, and a cold wind rushed through the space, though no window had ever let such a breeze inside.
Suddenly, the heavy footfalls of the council agents could be heard descending the stairs. She had no time. Cassia whispered the phrase again, her voice shaky but determined.
"Sylvestri velar umbra."
A surge of light burst from the book, enveloping her in a shimmering haze. For a split second, everything stilled. The shadows in the room seemed to come alive, curling around her form like a protective veil. The cellar door creaked open as the two enforcers entered, but they did not see her. They couldn’t.
“I swear, there’s something here,” the man grunted, his fingers brushing over the walls, seeking something just out of reach.
“She’s close. I can feel it,” the woman replied, her voice tight with frustration.
Cassia held her breath, barely daring to move as the shadows clung to her like a second skin. She didn’t understand what was happening. The words—what had they done? She was invisible, hidden from view, but at what cost?
The agents searched the cellar, overturning crates and barrels, their frustration mounting with each passing second. The woman, eyes burning with determination, paused directly in front of Cassia. Her hand stretched out, as if she could sense the presence just beyond her grasp.
"Magic leaves a trace," she murmured, her gaze narrowing. "We’ll find her."
The two agents exchanged a glance before retreating upstairs, leaving the cellar in disarray. The door slammed shut behind them, but Cassia didn’t dare move until she was certain they were gone.
Her heart raced as the shadows began to peel away from her skin, the protective veil dissipating into the air like smoke. She was visible again. Real again.
The book lay at her feet, its pages now eerily silent.
Cassia exhaled, her mind buzzing with a thousand questions. What had she just done? And how had she done it? Magic wasn’t supposed to exist anymore, not like this. But she had felt it, deep within her bones. The power had answered her call.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for the book once more, but before she could touch it, a voice—low and unfamiliar—filled the room.
“You’re playing with fire, girl.”
Cassia spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. Standing in the corner, cloaked in shadows even darker than the ones that had concealed her, was a figure. He stepped forward, his face partially obscured beneath a hood, though his eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.
“How... who are you?” Cassia stammered, backing away from the stranger.
He smiled, though there was no warmth in it.
“Let’s just say I’ve been watching. You’ve tapped into something you can’t control. But lucky for you, I can.”
Cassia felt a chill creep down her spine. The air seemed to grow colder with each word he spoke.
“Stay away from me,” she warned, though her voice betrayed her fear.
The stranger chuckled softly, his gaze never leaving hers. “Oh, I’m afraid you don’t have a choice anymore. You’ve already opened the door.” He gestured toward the book, its pages now glowing faintly.
Cassia took another step back, her eyes flickering between the book and the man who seemed to appear out of nowhere.
“What do you want?” she demanded, trying to keep the tremor from her voice.
The man’s eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer. “I want what you’ve found, Cassia. And trust me, you’re going to need me before this is over.”
Cassia's pulse quickened as the man's words echoed in the dark cellar. He knew her name. She hadn't told him, and yet, he spoke it as if he’d known it all his life. Panic clawed at her throat, but there was a part of her—small but undeniable—that couldn’t help but be intrigued. The magic had responded to her, and now this stranger was offering her answers.
But the price... what would it cost?
“I don’t want your help,” she said, her voice wavering. “I don’t even know who you are.”
He stepped closer, the shadows bending toward him like obedient servants. His hood cast his face in darkness, but his smile was unmistakable.
“Names are irrelevant,” he replied, his voice smooth as silk. “But if you must call me something, you may call me Seran.” He extended his hand toward her, palm open, as if offering a lifeline. “You’ve tapped into something ancient, Cassia. Something far more dangerous than you realize. I can help you wield it, control it—before it consumes you.”
His words hung in the air, heavy with promise. Cassia hesitated, her gaze flicking to the book at her feet. The pages still glowed faintly, a reminder of the power she’d unknowingly unleashed. But then she thought of the enforcers, of the way the woman’s eyes had gleamed with determination, as if hunting her down was personal. How long before they returned?
“What if I don’t want it?” Cassia whispered, more to herself than to him. “What if I just burn the book and walk away?”
Seran’s smile widened, though there was no kindness in it. “It’s far too late for that. The magic is already inside you. It will seek a way out, with or without your consent. Burn the book, destroy every relic in existence—it won’t matter. Once awakened, magic demands to be used.”
Cassia’s chest tightened. This was a nightmare. She hadn’t asked for this, hadn’t wanted any of it. She was just a girl from a small, forgotten village. What did she know about wielding magic?
“Why should I trust you?” she asked, her voice firmer now, though her hands still trembled.
Seran’s expression softened, just enough to appear almost human. “Because I’m the only one who can teach you to survive. And trust me, if you don’t learn quickly, the enforcers will be the least of your worries.”
He extended his hand again, waiting, watching.
Cassia swallowed hard, her mind spinning with uncertainty. She didn’t want to trust him, didn’t want to be a part of any of this. But deep down, she knew he was right. She had felt the magic stirring inside her, a wild, untamed force that scared her as much as it intrigued her.
And if she didn’t learn to control it, it would consume her.
With a deep breath, Cassia reached out and took Seran’s hand. His grip was firm, cold, like the shadows that clung to him.
“Good choice,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.
But as Cassia felt the cold seeping into her skin, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just made a deal with the devil.