Okay, here's Chapter 7, following the beats, maintaining the established tone and style, and making sure the transitions feel natural.

**Chapter 6: "Royal Archives Unveiled"**

* **Beat 1: A Necessary Detour**

The mountains and temple could wait, honestly. I knew that should be my priority, but… There was this gnawing feeling in my gut, a sense that Elara and the Society had given us what they *thought* we needed. They didn't *know*. Not really. And knowing something had been bugging me. Lyra, of course, didn’t agree.

“Elias, the amulet *points* to the temple. That’s where we need to go!" she argued, hands on her hips, the mountain air already ruffling her hair. “Elara said so. That's literally the only thing we can do now!”

I sighed, shoving my hands in my pockets. “Yeah, well, Elara also seemed to have missed the part where my pal Kael got himself killed looking into this shit. Maybe, *just maybe*, there's something in those archives that could give us a clue about who’s playing the game, right?”

Her expression softened a fraction, though her eyes still held that familiar glint of disapproval. "It's reckless. We barely got out of that meeting, and now you want to go straight back to the source of danger?"

“It's called being proactive, Lyra,” I retorted, maybe a little sharper than necessary. I was tired, the adrenaline from earlier was fading, and the thought of stumbling around some dusty temple without a clue wasn't exactly appealing. She paused and stepped in from of me. I couldn't tell what her intentions were because she didn't say a word.

"What is it, Elias?"

It took me a second to reply because I didn't even know myself. "I have that damned clock. It is ticking. We can't run around like headless chicken. I need to know what that killer knew, and get a step ahead."

She hesitated, chewing on her lip. Gods, that was annoying. "And you're sure this information will be worth the risk?"

“Am I ever sure about anything?” I shot back before I even realizing. "No, I'm not sure. But Kael was onto something, I can feel it. You trusted Elara, right? Then trust her judgement when saying Kael knew more than he was letting on - besides, if we are going to dive straight into a Temple of Evil, better give everything we got before we go. That all."

Lyra didn’t say a word after that. She didn’t step out of the way, or anything of the sort. She just stared at me, with her eyes piercing into my soul. I felt naked, and could not handle the pressure.

"Let's just go quickly, okay? The Royal Archive is closer than the temple anyway, and whatever we're finding may save us on many ways" I said.

Finally, after one last, lingering look, she relented. “Fine. But we do this my way. No grand entrances, no unnecessary risks. In and out, got it?” She huffed and continued into the direction of the Archive.

I smirked a little, falling into step beside her. "Wouldn't have it any other way." *Liar.*

* **Beat 2: Infiltration**

Sneaking into the Royal Archives was never going to be a walk in the park, but doing it so soon after nearly getting caught made my palms sweat. Security was tighter, guards were on edge, and the air practically vibrated with wards and enchantments I could barely sense, let alone disarm. Good thing I knew a guy.

"You sure about that guy, Elias?" Lyra asked, once again questioning my methods.

"I am pretty sure, yes. That is a good guy."

We approached a more secluded part of the city, the Royal Archives being located at, practically, the center of it all. The plan was simple: my contact would create a small distraction at the main gate, drawing attention away from a less-patrolled section of the outer wall. Lyra would then disable the physical traps while I focused on the magical defenses. Once inside, we’d have a limited window to find what we needed before the guards figured out we were there and decided to pay a visit.

We slipped through the shadows, approaching the designated breach point. It was a narrow alleyway, reeking of stale ale and desperation, hardly the sort of place you'd expect to find leading into the heart of the kingdom's knowledge center. Lyra stopped ahead of me and began slowly feeling the wall.

I felt a presence behind me, and immediately assumed it was trouble. I had reached for my dagger, but then, immediately recognized the person.

“Easy, Elias,” a voice whispered, a young human, barely a man. A royal guard, to my surprise. Faelen, that was his name.

He was a nervous sort, always fidgeting and avoiding eye contact, but he owed me a favor. A big one. I saved him from the hands of the demons a while ago.

“Everything set?” I asked keeping my voice low. He nodded, wiping sweat from his brow.

“The distraction’s in place. But… they’re on high alert. Someone saw me snooping around. I may be a suspect, so may not be able to leave the city so soon.”

I frowned. “Damn it, Faelen. We are counting on you, and on you *not* getting us both compromised.”

“I’m sorry. I tried to be careful. Just… please be quick. I don’t want to end up rotting in the dungeons.”

"Be calm and no one is going to suspect you. Just say that you got lost, or confused. We can talk about it later, but for now, take care."

I gestured Lyra to take the signal, and turned his head toward Faelen. He gave a shaky nod and hurried off, disappearing back into the maze of streets. I turned my attention to the wall. Lyra was already at work, her fingers dancing over the stones with a deftness and precision I could only admire.

“There’s a pressure plate hidden in the fifth stone from the bottom,” she murmured, her voice barely audible above the distant clang of the city. “And a tripwire connected to some kind of… magical alarm rune.”

I knelt, trying to make out the rune in the dim light. "Careful, it looks unstable. Might trigger if you breathe on it wrong."

She shot me a glare that could curdle milk. “I *know* what I’m doing, Elias. Just… try not to blow us all to kingdom come, alright?”

I held my hands up in mock surrender. "Aye, aye, captain. Just offering my… magical expertise."

For the next few minutes, we worked in focused silence, each relying on their respective skills to navigate the intricate web of traps and enchantments. Lyra disarmed the pressure plate with a delicate touch, rerouting the mechanism so it triggered a harmless pile of rubble. I then carefully dispelled the alarm rune, suppressing its power with a counter-spell woven from threads of shadow magic.

With the defenses neutralized, we slipped through the opening in the wall, finding ourselves in a dimly lit corridor lined with towering shelves overflowing with dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls. The air smelled of aged parchment and forgotten secrets. We had made it inside, undetected. So far, so good.

* **Beat 3: Discoveries**

The archive was a labyrinth of knowledge, a testament to the kingdom’s obsessive need to record everything. Rows upon rows of shelves stretched into the gloom, packed with texts on every conceivable subject. Maps and histories, religious treatises and philosophical debates, magical manuals and mundane ledgers – it was all here, a vast and sprawling repository of Eldoria’s collective memory. No people around, just knowledge.

"Where do we even begin?" Lyra asked, her voice echoing softly in the cavernous space.

“The restricted section,” I replied, my eyes scanning the shelves. “That’s where they keep the good stuff.”

She raised an eyebrow. "Of course it is. You always aim for the most forbidden fruit, don't you?"

I shrugged. "Hey, if you want to find something interesting, you gotta go where no one else is looking."

Finding the restricted section wasn't easy. It was tucked away at the far end of the archive, hidden behind a seemingly ordinary bookshelf that was actually a cleverly disguised doorway. The door itself was sealed with a series of intricate locks and wards, requiring both physical and magical manipulation to open. The true challenge was going to be finding the information we needed.

I spent the better part of an hour deciphering the protective spells and finding the correct sequence of unlocking the door so we could proceed. Finally, with a satisfying click, the mechanism disengaged, and the bookshelf swung inward, revealing a narrow passage leading into darkness. I gestured for Lyra to follow, and we stepped into what felt like the very heart of the archive, the place where the kingdom's most carefully guarded secrets were kept. What a feeling, right? To learn more than those who want to hide it.

The restricted section was smaller than the main archive, but the atmosphere was noticeably different. The air crackled with a palpable sense of power and mystery. The tomes here were bound in heavier leather, their pages filled with strange symbols and diagrams that seemed to writhe and shift under the candlelight.

I started searching for anything related to the God of Souls, scanning the titles on the shelves, pulling out promising-looking volumes and flipping through their pages. Lyra, meanwhile, focused on the more historical texts, looking for mentions of forgotten conflicts or suppressed religious movements.

We worked in silence, the only sound the rustling of parchment and the occasional flick of a candle flame. Time seemed to stretch and blur as we delved deeper into the archive's secrets. I felt a chill in the corner that made me shiver, perhaps it was the presence of spirits around me.

That’s when Lyra stopped, her face pale in the flickering light. If it was any other human, I'd say that she saw a goat. “Elias, look at this,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. She held up a crumbling scroll, its ink faded and cracked with age. “It’s a record of the kingdom’s founding. But… it’s different from the official histories.”

I leaned closer, peering at the scroll. The writing was archaic, the language formal and convoluted, but I could make out the gist of it. “It says… the kingdom wasn’t founded to worship the sun god,” I muttered, translating the text. "It was founded to keep balance between deities *and* what used to be referred as Demons. They worked together in peace to create this world. Huh?"

Lyra nodded, her eyes wide. “And the king… look at the lineage. They mention that the Royals used to be bound to the infernal plane. But now they are shifting. Why would that be?”

We exchanged a look of stunned silence. This was huge. If this scroll was to be believed, the kingdom’s entire history was a lie. Everything that everyone believes was a lie.

* **Beat 4: Soul Weaving**

I resumed my search, more determined than ever to uncover the truth behind the kingdom’s secrets. If the official histories were false, then who knew what else was being hidden? I was sure someone knew that, too.

I pulled out another tome, its cover blank and unadorned. It was heavier than it looked, the pages filled with dense, technical writing that made my head spin. But as I scanned the text, a phrase caught my eye: *Anima Textura*. Soul Weaving.

My heart leaped into my throat. This was it. The forbidden magic that Elara had hinted at, the key to unlocking my own destiny. I devoured the text, my mind racing to comprehend its complexities.

“Lyra, look at this,” I said, my voice tight with excitement. “I think I’ve found something.”

She came over, peering over my shoulder at the tome. She knew something. It was so clear. “Soul Weaving?” she murmured, her brow furrowing. “I’ve heard whispers of it. It’s said to be incredibly dangerous.”

I ignored her warning, my attention focused on the text. It described Soul Weaving as a form of magic that allowed mages to manipulate the very essence of existence, to shape and alter the fabric of reality itself. It spoke of the power to mend broken souls, to restore lost memories, to even… cheat death. Demons are the key to open it, apparently.

“It says you can use it to sever soul-bonds,” I muttered, reading aloud. “To break demonic pacts.”

Lyra’s eyes widened. “Elias, you can’t be serious. You’re not actually considering using this, are you?"

“Why not?” I shot back, my voice defensive. “It’s the only way out of this mess. It’s the only way I can save my soul.”

“But at what cost?" She was clearly worried. She didn't trust me and she did not hide it. "This magic is forbidden for a reason. It’s said to corrupt the soul, to twist the user into something… inhuman.”

I scoffed. “Inhuman? I’m already making deals with demons, Lyra. How much more inhuman can I get?”

She stared at me, her eyes filled with concern. "You don't understand what you're dabbling in. This magic is dangerous. More dangerous than anything you’ve ever encountered.”

"How do you know?"

"I just know! I can feel it"

The two of us got interrupted before arguing more. I heard the guards.

But I wasn’t listening. My mind was already made up. I had to learn this magic. I had to find a way to use it to break my pact with Azazel, no matter the cost. If this magic could do that, it could do way more.

* **Beat 5: Escape**

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the archive, growing louder with each passing second.

“Guards!” Lyra hissed, snapping me out of my reverie. “They know we’re here. We have to go!”

I cursed under my breath, grabbing the tome on Soul Weaving and shoving it into my bag. "Damn it. Should had been faster"

We raced back through the restricted section, retracing our steps through the maze of shelves and corridors. The guards were closing in, their voices growing closer, their footsteps pounding on the stone floor. They seemed very mad to me, even more than what I expected.

As we reached the hidden doorway, I cast a quick illusion spell, masking the opening with a shimmering image of a solid wall. Hopefully, it would buy us a few precious moments.

We burst out into the main archive, dodging behind shelves and darting through shadows. The guards were hot on our heels, their shouts echoing through the chamber. I could sense their magic, their intent, their desperate desire to murder us both for getting into their area.

"This way!" I shouted, leading the way towards a less-patrolled section of the archive.

Lyra was right behind me, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She was clearly exeperiencing trouble, but persisted withour giving up. As we rounded a corner, a squad of royal guards appeared, blocking our path. They were armed with swords and spears, their faces grim and determined. Gods, they didn't hesitated a moment to try and arrest us.

"Stop right there!" the captain of the guard shouted, his voice ringing through the archive. "You are under arrest for trespassing and theft! Surrender now, or we will be forced to use force!"

I smirked, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Sorry, gents. But we're not really in the mood to be arrested today."

With a flick of my wrist, I unleashed a burst of shadow magic, throwing the guards into confusion and disarray. The shadows swirled around them, blinding their sight and disorienting their senses. Use illusions. Just cause a problem as they come near. Show them hell.

"Go!" I yelled to Lyra, using the distraction to slip past the guards and dash towards the exit.

We raced through the archive, dodging past confused guards and leaping over scattered debris. The city was really getting hot for us now. Lyra moved behind me, protecting my back as we made our way toward the section we jumped from. As we did it, one the guards managed to close on us and punch me on the gut, causing a great amount of pain and making me fall to the ground.

"Are you okay, Elias?" Lyra asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just give me a minute."

Lyra was furious. She didn't say anything that would expose that she was mad, but she was. You could tell by the way she moved, how much tension there was on her body.

She stopped me from answering and ran towars the guards ready to blow her load. After a small battle, we were both able to get out of there, avoiding capture.

But the chase was far from over. As we burst out of the archive and onto the streets, we saw that more guards were waiting for us. This was clearly orchestrated, they knew we were going to make trouble.

"We have to split up!" I shouted over the noise. "They'll never catch us if we go our separate ways."

Lyra hesitated, her eyes filled with doubt. "Are you sure that's the best way?"

"It's the only way," I replied grimly. "Go! I'll meet you back at the camp."

With a final look, she nodded and darted off, disappearing into the crowded streets. I took off in the opposite direction, drawing the guards away from Lyra and leading them on a chase through the winding alleys and backstreets of the city.

I used every trick I knew to evade my pursuers, slipping through crowds, scaling walls, and casting illusion spells to disguise my appearance. But the guards were persistent, their numbers seemingly endless. They're not giving easily. I feel awful that my actions brought them to danger.

As I rounded a corner, I saw Faelen being arrested by the guards. I couldn't do nothing or else I would also get arrested. But I feel terrible about his future and what I did.

I eventually managed to shake off the guards by disappearing into the sewers, but not without taking a few knocks and bruises along the way. When I finally limped back to our camp near the temple, I was exhausted and battered, my clothes torn and stained with grime.

Lyra was already there, tending to a fire and looking anxious.

"You made it," she said, her voice filled with relief. "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, collapsing onto the ground beside her. "Just a few scratches. But Faelen got arrested. I feel he will undergo much more torture for helping me."

She frowned. "I thought he was your friend. Is it worth it?"

“It was for a good cause, right?” I asked, even though I didn’t fully believed that.

“Was it, Elias? Or are you just chasing after power, like everyone else?” She knew about the Soul Weaving. I had spoken a bit louder when it was mentioned.

Her words stung, hitting me harder than any physical blow. Was I chasing after power? Was I becoming the very thing I despised?

I didn't have an answer. All I knew was that I was running out of time, and I wasn't about to let anything stand in my way of saving my soul. Even if it meant walking a dangerous path, a path that could lead me down into darkness.

But for now, I wasn’t being consumed by the darkness.

***

**Chapter 7: "Seraphina's Insight"**

* **Beat 1: A Scholar Secluded**

The fire crackled, spitting embers into the twilight sky. Lyra was silent, her gaze fixed on the flames, and I knew what she was thinking. Soul Weaving. Faelen. The mess I was creating. But hell, I needed more answers and couldn't spend more time in the wilderness when I had just limited days.

"I need to talk to Seraphina," I said, breaking the silence. The words hung in the air.

Lyra turned to me, her expression unreadable. "Seraphina? Who is that?"

"A scholar I'm looking for. She knows about forbidden lore. She's probably our best bet for understanding all of this. We need her." I stood up "I'm going now."

I was ready to leave. I had prepared my gear and was already going away from the scenery when Lyra said a word to me.

"I'm thinking you can't go alone. It does not give me a good feeling," She said.

"I've been going for over 20 years. It's going to be alright"

"I didn't mean that. It's just that… something doesn't feel right. Be careful"

With this final exchange, I walked into the direction of the Black Market.

The sun was beginning and I knew the road was going to dark before I arrived.

I sighed and started travelling again.

The black market district was a festering wound on the underbelly of the city, a warren of dimly lit alleys and shadowed doorways where anything could be bought and sold, no questions asked. A place for all races and ethnicities. A place where the rules of society didn't apply, where the only currency that mattered was coin and influence.

Finding Seraphina wouldn't be easy. I knew she worked in the district, but her exact location was a mystery. She was known for keeping to herself, for guarding her knowledge jealously. It was said she had no friends, no allies. A recluse that gave her knowledge to the most valuable person. You had to get through three doors and answer a series or questions, such as "what's the meaning of fire."

I needed to move. I felt I was being followed.

I entered the district, immediately feeling the oppressive weight of its depravity. The air was thick with the stench of sweat, cheap perfume, and something else, something darker, something…wrong. The shadows seemed to writhe and shift, whispering secrets I couldn't quite decipher. I turned to a corner and entered in a small location that looked like people got mugged on. I saw a big giant that wore glasses and gave me a creepy smile.

The bouncer. He had a bad look on people. I couldn't tell what was his race or background, but I could tell that many people where scared of him.

“Looking for something, mage?” a gruff voice asked, breaking my train of thought.

I was taken by surprise. Usually people don't care what you do and proceed normally, but this bouncer was different.

I turned to see a hulking figure blocking my path, his face hidden in shadow. He was built like a brick shithouse, his arms thick with muscle, his eyes narrowed and suspicious.

"I’m looking for a scholar," I replied, keeping my voice even. "Name of Seraphina."

The bouncer grunted, his expression hardening. "Never heard of her. Now get lost. We don’t take kindly to your kind around here. Mages, demons, all of you can fuck off"

That surprised me a bit. He didn't like magicky folk at all. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just need to ask her a few questions."

The bouncer stepped closer, his eyes boring into mine. "I said, get lost. Before I make you get lost."

I sighed, realizing that I wasn't going to get anywhere by being polite. He probably got mugged from some weird Mage with bad intent, and hates magic users ever since. I knew I should have worn a different attire. I raised my hand, letting a flicker of shadow magic dance across my fingertips. That was enough. The bouncer turned even more aggressive.

“I’m going to ask nicely and just one more time: give me Seraphina. Otherwise, I don't want to use violence, as something that might hurt both of us.”

The bouncer’s eyes widened, his face contorting with rage. "You think you can threaten me, mage? You think your magic scares me?"

I was sure the bouncer knew I wasn't joking and needed this information. I lowered myself towards the bouncer and looked at him closely. I whispered near his ear, and started letting my demonic magic loose, making him feel a great amount of pain and hear weird noises.

"I didn't wanted to do this, but, just for my sake… Don't force me to."

It was clear that my power got through; he was no longer as aggressive as he were, and was definitely afraid of what would happen if he didn't provided me the keys. It took some minutes but he eventually took the keys.

He spat on the ground and moved in from of me, and grabbed myself. With anger, he whispered in my ear: "She is at the back, don't ever think about doing this to someone else, you creep"

I let him go and started walking towards the room where he said that Seraphina was located.

The keys granted me access to move and traverse to the doors. I got what I came for, and had little time left.

* **Beat 2: A Tainted Meeting**

After navigating a labyrinth to get to it, I arrived at the rear of the establishment. A dimly lit alleyway stretched before me. I saw a door that looked like the place had no access at all, so I knew that would be the area where Seraphina was.

I made way to get to that door after some minutes of walking. There hadn't been that many interactions. To begin an interaction, I used one of the keys and, after a lot of trying, finally opened the door and gave access to what was hiding.

The room was small, cluttered, and smelling of old books. Seraphina sat at a desk, surrounded by piles of scrolls and tomes, her face illuminated by the flickering light of a single candle. She seemed surprised, yet not concerned, when I kicked the door and suddenly entered.

She looked up, her eyes narrowed, her lips pursed in a thin line. She was younger than I expected, maybe in her late twenties, but her face was etched with the weariness of someone who had seen too much, someone who has dedicated herself to forgotten lore.

“Can I help you?" Before I would speak, she immediately spoke again. "Oh let me guess. You are THE Elias I have been hearing about. The soulmark gives it all, who wouldn't guess after that"

I frowned, surprised that she knew who I was. Word traveled fast in this town. “You know who I am?”

Her expression was unreadable. It was like she couldn't care at all. A good sign for me, I guess.

"I know *of* you," she replied, emphasizing the word 'of' with a touch of disdain. "The mage who made a deal with a demon. The darling of the Royal Family. The man who killed Kael." She watched my reaction carefully. Good to know she was expecting me.

I bristled at the mention of Kael, but I tried to keep my composure. “I’m not here to talk about that.”

She raised an eyebrow, her eyes glittering with amusement. “Oh? Then why are you here? I can’t imagine a mage would ask to give some lore for a little girl like me. No, I can only anticipate what happened: you are in great danger, and need knowledge and help to do so.". Damn, she knew it all.

I crossed my arms, annoyed by her condescending tone. "I need your help, Seraphina. I need your knowledge of forbidden lore."

She scoffed. "And why would I give you my knowledge? What do I get in return? More problems? More attention from the wrong people? I don't think so. Be grateful I'm not even killing you right now."

“I can pay you,” I said, pulling out a pouch of coins. Not the best I had but still valuable.

She waved her hand dismissively. "I don't need your money. This establishment gets plenty. There are better opportunities that will let me rise and maybe even touch the face of God."

She said and continued studying her old book, ignoring my presence. I refused to be ignored and grabbed the book where she was reading. She was already pissed before about me, now I made her way more mad.

I have very little time available, and need to get out of here with a solution as soon as possible. "Don’t make me, what are you, make violence. I’m not asking. I’m telling.”

* **Beat 3: Shared Knowledge**

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed, her expression hardening. It was clear she didn’t appreciate my tactics, but I didn’t have time to play nice. I needed her help, and I would get it one way or another.

“What do you want to know?” she asked, her voice laced with resignation.

I grinned, seizing the opportunity. "I want to know about the God of Souls. I want to know about Soul Weaving. I want to know about the conspiracy that's tearing this kingdom apart."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That's a lot to ask, mage. But fine. I'll tell you what I know – tell me what stuff did you found today in the Royal Archives."

I raised an eyebrow "Why am I sharing that information?"

“You need to learn more about yourself and what's around you. I need that, and I need you to save the world."

The world? Save? Who said anything about that? Whatever, I needed any advantages I could get.

I pulled out the tome on Soul Weaving and the scroll detailing the kingdom’s true founding, laying them out on her desk. Seraphina leaned forward, her eyes widening as she examined the artifacts.

"Where did you get these?" she whispered, her voice filled with awe.

"From the royal archives," I replied "It was tough but we retrieved that information, just to get somewhere."

She shook her head in disbelief, running her fingers over the ancient parchment. "These are… incredible. I haven't seen anything like this in years. Someone took extra care into not getting this information spread, and you just casually found it.”

I leaned over to the other side of her desk. You could tell she was now eager to talk about all of it.

"So, what can you tell me anything?"

Seraphina nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "The scroll confirms what many of us have suspected for years: the kingdom was founded on a lie. The Royals sided with the deities and that's why infernal magic is looked down nowadays"

She paused, her gaze turning distant. "But the tome… the tome is something else entirely. Soul Weaving… it’s more than just a forbidden magic. It’s a key. A key to unlocking a power that could change everything."

From refusing to barely accept my presence, she was now more eager to speak and share any thoughts she had about it all. I smiled. This was going to get easier.

* **Beat 4: Soul Weaving's Price**

I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. "What do you mean, a key? A key to what?" The magic that I can sever my damned soul and get myself out of the contract.

Seraphina hesitated, her expression turning grave. "I shouldn't say more about the weaving magic, but I'll tell you this: the weaving magic isn't as nice as the books paint in it. You might think is a good option, but trust me, it's not"

She paused, taking a deep breath. "But since you're so determined… Soul Weaving is the forbidden art of manipulating the very fabric of existence. It allows mages to shape souls, to alter their destinies, to even defy the natural order of life and death. It gets you in danger. You can even get hunted because of the dangerous act"

"But is it a way to leave that soul-bond I have with the demon"

She nodded slowly "Yes. But with a great cost. It doesn't only consumes people's souls with great power. It also consumes the area that the power expands on. Many places have paid the cost, if you know what I mean."

“So it’s… dangerous?” I asked, stating the obvious.

Seraphina smiled wryly. "Dangerous is an understatement. Soul Weaving is like playing with fire, Elias. One wrong move, and you'll get burned. And not just you. Everyone"

I grimaced, feeling a knot form in my stomach. I had hoped that Soul Weaving would be a simple solution to my problems, a quick fix that would allow me to break my pact with Azazel and move on with my life. But it was becoming clearer and clearer that this magic was anything but simple.

It's such a bad look, I wonder now. A tool that can make everyone a ruler, but destroy many things on the way so that, eventually, it has nothing to rule.

"What else can you tell me anything about everything, Lyra was very worried, so much that she asked me to not make any mistakes by getting into that magic", I questioned, trying to ease the negative pressure I got.

Seraphina frowned, her eyes filled with concern. “This knowledge… don’t misuse it. Trust me.”

* **Beat 5: Tragic Past**

I pressed her further, needing to know more about the risks and dangers of Soul Weaving. “You said something about a connection to a realm? What kind of terrible price has it had that is irreversible?”

She hesitated for her to answer. After a moment, Seraphina sighed and got closer to me. It was the most intimate conversation we had ever. She was going to share why she did what she did.

"There… There was something more terrible on the past. My past"

Seraphina paused, her voice barely a whisper. "My family was full of experts in Soul-Weaving magic. As most families do when they found something profitable to the people, they started offering the services, and didn't saw that was a bad idea at all."

She stopped her voice, for a bit, and resumed: "Well… The people that were getting served and helped were more than happy, of course, but there were places that suffered a lot with that. In fact, some people say that some villages were completely destroyed because they where used to give people an opportunity to get reingaged and rebirth. That got all out of hand and all members of my family where hunted to death. I managed to espace and no one knows where I am, and that's why I was so worried about you breaking into my zone. It would mean the end for me. But all is going to be good. Is going to be good, "

I stared at her, my mind reeling from the revelation. I was starting to think that maybe the infernal contract wasn't the worst thing that could ever happen to me. Demons don't need more magic. Mages. Yes.

"You said before to to not take the magic to become a hero"

"Yeah! What I meant to you is to not take everything to change the damn world! This realm is fucked and most people are happy with that."

It was time to come back.

"Are we partners now? I guess, right? Great." I was leaving the location, leaving Seraphina alone.

"There is not magic. Or pact. That may save you from the demon Elias. Remember that."

With this final interaction, I closed the door.

I made a step forward, back into the direction of to make way back to my camp.

I couldn't grasp everything she said, but she probably spoke the truth. I had to be careful with everything.