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

Lyra and I split ways near the supposed temple. Or, well, it's what she wanted to call it. More like, a bunch of ruins with a door, but, whatever made her sleep at night...

"I'll set up the camp near the temple. Don't take *too* long getting back, Elias." Lyra said as much, but her tone suggested I had precisely zero room for tardiness.

"Yeah, yeah. And what will you be doing here?" I asked dismissively.

"Being *defensive* from a magical attack, something *you* can't do." It went without saying that it was directed at me.

I shrugged, pushing my hair aside. "Try not to blow up the town before I get back."

She just glared, already turning toward the overgrown patch of ruined stones and scattered pillars. “Just go, Elias.”

I took the hint. Time to charm my way into the good graces of Seraphina, disenfranchised scholar extraordinaire. The kind who knew more about forbidden lore and history than the King himself probably cared to remember and forget. And apparently, ran a little shop. Black market. Seriously, my life was starting turn into a bad novel...

The black market was a maze. A damn, sprawling maze. I made sure to be armed near every possible occasion.

The stench of stale ale and desperation grew stronger with each shadowed alleyway I navigated. It wasn't pleasant, but it was authentic. You didn't find secrets in perfumed gardens.

I kept an eye out, knowing trouble brewed in places like this. The kind of trouble that used rusted blades and broken bottles as conversational aids. I needed information and Seraphina.

Finally, I found the place, tucked away behind a butcher shop that reeked of something vaguely… off. According to my intel, Seraphina worked in a small establishment there, for a man named Barnaby.

The entrance was guarded by a mountain of a man, easily six-and-a-half feet tall, with arms thicker than my thighs. He had a scar that bisected his left eye and a scowl that could curdle milk. He was cleaning a massive sword, way too big for a normal person.

“Halt,” he growled, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through my chest. “What’s your business?”

I plastered on my most charming smile, though I was fairly certain it came across as more of a grimace. "I'm here to see Seraphina. I've… heard she offers… specialized research services."

The mountain grunted, unimpressed. “Seraphina don’t see just anyone. And definitely not mages."

I raised an eyebrow. "Mages, huh? And what gives you the impression that I'm a mage?" I asked innocently. Trying to hide the magic flowing in my veins, but it was useless.

His one good eye narrowed, scanning me up and down. "You reek of it. The world is tainted by your magics."

"Prejudice. How quaint." Well, *that* wasn't a good sign. Starting a chat with a bouncer hating mages. This was not how I imagined this encounter.

"I'm telling you, the world is already tainted, and you are contributing to it. We do NOT need people like you!" Each word was a thunder.

“Look, I just need to talk to her. It’s important.” I pulled a few coins from my pocket and held them out. “A little… incentive.”

He scoffed, knocking the coins to the ground with the flat of his blade. "You think you can buy your way in here, mage? We have no need for your filth. Get lost before I decide to rearrange your face.". Before the blood can reach the floor, he uses more magic to contain it more, and throw that towards me.

Okay, maybe charm wasn't going to work. I stepped back, my hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of my dagger. I really did not wanted to do this...

"Listen, I don't want any trouble. Just let me talk to Seraphina."

"Trouble already found its way to you, dumb mage"

"Fine. Have it your way." My voice dropped, laced with a threat I hadn't intended. "I came here for information, bouncer. If you refuse to let me in, I'll just have to take it. And trust me, it won't be pretty."

He laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You? Threaten me? I've fought demons bigger than you, pretty boy." He moves and with the magical blood still contained, they get bigger and bigger, and sharp.

I smirked. "Demons, huh? How fascinating. Too bad I am not someone who is going to talk."

I channeled my power, letting my magic flow freely. I unleashed a wave of concussive force, sending him stumbling backward, the blood scattering into pieces. Not enough to kill, but more than enough to sting like hell.

“I’m not asking anymore,” I growled, stepping over him, or trying to. His face distorted, but somehow he manages to hold on. He pushes a sword, and I block it.

He roars, almost a barbaric roar that I felt shivers go down my spine.

“I’m going to see Seraphina. You can either move or stand there. Your choice, and frankly, I couldn't care less.” I took a step forward and dodged the attack.

He growled again, but this time, he stepped aside. I felt his gaze burning into my back as I walked inside, but I didn't care.

Point made.

The black market was even worse indoors. A cacophony of whispers, barters, and hushed deals filled the air. The smell of illicit substances mingled with the heavy scent of paranoia. People eyed me with suspicion, their faces hidden behind masks and shadows.

But that was not the end. After taking down the bouncer, I moved forward. I was expecting some sort of counter attack. A room full of assassin, a secret door opening to a trap, whatever. Only silent stares. These people clearly respected power.

According to the directions I stole from Barnaby at the tavern, Seraphina's working "space" was in a back room, behind a curtain marked with some sort of obscure symbol.

I pushed aside the dusty curtain, stepping into a small, cramped room. It was dimly lit, illuminated by a single flickering candle, casting long, dancing shadows on the walls.

The walls were lined with shelves, overflowing with books, scrolls, and strange artifacts. In the center of the room, behind a cluttered desk, sat Seraphina.

She was younger than I expected, probably mid-twenties, with piercing light-blue eyes and a sharp, intelligent face. Her dark hair was pulled back into a severe bun, and she wore simple, practical clothes. She looked like a scholar, one who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. She has a familiar light around her, much like Lyra.

She was hunched over a tome, her brow furrowed in concentration. She didn't even look up when I entered, too engrossed in her reading.

"Seraphina?" I asked, stating the obvious.

She finally looked up, and her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but there wasn't startlement. More... recognition?

"Elias," she said, her voice cool and professional. She clearly knew who I was, "I heard rumors of you."

"So, you know why I am and what I need." I said, confidently with a smirk.

"As a matter of fact, I do not." Sarcasm, "But I will take a guess: You want me to discover secrets for you. To do your bidding."

I sighed. Another one of these people? "Look, I don't have time for this. I need your help. You're the only one who knows about what I am trying to find out."

She steepled her fingers, studying me with a clinical detachment that made me slightly uncomfortable. "I highly doubt that. I am no better or worse than you are. You are an extremely egotistical person, did you know that? I doubt that I can help you, therefore, I won't. Please leave."

“Oh, good. I forgot people nowadays, are just *too good* to help each other," I said.

"Please leave." Her voice never changed. How irritating.

I took a step forward, my temper flaring. "I'm not leaving without some answers. I know you know something about the wax-sealed symbol, and the God of Soul!"

Her expression hardened. "That is none of your business. None of what you do is anyones' business. You sold your soul?"

I blinked, "I really don't care about my privacy right now."

"You will when it is too late." Was that a threat or a fact?

"Then help me with it!"

"And why would I do that, *Elias*? You waltz in here, make demands, and expect me to spill my secrets? What makes you think I’m so easily swayed? " she asked.

For someone so educated, she wasn't really using any of it. I sighed and took one last strike.

"Because I am desperate."

Seraphina stared at me for a long moment, her eyes unreadable. I could feel the weight of her gaze, assessing me, dissecting my motives.

"Desperation is a powerful motivator, " she said, finally, her voice softening slightly. "But it is also a dangerous one."

"I know the risks," I said, meeting her gaze. “I’m willing to take them.”

She hesitated, then sighed, running a hand through her hair, dislodging a few strands from her bun. “Very well, Elias. I will listen. But do not expect me to simply hand you what you seek. I have an establishment. My information is worth gold you cannot give."

"Then tell me what to do?"

"Show me what you know. Give me a real reason I can invest on."

I smirked, reaching inside my cloak. "Alright then. I thought you'd never ask." I pulled out the texts I had stolen from the Royal Archives, the ones referencing the God of Souls and Soul Weaving.

I spread them out on her desk, ignoring the pile of papers and artifacts already cluttering the surface. She leaned forward, her eyes widening as she scanned the documents.

"These… these are from the Royal Archives?" she breathed, her voice laced with disbelief.

"The very same, " I said, feeling a surge of satisfaction. "Freshly stolen just for your perusal."

She ignored my sarcasm, her attention completely focused on the texts. She flipped through the pages, her eyes darting from passage to passage, her brow furrowing in concentration.

“Incredible…” she muttered, more to herself than to me. “I’ve heard rumors of these texts, but I never thought they actually existed.”

"Well, believe it. Now, you gonna speak or stare at stolen loot?"

She turned to me, her eyes shining with a newfound light. There went the sane and professional person that didn't make business with me.

"These confirm what I've long suspected, the kingdom has been covering something up regarding our gods. And as much as I hate everything of the black market, you can say they helped in it."

"So, I am getting information?"

"Yes."

Excellent. She was already starting to sing.

"But not because I think being with you is good. I simply need to know more about these texts. And anything that will bring my position higher in the black market is never bad, of course. If you want my help, I need to understand their context," then she starts writing a number of different texts.

Okay, fine. As long as I got what I wanted, I can manage.

"Fair enough." I said, shrugging. "What do you need to know?"

"Everything. Start from the beginning. Tell me what led you to me."

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. This was going to be a long story. But at this point, what did I have to lose? I started from the summoning of Azazel and the events. I didn't skip anything, not even the small details, like the tavern owner and the bouncer, and all that crap: I know details will save me after all.

Seraphina listened intently, her expression changing as I recounted my tale. Disbelief, amusement, shock… she wore them all like passing masks. By the time I finished, her eyes were wide with a mixture of awe and horror.

“Incredible..." she repeated, shaking her head slowly. "You really sold your soul for revenge?"

"Well I mean, it was necessary." I shot back.

"Amazing how you were completely dragged into it now."

"Yup. Still not my biggest concern at the moment."

She shook her head again, muttering something under her breath. "Well, you are the one with all of this. It seems that to find out what god is this, you are going to have to use magic. But, as I said, you are the one with a contract. So you better get to it."

I hate her. She doesn't care about me, but I care about her, a lot.

"So, that means that you will help me?"

"I never said that. I will simply point you to the right direction. What you do after? Not my problem."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate.

She sighed, her expression growing serious. “The texts mention Soul Weaving. A dangerous and forbidden magic. And one, that it appears, you were brought to this situation because of."

I leaned forward, my interest piqued; was *this* the path to salvation? “Soul Weaving? What is it?”

Seraphina hesitated, her eyes clouding with a sudden unease. She glanced around the room, as if afraid someone might be listening. It gave the vibe that something was wrong.

She takes another sip of her drink.

“It’s… complicated,” she said, finally, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “Soul Weaving is a form of magic that allows mages to manipulate the very essence of souls. It’s an extremely powerful magic. Extremely dangerous, considering that that thing will kill you."

I frowned. “Dangerous how?”

She swallowed nervously. “It’s said to be…addictive. Corrupting. The more you use it, the more it consumes you. It warps your mind, your body, your soul. Turning you into something… other than human." She got closer to me. "It makes you like them. Or worse, for them."

“And that’s not the only risk," she continued, her voice trembling slightly. “Using Soul Weaving weakens the barrier between the realms. It can tear holes in reality, allowing demonic entities to slip through. Or even worst, it can make the opposite way: weaken our mind so them can whisper to us. The cost is huge, and it's much bigger than being a mage trying to cast a magic."

"The texts hinted this might be the only way to break my demonic pact." All that being said... it had to be.

Seraphina gave me a withering look. “Desperate times, desperate measures? I thought it was going to be like that. Even worse is that I will probably have to see you do all of them."

"Listen, my life is already shit, a little spice can't hurt. I just want to survive. Not planning on being a hero." I lied.

"And what? Give the demons an opening in our word? Really, that is the best you can do-

"What gives you an option either way? I am the one on the death date, not you." Before Seraphina could open her mouth, I shot back. "Don't try so hard to convince me *not* to do something.

She averted her gaze, chewing on her lip. It looked like she wanted to speak, but ultimately decided against it. Like me. Great team

"But you should give up," she said. "You are nothing like them."

"And what do you mean by that? You even met them?"

Her eyes widened, shock being visible from her face as if I had stepped in a landmine.

"Get of my face, already! How do you things work!"

"Calm down!" I got closer to her.

Seraphina was getting increasingly irritable...

"Get off, and listen to me. I know more than you do, but I can't even say it with words. I was in your side... now you are in mine."

"And what do you benefit?!" I questioned. In my head, the only thing that can come out of it is that someone else will drag me down.

Seraphina stared to her glass.

"I am not you, at least give a little before saying what I want."

"You know you don't make sense-,

"And how did you use the magic?!"

"Huh?"

"With soulweaving magic. How did you control it?!!

"Again... what are you talking about?" But my face betrayed me.

"...Oh." Her face betrayed her, finally coming to realization. "OH! God, you aren't even doing anything. You probably don't even care who you are fighting, because of how simple it is."

I didn't have a response to that. At this point, I don't even know what am I doing.

Seraphina took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. Then, she looked back at me, her expression filled with a deep sadness, as she takes a very deep breath.

"Soul Weaving is not a game, Elias. There is a reason why the kingdom buried it in the history. Why only I, a disgraced and low mage, have the records for this." The memories are starting to flood. "Soul Weaving costs more that you may comprehend."

“I know, I know. It's dangerous, it's corrupting, it might summon a horde of demons to devour the world. But I'm out of options.” I just wanted this all already finished

Seraphina stood up and got closer.

“You have no idea, do you” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “My family … my family were experts in Soul Weaving.”

My eyes widened slightly. “They were?" Something terrible happened back then, it wasn't simple.

"Yes," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "They dedicated their lives to understanding it, to mastering it. They thought they could control it, use it for good. But they were wrong. The souls wanted out."

“It consumed them, Elias. Twisted them. Changed them into monsters. Monsters, that will say pretty thing into your ears, to make you do whatever they wanted you to. Like flies falling for the honey, little did they knew I didn't like bears. One by one, I see all of them disappear.”

“I saw what it did to them. I saw them lose themselves, bit by bit, until there was nothing left but empty shells, puppets dancing to the tune of something dark and ancient that the gods couldn't reach."

She paused and walked towards the table where she drank something.

"Please be reasonable and just don't be this magic," Seraphina says

“They all died. Every single one of them. I saw people's soul dragged in front of my eyes and being completely broken. Each and every one of them were being destroyed, each and everyone. Now I only hear echos.” She took another sip of the thing, almost as if it were water to her.

She turned back to me, her eyes filled with a pain that seemed to reach down to her very soul. “You want to play with something like that? I will not allow it."

"Well guess what. That doesn't count!" I shot back at her. "I'm not alone.

"Please," she started laughing. "Please, it may be worth it... if them aren't like you."

"If I can save my soul. Yeah! I need to live and so will them, I have no idea!" The tension was getting higher.

"This is far bigger than your soul, Elias," I almost punch her to this point. "Can't you see that there are others?! What you touch changes everything!"

"I said my soul counts, if I die there are more things in the line

"And yours is even worse since you are just a pawn!

"I already did something irreparable!!

"Oh? So what? It changes to better! They are now being dragged into an eternal abyss!!

"WHY, DID, YOU, AGREED TO BE WITH?!" I shout. I don't know what I should do. With shaking body hands, with rage consuming my veins, I am really trying my best.

She flinch at my words, and I hate it. I hate her. This isn't what wanted.

"This is your warning, Elias. This is your choice. Remember that mastering Soul Weaving might save you from your demonic pact, just so you can destroy others. You will not be burden free like I am."

With that, she looked at me and sighed.

"Just know one thing. No matter what happens, I never wanted this. And even with that, it doesn't matter."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with regret. But for now, with nothing to waste, it should be enough.

"But know that, from this moment on, I'll side with you because of my ego. Because I want to see the world go down," she grinned, a twisted expression that didn't suit her face. "Whatever happens with you and with us, I will use you. Use you as a ladder so I can finally ascend."

For a moment, there could be a long, akward silence between us.

""So, that means to you know where the amulet is?" Her face betrays what it does has information, and I was correct. At this point, it was worth it all the beating she did.