After that fateful morning, Lyra and Kael knew they couldn't waste a second. The curse within Kael was a ticking time bomb, and they had to find a way to delay, then dispel it. An external energy source. That was the temporary answer.
"We need a large amount of Primordial Energy or some form of pure energy," Lyra said, her eyes scanning the notes in the ancient book. "It says the curse will 'digest' external energy instead of yours."
Kael nodded. "But where do we get enough pure energy? In this Academy, training is supervised. We can't reveal too much."
Lyra pondered. "There's one way... But it's very dangerous."
"Tell me," Kael insisted.
"The Underground Black Market," Lyra whispered. "It's where everything is traded, from rare medicinal herbs to forbidden magic. There will definitely be high-energy items, or herbs that can be used to refine energy."
Kael frowned. The Underground Black Market was a notorious place, full of smugglers, assassins, and dark mages. He had heard horror stories about it since his time in the slums.
"But how do we get in? And what do we have to trade?" Kael asked. He had no money, and the most valuable thing he possessed was Primordial Energy, but that was a deadly secret.
Lyra thought for a moment, then her gaze settled on Kael's silver ring. "Headmaster Eldrin's ring can conceal energy. You won't be detected. As for something to trade..." Lyra bit her lip. "I have a few High-Grade Elemental Crystals. My family has many, and they are very valuable. I can sell them to buy what we need."
Kael looked at her. "No. Those are your assets. I can't let you risk everything for me."
Lyra shook her head. "What are friends for, you idiot? Besides, I'm also curious about this curse. This is a secret no one else knows." She offered a bright smile. "We'll do this together."
That night, under the faint crescent moon, Kael and Lyra slipped out of the Academy. Lyra had prepared dark cloaks to conceal their identities. Kael wore the silver ring, feeling the Primordial Energy within him sink deep inside, no longer radiating even a hint.
They traversed the dark alleys of the slums, then squeezed into a hidden tunnel beneath an old bridge. The smell of dampness, opium, and stale blood hung in the air. Laughter and distant screams echoed, making Lyra shiver slightly.
"Don't be afraid, Lyra," Kael said, his voice steady and reassuring. "I'll protect you."
They ventured deeper underground. The further they went, the dimmer the light, but the more people there were. Hundreds of makeshift stalls displayed all sorts of strange goods. Hooded faces and sharp eyes quickly scanned each other. This was truly the Underground Black Market.
Lyra headed towards a stall specializing in magical materials. Kael stood behind her, observing his surroundings. He sensed various energy flows, some terrifyingly powerful, others weak and decayed.
"We want to sell High-Grade Elemental Crystals," Lyra told a man wearing a bone mask.
The man glanced at Lyra, then his eyes paused on Kael with a puzzled look. He seemed unable to sense Kael's energy, yet he appeared curious about the unusual stillness.
"Show me the goods," he said, his voice raspy.
Lyra took out three shimmering crystals, each radiating a brilliant color, representing different elements. The man took them, examining them closely. Greed flashed in his eyes behind the mask.
"Good quality. High price," he said, handing over a leather pouch filled with gold coins. "Enough to buy some low-grade blood energy stones or a few basic healing potions."
Kael frowned at that. Low-grade blood energy stones wouldn't be enough. They needed a larger energy source. He looked at Lyra.
"We want something else," Kael unexpectedly spoke up. "Something that can provide a pure, sustained energy source. Something normal magic cannot create."
The masked man looked at Kael. "Who are you? Coreless, and demanding such things?" His voice was laced with mockery. "The things you seek... only those from the Arcane Research Institute can craft."
"Then tell me, where can I find such things?" Kael insisted. He couldn't back down.
The man was silent for a moment, then he sneered. "It seems you are no ordinary individual." He pointed towards the end of the market, where a stall was covered by a completely black tarp. "Over there. 'The Mysterious Old Man' sells things no one understands, or things from places no one knows. He might have what you need."
Lyra paid the man, retrieving the crystals they had sold. She and Kael headed towards the mysterious stall. The closer they got, the more Kael felt a cold, ancient energy emanating from it. It wasn't Primordial Energy, but there was a strange similarity.
The stall was occupied by only one old man, with long white beard and hair, sitting quietly. He had nothing displayed for sale, only an empty table.
"We are seeking a pure energy source," Kael said, trying to gauge him.
The Mysterious Old Man slowly raised his head. His eyes were deep, as if containing a thousand years of history. He looked at Kael, and Kael felt as if all his secrets were laid bare under that gaze. Eldrin's silver ring seemed to have no effect on him.
"Pure energy, you say?" The Mysterious Old Man asked, his voice raspy yet echoing in Kael's mind. "Something mortals cannot perceive, is that it?"
Kael was stunned. The old man knew! He knew about Primordial Energy!
"You carry a great secret, one that is both a blessing and a curse," the Mysterious Old Man continued, his gaze seemingly penetrating Kael. "You have come here seeking to fight the darkness gnawing at your soul."
Lyra was astonished. This old man knew about the curse too!
"You... you know about it?" Kael asked, his voice trembling with surprise and hope.
The Mysterious Old Man closed his eyes. "I have been waiting for someone like you for a very long time. One who bears the mark of the Golden Era, yet is tainted by the remnants of Destruction." He opened his eyes, looking directly at Kael. "You seek liberation? Are you willing to pay the price?"
On the Mysterious Old Man's empty table, a pitch-black stone suddenly appeared, radiating a chilling aura, along with a small, black, unnamed book.
"This is the 'Void Bloodstone'," the Mysterious Old Man said, pointing to the stone. "It will delay the curse for a time. And this," he pointed to the book, "is the key to your liberation. But to acquire them, you must show me the 'transformative ability of Primordial Energy'. I wish to see its purest essence."
Kael and Lyra looked at each other. A bargain Lyra didn't understand, but Kael felt a strong urge. This Mysterious Old Man was no ordinary merchant. He was someone who had been waiting for him.
And Kael knew he had no other choice.