Elias looked at the Trix Focus Crystal in his hand, feeling the sinister, electric surge of Dark Corruption. He had information that could save Alfea, and he had the currency to become truly powerful. To choose safety meant sacrificing the chance to escape his parasitic dependence on Bloom. To choose power meant risking everything, including the trust of the only allies he had.
He chose The Double Cross (Option 2). The Cloud Tower Archives contained knowledge that could unlock abilities far beyond his current, fragile System path. The risk was enormous, but the payoff was absolute power.
Chapter 9: The Archives Gambit
The Preparations
Elias couldn't act immediately on the Trix's information; he had to solidify his power base first. With 800 SP burning a hole in his System bank, he made his purchases.
Purchase: [Dragon Fire Shield Lvl 3] (Cost: 200 SP).
[SKILL UPGRADE: DRAGON FIRE SHIELD Lvl 3]
Effect: Defense is now robust enough to endure multiple direct hits from Trix Lvl 1 attacks.
[SP BALANCE: 600 SP]
Purchase: [Enchantment: Specialist Sword] (Cost: 450 SP).
[ITEM ACQUIRED: ENCHANTED RED SWORD]
A non-magical weapon forged at Red Fountain is now permanently imbued with a high-level Dragon Fire edge. Can be wielded without MP cost.
[SP BALANCE: 150 SP]
He slipped out of Alfea and flew quickly back to his former Red Fountain dorm room. Since his possessions were still there, no one questioned his quick visit. He retrieved a simple, standard-issue non-magical sword—a short, durable blade used for drill practice—and the moment he touched it, the Enchantment skill took effect.
The blade didn't glow, but the edge shimmered with an intense, latent heat, its metal now an ominous, smoky red. He had a weapon that could kill.
Elias flew back to Alfea. He now had the means to fight, but he had to time his move perfectly.
The Double Cross
Elias knew the Trix would attempt their heist late in the evening. He had to be ahead of them.
He waited until after curfew, then crept out to Headmistress Faragonda's office. The door was locked, but a high-level magic ward protected it—far more than just a simple lock.
He activated the Trix Focus Crystal, instantly feeling the corrosive rush of +50 MP, pushing his total to 249/200 MP Max. The excess energy surged, and the Dark Corruption meter ticked up to 10/100.
Using the immense, unstable power, he focused a blast of Dragon Fire not on the door, but on the precise seam between the door and the wall, using the fire to burn through the complex magical circuits of the ward. The fire was loud and bright, but the office wing was far from the dorms.
The ward shattered with a sharp, whining sound. Elias slipped inside, letting the door click shut behind him.
He quickly found the false bottom in the headmistress's desk and located the artifact the Trix were looking for: a small, dark wooden box containing a single, tarnished iron key—the key to the Cloud Tower Archives.
He grabbed the key and placed it inside a specialized, insulated pouch he'd purchased with his initial SP.
Confrontation at Cloud Tower
Elias didn't return to his room. Instead, he used his Flight skill and flew directly to Cloud Tower, the looming, dark school for witches. The key in his pouch hummed with dark energy, guiding him.
He landed in a desolate, gargoyle-lined courtyard. The sky was appropriately dark and stormy.
The Trix were already there, expecting him.
"You're early, rogue," Icy greeted him, her eyes sharp. "And you have the key. Excellent. The ritual can begin."
Darcy and Stormy moved to flank him. Elias stood his ground, the Focus Crystal hot in his palm and the Enchanted Sword held steady.
"The ritual is off," Elias declared, holding up the iron key. "This belongs to me now."
Icy's cruel smile vanished. "You double-crossed us? You pathetic Specialist!"
"I am the Dragon-Touched Tutor," Elias corrected, his voice resonating with power. "And I don't share my sources. You wanted to unlock the forbidden knowledge? Fine. I'll take it."
He didn't give them a chance to attack. He charged a full-strength, Lvl 3 Dragon Fireball and hurled it at the main entrance of Cloud Tower—the specific door the key opened.
The moment the fireball hit the heavy stone door, Elias shoved the iron key into the smoldering lock. The lock turned with a grinding sound, and the door swung inward, revealing a dark, spiraling staircase.
"He's unlocking the archives! Stop him!" Icy shrieked, launching a massive ice blast.
Elias activated his Dragon Fire Shield Lvl 3. The ice blast hit the shield with a crash, forcing Elias to brace, but the shield held, cracking only slightly.
"You're too late!" Elias roared, spinning and hurling a spray of Pocket Sand (Coarse Grade) directly into Stormy's eyes to buy himself a second.
He sprinted through the doorway and slammed the massive stone door shut, hearing the furious, combined attack of the three witches hitting the stone with the force of a battering ram.
Elias had betrayed the Trix, exposed their plan, and now he was alone, deep inside the dangerous, forbidden Cloud Tower Archives, with no map and no allies, but with the entire accumulated knowledge of dark magic waiting for him.
The Path to Forbidden Power
Elias stood in the pitch-black archives. He had completed the double cross, but the Trix would not stop until they found him.
[WARNING: HOST IS NOW HIGH-PRIORITY TARGET FOR TRIX. ALL TRIX ATTACKS DEAL +25% DAMAGE.]
[NEW MAIN QUEST: THE ARCHIVE SECRETS]
Objective 1: Survival. Evade the Trix for 48 hours.
Objective 2: Research. Locate and copy one major forbidden spell/ritual from the archives.
Reward (Success): 2000 XP, 1000 SP, [Forbidden Power Lvl 1] (Unlocks a powerful, dark skill).
Penalty (Failure): Capture by the Trix. Permanent corruption and subservience. GAME OVER.
Time Limit: 48 Hours.
Elias had a few resources left to prepare for the final confrontation. What should he do with his remaining 150 SP?
* Buy [Invisibility Potion]: Grants temporary, high-level stealth to evade patrols (Cost: 150 SP).
* Buy [System Health Insurance]: Buys a single, one-time auto-revive token (Cost: 150 SP).
* Buy [Rune of Warding]: A basic rune that can slow down pursuers for a few precious minutes (Cost: 100 SP, leaves 50 SP for minor consumables).