Shadow Heir
Something inside the door clicked—not like the mechanical turn of a lock, but like a held breath finally released.
The hinges groaned, and the sanctum yawned open.
Inside, the air was cooler, tasting faintly of old vellum and cedar oil. Tall shelves circled the chamber, heavy with scrolls bound in velvet cords. In the center stood a pedestal of obsidian, upon which rested a crescent blade sheathed in lacquered black wood. Behind it, in a glass case that seemed untouched by dust, hung a small silver locket. Its surface was plain—too plain to warrant a place of such honor—but as Eolan drew near, he saw it throb faintly, like a heartbeat.