The Stars Are Dimming

GWYNDALE

A blue mist formed on the hole in the wall. Someone was coming through magical teleportation, and Gwyndale stood. Then, the mist grew to form a huge blob which took the shape of a woman, and Master Thea strode out of the mist, the parchment in her hand.

"Master Thea," Gwyndale raised her eyebrows, "What brings you here?"

Master Thea placed the parchment in front of Gwyndale on his desk, "Just now, there was an intruder. I sensed his power, a strength that you have never seen before. He burnt the parchment partially but also left an seal on the parchment. She jabbed at the seal, and Gwyndale knew he had never seen them before. Only two things were in his mind -- either it was too far in the past his ancestors failed to bring it down to his time, or someone removed it from history.

"No," Gwyndale replies, "But do you know who was the man that imprinted this?" Thea shook his head, and just then a disciple barged in, "Master Gwyndale, someone wants to meet you urgently."

"Who is it?" Gwyndale frowned, "Just call him in."

The two masters waited for a few moments before two people walked in. "Master Sermorph! What brings you here?" Gwyndale's frown deepened even further, partially curious at how he was looking so dishevelled with blood stains and a torn tunic, but also at who he brought with him, and he raised an eyebrow at the girl, "And this is..."

"Searth is her name. She followed me here," Sermorph said, "And we came here not to continue bickering about dark wizardry or light wizardry should be the best, but I have serious news. The Firerealm is no more. All that is left was an ocean of lava. Something powerful made the lava from the bottom of the realm rise to the top." Sermorph turned his gaze to the parchment, where the red seal of the burning eagle glistened with the newly imprinted wax.

"The seal of the flaming eagle," Gwyndale heard Sermorph mutter and his eyes widened, "Who imprinted this on the parchment?"

"Do you know about this seal?" Thea looked at Sermorph, and back to the parchment.

"Of course," Sermorph inhaled deeply, "By imprinting this seal it would bring death and destruction, and so it did. It was one of the banned seals of history, but I could not believe it was used. Who imprinted this?" Sermorph jabbed at the seal.

"It was a man," Thea related what happened to Sermorph again, "He burnt the sides of the scroll and placed the seal. I could feel the darkness in him, so powerful like never before, and he rode the darkness. And that meant that the man wanted the destruction of the Firerealm!" Thea understood, and so did the masters.

"And he must be the one who used Gurzuk, and all the other things -- the dimming of the stars and the droughts," Gwyndale nodded, "And we are unsafe even here, too. We must prepare. As for both of you, you can seek refuge here, until the realms are restored."