Chapter 744: The Successor’s Shadow
Chapter 743: The Successor’s Shadow
The library had grown quieter as the day wore on. The pale light that streamed through the high windows had shifted, growing longer and softer, casting deep shadows across the scattered parchments and open books that covered the oak table. Dust motes drifted lazily through the air, caught in the golden glow, and the faint scent of aged paper and ink hung heavy in the stillness.
Sophia now sat at the table with Tobias, Eldric, and Jarek. The translations from the stones were spread out before her, along with the ancient text Eldric had found. Her fingers traced the edges of the parchments, her brow furrowed as she absorbed everything they had discovered. The words seemed to blur together, each line bleeding into the next, but she forced herself to focus.
Tobias leaned forward, his dark eyes fixed on her.
"We’ve been going through the translations while you were training," he said. "We’ve come to some conclusions."
Sophia looked up, her blue eyes meeting his. "Okay?"
Eldric adjusted his glasses and picked up the first parchment, holding it carefully as if it might crumble in his hands. His fingers traced the faded ink, and he cleared his throat before speaking.
"We believe the successor of the night mentioned in the stones is connected to the Black Circle. The sea seeks a new successor—we think that refers to the Black Circle seeking a new ruler to follow in Dolion’s footsteps."
Sophia’s frown deepened. She was quiet for a moment, her gaze moving across the words written on the parchment. She read them again, letting the meaning settle into her mind.
"Do you really think the successor of the night is connected to the successor of the Black Circle?" she asked finally.
Tobias tilted his head, studying her expression. "Do you disagree?"
Sophia shook her head slowly, her fingers still resting on the edge of the parchment.
"It’s not that I disagree. I just feel there’s more to it. It cannot be that easy. It’s never that easy."
She paused, gathering her thoughts. The pieces were there, scattered across the table, but fitting them together was like trying to assemble a puzzle in the dark.
"What I know is that yes, Victoria is the successor of the night. That much I understood from the beginning. But I don’t feel like Victoria herself is the leader of the Black Circle. And correct me if I’m wrong, but your theory implies that she is the leader of the Black Circle, right? Since you attribute the successor of the night to the Black Circle."
They nodded.
"Okay, but here’s what I think," she told them. "The successor of the night is Dolion’s successor. And we know that is Victoria. Though it may be related to the Black Circle because of their ties with black magic, I doubt it’s just that. I doubt the successor of the night just means the Black Circle wanting a new ruler."
She looked at them, her eyes sharp and certain.
"To me, it’s more that Victoria is taking over Dolion’s position. His power. His influence. His legacy. She’s the heir to everything Dolion left behind."
Eldric frowned thoughtfully, his fingers tapping against the table.
"You believe Victoria is specifically filling the void Dolion left?"
Sophia nodded, her conviction growing as she spoke.
"Yes. Dolion was trapped, chained in place with the Trine of Ash and Vein. When Orion and I found him, he was chained to the ground. There were runes along the chains—binding him, holding him in place. He could speak, yes, but it was obvious he needed something more to be able to leave that place."
She paused, her voice dropping slightly as the memory surfaced.
"And Orion was only able to kill him because there was already a new successor. And also, perhaps, because Orion is, well... Orion."
Tobias and Eldric exchanged a glance. They understood what she meant immediately.
The Nightshade Pack were descendants of Dolion through Kaelith, and Orion himself had a connection with Dolion through Noctis.
Sophia nodded.
"If Victoria hadn’t been there, if she hadn’t already claimed that mantle, Orion might not have been able to kill Dolion at all."
Eldric set the parchment down, his fingers resting on its edge.
He sighed before speaking up.
"Tobias was of the opinion that the writings on the stones were warnings. Warnings we failed to heed."
Sophia paused.
"Now... that actually makes sense," she said to them. "The writings were perhaps a way to make us avoid that spot, but they were written in a language only I can understand, which wasn’t much of a warning for us."
"Hence what we face now," Eldric muttered.
Sophia paused then, her finger moving to a specific line on the parchment.
"The first key turning..." she said.
"Do you have any idea as to what that means?" Tobias asked her.
Sophia nodded.
"I feel it’s related to us. Or perhaps to me. I’m not certain. But I feel like the first key was likely the prophecy itself," she told them.
Tobias leaned forward, his interest piqued.
"The prophecy?"
Sophia nodded, her voice gaining strength as she spoke.
"The prophecy about the Luna. The one that foretold my coming. The first key turning—that was the prophecy being spoken. Being set into motion. And once it was spoken, things began to move. The wheels started turning."
She pointed at the last line on the parchment.
"’The wheels turn too, for an ancient shadow may no longer be left a shadow,’" she read aloud.
"That’s like a foretelling of sorts. The prophecy has been told, but for that prophecy to come to pass, things will move. There will be obstacles. And the ancient shadow—Dolion—may no longer be chained, but that doesn’t mean he will not be active. His shadow still lingers."
Jarek frowned, confusion creasing his brow.
"But Dolion is dead."
Sophia, Eldric, and Tobias all turned to him.
"In place of Dolion, we have Victoria," Eldric said quietly.
Tobias nodded.
"Victoria is the shadow, and she’s been doing things in secret for a while now, but..."
"...it’s about to change," Sophia added.
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