The following day broke with the promise of discovery. Eldranthor arrived at the university library early, before dawn had fully broken, leaving the library's ancient halls bathed in a soft, ethereal light. The portal from the previous day had dissolved, leaving behind a curious residue of magical energy that teased his senses.
Settling in his usual corner of the library, Eldranthor immediately dove into his research. He needed to better understand the mechanics of the portal spell. He meticulously combed through aged texts on interdimensional magic, spells for transportation, and the ancient laws of magical physics.
As the hours passed and daylight streamed in through the high windows, Eldranthor noticed a peculiar detail in one of the manuscripts — an ancient text describing the intricate details of magical pathways. The author had written about 'phantom portals' — pathways to other realms that were visible but not tangible.
He dug deeper into the text, his heart pounding in his chest. The more he read, the more the pieces began to fit together. The portal they had created was not a true portal, but a phantom one. And the only way to turn it tangible, according to the manuscript, was by the addition of a particular magical ingredient — an ingredient so rare it was practically a myth. It was known as 'The Essence of Astral Light,' a by-product of celestial bodies.
With a sinking heart, Eldranthor realized the enormity of the situation. They needed something not found on Earth to perfect the portal. Their ambitions, it seemed, were larger than their resources. A bitter taste of defeat threatened to rise in his mouth.
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But no, he reminded himself, shaking off the feeling of impending doom. They had come far and accomplished much. Surely, there was a way to overcome this hurdle as well. Taking a deep breath, Eldranthor turned back to his research, a determined glint in his eyes. The solution was out there, he just had to find it.
After all, in the realm of magic, anything was possible.
His mind wandered back to his early days in the realm of Osthoria. Back then, astral projection was considered a complex, almost forbidden form of magic. Eldranthor himself had barely delved into it before his sudden and unforeseen departure from his home world. But now, it seemed, his past might just hold the key to solving their present predicament.
The Essence of Astral Light wasn't something that could be found on Earth. But what if they didn't need to? If they could bridge the gap to the celestial realm, even just briefly, they might be able to obtain the ingredient they needed without the inherent dangers of astral projection.
Eldranthor found himself lost in thought, considering the possibilities. It would require a significant amount of power and precise control, not to mention a detailed understanding of the celestial realm and its forces. But the possibility was there, a glimmer of hope in what had seemed like a hopeless situation.
If he could avoid astral projection, he would. The dangers were too great, the risks too high. He still remembered the horror stories from his youth, the tales of mages who had lost themselves in the astral plane, their spirits wandering eternally, disconnected from their bodies.
Eldranthor shook his head, dismissing the chilling thoughts. There had to be a way. He would not accept defeat. Not when they were so close.
With renewed determination, Eldranthor turned back to his research. He would need to study the celestial realm and its connection with Earth, understand the fundamentals of bridge creation, and finally, develop a spell potent enough to reach the celestial realm and return.
He had a feeling the road ahead was fraught with challenges. But Eldranthor was no stranger to adversity. He would face this head-on, just as he had done with every other hurdle in his life. And he would emerge victorious.
After all, he was Eldranthor, the last archmage of Osthoria, and he would not be defeated.
