Professor Iris moved to her desk and pulled out a small crystal and a leather-bound journal.
"I'm giving you two things. The first is this communication crystal that's linked directly to mine. If you need information, guidance, or emergency help, use it. I've hidden long enough. It's time I actually did something useful."
I took the crystal. It hummed with carefully woven enchantments, and it's warm in my palm.
"Thank you."
She handed me the journal next, it was an old leather preserved by magic and filled with neat handwriting.
"This is Marcus's journal. The hero I loved. The man who discovered the truth with me." Her voice caught slightly. "Read it and learn from our mistakes. Maybe you can succeed where we failed."
I opened it carefully. The first entry was dated over a hundred years ago.
Year 1147, Day 43:
