Chapter 74

Following Abraxas's instructions, Lucius found the book on Dark Arts that introduced Horcruxes, *Secrets of the Darkest Art*. A Horcrux is a Dark Magic object in which a person has concealed a portion of their soul. A wizard who possesses a Horcrux cannot die, no matter how severely injured, because a part of their soul remains undamaged and tethered to the world. Even if the physical body is destroyed, they will not become a wandering ghost, and can seek an opportunity to rebuild a physical form later on. To successfully create a Horcrux, one must commit murder as a prerequisite, while chanting the appropriate incantation so that the soul splits and can be placed into the vessel. While a Horcrux increases its master's lifespan, it simultaneously "dehumanizes" them. This dehumanization affects not only appearance but also the inner self—sympathy, love, and humanity gradually fade away, ultimately leading the wizard down a dark path.