It was massive, and revealed to be even more so as they approached it. Delicate spell scripts guided their steps along the odd space. Everything was smooth and solid, but without the variety of stone or even glass. And, beneath the translucent material a pure, white light seemed to flow in streams.
Yana had taken back his staff from Solas, but it had taken a hug or two to get her to give it up. His innate fear made him think it would be a painful experience, or might cause an explosion. Instead, it felt nice and warm.
Now he was focused on the strange space of the 'Cradle'. The voice had claimed there would be others of their kind here, but he doubted it. They wouldn't be born of Mother even if everything else was the same. They wouldn't be as united as they were, and that would be a problem.
Just like his reaction to Solas, each of the opposing pairs had strain between them. If they didn't have the same Mother and feelings of kindship. He had a suspicion that they would be fighting it out like demi-gods. The Realm would have been scoured clean by the elemental forces, and few would have been able to survive. Yet, it said there were others here.
Pyra was in the lead of the group, and walked forward while inwardly afraid. Others?! She had only met all her siblings, and they mentioned how Mother was going to try and come too. Now, they would meeting others of their kind, likely at the foot of the System's core.
What else could that massive dungeon core be? It would make sense for the System to be a dungeon the more she thought about it. Yana had described to her the orb he found in that lab, and it kind of sounded like a dungeon core. Just one that was so primitive it was hard to make the comparison.
The others stay quiet except for Mirabella, she hadn't let go of Pyra's hand since they entered. It was weird to be holding onto what her instincts told her was death. Yet, it was just the hand of her sibling. It gave a sense of strength and comfort to her, that she found increasingly needed.
Space was warping around them as they continued to follow the lines and squiggles of the scripting. Seeing large jumps in distance, so that the massive dungeon core was towering above them in only a few moments of walking. Then, they reached a series of rings right in front of a huge cliff. A sea of white light between them and the core itself.
"Congratulations," The voice broke out again, now a shadow-like figure on the edge of the cliff, "The Imperial Palace is just beyond here, and the Court of the Six await your arrival..." There was an odd flickering of the shade for a moment.
"Due to non-response, the security overrides have been engaged. For your safety, wait to use any mana until you enter the Throne Room." The ever present smile seemed to dial down a touch with those words. To which Yana inwardly smiled. He felt like his thoughts were being confirmed.
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Then, the ground shook with a tremendous force, and the white light flowed upward before becoming an arch of rainbow colors. Pure mana solidified without a structure, and it was one of the most beautiful things Yana had ever seen.
"Please proceed." The shade then vanished, and Pyra lead the others across. Marshall was the only one who hesitated. Legends were right before him, and he felt like he didn't want to know their truth.
The Empire was here before the humans, if it was more than just a story, then it meant they really were betrayed. They didn't just lose some war or another. He had been told it a lot growing up, but he was surprised at how hard his mind fought against the idea of another world.
No, it wasn't the fact that another world was out there, it was the fact that his people lived like they did. When this place was their history. A marvel of magic and power that was just hiding in the most dangerous dungeon that no human had ever managed to conquer. Would he find the legendary Beast Emperor here? Could he live with himself if he didn't punch the man? The people suffered while he slept or sat, whatever, on his secret throne?
The next step he took wouldn't just be following Pyra, he decided, it would be making a choice to learn more about the past. A past that wasn't what he wanted it to be. Yet, he took the step onto the bridge, all these thoughts playing out in only a second of hesitation. He had come this far, only his reason for walking would change.
---
The broken chunks of glowing crystal were gathering in the Adventurers Guild as the few madmen returned from destroying dungeons. Guildmaster Rowan rubbed his temples from the request forms on the table. Said madmen thought that they could get extra coin out of them because it was a "great accomplishment". He might have even agreed if the System didn't give out this quest so directly.
Did they think it was still great when the System no longer blocked their attacks with impenetrable shields? It was a hazing for some to send new adventurers to destroy a dungeon core. The results had always earned them a night on the town paid for by the party involved. Now, the things were just floating crystals. Target practice for anyone to smash, except that one in the south of Varithfall. Apparently, the towns nearest it had fled for other places when the System declared it an Anomaly zone.
Which was something unheard of in living memory, since the Borders of the Realm had to be pushed back over dozens of years to reclaim the land lost to chaos. But there was a land that had fallen to chaos without becoming a haze of madness. At least that was the rumors.
There was so damn much going on in his territory he only gave it a passing note, before he focused back on the broken sky and strange monsters leaving the broken doors of the dungeon. Apparently, the blasted Runemaster was down there too, and there was still beasts rampaging in the streets. Or, should be rampaging, but they seemed to be just running as far away as they could.
Who had ever heard about dungeon monsters ignoring living creatures to run away?
---
A single white eye cracked open in the shattered sky. It was a small mercy it granted those below, the price of a deal made to a pair of old men. Well, part of the price, it reminded itself. They would have to do the sneaking around of that old city themselves.
At the very least it would provide some entertainment as this act's curtain began to close. All the pieces in their places, all the events playing out as the dice determined. A thousand years, a forgotten deal, and the final curtain call.
"Perhaps the greatest play ever written." It laughed to itself, as the eye closed.