Ch. 14 The Vault

We walk through what seems like five different checkpoints with vault- like doors so heavy it requires two of the four guardian automatons stationed at every entrance to open them. The first was another retinal scan and the second was a pinch of hair from my head, and below the belt. Yes, I said below the belt line, and yes plucking hair down there both stung and was plain uncomfortable especially with the automaton sentries watching. Lena and Tamika stared all bulgy eyed only to tell me afterward that humor was a part of their update, and they were just kidding so only the hair on my head was really needed after the fact.

The third Vault level required a blood sample from me and the fourth requested fingerprints. Now at the fifth and final vault door I stare at a halo- projection of the battle synchronized to a ring I am wearing while I wait for it to open. The immediate threat has been quelled thanks to me sending our own warrior sentries to my mother's and Aristotle's aid via magic circle transport before trekking down here into the unknown. I am relieved to see they were victorious in battle, but I fear any further assaults might end in their deaths. Both are heavily fatigued.

All it takes is a quick glance to see they are only able to stand by leaning against each other. If Ace was there, he could heal them himself quick fast and in a hurry.

But there has still been no sign of him as far as I can tell. Lina and Tomika have yet to brief me on what they found on him or my roommate. For now, all I can do is hope that they can get a shot of Tahasun in before the next wave.

The vault door creeks open slowly and enter into the dark chamber. There is a chill in the air. Torches along the walls begin to light themselves with a green flame, and still the chill remains. This, this is bonkers! I whispered softly this magic stuff is crazy. How the hell is there a vault inside four other vaults, underneath a stadium inside a country villa? I still cannot seem to get use to the realization. Where the roof should be all I see is a cloak of darkness like a moonless night with no stars.

The three of us reach the bottom of the twelve steps that level off onto even ground. The guards on the outside shut the door unexpectedly, almost startling me. What is that about? I ask the twins, “They are going to let us out after you show me whatever it is you are going to show me? Right!?” They each nodded without concern, and I am content.

We proceed to make our way towards the rubix like, golden cube in the center. It floats above an alter like structure about six feet off the ground roughly three hundred twenty feet away. The area immediately surrounding the base of the alter is covered in a smoky black cloud of mist similar to the sky but not quite as dark. I let my elfin vision zoom in as I try to breach and fan the smoke closely with my eyes, only to fail. There is something about the base that distorts and disorients me when I try to home in on it, Lina sees me struggling as we cross the one hundred fifty-foot marker an says, “you might as well save your strength even your mother’s magnificent visual powers can’t pierce the field around it. Fine, I concede, I tell her. Speaking of which, why is it Lina that you look so much like her? Who? Lina replies. My mother of course, surely you know that. You too Tomika but with freckles. I say leaning forward peering around Lina. We continued to walk the final hundred twenty feet through the field. They tell me Hephaestus crafted them with my mother, Luanna in mind. Knowing the possible repercussions for willingly giving birth to and harboring a hybrid. The Greek God of the forge and the dwarfed chief blacksmith. Grendyhr made them in her and her sisters’ likeness in the event that both were killed before I came into my own. The two of them believed a familiar face could spare me the pain of losing a parent, kind of in some small way. However, after losing my aunt in a separate matter it was determined the hunt for me had ended to some degree which was the reason for them remaining dormant for so long.

We finally reach the black mist edge, and we stand there in silence until I decide to be the one to break it. “So, umm what am I waiting to see exactly?” Ssssh, they say patience. I raise an eyebrow at the two of them in response. Yeah, is it just me or did you already forget there is still a battle going on upstairs?

Patience is a virtue, I get it, believe me, I get it, but whatever this thing is I’m sure the enemy will agree we don’t have the luxury of waiting anymore. The time for action is now.

Just then as if rehearsed the shifting black mist disperses outward with a force that makes me brace myself. Well, that was con – I am about to say convenient when I start to feel a huge warm breath bearing down on me. My danger senses start to tingle like Spiderman as a long shadow extends passed us into the distance. Lina and Tomika are looking up at something behind me now unphased, undeterred, and strangely surprised. Reassuring as their expressions are decided I’ve been fooled enough lately and attempt to take up shelter behind a random boulder with my bow at the ready.

I take a moment to calm my nerves. Sucking in a few deep breathes before putting my game face on. A strange wave of energy ripples outward passing through the boulder and me continuing to expand out toward the tree line. Crouching low, I peer around the boulder just as a stone leg comes skittering to stop across from me. Then, I see an arm, a foot, a midsection split in two and finally a head comes whizzing past.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

I pull my own head out of the way just in the nick of time to prevent a second head comes to a sudden stop when it rolls into a tree stump a few yards behind me.

I see that it is Lina head, so I assume the rest of the parts are hers too.

It does not take long for me to confirm this assumption because not only do I hear her head mumble, “Oh well this is unfortunate,” but when I look back towards the alter, I see Tomika, she is riding on the head of a canine that must be at least three times Aristotle’s full size. It shakes its head and bucks like a bull trying to sling her off but because she still has no lower body the rest of her stone body just slams to and fro into its head like a Flintstone’s Bam Bam baby tantrum or a seesaw, take your pick.

Lina’s head starts to power off. One of the gears is clearly bent of shape, causing the others to scrape and spark. Before she goes offline, and her head erupts in flames she manages to tell me.

“Defeat the guardian. Claim the artifact.” Smoke pours out of her ears and the luminous green glow from her eyes dull until they too yield to the smoke completely devoured as it seeks out.

Meanwhile, the mutant canine has grown tired and a bit woozy from Tamika’s stump constantly slamming into its head. Now charging head long into a tree it rushes past me and bashes Tomika against the wide trunk of a very sturdy tree. Cracks spread like wildfires across the remainder of Tomika’s stone body. I step out and line up my shot as it prepares to smash her again. Poosh! The blazing blue arrow soars through the air leaving a heat trail before skewering the canine’s left hind leg. A howling out from the belly of the beast. Still, it ignores me and prepares to crush Tomika again. One, Two, Three, I let off three more arrows into the beast’s hind legs in swift succession. Finally, I have his attention. At least I am quite sure that thing between his legs means it is a male.

Slowly it turns to face in my direction, eyes red with anger. He bows his head low growling and then sniffs. That is when his eyes widen, and I begin to hear his mind- speak voice like Aristotle’s. His voice very deep and raspy booms in my head so loud there is even tingling in my ears. His out loud growls continue while he speaks to my mind. “You reek of a Sun God!” he says angrily. Then his eyes glazed over for an instant before changing back to red. He then adds, yet his scent is on you too. “Could it be? He said sniffing the air again.” He trembles for a moment also stealing a glance at the cube prior to returning his gaze to me.

He squints his eyes slightly like something has occurred to him. Those red eyes of his begin to dart around always coming back to me though. Like I am missing piece of some puzzle. He looks at the ground quick and realizes that he has been pacing back and forth for a few seconds. Suddenly, he stops again gazing at me harder this time almost as if he is not looking at me but through me towards something else, someone else. Finally, I hear his voice again, but this time I do not get the sense of confusion or annoyance I did before. This time his booming voice is filled with malice. “Child, tell me where Aristotle is?”

Something inside tells me shit is about to get real, so I best bring it. I comply

with my inner conscious and shift into what my mother considers my true form, which of course is my elven form. Somehow, I feel as if she forgets that I spent the last eight years as a normal person and only forty something days shifting back and forth into one of “her” people. Even with all the practice and training I never really get used to the sensation of the shift. I feel all tingly inside not lovely doves’ butterflies tingly. More like the kind you feel when your leg or foot goes to sleep except in reverse. It is almost as if I have been asleep and docile for many years and am only now waking up.

I can never expect to know what order in which my transformation will take place even though it is over in a matter of seconds. To me it feels like it lasts a little longer though. This time my feet changed first growing about an inch in size. Emphasizing my arch until I have what I consider to be the perfect athlete’s foot and I do not mean the fungus. Next my bones themselves harden and toughen like they are lined with brass. My fingers slightly elongated around the arrow I still have pointed at the dog. My ears suddenly grow into a point and my vision becomes much more focused, more defined in every aspect as if my vision is several times greater than normal. Finally, my chocolate skin pigmentation is overtaken becoming Thanos purple and my hair storm white.

I am my elven form everything becomes even more intense. Because of this I immediately know the beast is not pleased with my new look. I now see he shows telltale signs of an animal about to pounce. I get the feeling I have reminded him of something just as his mind-speak rings out again AMALGAM!! He roars baring his fangs at me.

“No wonder his scent is on you, you are his anchor.” He leaps towards me out I rolled out of range of his sudden attack. The beast tries again but once again I evade. Blood has started to run down his hind legs and pool at his feet. He continues to ignore this and lashes out at me again and again until he slips chasing at me as I weave in and out the trees. As a result, he slides right into a boulder hitting him in the side.

Trying to get up the best wobbles and winces finally taking notice of its own blood clumped with leaves and dirt starting to stick to it. I trek to what I believe to be a suitable distance out of range and stop to ask the seemingly injured beast something that has been nagging at me while I have been dipping and dodging. “You said I smell like a Sun God, but I also have his scent.” What is your problem with Aristotle? The canine ignores me and just barks and growls defiantly as it tries to get up a second time only to fail once more. “Let’s try this then.” I say bringing Sol Saggx back out blazing bright and aiming it at the hound.” What is in the box? I ask. There is no response. Instead, the hound begins to shake himself off like dogs do when they are wet. Loose strands of hair fly off falling, floating to the ground around him like autumn leaves. Strange I start to think to myself just as the hairs suddenly start to grow and change into miniature versions of the original.

You have got to be kidding me. I cry out firing an arrow at the original only to be caught like a frisbee in the teeth of one of the clones. I watch as the fangs of the smaller hound snap the flame arrow breaking it into little, tiny sparks, reminiscent of fireworks without the excitement. Then I start to run.