Grandmother decided to bring Shih’van back to their home first, to prepare a feast for their arrival. Af’rik volunteers to stay with them so that he can show them the way out of Heliola once they’re done with whatever they need doing.

Ren walks down the long hallway past the altar where the Horseman’s heart once stood, past the doorway and towards another grand foyer.

“What are you looking for?” Penny asks.

“Well, I’d rather not say, in case I get it wrong. It’ll be embarrassing.” Ren glances around, just hoping that Ignis didn’t build secret traps here or something similar. If not certain death, then they’d be promised at least a painful process of extrications. Thankfully, there does not appear to be anything of the sort. He makes it to the throne room without any issues.

Everything here looks smashed, as they should be, considering the entire place crashed from the sky. The chandeliers are shattered, and the windows utterly broken, their clinking shards scattered across the floor, most of them piled up against the wall on the opposite end. Even the golden thrones have been uprooted and are lying on their sides against a torn curtain.

But that’s a good thing, because Ren sees just what he thought he would immediately. His eyes are drawn to the hole in the ground, a circle sheared into the fraying carpet to reveal what seems to be a passage underground, under the castle.

“What is that doing there?” Vane wonders. He steps into the room, making a beeline for that hole below where the throne once stood. From where Ren stands, he can see the glint of a metal ladder peeking out from the hole. “Why would there be an entrance…”

“Only one way to find out,” Ren says, squaring his shoulders. “Ready?”

“What if there’s something dangerous down there?” Penny asks, worry evident in her tone. “I mean, we did just fight the Horseman. I don’t know about you, but I’m all knackered.”

Af’rik agrees. “Yeah, I don’t want to wind up as an Earthworm’s lunch.”

“I’ll go down first,” Vane says. “If there is anything there, you will hear me shout.” Before anyone can stop him, he grabs the rungs of the ladders, and he lowers himself into the hole. Ren hears each clank of his boots against the metal as Vane descends steadily. He’s smelling something atrocious, but he’s not hearing any growls, any snarls, or any tell-tale signs of a monster.

A sudden clang startles Ren. He peers through the hole, to see Vane whipping his head around, his sword out and at the ready. However, he lowers his blade before long, then lifting his gaze to them, and he beckons them with a wave of his hand.

“It’s safe!” he calls. “And I believe there is something here that you ought to see.”

Something that they ought to see… could it be what Ren is looking for? He hurries to the ladder and climbs down it, followed closely by Penny, and Gridel. Af’rik prefers to remain up in the throne room, in case any monsters come knocking—he’d at least be able to warn them.

Ren touches down with a dull thump, rather surprised at how tightly the sand is clumped together. He spies Vane at the very end of the dimly-lit corridor, his back to them. His voice is mixed with another’s, one that Ren does not recognise. They echo down the hallway, talking about something or other as Ren and the others steadily approach the room.

The corridor opens up into a massive hall, decked out with gold, with books, with just anything that one can imagine. Trinkets clutter the shelves, and torn pages carpet the floor. Paintings are scratched away, their frames cracked and splintered. However, despite the mess that decorates the room, what really catches Ren’s eye is the statuette on the desk in the middle of it.

It looks… holy. Like the kind of statuette one would see in a temple of an ancient civilisation. It gleams with a radiant light that shines as brightly as a scorching blaze. Ren approaches it, coming up from behind Vane.

“Whoa,” Penny utters.

Whoa is right. What is this, and has it been hidden underneath Heliola’s castle for the last three hundred years? Even before that?

“What is this?” Gridel wonders.

As if in response, the statuette glows. Penny steps forward, her hand outstretched as though wanting to touch it, but he grabs her arm and yanks her back. They have no idea what that thing does. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

“It appears that the four Luminaries have arrived.”

A deep voice resounds in his head, no different from when the other spirits talked to him. The four great spirits, that is. Does this mean that whatever is possessing this statuette is…

No, it can’t be, can it? That spirit was said to have perished a long time ago…

“Wait, are you—” Penny gasps, her hands flying up to her mouth. It seems that she has realised as well.

“You’re Ignis, the lost king,” Vane finishes. “You have to be.”

He drops, at once, to a kneel, as does Gridel, their heads lowered, their gazes on the ground. Ren swallows uncertainly, though he and Penny follow in their companions’ actions. If this statuette really contained the spirit of the emperor of Zenthos, revered by anyone and everyone, then they should bow to Him, right?

“Rise,” Ignis says. “For I am no longer worthy of your respect.”

“But, Your Majesty—” Vane starts, lifting his head.

“My entrapment in this dastardly item is a befitting punishment that I must bear,” Ignis says. “And it is for that same reason that I cannot let you bow to me.”

“What is this reason?” Gridel asks. She heeds Ignis’ instructions, as do Ren and Penny. Vane is the only one left with his knee to the ground, propped up with his fist to the floor, knuckles clenched tight.

“Are you familiar with the Old Ones?” Ignis asks.

“Yeah.” Penny nods. “I think someone told us the story before. I think it was Sylph.”

“Sylph. It’s not a name that I believed that I would hear again. How is She doing?”

“Just dandy,” Penny says. “She’s got a whole region to take care of.”

“I see. That’s good to hear.” Ignis clears His throat, a sound that reverberates in Ren’s ears, reminding him of Aqua’s hearty laugh. “Now, where was I?”

“The Old Ones,” Vane prompts.

“Indeed,” Ignis says. “If you have heard of the Old Ones, then you must have also heard of the Box.”

The Box. Ren vaguely remembers how the tale went: that Ignis was gifted a box that would unleash calamity on the world should it be opened yet would grant the opener the power of an Old One, essentially raising them to that level. However, that box disappeared, vanished when Heliola fell, though Sylph reasons that it could still be in the Caged Vault, underneath the castle—

Wait a minute. Underneath Heliola Castle… that must mean…

“Is this the Caged Vault?” Ren asks, glancing around. It looks nothing like a cage, to be honest. No metal wires, no iron beams. In fact, it looks just like any other room. But if this is the Caged Vault, then does that mean that the Box is down here somewhere?

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Besides, how did Ignis end up in the Vault anyway? Wouldn’t he have, well, been up in his throne room issuing orders when the apocalypse struck? But the apocalypse came about only when the Box was opened, didn’t it? If so, then why…

Unless…

His jaw drops—the answer’s staring at him right in the face. The cause of the apocalypse, the opening of the Box, and the reason that Ignis wishes to return all the honour that they gave him. The one who wanted to ascend to the status of an Old One was none other than…

“I see that the young boy has worked it out,” Ignis states. Then, as though He were reading Ren’s mind, He continues. “That the one who wanted to open the Box was myself.”

Gridel’s eyes widen. “You mean to say that—”

“Yes. I sought to obtain greater might—it was a simple want for more power, more power than being the Emperor of Zenthos already got me,” Ignis says, voice trailing off. “It was unbecoming of a ruler, and it was a momentary foolish decision. Even great leaders can fall to hubris.”

“And that’s why you’re trapped here? In this Caged Vault?” Penny asks.

“Wait, but something’s not right,” Ren says, shaking his head. “The Box was supposed to grant the opener the status and power of an Old One, right? So why are you still trapped here?”

Realisation dawns on Penny’s face as she whirls around to face the statuette. “He’s right. Shouldn’t you be joining your Old One buddies in some other dimension or something?”

Ignis does not respond for the longest time. No-one dares to speak, as though they would break the sacred silence. Though, the one to break it is none other than Ignis himself.

“I suppose,” Ignis says thoughtfully. “Does that mean that the Old Ones lied to us?”

If they used to be revered as much as Ignis and the other great spirits, then Ren doesn’t think that they’d be the type to outright lie. What could they gain from this anyway? Entertainment? It makes no sense.

“I don’t think so,” Penny says. “I mean, I don’t think gods called the Old Ones would lie. Come on, you gotta admit that that’s a cool name.”

Ignis doesn’t speak, but Penny doesn’t seem to care. Never before has Ren ever seen someone address an emperor respected by the entire world so casually.

“There’s gotta be another reason why you didn’t ascend,” Penny says. “Like, maybe the magic of the Box wasn’t working, or maybe—”

“Someone else opened the Box before you did,” Ren says, one arm across his chest, the fingers of the other rubbing his chin.

“You mean to question the great Emperor’s memory?” Vane hisses.

“I believe that he does have a point,” Ignis says. Vane’s eyes widen, turning back to the statuette. “If I were to search the furthest reaches of my recollections, I believe that when I headed to the Vault to retrieve the Box, to fulfil my evil intentions, there was…”

“Someone else standing there?” Gridel suggests.

“Indeed.” Ren can almost hear the frown in Ignis’ voice. “There was someone else there. Someone else who was holding the box in their hands.”

Someone else opened the Box before Ignis did, possibly in a bid to become an Old One. And it was that person who wrought the calamity upon the whole of Zenthos.

“Do you remember who it is?” Penny asks. “Like, any details at all?”

A pregnant pause settles between them. It’s difficult to judge whether or not Ignis is still with them, considering that He is nothing more than a spirit trapped in a statuette now, a faded aura sparkling around him.

“I can only remember that they were a woman, and they wore robes the colour of the earth. I believe they were an acolyte—an acolyte of the earth temple.”

“Yeah, about that,” Ren says. “I heard this name being thrown around a lot recently. Who is this Terra person?”

“Terra is my advisor, who was in charge of the temple of the earth. She was one of the greatest users of earth magic that lived in the land. It was an honour to have her on my council,” Ignis explains. “She should have become a great spirit, as did I, Aqua, and Sylph—”

“Wait.” Vane holds up a hand. “But the great spirit that is watching over us is called Gaia, not Terra.”

“Gaia? That can’t be right,” Ignis says, His voice troubled. “Gaia was…” He grunts, as though in deep thought. “No, I was sure that Gaia was Terra’s disciple.”

“Her disciple, huh? Right then, I think we have some questions we need to be asking,” Penny says. “Now that we’ve defeated all the four Horseman, I think we can go back and tell the king and queen the good news, right? Besides, that’s where Gaia is. We can ask her all about her mentor.”

That’s a good idea, in Ren’s book. They should head straight back to Gravelle—he’d very much like to see how the colony is getting on with their lives. He glances back towards the statuette—they can’t very well leave Ignis here forever. It would be too cruel, even if He thinks He deserves it.

“All right, then. Come on, you’re coming with us.” She grabs Ignis’ statuette from where He was nestled against a pile of debris. Ignis makes no noise as she hauls Him into her arms.

“Hey!”

Ren jumps at the sudden shout that echoes throughout the chamber, seeming to have come from behind them. Standing at the far end of the corridor is none other than Af’rik, whom Ren has, admittedly, completely forgotten about.

“What’s taking you so long?” he calls, cupping his mouth, apparently not daring to approach the room.

“We’re coming!” Penny spins on her heels, and she jogs towards him, with Ignis’ statuette in her arms. Gridel trails behind her, and Vane takes up the rear. It still weighs heavily on Ren’s mind, though, about the contradiction that they had unearthed. What does it mean for them and their journey?

And does Gaia have anything to do with it?

Well, once they get out of here and head back to Gravelle, they’ll soon find out.

*

“I… I’ll pass,” Ren says, holding up his hand as Shih’van offers him a plate of Tsuchigumo legs. Penny, on the other hand, is taking seconds, or maybe thirds, or fourths. At this point, Ren’s stopped keeping track.

Gridel and Vane are, as usual, munching on sugared apples and other forms of fruit. Ren nibbles at the stick of lava larvae that Af’rik pushed into his hands, congratulating them for a job well done.

The celebration is in full swing, with lively chatters and delicious food (delicious for the Batlings, probably), and the Luminaries are right there in the thick of it. Batlings flock to them, asking them questions, asking them for retellings of their fight, and, in Vane’s case, having fangirls swoon over him.

To be honest, it’s not that much different from fighting any of the other Horsemen. They’ve gone through the same process four times—it’s hardly anything new anymore. But, as always, he’s just glad that they came out of that encounter alive, and they managed to avenge Shih’van’s parents, and Grandmother’s daughter and son-in-law.

The festivities soon taper off when the food’s all gone, leaving naught but crumbs on the plates, which are then cleared up by a few of the younger Batlings. Their little ragtag Luminary team retreat into their house for the last time—they’ll leave first thing tomorrow, heading back out into a world free from the Horsemen’s iron grip.

Ren can still remember the first time he stepped into this world, when he and Penny wound up here after reciting the Sun’s Blessing prayer. It was Gridel who saved them from the Horseman of Death, and at that time, he hasn’t even met Ifrit yet. How rudimentary a time that was.

When Ren steps back into the house, he sees Ignis’ statuette placed on the table. It was His wish that they do not show him off to the Batlings, since He felt that He was not worthy of their respect. Penny managed to drop Him off in their house before they were thrown into the hustle and bustle of the Batlings’ celebrations.

“So, what are your plans?” Penny asks, striding up to the statuette. “I mean, we could leave you with Shih’van, if you want, but… uh… maybe you’d want something a little grander? Like with Aqua, or—”

“That is not necessary. This dirty, chipped statuette is fitting for someone as disgraceful as I,” Ignis says forlornly. “I will be satisfied no matter where you leave this broken body of mine.”

And He just keeps going with the self-deprecation. Ren has never seen a great spirit talk so badly about Himself for so long. Well, if he gets right down to it, Ignis really is rather humanlike, similar to the rest of them. He used to be human too, after all. One who was overcome with hubris.

“Well, we’re heading back to Gravelle, and maybe we’ll try to find a way to climb to the citadel,” Penny says. “I guess we’ll leave you with Queen Elvira and Rayfel.”

It must have been an eternity since Ren heard those names. After they’d travelled away from that tiny colony thriving under the ground, with the stunning crystal castle surrounded by sparkling water, he hardly heard mention of them anymore. And now, they’re on their way back, to be reunited with the people they vowed to save at last. On to the final portion of their journey.

And one step closer to home.

“I will go to Shih’van’s and ask them about the best route to take to go back to Gravelle,” Gridel says. “Once we obtain the directions, we can then begin our trip tomorrow.”

Ren nods, and he flashes her a thumbs-up. “Sounds good. Want one of us to go with you?”

“That’s not necessary. You and Penny, do take your well-deserved rest.”

And before any of them can argue with her, she disappears out the door, making her way quickly up the hill and towards the chieftain’s house. Meanwhile, Ren finds a nice spot to lean against the wall, pulling his knees up to his chest. A yawn creeps up his throat, and he smacks his lips once he’s done.

“It has been a tiring day,” Vane says. “Do get some sleep. We have an arduous day ahead of us tomorrow. We may need to sleep out in the open.”

“How’s our food situation looking, by the way?” Penny asks. “From how much we’ve been eating, I don’t think that we have much left.”

Vane frowns. “We may have to ask the Batlings to spare us some of their provisions, as much as I dislike that notion…” Whilst Ren can choke down the Lava Larvae with much less trouble now, neither Vane nor Gridel ever got used to eating insects. “But with the death of the Horsemen, I’m certain that beasts that have once gone into hiding have re-emerged.”

“And then we can hunt them for food!” Penny concludes.

“Quite right.”

Well, guess that’s sorted out. Ren yawns again, and he leans his head against the wall. His eyelids weigh heavily down on him, forcing him to shut them. Penny and Vane continue to talk, but he doesn’t hear a single word they say as his brain starts to wind down.

Before long, he drifts off into dreamland, dead to the world.