Timeless Prominence

The members of the Iron Ant Team shared looks and all had the same thought. Even with their combined strength, it was rather unlikely for them to gain much from the supposed treasure vault under the current circumstances.

However, that does not necessarily mean they won’t be able to gain anything from these ruins. For one, they currently stood in the forges that crafted those dwarven puppets! The Xuere elders might not have prioritized these forges, but they simply had a significantly more valuable target.

As such, Rein and the others began scouring the forges for any leftover materials.

With no immediate threat to the group, Rein had time to truly examine the dwarven stone the whole ruin was constructed from.

He placed a hand on the wall indented with dwarven symbols before deciding to give it a good hard smack with the palm of his hand.

Amazingly, the stone wall remained fully solid with no signs of shattering or deformation despite the force Rein exerted through his tempered body. It needs to be said that the stone before Rein’s eyes was not augmented by inscriptions of any sort, yet remained as unbreakable as the Hall of Heroes’ structures.

“It is said that the dwarves used alchemy and magic to transform the very nature of materials. A long process that… we humans can’t be bothered with. Thus the magically-inscribed walls. Less permanent but much easier to build.” Wilo offered a timely explanation to Rein. She continued to demonstrate knowledge beyond expectation.

Rein nodded in thanks. Indeed, advancer inscriptions required supply of aurae to maintain their function. The very stone of these dwarven walls had been transformed, and would stand the test of time without any supply of aurae.

“Brother. Over here!” Xeeseir gestured to Rein. Xeeseir had discovered a semi-hidden compartment covered with a slab.

The materials found inside said compartment were mostly remaining ores from an ancient time.

Rein could not identify these ores initially, for the surfaces of the ores were coated by neglect.  Luckily, once a chunk of ore had its surface cleaned, Rein was able to identify the material thanks to his training under Instructor Rahr.

The ores before his eyes weren’t super-rare, nor were they plain, run-of-the-mill.

“Black Iron…” Rein identified the material that made up the bulk of the ores within the compartment. A quality low-grade material for forging armaments effective for advancers below the outer realm.

A loud gasp drew the group’s attention to Chirh, who had entered a side-room.

The Iron Ant Team gathered around the sideroom and discovered rows upon rows of neatly stacked ingots within, in addition to a number of orderly displayed ores on a carved stone shelf. Once again, these were covered in a thick layer of dusk and oxidized layer, and thus needed some cleaning before identification.

Rein attempted to identify these ingots. He communicated to the team some of their names. “Cold iron, a wavy high carbon steel, orichalcum, adamantite, scarletite, truesilver, starmetal ingots,” he said as he pointed with a finger with each name. However, there were many types of ingots that he could not identify.

Still, the names he spoke elicited joy in the hearts of the team. Some of these metals, though not as universal as limpite and lumite, are used in craft weapons for advancers beyond the telekinetic realm.

“As for all these others… I apologize for my failure in identifying them,” Rein sighed as he bowed his head in shame.

“It is said that the dwarves are masters of material manipulation, metallurgy being one of them,” Wilo softly said. “They created metals that were specifically effective against certain races.”

Rein had to admit his curiosity was ignited. After all, Blacksmith Rahr never mentioned such types of metals.

“However, much of that has been lost, deemed ineffective by our… human ancestors. Weapons should have universal use, and needing to switch weapon types repeatedly is an inefficient use of resources and craftsmanship.”

Rein understood. No wonder he could recognize some of these metals, but not most of them. Indeed, when he thought about it, much of the blacksmith knowledge he had learned from bothe Blacksmith Tiehr and Blacksmith Rahr carried ‘universal’ qualities.

Limpite, lumite, and the incredibly rare prismatic fictite could be integrated into any armaments, and conducted all types of elements.

The base metals in which the three conductive metals could be integrated within? Precisely the ingots of various qualities that he had successfully recognized.

To Rein’s human mind, humans simply did things much more efficiently. To use different weapons of different compositions depending on the foe? That meant having to carry, adapt, and master weapons of various weight, even if they are of similar design.

There is also the issue of supply and reusability. A weapon designed for a fire elemental user would be useless in the hands of other advancers with no affinity to fire. In a war, this would lead to many weapons losing their usefulness on the battlefield, if the original user fell.

With a universal design in mind, an advancer could easily pick up another weapon on the battlefield if needed. After a battle, weapons of the fallen can be recollected and quickly redistributed.

“Young brother!” Rein was brought out of his meandering mind by Xeeseir’s voice, and his eyes discovered this kindly man handing him a few ingots.

Rein took these and placed them inside his spatial pouch. Due to the weight of these ingots, there is a limit to how many they could take. As such, they discarded much of the stored meat of the three-headed cobra. In their minds, they should be returning to the Halls soon after this unexpected excursion-- the extra meat was not needed.

The Iron Ant team focused on having at least one of each type of ingot, before targeting a balance of the ingots that Rein recognized. Rein, with his tempered body, was the one who could bear the most weight inside his spatial pouch, with Xeeseir in second.

To Dahk’s shock, he was not a clear third, carrying a similar amount of weight compared to Suxeire.

Rein gave his Suey a praising smile that sent the lady’s own lips curling upwards. Though Suey’s tempering art focused not on raw power, their nightly activities had certainly brought her much progress on the tempering path. The flexibility of her body allowed her to spring about and tolerate increased weight.

Poor Dahk, who had come to the Halls to prove his worth and clear his name to his compatriots in the Southern Starry Seas, seemed to be facing an internal crisis of sorts.

“So what next?” Chirh mumbled. “I think we should stay here. It is somewhat safe and all.” He had kept his lips sealed through their many tribulations that day, and felt that he had experienced quite enough excitement for one day.

“You are all to cooperate with me to open this vault!” A stern and demanding voice rumbled through Rein’s and the others’ minds. Wherever that treasure vault may be below, it seemed that the conflict over its contents might progress in unexpected ways.

“Let’s go up,” Xeeseir said with a frown, as he recalled that the voice of the telekinetic Great Sect advancer intended to fleece all advancers within the ancient ruins. Perhaps they could hide somewhere undetected and avoid having their rare ingots taken.

He led them into a grand hallway shaped by that dwarven-treated durable stone. They wandered about and bumped into a few lone fallen devils scurrying about. Naturally, those devils dashed off upon seeing their large group, unable to quickly determine their strength. Luckily, they did not encounter any strong devils-- these strong devils must be intent on gaining something from said treasure vault.

Soon, a spiraling staircase that went both up and down was found, and the Iron Ant Team ascended the stone steps.

Rein was perplexed by a sudden feeling in his heart. As if something was calling out to him again. Yet it was his spatial aurae that seemed restless, and not the lightning dragon that signaled a vision from the echo of Gent’s spirit.

Yet, he knew it must be something important, and as such, signaled the others to follow him. Xeeseir simply nodded in assent.

Rein allowed his instincts to take over, and they eventually exited the spiral at the highest level into another grand hallway. Rein followed the guide of his spatial element and they entered a library after a few twists and turns.

Somehow, the booklets here had not decayed. Rein assumed that the materials used for these books must have been alchemically and magically treated as well.

He kept following the guide of his spatial element and came before a bookcase.

The others watched in confusion as they observed Rein crouching in search of something. Rein ran his finger across the books while forcing his spatial element to the tip of his finger, and suddenly, he vanished from the library with a soft plop!

The others nearly collapsed in shock, and Suey carried a deep worried look for her ‘celest’. Their hearts calmed when Rein's voice sounded out from a book.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry. There’s just an… odd space in here.”

“Bar the entrance,” Xeeseir commanded, and the members looked about for appropriate objects, and soon rushed to shift stone slabs to block the entrance. These stone slabs seemed to be decorations telling the stories of early dwarven history. In some ways, it felt like a precursor to the Hall of Heroes’ structural carvings.

Within the world inside the book that Rein had been transported to, he wandered forward towards a flat-topped grand pyramid. The very same he had seen in his vision of the dragons’ battle against the young Allfather and Dragonknight Zelli.

He entered the pyramid made of the same unique dwarven stone, now recognizing the symbol of the Molten Stone Clan across the walls. Eventually, he reached the throne room, with a large flickering lamp in the middle

“So, you’re finally here,” the flickering lamp spoke.

A ray of light shot forth and a spiritual form of Dragonknight Zelli coalesced before Rein’s astonished eyes.

“O new carrier, inheritor of Hundun’s echo. It has been too long. You took too long to awaken.”

______________________________________________________________________________

Many levels below the Iron Ant Team.

The devils gathered around the Harvest Devil Ailehr. Only in such times are the devils able to put aside their differences. Their primary enemy? The advancers of the Great Sects on the other side of the treasure vault’s entrance hall.

Meanwhile, the Xuere elders and Lyne’s team sat at a corner, hoping that they would be simply ignored. They might have a chance to attack Ailehr and steal whatever magical tool she may be using to carry the captured Lyne. Still, coming here was perhaps not the brightest idea.

“Tell me what you have discovered,” Bienze, the Uni Sect telekinetic advancer demanded. The devils had arrived here first. They must have figured out something.

The gathered devils felt a force compelling them to speak. The weaker ones had to bite their tongues and use pain to resist the magic within Bienze’s words and some even began to bleed from their orifices due to the telekinetic pressure.

Harvest Devil Ailehr flicked her sleeves and Bienze was surprised to find that his telekinetic bidding had been dispelled.

“You’re stronger than they say.” Bienze casted his eyes on Ailehr. She must actually be on the cusp of entering the telekinetic realm. His information on this woman was not accurate enough.

“We only see what you see,” Ailehr replied monotonously. “A puzzle where one must align the pieces in the proper order and form a perfect image. Then, the vault should open.”

Bienze gazed at the vast stone doors of the treasure vault.

“A few seem to be missing. Did you destroy the puzzle?” Bienze’s eyes narrowed. This was not unheard of. Devils often would rather no one obtain the treasures that they believe to rightfully belong to themselves.

“We only arrived a few hundred heartbeats before you. Do you think we are capable of discarding evidence of destruction so quickly?”

“Hmph…” Bienze tilted his head and spun towards the corner in which the Xueres had ‘hidden’ themselves. “You! Attempt to solve the puzzle.”

Currently, neither side wished to fight, and to maintain that balance, it was best for a third party to test the puzzle.

The male Xuere elder could only accept his fate and stepped up to the treasure vault doors. The treasure arch doors spanned a height of ten storeys, and on it are the puzzle pieces that he needed to shift.

He used his advancer powers to float into the air and move the pieces of the puzzle about in an attempt to complete the image. He discovered Bienze’s words to be true-- some puzzle pieces are missing!

The male Xuere elder also carried the suspicion that it was not simply completing the puzzle image, but rather how one completed said image must be part of the key to unlocking the treasure vault. The order and number of moves matter.

He soon failed and the puzzle pieces moved back to their original positions with the sound of scraping and clunking stones.

“Again!” Beinze ordered.

The male Xuere elder helplessly began shifting the stone slabs in an attempt to form a coherent image again.

“Do not intentionally sabotage your efforts, old man,” Beinze suspiciously said. “Your life cannot be guaranteed.”

When the male Xuere elder failed, again, his heart entered a state of turmoil, partly due to fear, partly anger. He was being forced to complete this puzzle, which based on his sight, had clearly lost a few important pieces! Yet, he lacked the ability to stand against Beinze, a telekinetic advancer accompanied by the many outer advancers of the Great Sects.

He spat and swore in frustration as he slammed a fist onto the soot-covered stone door with all his strength.

The stone door creaked open a finger.

“Huh?!” Beinze exclaimed as his form flashed to the front of the vault’s doors. A burst of aurae exploded from his body and his arms engorged into gigantic magical hands.

Two heavenly palms slammed down and the heavy vault doors were forced open. Beinze widened his eyes. The doors opened to an empty vault!

Ailehr was similarly flabbergasted by the empty vault. Yet when the eyes of the Great Sects turned upon her, she immediately fled up the spiraling staircase!

She had encountered these orthodox bastards before. She knew of their methods. Since she had arrived at the treasure vault first, the orthodox bastards were sure to accuse her of having already obtained the treasures within!

Harvest Devil Ailehr stumbled for a half-step as she felt a telekinetic art target her mind. However, her will had been tempered even before she became a devil and forced to live in the wilderness many years ago.

She quickly regained her composure and popped a pill into her mouth. She is on the cusp of entering the telekinetic realm, after all, and needed to temporarily use telekinetic powers to escape. The pill’s drawbacks can be tolerated!

Ailehr believed that the ancient ruins must have other exits close to the surface. As such, she traveled upwards, towards the uppermost floor! Both Voxeire, the Hairy Corpse Devil, and Lazr, the Insect Devil, followed her with equal desperation to escape the Great Sects.