Solar Mage

Chapter 58: The Vault

Some coffee would really be nice right now. Actually, an elixir for energy would be even better, but those don't exist...

I try to clearly instruct Dustin's shadow, but all that comes out is a weak whisper, with sound left, that could be heard, almost completely masked by my dry exhale.

"Shaadoow–"

I abruptly recall my voice, shutting my mouth in shock at the horrific noise I just made.

What the hell was that? I sound like I haven't had water to drink for days!

My mouth slowly opens to speak once again, as I move closer to his ear, hoping he would be able to hear what I was saying.

"I have three ingreedientss to save Dustin... I neeeed to geet into the vaulllt..."

After staring at me blankly, trying to figure out whatever the hell I just said, he nods.

He managed to hear what I said? Phew– thank Pyro. Even as the one who said it, if I heard someone say that, I would not have been able to hear it even with my Heightened Senses.

Then, he starts moving to the edge of the platform, facing the Holy Knights who now have their heads up, staring at me with much anticipation.

Hey– what are you doing? I said to take me to the vault. I can't give a speech, my mind is barely working right now!

He looks out across the vast training grounds and starts to pull down his mask.

What? He's revealing his identity here? What is he thinking?! A shadow's identity can't be known by anyone, or their life could be compromised!

I stare in utter surprise, my eyes almost popping out from their sockets as he finally pulls down the mask.

What?!?! Another mask?!?!

Then he starts to speak, a purple colored aura forming around his neck.

"I will continue from where the apostle left off, you are all not evil, and the apostle applauds all of you that are alive for your righteousness! The corrupt Agon II has been killed, and the church will fall under a new leader, our glorious apostle here: Arthur Ventrike!!"

What?

The voices of hundreds cheering and shouting, fill the entire Grand Temple of Pyro, and throughout the entire capital city.

"HOORAY FOR THE GLORY OF PYRO!!!"

"HOORAY FOR OUR GREAT APOSTLE!!!"

No... don't give me more work, I can't take it... just let me rest already!!!

"Our sick leader, the Commander of the Holy Knights will be back and fully recovered soon, thanks to the great Apostle!"

He holds me up.

Oh well, up I go I guess.

"HOORAY FOR OUR GREAT APOSTLE WHO SAVED OUR COMMANDER!!!"

Heah, I feel like a baby. This feels nice though, I don't have to stand up using my own body anymore.

Then he brings me back down, my legs, whose muscles were completely relaxed. In the moment of impact, I was unable to react, still basking in comfort and relaxation, and just dangled from his arms that still held me, just at a lower setting.

I finally open my eyes, in a delayed reaction, seconds after the drop.

"Ahem,"

The shadow whispers to me.

What's happening?

I look at him with a face that shows no care in the world, smiling ignorantly.

The shadow turns back to the confused Holy Knights and outstretches his free hand toward them.

"The Apostle is tired now, you are all dismissed. The inspections are over. Wait for further orders while completing your daily tasks!"

All the Apostles salute uniformly, placing their straightened hand to their forehead as they shout:

"SIR, YES SIR!!!"

Before they quickly rush out of the training grounds in their uniform rows, teamwork calibrated perfectly, as they efficiently head to the various entrances around the training grounds.

Uh... looks like the situation was dealt with, so it doesn't matter.

"Sir Apostle, what ingredients do we need to get from the vault to heal Sir Dustin?"

I can't speak, you idiot, give me some coffee or something!

I open my mouth to try to say these unintelligent thoughts in my head, but not a sound comes out.

"Give me a second Sir Apostle, I have something that might be able to help!"

No way... does he carry coffee in his clothes? That's next level preparation!

He pulls out a small brown pill from his robe.

Ew what the hell is that? It looks like shit and smells like shit, don't tell me– I was just joking about an elixir! Please no!!!

I try to get away from him, pushing my neck as far away as possible while I try to free myself.

NOOOO!!!

***

After my mind returns, I find myself on a wooden platform, under me being my lunch of beef jerky, leaving a terrible taste in my mouth.

I quickly spit out the saliva in my mouth onto the floor, in a desperate attempt to get the taste out of my mouth while the Shadow's shadow looms over me.

"It's great to see you awake again, Sir Apostle."

Huh, who is this? And what's he talking about?

I look down from the platform, looking outward to a giant, empty training ground, as my memories flood back to me.

"So it was you!! You're the one that fed me that disgusting elixir–"

I abruptly stop talking as I see the shadow's unchanging, serious face.

Wait, I can speak and think normally now! My movement is still a little less than optimal, but its better than before. I can finish my work with this much.

"Please forge that immature display I just showed you. Thank you for getting me into my right mind, let's go and save Dustin."

He slightly leans forward, and puts his hand on his chest, in a sort of bowing fashion.

"Very well sir, please give me instructions, and I will fulfill them."

"Lead me to the vault."

"Very well sir,"

He begins to jog, instead of run, in consideration of my current state, before I suddenly shout out and stop him.

"Uh actually, Sir Shadow, my legs are still quite damaged. Could you carry me on your back, so thst we can get there faster?"

He looks at me with a straight face, staring directly at me, but not focused on anything.

Then, he walks back and turns his back to me, while crouching down.

"It will be quite a rough ride. Make sure you don't fall off."

Yes!! I get to relax for a little longer!

I climb on and wait for him to start.

After I grab onto his shoulders tightly, and I lock myself in place, he gets up.

Ugh, I can already imagine how bad the recoil from this elixir is going to be. Hopefully Pyro will save me again–

Then he starts running. He starts slow, but in just a few seconds, he runs at a speed at which I can't even comprehend what the surroundings are, the wind resistance so great and acting so quickly, that I don't get the chance to activate Swift Wind the entire journey to the vault.

After numerous passing by multiple rooms, taking countless turns, and going down numerous stairs, we arrive at the Vault.

"Dammit– I just took an elixir so why do I feel more like shit than before?"

My playful nature suddenly changes to that of doom after I look up and see the giant vault door.

Wait– I don't have the key, I forgot to take it from Dustin before I left for the adventurer's guild!! We'll have to go back and retrieve it from Dustin's belongings, but that will set us back by at least an hour!

After the shadow drops me off and I look up at the door, he begins to walk up to it.

What is he doing? Is he planning on breaking the door down? That's impossible, even I can tell in this state, from here, that that's Divinum, a metal much more powerful than black iron, said to be metal blessed by the gods in the Mythical Age! I am certain that even using all my power, I won't even be able to leave a scratch on it!

The shadow continues his march to the center of the door where a hollowed stone, carved in the outline of the Symbol of Pyro.

Maybe I'll be able to open it if I use my blessings from Pyro. I don't know how that will even work, but maybe the light will affect it? It's worth trying so that we don't have to take a detour back to Dustin and go searching for the key.

I begin to get up, my legs trembling heavily from the accumulated fatigue, and jog after the shadow.

Once he arrives at the gate, he stops and reaches for something, though I don't manage to see it because of the angle I'm looking at him from.

Is he really going to try and cut it down? Does he actually not know why it has never been broken into, in history, even though there are none guarding it?

To my surprise, the gate suddenly starts moving, the doors sliding away as the Vault of Pyro opens, revealing a massive, grand room brightly lit up, not by torches or magic lamps, but by the light radiating from the artifacts shaped in the figure of a phoenix, that are set at the top of each of the tens of pillars holding up the room.

Woah, I have only ever seen paintings of phoenixes, but these look so much more real than those paintings. They must've been crafted by Desali or some artisan like that! And this room, it's so vast and so full of gold! It might even have more artifacts than Wolkan Academy! I wonder if the Shadow will let me take any of them hehe.

I almost get distracted, trying to go and touch a round shield made of some bronze colored material, but the phoenix statue on the pillar, looking directly down at me, scares me off, also reminding me of my mission.

Why did I run away so cowardly when all I did was make eye contact with a statue? I must really be losing my mind, but it just looked so real! But forget about that, I need to get what I came here for: the Phoenix Feather, and holy water from the Holy Grail. But where are they?

From the corner of my eye, I notice something so sparkly and magnificent, that compared to all the other treasures, that shine brightly under the phoenix statues, it's like the difference between sunrise and high noon. Standing behind that statue, is the biggest pillar of them all, with a phoenix statue so giant and realistic, the flames on its back could be seen swirling around.

Woah– that must be the Holy Grail then! I am afraid of that giant phoenix above it, but I can concentrate now that I found what I was looking for.

I confidently walk up to the grand podium the gleaming Holy Grail is set on, that has many runes inscribed onto it. But as I get closer and see the phoenix up close, a bit of confidence is lost as I quiver in my boots, not because of fatigue, but genuine fear.

"Uh... Sir Shadow, are you sure that it's okay for me to touch the Holy Grail? I see some kind of runes engraved on it, it's not going to unleash the seal on the phoenix above it, that'll eat me when I touch it right?"

The shadow looks at me from afar, in an amused manner, looking relaxed as I imagine him smiling underneath his mask.

"Why are you standing so far away then?!"

My voice echoes through the room, my words delayed, as it takes over six seconds after speaking for me to hear his response.

"Don't worry about it, you're the apostle aren't you? The runes will probably make an exception for you, so just take it already!"

Probably? Did he just say probably?!?! Ugh... well, he said it was safe earlier so even if the runes do something, I won't die. Just swallow your fear and do it already, Arthur!

I punch myself in the chest before swiftly grabbing the goblet with great precision, using both hands.

I sigh in relief, before I start laughing.

"Hahaha, that was easy! Where do we look for the phoenix feather now, Sir Shadow?"

I hear a rumbling from behind, but I don't turn, when I see the Shadow's mouth start to move.

His mouth is moving, looks like he knows the location of that too! This'll be great, we'll be able to get back to Dustin and save him in less than an hour!

"What do you mean where? Just pluck one out from any one of them!"

Huh? What does he mean any one of them? He says that like phoenixes are common here, but I haven't seen a single one.

The rumbling from the stone falling to the ground stops, as the area surrounding me starts to get brighter.

Finally that annoying sound stopped, I was getting sick of how non-rhythmic it was.

The light starts to get brighter and brighter.

Alright what the hell is that– light...

I turn around and come to face the giant flaming phoenix perched on the ground behind me, sitting patiently, as if waiting in anticipation, as it tilts its head in a playful, pet-like manner.

"CAAW CAAW CAAW!!!"

The birds screech out in a terrifying and ear rupturing sound.

What the hell? All of the phoenix statues were real phoenixes?!?!