Chapter 196: The Vault
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Chapter 196: The Vault
The pained mewling of an injured wolf drifted through the silent, pitch-dark halls.
Vir Blinked directly at it to find a pile of rubble.
Did the wolf get caught in a collapse? Vir dug through the rubble, unsure of how the wolf could have gotten into this predicament. Had a portion of the room caved in? Vir hadnt heard a thing, though hed been in the vault. He could very well have missed it.
Its prana signature was hidden by the Imperium metal covering it, so Vir worked blindly, throwing pieces away with Empower while keeping a keen eye out for the enemy.
Prana Vision functioned even better in the dark. Few things could sneak up on Vir At least, that was what he told himself to ward off the creeping terror.
With one final heave, he lobbed the last boulder away to reveal the wolf.
Except there was something wrong. Prana Vision didnt see the same as regular sight did. It saw the centers of prana in the body, as well as the general shape of the creature.
The wolf was almost identical to the others. But not quite. Instead of a single beating heart, it had two.
Few things could sneak up on Vir Unless they took the form of a friend.
Run! Vir roared as he slipped into shadow. He could almost hear his beating heart pumping madly, despite time having stopped.
It took several counts for the primal fear to wash over him. Only then did he extend an arm from the farthest shadow he could find.
The Yaksha rose, bounding through the darkness.
Vir paled. It was targeting the other wolves.
No!
Vir popped his head out next to the remaining wolves. Get out of here! he roared. Run!
They must have sensed the panic in his voice, for they Blinked away.
The Yaksha halted its pursuit, and Vir breathed more easily. Now he only had to worry about himself.
His relief was short-lived.
The Yakshas paws left the ground. It rose higher and higher, floating in midair. Then it morphed.
Its torso straightened and its legs expanded grotesquely, lengthening, then growing into humanoid limbs. Far too many limbs.
Instead of two arms, it sported six, and instead of legs, it sat atop a pyramidal base. The Yaksha had no handsits arms ended in curved blades. Like talwars embedded into its golden skin. All glowing blue and buzzing with the promise of death.
Vir could tell their color because, like its skin, it glowed.
Golden light illuminated the room, and for the first time, Vir saw the intricate gold leaf inscriptions that snaked all over the walls, ceiling, and even the floor. The gold was complemented by blue accents to create a grand design.
In any other situation, hed have been awed by its beauty. Now, it only served to complement the Yaksha Guardians horrific visage.
The wolf's head transformed into a human one, with a hungry smile plastered on its face. Two additional faces protruded from the sides of the same head, each with their own slightly different, unmoving expression.
The smiling Yaksha floated a pace above the ground, absolutely still. Then it disappeared.
Vir cursed, swimming through the shadows to rejoin the fleeing wolves. They made good time, but the Yaksha moved fast. Vir threw a chakram at the six armed guardian, augmenting it with Chakram Launch. The Yaksha stopped it in its tracks.
Its head swiveled, observing Vir.
He didnt wait, sinking immediately back into the shadows.
I need to run, he thought frantically. But to where?
If he followed the wolves, the Yaksha would, too. He needed to buy time for the wolves to flee to safety, but only if it meant he would survive as well. He refused to use them as bait to save himself. Not unless he absolutely had to.
Vir fled from the beast, plotting a course directly opposite the wolves escape path. If he kept going, hed eventually reach the other side of the gargantuan building. And then hed be out.
Thanks to Dance of the Shadow Demon, the Yaksha wouldnt be able to follow easily.
Vir forced himself to calm down. Hed survived until now. He would overcome this as well.
Hesitantly, Vir walked back to the box, keeping a wary eye on the Yaksha.
Prana Blade had failed to break through, so Vir activated Blade Launch. The disc of prana hit the box and disappeared harmlessly.
Vir ground his teeth, tension rising.
The Yaksha continued to watch.
Its signature blazed far more brightly than before when it had been in the form of the wolf. Had it been hiding its power to disguise its prana signature?
Its two hearts blazed dazzlingly brightly to Virs eyes.
Two hearts. Two energy cores? Vir wondered. Maybe
He killed the thought before itd even formed. Even if they were prana cores, he didnt even think about fighting it. Vir didnt even know if he could flee from the Yaksha. Killing it was out of the question.
Vir refocused on the container. It was immovable and impervious to damage. There was just one trick he could try.
Vir reasserted Prana Dam, which he hadnt had to use recently thanks to Parais Barrier pattern, which repulsed prana and was generally superior.
Except in this instance, he didnt want to repel prana, he wanted to suck it in at a very specific point.
Activating Blade Launch, Vir purged his body of prana. He then opened a small hole in the dam, on his palm, which he placed on the box.
The inscription running around the box used Ash prana just like he did. Which meant he could drain it.
The trickle immediately flowed into his hand. It wasnt muchthe inscription was on its last legsbut it was enough.
The inscription flashed a few times, then winked out of existence. The box hissed as its top lifted, then vanished into thin air.
Vir watched as rust developed on the metal in seconds. Whatever material the Imperium used for its buildings and roads couldnt survive without preservation inscriptions.
Initially, Vir had thought that the materials had simply aged rapidly, but now he wondered if the metal itself was designed to function with the inscription. It would explain why the fallen spire had degraded while the orb inside the half-built automaton had not.
Vir waited a moment longer for the metal to weaken, eyes darting between the box and the Yaksha who lurked just beyond the wall on the other side.
This better be worth it.
With bated breath, Vir peered inside and found a flat ribbon an inch wide.
He reached in and picked it up.
The ribbon was coiled around a spool, and it glowed blue. Its surface was covered with a maze of tiny straight lines that formed a beautiful pattern. The lines zigzagged across the ribbon, never crossing one another.
It was beautiful, but right now, it did him little good. While he couldnt tell if it was a functioning Artifact, he pocketed it regardless. It was the only piece of Imperium magic hed come across in the whole city.
Vir reached into the box once again and pulled out the insert the ribbon had been set on.
Underneath was a tray with two semicircular indentations. Orb receptacles. And they were empty.
Vir roared in frustration.
Why? Why cant they have been there? Why cant things just Wait.
Two core slots.
What are the chances
Vir looked up. The Yaksha was gone.
He whirled and screamed out in terror.
The Yaksha floated just inches away. Smiling.
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Chapter 196: The Vault
The pained mewling of an injured wolf drifted through the silent, pitch-dark halls.
Vir Blinked directly at it to find a pile of rubble.
Did the wolf get caught in a collapse? Vir dug through the rubble, unsure of how the wolf could have gotten into this predicament. Had a portion of the room caved in? Vir hadnt heard a thing, though hed been in the vault. He could very well have missed it.
Its prana signature was hidden by the Imperium metal covering it, so Vir worked blindly, throwing pieces away with Empower while keeping a keen eye out for the enemy.
Prana Vision functioned even better in the dark. Few things could sneak up on Vir At least, that was what he told himself to ward off the creeping terror.
With one final heave, he lobbed the last boulder away to reveal the wolf.
Except there was something wrong. Prana Vision didnt see the same as regular sight did. It saw the centers of prana in the body, as well as the general shape of the creature.
The wolf was almost identical to the others. But not quite. Instead of a single beating heart, it had two.
Few things could sneak up on Vir Unless they took the form of a friend.
Run! Vir roared as he slipped into shadow. He could almost hear his beating heart pumping madly, despite time having stopped.
It took several counts for the primal fear to wash over him. Only then did he extend an arm from the farthest shadow he could find.
The Yaksha rose, bounding through the darkness.
Vir paled. It was targeting the other wolves.
No!
Vir popped his head out next to the remaining wolves. Get out of here! he roared. Run!
They must have sensed the panic in his voice, for they Blinked away.
The Yaksha halted its pursuit, and Vir breathed more easily. Now he only had to worry about himself.
His relief was short-lived.
The Yakshas paws left the ground. It rose higher and higher, floating in midair. Then it morphed.
Its torso straightened and its legs expanded grotesquely, lengthening, then growing into humanoid limbs. Far too many limbs.
Instead of two arms, it sported six, and instead of legs, it sat atop a pyramidal base. The Yaksha had no handsits arms ended in curved blades. Like talwars embedded into its golden skin. All glowing blue and buzzing with the promise of death.
Vir could tell their color because, like its skin, it glowed.
Golden light illuminated the room, and for the first time, Vir saw the intricate gold leaf inscriptions that snaked all over the walls, ceiling, and even the floor. The gold was complemented by blue accents to create a grand design.
In any other situation, hed have been awed by its beauty. Now, it only served to complement the Yaksha Guardians horrific visage.
The wolf's head transformed into a human one, with a hungry smile plastered on its face. Two additional faces protruded from the sides of the same head, each with their own slightly different, unmoving expression.
The smiling Yaksha floated a pace above the ground, absolutely still. Then it disappeared.
Vir cursed, swimming through the shadows to rejoin the fleeing wolves. They made good time, but the Yaksha moved fast. Vir threw a chakram at the six armed guardian, augmenting it with Chakram Launch. The Yaksha stopped it in its tracks.
Its head swiveled, observing Vir.
He didnt wait, sinking immediately back into the shadows.
I need to run, he thought frantically. But to where?
If he followed the wolves, the Yaksha would, too. He needed to buy time for the wolves to flee to safety, but only if it meant he would survive as well. He refused to use them as bait to save himself. Not unless he absolutely had to.
Vir fled from the beast, plotting a course directly opposite the wolves escape path. If he kept going, hed eventually reach the other side of the gargantuan building. And then hed be out.
Thanks to Dance of the Shadow Demon, the Yaksha wouldnt be able to follow easily.
Vir forced himself to calm down. Hed survived until now. He would overcome this as well.
Hesitantly, Vir walked back to the box, keeping a wary eye on the Yaksha.
Prana Blade had failed to break through, so Vir activated Blade Launch. The disc of prana hit the box and disappeared harmlessly.
Vir ground his teeth, tension rising.
The Yaksha continued to watch.
Its signature blazed far more brightly than before when it had been in the form of the wolf. Had it been hiding its power to disguise its prana signature?
Its two hearts blazed dazzlingly brightly to Virs eyes.
Two hearts. Two energy cores? Vir wondered. Maybe
He killed the thought before itd even formed. Even if they were prana cores, he didnt even think about fighting it. Vir didnt even know if he could flee from the Yaksha. Killing it was out of the question.
Vir refocused on the container. It was immovable and impervious to damage. There was just one trick he could try.
Vir reasserted Prana Dam, which he hadnt had to use recently thanks to Parais Barrier pattern, which repulsed prana and was generally superior.
Except in this instance, he didnt want to repel prana, he wanted to suck it in at a very specific point.
Activating Blade Launch, Vir purged his body of prana. He then opened a small hole in the dam, on his palm, which he placed on the box.
The inscription running around the box used Ash prana just like he did. Which meant he could drain it.
The trickle immediately flowed into his hand. It wasnt muchthe inscription was on its last legsbut it was enough.
The inscription flashed a few times, then winked out of existence. The box hissed as its top lifted, then vanished into thin air.
Vir watched as rust developed on the metal in seconds. Whatever material the Imperium used for its buildings and roads couldnt survive without preservation inscriptions.
Initially, Vir had thought that the materials had simply aged rapidly, but now he wondered if the metal itself was designed to function with the inscription. It would explain why the fallen spire had degraded while the orb inside the half-built automaton had not.
Vir waited a moment longer for the metal to weaken, eyes darting between the box and the Yaksha who lurked just beyond the wall on the other side.
This better be worth it.
With bated breath, Vir peered inside and found a flat ribbon an inch wide.
He reached in and picked it up.
The ribbon was coiled around a spool, and it glowed blue. Its surface was covered with a maze of tiny straight lines that formed a beautiful pattern. The lines zigzagged across the ribbon, never crossing one another.
It was beautiful, but right now, it did him little good. While he couldnt tell if it was a functioning Artifact, he pocketed it regardless. It was the only piece of Imperium magic hed come across in the whole city.
Vir reached into the box once again and pulled out the insert the ribbon had been set on.
Underneath was a tray with two semicircular indentations. Orb receptacles. And they were empty.
Vir roared in frustration.
Why? Why cant they have been there? Why cant things just Wait.
Two core slots.
What are the chances
Vir looked up. The Yaksha was gone.
He whirled and screamed out in terror.
The Yaksha floated just inches away. Smiling.
Chapter 196: The VaultThe pained mewling of an injured wolf drifted through the silent, pitch-dark halls.Vir Blinked directly at it to find a pile of rubble.Did the wolf get caught in a collapse? Vir dug through the rubble, unsure of how the wolf could have gotten into this predicament. Had a portion of the room caved in? Vir hadnt heard a thing, though hed been in the vault. He could very well have missed it.Its prana signature was hidden by the Imperium metal covering it, so Vir worked blindly, throwing pieces away with Empower while keeping a keen eye out for the enemy.Prana Vision functioned even better in the dark. Few things could sneak up on Vir At least, that was what he told himself to ward off the creeping terror.With one final heave, he lobbed the last boulder away to reveal the wolf.Except there was something wrong. Prana Vision didnt see the same as regular sight did. It saw the centers of prana in the body, as well as the general shape of the creature.The wolf was almost identical to the others. But not quite. Instead of a single beating heart, it had two.Few things could sneak up on Vir Unless they took the form of a friend.Run! Vir roared as he slipped into shadow. He could almost hear his beating heart pumping madly, despite time having stopped.It took several counts for the primal fear to wash over him. Only then did he extend an arm from the farthest shadow he could find.The Yaksha rose, bounding through the darkness.Vir paled. It was targeting the other wolves.No!Vir popped his head out next to the remaining wolves. Get out of here! he roared. Run!They must have sensed the panic in his voice, for they Blinked away.The Yaksha halted its pursuit, and Vir breathed more easily. Now he only had to worry about himself.His relief was short-lived.The Yakshas paws left the ground. It rose higher and higher, floating in midair. Then it morphed.Its torso straightened and its legs expanded grotesquely, lengthening, then growing into humanoid limbs. Far too many limbs.Instead of two arms, it sported six, and instead of legs, it sat atop a pyramidal base. The Yaksha had no handsits arms ended in curved blades. Like talwars embedded into its golden skin. All glowing blue and buzzing with the promise of death.Vir could tell their color because, like its skin, it glowed.Golden light illuminated the room, and for the first time, Vir saw the intricate gold leaf inscriptions that snaked all over the walls, ceiling, and even the floor. The gold was complemented by blue accents to create a grand design.In any other situation, hed have been awed by its beauty. Now, it only served to complement the Yaksha Guardians horrific visage.The wolf's head transformed into a human one, with a hungry smile plastered on its face. Two additional faces protruded from the sides of the same head, each with their own slightly different, unmoving expression.The smiling Yaksha floated a pace above the ground, absolutely still. Then it disappeared.Vir cursed, swimming through the shadows to rejoin the fleeing wolves. They made good time, but the Yaksha moved fast. Vir threw a chakram at the six armed guardian, augmenting it with Chakram Launch. The Yaksha stopped it in its tracks.Its head swiveled, observing Vir.He didnt wait, sinking immediately back into the shadows.I need to run, he thought frantically. But to where?If he followed the wolves, the Yaksha would, too. He needed to buy time for the wolves to flee to safety, but only if it meant he would survive as well. He refused to use them as bait to save himself. Not unless he absolutely had to.Vir fled from the beast, plotting a course directly opposite the wolves escape path. If he kept going, hed eventually reach the other side of the gargantuan building. And then hed be out.Thanks to Dance of the Shadow Demon, the Yaksha wouldnt be able to follow easily.Vir forced himself to calm down. Hed survived until now. He would overcome this as well.Hesitantly, Vir walked back to the box, keeping a wary eye on the Yaksha.Prana Blade had failed to break through, so Vir activated Blade Launch. The disc of prana hit the box and disappeared harmlessly.Vir ground his teeth, tension rising.The Yaksha continued to watch.Its signature blazed far more brightly than before when it had been in the form of the wolf. Had it been hiding its power to disguise its prana signature?Its two hearts blazed dazzlingly brightly to Virs eyes.Two hearts. Two energy cores? Vir wondered. MaybeHe killed the thought before itd even formed. Even if they were prana cores, he didnt even think about fighting it. Vir didnt even know if he could flee from the Yaksha. Killing it was out of the question.Vir refocused on the container. It was immovable and impervious to damage. There was just one trick he could try.Vir reasserted Prana Dam, which he hadnt had to use recently thanks to Parais Barrier pattern, which repulsed prana and was generally superior.Except in this instance, he didnt want to repel prana, he wanted to suck it in at a very specific point.Activating Blade Launch, Vir purged his body of prana. He then opened a small hole in the dam, on his palm, which he placed on the box.The inscription running around the box used Ash prana just like he did. Which meant he could drain it.The trickle immediately flowed into his hand. It wasnt muchthe inscription was on its last legsbut it was enough.The inscription flashed a few times, then winked out of existence. The box hissed as its top lifted, then vanished into thin air.Vir watched as rust developed on the metal in seconds. Whatever material the Imperium used for its buildings and roads couldnt survive without preservation inscriptions.Initially, Vir had thought that the materials had simply aged rapidly, but now he wondered if the metal itself was designed to function with the inscription. It would explain why the fallen spire had degraded while the orb inside the half-built automaton had not.Vir waited a moment longer for the metal to weaken, eyes darting between the box and the Yaksha who lurked just beyond the wall on the other side.This better be worth it.With bated breath, Vir peered inside and found a flat ribbon an inch wide.He reached in and picked it up.The ribbon was coiled around a spool, and it glowed blue. Its surface was covered with a maze of tiny straight lines that formed a beautiful pattern. The lines zigzagged across the ribbon, never crossing one another.It was beautiful, but right now, it did him little good. While he couldnt tell if it was a functioning Artifact, he pocketed it regardless. It was the only piece of Imperium magic hed come across in the whole city.Vir reached into the box once again and pulled out the insert the ribbon had been set on.Underneath was a tray with two semicircular indentations. Orb receptacles. And they were empty.Vir roared in frustration.Why? Why cant they have been there? Why cant things just Wait.Two core slots.What are the chancesVir looked up. The Yaksha was gone.He whirled and screamed out in terror.The Yaksha floated just inches away. Smiling.
