章 45: The Abandoned Cathedral
Gustav eyes gleaming in the candlelit room. "Give your best to master this stage, only then will you be able to rise! This is very important, otherwise it can be dangerous."
He paused briefly before continuing. "But don't worry, you'll know when you're ready, your body will signal it to you. The ascent itself then is simple, really. You have to repeat the ritual, but this time the focus is on the next stage. That means you have to put the name of the next stage in the prayer to get the right effect. So you replace 'strength of the warriors' with the name of the stage you want to ascend, for example. This will achieve the effect."
"But remember," Gustav cautioned, "the higher you ascend, the more you'll be tested, not just by your skills, but by your soul. This is a journey that will shape you, and you must be prepared to face the darkness within as well as without."
Lila nodded solemnly, feeling the gravity of her commitment. Gustav handed her a small, leather-bound book. "This is your guidebook, the 'Tome of the Warrior's Ascent'. It contains the prayers, rituals, and wisdom you'll need for your journey. Keep it close."
Her eyes widened as she took the book, its pages filled with ancient, arcane symbols and texts. She could feel the power emanating from it. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice trembling slightly.
Gustav nodded, his smile gentle. "You're welcome. But remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Use your newfound strength wisely."
....
The next morning, as the sun began to peek over the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of crimson and gold, Aldwyn made his way to the main hall. He was going to have his breakfast, before heading to the Lycan Cult headquarters.
On the table before him, a feast was laid out. There was a platter of crispy bacon, sending a mouth-watering aroma of smoky saltiness through the air. Next to it, a pile of scrambled eggs, so fluffy they looked like clouds. A basket of freshly baked bread, still warm to the touch, with a golden crust that crackled as he broke off a piece. There was also a selection of cheeses, from the creamiest brie to the sharpest cheddar, and a pot of steaming porridge with a jug of thick, golden honey for dipping.
„Not providing for your own food is very advantageous..." Aldwyn thought to himself.
Aldwyn took his seat and surveyed the spread. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the previous night's meal with Gustav. He filled his plate and took a bite of the bacon, savoring the crunch and the way the flavor danced on his tongue.
„I wonder how the cult will respond... I still remember one of my first visions that the old scholar showed me. I was in a fight there and got overwhelmed."
„One of the visions has already come true, even if it was only an illusion of a monster... He himself said that these are all theoretical futures that don't always come true, but the question is whether the event can be completely changed because other preconditions are present..."
„When I think about it, it makes sense. Back then, I decided to set off into the unknown, without much knowledge, without a clear destination... This time I know a lot more and have a destination that can't really be seen as a danger. After all, Enigma, or rather the Baron, wants to make a pact with them."
„This could cause the event or the outcome to change, and prevent me from getting into the fight I saw in my vision." Aldwyn reflected on the situation.
„I'm still wondering why they were interested in the Duskbringer and what did they have to do with Fabienne? I shouldn't provoke them unnecessarily, so I'll focus on my task for now."
He had to be careful not to let his guard down. The Lycan Cult was still a mystery to him.
As Aldwyn made his way through the bustling streets of Helgarde, the city began to wake up around him. The cobblestone streets were slick with the morning dew, and the sound of merchants setting up their stalls echoed off the ancient stone buildings. The air was filled with the smell of fresh bread and the distant sound of blacksmiths hammering away at their forges.
He approached the livery stable, where he found a sturdy carriage waiting for him. The driver, an old man with a weathered face and a patch over one eye, nodded in greeting as Aldwyn climbed aboard. He gave the man the address of the abandoned cathedral, his mind racing with thoughts of what awaited him there.
The journey was quiet, the clop of the horses' hooves and the creak of the carriage wheels the only sounds breaking the early morning silence. As they drew closer to the outskirts of the city, the buildings grew sparse, replaced by a dense forest that loomed over the road like a brooding sentinel. The sun had fully risen by the time they arrived at the cathedral, its once-majestic spires now jagged and broken against the sky.
Aldwyn stepped out and paid the carriage driver 1 gold and 3 silver, the coins glinting in the driver's calloused hand. The man tipped his hat and drove away, leaving Aldwyn standing before the ominous structure, his breath misting in the chilly air. The cathedral's grandeur was marred by years of neglect and the ravages of war, but it still held an eerie beauty.
„Hmm... My senses reveal nothing out of the ordinary. That should at least give me some security, even if I shouldn't rely on it completely." Aldwyn looked around carefully.
The cathedral loomed before him, a silent testament to the ravages of time and conflict. He took a moment to appreciate the grandeur of the building, despite its state of decay. The once-mighty doors stood open, beckoning him into the shadowy depths within.
Aldwyn stepped inside, his boots echoing off the cracked marble floor. The air was thick with dust and the faint scent of decay, a stark reminder of the lives that had been lost and forgotten within these walls. The stained glass windows had been shattered, leaving jagged shards to glint in the early morning light that struggled to penetrate the gloom
„I wonder which god has been worshipped here..."
The interior was vast, the arched ceilings lost in darkness above. He took a moment to let his eyes adjust, his silver gaze scanning the area.
Then, something caught his eye—a faint shimmer along the far wall, almost invisible to the naked eye. He approached cautiously, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword. The shimmer grew stronger as he neared, revealing a hidden entrance sealed by an intricate web of arcane symbols. The magic was potent, humming with ancient power that resonated with the very essence of the world around it.
Aldwyn studied the symbols, his mind racing as he tried to piece together their meaning. They were not from any language he recognized—instead, they were a mix of runes and ancient pictographs, hinting at knowledge lost to the sands of time.
„I hadn't expected that... What now? I could wait until someone appears, but who knows when that will happen."
Aldwyn sat down on a fallen boulder near the seal. ""Should I draw their attention to myself? The question is how smart would that be? I would probably be immediately classified as a danger..."
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