Chương 16: The Ancient Door

The enigmatic etchings on the wall started to coalesce into discernible shapes under Vael's intent gaze, though their meaning remained shrouded in mystery. They were scripts from a past era, strands of an ancient Elysian language long since fallen into disuse.

As Vael's eyes traced the intricate symbols, Luminara's voice emerged, tinged with a wistful seriousness. "These are ancient Elysian scriptures," she explained, her voice a bridge to the distant past. "The first king, in ancient time, created this text. The Elysians, a race of unparalleled might, each master of the prism element, were undone by their own greed. In our quest to forge a deity for our element, one to vault us to uncharted pinnacles, we paid a dire toll. Our God bore great power, it was a bittersweet triumph, but after no Elysian child was born with the prism element. And so, with each passing generation, our strength weakened."

Vael absorbed Luminara's story, the sorrow in her voice unmistakable. "Is this the path that led you to divinity?" he inquired, a delicate probe into her past. Luminara's silence that followed was as heavy as the stone walls that encased them.

Luminara's revelation hung in the air, a riddle from the ancients: "Beyond the wall, the world shall fall." The words, cryptic and ominous, seemed to echo through the chamber, resonating with a foreboding significance.

Luminara's confusion mirrored Vael's own. "I've never encountered these words in all my years," she admitted, her voice tinged with unease. "Their meaning eludes me."

Vael furrowed his brow in thought, but before he could ponder further, the world around him jolted violently. "Wake up, Vael! Are you okay?" Lyria's voice pierced through his trance, urgent and alarmed. "We don't have time for daydreams!"

Vael snapped to attention, cutting through her words with a newfound urgency. "We need to get past this wall," he insisted, his voice firm despite the uncertainty that clouded his mind. "I can't explain it, but something tells me it's crucial. Trust me on this."

Elrik's skepticism was palpable in the cramped cell. "How are we going to possibly get past this wall?" he asked, gesturing to their lack of tools or weapons.

Undeterred, Vael pressed his hands against the cold, rough surface of the wall, his fingers tracing the ancient carvings. He tapped lightly, listening intently, his brow furrowed in concentration. "There has to be a way," he muttered to himself. His perseverance paid off when a faintly hollow sound echoed back at one spot, the stone here feeling subtly softer. "Here, guys," he called out, excitement lacing his voice. "This part... it's different."

As Lyria and Elrik joined him, their hands exploring the anomaly in the wall, the scene shifted to the town's center. A vast crowd of Elysians had gathered, a sea of anxious faces turning towards the stage where Lord Zephyrian stood, flanked by two imposing Sable Serpents.

"Good evening, everyone!" Lord Zephyrian's voice rang out across the crowded square, his tone dripping with ominous delight. "Tonight, we present a spectacle that will etch itself into your memories." His grin widened, a predatory show of anticipation, as he gestured to the two Sable Serpents beside him. "Bring the kids," he ordered, his eyes glinting with malicious excitement.

Meanwhile, back in the cell, the mood was starkly different. Vael and Elrik were engaged in a seemingly lighthearted game of Rock Paper Scissors, a momentary escape from their dire situation. "Paper!" Vael shouted triumphantly, his voice echoing slightly off the stone walls.

"Rock," Elrik declared in unison, his face losing color as he realized his defeat. He attempted a disgusted smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Well, I've already got a bad leg. What's another injury?" he quipped, though the nervousness in his voice was unmistakable.

Approaching the wall, Elrik squared his shoulders, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself for the impact. His fist, driven by a mix of desperation and determination, crashed against the softer part of the wall. To their astonishment, the stone yielded, a web of cracks spreading from the point of impact.

"It's breaking!" Lyria's voice was a mix of surprise and excitement as the wall began to crumble before their eyes. Elrik, staring at his unscathed hand in disbelief, realized the wall's deceptive fragility at that spot.

As the last piece fell away, a small, hidden door was revealed, barely large enough to crawl through. The door creaked open, releasing a gust of ancient air that raised goosebumps on their skin, a tangible reminder of the long years it had remained undisturbed.

"Vael, you first," Elrik urged, just as the distant jingle of keys and the sound of a door swinging open reached their ears.

"They're back!" Lyria's voice was tense with urgency.

"Hurry, go!" she urged Vael, who quickly dropped to all fours, squeezing through the tight space.

Their moment of hope was shattered by a guard's shout, "Hey, what are you doing?" The sound of the cell doors being unlocked was like a countdown to their capture.

"Vael, just go! We'll hold them off," Elrik said, determination etched on his face.

"I can't leave you guys," Vael protested, his voice strained.

"Just go, hurry! Remember to come back for us. Trust your intuition; we trust you," Elrik insisted, giving Vael a reassuring smile.

With a heavy heart, Vael clenched his fist, sealing the door behind him as he disappeared into the unknown. Behind him, Elrik and Lyria braced themselves, standing tall and defiant as the two Sable Serpents guards burst into the cell.

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