Chapter 108: Iron Dome (1/2)
They moved quickly and efficiently. Reece produced the association's badge that allowed them to use the teleportation circle. When they informed the staff of their destination, he frowned and asked them what they wanted to do there.
”Do you know this person?” Reece gestured toward Arthur, to which the staff looked at him suspiciously before shaking his head. ”It's the Villainous Ghost!” Reece's tone was sharp like he was admonishing the staff. ”The grandmaster has asked to see him; you've probably heard of the interest he's taken in him.”
”Yes, yes. I'm sorry, please step inside the circle. Um, as for this person?” To Arthur's surprise, the staff became pale and started activating the circle. He then looked at Ivy curiously.
”She's the contestant's mom,” Reece said without batting an eye. The staff nodded his head in understanding as if he was wondering how he couldn't see it.
”I'll kill you,” Ivy whispered to Reece while the three stood inside the circle and Arthur could already imagine how much the shapeshifter would suffer.
The ground glowed and the world changed again, and Arthur found himself back in the fortress. Before anyone could say anything, Ivy made a spin and punched Reece in the gut. It was a 'light' punch that sent Reece to his knees.
”Do I look that old to you?” Ivy kicked Reece in the thigh and then turned to Arthur. ”Do I?!” Arthur shook his head vigorously. After Reece complained and whined, the three started running through the corridors.
The second layer was different from the first, having halls and wide-rooms, unlike the cramped first layer. It seemed to stretch as long as the dome itself, a circle like an onion layer, interrupted only by rooms, grandiose halls, and machinery.
”You know we can't pass the second layer, right?” Ivy remarked as the three ran through the corridors. Arthur and Reece glanced at each and the former just shrugged.
”It seems you haven't seen the first two regions,” Reece seed to Ivy's displeasure.
”Obviously, why would I waste my time on that? I was looking for any suspicious people.”
”Yeah, it's better that you see it for yourself.” Reece snickered and waited for the good show. Ivy hmphed and didn't say anything more. After a while, the trio finally reached one of the giant gates that led to the third layer.
”You better have a way in, or I'll kick your ass.” Ivy glared at Reece.
Without delaying things further, Arthur stepped forward. Just like the encryption of the first layer, there was a layer of shifting runes to hide the mechanism underneath. Despite it being complicated and a bit beyond Arthur's understanding, he was still able to decode it, albeit barely. It took him fifteen minutes at his fastest speed.
A rumbling sound echoed and the giant gate slide to the side as gears shifted. It seemed the association has marked the decoding of the first layer as the prerequisite for teleportation. The three were awed as lighted shimmer from beyond the gate to reveal stretching fields.
”Space-expansion at its finest,” Reece walked in and whistled with awe as he looked around. They felt like it was a different world as giant gears floated in the air and clunking sounds echoed from them. They were like beastly roars as if something dormant lived within them.
The ceiling stretched far in an intrados shape, marking the interior part of the dome. Further from the gate, they had just entered was another smaller dome with gears of many kinds. It was the gate for the fourth layer.
Bright lights danced on the walls and in the air as the whole spaces vibrated with the inscribed runes. Arthur took a deep breath inside and felt like his ability was resonating with this place as if he was finally home.
”Sier is right again,” Ivy's sound came from behind him and he turned to see her look at him with amazement. ”I heard the second layer can only be opened by Runes Masters, yet you did so effortlessly.”
”I guess I'm not such a newbie now,” Arthur grinned. Ivy made a sound that he thought might be a laugh before leaving him and walking farther inside.
They ran on a raised metallic path until they were close to the gates of the third layer. As they did, Arthur remembered a part of his conversation yesterday with Emma as he heard the gate close down behind them.