Chapter 98 - The Shrine - 2 (1/2)

Shadow led the eleven players down the stairs into the core region. The walls along the stairs were lined with glowing paintings. The beautiful drawings immediately caught the attention of the team. All of them, except Shadow thought that they might be some kind of story or directions that would serve as clues for exploring traversing the core region.

On looking at them, Shadow immediately realized that these pictures were the same that could be seen on the walls of the hall of the temple of the twelve in the White Heart city. They depicted the story of the twelve lords of the temple. He would have gone ahead without any comment, if not for the fact that the rest were taking pictures of the walls assuming that they might need to check it later in the core region

”Those pictures depict the story of the twelve lords of the temple of the twelve,” said Shadow as he turned around to look at them. ”They are found on the walls of the temple in the city. You can admire them in the temple later,” said Shadow implying that they shouldn't care about it and move faster.

”There might be some clues in them,” said Quiet Fire looking at Shadow a bit disgruntled. ”How can he think that these are here just for decoration and not significant to the core region of the temple? All such scenarios in games indicate clues. Don't they?” she thought without voicing out.

”Yes, the clue is that this is an old shrine which the Lord Silvannus had been protecting for a long time and constructed a fort around it. It probably was just a cave at his time,” said Shadow as he moved forward. ”This area is something which the spectre had access to and probably was well known to him if he could open it this easily, but he had no idea and feared the thing which he called a shrine. So, I sincerely doubt it would be really useful. Anyways, just take your time and follow down the stairs. I will go ahead and scout. Will inform in team chat if I find anything important,” said Shadow.

Though he knew that these drawings are not important, he couldn't explain it to them properly. So, he just told them something that he might know more than he is revealing and hoped that they would believe him. Even, if they didn't, he could take the time they were taking snapshots to go and check the shrine for traps. He just hoped that they would be able to communicate through team chat at the shrine.

His answer seemed extremely arrogant and it gave them the impression that he thinks they were stupid to consider these drawings important. It pissed off Quiet Fire and a few others. ”What is wrong with him? Why is he in such a hurry?” asked Merlin who didn't think that Shadow is a reckless character.

”He seems to be in a hurry,” said Rudra. ”He is usually quite levelheaded. He might be in some hurry, but I don't think he doesn't have any information about the shrine.”

”Be as it may, we best take the snapshots as fast as we can and get going. There is a good chance that he is right, and it is an old shrine. It is bound to have something worth all this work,” said Merlin as he was unsatisfied with the reward of the quest. Most of the weapons were moved to the shop of the Crimson Realm guild and he didn't consider it a significant profit even after Rudra promised that he would sponsor the adventurer team.

He was hoping that they could use the fort more than Rudra. He knew that, they shared the work in conquering it and if Shadow became a part of the adventurer team which he will create, he was sure that once Crimson Realm got hold of a proper guild headquarters in the city, he could use this fort for this team's base of operations.

”Aren't you too greedy brother, all the things we found at the fort are bound to provide us a lot of gold,” said Tetsujin.

”You are a dumbass. Why would I be content with that, when I am sure that we are going to a bigger feast. It is the reason why we emptied our bags of most things keeping only necessities and stronger equipment,” replied Merlin.

In the meantime, Shadow managed to reach the end of the stairs. There weren't any traps along the stairs and at the bottom of the stairs, he found a small circular enclosure having a diameter of 5 meters and an exit directly opposite him.

Shadow stood on the last stair and looked carefully into the enclosure. There were nothing on the walls of the enclosure which were also made of stone. The only things he found suspicious were the runes at the entrance near him and he could also see some runes around the exit. There was a stone board on top of the exit which read, ”Power with responsibility makes monsters of men - Silvannus Shreeve”.

He had seen such runes before in his previous life and understood what they might be. It was something like a check of the race of the player entering the area. There was something else included but he didn't understand them as they seemed very complicated and of a higher level than he was in his previous life. He knew that the players of the guild Foedus Rex were members of the light faction and were able to get through and hence, he probably wouldn't have any issue passing through. He informed the teammates of the enclosure through the team chat and entered it.

As soon as he stepped through the entrance, the runes at the entrance began to glow violently. This was expected as they would be checking the player but what was more surprising to him that the runes at the exit also began to glow. He immediately thought there would be a test, and something would come through the exit. So, he pulled out his dagger in preparation, but suddenly he felt a force pulling him to the exit.

The runes shined more brightly on both ends as a small tunnel made of light formed between them and a light screen appeared behind him. It moved forward pushing him through the exit and he landed in a dark area.

”System: You are in a special zone. You can't communicate with anyone or logout in this area.”

”Logout is not allowed too? I expected that communications would be stopped. This is ridiculous,” thought Balthazar as the message appeared. He was disgruntled and was irritated by the various deviations in the game from what he had read in the forums. He couldn't chat with others outside and hoped that with him not being to communicate with them, they would try and get into the enclosure and start the test

He seemed to be in a long desolate tunnel and behind him there was nothing but solid rock. A number of ornamental rock torches decorated the tunnel on both sides. A voice sounded out in the void as he looked around. It seemed to come though the rocks of the tunnel from all around him and was almost deafening.

”Ah finally someone, managed to get in. How come no one tried for the baptism for such a long time,” said the voice.

”Hello, I am not sure where I am or what this is supposed to be? I am just an adventurer exploring some ruins,” said Shadow.

”Ruin? The great temple is reduced to simple ruins?”