Ep 159. I’ve Been Here Before. (5)

Ep 159. I’ve Been Here Before. (5)

Ep 159. I’ve Been Here Before. (5)

When Aymeia’s hesitant lips finally began to speak, the tales that followed were nothing short of shocking.

Archive, Historian. And the underground gate that connected the Archive to Aymeia’s temple.

None of it were anything the dragonlord had quite expected to hear.

‘Record storage...Archive.’

A divine realm that couldn’t be reached by normal means, and an area that served as the living embodiment of the star’s history.

But as far as Serenis was concerned, no such location existed during the First’s rule. And she failed to see how such a space could serve as a ‘trap’ in of itself.

“...”

A small sigh escaped the dragonlord as she treaded down the dark stairwell. Her eyes naturally drifted towards the figure in lead.

Aymeia was still leading the way, with Serenis’ flame accompanying the former deity at her side like a floating torch. But unlike before, her steps were noticeably bolder than they were an hour ago: ever since Light’s outburst, she’d been all too eager to tell them everything there was about her temple, as well as the space beyond it.

After making a brief note of the satisfied expression on Light, Serenis looked to the tale’s source for clarification.

“As I hear it, the Reaper’s goal isn’t so much to lure us...but to seek aid from another deity?”

“...Mhm.”

Aymeia softly bit her lips, She was nodding her head, but her expression was ridden with uncertainty.

“That would be my guess, at least. I don’t think any cursory trap would pose a threat to you. But the Historian’s always been considered Felicir’s equal even during his time as a Reaper, so...”

“An equal? With death?”

As far as Serenis was concerned, no other divinity came even remotely close to death’s standing.

‘...Force? No, that cannot be it, force has already been dealt with. But what else could it be? Creation? Sky?’

Noting the dragonlord’s evident confusion, Aymeia gave a small shrug towards her.

“...Believe me, if I knew what the Historian’s divinity was, I’d tell you. The only people that know it are probably Felicir and the Historian himself...and both of them kept it a secret to others. I just know they were wary of each other.”

For a moment, faint disappointment drew across the dragonlord’s expression. If even a former deity didn’t know the answer, then there was little chance she’d find it elsewhere.

So instead, Serenis discarded the topic to turn to a new one.

“Then, why is it that the Reaper lured us into your temple? Rather than bringing us to this Historian, it seems far safer to bring the Historian to us.”

“You see, about that...”

A brief pause ensued as Aymeia recalled the Archive’s entrance requirements.

She’d been wondering the exact same thing as Serenis: it didn’t make sense for Felicir to risk bringing the dragonlord here. The far safer option was to seek out the Historian on his own, then bringing them to Serenis instead.

Unless...

“...I don’t think he can open the gate anymore.”

“? How come?”

“It, it’s been centuries...and it’s really complicated...I’m trying to remember, but I’m drawing a blank...”

Serenis shook her head. She drew another resolute sigh at the former deity’s reply.

“...Very well.”

Soon, Serenis gently laid her hand on Light’s shoulders to push her back a few steps. She likewise gestured towards Aymeia for her to do the same.

Afterwards, the dragonlord put her hand against the grey walls once more – this time with an ample amount of prismatic lights leaking out of her palm.

Aymeia’s eyes widened in surprise as she realized what the dragonlord was about to do.

“Wait, are you trying to destroy the maze? Letherien’s creations are indestructible-“

Szzzzt!

A sharp hissing noise filled the temple’s undergrounds as Serenis’ magic flowed into the maze’s walls. Soon, a blinding light briefly flooded the maze, swallowing the grey whole.

“...”

It barely took a minute for the prismatic lights to die out.

The dragonlord lowered her hand. She then turned back towards Aymeia, gesturing towards the massive, emptied area before her – where not a single trace of the maze’s walls remained.

“Indestructible? And to think you once held the Star’s divinity...”

“...”

As a general rule of thumb, Letherien’s creations were, in fact, indestructible.

Most of the time.

Shaking her head, Serenis then gestured towards the open space before them.

“Surely you can guide us through an open hall?”

“Y...yes, of...course...”

“Good.”

Serenis fixed her gaze forward once more. Although she couldn’t make out much through the darkness, she could now faintly sense an ever-so-familiar presence up ahead.

“Let us go, then. It seems the Reaper’s eagerly awaiting our arrival.”

Aymeia emptily nodded her head, taking the lead once again as she walked forward.

Light also joined Serenis at her side once more, though unlike the former deity, she hardly seemed surprised by the dragonlord’s antics. She merely shrugged at Serenis with a sheepish grin, to which Serenis beamed back at.

And soon enough, the two began to trail after Aymeia once more.

‘Reaper...Archive...Historian.’

Even if this was some intricate trap, it mattered little to the dragonlord. If another deity indeed lied in wait in the beyond, then it was an obstacle she’d have to face sooner or later. Raizel was waiting for her as well.

And, most importantly...

‘Archive...if I’m not mistaken, that’s...’