"Believe it or not this isn't the first such Vault that's been uncovered in the city." Destry commented, standing before the massive round stone door. He had both hands placed on it and was admiring the faded patterns he found there. Kar was getting sick of hearing the man talk.
"As far as I'm aware though, this is the first time anyone's been able to open one." He turned to look back at Kar who was standing in line with Aldwin, Derek, and Isa. "Well go on now," he said to Kar, "show us how it's done."
Kar reluctantly stepped forward, sharing a glance with Derek. Kiya stood off to the side of the Trial Vault door, Lore next to her. Kar didn't know why she was here, not that he was sad to see her. Things hadn't gone according to plan the night before, but she had kept to her word and helped them try to get Isa.
Kar walked slowly toward the door frame and stopped in front of the impression where his hand was supposed to go. He hesitated. Why did Destry want to get into the Vault so bad? Was it because of the shards from the cryst inside? Or was there something else going on here?
"For Rift's sake, just open the flaming thing!" Destry called out.
Kar placed his hand. This time, it responded as it had the first time he touched the impression. The stone door rolled aside slowly, revealing the blue-lit chamber beyond. Derek's intuition had been right, the Vault had needed time to reset or recharge. Kar stepped back, as did Destry. The governor looked in awe.
The chamber was not as Kar, Derek, and Lore had left it. There was no trace of the crystal or blood they'd left behind. The door at the back was shut, the basin concealed. As were the oval doors to all the alcoves out of which the Cryst-soldiers had emerged. It looked just as it had before Lore had stepped across the threshold the day before.
"It's real…" Destry said softly, "So what happens next?" He asked, turning toward Kar, wide-eyed.
Kar considered ignoring the man's question altogether. But he knew Destry held all the cards here. "Last time we went inside, we found a way to activate the chamber." He pointed towards the indentation there in the middle of the room. "Then those panels in the walls opened up and these armored cryst-creatures came out and attacked us."
"Did anything else happen once you had destroyed the Cryst?" Destry's eyes made contact with Kar's, his gaze intense and searching.
Kar knew then, this wasn't about farming shards, or just an idle curiosity for the governor. Destry knew more than he was letting on.
Lore's voice surprised him, "There was a voice." She said.
Destry turned toward her, "And?"
"And I'm not sure, I was injured badly. Kar and Derek dragged me into another room that opened up on the far side there. There was a basin full of, something… and Kar used it to heal me."
Destry clapped his hands together in excitement, "Did you hear that Morrow?"
The bespectacled man shuffled into the room from the hallway outside, looking nervous.
"Come inspect this for me, tell me what we're looking at."
Morrow obeyed, walking past the guards and others crowded in to the outer vault room. He spared an apologetic look toward Kar and Isa, then stepped up beside Destry at the threshold. He looked around intently, peering at the walls, ceiling, and floor, "It's ancient." He said, "I would say it predates other Daran artifacts and sites I've seen." He adjusted his glasses then continued, "Some of the records I've found make mention of those who came before, predecessors to our ancestors. We know they're the ones who built the Vaults, and the Source Chamber."
Destry nodded enthusiastically, "Well we must investigate further." He turned towards Lore, "After you were healed, what happened next? Did you just decide to leave?"
Lore deliberately didn't look at Kar as she answered, "There was another door beyond the second chamber. The voice gave us a choice, to continue on to face other Trials or leave. We chose to leave."
Destry paced back and forth for several moments then fell still, "Right. We need an expedition. A full party to investigate." His eyes alighted on Kar, "You'll be needed of course. For whatever reason you can open these Vaults." He turned to look at the rest of his captives, "Sounds like we'll need some heavy hitters to deal with whatever threats these Vaults contain. So you two," he motioned to Derek and Aldwin, "will be joining him."
Destry waltzed up to Isa and gently pulled her aside, "I'll be keeping her here with me, to guarantee your best behavior."
The implication was clear.
"Now, Kiya." The governor said, turning toward the woman.
"You've got to be kidding me." She said.
Destry smiled, "Who else can I trust to babysit this bunch?"
"I want to come along with her." Lore piped up.
Destry raised an eyebrow, "Why should you be included?"
She jutted her chin out, "Because I've been in there before, and I want to be there to watch my sister's back."
Destry rubbed his beard, "Kiya?" He inquired.
She grunted, "I don't mind the brat coming along."
"It's settled then!" Destry said, "Morrow, you of course will need to go along with them too."
The Imbuer's eyes widened in shock, "M-me?"
Destry laughed, "Of course you, I need someone who will understand what they're looking at. I'm surprised you're not jumping at the opportunity! You're always yapping about what you've discovered in those books of yours, now you have the chance to see it for yourself!"
Morrow looked like he would be sick, "But my daughter…"
"She'll be safe with me and Isa here. I'll have some of the women come help take care of them while you're away."
"Ho-how long are you expecting us to be in there?" Morrow asked. His hands were trembling.
"As long as it takes." Was Destry's only reply. The ragtag party eyed each other warily as Destry turned back, giving orders to his men behind them. Packs of supplies were brought forward. Light armor and weapons. Sledges for them all and other tools. In what seemed like minutes they all stood there at the threshold to the room, assembled and ready to enter.
This was insane. Destry was insane. He didn't think Ember could hear him, but Kar tried to reach him anyways, "Ember, are you there?" he whispered under his breath. The Prism didn't answer. His absence left Kar feeling strangely incomplete, and lonely. These dead zones were becoming incredibly frustrating.
"Good luck to you all!" Destry called behind them, "I can't wait to see what you all discover inside. Go as far as you can, don't return without results." The last bit seemed directed at Kiya.
"Most times I hate this job," she muttered to no one in particular, then set out across the Threshold into the chamber. The rest of them followed reluctantly. Kar was the last to step across. He turned back and made eye contact with Isa. Then he looked to Destry and locked eyes with him, "This isn't going to end the way you think it will."
Destry grinned, "My boy, I have no idea how this is going to end. I'm just here to witness it."
Unsettled, Kar turned back toward the center of the room. The others had spread out, facing the alcove doors in the walls, weapons at the ready. Kar walked to the center of the room and knelt. He shared looks with those who would look back at him, "Is everyone ready?" He asked.
Aldwin nodded resolutely. Derek, next to his uncle, only tightened his grip on the sledge in his hands. Lore stood next to Derek and danced on her feet in anticipation. Morrow wrung his hands nervously and backed up toward Kar, "I shouldn't be here." He muttered.
Kiya cracked her neck and windmilled her arms one after the other, "Everyone just settle in and don't get in my way. Go ahead and activate it."
Kar took a deep breath, then placed his hand into that impression. The rings in the floor lit up blue, and the heavy stone door rolled shut, "Good luck!" Destry called out to them one last time just as it closed. Immediately Kar could feel that his ability to Focus had returned. Not that it mattered much. Without those rings he couldn't hardly do anything.
YOU HAVE RETURNED, KAR.
IT IS WELL THAT YOU HAVE.
PRESS ON NOW. DO NOT DELAY. YOU MUST GROW STRONGER TO FACE THE DARK ONES.
DO NOT FAIL, OR ALL WILL PERISH
That was different than last time. The rest of the party all looked towards Kar with varying levels of unease and confusion.
The oval doors in the walls opened then, and Cryst-soldiers stepped out, weapons at the ready.