“Where''s Zundar?” asked Akira, interrupting Samuel who was listing off all Kodria''s small matters that needed his attention.
“He should be at the trade plaza across the lake,” said Samuel.
“I''ll take a look at everything you have for me when I get back,” said Akira.
He gave a wave to Samuel and left the room that was supposed to be his office but he was rarely ever found inside. You would more than likely find Azura and Maya sorting through a mountain of paperwork.
Fluffball followed at his side as they rode a transport ship across the lake and hopped off onto the docks connected to the trade plaza fort.
The docks were just as busy if not even more than Kodria''s. There were ships and merchants loading and unloading boxes and sturdy sacks of items and all types of foods from all over the north.
As Akira walked towards the trade plaza he took in the surrounding sights. The area around the trade plaza was now looking more and more like a second city with the new houses, shops, and other buildings being built around it.
Akira passed through the busy trade gate without needing to pay the entrance fee. Fluffball walked ahead of Akira and made sure to clear a path for him through the crowded streets.
Several minutes passed as Akira searched for Zundar. It was not that hard, since he towered over everyone. The hard part was moving through the crowd to get to him.
When he arrived next to Zundar, Akira found that he was deep in thought as he inspected two artfully crafted bottles.
“These are the lost two I have to show you and they are also my best. This one comes from the faraway land called Caidia!” said the man pointing to the bottle shaped like a scorpion.
“This one''s from the northern royal company''s stock. They only make 100 bottles every year,” said the man pointing to a bottle shaped like a snow bear. “Both are sure to keep your horns well oiled and shiny even in the extreme cold and dry air of the far south!”
Zundar spent another 5 minutes seriously inspecting and looking back and forth between the two bottles.
“I''ll buy both of them for him,” said Akira, paying the merchant who was extremely happy to hear these words.
“Lord, what are you doing here?” asked Zundar, as he happily picked up the two bottles and put them in a padded leather pouch.
“Some important things came up that requires your help. Let''s go,” said Akira, pulling on Zundar''s arm to lead him back to the transport ship.
“Yap!” said Fluffball, once again clearing out a pathway for the two as he ran ahead of them.
When they passed through the trade plaza gates Akira found three people he did not expect to see.
The three idiot brothers!
“What are you guys doing down here? You''re not causing any trouble are you?” asked Akira.
“They came here with us!” said Ferem who had a large pack on his back just like the three idiot brothers.
“That''s right, we have found our calling as traveling merchants! No more underhanded tricks,” said Oib, while Mib and Yib both nodded their heads in agreement.
“Ferem, keep a tight leash on these guys and don''t let them corrupt you,” said Akira.
“Rodger! Will do lord!” said Ferem with a salute.
“We wouldn''t do such a thing to the fourth brother of our Super ultimate merchant team!” said Yib.
Akira waved them goodbye and returned to Kodria.
“Lord, can you tell me now what is it that you need me for?” asked Zundar as they walked towards the castle.
“The main door of the underground refuge has loosened, I believe with your help we will be able to open it,” said Akira.
Zundar was surprised at learning this and was very eager to help Akira.
On their way back they met up with Klyn who was just returning from one of the temporary hospitals for the wounded.
“Klyn, I might need your help so come and join me!” said Akira.
As they were passing the castle heading towards the rear of the hill, Pii''per dove down from atop the castle keep where she had built her nest in one of the corners.
“Pii!” Pii''per screeched as she dove at them a few times and then shot back into the sky and lazily glided while she followed Akira.
The citizens of Kodria had grown accustomed to Pii''per flying around above the city and paid her no attention.
She had grown quite a bit since she first started following Mileena, her wingspan had already doubled. Akira knew that soon she would be able to pick up people with her claws and carry them. He would have to make sure to be on his guard in the future if Pii''per''s temper flared.
The original entrance to the underground refuge was wide open, now it had a metal door of its own blocking anyone from entering. Two city guards were standing near the door with a large fire blazing next to them to keep warm.
The two guards seeing Akira immediately stepped to the side and stood as straight as they could while saluting Akira.
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Akira nodded to them as he took an unlit torch from its holder and lit it using the large fire next to the guards. There was no telling if the refuge behind the sealed door had any light.
The metal door silently swung open on well-greased hinges and the three walked down the stone steps with the glowing bricks giving off their cold greenish-blue light.
The medium underground room was just as it was last time, but a lot cleaner as someone came down every so often to keep it clean.
Zundar walked up to the large metal door that he had guarded for hundreds of years and inspected it for a few seconds before nodding. He placed both of his large hands on the door and began pushing.
Slowly, ever so slowly, a loud grating sound was heard as Zundar strained his muscles to the max and pushed the several hundred years old thick metal door open. A very old, dry, and dusty air escaped out from the small cracks smelling of ancient death.
Klyn quickly recited one of the holy chants three times covering the three of them in a thin layer of dim glowing white light.
Five minutes of struggling with the door passed before a space large enough for the three to squeeze through was opened.
Akira held the flickering torch above his head to light up the large stone room.
In the flickering torchlight, he was able to see several hundred people all in different positions, some standing, some sitting, and even a few were laying down.
All of them were like exquisitely carved gray stone statues. The statues had captured their last moments before they had turned to stone.
Pained faces of those tortured by something unknown, crying children held by their mother and father, blank emotionless faces of those who had accepted their fate.
As the three walked through the many eerie statues Zundar had a pained look as he looked over the many people he had known many hundreds of years ago. Near the back wall of the large room stood two large Minotaur statues guarding a man who sat on a simple stone throne.
“Zundar, are these people similar to how you were before I met you?” asked Akira.
Zundar shook his head and with a hoarse voice said, “No, the Royal sorcerers used a chant that was supposed to help protect them... it looks like it was only partially successful.”
“In what way was it successful? How was it different?” asked Klyn hoping for a bit of enlightenment to help with his study for a cure for the Molten Onyx plague.
“It was successful in that they were able to escape the control of the evil dark force back then. I do not know the fine details of how the two chants used by the Royal sorcerers differ from each other. I only know that the one used on me was supposed to have a 99% chance of death. While the other one was close to 50%.”
Akira looked at the two large Minotaur''s that Zundar was staring at and asked, “Who were they?”
“My younger brothers. I volunteered to guard the entrance and take the 99% chance of death while they were given the task of protecting the lord. I did this all to allow my brothers a higher chance of survival.”
Akira held the torch up and looked around the nearby area and found a large shelf made out of stone on the right of the man with a crown.
On the stone shelf, there were several red scrolls and one blue scroll which all reflected the light of the torch.
Akira walked over and inspected them closer, not wanting to touch them just yet, lest they crumble.
The scrolls were rather thick due to the type of leather that was used. The reason for the reflection of the torchlight was because the back of the leather scroll was covered in what looked like scales of some type of large lizard beast.
Klyn stood next to him and gave a happy shout upon seeing them, “These look just like the ancient scrolls in the Dwarves library when I went there to study some time ago!”
“There is no need to worry about them crumbling. Whoever made these used some of the most sturdy material.”
Akira reached out and picked up the only blue scroll. It was extremely cold to the touch and felt more like metal than leather.
He unrolled the scroll and found the neat writing on the scroll to be something similar to the ancient language that was used for the holy chants but looked far simpler.
Ding!
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
You have discovered King Legend''s diary of the ancient dark times.
The diary has been scanned and fully translated.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Akira began reading the translated diary. As he read he learned even more about the dark times of the past, in no time Akira reached the last part of the scroll.
[… I am in a rush to write down these last few words. The dark army has started to gather across the lake in far greater force than before. Soon I will hand this scroll of history over to my body double who will go with the rest of my royal family to hide inside the sanctuary. By the time they discover I did not join them it will be too late to do anything about it. I have decided that I must fight along with the Royal sorcerers to protect the island, my family, and my people that are still alive. I am well aware that I will most likely die but what type of death I am unsure.]
[I hope this history and these last words help whoever you are reading this whether you are my descendant or someone unrelated.
The red scrolls I leave to you. The scrolls are a compilation of all the research conducted by the Royal sorcerers to brainstorm ways to combat the darkness. Some have been tested and have been found to hold off the darkness, for how long I do not know. The others have not been able to be tested due to the sudden movement of the dark army.]
[Lastly, be wary of the [Cult of Science] lurking in the shadows. I believe it is them who are the culprits controlling the dark army. As for what purpose, I have no idea and can only guess.
Signed King Pegasus Legend the 3rd.]
Ding!
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Announcement! Branch 1 Stage 2, and 3 have been completed!
Blank was the first to find all the information on the shadows behind the Molten Onyx plague.
All those who find the info after blank will not gain credit.
Branch 1 Stage 4 starts now! Kill the culprits if you find them!
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Branch 1 stages 2 and 3 have been completed due to you receiving all of the information on the ancient group [Cult of Science].
They are behind the Molten Onyx plague!
Reward: 700 gold, 600 main quest points, +60 Fame!
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
“These scrolls are just too great!” said Klyn as he read through one after another.
“Read this out loud for me,” said Akira.
He passed the blue scroll over to Klyn and listened intently, everything he read out loud was almost the same as the translation that he had read.
***
The demigod guilds were all up in a rage once again after receiving another notification so soon.
“This is madness.”
“Who is this blank!”
“Either they have a huge guild working on the quest or they are cheating!”
“Whoever they are, I do not doubt that they are cheating! How could they complete so many stages right in a row?!”
Blank had now gained an extremely negative reputation among the Demigods.