Erik's eyes traveled across the room, taking in everything, no matter how minute or insignificant it may have been. Hais's brain crystal power amplified his senses to an extraordinary degree; every rustle of air and flicker of light was height
ned, and each line and color in his surroundings was pronounced and distinct.
The room had the same sort of forward-looking aesthetic as the chest. A gentle, otherworldly glow was cast by the walls, which were monochromatic and sleek, thanks to the thin lines of light that were embedded in them. This glow was reflected off the polished floor.
Erik's attention was not focused on the structure as a whole. His attention was laser-focused on the particulars that, if solved, might unlock the chest.
The atmosphere gave off the impression of being a seamless synthesis of times gone by and those yet to come, thanks to the extraordinary display of cutting-edge technology that was concealed within the aesthetics of the past.
An enormous library took up most of one side of the room. However, its extensive book collection was not housed in traditional volumes but rather in a complex system of holographic books that covered the entire space.
The shelves emanated a soft iridescent glow as floating holographic screens displayed the contents of each book. The screens let the reader swipe their hand across the screen to turn the book's pages.
It felt exactly the same as being inside a real library filled with actual books, except that all of the books were holograms.
The walls on either side of the library were covered in holographic paintings, but these were not like other paintings in that they moved. An experience that was at once unsettling and enthralling was produced by the paintings' ability to come to life with dynamic movements.
The brush strokes gave the impression that they were coming to life, and the depicted scenes shifted and swirled with a fluidity that was ethereal and mirrored the fluidity of life itself.
As Erik made his way down the corridor, his eyes darted from one holographic book to the next as he passed them. His perception was beyond what was possible for humans due to the enhanced cognitive abilities bestowed upon him by Hais's brain crystal power. This ability allowed him to process enormous amounts of information in an astonishingly short amount of time.
The collection provided a wealth of information ranging from ancient mythology to physics, from stories of mythical creatures to treatises traveling between the stars. It was a veritable treasure trove. Erik was aware that any one of these holographic books might contain important information that could be used to unlock the mechanism of the chest.
His attention was eventually drawn to an especially ancient book, the title of which shone with a golden hue. Erik could identify the Phoenix inside the chest on the book cover; it probably contained information about it.
This new information might be the missing piece that solves the mystery. He opened the book with a straightforward hand gesture, revealing holographic pages brimming with the knowledge of past ages.
During Erik's exploration of the holographic pages of the tome, he came across an intriguing section that discussed the Phoenix. It was written in a beautiful, old script and was accompanied by an intricate illustration of the regal creature with its wings spread wide against a night sky filled with stars.
The passage read, "Among all celestial beings, the Phoenix alone soars above the heavens, dancing amidst the sun, moon, and stars. Born anew with the first light of dawn, it celebrates life beneath the twilight's embrace, rising from the ashes under the star's guidance."
The Phoenix, which was said to be reborn with the first light of dawn, was a symbol of the victory of life over death because it was said to rise from the ashes with the assistance of the stars.
Erik took a moment to pause and think about the deeper meaning of the symbolic language in the passage. Although it appeared that the references to the sun, moon, and stars had some significance, he sensed that there was another layer of complexity. There is a possibility that the references to dawn, twilight, and star guidance are all parts of a specific sequence that unlocks the chest.
Erik could commit the passage to memory and proceed with his search for additional hints, thanks to his enhanced memory. Soon after, he came across a holographic painting that caught his attention and piqued his curiosity.
The painting depicted a cosmological scene with a gleaming sun, a silvery moon, and a twinkling star, each of which was exquisitely detailed to emit its own distinct glow. The celestial bodies performed a slow, rhythmic dance as they moved through space, which captured the sunrise, twilight, and starlight cycles.
<Interesting…> The young man thought.
Erik noticed subtle patterns forming around the celestial bodies as he closely observed the painting's movements.
Their movements were not random but followed a structured dance: the sun rising, the moon setting, and the star twinkling brightly before the cycle began again.
With this realization, Erik had a realization; it was like lightning struck him in the head and made him understand. The sequence from the holographic painting may not only depict the celestial dance.
Still, it may also serve as a hint to open the chest. The sun rising, followed by the moon's glow, the star twinkling brightly, and finally, the Phoenix's symbolic rebirth all fit the description in the tome.
Erik approached the chest, his fingers hovering over the buttons and levers etched with symbols of celestial bodies and the Phoenix, eager to put his theory to the test.
Taking a deep breath, he pressed the sun symbol first, then the moon, and finally the star. Then, he yanked on the phoenix-emblazoned lever.
As the chest responded, Erik was filled with excitement. The buttons glowed to confirm the correct sequence, and the mechanism unlocked softly. The young man's heart skipped a beat as the chest revealed its long-awaited secrets.
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