Chapter 82: Terracotta
Dust cascaded from the shadowed ceiling in thick clouds as the entire crypt trembled as though a violent earthquake was raging directly above it.
Fragments of stone broke loose from ancient arches and crashed against the obsidian floor with deafening force. Each impact reverberated through the sepulchre, sending jolts through Valmyr’s fragile nerves...
"Valmyr, what the hell did you do?!" He practically yelled as he stumbled backward, nearly losing his footing in panic.
The failed Vanguard stood frozen beneath the weight of the accusation with his usual grin nowhere to be seen.
"How am I supposed to know?!" He queried back, his voice carrying genuine alarm in it.
Meanwhile, the scarlet light pouring from the formation intensified as the eight crystal nodes surrounding the Array blazed like crimson stars.
Ancient runes carved into the obsidian floor ignited one after another, illuminating the crypt with an eerie red radiance. Then, the light began to spread...
Lines of glowing crimson raced outward from the formation, branching across the floor like molten veins carrying blood through the body of some colossal creature.
The illumination slithered down the dais, across the polished avenue, between the rows of knightly statues, until it reached the furthest corners of the crypt...
The octet watched with growing apprehension as the scarlet currents disappeared beneath the elevated platforms supporting the stone guardians.
For a moment, nothing strange happened...
The crypt continued its shaking, dust continued to fall from the ceiling, and the formation was still pulsing; then...
CLICK!
A faint sound echoed strangely throughout the chamber. Despite the violent rumbling around them, the noise carried an unnatural clarity as every member of the group heard it.
Regaleon’s golden eyes narrowed as he tried to pinpoint where the sound had come from.
"What was that?!" Vaelorin asked, gulping down his saliva as his fiery red eyes darted between the rows of stone knights with dread lingering within them.
Nobody answered his question, and suddenly, the atmosphere in the crypt became suffocating. Then...
CLICK!!
The sound came again; this time it was sharper and more deliberate...
Regaleon’s eyes instantly locked onto its source. At first glance, nothing was unusual as a stone knight stood exactly where it was supposed to be; it’s head remained bowed with both hands resting atop the pommel of its sword...
CLICK!!!
The sound echoed once more. And this time, Regaleon saw it... Movement.
It was subtle and tiny, to the extent of being almost imperceptible, but it was movement nevertheless as the statue’s fingers shifted slightly.
The failed Alchemist’s face lost all color when he also saw this. "No..."
His voice emerged as little more than a whisper. "Don’t tell me..."
CRACK!
Suddenly, a fracture appeared across the knight’s gauntlet...
CRACK!!
Another split formed across its wrists...
CRACK! CRACK!! CRACK!!!
Dozens of fractures suddenly started spreading across the stony surface. Chunks of rock detached and crashed against the platform, causing dust to explode outward.
The guardian’s fingers slowly tightened around its sword hilt; the movement was slow and stiff, as though something that had remained dormant for centuries was attempting to remember how to move.
Then, a larger section of stone detached from the knight’s shoulder, another piece fell from his helmet, then another... And another...
The eight stared as its outer shell continued breaking apart until beneath the stone, something started gleaming when it became exposed to Kaeloris’ light...
Slowly, but steadily, the guardian raised its head; dust poured from its visor from that single movement. Suddenly, two pale crimson lights flickered to life beneath its helmet...
The crypt seemed to grow colder as an icy chill swept through the chamber. The temperature plummeted so suddenly that several members of the group instinctively shivered...
The guardian’s burning gaze swept across the crypt methodically, as though it was examining the world after an absence that spanned countless ages. Then...
CLANG!
The knight took a step forward. The noise reverberated throughout the sepulchre. It didn’t sound like stone striking stone, instead, it sounded more metallic and heavy...
CLANG! CLANG!! CLANG!!!
Another step followed, then another... Each footfall echoed among the rows of statues until it sounded as though an entire army was matching through the darkness of the chamber.
The guardian reached the edge of its platform, and without hesitation, it jumped...
BOOM!
It landed upon the obsidian avenue below...
Veyrath nearly screamed in terror. "No no no no no..."
His voice trembled as he pointed toward the advancing figure. "Guys... That’s not a statue."
His voice was strained as he asked with terror lacing his tone. "What in Aetherium’s name is that thing?"
Kaeloris hand visibly shook as he tried to adjust his glasses.
"Terracotta..." He muttered softly. "That’s a Terracotta Guardian. Why didn’t I realize it earlier?"
"What?" For the second time since entering the crypt, Aureleah spoke.
Kaeloris gaze swept across the countless statue lining the hall as he replied with a trembling voice.
"You see, in ancient Taegaryean culture, powerful figures are often buried alongside servants, soldiers, or retainers. Some even went as far as sacrificing living people to accompany their dead into the afterlife..."
A visible grimace cross his face as he elaborated. "But such practices were later considered barbaric. So a substitute was devised in their place..."
Aureleah’s brows narrowed as she spoke. "Let me guess, this substitute was the Terracotta Guardian, correct?"
"Yes, it is. Terracotta Guardians are lifelike constructs crafted from special Aetheric materials for the purpose of servitude. You can simply think of them as puppets built to serve their masters for forever and to accompany them when they died..."
Hearing that explanation, Vaelorin suddenly turned his head toward the rows of stone figures standing across the crypts.
The failed Pyromancer’s felt his stomach sink as he asked. "So, those aren’t ordinary statues, are they?"
The failed Gnost didn’t reply, but the grave expression on his face said it all. And it was only at this point that the group realized something terrifying...
Who needed hidden blades, poison darts, collapsing floors, or a volley of arrows, when you have an army of knights standing guard over your tomb?
Veyrath rounded on Valmyr suddenly. His eyes were practically bloodshot as he jabbed a finger at him.
"Nice going! Of all the things you could have touched, you just had to walk into the death circle to doom us all, didn’t you?!"
"Hey! I didn’t know!" The failed Vanguard defended.
"Of course you didn’t, you brute! You never bother to think before doing anything, and look where that got us!"
"That’s enough from the both of you!" Regaleon’s voice cut through their argument like a blade.
Immediately, the duo fell silent as they turned back toward the statue...
The Terracotta had stopped marching already. Now, it stood a few meters away from the dais, staring at the group with its crimson eyes.
The crypt itself seemed to hold its breath as the two sides maintained an oppressive silence. Then...
BOOM!
The guardian exploded forward with a speed that contradicted its size.
The obsidian floor cracked beneath its feet as one moment, it stood more than twelve meters away from them; and the next, it was already upon them...
Regaleon reacted instantly. Silver light erupted around him as his Halberd materialized within his grasp.
The Terracotta swung, its massive sword descending like a falling guillotine and Regaleon raised his Soul Essence to meet the strike head-on...
CLANG!
The collision exploded across the crypt as a violent shockwave erupted outward...
The force raced through the silver-haired Knight’s arm; his muscles protested immediately and the knight suddenly found himself skidding across the obsidian surface from the impact...
The floor cracked as he slid backward several meters before finally stabilizing himself. In the meantime, the Terracotta remained where it was without moving an inch.
Regaleon’s expression darkened and the grip around his Halberd tightened. His voice was grim as he finally spoke.
"Be careful guys. That thing possesses the strength of a Rank One Anima..."
