Chapter 14: The Castle Vault
After Indra's failed attempt at cultivating, Enyo suggested that before they leave, they take whatever valuables that they could from the castle.
Both of them were wearing high-grade storage rings that contained enough space to fit a few carriages inside if need be.
But they weren't planning on bringing along anything of that nature, all the two of them needed were some items they could sell once they got into a city of some kind.
The two of them soon got up from their places and went around the castle picking up anything of value.
All in all, they were able to collect a fairly decent number of old trinkets and dusty silks.
There were far too many rooms in the castle for them to go around searching every one so when the two felt they'd collected enough to avoid being homeless, they started working on concocting a plan.
The two were currently hunched over the map, planning out their travel route.
"We'll leave at nightfall. We can travel along this route here and we should arrive in fallen lands within three days." Enyo said seriously.
Indra nodded; a bit annoyed that he'd have to be outside during the day but there was no other option.
While sunlight doesn't kill vampires, it does take a good chunk out of their strength and causes them to be slightly weary if they haven't fed in a while.
Enyo on the other hand would not be able to come out of her ring at all.
She was unable to maintain her corporeal form in sunlight, and a semi transparent ghost flying around would certainly draw some attention.
Even if the map showed there was nothing but forest around, it was still better safe than sorry.
"Is there anything else we should prepare then?" Indra asked.
"No I don't think... Maybe?"
The vampire waited for his maid to start making sense at some point and was surprised when she boldly grabbed his hand and began pulling him towards the throne.
The hatch to the royal bunker was still open and Enyo did not even hesitate to descend downwards into the inky darkness.
Indra was enjoying the warmth of Enyo's small hand in his so much that he didn't even bother to ask where she was leading him.
Eventually, the two came to a stop in front of the large double doors in the bunker where they'd woken up.
"This place should be untouched. None are allowed to enter without the blood of the Ascalon family." Enyo said as she inspected the door.
The bunker was built by the first vampire king Dracula Ascalon. Legend has it that even a blow from a cultivator in the true god realm would only be able to dent it.
"Stand aside, Enyo."
Indra lifted his arm up to his mouth and bit into his wrist.
The taste of his own blood filling his mouth was neither pleasant, nor unpleasant.
Smearing his bloody wrist on the door, he then took a step back when it began to shine and hum with a red light.
The ancient doors groaned open, and a row of torches sparked alive, bright blue flames seemed to be beckoning them into it's depths.
Indra prepared to take a step forward, but that was when he felt it.
A pressure descended upon his body that froze him dead in his tracks.
"What... is down there?"
Enyo was a bit better, but she was also rather unnerved by the strange pressure. "It's okay, my prince. What you are feeling is really no more than a remnant of the beast of the end."
She took his hand and the two walked down together, seemingly unfazed by the accumulating eerie pressure.
Suddenly, the dimly lit hall revealed a room that was something like a trophy hall.
In the center of the room were three large glass case containing different items.
The one on the left contained various high grade weapons.
Weapons, armor and cultivation manuals are divided into five grades of rarity and power.
Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Heavenly, and Transcendent.
At first glance, it was easy to tell that nothing inside was below heavenly grade.
The case in the middle contained various cultivation techniques from advanced to transcendent grade. At a glance there appeared to be less than twenty inside.
But the last case...
"My prince?"
Indra had suddenly started walking towards the third and final case which was really more of a glass pod.
Inside was a swirling black liquid that despite being there for a long time looked to have been added recently.
"The pressure I've been feeling... why does it come from this?" Indra asked as he brought his hand to the glass.
Enyo took a deep breath before she began to explain.
"Well... Even though we're at war now, the truth is we weren't always that way. Thousands of years ago we fallen and the races of light fought together against a common enemy.
It was crowned the Old One. The legends say that it was an unprecedented horror that threatened to destroy our entire way of life. Your grandfather led the faction of undead against it alongside the rest of the world and it unfortunately ended his life. That is how your father became king." She explained.
"The battle lasted for two entire weeks before it was finally defeated. But because it had the power to regenerate, it's remains were separated amongst four of the groups that fought the hardest. The humans took it's brain, the elves claimed it's bones, demons harbor it's flesh and the vampires hold the blood."
"How do you know all of this?" Indra asked.
Enyo showed him her signature warm smile. "Because you told me, My prince."
When Indra and his father still had a close relationship, he brought him down to this very same room and told him the story of how he became king.
He also took that moment to explain to him the duty of the Ascalon royal family. They act for the betterment of none except their own, but no matter what they must guard the old one's remains with everything they have.
If the eldritch horror were to arise a second time, the world may not survive the fallout.
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