Unbound

The Citadel library was larger than Felix expected. Upon entering its large double doors carved of polished wood he found himself within a wide, circular chamber absolutely teeming with dark wooden bookshelves. An elaborately embroidered rug lined the main path, leading down several tiers to an open space that revealed a second level that opened up into a balcony that ran along the inside circumference. The central area was filled with desks, long tables, and chairs, each piece of furniture exquisitely gilded and clearly carved by a master craftsman. A large chandelier of faceted glass dominated the space above, casting light that was repeated by smaller mana lamps throughout until an even illumination filled the stacks.

Center to everything, sprouting incongruously like a tree from the patterned stone flooring, was Pax’Vrell’s Primary Beacon. Like the chandelier, it gave off a glow, but this one was blue edged with faint greens and golds, composed almost entirely of red-veined stone and clouded crystal. A small army of robed librarians filled the place, set up on tables arranged around the Beacon and down the aisles, piling books onto carts that they wheeled back toward the central area. There they were set up with scrolls, quills, and stacks upon stacks of tomes that were busily moved between themselves. Each one earned a tally on a long scroll before it was passed into the Beacon itself, only to be taken out a moment later by another librarian that handed it off to an entirely new set of robed bookkeepers.

"Efficient," Felix muttered, more than a little pleased. When he'd requested that the library be cataloged, he hadn't hoped it would happen so fast, but judging by the piles and empty bookshelves, they had moved through at least half of the Citadel's collection.

Pit, where are you?

Up top.

Felix leaped, easily vaulting to the second story. He landed with a bit of a thud, heavy as he was, but the library was sturdy. It barely flexed. He found Pit several aisles back, nestled in a pile of his own books in his dire-hound form, busily reading through four at a time. Spectacles were fixed around his doggy head and his eyes, and paws were a blur as he read through pages in the span of seconds.

One sec, his Companion sent, still flipping through the books. Moments later, however, all four slammed shut. "There. Done."

Felix picked up one. "Poetry?”

“After I'd cleared out all the tomes on battle tactics, Elaine suggested it as a new topic to explore.”

Pit chirruped pleasantly. "One of the librarians. She said it would grant me a new perspective.”

“How's it been so far?”

“Frustrating,” Pit growled. “So many words. I don't get it.”

Felix gave him a reassuring pat. “Keep it up. Maybe you'll learn to like it.”

“Maybe. What about you? I heard all the System notifications.”

“Impressed?” Felix asked.

“Annoyed. You interrupted my reading so many times.”

“Sorry about that. Did you spend the points for your new levels yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Get on that soon. With your new per-level boost you're going to catch up to me sooner or later.”

“Unlikely. I can't match everything you've got. But if I focus on Strength and Agility I can push myself to be what I need to be.”

Felix smiled. “Sounds good to me. The other stats are growing just fine, so I don't see an issue with specializing.” Felix looked around. "How do you search this place?”

“Talk to a librarian. They've got some crazy organizational skills.”

Pit stood up from his nest of books and gave a big stretch. “Elaine?”

“Yes, Master Pit?”

A woman poked her head out from a nearby aisle, several books in hand. She had ochre skin and tightly braided sea-foam green hair. For a moment, Felix thought it was Zara. But the woman's face was too wide, her cheekbones too high, and her eyes a touch too bright. The moment she saw Felix, she gave a small gasp and dropped her books.

“Ah!” she fell to her knees. “My king!”

Felix gestured for her to stand back up. “No need for that right now. I'm told you've been helping my Companion find what he needs.”

“'It has been my pleasure to serve.”

"Mhm. Can I ask you to relay a message to all the librarians?”

"Of course. Though a king is not reigned in Pax’Vrell in over an Age, we remember our duty to the Seat and Seal.”

"Good to hear. I need everyone to search for any mention of an item set called the Empyrean Regalia. It’s composed of the Wellspring Chalice, the Crown of Elysium, and the Exalted Bell. Check the books in the Librarium as well.”

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“An item set?” Elaine’s mouth curved into a wide, eager smile. “We will do as you wish, your Highness. Does this take priority over copying our collection into the Librarium?”

“It does,” Felix said, and Pit groaned.

“Understood. We will begin immediately.”

“Direct references to these items will likely be almost impossible to find. Keep an eye out for anything concerning Nymean ruins, Temples, or artifacts made of Crescian Bronze. I imagine a good chunk of this information might be Lost.”

Elaine's face shifted, the wide planes of her expression hardening.

"Not a fan, I see,” Felix said.

"The Ruin is the bane of all those that value knowledge, Your Highness. What sort of monster would deface a book?” She gave a deep curtsy. "I will see your task done.”

"Good.” Felix turned away, but after a second realized the Naiad was still locked into her low curtsy. “Ah, dismissed.”

Immediately, Elaine gathered up her skirts and took off at speed, which, for a librarian, was pretty impressive. Pit carefully piled his books to the side with his little paws.

“Did you just come down here to mess with my operation?” he asked.

"Nope,” Felix said with a grin. “I need the Chanters, too. Where are they?”

The Chanters were holed up in a smaller chamber that adjoined the second floor stacks. It was one of many, meant as places that patrons could sit within and enjoy some privacy while librarians fetched whatever books were required. As Felix stepped in, he saw the two Chanters seated on a single long table between piles of scrolls and tomes that rivaled Pit’s nest.

“Ah, my Lord,” Laur said, standing as Felix entered the room. “I must say, if you’ve come for results on your task it is perhaps a bit too early—”

Felix waved a hand. “I’ll gladly hear what you have, but that’s not why I’m interrupting.”

“Good, because we’ve collected very few solid details,” Tzfell said, massaging the small of her back. “Almost two days and the collected works of several cities has given us an embarrassing lack of reliable accounts.”

After taking Pax’Vrell, Felix had asked them to gather what they could on the Ruin and its activities across the Ages. Anything that could prove useful.

Felix stopped short of the stacked table and peered at the titles. “We knew it would be slow going.”

“We did, but I find myself frustrated at the reality,” the Dwarven Chanter said with a heavy sigh. “We already know it's a force that even the gods respect, but per your encounter with Avid, they are not subject to its power. Curious, but they respect it, then, wouldn't you think?"

Laur continued speaking, as if picking up the thread of conversation from Tzfell. “And from your account, my Lord, Vellus even feared the Ruin’s return. Perhaps that is owed to her instability, but I cannot help but think the Divine are hiding more than they have revealed."

Felix snorted. "That goes without saying.”

“All accounts indicate that the Ruin is a natural force, or it behaves like one anyway," Laur said. "It seeks out those that dare lift their heads above the rest, hunting the heights of true power, and extinguishes them."

Felix rubbed his chin. "Like an Ascendent trying to walk the Broken Path. I’ve seen warnings in that Title every single time it upgrades. Damn. Avet said it, didn't he? The Ruin was leashed by the gods, and now it's broken free.”

“Then the gods were the ones that had previously set it upon the Continent,” Tzfell said with a scowl. “I wouldn’t put it past the god of chaos to lie about this…but it makes sense. The gods are jealous creatures; that has always been known. If the Broken Path is a way toward Divinity, as you’ve suspected my Lord, then blocking Ascendents from it would be natural.”

“They don’t wanna share,” Felix said.

“Precisely. But if what the late Hierei Mivun claimed is true, then the gods had nothing to do with Ruin’s advent this time.”

Felix remembered that well. Mivun had reveled in the fact that the Hierophant summoned the Ruin in order to ‘cleanse’ the Continent of all but the chosen few. Namely, the Pathless’ flock.

“We still have not confirmed how the Hierophant might have done so, but if the gods had a way of controlling the Ruin, then it stands to reason someone could work out how to summon it,” Laur said.

“Despicable,” Tzfell said. She looked ready to chew through stone. “All this time we’ve been preparing to combat the Ruin and she brought it down on us.”

"That’s something I intend to stop, if I can," Felix said. "At the very least, I have made some advances in that area. I know what it looks like."

"Impossible," Tzfell said. "That is among the first records we found. All documentation of its description is erased, even the memories of it.”

“They didn't have this." As simple as turning on a light switch, the crown reappeared on Felix's brow, shining with a brassy light.

"The crown of Elysium!” Tzfell exclaimed while Laur stood, his chair toppling backward. “You completed it?"

"May I?" the Elven Chanter said, hand trembling.

Felix plucked it off his brow and gave it to the Chanter. The two of them huddled over the still-glowing crown, muttering exclamations under their breath as they investigated its design.

"Aha! I see," Laur said. "The crown is creating a sort of ward, and I see in the information here that it is increasing your mental defenses."

"It is," Felix confirmed.

"So the ward is going through your Mind, fortifying against outside intrusion." Laur laughed, a touch of wonder in his Spirit. "It's an Aspect enhancer. Those are beyond rare, and I've never seen one so complete.”

“Not quite complete,” Felix said, sending them the item’s full details. “There are two more pieces of this set."

"Set?" Tzfell asked, shock written large across her face.

Laur’s eyes widened. “Empyrean Regalia… Part one of three, with set bonuses included. I cannot believe what I am seeing.”

“I even have a quest to find all the pieces.” Felix sent them the details on the Quest. “The librarians are hunting for any mention of it now. Chances are we won't find any first-person sources, but maybe we can get some third-party accounts."

Laur swallowed and handed the crown back to Felix. “This claims the Herald was able to use these to contest the gods… Depending on these set effects, these could potentially be of great use against the Ruin.”

"It's something, at least," Tzfell agreed. "I imagine treasures such as these would leave a trail through history and league wide. The Crown of Elysium alone, able to reinforce the Mind, would be an artifact worth several Territories."

"I hope you're right," Felix said. "But before we can chase those down, I need you guys for something else. I gotta warn you though, it might be dangerous."

Tzfell bowed. "When we joined you, we did so knowing the danger. You have but to speak, my Lord, and we will join you."

"Good," he said, clapping his hands. "We need to find the Unbound, and I know how."

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