We talked a little bit more about when I would need it if something bad happened.
Eventually, Zareth went and came back with a rolled-up and old-looking piece of parchment.
"It's an old map of the Labyrinth from around 40 years ago. I made it myself but dropped it after the guild became a lot busier, and I never got back to it," he said as he handed it to me.
I unfurled it and saw a rough sketch of rooms and halls. Not expertly done, but clearly usable.
"It's not very detailed and could be off, as the Labyrinth changes its topography occasionally, but not to any major extent. A change in the dimensions of walls and hallways. Sometimes adding a slight turn and so on."
I nodded. "At the very least, this should allow us to navigate its halls with some ease."
He nodded. "Exactly."
"Ugh..." I heard Orin make a noise then.
We all turned to him and noticed he was slowly getting up.
"W... what happened?" he asked as he sat up.
"Sleeping mist potion," Kion said, glancing at me. "We planned on using it to help restrain Aaron, but your friend Araki opened the stopper, releasing some of the mist and knocking the four of you out."
"You might have some memory problems for now, but they will clear up later," I added.
Orin looked around at the others and nodded, a little confused but buying the story.
I wasn't surprised. Orin is the weakest at magic but the most physically resilient. His soul is likely the smallest but most resilient thanks to that combination.
Ark woke up next, likely being a werewolf and used to mental trauma.
Then Zek and Araki.
After I explained the lie about what happened, Zek noticed the map and asked, "Is this the Labyrinth?"
Zareth nodded. "It is. We are working on finding a place to trap Aaron and the shadow and begin the ritual."
Zek nodded and said, "The Labyrinth has several entrances around the academy and a few in the city, right?"
Zareth nodded and pointed at a room farther in. "This room is not only deep underground on the second floor, its walls are covered in runes that block mana sensing, allowing mages to move through it without giving their presence away or cast spells in secret."
My eyes lit up. An area like that was extremely useful. "I like it. Even though we can't sense Aaron's mana, I can sense the shadow, so we are set on that."
Zareth nodded and added, "Plus, there is a secret passageway nearby that connects to the guild basement, so Kion and I can meet you there."
I nodded. "Perfect."
We talked a bit more about the finer details of what would happen and what needed to be prepared.
Overall, I had everything almost done. All that was needed to finish was filling the mana crystals.
Thankfully, when Zareth heard that, he pulled out several mana crystals [1], each filled with mana of the 8 core elements.
Once he pulled them out, I could instantly tell how much mana they held.
'Each one of those holds more than twice the amount I would need for a single level 3 spell,' I thought, shocked.
Zareth, seeing my face, smiled and said, "Consider this as an advanced payment for the unofficial quest of protecting the city. When the quest is finished, if you feel these are inefficient, please let me know, and I will find a more suitable reward."
We all nodded.
Smiling and reworking the timeline in my head, I remembered something we overlooked.
I asked, "Where are the entrances inside of the academy?"
Zareth paused and realized we didn't talk about it.
"Well, Kion and I are okay, but as for all of you... I think there was an entrance below the greenhouse, but I don't know its condition. As for alternatives, there are various spots around the academy. I'm sure you have noticed a few oddities, Jack?"
I nodded. "I have noticed a few, but planned on investigating later once Aaron was okay."
Zareth smiled. "Great," and handed me another map, which I looked over as he talked.
"This one contains locations and some instructions on how to find and open some of the passageways. For security, I had it encoded. To solve it, yo—"
"It's a polyalphabetic cipher [2] with your name as the key," I said as I glanced over the new map.
The room fell silent, and I smiled, not looking up from the map. "If you are all still surprised by me doing this kind of shit, then I think you need to remind yourselves of who I am... or at least... who you know me to be."
I waited a minute in silence before looking up.
That was when I noticed.
The entire room was frozen and gray, just like how it is when time freezes.
I looked at Zareth, but he was also frozen, which was weird since he was someone with a time-based artifact.
I tilted my head slightly, sensing danger.
I turned and watched a dagger slowly pass where my head used to be.
I watched it in confusion, as I wasn't doing anything to mess with my perception of time. The dagger was just moving like it was in slow motion, while I moved fine.
I turned around and noticed a shadow creeping under the door, also moving but slowed, like the dagger.
Grabbing one of the light mana crystals from the table, I walked over and placed it on top of the shadow.
I watched it slowly shudder and slink away, out of the room and back into the hallway.
I didn't bother following it.
A confrontation this early and in the middle of the city was not a good idea.
Instead, I walked back to my chair and noticed a piece of paper.
I picked it up, and it said:
-
Figured you could use some help. I know it wasn't needed, but I wanted to help, Ancestor.
The spell will freeze the shadow when it is far enough, and before it realizes time is dilated. As for you, it shall remain in effect for another 20 minutes.
Use it as you see fit, but my advice is to remember that knowledge is power. Don't squander a chance to know more.
We will meet in person one day. Just remember not to drink the blueberry wine.
- A Friend.
PS. Ux vtkxyne hy max phey'l ytgzl. Bm ankml.
-
"Another one, really. *sigh* They really love to mess with me, don't they... though, at least I will actually meet one in person, eventually."
...
"I guess they might see me as a grandparent rather than a friend, though, but still...
"... you know what, not worth it. I will deal with it in time. As for now, I should probably take advantage of this time stop and head to the library."
I reached into my pocket (yes, pocket, not storage ring) and pulled out an old-looking key and pocket watch.
I put it in front of the door, even though it didn't have a keyhole on this side.
I pushed the key in, and it phased into the doorknob.
I turned it.
*click*
*VWOOM*
The door swung open, and instead of the hallway, there was a portal.
I stepped through it and felt as if I was falling through the sky before landing on solid ground suddenly.
The whole thing lasted only around 2 seconds, but most people, even though people don't come here, fall over puking or passed out from the sensation.
I admit I puked a few times when I was little, but I became used to it after some time—
'Wait, is that why I have an affinity with space magic? My repeated exposure to space magic over the last 10 years must have had an effect... interesting.'
Anyway, I'm getting off track.
I took the old watch and wound it to 20 minutes and put it back in my pocket.
I looked around and noticed the familiar, ridiculously tall bookshelves spanning off into infinity.
I smiled and began walking, not anywhere in particular, just wanting to find Brakos.
Thankfully, I found him less than a minute later, thanks to the library's ability to send you to what you want.
Brakos was sitting on a chair, reading an all-too-familiar book.
"I hope you don't plan on reading ahead of me," I said, smiling as I walked up.
He looked up and smiled. "Jack, good to see you. But don't worry, I haven't read ahead. I can't risk accidentally giving a spoiler to your own story unless you have already seen it happen. I just..." he looked at me curiously.
"When in your story is it for you?" he asked.
"I just met the third of my descendants, by my chronology, to time-travel and meet me, chronologically... well, no, I didn't meet them, they left a note."
Brakos paused before going, "AH, right, that one. I forgot about them. Then this is happening during the time stop?"
I nodded.
"Ah, ok. So I'm guessing you want the combat spells you asked me about last night before your friends interrupted your multitasking meditation," he said as he snapped his fingers, and a few books flew from the shelves.
I nodded, thankful he still bases his perception of time to line up with mine... to an extent.
"Yeah. But also add on some information about space magic and the sword [Sanburēdo]."
Brakos looked at me, confused, summoning the book as well. "[Sanburēdo] and space magic? Where and why did you learn about that sword?"
"I found out I have an affinity with space magic when the books reactivated. As for [Sanburēdo], you told me about it a few years ago."
He paused to think and remembered, "Ah, right. I did... But why do you want to know? It was confirmed to be destroyed during the Sunless Year. Luna found it shattered a while after its creator returned."
I noticed how he avoided using Sol's name, but that isn't what confused me.
"What? No! Kion has it."
"Kion?" Brakos looked at me, even more confused.
"Aaron's uncle. An S-rank adventurer and the right-hand man of the king of Rumia."
Brakos looked at me, confused, before closing his eyes and shuddering.
He opened his eyes soon after with a look of worry.
"What is it?" I asked.
He started mumbling, so quiet I could barely make out what he said, but I think I heard.
"That sword was destroyed... I know it... I saw its destruction... how is it..."
"Brakos...?" I asked, moving slowly to not scare him.
But he didn't seem to listen. "Did someone rewrite time... no,... was it reforged... alternative timeline... temporal displacement..."
Seeing him slowly get wrapped up in whatever primordial problem he had, I decided to walk away and just start reading.
'If I need to know, he will tell me.'
[1]: Mana crystals don't hold a lot on their own and are more for storing elemental mana, as a component in rituals (like what Jack is doing), to mix with ore and create weapons with elemental affinities, and a few other uses.
Zareth just so happened to have a couple in storage that adventurers sold to the guild rather than keeping for themselves.
No, these cannot be used like the dragon core. These are a lot weaker.
[2]: A Polyalphabetic cipher is also known as a Vigenère cipher. I used this alternative name as it is named after the person who invented it in France in the 16th century on Earth, and they do not exist on Primus.
It's like a multi-levelled shift or Caesar cipher (one I have also used). The letters from the 'keyword' determine what it is, but only the correct word works. Try any other word, even if similar, and it fails.
I want to point out that it's almost impossible to guess the keyword without a clue, especially since the keyword could be anything with 2 or more letters.