Even without finding any powerful offensive spells, Ham found the experience very enjoyable and perfectly to his taste. Each visit to that space put a heavy burden on him, so he could not search for long, and the so-called offensive spells he found were things like blowing shaved ice or flapping wings to make wind. Faced with that, he could only choose the ones that at least seemed interesting.
"…Considering there are individuals like you, it is not strange that Dragonkin in the past had similar types." Vera felt that only people obsessed with fun would research spells like these, but when she thought about the equally genius yet foolish Ham, it suddenly made sense. It seemed that not all Dragonkin in history had been particularly serious.
With this machine, their safety had increased greatly. It was fast, could stay airborne for long periods, and did not require frequent landings. They simply followed the map, relying on Ham to turn stones into Golden Arches for food, and even when they did land, the surroundings were safe enough that they barely saw any Demonkind.
It was a little strange not knowing where all those Demonkind had gone, but neither of them felt like complaining. No one wanted to see those things anyway.
"We are basically at the entrance of the sanctuary you mentioned, but there is nothing down there. Are you sure?" "Yeah… I remember those two guys saying during their fight that it was hidden in a concealed space. You have to find some kind of entrance." "I will try using Empathic Communion to see if I can locate it."
They landed on the ground, but the area was nothing more than ordinary Canyon terrain with no sign of anything special. Ham closed his eyes and focused, trying to sense the surroundings. An unnamed ripple spread outward, yet he felt nothing at all, as if it were truly just an empty stretch of land.
Could it be just a boring legend? Was I tricked?
Suddenly, it felt as if gears turned inside his head, followed by the sound of a key entering a lock and twisting. Springs lifted, latches opened, and chains snapped one after another, heavy restraints crashing to the ground. A decayed door that should have been completely sealed opened a tiny crack, still not enough, while the ancient thing inside remained asleep.
This door could not be opened by force from only one side. The one inside had to be awakened as well, to push together. After standing there for a moment, Ham began murmuring words he did not even realize he was speaking.
They sounded like unclear sleep talk, low and meaningless, but if Sylvia had been present, she would have been utterly shocked. This was the most primitive form of Dragon Tongue, something even some Ancient Dragon might struggle to understand. Translated, it meant:
"…Open the gate." "…Awaken, dragon engraved by time…"
At the same time, in some unknown place, Edward recited the same primal Dragon Tongue with a wild smile on his face. The Dragon Soul resonated, and in a single moment, an astonishing synchronization was achieved.
"…In the name of fate's Dragon God… Ham…" "…In the name of my fate's Dragon God… Edward.Bart…"
A dragon as ancient as time itself opened its eyes. It spread its wings, shaking off the rust of time and space, its movements creaking like an old machine, its body like a sculpture. Black and white fragments fell away, revealing ancient bronze beneath, and though it still seemed half-asleep, its body pushed the door open by instinct.
"What is going on? The gravity and spatial readings around here are not normal…" Vera sensed something wrong as nearby space folded and twisted, forming a dark vortex. The surrounding scenery became chaotic, with images of the past flashing repeatedly, as if time itself were flowing backward.
Ancient bronze pillars rose from the ground one by one, and at the far end appeared a weathered door bound in chains. The chains broke under Rend, the door flew open, and beyond it lay only chaos. Ham shook his head, confused about what had just happened, but when he looked up, his eyes lit up.
"Hey, it really exists. See? I told you!" "Ah…"
Vera stared with her mouth open, feeling that Ham had been acting strangely just now. Before she could think further, she was pressed back into the cockpit seat as Ham happily dashed toward the door. They passed straight through it, only for Ham to suddenly feel emptiness beneath his feet.
Below was pure darkness, and after a dizzy spin, they slammed onto a hard surface. Ham reverted to human form on impact. "That hurt a bit… Where is this? Was this not supposed to be a sanctuary?"
"…This is not really a sanctuary. To be precise, this is just a library." "?"
Before they could react, an elderly voice sounded beside them. Turning their heads, they saw a table with candles and books, and an old man with gray hair and beard reclining in a rocking chair, closing a book with an indistinct cover.
"Sorry. Let me introduce myself. I am Vera.Friffis, and this is Ham. May I ask who you are?" Sensing immediately that the old man was not ordinary, Vera signaled Ham to keep quiet and stepped forward, speaking with proper courtesy.
When the old man heard the name Friffis, his eyes narrowed slightly. He grasped the arms of the rocking chair as if to stand, but in the end, he lay back down. "As I said, this is a library, and I am its librarian. Although I have been here for a long time, I still go out from time to time."
"You may have heard my name in biographies or even textbooks. I am Safas." "Safas?"
Ham did not understand, but Vera frowned slightly as her mind raced. She had heard that name before. "Wait… are you that Safas? The great Magic master who lived for over a thousand years, famous for Spatial Magic…"
"Haha, so you have heard of me. That is right, I am that Safas." The old man showed no restraint in his pride, his eyes gleaming. "The founder of space and gravity studies, the seeker of the stars, the one who pursued all mysteries…"
"The top wanted drifter on the continent, hunted by the Three Great Empires?" "…" "Well, whatever."
The old man's face darkened visibly, but he quickly waved it off as if it were nothing. Vera understood very well that if his identity was real, it was indeed extraordinary. Legends said he had reached the Saint domain and single-handedly expanded the entire field of space and gravity Magic.
Many forbidden lands and mysteries across the continent had been visited by him, including places no nation allowed people to enter. That was why a so-called wanted order had existed long ago, not because anyone expected to catch him, but because he was simply impossible to find. Still, that was over a thousand years ago, so why was he here now?
"Is this not a sanctuary for Dragon Soul? Why are you here?" "Dragon Soul… that is not wrong. I cannot say much, but having someone to talk to is rare. I am just patching up a hole I once made, barely."
"But honestly, the door actually opened. Even I do not fully understand this situation. Since you came here, you must be seeking something." Safas's expression shifted as he slowly stood up, an unclear pressure spreading from him. He produced a lantern from nowhere and walked over, first looking at Vera, then at Ham.
"I… I came to complete my Dragon Soul inheritance. For some reason, when I was born, my mind related to Dragon Soul was completely empty…" Ham spoke nervously. The old man glanced at him, then turned back and sat down again.
"Forget it. This is a library. The only thing you can desire here is knowledge." "However, you must follow the rule of equivalent exchange. For example, can you answer a few questions for me first? I have not been outside for a long time."
"…Please ask. I will answer anything I know." Vera swallowed as well.
"First question. The Church of Holy Light, is the Dawn faction still around?"
Church of Holy Light? Vera did not know why this senior cared about the state of Church of Holy Light, but she still answered honestly. She said that Dawn Faction still existed, but because she was from Paraten Empire and most factions there leaned toward Dusk Faction, she did not know the details. She added that since her birth, she had always heard that this branch had been in poor shape.
She had once tried to study what Holy Light really was. This kind of belief-based power felt strange to her, and she thought that if she understood it, she might be able to build some kind of god-making machine herself. However, she had always been rejected in her attempts.
"Still exists… is that so." Safas lowered his head, his hair falling forward and hiding his expression in shadow. After a moment, he raised his head again and continued speaking. He asked his second question, about the Northlands, and whether it was still a land of ice and snow.