The metallic groan echoed down the dark corridor.
"EAAAAKHKHKHK!"
A terrifying sound that made the hairs on Rix's neck stand on end. He pressed himself tighter against the cold stone wall, his heart pounding against his ribs. Each scream seemed to mock his efforts. Further ahead, he saw the heavy iron door of the vault adorned with intricate carvings of silver and black gold, reflecting the light from the clay oil lantern he carried in his hand.
— Rix, hurry! — a hoarse voice whispered from behind him. It was Kael, a tall, thin man with dark oak-colored eyes and petroleum-black hair. He wore padded leather-green clothing and on his chest bore a carved copper design: a hand facing outwards with open fingers, each wearing three rings. It was the crest of the Silk Fingers Guild, and Kael was one of its mentors, an experienced rogue with hands as quick as a viper. — The patrol won't be long.
Rix swallowed hard, his mouth almost cracking with the centuries of dust that coated this forgotten place. This was his initiation test, which was supposed to be a mission for the beginner level, but as Kael was coming on this mission he ended up bringing him along. They were on the heist of the legendary "Screaming Vault" of old Baron Varkos. Legend said the vault was cursed by an ancient mage and now emits a deafening scream if breached incorrectly.
'I can't fail... Not now!' - Rix thought, adjusting his thin black gloves made of Nalerian fabric, while feeling the familiar weight of his lock-picking tools on his belt.
Kael had taught him the basics, training with him for 5 weeks before they were here. But this was a Master of Infiltration-level vault, far beyond his experience as a mere Shadow Novice.
Trying to control his breathing, Rix inserted the first pick into the lock. His fingers worked with nervous precision, trying to feel the tiny clicks that would indicate the correct path. Meanwhile, the silence in the subterranean chamber was almost visible, broken only by the soft scrape of metal against metal and Kael's tense breathing, who waited anxiously for the young man to succeed.
Suddenly, a dry click sounded.
*TICK*
followed by a slight tremor in the door and the floor and walls around it. Rix breathed a sigh of relief.
— The first tumbler is set, — Kael murmured, his voice calm and confident to soothe and encourage his student. — But this vault has at least five more, and remember what I told you, Rix, any mistake could...
Before Kael could finish his sentence, a sharp, high-pitched sound came from the vault door. It wasn't a human scream but a metallic wail, as if the iron itself were in extreme agony. The sound increased in intensity, making Rix's ears ring as if they would explode.
— Hurry! — Kael yelled, pushing Rix forward. — It's waking up!
Rix was propelled by fear and adrenaline and worked frantically on the remaining locks, while the vault's piercing sound seemed to penetrate his bones, trying to make him err. His eyes focused on a single point, as if only he and that vault existed in the world. His heart raced, drops of sweat ran down his forehead and face.
'I need to focus. Kael said the key is the tumbler sequence!' He thought, remembering Kael's lessons, the importance of listening to the vault, and feeling its vibrations.
Ignoring the deafening noise, he focused on each movement, on each minuscule click.
*TECK TECK TECK*
*TECK TECK TECK*
*TECK TECK TECK*
After a few minutes of trying non-stop, the last tumbler yielded with a loud snap.
*TACK!!!*
The metallic scream suddenly stopped, leaving the environment in an almost uncomfortable silence.
Rix sighed in relief and staggered back, his body trembling with exhaustion.
— HA! Congratulations, kid, I knew you could do it. — Kael approached with a smile on his face.
— Thank you, sir, I had a good master, — Rix joked, giving a sincere smile that let out air.
*NHAAAAAINCK!*
The vault door groaned, and this time the tremors were more intense, shaking the floor and walls like a small earthquake.
— Hold on, kid, and get ready to enter your first vault. — Kael kept his legs in a steady posture on the floor, to stand firm amidst the tremors.
— I'm looking forward to it, Master! — Rix began to stand up from the floor, where he had sat to catch his breath.
The large and heavy door opened with loud groans like ancient screams resulting from its age, and as it opened, it revealed a dark interior.
— You did it, Rix! — exclaimed Kael, a wide grin on his face. — You really have the knack!
But the celebration was interrupted by the sound of heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoing in the corridor above.
— Patrol! — Kael whispered in a low tone, pulling Rix inside the vault. — Quick, grab what you can and let's get out of here!
Inside the vault, in the flickering light of the lantern, Rix saw a variety of valuable objects: glittering jewels, ancient artifacts, swords, daggers, necklaces...
— So cooooool! — Rix couldn't contain himself at what he was seeing.
On a stand, there was metal armor that shimmered in a metallic rainbow and had a helmet shaped like a rhinoceros head.
But his attention quickly turned when he saw a light emanating from the center of the vault out of the corner of his eye. As soon as he looked towards the source of this light, he was enchanted by what he saw...
Resting on a pure gold pedestal, with a light blue velvet cushion the color of the sky, lay a single hexagonal gem that pulsed with intense beams of light, mixing between blue and green.
— A Soul Gem?! — Kael said, letting his thought escape in a whisper, as if he couldn't believe his own eyes.
Rix approached marveling, appreciating the blue and green beams that played in different shades of spectrum. And without hesitation, he grabbed the gem. He felt a slight tingle run through his hand that went up his arm, then quickly stuffed the gem into his pouch, his heart beating even faster, with happiness and curiosity at having found something so fascinating.
— Let's go! — Kael was already moving towards a secret passage at the back of the vault, which Rix hadn't even noticed before because he was distracted by so many treasures.
— Oh... Coming, sir. — Rix replied without looking aside, as if hypnotized by the beauty of the Soul Gem inside his pouch.
It took him a few seconds to snap back to reality, and when he did, Kael was already entering the secret passage.
— What?! — His face showed comical indignation with wide eyes and an open mouth. — Sir...
— Ka, Kael, wait for me there, I'm coming, don't leave me behind! — Rix started running with clumsy steps, stumbling a few times until he settled into a running posture, and then followed his master through the secret passage.
As they followed the dark, winding corridor, made of stone walls with moss and humidity, Rix couldn't stop thinking about the gem in his pouch...
His initiation test had been a success, and that made him happy, but he felt there was something more to that gem, a power, an energy... Something, that was calling him.