(Written while listening to: "Nightmare" by Nathan Wagner on YouTube)
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[Incandescent Cathedral]
The Divine Flame flared, surprising Laito.
The old him would jump in fright, stumbled by his legs and fell down the platform. Most likely breaking his neck in the process.
The current fledgling Knight did jump…- but not necessarily from fright, but to get into fighting stance, while securing his footing.
But nothing was attacking him…- and by that I mean that he was not under any direct attack, not that "Nothing" was attacking him…- that would be quite terrible.
Laito stared with cautiousness at the raging fire wondering: 'HUH?!? It…- worked?'
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but at that moment a familiar voice sounded from the white flames…-
"JUST. READ. THAT. FUCKING. BOOK…-" A powerful booming voice thundered through the Prayer Room.
A one that Laito never did forget despite hearing it only once over 10 years ago.
'My personal ROB! I knew "He" wouldn't abandon me!' Laito deluded himself again, his eyes getting slightly watery for no reason.
"...-Oh wait! You did read the Book. "I" forgot…- Damn, maybe you are not that useless after all." Rob continued, while Laito has shut his trap so that he wouldn't miss any precious information.
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"
"There should be two keyholes. The first one to open is at the feet of the altar and the second at the very top. The one at the top might be very difficult to reach…-, BUT the Tome of Warding has a Spell that will let you reach it. "I" believe that you have already researched that one. It's [Mark of Invulnerability]." The ROB continued to spout instructions. Shockingly direct.
"From the moment you open the first keyhole at the bottom and absorb the Mana inside: You are on a timer. After that, this place will get very lively within a few moments!" ROB-from-Flames warned Laito.
"Just cast the Spell on yourself and you will be fine! Once you get to the other keyhole you'll need to run from that awesome dragon so that he won't eat you, or burn you to ash."
'What. Dragon?' Laito got baffled.
"Just keep moving. AVOID SHADOWS! At some point you will find another Tome and ahead of it you will find The Gate, you will know It when you see It."
There was a pause.
"Open It." "He" directly ordered Laito for the first time.
"That will end this dumb "NiGHtMAre ExeCUtIOn" the Tapestry has thrown at you. "I" guess it does really hate you with gusto, if you catch my drift. "I" think you deserve it." "He" said mockingly.
ROB paused again for a few seconds.
"That would be all. Oh! I just remembered. Try not to kill anyone. Within this Nightmare the less things die, the stronger you might get in the future.
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"By the way. What was going on with that letter? Trying to be cool? Stop it, that's just cringe as hell. That meme was also stupid. You are stupid. Cheers!"
And with that the Flame returned to its usual golden radiance. It was kinda weird, but it felt slightly less "divine" then the white one.
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It took a bit for Laito's mind to process everything that just happened. When he did. He slowly lowered himself, his knees hitting the surface of the floating platform once more.
The reincarnator hid his face with his hands and raised his head to stare at the ceiling with exasperation.
"I… can't believe it." He mumbled through his fingers with regret.
"So much time…- wasted. Actually, now that I think about it, up until I succumbed to this Nightmare I have wasted pretty much all my life. Mostly all I did to improve myself was learning Japanese…- but now the Spell translates everything for me automatically…- and while just like Sunny did, learning new languages has its own merits…- I could have used all this time for ANYTHING else." He went on a self-flagellating rant.
Now.
Was he worried whether all of that was a hallucination? Did the Cursed Devil outside the Keep manipulate his mind? Or maybe he himself was just going cuckoo?
Nah. Laito was wearing The Disciples Robe so he fared better in resisting the corrupted demigod better than even some of the Ascendant Knights.
The boy stood up, gathering his bearings after his embarrassing outburst.
'No point crying over spilled milk. It's time to get out of here!' With that thought he started to scan the entire altar immediately as the platform served as a good vintage point.
'I will find the second keyhole first, so that I won't have to worry about the "time limit" with this."
His eyes and [Keen Sight] scanned the entire surface of the altar from above.
Nothing.
No wait!
'Ah…- I knew it! This is going to be bullshit.' He thought to himself as he stared intensely into the golden flames. The fire was constantly dancing and in a certain moment right between the licks of Flame he noticed it.
A small keyhole. At the very bottom of the goblet that contained Divine Fire left by Sun God himself.
'You've got to be kidding me. I KNEW I would have to jump into fire at some point…- just figuratively, not literally! So unfair! When Nephis had to burn herself it was just mundane fire! This is…- insane!' He stole Sunny's catchphrase.
'Whatever. Time to get the first keyhole.'
Laito used the thingymajinga to lower the platform back to the floor level and moved to circle around the altar carefully inspecting every tiny nook and cranny of the bottom of the altar.
He circled it once.
Nothi…- there!
He stood in front of the side of the altar that faced the main door to the Prayer Room. As Laito stared at the fresco that decorated the altar's facade.
It was so subtle, so finely crafted that with normal eyes it would be impossible to tell.
But with the knowledge of what he is looking for and [Keen Sight] Laito found it quite easily.
He approached it as swirls of silver sparks started to coalesce over his right palm.
'ROB never talked about how I am supposed to open the keyholes, so I assume the answer is obvious.'
A small silvery key materialized in his hand as Laito summoned his first ever Memory.
Gatekeeper's Key. Now infused with full access to all locks within Incandescent Keep…- Courtesy of Master Fang.
'Allright here we g…' As he was closing the key to the keyhole the massive door behind him suddenly opened!
Laito turned and saw two Incandescent Knights equipped in full-plates bar helmets. One was wearing Ascendant and the other Awakened armor.
"Don't mind us! You do you while we keep away anyone who tries to interrupt." Forgemaster Fang said matter-of-factly.
"Ye'r better hurry lad! We ain't gonna last long 'gainst whose comin' for ya." Gatekeeper Gastac warned his former apprentice.
The two cultist knights glanced at each other and just nodded shortly. They simultaneously equipped their helmets and unsheathed their swords. Of course both of them wielded long-swords like most Incandescent did. Gastac had a shield too.
They turned to face the Prayer Room doors and got into fighting positions as if they steeled themselves to face certain death.
"Hail to Weaver, Demon of Fate… Firstborn of the Unknown." Fang and Gastac chanted in unison."
"We shall not let anyone pass through this gate." They declared.
"And so will I" To their surprise the massive door opened once more.
Behind them stood an old man dressed fully in white robes.
He entered the Prayer Room.
"Lord Commander!" The Knights acknowledged the approaching person.
Saint Gandeon Olorfnir. The Font of Wisdom.
He stopped in place between the cultist knights.
"Currently, the Blatherer of Desires and Beast King are occupying each other, it is the best time for you to proceed. Go and be safe Sir Soot. This will be our farewell." Said that, Gandeon bowed his head slightly towards Laito and turned away to face the door while unsheathing suspiciously Glamdring-looking long-sword and tightening his grip on his Staff.
Laito stared at the backs of his three protectors for a second. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. But instead he just let out a sigh. and turned back to the keyhole.
He thrusted the Gatekeeper's Key into the lock and turned it.
There was a clicking sound.
Then, the fresco started to move down, sinking into the altar's walls.
Behind it, there was a small compartment.
And inside it…-
It was a beautiful blue crystal that glowed softly with blue light.
It looked similar to Soul Shards. Yet Laito knew it was different.
It was calling to him.
'I wonder if that's how Nightmare Call feels like.' He thought as he reached for the crystal.
The moment the boy's skin brushed with it…
The crystal started to melt. And the melted "fluid" started to seep under Laito's skin.
Into his blood.
'It feels…- refreshing." He commented that he felt his blood quickened, invigorated when it mixed with… "Mana" as ROB called it.
Then, the crystal was gone. Laito looked at his hands as his veins now glowed slightly with soft blue light.
[You have received temporary Attribute]
As Laito attempted to summon Spell's runes…- he was interrupted.
The entire Keep slightly shook. The enchanted lights were suddenly extinguished and the booming sound resounded:
The entire Incandescent Keep was suddenly depowered.
That included its defensive arrays.
Behind the Prayer Room's windows Laito saw the protective dome collapsing.
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"Whoops."
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[3,5 years left until MHA plot beginning]
[Chapter End] The story is not over yet
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