Chapter 9: 9. The Vault

Understanding that Elyssia is still sceptical of his words, Arthur pauses as he chooses his next words carefully.

“Please be patient Elyssia. After I have finished explaining I will take you to the family vault where I will be able to show you some limited magic.”

Elyssia’s eyes opened wide with shock at her grandfather’s words, deciding to save her questions for the end. While Arthur may be a man who becomes quite silly while he becomes a doting grandfather, when he is not with her, he is a stern and serious man who rarely smiles, quite the opposite to how he acts with Elyssia. Due to his nature Elyssia unconditionally trusts him, understanding that he is not one to joke about matters of the family, however she could not overcome how unreal this story was.

“Since long ago, near the founding of our family, we have received dreams from generation to generation. The appearance of this varies with some receiving dreams at a young age while others may never receive one at all. However, many of the dreams share a prophecy.”

 

“Prepare the strength of paper and steel,

You will be bathed in Morganite and gold,

March forth and open the gates foretold,

Calamity comes and worlds will be raised.”

 

“It seems early interpretations of this prophecy assumed that the family were to be bathed in wealth if they were to train in combat, and that the family would lead an army through some kind of gate to fight calamity.”

“Given the knowledge at the time, they thought that the gods were asking them to march through the gates of Tartarus in the underworld ruled by Hades to fight the evil locked below, however that all changed when the first person from another world became a member of the family.”

“These individuals found themselves in our world with very few memories. They seemed to remember things like the place they were from and some information about the items they had on them, however no details beyond that. It seemed that both our families’ members and those individuals from another world received similar prophetic dreams that directed them to one another.”

“This has become a trend through the family, where we seem to be directed to a ‘fated one’ through our dreams. While not all of the relationships seem to have been harmonious, many did seem to work out well.”

“After many years the family realised that the first line meant that we needed to gain knowledge and fighting ability, while the third line most likely meant to travel to another world.”

“There was some debate as to if the prophecy means to come to this world or another, but since it referred to ‘gates’ we decided on the assumption that it meant to go elsewhere, especially since it was only the main family who had this dream and not those who travelled to this world”

“As for the fourth line it clearly meant that calamity was coming and that various worlds must rise up to face this.”

“However, the second line has only recently become clear to us. For many generations it had been a mystery until you were born. It seemed that the ‘gold’ of the prophecy was referring to your hair that shines like gold, a unique trait that nobody in the world shares, as well as your pink eyes that are like two morganite gems.”

“While this leaves many questions unanswered such as why these people from other worlds were directed to our family, why the family received prophetic dreams to guide them through tough turmoil allowing the family to survive, or what kind of being caused this all to happen, what we almost certain about is that the second line of the prophecy refers to you, and that on your 16^th birthday, tomorrow, something will happen.”

Shocked by this revelation, Elyssia sat there in silence working through the information. Realising a hole in Arthur’s story she asks.

“How do you know something will happen to me tomorrow? It was not mentioned in the prophecy you spoke of earlier?” Elyssia asked in a panic.

Hesitating to answer, Arthur sat there with a conflicted face, sorrow evident in his eyes. Eventually mustering up the will, he answers.

“Last week I received a dream like yours, where it was real and vivid. However, unlike you, in my case I was speaking with… something in a black void. This was different from the normal dreams the family has as we would usually hear a deep booming voice that would guide us.”

“I was actually able to speak with this being who informed me that on your 16^th Birthday you would be taken to a different world to perform your role. As much as I tried to argue that he cant take you, he threa-“ Arthur stopped himself from saying too much, his voice soaked in despair, tears starting to form in his eyes.

Elyssia immediately rushed over and brought her grandfather who was so shaken into a comforting hug.

Spending some time embracing her grandfather who for the first time in his life showed such sorrow, Arthur eventually managed to get control of his emotions and regain some of his composure.

“Thank you, Elyssia, while you may not fully believe me yet, I am still dreading what is to come. I don’t want to loose my precious granddaughter.”

Deciding to take a break from this conversation, Arthur gestures for Elyssia to follow him.

Walking out of the office, Elyssia follows Arthur into the library. Making their way down one of the isles filled with books about history, they arrive before a stone bust of Maximillius Sadrestium. Maximillius was one of the founders of the family who initially served under Julius Caesar as a centurion in the 10^th legion in Gaul, eventually rising to become a renowned Legate after Caesars death.

The bust, while showing its history with scratches and cracks, was placed on a White quartz pedestal.

Walking up to the pillar, Arthur crouches down and begins to carefully turn it around. Eventually hearing a ‘click’, he nods in satisfaction.

Standing back up. He walks next to the bookshelf to the right and pushes it into the wall, revealing a staircase below.  

Arthur turns to Elyssia. “Follow me.”

Making their way down the old stone stairs in the narrow passage, it eventually opens up. In a long room with a low stone vaulted ceiling, Elyssia was shocked that such a structure was hidden under the library.

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In this room were a number of strange historical items and artefacts, everything from old books, weapons, glowing crystals, and accessories. Each one was placed on a pedestal in its own alcove down the long room like in a museum.

Exiting from the stairs, Elyssia walked up to one of the displays nearby. Looking at the book, she read the title.

‘Advanced Concepts of Integrating Different Elemental Runes – By Archmage Ondaras Valent’

Surprised by the book, Elyssia looks up towards Arthur quizzically.

Chuckling, he nods towards the book. “That was a book your grandmother brought over. Its ok, go on, give it a read.”

Carefully picking up the book, Elyssia quickly examined it. While it was made from paper that was quite crude for modern standards, it looked like a fairly new with wear from being read multiple times clear from the bindings. Bound in a leather cover, Elyssia opened it up and started flicking through the pages.

The book started by detailing various beginner magic circles that covered some of the basic elements, those being earth, air, fire, and water. In the later pages of the book, it started to hypothesise how changing the form of the circle may allow someone to place runic script for different elements in the same circle.

Quite confused as to what it was talking about, Elyssia decided to put the book down and walk back to her grandfather.

“That was quite confusing Grandfather. I assume there are more items related to this so called magic? I will admit this has piqued my curiosity.”

Slightly smiling, Arthur gestured for Elyssia to follow him again.

“You know, your grandmother used to be able to cast magic, however when she arrived here her magic was sealed. She was quite depressed because of it at the time. However, there are items down here that allows one to cast spells through previously stored power.”

Walking down the hall, he stops in front of a wooden staff with a blue gem around 30cm in diameter set within the top.

“This is the staff of Merlin Caledonensis, a man who was brought to this world and eventually ended up marrying into the family. He aided the Sadrestium family in the defence of Britannia against the invading Saxons, joining the army at the Battle of Badon Hill under a commander who shares the same name as myself…”

Elyssia widened her eyes.

“You don’t mean the Merlin from Arthurian legend, do you?”

Arthur replied. “That’s exactly right, Merlin was able to use magic due to that blue crystal. While his magic was limited, he was still able to use it.”

Taking the staff in his hand, Arthur opens small wooden box at the base of the pedestal. Inside sat on the velvet lining was a glowing blue stone that easily fit in Arthur’s palm. Picking it up he shows it to Elyssia.

“This is a magic crystal, and unlike the one on the staff, this still has magic power left in it.”

Taking the small object and placing it against the crystal in the staff, a myriad of colours can be seen flowing into the staff like an aurora. Realising the aurora she could see now was the exact same as the aurora that she saw around the tower outside of the white city in her dream, Elyssia started to become convinced that what her grandfather was saying was true.

Thinking to herself ‘Grandfather has never shown despair like earlier. No matter how hard things became in the past. And now there is this strange phenomenon that is exactly like what I saw last night… this has to be real.’

With a small sparkle in her eye after realising that magic does actually exist, they began walking again, passing by different objects whose details were explained by Arthur. Arriving at the end of the hall, in front of them sat upon a pedestal in the last alcove was a broken amulet.

The amulet was made from a delicately crafted gold chain that held part of a large red gem. It was clear that the gem had been damaged as it looked to have been ripped in half with the remaining section jagged and cracked from down the centre, barely held in place by the engraved gold setting. Had the amulet still been whole it would be an incredibly beautiful adornment.

After moments pause, Arthur starts to explain.

“This is the Lands Heart Amulet of Dunel Cenanis, The first Emperor of the Sasteragia Empire. This item was with your grandmother when she was found. All Delia could remember about the item was the name.”

“It’s so beautiful, even if only half of it remains!” Elyssia exclaimed in admiration.

“It is. In the dream I mentioned having before, I was told to give this item to you to wear. I am not sure why, and as much as I absolutely want to refuse, I know I can’t.”

Grabbing her shoulders, Arthur begs in a pleading tone. “Elyssia, you must stay safe no matter what happens. Promise me that no matter where you end up you will survive and live happily.”

Elyssia looks into Arthurs eyes first with hesitation, then with a resolute gaze.

“Grandfather… of course I will. While I’m still trying to get my head around everything you have told me, I am still a daughter of the Sadrestium family. I am skilled with the sword and have the knowledge of thousands of books. And no matter what happens I will find my way back here. If members of the family have made it here from other worlds, so can I.”

Registering Elyssia’s words, a glimmer of hope started to shine as he realised that his beautiful and smart granddaughter could achieve anything she put her mind to. Feeling just slightly relieved, he stands straight again.

“Elyssia, you should grab the amulet. We will spend the rest of the time between now and when you are forced to leave with the family. While your grandmother knows about this, your mother and brother don’t so we will need to talk to them.”

Realising the incredibly heavy burden of telling her family that she will be leaving them by the end of the next day with a chance she would never return, Elyssia walks to the amulet with a heavy heart.

Reaching out, she grabs the amulet, suddenly becoming enveloped in a dazzling flash of light.

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