Inheritance OT Fallen, ch 5

I bowed more deeply than before and asked, "Great One–”

She interrupted, “Don’t call me that. Mysania, or Lady Mysania is fine.  I don’t need the fawning that others might expect.”

I nodded, and said, “Lady Mysania, do you perhaps favor those with ties to other worlds, or who can remember past lives? I am not seeking to manipulate this interaction, merely curious. The truth is, I was led here by the written words of one who visited you long ago and protected this Legacy Vault from the outside. In order to read the message, one would have to have knowledge of an alien world and one of its languages. I am assuming you will know who I am speaking of."

As I spoke, Mysania's expression softened, her lips curving into a faint smile that hinted at a warmth hidden beneath her stern exterior. "Ah, Cale, you are indeed perceptive," she said, her voice a low murmur that seemed to wrap around me like a cloak. "The one who likely penned the words that guided you here was an old... acquaintance of mine."

I nodded politely, not pressing any further. Mysania smiled, her eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and something darker, more primal. "Very well, Cale Galdrich. You've come seeking power, and you've proven yourself worthy of an audience, at least. Let's see if you're worthy of more." She snapped her fingers, and the chamber transformed.

The polished obsidian floor shifted, and a series of pedestals rose from the ground, each bearing an array of artifacts that hummed with ancient magic. All the runes on the walls pulsed brighter, casting the chamber in a kaleidoscope of colors that danced and flickered. For a moment, I almost chuckled as I was remind of a disco ball on Earth.  The power and seriousness of the situation snapped me out of my inappropriate comparison, though.

Mysania gestured to the artifacts, her voice echoing through the chamber like a roll of thunder. "Choose, Cale."

As the divine echo’s voice echoed through the chamber, the air crackled with anticipation. The pedestals before me each held an artifact that seemed to pulse with its own unique energy. There was a sense of history and power that radiated from every corner of the room, a testament to the legacy that Mysania’s echo was overseeing.

I approached the first pedestal cautiously, my eyes scanning the artifact it held. When I stepped closer, the air around the pedestal seemed to hum, the magic within the artifact resonating with my presence. The object was a dagger, its blade a shimmering black obsidian that seemed to absorb the light around it. The hilt was wrapped in worn some sort of cord, and the blade was inscribed with runes that glowed softly with an ethereal light. I reached out, my fingers hovering just above the dagger, feeling the pulsating energy it emitted.

"Will you give me any more information before I make a choice, Lady Mysania?" I asked.

Mysania's smile deepened, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and challenge. "Where's the fun in that, Cale?" she purred, circling the pedestals like a pacing predator. "Power is never given freely, little adventurer. It must be taken, claimed, seized with both hands."

I nodded in silent understanding. The truth was, I'd expected an answer like that. Looking at the dagger again, I instinctively knew that reaching out with my mystic senses directly wouldn't result in any more knowledge. So instead, I tried to feel any general aura or vibes from it using all of my senses that I could.

As I passively focused my senses on the obsidian dagger, I noticed a faint, cold aura emanating from it, like the chill of a winter's night. The runes on the hilt seemed to pulse in a rhythm that somehow echoed its own beat, and I felt a strange connection to the weapon. It whispered of shadows and secrets, of silent strikes in the dark.

Not for me, I thought.  My goal was to be a hero, at least in name.  I wanted to grow my name, my family, and protect myself and my family with it.  My intention was to stand front in center, to be seen while doing so.

When I stepped away from the obsidian dagger, the air around me seemed to shift, the magic in the chamber adjusting to my movements. The next pedestal held a staff, carved from a dark, twisted wood that seemed to writhe and pulsate with a life of its own. I was curious, figuring the artifact would be magic-related.  The staff was topped with a crystal orb that swirled with a mix of colors, like a storm captured within glass. As I extended a hand over it, I closed my eyes, feeling anything and everything that I could about it.

The air around it seemed to crackle with energy on my palm. The twisted wood beneath my hand pulsed with a warmth that was almost alive, and the crystal orb atop it swirled with colors that shifted, changed, and flashed like a stormy sky. I could feel the raw, untamed power radiating from it, a wild magic that seemed to call to something primal within me.

I made a face, knowing that each artifact, or the abilities they represented, would likely be really good, very powerful.   My job was to find the best fit for me. With that in mind, I went to the next pedestal.

The new pedestal before me held a cloak, shimmering like liquid moonlight. It was made of a silvery material that seemed to capture and reflect the shimmering light of the chamber, casting a soft glow around it. With an extended hand, I tried to learn what I could.

As I did so,  the silvery material seemed to ripple and flow like water, responding to my presence. The air around it was cool and calming, a stark contrast to the wild energy of the staff. I could almost feel the cloak whispering secrets of stealth and evasion, promising concealment and protection.

Nodding thoughtfully, I could appreciate the power of the cloak, but I’d already rejected it.  

I began to move to the next pedestal, noting how strange it was that I couldn't properly count how many pedestals there were, total. It almost felt like the number changed every time I moved, and I intuited that I wouldn't know how many pedestals there actually were until I reached the last one.

Sure enough, as I’d moved, the air in the chamber seemed to thicken, the magic pulsing with a deeper, more resonant hum. 

At the next pedestal I stopped and raised my eyebrows, intrigued.  The artifact before me was a gauntlet, crafted from a dark, tarnished metal that seemed to drink in the light. It was adorned with spikes and jagged edges, and the fingers ended in sharp, talon-like points. As I extended my hand over the gauntlet, the air around it seemed to grow heavy, pressing down on me like a physical weight. The metal was cold, radiating its icy aura in the air around it. There was nothing gentle about this artifact.  The gauntlet hummed with a dark, malevolent energy, whispering promises of destruction and carnage.

This artifact appealed to me, but I could also sense that it came with a burden or danger–a significant one.

Nope, nope, nope, I thought.

As I stepped away from the gauntlet, the heaviness in the air lifted, replaced by a sense of escaping danger, but also of loss. Then I took a deep breath before moving on.  The next pedestal presented a small, intricately carved wooden box. As I examined it, I noticed that the lid was adorned with a symbol of a crescent moon cradling a star. I studied it further, noting the hum of magic within. Suddenly, the box clicked open, revealing a delicate silver amulet.

The amulet was a delicate silver chain holding a pendant shaped like a crescent moon, its tips pointing upwards. Within the crescent, a small, radiant star sparkled with a light that seemed to shift and change with every slight movement.

With growing curiosity, I extended a hand over it, careful not to touch anything, and tried to feel anything I could about this artifact.

The air around the pendant seemed to shimmer, the magic within it resonating with a soft, melodic hum. This is interesting, I thought.  The silver chain and crescent moon pendant gleamed in the flickering light, casting a warm, inviting glow. I could feel a gentle, soothing energy radiating from it, a stark contrast to the dark and malevolent aura of the gauntlet.

My eyes traced the amulet, knowing it would be a decent choice, but maybe still probably not the best one. So far, I didn't think any of the artifacts were quite right. I’d come here for power, not protection, or concealment, or anything else. And the gauntlet, while intriguing, had also made me feel like it might come with too many complications.

With a slight sense of regret, I moved to the next pillar. As I did so, the chamber's magical hum seemed to deepen, resonating with a bass note that I could feel in my bones. The artifact before me was a ring, crafted from a dark, alien-looking metal that shimmered with hues of blue and purple. The band was wide and adorned with runes that glowed a sullen purple.

As I leaned in to examine the ring, the air around it seemed to vibrate, the magic within the artifact pulsing like a pulse. The runes etched into the metal appeared to writhe and twist, forming patterns that seemed almost alive. I extended my hand, feeling the energy that radiated from the ring. It was a cool, steady power, like the relentless flow of a river, promising endurance and resilience.

This time I really had a hard time saying no.  It was almost physically hard to tear myself away from this artifact. But I sensed it was still not quite what I needed.

As I reluctantly stepped away from the ring, the chamber's magical hum shifted again, the air pulsing with yet a new rhythm. The next pedestal presented an unusual sight: a large, ornate mirror. The frame was crafted from a dark, twisted wood, similar to the earlier staff, and was covered with carvings of writhing figures and strange symbols. I thought the mirror looked strange, but extended my hand above it anyway, trying to see what I could discover about its aura or purpose.

As my hand hovered, the air around the mirror rippled, and the surface of the mirror shimmered like liquid mercury. The carvings on the frame pulsed with a dim, uncanny light, casting eerie shadows that danced and twisted around me. I felt a strange energy radiating from the mirror, a power that seemed to tug at the edges of my consciousness, whispering secrets and promises of knowledge long forgotten.

I considered the mirror very seriously. 

Knowledge was almost always powerful, but I didn't even know at this point if the artifacts I was being presented with were actual tools, or manifestations of power, or even abstract concepts. There was no way I could lug a big mirror around with me, and I didn't want to take a chance on receiving knowledge without knowing what it was, or where it came from.

Choosing to reject the mirror came with an odd sense of relief.

My steps slowed as I moved to the next pillar. The air in the chamber grew thicker, heavier, as if the very atmosphere was heavy with history. The pedestal before me bore a grim artifact: a helmet, forged from a metal as dark as a moonless night. As I stepped closer, the helmet seemed to absorb the light around it, casting a void-like shadow that chilled the air. The craftsmanship was exquisite yet brutal; spikes jutted out from the crown, and the faceplate was molded into a snarling visage of something with big teeth. The eye slits glowed with a faint, malevolent red light, hinting at an intelligence or energy within.

As I regarded the helmet, I glanced at Mysania, suddenly remembering that I was looking at something that represented a power or piece of equipment from a dead god. The feelings I got from that were heady, and I realized that I’d been suppressing the surreal nature of my situation.  With a deep breath, I went back to suppressing everything.  This was a time of action, not introspection.

I extended a hand over the helm, not touching anything, and felt its aura. This time the air grew colder, but as if the very atmosphere recoiled from the artifact's malevolent presence. The red glow from the eye slits intensified, casting deep shadows that danced like gleeful earth across the pedestal. I swallowed. The helmet radiated a heavy, oppressive energy, whispering promises of fear and domination.

This thing is a little much for me to handle, I thought.

I moved on without looking back, going to the next pedestal. When I did, the chamber's atmosphere shifted again, the magical hum oscillating to a higher pitch. The artifact presented before me was a belt, crafted from supple, black leather adorned with silver studs that gleamed like cold stars. The buckle was an intricate silver clasp shaped like a serpent devouring its own tail. I extended my hand, feeling the energy that radiated from the belt.

There was no cold or chill this time. As I extended my hand over the belt, the air around it seemed to pulse with a steady, rhythmic energy. The leather looked smooth, the silver studs and serpent buckle gleaming. I could feel a sense of grounding and stability radiating from it, a power that promised to enhance my endurance and resilience.

Not really what I need.

I frowned in disappointment and moved on to the next pillar. As I approached the next pedestal, when the chamber's atmosphere shifted this time, it was different in tone than before.  It took on a hum that seemed to resonate within me. The artifact presented before me on this pedestal was a book, bound in leather the color of midnight, with intricate silver runes embossed on the cover. The pages were edged with gold, and the spine was adorned with a single, large red gemstone that glowed, and had a faint impression of an eye inside of it.

With no particular expectations, I put my hand over the book to feel its aura, and as I did, the air vibrated.  The feeling I got on my mystic senses was curious, like looking into the fire in a fireplace, safe, but feeling a potentially dangerous heat.

But the book itself was not warm at all.  In fact, the air around the book was mundane, neither cold nor hot.  However, the silver runes embossed on the cover throbbed with a subtle, pulsating energy. The red gemstone on the spine appeared to deepen in color, reflecting, or maybe bending the light in oscillating waves.

As I focused on the book, the chamber's magical hum seemed to sync with my body, creating a resonance that made the air thrum with potential. The book's aura was dense, like it was filled with the weight of knowledge and secrets of the arcane. Something told me that it promised not just power, but maybe even something…elusive.

"I think this is the one I will choose," I said out loud.

Mysania quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "Are you sure? You do not know how many pedestals there are, correct? Although, each pedestal you move on from, you cannot return to."

"You never mentioned that before."

"You're correct. I didn't." Her smile grew wider.

After I looked down at the book, feeling its aura, weighing what I really needed to grow in power, I nodded decisively. "This is it, this is what I want.”  I paused, tempted to touch the book, but still being cautious.

Mysania's smile took on a shrewd edge, her eyes showing approval and cunning. "Very well, Cale Galdrich. You've made your choice." She gestured to the book, her fingers tracing the air with an elegant flourish. As she did, the chamber's odd magical hum intensified, the air pulsing with a new, almost musical rhythm. The book before me began to glow, the silver runes on its cover blazing with a brilliant light that cast stark shadows on the pedestal. The red gemstone on the spine throbbed with soft light, resonating with the power that now filled the chamber.