Chapter 470: The Strange Familiarity
After High Scholar Emeris’ words, the hall went absolutely silent as High Scholar Emeris proceeded to take his seat.
A total of about five minutes passed, hushed silence amongst the Silverunics, with the King allowing it all to continue.
Then, when the shock finally faded away, the King rose to his feet.
“I’m sure you all by now must have agreed to my suggestion.”
“Afterall, It is the only way to go about it if the dignity and honor of the Ancient Guardians are to be preserved.”
“And not to mention, unlike in the past where the Average Runic Soldiers were unprepared but had no choice but to go through the Coming of Age…”
“The current Younglings have been trained for six years now, continuously.”
“Three times the amount of time the previous Average soldiers were trained and therefore had enough time to prepare themselves mentally and physically.”
“So I believe they all should be more than capable of passing their Coming of Age.”
“But to make things fair, I have decided to improve the rewards of being a Guardian too,” he said—a word that perked the ears of every Silverunics in the room.
“If any of the current Younglings manage to walk through the first step of the Gate of Soulless Ruin, pass its Trial, descend onto its next level and also pass, its trail, and manage to arrive before the portal with even just a breath…”
“The portal will not lead them here directly but instead—”
“They all will be instantly transported straight into the Soulful Ruin of Niagara!”
“The Soulful Ruin of Niagara! That is our most sacred grounds!” some of the elders murmured in shock.
Another round of murmuring began, but they had all learned their lesson the first time, and so they kept it hushed down.
Yet the one who had the most invisible shock was Ryuk.
‘Soulful Ruin of Niagara. If I remember correctly…’
_____
{Welcome, Trail Taker, to the First Trail Ruin of Morta Niagara}
{Rewards Beyond Your Imagination Lie Beyond the Completion of this Task!}
_____
‘The ruin I entered was called Ruin of Morta Niagara, and now the reward for passing the trial will be entering the Soulful Ruin of Niagara.’
‘Could these names be mere coincidence? or Could the reward mentioned be the one referred to as the Soulful Ruin of Niagara?’
‘Will I be transported back once I reach the Soulful Ruin of Niagara grounds?’ The thought couldn’t help but flash in Ryuk’s head, making him almost forget about his surroundings—until he felt a tap on his shoulder coming from none other than Filiana’s touch.
His gaze refocused as he raised his head to the sight of the Queen signalling for them to rise to their feet, and Ryuk followed in the motion.
“Not to be a bother, High Scholar Emeris,” King Auremis beckoned as the High Scholar Emeris moved to the centre of the throne room.
Then, his hands stretched out before they curled, leaving a single finger in the air, and then with speed and focus he began drawing up runic lines that went around in a spiral shape.
Surprisingly, they all remained in space without clearing away as the Scholar just continued drawing for close to about five minutes before finally, his left palm slammed towards the middle of the runic incantation.
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
The air flapped as Ryuk watched space collapse onto itself from the centre of the rune circle, before quickly widening—and soon enough there was a pitch-black vortex in the center of the room.
“This, Younglings, is the Gate to the Soulful Ruin of Niagara.”
“Go in and venture through its dangers.”
“No matter how hard it is, you must press forth regardless, and verily I can assure you that those of you who continue forth with consistency and hope shall meet in the end, rewards beyond your very imagination,” the King said—his words going through the hearts of everyone, even before he pointed towards the vortex.
“Now go, and when you return, then you shall be something more—and ready to become even greater.” He said, and without hesitation, all of the Younglings began to enter one by one, soon disappearing into the vortex.
Ryuk was the last person to remain as he noted all of the elders focused their gaze at him, but then he turned to the King, who nodded his head.
“Along with you too, Ryuk,” the King said. And without any further doubt, Ryuk took a step forward to appear before the vortex.
‘If the Soulful Ruin of Niagara really is the same reward posted in the trial of Morta Niagara, then venturing into this portal is the only way I can get to it.’
‘Whatever the truth is, I’d have to through this to be safe.’
‘Besides… this might finally get to be some sort of training for my weary bones.’
‘It’s been a long time since I stretched them last anyway,’ Ryuk silently thought to himself before he gave one last look at High Scholar Emeris, who gave a nod of acknowledgment before he fully stepped into the portal.
And once he disappeared, the runic portal faded away from the middle of the hall, bringing nothing but silence through everyone in the room.
“Now, I know what the raging question is…” King Auremis said as he looked at the elders who had their gaze furrowed at him.
“You all want to know who or what the one referred to as Ryuk is, right? And why he is allowed to go into the revered Gate of Soulless Ruin, undergo the Coming of Age ceremony, and even get a chance at the Soulful Ruin of Niagara while not being a Silverunic, don’t you?” King Auremis asked, and the silence that preceded was more than enough of an answer.
“The reason is simple…”
_______
When Ryuk stepped in, it was the same sensation of descending through any other portal.
But this time, he couldn’t help but notice the portal seemed a bit tighter, as if he was traveling through a slender pipe thinner than normal.
But it didn’t take long for him to feel himself reaching the end of the pipe and when next he opened his eyes, he felt himself soaring downwards with speed and when he turned his gaze below him…
ROOOOOAAARRRRRRRR
“What the!?”
——
A/N:
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In and Out_SnowySmoos