The Main building was filled with halls.
Halls after halls after halls.
Every single door he entered led to a different world of its own, and the majority of these worlds were covered in golden light—something that almost made him as clear as day—but he was still able to avoid being seen by confirming no one was in the hall with his ability to hear, and also making sure no one was close enough.
There was no avoiding one hall due to fear of being seen, or he risked missing the location of the Chosen book.
This went on for about 2 hours before, finally, he found a door to a hall that arrested his attention.
The door itself had a drawing of an open book, with runic symbols sketched in the book illustration.
’This has to be it,’ he silently prayed in his heart, standing in a corner for some time to make sure the guards were still far away, and no unexpected passing happened in the corridor.
He moved closer and gently pushed the door open.
Fortunately, it did not squeak like one of those idiotic gates that almost revealed his location, allowing him to access it and gently shut it closed.
He didn’t even need to look around at all.
In the center of the room stood an altar, three meters tall, etched with golden runes that glimmered with a celestial white light.
Ryuk stepped closer to the pillar, and he found what he was looking for.
A book that seemed no different from a grimoire, except that it was currently on fire.
Yes, burning with the same celestial white flames that coated the altar.
The mere sight of the book made his heart jump up by a few beats, the first time he ever got such a reaction from simply looking at a book, but there was no time to dally.
As much as he felt curious to open up the book and gaze upon a page, he forced that feeling down.
As he summoned the object given to him by Mrs. Lynia, he held the circular button in his hands and reached towards the book.
When it reached halfway towards touching it, Ryuk watched with creased eyebrows as the cloak gloves on his hands started to burn away, turning into ashes.
What was worse was that even though his hands got redder, he felt no pain at all.
’If I place the object on it, it will get burned off...’ he thought, and that was when it occurred to him.
Folding the button in his palm, he rested the back of his hand on it.
The white flames kept running away at his flesh, turning them searing red, but without pain, he didn’t care much for it.
He waited, and soon enough one of the lights on the button shone.
’Just two more.’
STEP
STEP
All of a sudden, he heard the sound of a step, his heart pounding fast, as he heard the words:
"Hey, can you smell that burning? It seems to be coming from the Celestial Dominar Hall," the words could be heard from the guards, and the sound of steps quickened further.
FLICKERRR
Another flicker of light appeared as the second blue light on the button shone up.
’Just one more.’
BAAAAAANG
BAAAAAANG
The sound of heavy slamming came from the door, as Ryuk’s other hand stretched towards the gate to the room.
"What’s happening? Why’s the door so stiff?"
"This doesn’t happen normally."
"KNOCK IT DOWN!"
"KNOCK IT DOWN NOW!"
"Come on... Come on... Faster." Ryuk ushered on, looking at the third empty hole, which took even longer to shine.
BAAAAAAANG!!!
BAAAAAAANG!!!
"Almost there..." he thought, watching a tiny flicker of blue light appear, but it wasn’t enough.
Turning his head back to the door, he saw that the sound of banging had stopped, but he also heard the sound of steps falling back.
[They’ll enter in three seco...]
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!
A powerful reverberation echoed through the walls as the entire wall was blasted forward.
Immediately after, three Fallens stormed in, eyes looking around the room, but they found nothing.
"See, there’s smoke coming out from the book," one of the guards noticed as the two others came forward to check on the book.
Unknown to them, hanging on the ceiling entrance was a figure in dark, his hands gripped the wall like a spider.
The second their backs were turned, and the book took their attention, Ryuk immediately crawled out of the place and quickly merged with a shadow in a corner, a couple of doors away.
He didn’t speed out immediately, instead listening in on the conversation of the three guards.
He watched them display some interest and talk of reporting to an Elder, but one of them waved it off.
"Perhaps, it’s just the altar struggling to bear the book’s power. I heard it has been changed a couple of times in the last three centuries."
"This might just be a sign that it’s due for a new change soon."
"The doors will need a new fixing."
’Huuuuu,’
Ryuk exhaled in relief, and he turned to the button in his hands.
Right now, all three of the lights were flickering, a sign that they had copied the book’s content.
He didn’t waste any more time and scurried out of the corridor.
He waited in a silent corner for a group of new random guards to enter, and after 15 minutes had passed, he tagged along with the shadow of one of them, and they exited the Main Building.
Once they were far enough away, Ryuk activated Void Vortex, sinking into the shadow and disappearing like a phantom.
_______
"Finally out,"
The relieved words echoed in a garden, with the only sound to be heard being the gentle breeze and the babbling of brooks from a stream at the far side of the garden.
This was a place he had found, far away from the Main building and in a different place.
He had, of course, taken off his cloaks and gloves.
Even if he was seen now, he would only be arrested for not having permission to be here, and he could come up with some random excuse.
Besides, there was no one around.
He switched on his Amma comms and found a message waiting for him.
{<<Mrs. Lynia>>}
{I Have The Book Content With Me.}
{Great Job.}
{Hope you’re safe.}
"Yes. I’m okay. Will be coming back home soon," he sent back, before switching off the interface, his eyes focusing.
Now that he had finished Mrs. Lynia’s request...
It was time for his own:
To find Morgaine.