Chapter 288 (1/2)

Chapter 288

Chapter 288: Full Circle

“Ada of Blood Granbehl, Ezra of Blood Granbehl, Riah of Blood Faline, Grey, and”—the unifor fro and back—“and Haedrig of—well—yes…Your identities have been verified,” she finished, s widely as she handed us back our cards “Principal ascender Kalon of Blood Granbehl, the stipend will be automatically transferred to your runecard after the candidates have successfully received their official ascender’s badges post-preliminary ascent”

“Aw, can’t I receive the stipend now? It’s not like there’s going to be any foul play; I’s,” Kalon complained

“There are no exceptions Please understand that these rules are for the safety and well-being of all ascenders,” the thin, black-haired woman stated as if she had been asked this question countless times

“Have there been situations where principal ascenders extorted candidates in the past or so as the two of us waited in the back

“Worse There are accounts of so candidates on their preli the stipends only to kill the candidates and loot their bodies, then blareen-haired ascender explained with an expression of distaste

After our preliminary ascent had been recorded, our tea arch stood over us Co the teleportation gates I’d seen up until now look like toys in coer I stayed in the Relicto at its beauty and co city of Xyrus was the marvel of Dicathen, but even it paled in comparison to this place

Admittedly, the Alacryans were quite ied to do with the first two floors of the Relicto a capital for ascenders to better prepare the ahead of the less than remarkable

The a sure ascenders were not only well-equipped and rewarded for ascending into the Relictombs, but also idolized by the citizens of Alacrya, spoke volurona needed the ascenders

Even these preliive candidates a safer experience within the Relicto trouble?” Regis asked, having readWhat did he h this ascent’?

Everything I’d heard up until then hadyour toes in the water, especially for those trained in acadeh as he pretends to be?’

“Is everyone ready?” Kalon asked, stirring is We stood just a few paces froold portal

“Shouldn’t we do a supply check?” Haedrig replied seriously

“Is that necessary? Prelier than a day,” Riah responded i toward the huazed at in wide-eyed anticipation

“We should treat this as if it’s any other ascent,” Haedrig insisted, already taking stock of his own rations “I have enough water for myself for a week and dried rations for two days”

“Haedrig ood point You can never be overprepared for the Relictoe leather waterskin and a bundle of dried h water for three days and dried rations for one day”

The rest of the tealy, I had the most food and water, courtesy of Alaric The old drunk had packed teeks’ worth of water and air-sealed rations for three days

‘The rumpy old drunk, but at least he really seeis said with a chuckle

“All right, we’re packed one on,” Kalon said, looking at Riah with an a on a picnic, with all of the sweets she’s brought”

Riah flushed and let out a string of curses under her breath “Whatever I was going to share…”

“Sure, sure,” Kalon chuckled “You all have your siht?”

We each took out a polished, rune-inscribed aether as we travelled through the teleportation gates

Kalon nodded and turned to face the shi+ht that would lead us into our first zone

“Blood honor uide s and Riah

Haedrig and I looked at each other, neither participating in their ritual I couldn’t be sure, but I al ate

We entered into complete darkness The air was dry and stale with a crisp breeze blowing fromented vision, I couldn’t tell if my eyes were open or closed

“No one h the dark in a hushed whisper

I saw the soft glow of so up before a burst of sparks flashed in front of lared at us from the darkness

Riah, as only a few steps ahead of er and jue of the narrow raised path ere standing on Haedrig’s hand darted out and caught her by the elbow, holding her firain

Riah turned to look down over the edge, then the burst of sparks died, hiding the grotesque faces and their contorted, anguished expressions

“Give me a second to modify my spell” Kalon spoke softly as a rune on the exposed area of his lower back glowed once e flare hter and more controlled than the sparks It bathed the area in a ware cha, or anything in front of or behind us The narrow pathhere we had been deposited was about four feet wide and see both walls hat looked like carvings of faces, vaguely hurotesque and h; so detailed were the expressions that it looked almost as if they were once alive, and had been petrified in their final e

‘Quite the is said ‘Look, you can justone’s tonsils—and you can see that one’s teeth through the tear in its cheek’

I can see theh they were so hideous I did not look closely

“Don’t stay too close to the ledge,” Kalon ordered, no trace of leisure left in his voice “Spread out an arive yourself a bit more roo slowly and keeping to the center of the stone pathway Haedrig and I walked at the rear while Kalon took the lead, lighting the ith his hand bathed in bright flaoes, but it’s the only course I can see,” Kalon said

“I can conjure so nervously between the faces peering down at us from the distant walls

“Save your mana for now,” Kalon replied “And don’t be so nervous, Ada We’re going to be fine”

“Don’t forget that you’ve prepared for this for years,” Ezra growled

“Ezra’s right,” Riah said coly, despite her uneasy expression “This is just the first zone Don’t be fazed by the distractions”

“I just didn’t expect the Relictombs to be this scary,” Ada whispered

“Are you okay?” I asked Haedrig, who had been surveying our surroundings silently, his stance low, his saber held firdeeper into the dark zone, our pace careful but steady The lack of change in our surroundings—aside froe how far we had walked

In addition to staying watchful and keeping h level of aether in this zone I hadn’t felt h the portal had been like opening another eye, and it was staring straight into the sun

That was probably why I didn’t notice therave tone

I sense theht be suspicious for roup if even Kalon hadn’t noticed anything yet I was supposed to be a wet-behind-the-ears nobody on his first ascent, after all

“I think there’s so it was better to warn the taken unawares

Kalon stopped in his tracks, leaning over the edge of the stone path with his blazing arm stretched out After a minute, he did the same on the other side, then looked back atdown there, and I haven’t sensed any otherlook before turning to Ada “Send a ho flare down on one side”

Ada spread her ar orb of fire the size of her head manifested She pushed the fireball into the abyss as the rest of us peered warily down after it

We watched the large ball of condensed fire descend It didn’t drop like a stone or sail through the air like an arrow, but instead weaved through the air al wherever Ada sent it In its path, the fireball lit up the s on as well as the hideous statues on the far wall of the wide hallway

Then, as suddenly as if a curtain had been wrenched away, dozens of hulassy eyes reflecting the orange light

A startled yelp rang atwhatever creatures were down there back in darkness

“Run!” Kalon roared, pushi+ng Ezra and Riah ahead of hi his other hand, still blazing with light, high in the air to extend the light to its li down the path just behind theh my limbs as I ran, and I found that I was able to keep up with the others with relative ease

However, despite our breakneck pace, there was no end in sight Worse yet, we could now ht, chittering noise that grew steadily louder

“I still can’t see an end anywhere near!” Ezra shouted fro

You are reading on ReadNovelFullonlineco on,” Kalon cursed