18 The Real Legend

"Good day, young lads! I am Barbatus, the mayor of the Aqfrost town! I've received a letter stating that a person managed to get the relic inside the temple. Is this true?" Barbatus asked as Urie took out the crystal and placed it at the top of the wooden table in front of the mayor.

"Interesting! This really is the Crystal of Eternal Frost!" he exclaimed the moment that the white crystal appeared.

He looked so amazed that he might drool at any moment.

"Ahem! Mayor Barbatus, your manners!" Selena called out that made the mayor snapped out of his fanaticism.

"Alright! Sorry about that! Anyway, can I have this crystal back to where it truly belongs?" Mayor Barbatus asked.

"Wait, the crystal wasn't originally placed inside the temple?" Arie asked, confused.

"Oh! That legend was told to those brave warriors who can fetch the crystal inside! We are waiting for the arrival of those warriors but all of them are afraid to venture deep inside the Valley because of the curse it has!" Barbatus explained as he stood up and gestured for the team to follow him.

He took the crystal lying on the table and went towards a table as he pressed his hand on it and inscriptions started appearing at the surface extending towards the ground.

"An inscription, master!" Blue Liquor exclaimed, as his eyes sparkled the moment that the inscription appeared.

The table and the ground slowly descended as stairs appeared downwards.

"Come! I'll tell you everything about the crystal while we are going to its true resting place." Barbatus went down as the other people followed him while Selena stayed in the office to make sure that no one else saw this secret passage.

As they descended down the staircase, the mayor started telling them the story behind the Crystal.

Everything that the old lady told about them was true, except for the origin of the crystal.

It was condensed by the Lunar Wolf before ascending with the God back to where they truly belong; it was given by the wolf as a promise to the Brave Warriors of fate that the one who can return it to its true resting place will be the one that can change the fate of the town.

The nine brave warriors followed the wolf's wishes as they monitored the temple and kept on asking for the true warrior to come as soon as possible.

Years passed since then, but no one entered the temple and one of the Nine Warriors went astray and decided to destroy the temple once and for all.

The eight others kept their promise and did all they could to stop the ninth from his plans.

They quickly defeated the traitor and banished him from the town.

The eight devoutly followed the wolf's wishes until the last breath of their life, but before they decided to eternally guard the temple, they left a letter containing the wish of the wolf and the true story behind it.

It was only passed through the generations of the mayors and can't be disclosed to anyone because, if the true story falls into the hands of the wicked, Aqfrost Town's fate will be finished.

The moment that the Mayor finished telling them the story, they also reached the end of the staircase and a large door appeared in front of them.

It was as big as the door at the Temple of the Lunar Wolf, but the difference was that this one looks much simpler and crude.

The mayor opened the door using a palm-sized sigil as he placed it on a crevice etched on the door.

The door lit up and slowly opened as it revealed a dark room that had no lights within.

The Mayor held the crystal out as it shone a dim light, letting them see the surrounding areas.

"Let's just bring this crystal to the center and fulfill the immortal Lunar Wolf's wishes!" The mayor spoke as the three silently followed.

They reached a platform where an elegantly designed pedestal stood erect.

The mayor tried to place the crystal but as if some force were repelling him, the crystal wouldn't get on the pedestal.

"Hmm, I wonder what's the problem with this?" The mayor thought as he faced the three. "Who among you took the crystal out of the temple?" he asked as the two pointed towards Urie, who raised his hand.

"Young man, try to place the crystal on the pedestal and let's see if it won't reject your presence!" Barbatus handed the crystal towards the young man as Urie accepted it and walked towards the pedestal.

He gently placed the crystal on the pedestal, experiencing no difficulties that the mayor experienced.

The crystal glowed brightly as patterns glowed from the pedestal extending all around the room.

Crystals embedded on the walls of the room glowed brightly, lighting the dark room and revealing its true appearance.

There were nine statues encircling the entire room as plates can be seen on each of them.

"Wait, these statues looked familiar?" Arie suddenly called out as they roamed around the room.

"They looked the same as the statues surrounding the town!" Blue Liquor exclaimed as they read the plates of the statues.

"They are the Nine Warriors told by the legend, and the traitor was that one!" Barbatus pointed towards the statue of a tall man wearing a hood and there's a body bag hanging across his torso while holding a book.

"Louisse, the Warrior of Colors. He was known for his great art that can captivate any creature that catches a glimpse of it." Blue Liquor read the plate attached to the statue.

"Hmm… He has great capabilities but his impatience brought him nowhere!" Arie shrugged as he ignored the statue and walked around the room taking interest at the other Warriors and totally ditched the statue of the traitor.

"Even though he was once known as a great warrior, a traitor is a traitor!" Urie angrily commented.

"Now that the Wolf's wish was completed, Aqfrost Town will be forever safe from any harm! The power of the Lunar Wolf will protect us from malicious beings!" Barbatus genuinely smiled towards the three as a notification ring suddenly rang inside Urie's head.