Chapter 106: Scavenger

"What the heck is this?"

Dumbstruck, The Fallen Knight could only curse at the sight of blank pages. No matter where he flipped, no contents were written in the fine booklet. He assumed such a well preserved book would contain important knowledge. Contrary to his expectations, the small book probably was not used even once. No wonder it looked brand new, showing no signs of decay.

Zyro frowned beneath the helmet, finding it odd for this certain item to remain flawless despite the legendary mists corrosive assault all these years. Even the metals on furniture were visibly affected by prolonged exposure to insidious fog, let alone, a booklet.

There's no way this thing is ordinary.

Just as he was wondering about its mysteries, words began appearing on its white page. Lines of letters were being written by itself with incredible speed in luminous azure ink, flowing like thin water in graceful cursive font. Flawlessly beautiful, at the same time, oddly eerie.

I mean, who wouldn't be spoken by a self writing booklet?

Zyro watched the sentences magically appear attentively, his eyes widened by surprise and awe. If it were the past, his reaction would have been more extreme upon witnessing such an unreal display. However, after everything he had been through since arriving in this world, his senses for absurd events eventually grew numb. If anything, he only feels a little uneasy.

What's strange, is that. The writing used human language, also known as Swords language. He knew the Earth alphabet, for some reason, ran in this world history for a very long time, it's even treated as the most ancient language known in two continents.

That's brings back the question, why is it here? Zyro didn't know.

He shrugged.

After a while, the printing finally stopped and stabilized. Letting him read the runes in peace.

"An adventurer once saw a glimpse of a majestic demon, her image never left his mind. Enchanted by the godly beauty, he craves for its splendor to grace him once again."

"He sailed the sky along his men's, pursuing wealth and knowledge of her tracks in history."

"On a fateful day, he finally meet her and his own demise. Wrecked woods and bones forever drowned in misty carcass is what remains of the man who pursued the Demon."

'Hmm... interesting.'

The book, named [Legends Tales] appeared to be a relic. At least, it's really similar to the real things. Relics are blessing of Marks when an individual reach the fourth level, Delta. Zyro only encountered three of them. The golden compass the assassins leader used, Scarlet chalice of blood, and the most noxious of them which almost took his life was Silver Eye. Owned by Astron, that thing enchantment is paralyzing, while Scarlet chalice are poison and cure exhaustion, and the golden compass can guide.

On the other hand, Legends Tales are capable of writing details from the past. Just now, it informed Zyro about the history of the wreckage his in.

The man in the story is most likely Golden Dawn captain, Pert's father. While the demon...

'The Demoness... but why did Pert's old man chase her because of her beauty? That sneaky mustard, isn't he already married?!'

It really baffled him. Unless Legends Tales lied. Which is uncertain, if this object is even capable of falsifying Information.

All unnecessary matters aside, Albeit, shocking. Zyro now know why Pert requested him to find the Demoness. It's because she was the main cause of Golden Dawn downfall, if Legends Tales are correct.

As for what to do after that. Zyro didn't know whether to vanquish her to avenge his friend, or just find her, as Pert made him promise.

Although, Zyro would loved to defeat her if he could. The young Aster didn't probably expect him to. Because in Pert last words, he said that the Demoness was connected to the Goddess fall and Great war hundred of years ago. A testimony of her overwhelming power, that even the Fallen Knight had no chance of rivaling.

'Just how terrifying is she?'

Famed historical figures are bond to be powerful in this world due to the gifts of Mark. Kings here need no guards, for they are the most powerful beings in their kingdom. The Demoness having originated far back than present rulers of the current era must be a force to be reckoned with.

He can't imagine how powerful someone who lived that long is in the present day. Her Mark are probably above the ten, that's for sure.

Luckily, Zyro only need to find her. Nothing more... He hoped.

Nonetheless, joy sparks within him, having found a treasure in the wrecked ship was somehow gratifying. With Legends Tales in his possessions, his like a Delta with magical relic now. But what is Legends Tales, exactly?

'Another trip to the bored mage, I guess.'

Grinning in satisfaction, Zyro greed led him to continue seeking for more. Unfortunately, only one treasure hid in the wreck, everything else is corroded trash.

Zyro went down the shipwreck, hearing its declined frames groan under his weight. Thankfully, it didn't collapsed.

He searched through every nook and cranny of the ravaged vessel, but didn't found anything of significance. Nonetheless, his satisfied by his discoveries. He came here looking for records of the Demoness, and found Legends Tales, a mysterious relic-like booklet. Although, it doesn't directly point to her, Zyro can receive revelations that intersect with the Demoness past whereabouts akin to what it showed him a minute ago.

Pleased, he passed the debris of the shipwreck then went on tracing his tracks back. However, Zyro stopped when a thought dawned his mind.

He looked behind him, where the boundless sea of fog ran thick and deeper. So did the mysteries hidden within, left to be forgotten by everyone.

'What's in there?'

He had heard countless rumors of what secrets lay inside the Great Wall of Fog. Some says there are numerous shipwrecks holding bountiful treasures, some believed the collosal misty barrier is made to protect something precious. There's also those that claimed unimaginable beings lived here.

Of course, rumors are rumors and till this day, no one knows what's truly hidden in the Great Wall depths. Mostly because no one is capable of withstanding the environment within a prolonged period of time. Although, a few daring individuals attempted diving in while holding their breath, they didn't go far.

After all, peoples can't live without breathing that long. Unless they invented a seamless suit capable of protecting the host's entire body, reserve oxygen, shield vision and support sight with flashlight like Zyro's cybernetic armor. Reaching the Great Wall of Fog depts is impossible.

He contemplated for a while, considering wether to go out or dive deeper. The former assures safety, while the latter promises unknown treasures. Who knows how many ships had fallen here along their wealth? Furthermore, what if there's more items akin to Legends Tales?

In the end, Zyro was allured by the tantalizing thought of seeking further to discover more.

Sure, he may seem to be guided by greed. Which is true, still, his certain no monstrosities are dwelling in this mists. If there were any, they would have come a while ago, attracted by the noises he made in Golden Dawn remains and light he bring. But there was none. Nothing but silence and eerie tranquility.

Zyro turns around with a bit of hesitation, then begins to walk deeper.

His reluctant at first, considering potential dangers and failure in finding any valuables. After all, this place is really vast to chance upon precious gems, while fighting in such dark, sight limiting environments are bond to be cumbersome.

However, his worries disappeared when he came across broken debris leading to another shipwreck, all the while seeing no signs of abominations.

Apparently, airships that had crashed in the cloudy barrier over the years had accumulated, making it a graveyard of flying vessels. No one can collect the fallen remains, leaving it all here to decay under constant assault of insidious mists.

Zyro scavenged through the shipwreck in search of riches. He even entertained the idea of learning the enchantments that allowed these ships to fly by gathering fragmented magical patterns on the devastated airships, then combining it to recreate the spell and airship architectural structure.

Sadly, the wreckage he found further inside were damage beyond belief. Golden Dawn is in pristine condition compared to other vessels.

He came stumbled upon three more wreckage, all of them ravaged by fog and time causing it to collapsed. He saw some interesting objects, golden statue, tasteful furnitures and all sorts of things. Unfortunately, they're too damage and heavy. Not like he'll actually take those useless things. Luckily, coins made of mana ores survived, albeit, a little faded, it still have worth. In the end, Zyro looted an entire bag of coins. It's light and possesses universal value in this world due to society here being sustained by enchantments which require magic stones as fuel.

He can also use it as "gunpowder"

Walking with a heavy sack on his shoulder, Zyro considered calling it a day and going back. By now, he got so deep to the point everything is painted black. His mini-flashlight shining forward, eliminating the barren soil and gray, flowing fog.

A music was playing in the mask ear-pad to shun utter silence in this ghastly place.

Zyro sighed.

'Maybe I should turn back?'

But then he saw something other than fog up ahead, touched by his flashlight.

'One more scavenging wouldn't hurt.'

He speed up, eventually finding himself looking at a gray tower. It's buried in the ground, shooting up beyond his range of vision. The thing is also wide, spanning about fifty meters.

When he neared to get a closer view, Zyro froze. Chills running down his spine.

He gasped.

"Bones... This thing is a freaking skeleton?!"