Chapter 12: Pandora’s Box

Theo opened the bronze doors to the small brown shed, with Thalia trailing closely behind him. She was relentless in her barrage of questions for Vice-Captain Alexander. Her first question was about which squad he belonged to, but he evasively replied, "A good squad, of course." Thalia's curiosity remained piqued, even though she knew he had no intention of answering her questions, but that only encouraged her to ask more.

As soon as they stepped into the building, Theo froze, surveying the room and taking in his surroundings. Thalia couldn't believe her eyes; there was no way they were still inside the small shed they had entered. The room was at least the size of the assembly hall, if not bigger, especially since there was no stage in sight. Looking from left to right, Thalia noticed nothing but glass cases.

Some cases were filled with armor, others with various types of weapons, and some contained what appeared to be miscellaneous items. The case nearest to them held an old Chinese map and an empty glass bottle. Below those items, there was a pack of chewing gum.

"Each of the relics in these cases possesses a special property or ability," Alexander explained. "However, the relics on the first floor range from common to rare grade. This means they offer little to no abilities overall. For example, the chewing gum on the bottom shelf is called 'rainbow gum.' It's a common relic and comes in three different flavors: red, blue, and yellow. The red flavor grants the contractor immense physical strength for three minutes, while the blue flavor bestows inhuman speed. The yellow flavor allows the consumer to fly. Each flavor has a duration of three minutes, and there are only ten pieces of each flavor in the pack."

"Come on, follow me!" he said, already walking toward the back of the vault.

"That sounds awesome! I want the rainbow gum so I can finally fly like Thalia," Theo exclaimed excitedly.

"No, the rainbow gum is at best a common rank due to its low functionality. For instance, if you chose the gum, you would have to bond with its ego, which I imagine would be rather easy. However, that means you've bonded with a relic that can only be used a maximum of 30 times. What happens when you need one of those abilities for the 31st time?" Alexander replied, glancing back at Theo.

"Fair point. So basically, if you bond with a relic, make sure it's powerful and has a lot of utility," Theo whispered to himself, making a mental note.

"So what happens if you bond with a useless relic and want to change it?" Thalia asked, eyeing a red and purple chest plate hanging in a glass case.

"Well, once you bond with a relic, you are bound by that contract for life. The only way to break the contract is through the contractor's death, and since no one has been discovered with a revival bloodline trait, you're out of luck," Alexander explained. He suddenly stopped, causing Thalia to walk right into him.

"I only know one person who can bond with multiple relics and form several contracts. I've even seen that guy use someone else's relic while its contractor was still alive and bonded. Although that man is an exception—and a rather annoying one at that," Alexander said, shaking his head.

Thalia wondered about whom he was talking, but she was almost certain that out of all the questions he had avoided answering, this one was guaranteed to be one of them. As they walked deeper into the vault, she noticed that her body felt heavier. It was as if a weight was pressing down on her legs, arms, and chest, becoming more intense with every step.

Alexander noticed the subtle change in her body language. "The further we go back, the more pressure you'll feel. The stronger a relic is, the more pressure it emits, and your body translates that sensation to your brain as weight. The relic's aura is trying to scare you off by overwhelming your senses. I'm honestly surprised you both lasted this long without feeling anything. Most people say they can sense it even outside the vault."

Thalia looked behind her to check if Theo was handling the intensifying pressure. She was shocked to see that he seemed completely fine, looking relaxed as if they were just strolling through one of those fancy shops in the shopping district. "Hey Theo, are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine. I'm still surprised by how large this place is given its small outer appearance," he replied.

Alexander led them to another bronze door with a green 'A' painted on it. When the door opened, it revealed a dark stairwell leading down to the lower level of the vault. Thalia felt like she was going to be sick, as an immense crushing pressure enveloped her head and lungs. The room spun around her before she fell backward into Theo's arms.

"Down this staircase is what we call the real Pandora's box. It holds the largest number of legendary and mythic relics in New Roark—those relics that everyone whispers about," Alexander explained as he casually lit a cigarette.

"Thalia, are you okay? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" Theo asked her, his face filled with concern as he leaned her up against the door.

"Yes, my dear, you can always choose from any of the relics here if your mind and will are too weak. You do already possess a pretty powerful bloodline trait," Alexander said, blowing the smoke out in a series of O's.

"Why is this happening to her? I feel completely fine. Why is she like this?" Theo asked, looking at Alexander with worry.

"I already explained this to you once. The relics' immense aura emits pressure that challenges the mind and invades the psyche of weak-minded individuals," Alexander replied as he began to walk down the stairs. "It's almost like a defense mechanism that prevents any potentially weak candidates from attempting to form a bond with them. Honestly, I agree with the relics' judgment. If her mindset is this weak, then she doesn't deserve to wield their power."

Clutching her thigh, she dug her nails into her skin to the point she started to feel the warm sensation of blood running down her thigh. All of her insecurities came rushing in, attacking her all at once. She began to ask herself if she was qualified to be here. She always dreamed about being here, but she couldn't help but wonder whether heroes really existed in this era. What if she cannot become strong enough to meet Tia's expectations? Thalia's head spun and her vision started to become blurry. She started feeling like she was going to pass out.

Thalia grit her teeth. "No, what have I been working this hard for if I was just going to quit? I plant to change this world with my own two hands. And to do that, I need more power. I need enough power to shape and mold a new world." This feeling reminded Thalia of one of the only positive encounters with her father. She was maybe six or seven years old. He had come home happy that day which was rare. He told her that it was his job to conquer this god forsaken world. While it was her job to change this cruel world into something better.

Thalia had always idolized the heroes in her father's stories. He had often emphasized that heroes are not only righteous but also powerful. It didn't matter whose philosophy was right or wrong; only the strong get to be the heroes in a story.

"...Thalia...Thalia... THALIA." She could hear someone calling her name. Her hands felt sweaty, and her eyes began to focus. She recognized the voice; it was Theo, and he was gently shaking her. Thalia pushed herself up and stood on her feet. Theo tried to help, but she waved him away.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Theo, but I'm fine now. I promise the pain in my head is gone," Thalia reassured her brother.

Theo gave her a skeptical look but eventually let it go. "Well, come on. I think the vice-captain has already gone ahead," he said, walking toward the cobblestone staircase.

Thalia followed closely behind him, trying to hide her fear of passing out again. The staircase resembled one that might belong in an old castle, a relic from before the war. Torches lined the walls, illuminating their path as they descended the spiraled staircase. It felt as though they had been walking down for hours.

"How far down do these godforsaken stairs go?" she asked, gripping the wall for balance. They could see a bright light ahead and an archway leading into a passageway, with the door already open.