Temple Of An Unknown Cult (2)
Atlas raised his paw and stared at her.
[You can use your own energy for repairs.]
[Warning: this will require significant resources.]
"Own energy?So... his mana reserve?"
Atlas opened the status.
[Mana: 42/80]
He spent it fighting the Pkashers, but maybe it's enough.He should try: – Well, let's... see how it works.
Atlas concentrated, directing the flow into the largest part of the artifact.
And then…
[Repair start... 80%...]
"It worked!" –But suddenly something went wrong.
The walls began to shake.
[Mistake! Incompatibility of energy. The balance is off.]
"Damn it!" –His strength was not suitable.But why?
Atlas tensed, feeling his mana slowly drain away.
[Mana: 24/80]
If he doesn't find the balance, the artifact may break... or take the rest of the energy by force.Atlas recalled the strange symbols on the walls.
They are not just decorations.They tell us how this temple used to work.
He looked around, and his gaze fell on a faded drawing.The two entities combined their powers, creating something more:
"...Two energies?"
He shifted his gaze to the air shark.If their powers are incompatible separately... then they must connect them together.
Atlas took a deep breath and held out his paw to his partner.
The shark vibrated as if it understood.She touched Atlas's paw with her fin.And at this moment…
[Energy synchronization... 95%...]
[Repair completed.]
A bright flash.Blinding light.
And silence…
When the light faded, Atlas felt tired.But what lay in front of him now was not a broken artifact, but a fully restored object.
[Congratulations! You have successfully restored the "Heart of the Temple".]
[Your Forgotten Item Repair skill has been upgraded to Level 2.]
Atlas exhaled wearily.But then another notification popped up.
[You have activated an ancient mechanism. Access is open...]
–To what end?– He looked ahead.A secret passage slowly opened in front of him.
Atlas stood in front of the darkening doorway that opened after the artifact was activated.There was silence inside.
The air shark cautiously approached, its body flickering with a faint light, illuminating the first steps forward.Atlas tensed, but still crossed the threshold.
[You have entered the hidden zone: The Forgotten Crypt.]
It was cool inside, and the walls were decorated with old murals depicting people in ragged clothes. Their faces were unclear, but they were holding medallions in their hands.
Atlas squinted – "It feels like my luck has stumbled upon the storyline quest of this game."
He saw the symbol again, exactly the same as on the medallion he had collected.This is not a coincidence.
[A hidden element of the Unique "Secret of the Medallion" Quest has been discovered.]
[Do you want to activate it?]
Atlas froze. Is this part of his big quest? He looked at the shark, then back at the murals.If he activates now, then…
There will be no chance to go back without consequences.Atlas slowly cancelled the activation of the hidden element.
There was no need to hurry.There are too many unknowns, and there is almost zero information.
He began the inspection.Frescoes covered the entire crypt.
They depicted people in torn clothes – it looked like they were suffering, running from something.In one scene, they were praying in front of a tall figure whose face was hidden by a hood. On the other, a masked man was breaking a medallion in half.
Atlas felt a strange feeling.These images are not just historical.
They were explaining something.Atlas was examining the floor, the walls, and suddenly he felt a ledge.A light touch and the stone moved.
There was an old scroll inside.
[You have found the ancient scroll "Message of the Fugitives."]
[Decoding required.]
–Decryption? – Atlas grimaced.
He couldn't read it without special knowledge.But maybe someone in the city of Dra'Myr could help.
Before leaving, Atlas felt a slight vibration.His shark vibrated softly and then froze.She caught something... in the far part of the crypt.There, behind the cracked wall unit, was something metallic.
Atlas came closer.A dusty, tarnished object.He picked it up carefully.
[Have you found the Shard??? an unknown artifact.]
–So there was more to it than that.
But what was this shard intended for?Atlas put it in his inventory and then looked around.There was something else in the crypt.
Although he had already found the main murals and hiding places, the feeling of incompleteness did not leave him.The air shark vibrated again, heading for the darkest corner.
There, behind the collapsed column, was another passageway.It was half covered with rocks, but still remained passable.
Atlas tensed.Is it worth going in there? If there's anything else in the depths of the crypt, it's probably the last thing he'll be able to find.
[You feel a faint energy resonance.]
There was something there.
Atlas squeezed into the narrow passage, carefully stepping over a pile of stones.The air shark fluttered nearby, its body flickering with a faint light, illuminating the narrow corridor.
[You are approaching the source of the energy resonance.]
The further he went, the more he felt a strange pulsation, as if the crypt's heart was still beating. And then, after another turn, he saw it.
In the middle of a small room, carved directly into the rock, there was an old altar.There was another artifact fragment on it, exactly the same as the one he had found earlier.But unlike the first one, this one was covered with patterns resembling chains.
As soon as Atlas got closer…
[Attention! An ancient magic seal has been discovered.]
[Attempting to remove the seal will require 50% of your current mana.]
"Mana again" Atlas looked at his status.
[Mana: 36/80]
If he tries to remove the seal, he will have only 16 units left.That's not enough for a serious fight if something goes wrong.But if he doesn't remove the seal…
The shard will stay here, and he won't know why he needs it.
Sin vibrated softly, watching him.Atlas slowly backed away from the altar.
It wasn't worth the risk.If the seal consumes so much mana, then you need to remove it prepared.
He memorized the location of the room, took one more look at the shard, then turned around and headed back.
The air shark followed him quietly, its light flickering in the darkness of the crypt.
[The crypt is 80% explored. There are closed areas.]
That meant there were still secrets, but for now, he'd had enough.
When Atlas finally got out, the sun was already setting.The air was cool, and the sky was starting to turn dark orange.The Dra'Myr was not that far away, about an hour away.
In the distance, the silhouettes of other players could be seen, either hunting monsters or just wandering around the area.
Some of them stared intently at Atlas.It's probably rare to see a talking white rabbit with an air shark.But he didn't pay attention and continued on his way.
After some time, the walls of the Dra'world finally rose in front of him.It was a small but lively city surrounded by stone walls with wooden gates.
[You have reached the city of Dra'Myr.]
[Access to city services is unblocked.]
As soon as Atlas crossed the border of the city, several new alerts appeared in front of him.
[New assignment: Find someone who can decipher the scroll.]
[Additional objective: Ask the locals about the unknown fragment.]
Atlas went straight to the library.He preferred logic to magical predictions, and scientists probably knew more about the old writings.
The air shark hovered nearby, its body periodically vibrating, attracting the puzzled stares of passersby.A white rabbit with a shark.
You don't see this every day.
The building was located near the central square, a tall stone mansion covered with ivy.When Atlas entered, he was immediately enveloped in the smell of old books and dusty scrolls.
There are tall wooden shelves everywhere, the dim light of magic lamps, and a few scientists going about their business.A middle–aged NPC with pointy ears was sitting behind the counter, apparently a half-elf.
She looked up instantly when she saw him.
– Obviously an infrequent visitor. – She said, putting down her pen.
To be continued, please like and save…