Chapter 238 - An Accessible Sanctum
“Be careful with the etheric temporances, and don’t lose focus on your focalizations!” Grand Wizard Hartford’s sharp instructions echoed as a group of Senior Wizards cast their spells in unison. Six of them stood before a massive stone door adorned with innumerable runes and sigils, all aglow in a spectrum of colors as the wizards’ spells interacted with the engravings.
Scarlett observed this scene from nearby, her arms folded, patiently waiting for them to finish. Behind the wizards, Gaspar, stern and focused with staff in hand, closely directed the proceedings with his commands. One by one, the glowing seals on the door dimmed as the door grew closer to being unlocked.
Several minutes passed before Gaspar finally paused in his supervising to turn and approach Scarlett, though he maintained the stern expression. “It won’t be long now.”
Scarlett studied the great door for a moment, watching the wizards dispelling yet another seal. “It seems an exhaustive task merely to access a chamber,” she remarked.
“The enchantments guarding the Sanctum are exceedingly intricate, Baroness. They have held since the Zuver originally erected them.” The older man huffed. “These are not defences one can simply bypass without due diligence. Though our Isle has long since deciphered their mechanisms and could dismantle them if necessary, the protective capabilities they offer are irreplaceable. It has always been judged that they are better left as they are.”
“I see. And exactly how much longer until we can proceed, then?”
“Only a few minutes, at most.” Gaspar turned back to the wizards, annoyance creasing his brow. “I said to mind the temporances, you imbeciles! Is this how I taught you?”
Muttering something about wizards nowadays, he hurriedly left Scarlett to return to overseeing the wizards’ ongoing efforts to unlock the door.
It didn’t seem like he let up even on his own subordinates.
“This place smells a bit like Rosa,” Fynn spoke up beside Scarlett.
She cast a brief glance to her left, eyeing the white-haired young man. “…Is that so?”
That statement wasn’t particularly surprising to her. It was in the name of this place, after all. The ‘Astral Sanctum’ was bound to have something in common with the Astral Soulstone that had been used to create Rosa’s Heartstone.