Chapter 246 - Inheritance
Scarlett’s eyes quickly adjusted to the gentle, otherworldly light suffusing the chamber, some of it seeming to emanate from the myriad symbols adorning the walls, each pulsing in a mysterious rhythm. Tall structures resembling pods occupied the corners, their surfaces intricately etched with ancient runes.
Scattered throughout were arcane devices and instruments, their purposes and designs unfamiliar to Scarlett. At the room’s center floated a conspicuous orb, its light casting dancing shadows on the stone floor where a constellation of star-like patterns converged towards it, the air buzzing with latent energy.
An undeniable tension hung heavy in the atmosphere, an unseen force that instilled a disquieting sensation of being watched.
“So,” Rosa remarked dryly, a touch of irony in her tone. “The hidden library beneath the secret library conceals a hidden forbidden section, which, in turn, hides yet another secret chamber.” She raised both eyebrows. “Am I the only one starting to question these Zuvers’ architectural choices at this point?”
Glancing at the woman, Scarlett detected a glimmer of caution beneath her casual demeanour.
Returning her gaze to the enigmatic room, Scarlett paused at the threshold, her eyes roving over the foreign environment before stepping inside.
What manner of place was this? Was it a chamber from the game that she had simply never discovered in her previous playthroughs? Or something unique to this world? Given her growing suspicions about the nature of the Orrery, she leaned towards the latter.
Her attention fell upon the pods at the edge of the chamber. Five in total, all but one remained sealed shut. Their fronts were semi-transparent, through which she could vaguely discern the twisted, distorted outlines of various unnatural shapes — some contorted beyond any recognisable form.
She was hoping those wouldn’t start moving.
Her focus lingered on the lone, open pod, wondering what its purpose had been. Given its size, it looked suspiciously like it could have accommodated the custodian.
Turning, Scarlett noticed that the entity in question had followed her into the chamber, though it remained mostly still, merely observing her with its impassive, unblinking gaze.
Considering it wasn’t a living being in any conventional sense, she supposed it must have been crafted or created somewhere. Maybe this was that ‘somewhere’. Although from its earlier confusion when searching for text related to Thainnith, she gathered it wasn’t aware of this chamber’s existence.