Trans-Migration

“Slow down!”

Despite Bria’s protests, they were taking the stairs back up two at a time. [Enhance] had worn off, and Bria was almost tempted to recast it just to keep up with the librarian. Neth-amii wasn’t having the same problems, though she was keeping pace with Bria in a show of solidarity that was honestly touching.

“At least tell us where we are going,” Neth-amii said.

Red eyes glanced back. “Outside the walls. Too many ears otherwise.”

Cresting the top floor, Gil-hana strode out with purpose and it was almost comical how quickly other researchers parted before them. For such a short person, they commanded a presence that few could argue against. That lasted through the door where nobody questioned the students following in their wake and right up until they were confronted by a group of men waiting outside the building for them.

At the front stood the familiar shadow that had been following Bria and Neth for the past two weeks, grinning wide at having caught them. Arrayed around him were several armored figures and Bria took them in one at a time, finding all of them to be between levels six and eight, with their familiar pain in the rear being the only one at that level.

“Ah, the ears,” Gil-hana said dryly. “Tell me, how deep was Ri-durak this time?”

The man huffed, doing a poor job of hiding his irritation. “You know full well you aren’t to leave the archives, Gilly. Worse, you didn’t turn them in the moment they approached? Poor show, I must say.”

“A bit of advice,” Gil said, taking a step towards the man. “When you threaten someone, it helps to have consequences that outweigh the benefits. I played along because it benefited my research. Now?”

Gil stood within arm’s reach of the man as he looked down on the librarian. Yet, Bria could have sworn there was more than a hint of fear in his eyes as he swallowed. Light flashed and Bria blinked. Before she had even opened her eyes a crash rang out. Blinking away the spots, there was an obvious absence where the man had just stood, and that same glowing mace gripped tightly in Gil-hana’s hand.

“Boss!” one of the flunkies yelled, running towards a now-broken portion of the wall.

Just as Bria realized what had just happened, a hand was on her shoulder pulling her towards the heart of the city. She quickly got her own feet under her and followed Gil through the streets at a far faster pace than their approach to the archive just an hour earlier. The shouting behind them quickly faded into the distant din of city life, and soon enough they slowed.

“Take those robes off,” Gil-hana said. “You both stand out too much.”

Neth-amii laughed, pulling her robe off without complaint and shook her pink hair free. Gil-hana blinked, then sighed, looking towards Bria expectantly. She did as asked, revealing travel gear and the sword at her hip.

“It will have to do,” Gil-hana said, turning once again. “We make for the gate. Try to not draw any unwanted attention. I do not intend to fight the entire guard.”

Neth and Bria shared a quick look, with the Shrine Priestess shrugging before they followed along. With their stalkers left behind, they made it to the gate with barely any looks. Even the guards watching those leaving didn’t pay them more than a passing glance, which had Bria’s hackles raising when she turned back and spotted that same mask from the dungeon watching them from within the crowd.

Someone walked in front of them and they were gone.

“Masked guy from the dungeon just watched us leave,” Bria said.

“Then we should make haste,” Gil-hana said. “Sword girl, you have an enhancement ability. Use it.”

“Bria,” she said, her heart thumping at getting to introduce herself as such. “That’s my name.”

Gil-hana didn’t say anything to the introduction, and Bria didn’t dare risk getting the enigmatic librarian with a penchant for smashing things with an ethereal mace angry. Activating [Enchance], Bria began to move as quickly as she could, the others matching her pace and pulling back ahead.

“We make for the Silent Abbey,” Gil-hana said after several minutes of running. “The first of the keys is hidden there and we must ensure none manage to seize it.”

That revelation sobered her. One of the three keys was that close? Worse, Gil-hana had said that her island was where some ancient god was sealed away. Was Ri-durak planning to release this being? Wait…

Would Ruiz actually be dissuaded if he learned what was sealed underneath?

Knowing what she did about the man, that was a hard no, which meant keeping the secret from him. Could she get one of the keys and hide it on her island and call it a day? Perhaps, but there were also good odds someone else had that idea before and one was already hidden away. Was that why the man was so desperate to access the shrines? Did he find something in the ruins and didn’t let on to what it was?

There was no point speculating in circles over what it might be, and they had reached the point where Kro-ahnk had split off before they first reached Brookvale. Given that was two weeks prior, she didn’t expect the man to still be around, but it would have been nice to see him again. And to eat his cooking. The guy had to have a skill for making food taste better, because nothing in Brookvale was quite as flavorful.

“Not much further,” Neth-amii said, glancing back towards Brookvale which was visible with the sun setting over the mountains that surrounded the city. “And I cannot see anyone pursuing us at present.”

Gil-hana sighed. “That means little. Ri-durak and his core fighters are capable of moving great distances in minimal time.”

“Then we probably shouldn’t just stand around like this,” Bria said. “Especially with it getting dark soon.”

A grimace crossed the librarian’s face as they looked down the trail that quickly vanished into a dark wood. “Keep your wits about. I do not favor our chances of emerging from the forest unmolested.”

Bria swallowed, following Gil-hana into the darkness. A hand reached out and found her own, she squeezed and Neth squeezed back, offering a soft smile. Bria knew that this world was dangerous, but it was only now truly setting in just how bad things might be. Were the men after them willing to kill? Bria didn’t doubt it, especially after Gil-hana had backhanded one with a mace through a wall. If that man survived, he was not going to be happy about it.

Soft moss lined the path, at complete odds with the hard dirt of the path leading up to the woods. Roots poked through the ground, leaving the trail uneven and a bit treacherous in the dark. Small critters moved through the leaf litter, the sounds just loud enough to draw attention to them.

They had slowed their pace upon entering the woods, but continued to move at a brisk jog. Which meant their own passing didn’t go unnoticed by the creatures dwelling within. A massive bat swooped down, passing just over their heads. Bria skidded to a halt, drawing her sword as she did.

[Direbat Lv. 4]

Well, that should be manageable. Leveling her shield, Bria braced herself for the next dive when a blinding light skewered the monster clean through. Blinking spots away, Bria turned to where Gil-hana stood, their fingers smoking from where they had shot the beam. They shook their hand, then turned back towards the path without a word.

A frown crossed Bria’s brow. She hadn’t gotten any notification from the kill, nor had she earned any experience. Bria sheathed her sword, resisting the urge to grumble about the lost opportunity. Just a few of those would probably be enough to get her to level six, and she was missing out.

“Hey,” Bria called. “Do you think I could kill the next monsters to attack us?”

Gil-hana didn’t even look back. “You would be too slow.”

“She’s close to a level,” Neth-amii said, already aware of the reasoning.

“It matters not,” Gil-hana said. “We do not have the time to waste watching someone of her level slashing at the air for five minutes.”

Before Bria could argue further, the forest fell silent. Hairs prickled at the back of Bria’s neck as they too fell silent. Slowly, Bria readied herself, eyes glancing about for what the threat might be. Neth’s staff began to glow as Bumble took flight. Gil had their fingers raised, ready for—

Dozens of dark figures descended from the trees, swarming about them. Bria slashed at the first to come close, drawing a shriek from the creature as she struggled to make sense of the discord. Light pierced the night as spellfire joined her sword in striking out. The first ding came at random and she hadn’t even realized that she might have killed something.

Your group has defeated a [Direbat] 7 EXP Granted!

It wasn’t much, but even a single experience point was a step towards progress. Bria didn’t let up, and soon the numbers thinned enough that she could choose her targets. They didn’t last much longer past that, and soon the skies were bat free. Around them were well over a dozen bodies of the creatures, and already Bria was dreading having to help dig the cores out.

“Cores or no?” Neth-amii asked.

Gil-hana huffed. “They’ll all be bronze. Not worth it. Not after the light show that we just performed for anyone in pursuit.” They then turned towards Bria with a scowl. “Girl, did that help? I see you’re still level five.”

Panting, Bria pulled up her status mentally, then cursed when she saw how much experience she needed for the next level. “Would you believe me if I said I needed just one miserable point for my next level?”

Throwing their hands up, Gil-hana stalked off down the path once more.

Neth-amii came to Bria’s side, patting her on the back with a soft smile. “You’ll get it, don’t worry.”

As much as Bria knew it, that next increase was RIGHT THERE, and she couldn’t do anything about it! It was so frustrating and she was tempted to scream and see what came to investigate. Yet, she also understood Gil-hana’s position. They couldn’t sit still, not with the people no doubt trying to find them.

Aside from a few noises, Bria didn’t see a single creature that displayed a level. It felt like a further insult more than anything, especially as the forest gave way to a clearing. Waist high stone walls lined the space, and within was an old chapel that stood taller than the church back on Isla Sein. It might have impressed her if they’d visited the abbey before venturing to Brookvale, but the age of the structure was clear enough. Moss and vines grew freely along the walls yet the yards were perfectly cared for.

Even the cobblestone path leading to the door had been cleared of any weeds or overgrowth recently. Gil-hana approached without hesitation and more than a degree of familiarity as they opened the gate with what appeared to be practiced ease. Neth-amii filed in behind them and Bria followed quickly after. Something tingled as she passed through, drawing a shiver from her.

“That was the repellant seal. It will keep monsters at bay.” Gil secured the gate and moved back to the front. “Neth, you’ve been here before, have you not?”

“I have,” the woman said, biting her lip. “When I was first looking for a place to stay after leaving home. They denied me.”

“Of course they did,” Gil-hana said. “Only the greatest scholars are invited to learn their secrets. It is my dream to one day join their number.”

“Really?” Bria asked. “Aren’t they all mute or something?”

“Yes, of course,” Gil-hana said after a moment’s pause. “They are all rendered unable to speak upon induction.”

Bria’s eyes narrowed, but before she could pry deeper Gil-hana was knocking on the door to the Abbey. A small latch slid aside, revealing someone on the other side. They said nothing, then slammed it shut. An awkward moment passed before the door was pulled open, revealing a man in heavy brown robes looking them over.

Their hands moved, fingers extending and contracting in a way that Bria had seen once or twice before from tour groups. Not that she knew any of the Earth native sign languages let alone whatever this one was. Gil-hana answered in kind, keeping to their visual communication rather than speaking it aloud.

“Bria, the journal,” Gil-hana said.

Jumping slightly, she fumbled for her pouch before moving forward, handing the journal over. Gil-hana took it gently enough, flipping through the pages before they pointed at some text or other. The aged scholar took it in, squinting slightly before their eyes shot wide. Hands flew into motion, and Gil answered just as quickly.

Moments later they were being ushered inside and the gate barred from within. A part of Bria recognized that they were now trapped, but at the same time, they had to know if that would keep someone like Ri-durak out or not. She didn’t like feeling so out of the loop, but what else could she do at the moment but go along for the ride?

Sliding up beside Neth-amii, Bria kept her voice to a whisper as to not disturb the visual conversation occurring. “Something tells me they aren’t going to be finished anytime soon.”

“Heavens no,” Neth said, stifling a laugh. “Scholars are quite the chatterboxes once they get going on a field of interest. I was little better when studying under my own mentor.”

A smile came to Bria’s lips at the mental image of a beaming Neth chattering away over some topic or another. Hopefully she would get to see more of that side of her friend, because it was frankly adorable.

The abbey was as expected, an open chapel space where there was enough room for plenty of people to attend a service, but the way that Gil-hana described it suggested this was a more exclusive center of knowledge than even Brookvale’s.

They soon found that assumption proven accurate as they were whisked away, deeper into the Abbey, and beneath the earth. A veritable library expanded forth, putting even the archives back on Isla Sein to shame with how many aged documents lined the shelves.

Now thoroughly ignored by their librarian friend, Bria was at a bit of a loss as to what to do next. It felt a bit strange to Bria for the separation to exist, especially with the security that the archives held, and yet… Perhaps it did make sense to keep forbidden knowledge separate and secure, especially if there was something dangerous being kept hidden. Just what was Ashe-rah, and why did that name seem almost familiar?

“Bria,” Neth said, nudging her slightly.

She looked up, surprised to see a second monk standing there with a kettle in hand and a gentle smile on his lips. He filled a wooden cup and offered it. Bria accepted, not knowing what to say besides a muttered thanks. The man left the tray, which held a few dry looking cookies of some sort that felt hard as bricks.

“Dip the biscuits,” Neth said, doing just that with her own. “They absorb liquid quickly and flavor the tea a bit.”

Doing just that, the pair sat, watching, as more people in robes filtered in. Some brought books, others ran off to find something else for the swiftly assembling research team. Bria tried to get a glance at some of the writing, but she couldn’t make heads or tails of the ancient symbols. Strange how the portal had allowed her to understand the common language, but not the ancient.

“This is the same language as the journal,” Bria said, squinting at the letters.

“And the carvings you traced from the Gateway Shrine,” Gil-hana confirmed. “Quite the finds, as neither of these texts have been observed before.”

Not unexpected to hear, but Bria could understand the excitement everyone must be feeling. The excitement over the Dead Sea Scrolls had been similar, from what her grandparents had mentioned when they were watching a special on them some years back. It was still impressive to watch how easily the monks coordinated without saying a single word. Sharp gestures were enough to communicate anything needed.

“This is just lovely,” Bria said, taking it all in. “I could see myself living here, if it weren’t for the whole tongue thing.”

Neth-amii snorted. “Yes, the tongue is rather important, especially with my preferences.”

Bria wasn’t sure what her friend meant by that, and she didn’t seem willing to elaborate beyond a knowing smirk as she looked back. It was a bit irritating, but Bria didn’t feel up to prying, or risking the mood by having Neth explain a joke that she probably should have understood.

Several hours passed, and Bria found herself dozing against Neth-amii’s shoulder. Her friend wasn’t much better, snoring softly as the scholars worked away. There just wasn’t much for them to contribute at the moment, and it kinda sucked. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a problem that could be handled with a sword.

“Three keys,” Gil-hana muttered, causing Bria to jump. They looked over, then winced. “Sorry, was just musing aloud. You mentioned three indentations and this journal confirms the location of one of the keys.”

“Okay?” Bria said, her mind still a bit fuzzy. “Does it matter?”

“Not to us,” Gil-hana said with a sigh. “One is confirmed to be located on your home island within a sealed Shrine. Only one descended of Terra but born of Gaia who has awakened their power may open the way.”

Frowning, Bria tried to sit up, but struggled with the slumbering woman leaning on her shoulder. “But, I opened one such door, that’s how I found the journal.”

“Yes,” Gil-hana said, smirking slightly. “Now follow the basic logic to its conclusion.”

Blinking, Bria gave them a flat glare. “I’m not that dense. If I’m one of these descendants, then most of my neighbors likely share that distinction.”

“Probably,” Gil-hana said, stretching. “That’s one key that is permanently out of reach assuming nobody crosses the threshold and finds it.”

Immediately, her mind flashed to Ruiz and how frantic he seemed to be to open up the other shrines. Clearly he knew more than he was letting on, but how much more, and how did he come about that knowledge? Where had he actually found that pendant? He must have known there was something about it that would lead to a discovery, but how could he have learned as much?

Still, that meant that two keys were somewhere on this side, and that they needed to be kept away from those who might misuse them.

“Where are the others?”

At that, Gil-hana sighed. “One is believed to be in the King’s vault, though I have not verified that claim. The other was buried deep within the caverns beneath this very Abbey.”

“Oh no,” Neth-amii muttered. “Please tell me we aren’t going underground.”

A brittle smile crossed Gil-hana’s lips. “Unfortunately so. Rest up, for we shall venture forth tomorrow.”