Chapter 77
Chapter 77. Sanctuary
Once Adil took his leave, I headed down to the ground-floor dining room to fulfill the commitment I had given to the kids, recounting the day’s events to them.
They sat captivated, listening as if engrossed in a thrilling tale of legendary heroes.
Even when the narrative came to an end, they continued to plead for more stories.
Ultimately, they kept me trapped there for almost an entire hour, and it was only after reciting tale upon tale that I finally managed to get away.
“Yaaawn.”
The second I walked into my quarters, I collapsed onto the mattress.
A deep weariness gripped my limbs, making it seem as if I could drift off in an instant, yet the earlier discussion with Adil continued to loop through my thoughts, keeping rest at bay.
‘A hidden underground vault crafted by Bellium.’
Reviewing everything I currently understood, the likelihood was far higher that whatever linked me to this realm resided within that buried chamber rather than inside the monument itself.
Just what sort of location might that concealed room turn out to be?
I lacked any definitive proof, yet it was most likely linked to Bellium or designed to safeguard sacred relics belonging to Elysium, including items he had personally bequeathed.
Perhaps one of those treasures had even provided the power that aided me against the wyverns two days prior.
It was just as plausible that the origin behind my summoning to this dimension lay somewhere down in the depths.
What in the world could it truly be?
Every contemplation spawned another without end, and as a consequence, I spent the vast majority of the night tossing about restlessly, completely unable to attain genuine sleep.
Come morning, burdened by the previous night’s lack of rest, I arose behind schedule and ate an overdue morning meal in the lodge’s dining area.
Based on what Adil had stated, he intended to compile any historical documents that could prove beneficial to me and drop by during the morning hours.
Since he had yet to make an appearance, sorting through the vast collection had perhaps taken more time than anticipated.
Or perhaps severe exhaustion had caused him to oversleep just like me.
Regardless, upon finishing my food, I asked for a cup of brewed tea and settled in to wait for Adil.
Right when I was about to savor the initial mouthful of warm tea, the entrance swung inward and Adil bolted into the room.
It was evident he had dashed without pause all the way from his residence, as he immediately propped an arm against the nearest wall to steady himself while panting heavily.
“Haa… Forgive my tardiness. You’ve been waiting quite a while, haven’t you?”
Still struggling to catch his breath, Adil cast an apologetic glance toward me.
He had mentioned spending the late hours sifting through historical texts and organizing notes, and prominent dark shadows now sat beneath his tired eyes.
“Not whatsoever. I only just finished dining and was settling down with a fresh drink. Would you care for some, Adil?”
“If it’s no trouble.”
Once his breathing calmed, Adil ordered a cup of black coffee for himself and sat down across the table.
“Did you manage a restful sleep last night?”
“Hardly. My mind was consumed with curiosity regarding what secret might be concealed below ground, leaving me with almost no sleep. How about you?”
“Sleep eluded me even when I sought it. I spent all night examining the records in my collection, attempting to determine which details might serve your quest.”
Despite the dark rings shadowing his eyes, a vibrant intensity burned within his gaze, clearly signaling that his late hours had yielded fruit.
“Did you uncover anything of significance?”
“Without a doubt!”
Observing his glowing expression, he had unquestionably unearthed a revelation so gratifying that it had sparked boundless excitement within him.
“Let’s finish these warm beverages and set out. I am practically bursting with eagerness to share what turned up.”
Once our brief respite came to a close, Adil offered to present the organized records and guided me over to his home.
Likely owing to his duties as the guardian of Bellium’s statue, his quarters stood just a short distance away from it.
The interior lay littered with scattered tomes and assorted miscellany, clear evidence that he had lacked the time to tidy up after laboring through the entire night.
“Pardon the disarray.”
Following Adil’s lead, I stepped inside his personal study.
He gathered several ancient manuscripts alongside a bound journal from his desk and carried them over.
“To start, having combed through the archived chronicles, I unfortunately found no reference whatsoever concerning the realm you termed Earth.”
“Did the pages mention foreign realms at all, even under a different name?”
“Regrettably, they did not. Not a single parchment I examined made mention of alternate planes or dimensions.”
A quiet part of me had held out hope, so the discovery arrived as a letdown.
Evidently that despondency painted itself clearly across my face, prompting Adil to pivot swiftly to another matter.
“However, as I noted earlier, I did turn up texts that I suspect could prove invaluable to you. Specifically, there was a passage touching upon the unique Aura you claimed only your eyes could perceive two days ago.”
Adil leafed through his personal notes until landing on the desired section, then drew open a weighty ancient volume, angling it so I could read.
“Observe this specific line right here.”
The open parchment revealed the following passage:
<Should Guide an any at before behold from hesitate illumination individual me moment. not. of remains sight someone that the uncanny veiled world,>
“…When this text speaks of an illumination, could that imply…?”
“I suspect it signifies precisely what you imagine. Taking into account the surrounding passages along with complementary chronicles, there is immense likelihood that this ‘illumination’ points straight to the mysterious glow you witnessed two days prior.”
Adil clarified that academics had labored fruitlessly for ages attempting to unravel that cryptic line, and thanks to my experience, he was thrilled to have finally uncovered a lead capable of demystifying it.
“In that case, Adil, what meaning should we draw from ‘guide that individual before me’?”
“It remains merely a deduction, yet my belief is that it conveys permission for such a soul to tread into the deepest stratum of the hidden domain Lord Bellium sculpted beneath the monument—the Sanctuary.”
Weighing all these fragments together, it appeared Bellium might well have been awaiting the arrival of someone of my nature.
Assuming that held truth, my presence in this world was no mere twist of fate.
“Every individual recognized as a true denizen of Elysium holds the right to walk into the Sanctuary proper. The lowest stratum, however, stands apart. Even native inhabitants of Elysium face total prohibition from entering unrestricted, to say nothing of foreign visitors. Only figures handpicked through an uncompromising ritual gain passage within.”
“Just what could possibly lie down in those depths…?”
Adil apparently caught the hushed query I had whispered under my breath, answering without hesitation.
“Within the lowest depths of the Sanctuary lie the preserved mortal remains of Lord Bellium.”
“Then that line from the tome, stating ‘guide that individual before me at any moment’…”
“It most likely should be read completely literally.”
Even with Bellium long deceased, the chosen soul was meant to be escorted straight to his resting body.
Such was the intended command left behind.
“So a real thread truly connects Elysium and myself. Though what that bond entails remains entirely out of grasp.”
It felt like stretching an arm toward an essential revelation, only to have the prize slip past my reach by an inch.
“My thoughts align with yours. Ah, Mr. Minjun, would you also review this following line?”
Adil shifted a handful of pages forward, indicating another sentence.
“Put another way, this likely denotes Lord Bellium bestowing an additional power upon the chosen one who perceived that primeval ‘radiance.’”
“Yet Lord Bellium… no longer walks among the living, does he?”
How could I anticipate an encounter with an ancient dragon who perished tens of millennia ago?
The longer I pondered it, however, the less impossible the premise seemed.
Bellium might well have left a parting testament intended for an individual like me, or perhaps a lingering fragment of his consciousness survived, mirroring what occurred within the Garden of Dragon Swords.
Practically the exact moment that thought formed, Adil broke the silence.
“A faint vestige of Lord Bellium’s consciousness persists even now on the deepest floor where his form is laid to rest.”
“…!!!”
I had secretly wondered if such a marvel could be possible, yet hearing it affirmed blew me away.
Learning that an echo of Bellium’s will endured sent a surge of pure thrill through my veins.
Just as had transpired when speaking to Minos in the Garden of Dragon Swords, I might genuinely converse with Bellium in the flesh and demand to know why he summoned me to this plane.
Yet that spark of hope dissolved instantly.
“Even so, whether due to tens of thousands of years wearing it down, or perhaps under some other lingering catalyst, that remnant has grown so exceedingly fragile that its complete fading tomorrow would surprise no one.”
Adil’s subsequent words shattered my burgeoning hopes entirely.
“Then, is an exchange with him… completely out of reach?”
“It would be utterly futile. Could we truly exchange words with Lord Bellium’s vestige, there is nothing in this life I would crave more.”
Adil appeared just as sorrowful over that harsh reality as I was.
Speaking as an archivist, he claimed he could embrace death without an ounce of regret if he could hold a direct dialogue with Bellium, the sole existence holding resolutions to countless historical enigmas shrouding Elysium.
Nevertheless, he cautioned me against expecting any such interaction.
To frame it simply, Bellium’s lingering spirit now lingered like an unresponsive soul on the verge of breathing its final breath at any given second.
“…What a terrible shame.”
“Regardless, I hold total confidence that the place will grant you immense aid. Do you wish to ask anything further regarding Lord Bellium or the nature of the Sanctuary?”
“This provides plenty for the moment. Should further inquiries strike me while we are down there, I will voice them.”
“Very well.”
Adil offered a courteous nod upon receiving my response.
“Ah, prior to stepping out, might you pass along the everyday curiosities requested by the elder council yesterday? I can hand them over so you need not bother.”
Reflecting back, the elders had indeed asked yesterday if I could spare a handful of everyday items unique to Earth, even mundane trinkets.
“Of course. I can hand those over straight away.”
I delved into my spatial storage dimension, pulling out a selection of commonplace items native to modern Earth, offering Adil a concise summary detailing their purpose and names.
Through the entire demonstration, Adil’s gaze gleamed like that of an awestruck child, his hand furiously recording every syllable I uttered into his notebook.
Following that, he shut the journal firmly and rose to his feet.
“Allow me now to guide you to the monument, and onward into the Sanctuary itself.”
I walked behind Adil, pacing toward Bellium’s towering statue.
A fierce thumping echoed within my chest, yet simultaneously, an uncanny wave of intimacy and soothing serenity—the exact feeling that perpetually washed over me whenever I drew near the stone carving—took hold.
That bizarre sensation from my initial visit washed over me as effortlessly as ever.
Seizing the occasion, I chose to broach the topic with Adil.
“Adil, has anyone ever spoken of experiencing an uncanny feeling like this when standing before this monument or descending into the Sanctuary? What I am trying to describe is…”
Following my explanation of the quiet pull stirring within me, Adil lapsed into brief contemplation before slowly shaking his head.
“No. To my knowledge, no such testimony has ever been recorded.”
“That is unfortunate.”
“Yet it is utterly fascinating. Even hearing your vivid recount, I find myself unable to grasp how such an emotion feels.”
It mirrored my thoughts exactly.
At this stage, I could not discern whether my footsteps carried me closer to the core truth or merely walked in circles.
Nothing more of value seemed gleanable from the stone monolith itself.
Having made a leisurely circuit around its perimeter, Adil directed our steps toward the concealed passage granting entry to the Sanctuary.
Gazing upon it from the outside, the doorway looked completely indistinguishable from a standard break room used by caretakers at any tourist site.
Yet upon stepping inside and rolling aside a heavy floor rug, a hidden staircase descending into subterranean darkness showed itself.
I envisioned that reaching the base of that stone flight would lead us straight into the fabled sanctuary below.
That presumption was rapidly shattered.
Even after clearing the flight of stairs, we were confronted by multiple tiers of heavy wards and checkpoints.
“The protections here are remarkably tight.”
“Necessity demands it, given the priceless treasures guarded within. A bit tedious, certainly, yet wholly mandatory to ensure uninvited trespassers are kept out.”
Only after Adil unlocked the final locking mechanism and we boarded a mana-driven lift sinking vastly deeper into the earth did the enigmatic underbelly of Elysium spread itself before my gaze.
The domain appeared as if an architect had hollowed out a colossal cavern spacious enough to house a massive brood of dragons, later retrofitting it into an immense fortified shelter.
Given that Bellium personally oversaw its construction, the subterranean haven had persisted for a minimum of tens of thousands of years.
Yet across that unfathomable expanse of time, the entire interior retained an immaculate, exceptionally ordered appearance.
“What impression does the Sanctuary leave upon you on your maiden visit, Mr. Minjun?”
“It spans vastly larger than I pictured… I am truly awestruck.”
Describing this colossal expanse as merely a hidden ‘vault’ felt laughably inadequate.
Hearing of a subterranean chamber had led me to anticipate a modest cavern, but what lay before me approached the scale of an immense subterranean metropolis.
I had no doubt that any traveler beholding it for the first time would be struck dumb with wonder.
Adil gave an understanding nod, proceeding to illuminate the forgotten origins of Elysium.
“The Sanctuary was forged by the hands of Lord Bellium ages ago to safeguard the denizens of Elysium. Our community was originally established by wanderers and exiles gathering from every far-flung corner of the land, which predictably stirred resentment and enmity from neighboring powers. Even with Lord Bellium serving as the city’s divine shield, Elysium weathered brutal and relentless sieges in its earliest days.”
Thus commenced Adil’s spontaneous lesson in ancient history.
“Those assailants must have been mad. Barring fellow dragons, I cannot fathom the sheer audacity it takes to orchestrate an assault on a realm watched over by such a creature.”
Adil nodded in full concord with my disbelief.
“Ancient records confirm that figures of such recklessness genuinely walked the land back then. Certain factions remained wholly ignorant of Lord Bellium’s watchful eye over Elysium. Others knew the truth entirely, yet marched in anyway under contracts to infiltrate our walls and eliminate specific individuals.”
It seemed men devoid of fear walked every corner of reality, whether across Earth or through this foreign realm.
Then again, given that Elysium was born as a refuge for souls driven out by the wider world, hostile pursuits from external forces were likely inevitable.
“As an agonizing result, Lord Bellium watched innocent souls perish before him time and again. An old tale claims that the bitter sorrow he poured out across those dark hours crystallized into Bellium’s Tears—the very essence like the one you recently took into yourself.”
I had harbored no inkling that the remnant I took into my being held so tragic a history.
“Could such a myth hold literal truth?”
“The likelihood borders on nonexistent.”
I supposed that explains why it was remembered as mere folklore.
“Be that as it may, Lord Bellium shaped the Sanctuary purely to guarantee the survival of Elysium’s citizens. Countless reinforcements and modifications across the flowing eras have naturally altered parts of its ancient architecture, yet our people pour endless effort into conserving every scrap of its original integrity.”
To the inhabitants of Elysium, this cavern undoubtedly stood as one of their most venerated, untouchable sanctums.
Standing amidst it, an unbidden feeling of solemn reverence settled over me.
“It is entirely thanks to this Sanctuary that Elysium successfully shielded its heritage and customs from annihilation for tens of millennia, despite our perilous location and roots practically guaranteeing recurring foreign aggression.”
Adil spoke with profound, unmistakable dignity.
Looking around the expanse, he had every justification to harbor such pride.
“The reality that a defensive refuge fashioned tens of millennia ago continues fulfilling its foundational duty stands as an endless point of honor for us. Yet simultaneously, it brings a somber ache to remember that even in modern times, crises arise that compel our people to retreat down here.”
Simply taking in Adil’s recount painted a vivid picture of how incessantly Elysium had endured hostility from outer realms.
“That should suffice for our historical overview. Shall we proceed to tour the inner sanctum in earnest?”
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