The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Alekzandr Ikorov: XCIV

"What is this.. Vault." He wondered. The creature before him began to chuckle softly.

"You have this stone.. But do not know what the vault is?" it began to mock.

"I was given the stone." Alekzandr explained, he didn't want to get upset with the creature but it also didn't need to be so very rude. "What.. would be the steps involved for me to get to this vault?"

"When you find the vault, three keys will be needed." The creature swam upward in the air. "Do you wish to know it?" It started laughing.

"What are the keys?" an image formed above the creature, two large rods of jade cracking apart. He had two questions.. The first rod of jade crumbled.

"To enter the vault of Dragons you must acquire keys of three.. Assets of war all weapons return to these.. Nye unbreakable shy of indestructible. The graspe of a darker kindred forsaken thy gods for a spiderlings pawn. Tolid to and worked from the finest craft.. The tipple master's son." The creature's message was cryptic. Alekzandr suddenly had a realization.

"Magi manibus." Alekzandr uttered, he tossed the stone into the air. It was caught by his mystical hand suspending the stone in the sky. He pulled out a pen and paper jotting down what he was being told.

"Where is the Vault?" He asked. The second jade rod shattered. An image began to be summoned into his mind. His jaw dropped. The picture being conjured by the creature began to resemble a place he had seen before. It was.. The windmill. That place, no wonder the cultists went there! The vault was underground.. Shit did this mean they had the information? No, they wouldn't be transporting the stone if that was the case.. But the vault's location was known. The spectral delved downward towards the base of the windmill until a large stone circular.. Thing could be seen. The door. "What is in this vault?" Alekzandr demanded. Would this require his tokens?

"Riches.. Trinkets.. Have you not heard the rumours?"

"No.. I have not." He responded. He had somewhat, but he needed clarification.

"A sum of gold.. Vast wealth totaling over five hundred thousand pieces.. And more.. So much more." Alekzandr pondered the creature's message.. He wrote it all down as quickly as he could. "In trade for this knowledge.. What do you have to offer me?" Alekzandr pondered for a moment ah.. Knowledge trade. He smiled. So this thing wanted a trade eh? He wondered what anyone else would do, faced with a creature who seeked information like a shark to blood. His head went instantly to every fact, every piece, every ounce of Rushiki knowledge he contained.

"A whole civilization you know nothing of.. A race of people.. Culture." He recalled the fonder memories he had of his race, his civilization. No one knew what they had become in the final years of the war. Just what they would stoop to, trying to win a long forgotten cause. Now.. both Rushiv and Ercela might have been dead. He felt a bitter taste creep into his mouth, he played a part in that death. For his own people, he would be lying if it did not bring the tiniest pang of joy. The monsters had been wiped away.

"We shall see about that." the creature dived forward flying through his skull. He felt an odd sensation for something crawling through his mind.. But did nothing of it. Soon it exited and began to smile. As much as this squid fish-like creature could smile. "Interesting.. So close to Nevarill.. Yet never finding it.. How disappointing."

"These people did not want to be found.. And you must know their reasons.. Now that you have peered into my mind.." He whispered in response.

"Well then.. I would very much like to be given to another." it made sense.. A creature thirsted for knowledge. Alekzandr ended the psychic link tossing the stones' influence from him- his mind shot with pain the instant he ended the link. It felt as if something was trying to claw the memories he had just gotten from his mind. He bit his tongue and was determined to hold onto it. The pain subsided and he finally took a deep breath setting the stone down with his mage hand. He studied it in his palm. Turning it over in his hand over and over again.