Blood Oath (Book 2 of Alfireán age)

Ancient Knowledge

Drake closed his eyes. There was only way he could imagine them defeating the blood oath: they would have to lure Dy'Ixion into a trap and attack from all sides while a group of earth users took advantage of the distraction to land a killing blow. But the sheer number of casualties... "We might," he said at last, "but the cost will be high."

"If only we had some type of equalizer," Rex muttered.

Equalizer. The word caught in Drake's mind. Traverse Wake was one, but not enough to tip the scale, he thought. Rex is right, if... Suddenly, he remembered where they were, and he spun towards the vice champion. "My father told me there is a room in the arena with a giant glowing symbol in it. Do you know where the room is located?"

"I uh," he said. "I think so. Do you mean the room that won't let anything in it?"

"What do you mean?" Drake asked.

"There is this large room on the lower level that we've tried to use as a storage area, but every time we try to stick something in there, it somehow manages to end up back in the hallway. There's also a dim outline of some type of magical rune on the back wall."

"That must be it. Would you take me there?"

Rex stared at him and tilted his head. "Sure, I guess. But why?"

"I'll explain once we get there."

Rex crouched and rolled his shoulders. "Okay then, follow me."

The world blurred around Drake, and Rex became a green haze as he followed him via Traverse Wake.

Seconds later, Rex slid to a halt and casually waved his hand. "This is it."

Before them lay a plain brown door, unmarked and unnoticeable compared to the hundreds of other doors in the arena.

Drake took hold of the doorknob, and pushing open the door, he entered a large, rectangular room. The cavernous space appeared empty, even devoid of the usual spider webs and dust such a room would normally collect. The only thing that stood out was a faint image carved into the back wall. Making his way to the back, Drake placed his left hand on the dim outline of an ancient rune. The wall pulsed at his touch, and lifting his right hand, the prince drew a blue, glowing symbol in the air.

The symbol sunk into the earthen surface, and a cascade of colors flickered and danced over the wall. Then the wall vanished as if it had never been there, revealing a staircase leading deep into the earth.

Rex jumped back. "What in Eldrin's name!" He ripped off his mask and stared down into the endlessly long stairway. "How come I didn't know about this? And how in the world do you know about it?"

Drake started to walk down the stairs and motioned for Rex to follow him. "Only the Imperial bloodline knows about this, and I know of it because I am Drakovian Rylarth Docdovinun the third, the Emperor's forty-year old son and heir to the throne."

Rex had put back on his mask and was in the process of taking his first step onto the stairs when Drake's words caused him to misstep. He tumbled headfirst down the first seven feet of the staircase, his metallic armor clanking on the stone before he finally managed flip around and grab on to one of the stairs.

Drake dashed to his side as he asked. "Are you okay?"

Rex slowly pulled himself to a sitting position. He leaned against the wall and rubbed his shoulder. "Ya, I'll survive, just a few more bruises to add to this wonderful day... Wait!" His head shot up towards Drake. "Did you just say you're the forty year old son of the Emperor?"