Vault of Silence (The Hidden Wizard Book 2)

by Vaughan W. Smith

  Alrion emerged onto a rooftop of some sort. The sun blinded him for a second, and he had to adjust. There was a lone monk on the roof, firing arrows down at the horde of Tainted. His tall build gave him a good vantage over his targets. From this view, Alrion decided that things looked even worse.

  "Hello!" Alrion shouted as he approached. The monk looked back in surprise, but resumed his attacks. "I need your help," Alrion said when he reached the monk.

  "Whatever it is, we are in greater need. Are you a wizard?" the monk said.

  "Yes, I'm here to do the trial of Will. It's vital that you take me there as soon as possible," Alrion said.

  "If you don't help me, there won't be a temple left to do the trial in," the monk said. He motioned with his head and Alrion looked over to see what he meant. There were streams of Blighters climbing the walls, using the nooks and crevasses built up by the passage of time.

  "If I help with this, you'll take me to the trial?" Alrion said.

  "I'll escort you myself and introduce you. My name is Graem," the monk said.

  "Let's work together then Graem. I am Alrion. Is there a leader here?"

  "I would say so. Look over there, see that lone Tainted One?" Graem said.

  "Yes, you might be right. First, we can deal with these Blighters who are advancing and see his reaction," Alrion took up a position next to Graem and started building up his Spark. He formed up many spheres and infused them with fire and hurled them down at the Blighters. There was a punch of force behind each one, so not only did the affected Blighters catch fire but they also lost their handholds and tumbled down, taking others with them.

  "Where have you been? This is much faster," Graem said.

  "Trying to get here. We had to bunker down during the storm." Alrion launched another volley, taking out the next row of hopeful Blighters.

  "Must be the work of a wizard. Someone has to be coordinating all these Tainted and Blighters. Haven't seen anything like this in my entire life. The only edge we've had over the Tainted is that they weren't organised. This is too much." Graem launched another arrow, and took out a Blighter that had been hiding and had dodged the previous attacks.

  After that attack, there seemed to be a lull.

  "They're planning the next move. Look at that Tainted One," Graem said, pointing out the same one as before. He was waving his hands and seemingly talking to himself.

  "I think you're right. I'm not sure how effective my spells are at this range. Hard to aim and he will probably see them coming," Alrion said.

  "You ever worked with projectiles before?" Graem said.

  "Yes, I've sped up daggers over short distances," Alrion said.

  "Let's try that, only with an arrow. I can aim true, but I can't shoot that far either. But if I line up the shot properly and you can provide enough force and ensure it flies straight, we can nail their leader," Graem said.

  "Worth a try, give me a moment." Alrion prepared a lance of air that he could catch the arrow within and propel forward.

  "Are you ready? You have to act quickly, I won't be compensating for height," Graem said.

  "Ready, just let me know when you're firing," Alrion said.

  "Now!" Graem shouted. Alrion let loose the spell in anticipation and focused all his attention on the archer. He saw the arrow launching and caught it with his lance of air. The arrow increased in speed and hurtled towards its target. However, the aim was slightly off, and all the arrow did was graze the ear of the Tainted One.

  He screamed in pain and looked over. When he noticed Alrion and Graem standing together, he paused then started running.

  "Not bad for a first, if you can repeat that same level of force I can aim the next shot better. But it's going to be more difficult with a moving target." Graem already had the next arrow nocked and was aiming at the Tainted One.

  "Just a moment." Alrion prepared another spell and watched Graem closely.

  "Any minute now. There!" Graem said and launched his arrow. Alrion repeated his spell, but this time tried to have less impact on the arrow's path. It flew away with rapid speed, toward the target. Alrion tracked its progress, and was unsure if it would hit. But Graem had aimed true, and the arrow struck the man in the head and he dropped immediately.

  "Wow, great shot," Alrion said.

  "Thanks, but I had help. If you wouldn't mind assisting again," Graem said. Alrion looked back and saw another wave of Blighters preparing to climb over the temple walls. He prepared and launched another wave of fireballs, this time completely incinerating all those that had reached the top.

  They waited patiently for another minute, but no more Blighters followed their fallen.

  "I think we've done enough here, let's go and I'll settle my end of the bargain." Graem put his bow over his shoulder and ran towards the stairwell.

  "Do you know Certan?" Alrion asked as they descended.

  "Yes. Great monk with an even greater weakness. He will be missed," Graem said.

  "He has returned, he guided me here and showed me the secret passage," Alrion said.

  "I've never heard of anyone returning after being banished, and betraying our secrets too. I'll be glad to see him again, but I am not sure if he can rejoin us," Graem said.

  "That would be a shame." Alrion knew his friend had pinned so much on being able to return to the temple. He would do all he could to help that become a reality.

  As they weaved through the various passages and rooms Alrion realised that he would never have found his way in time. The temple was a maze, and he had trouble keeping track of the way they had gone.

  "This place is huge," Alrion said.

  "Yes, it's been extended constantly over its lifetime. It's a great deterrent for attackers. Something that will be tested today," Graem said.

  "Do you know anything about the trial of Will? The Vault of Silence? Have you seen it?" Alrion said.

  "I only know of its location. Unfortunately, I can offer no other help, but that's all you need." Alrion appreciated the monk's straight forward approach.

  "I appreciate it, time is of the essence."

  "You are welcome, you have helped us greatly already. I would be interested to hear your story at another time. It would be a curious one for sure. You would need a special reason to turn up here at such a time and still require to take the trial."

  "It is an impossible quest, one that I hope to achieve regardless," Alrion said.

  "Sounds like a challenge. I wish you luck, Alrion. I cannot stay, but I hope we meet again." Graem left the young wizard standing before an impressive set of doors. Unlike the rest of the temple they were made of a strange metal.

  Alrion pushed them open and they floated inwards with ease.

  Inside was a great chamber, which looked like it had been carved out of rock. There were four monks sitting cross-legged on the ground.

  "Close the doors behind you Alrion," one of the monks said. Alrion followed the instruction immediately, then continued to approach.

  "I'm sorry, this is such a rush. I need to take the trial immediately," Alrion said.

  "We know who you are and why you are here," the second monk said.

  "Great. How do I start it?"

  "Why do you deserve to take this trial?" The third monk said.

  "I need to, to fulfil my quest. I need the power of Will to succeed," Alrion said.

  "All could use it, but few can use it. Why you?" the fourth monk said.

  "I just told you. I need it to cast the spell. The spell to end the Blight," Alrion said.

  "And why do you deserve that responsibility?" The fourth monk said.

  "It was given to me," Alrion said.

  "Responsibility is not given, it is taken and borne," the fourth monk said.

  "I accepted this quest, and all it entailed. Yes, I have faltered on my way. But I have made it here today. Isn't that proof enough?" Alrion said.

  "Why do YOU deserve it?" the fourth monk said.

  "I don't have time for this.
Enemies are at the gate, an army bigger than you have ever seen. Why all the questioning?" Alrion said.

  "Only those who are deserving can perform the trial," the first monk said.

  "Why are YOU deserving?" the fourth monk said. Alrion was getting increasingly frustrated. He didn't have time for this, Wraith and his creatures could break through at any moment. He racked his brain, for the right response. He needed a way to convince them.

  Suddenly he remembered Certan's words. Yes, that was it.

  "I am deserving because I have encountered many setbacks on the way here. I have been almost killed, turned away by people, and almost buried alive in the sand. But I persevered. Because Will is about persevering no matter what. Getting up and trying again. It's about knowing that eventually you will succeed," Alrion said. The monks did not respond. Minutes seemed to pass. Alrion did not try to add anything, he knew nothing else would affect them.

  "You are deserving. Go forth and perform the trial. You may enter the Vault of Silence," the first monk said. He gestured with his hand and a glowing portal opened in-between the four monks. Alrion walked closer, and was amazed by what lay within.

  31

  The Vault of Silence

  Alrion was in a completely white room. As soon as he entered, he turned back to look at how he had entered, and the entry was gone. He was completely sealed in.

  "That's a little unnerving," he thought. But the wonder of the space he was in overcame that. With care, he walked around the vault, examining all the walls. They were perfectly smooth and white, built from a material he didn't recognise. There were no seams anywhere. It was as if the whole space was one surface.

  "The Vault of Silence. It certainly is impressive, but very minimal. There's nothing here," Alrion thought. He reached out and touched the wall. It felt cool to the touch, but was impossibly smooth. He ran his hand around the wall, feeling for any inconsistencies in it. There were none.

  "I suppose the trial is to find a way out," Alrion thought. As he walked through the vault, his mind was telling him that something was wrong. He stopped, trying to puzzle it out.

  "My footsteps are not making any sound," he said. But no words came out. He tried to call out. No sound was made at all.

  "This vault is actually silent. That seems impossible," Alrion thought. But no matter what he did, there was no sound. It was a bit overwhelming, so he sank down and sat on the floor, leaning his back against the wall.

  "So, I'm here, I can't make a sound no matter what I do and I need to get out. But it's a trial of Will, so that has to be the key. As Certan said, perseverance is vital. I'll examine every part of the Vault to see if there's any weakness or secret," Alrion thought. He stood up and walked around the room, taking his time to feel the entire surface.

  It took a long time, but he managed to complete a circuit, with only the ceiling and other high places unchecked.

  "I'll try a spell," Alrion thought. He gathered his Spark and prepared a wave of force. He spread it out like a blanket and ran it across the ceiling and other areas he could not access. He didn't notice any resistance to the spell. It seemed that the surfaces were all identical and there were no imperfections or secret nooks.

  "At least my magic works here," Alrion said to himself. He sat down again and thought about how to pass the trial. He had one other tool to try. He unsheathed his sword and examined the diamond. It wasn't glowing at all.

  "Wherever I am, is not close to the Blight monsters. That may mean something," he thought. Holding the sword, he tried several times to pierce or damage the walls. As before, there were no signs of damage.

  "Maybe it's a matter of breaking down the wall, without anything external. That would take willpower and persistence. I have an advantage because I'm a wizard," Alrion thought. He was happy with the plan and gathered his Spark once more. He systematically hit the entire room with waves of force, then rotated into pinpointing an exact spot. Since the vault didn't seem to take any damage, he increased the intensity slowly to a level he didn't normally try.

  "This is good training, if nothing else." Alrion decided. Soon he tired though, and the room appeared perfectly untouched.

  "This will require further thought." But his mind was not at ease. He kept thinking back to his friends, and the assault on the temple. Time was not something he had ample supply of.

  "Vincent! It's a relief to see you here. How did you find your way?" Certan said, as he knocked down another Blighter and stood back to back with Lara.

  "You gave me directions remember? When we found out that there was going to be an attack on the temple I rushed here immediately," Vincent said.

  "We'll have to hear the story later, when we're not about to get killed!" Lara said.

  "I'll cover us, you two make a path through to the temple," Vincent said as he sliced through another two Blighters.

  Certan took the lead, using his attacks to knock the Blighters away as far as possible, and Lara stood close behind, taking out any trying to attack from strange angles. As a unit, the three of them managed to slowly work their way to the temple entrance, and take cover between the vast columns of the entrance area and the temple walls.

  "If we make it back there will the monks let us in?" Vincent said.

  "They should, if we can make it safe enough to risk it," Certan said.

  "That's quite an ask," Lara said, slashing at another Blighter. The reduced space meant that there was less space for the Blighters to attack them. But it also meant it was harder to strike back.

  "Do you have any other interesting things to throw?" Certan said.

  "Only a few, and I'm saving them for later. But I have something that should help us get inside," Lara said.

  "We'll need it," Vincent said, cutting down another Blighter and kicking the lifeless body away. As they neared the main entry they saw the monks shooting arrows and throwing metal discs through a rectangular slit in the massive metal doors.

  "Here's the plan. I'll create a space, you do some sort of diversion, then we'll get the monks to sneak us in," Vincent said.

  "That sounds possible, but we need to tell them the plan. We may be stranded otherwise," Certan said. They fought their way closer, so that Certan could speak with the monks.

  "Friends, if we can make a safe opportunity can you open the doors?" Certan said.

  "The banished one returns, interesting timing," one of the monks said.

  "I am here to help. Let us in so that we may recover then fight again," Certan said.

  "Let them try, if they can create a gap we can manage the doors," a second monk said.

  "Very well, do your best," the first monk said and ducked to let his companion fire another arrow.

  "When you're ready!" Certan shouted to Vincent.

  The blacksmith waved his hand to signify that he understood, then started advancing. His blade whirled with skill as he stepped forward, pressing the Blighters back with his fury. In their surprise, he managed to cut down a Tainted one and push the offensive even further.

  Lara followed close behind, watching Vincent's progress. She needed to wait as long as possible, so that they would have time and space to enter the temple.

  The Blighters started to rally again, the initial surprise wearing off. Vincent saw some Shades in the distance moving in, and knew that his attack was losing its effectiveness.

  Lara noticed too, and lobbed a glass vial into the crowd just past Vincent. It broke and released plumes of thick black smoke.

  "That's the signal," Vincent thought, and quickly retreated. As he ran he heard the giant doors begin to open. Some of the Blighters were ignoring the smoke and starting to advance.

  "I hope this works," Vincent thought, looking back. He wouldn't have nearly as much time as he had hoped for. Certan and Lara were at the door, just inside and waving him in. A monk pointed to three Blighters running ahead of the pack, trying to intercept Vincent.

  "That's not a problem.” Lara snatched three metallic discs off a nearby
monk and let them loose. Just as Vincent reached the doors, the three Blighters sank to the ground and the great doors closed once more.

  Another monk said, "Now that you are here, you can make yourselves useful,"

  "Just let me catch my breath," Vincent said with a laugh.

  "We are not by any means safe, but we have earned a small breather," Certan said.

  "Very small breather. I saw some Shades advancing before I came back. These doors will not hold them. We need to ensure the temple is ready to be defended.

  "We are already taking care of that," one of the monks said, steel and fire in his eyes.

  Alrion woke up. He looked around in amazement.

  "How did I fall asleep?" he thought. He reviewed what he remembered happening. He had inspected the entire vault, and cast multiple spells testing the integrity of the walls. He had even tried fire spells too. Nothing had worked.

  "Then I was exhausted and sat down to take a break. How long as I asleep?" Alrion wondered. He had no time for sleep, or resting. But something was strange indeed. If he had slept, what had happened outside? Was there a chance that his friends had defeated Wraith?

  "This just doesn't make sense. I have no idea how much time has passed," Alrion thought. Wherever he was, he was completely sealed away from the outside world. There were no signs of passing time whatsoever.

  "No time for solving that, I'm rested so I must keep trying," Alrion decided. He stood up and did a quick lap of the room. There was nothing new.

  He had tried his main spells, but he hadn't tried his new spells.

  "Maybe Ashra was on to something. Maybe earth spells are effective here," Alrion said to himself. He focused his mind, trying to feel a source or water or earth nearby. But nothing resonated at all. There wasn't even any in the walls.

  "The walls aren't made of earth, I'm confused," Alrion thought. He had tried force, he had tried inspection and care and nothing had achieved any result.

  "Maybe I just need to Will a door?" Alrion thought. It was a bit of a crazy thought, but perhaps some out of the box thinking was required to escape this vault. He approached a wall, closed his eyes, and imagined a door opening in it. The door shimmered and glowed, and was big enough for him to step through.