Legacy Of The Extra-Chapter 80: The Eighth Pedestal

Skrrtch!

The sound of sparks flying echoed from behind me. I twisted on my heel, my head snapping towards the source. My hand reached into the warp forming above my ring, taking out a bastard sword. Ready for any sudden attacks.

"The hell is that?"

But all I was met with was a glowing spark of red at one of the pedestals. The confusing part was that it was the eighth pedestal—The one with no statue on top of it.

Still clutching the hilt of my blade tightly, I made my way over to the pedestal. The spark subsided, leaving a few letters carved in the ancient tongue glowing in a pulsating blood red.

Another one of the things that never happened in the game, Raiden can just get the mask and get out of here.

I ran rubbed fingers over the hard surface of the pedestal, feeling every bump and scratch, but I did not feel any stings of burn from the letters.

It was written in the same ancient script as just like the plaques, but the issue here was—my uncertainty. What will happen if I spell these old letters out? Will something pop out? Or will it lead to my death?

[Only one way to find out—Spell it out] Dante suggested, but before I could open my mouth to argue. [And before you argue back, let me explain.]

[I did not feel any corrupted energy from the carvings, just like I would do with undeads and demons. And I don't think there is anything that would be able to kill you.]

Hearing Dante's reasoning, the words that I wanted to say died in my throat. My gaze locked onto the ancient letter. "Fine..." I exhaled. "But if anything happens, then I am never taking your words seriously ever again."

[Nothing bad will happen, trust me.] He reassured me.

"That is the one thing I find hard to do..." I mumbled out before looking at the words again, my mind still conflicted about what to do.

But in the end, I decided to follow through.

My lips parted, forming the words carved on the pedestal. "Wield Thy Wrath"

For a short moment. There was nothing—no sound, no movement. Only the red glow of the letters was visible.

C-r-a-c-k-k-k.

With a cracking noise, lines started appearing on the pedestal. The cracks divided the stone into two equal parts.

"The hell?!" I stumbled backwards, holding the sword in a tight stance. Eyes never leaving the pedestal. "Dante, what is happening?!" I asked while shouting at him.

[It is splitting itself in half.] He spoke the expected.

"I know that!" I snapped at him, this was his idea, and if something bad happens, it is I who is going to suffer.

THUD!

My eyes snapped back to the pedestal, which was completely split in half. Each half had fallen on the hard surface, flying dust everywhere.

But that was not what shocked me, my eyes remained locked on what lay below the pedestal. "S-stairs?" I stumbled out.

[Yes, stairs. Now go inside.]

"What?! Hell no!" I shot back.

[Trust me and go inside.] He repeated.

"You really sure?" I asked again. "It does not look good to me."

[You really forget, huh? I can sense the essence of almost anything.]

Well, he was right about that. He helped me during Aeris's rescue by locating her divine essence of Arkana.

[So, just trust me and go in. There is nothing life-threatening in their and perhaps... You might find some answers.]

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed. "Fine, I am going in."

I stepped forward, placing my feet on the first step of the stairs. The steps led to darkness where my eyes could not see. Even the lantern's blue light hung at my waist, could not reach the end.

[Eye of Umbra] I muttered. All the colours around me faded, the darkness now replaced with greyscale. I could see everything now—From the brick layerings to the end of the steps.

There was a big slab of stone blocking the path to something, its edges lined out like the sharp tip of a spear. There was a small brick falling out of the wall.

"That must be the switch," I mumbled, slowly descending the stairs. My sword ready to strike anything that appears.

Reaching the last of the steps, I took a deep breath before pressing on the loose brick. The stone slab quaked before descending to the ground, opening the room of further darkness.

"I am asking again—Are you sure it is safe?" I asked, sweeping my spellbound eyes across the room.

[I am pretty sure.] His reply came confidently and fast.

"Fine..." I stepped inside the room as I saw nothing with my Umbrical eyes. The room stretched wide before. The brick walls were painted with some drawings of swords and shields wielded by figures whom I suppose are the Sovereigns.

The drawings painted what seemed like a battle raged between like seven people. Six on a side were the Sovereigns, and the seventh—He was fighting alone. The figure held a long shaft with a blade etched at its tip.

Tattered wings escaped from his back while flames of black crackled at his free hand. Croft, is it who I think it is?

Croft replied.

Seriously? He was not named?

What was it?

My jaw hung loose. The words I wanted to speak paused at my throat, refusing to come out. "Y-you mean what Arvax said about him killing gods... Was it true?"

Croft paused for a moment as if pondering. But then she spoke again.

The grip on my blade loosened. Wait, I have to fight something like that? I can't—I will fucking die! My thoughts spilt over my calm, burning any sense of reasoning I had. The demons were hard enough already!

[Hey, calm down, he is already... Dead.] Dante tried to reassure me.

No. No. No. It was said that he would return again in Azkarath.

[You still have time to get stronger.]

"You have to be kidding me! This guy was known for killing the Sovereigns. Only two survived—Aurelion and Elbereth." My pulse quickened, sweat dripping down my face. Something within me felt weird and foreign—I was acting weird.

"The only reason we know of the other two Sovereigns was because their descendants recorded them in the books of history. Otherwise we they would've been forgotten just like Arvax—Whose entire race was wiped out alongside his Goddess."

I placed my hand over one eye, it felt like something within me was burning. My legs buckled as I fell on one knee. My mind numbed with something I did not understand.

The drawing around me twisted with something that made me agitate even more. And then, from behind me a voice uttered.

*OHW ERA UOY?*