The journey toward the heart of the Skypiean spires began long before the last smoke of Emberfall Ridge had vanished into the dawn. Even now, faint embers flickered in distant fissures, and the scent of burnt wood lingered in the air. But Karl and Robin pressed forward without hesitation, their footsteps falling lightly on ancient stone pathways hewn into the cliffs centuries ago—paths worn smooth by countless forgotten travellers long before either of them was born.
Here, the air grew thinner and cooler, though the latent warmth from Karl's inner fire clung stubbornly to his skin—a subtle reminder of the relic's power pulsing quietly within his inventory. Beneath them, the endless sea stretched out, a polished mirror reflecting the awakening light. Above, the jagged silhouette of the Skypiean peaks clawed at the sky, jagged columns of ancient stone and obsidian thrusting upward like spearheads aimed at the heavens. At their crests, strange clouds swirled unnaturally—silent, ominous, and charged with a tension that whispered of danger yet to come.
They were not alone in this sacred place.
Navigating the treacherous base of the Skypiean formations was no easy feat. Robin moved with practised stealth, her sharp eyes scanning every inch of cracked rock and tangled brush for signs of passage. Karl followed closely behind, muscles taut, senses flaring like the green flames dancing at his fingertips.
"There are tracks," Robin murmured. Her voice was low, tight with unease. "Three days old. Maybe four. Shuzo's mercenaries came through here."
Karl's hand instinctively brushed against the relic's faint heat inside his inventory—the Heart of Emberfall. It throbbed slowly, a steady pulse not yet fully awakened. Its power was incomplete, waiting for the right moment.
Suddenly, his system pinged with a new notification.
System Notification: Mission Unlocked— The Root Beneath Skypiean"
Objective: Locate the hidden core beneath the Skypiean peaks.
Eliminate any Broken Circle presence encountered.
Reward: 1 Rare Ticket + Unknown Bonus
Side Objective: Uncover the Vault Node.
Bonus Reward: 1 Legendary Ticket
Difficulty: High
Accept Mission?
[Yes] [No]
Without hesitation, Karl accepted. The path ahead was clear—there was no turning back.
As they ventured deeper, the land twisted into something almost otherworldly. Moss grew in swirling spirals like living runes. Trees bent into impossible shapes, their limbs curling like serpents. Ancient symbols, carved into stones older than memory itself, glowed faintly with an eerie light. The paths spiralled ever inward, descending slowly into the earth as though the very landscape breathed, drawing them toward a long-forgotten heart.
At last, they reached the base of the greatest Skypiean spire—a colossal obsidian gate sealed tight by ancient magic. Karl placed his palm against the cold stone, feeling the relic's heat surge within him. From his hand burst a crimson flame—intense, born not from his power but from the artifact's dormant fire.
The gate shuddered, ancient seals fracturing, and slowly creaked open to reveal a dark tunnel spiralling downward into the bowels of the earth. No torches illuminated their path; only the faint glow of runes carved deep into the walls pulsed softly as they advanced.
Robin's voice was barely a whisper. "This isn't just a vault… It's a foundation. The very root of Skypiean power."
Karl nodded grimly. "I can feel it. Something ancient… waiting."
The descent stretched on, deeper and darker than any place they had explored before. The silence was profound, broken only by the faint hum of the glowing roots embedded in the stone.
Then, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber that stole the breath from their lungs.
The chamber's ceiling soared impossibly high, lost in shadow. At its centre stood a towering crystal tree, its trunk and branches forged from pulsating, translucent crystal that radiated soft, life-giving light. Its roots—glowing veins of pure energy—snaked into the walls and ceiling, humming with a living, breathing power older than time.
On a black pedestal beneath the tree rested a device—a half-sphere etched with motifs of flame and sky, intricate and ancient beyond measure.
Karl stepped forward instinctively. The chamber seemed to respond, the air thick with raw energy. Suddenly, glyphs flared to life across the walls, illuminating the vast chamber in a fiery glow. The relic inside his inventory throbbed violently, recognising a kinship long dormant.
Vault Fragment Recognised. Sync Initiated.
Trait Fusion Process Unlocked.
Trial Initiation Imminent…
The pedestal cracked, splitting apart like volcanic rock. From within emerged a towering humanoid construct, twice Karl's height, cloaked in shimmering obsidian armour threaded with veins of red flame that pulsed like molten lava.
Trial Guardian—Skypiean Echo Sentinel
Class: Legendary
Victory Reward:
– 1 Legendary Ticket
– Trait Unlock
Warning: Death Possible
Karl ignited fire along his arms; his muscles tensed for the fight. Robin moved quickly to cover the chamber's perimeter, blades ready.
With a silent roar—a bellow of flame without sound—the sentinel surged forward.
Karl met it head-on with Green Fire Dragon's Claw, a blazing strike that clashed against the sentinel's obsidian blade. He ducked low, countering with a crushing iron fist that landed hard, but the construct barely staggered.
A shockwave erupted, throwing Karl backwards against a jagged wall.
Robin unleashed a flurry of blades, striking the sentinel's joints. Sparks flew, but the guardian raised a blazing shield just in time. Karl roared and charged, wings of flame bursting from his back as he unleashed a searing Wing Attack that tore into the sentinel's armour.
The construct faltered, its core flickering wildly.
Karl seized the moment.
"Brilliant Flame Spiral!"
Summoning every ounce of fury, focus, and the relentless heat of the Heart of Emberfall, Karl channelled a spiralling inferno. Flames burst from every fissure in the sentinel's form until it exploded into a silent cascade of green and red embers.
Trial Complete.
Reward Earned:
– 1 Legendary Ticket
– Trait: Vault Resonance
Trait Description: Enhances interaction with ancient technology and relics; strengthens elemental affinity influenced by location resonance.
Legendary Ticket Count: 4
Vault Node Synced. Skypiean Root Online.
Karl sank to one knee, chest heaving, as Robin approached, eyes sharp and alert. Her gaze flicked to the now-still pedestal.
"Are you alright?"
He nodded slowly, gaze drawn to the glowing roots pulsating beneath them. "This… thing. It's alive. Watching us."
Robin's smirk was fierce. "Then it just found its match."
Elsewhere, aboard the ominous Ashen Maw, Shuzo stood before a massive glyph map glowing with ancient light. Three Vault Nodes blazed—Emberfall, Skypiean, and one still dormant, far to the west.
A woman stepped forward, eyes gleaming with unnatural light. "He's activated it."
Shuzo's cold smile deepened. "Perfect. He's exactly where I need him to be."