MTLNOVEL Chapter 124: Chapter 123: The Voice of the Aetherials
Chapter 123: The Voice of the Aetherials
The Relic's Guardian
The chamber fell into a suffocating silence. All eyes were locked on the golden, humanoid figure hovering above the crystalline structure. Its presence radiated both majesty and menace, casting shifting patterns of light across the walls. Soldiers instinctively raised their weapons, but no one dared move.
"Stand down," Jack ordered, his voice firm but calm. He stepped forward, his mana blade deactivating as he studied the entity. "We're not here to destroy this place."
The figure's gaze shifted, the glowing energy that made up its form rippling faintly. When it spoke again, its voice echoed like a distant choir, each word resonating with a weight that seemed to settle deep into their bones.
"You trespass in a sanctuary of the Aetherials. Speak your purpose, mortals, or be judged unworthy."
Jack stood his ground, unflinching under the figure's piercing gaze. "The demons are consuming our world. If you have the power to stop them, we need it."
The figure tilted its head, as if considering his words. "Your kind is reckless. You wield the gifts of mana yet squander its balance. What makes you believe you are worthy of the knowledge stored here?"
Jack's voice hardened. "Because we're fighting for survival. Without your help, this world falls."
Eryndra stepped forward, her voice steady but respectful. "Your sanctuary is untouched, but the land around it has been corrupted by the demons. The balance is already broken. If you care for what remains, you need us."
The figure's gaze lingered on her for a moment before shifting back to Jack. "The Sylvans... remnants of harmony, now aligned with humanity's ambition." Its tone softened, almost as if in contemplation. "Perhaps your union is not entirely without merit."
A Test of Resolve
The figure's form began to shift, growing more solid and humanoid. It stepped forward, descending slowly from its hovering position to stand on the chamber floor. The golden light of its body cast long, dancing shadows across the room.
"I am Astraeus, the custodian of this sanctuary," it said, its voice now less alien but still carrying an unearthly resonance. "The knowledge of the Aetherials lies within me, preserved after the fall of my creators. If I grant you access, your actions will ripple far beyond this war. Are you prepared to bear the consequences of such power?"
Jack's gaze was steady. "We don't have a choice. Every moment we delay, more lives are lost. We'll deal with the consequences later."
Astraeus studied him in silence before speaking again. "Words are hollow without proof. If you are to inherit the legacy of the Aetherials, you must demonstrate your resolve. Beyond this chamber lies the Core, where the true power of this sanctuary resides. But it is guarded by trials that test not only your strength, but your will."
Eryndra glanced at Jack. "What kind of trials?"
Astraeus turned to her, its glowing eyes narrowing slightly. "The same that were once faced by the Aetherials themselves. Only those who embody balance between ambition and harmony may proceed."
Jack's lips tightened, his mind already calculating the risks. "We'll take the trial."
The First Trial: A Reflection of Strength
As the team followed Astraeus deeper into the ruins, the atmosphere grew heavier, the walls closing in around them. Strange lights flickered along the path, casting eerie shadows that danced across the carved stone. Astraeus moved ahead of them, its glowing form illuminating the way.
The group entered a circular chamber, its floor marked with intricate symbols that pulsed faintly with mana. Astraeus stopped in the center, turning to face them.
"This is the Trial of Strength," it said. "It is not strength of body alone that will be tested, but the strength of your resolve, your trust in each other, and your willingness to sacrifice for the greater good."
The air grew thick with mana energy, and the symbols on the floor began to glow brighter. Suddenly, the chamber trembled as shadowy figures materialized around the edges, their forms indistinct but radiating menace.
"They're illusions," Eryndra murmured, drawing her mana bow. "But that doesn't mean they can't kill us."
Jack raised his mana blade, his voice sharp. "Form up! Keep your focus and watch each other's backs."
The figures attacked without warning, their movements unnaturally fast. Jack darted forward, his blade cutting through the nearest figure, but more appeared to take its place. The soldiers opened fire, mana-charged rounds striking true, but the shadows seemed endless.
Kara Lin, breathing heavily, shouted over the chaos, "We can't hold them off forever! There's too many!"
Eryndra's voice cut through the noise. "It's a test of resolve. We have to outlast them, not defeat them."
Jack nodded, his movements precise and deliberate. "Hold your ground! They're testing our discipline—don't break formation!"
The battle raged on, each strike and blast sapping the team's stamina. But Jack's calm leadership and Eryndra's unwavering precision kept them grounded. Slowly, the figures began to fade, their attacks growing weaker until the chamber was still once more.
Astraeus stepped forward, its glowing form flickering faintly. "You endure, even when faced with impossible odds. Strength is more than brute force—it is the will to press on when others falter. You have passed the first trial."
The Weight of Knowledge
As the team advanced, the air grew colder, and the whispers from the walls grew louder. They entered another chamber, this one dominated by an enormous crystalline structure suspended above a pool of shimmering liquid mana. Strange machinery surrounded the crystal, its design both alien and impossibly advanced.
"This is..." Eryndra trailed off, her voice filled with awe. "A mana core. It's pure."
Astraeus's voice was solemn. "This is the heart of the sanctuary, the source of all knowledge left by the Aetherials. Its power can sustain worlds—or destroy them."
Jack stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the glowing crystal. "This is what we need to turn the tide against the demons."
Astraeus moved to block his path, its form towering over him. "Knowledge is not a weapon to be wielded recklessly, Commander. If you take this power, you will reshape the balance of this world. Are you prepared for the burden it will bring?"
Jack's expression hardened. "If we don't take this chance, there won't be a world left to balance. We'll bear the burden, whatever it takes."
Eryndra placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, her voice soft but firm. "We have to be careful. This isn't just about winning a war—it's about what comes after."
Astraeus studied them both for a long moment before stepping aside. "Very well. But know this: the knowledge of the Aetherials comes with a price. You must prove yourselves worthy in every sense—mind, body, and soul. Only then will the Core accept you."
A Glimpse of What's to Come
As the group left the chamber, Astraeus lingered behind, its glowing gaze fixed on the Core. Its voice, though faint, carried a note of something almost... human.
"Perhaps... they are the ones we have waited for."
Far beyond the ruins, in the depths of the Abyssal Wastes, the Demon King stood before a massive portal, his generals kneeling at his feet. The air crackled with energy as he spoke, his voice a low growl.
"They have awakened the sanctuary," he said, his burning eyes narrowing. "Send the legions. Let the Imperium learn that no power will save them."
End of Chapter 123