Rise of the Devourer
Book 4: Chapter 26 — The Vault

The Royal Vault lay deep beneath the palace, accessed through a series of magical barriers that recognized only those the king had personally authorized. Their group of eight finalists—Noah Vion, Aurelia, Erwest, Seraphina, Valeria, Neal, and a draconic warrior he’d barely interacted with during the tournament—descended through crystalline corridors that hummed with protective enchantments.

"The vault contains artifacts gathered over centuries," explained Master Kellan, the elderly dragonborn who served as the royal treasurer. "Each item has been carefully catalogued and evaluated. You may choose one item each.”

The vault doors opened with a resonant chime, revealing a space that defied the laws of physics. The chamber stretched impossibly far in all directions, filled with floating displays showcasing weapons, armor, tomes, and artifacts Noah couldn't begin to identify. Soft golden light emanated from crystal formations in the walls, casting everything in an otherworldly glow.

"You have one hour," Master Kellan announced. "Do not touch anything haphazardly—only touch what you have decided to choose. Once you do so, you cannot continue to browse through the vault.”

Noah felt the pull immediately—not just his desire to find the Shard, but from the vault itself. It was as if the space was alive, sensing his nature and drawing him toward specific sections. He followed the sensation, weaving between displays of legendary weapons and gleaming armor, past tomes that whispered secrets and artifacts that pulsed with power.

"Interesting," he murmured, activating Identify.

Crown of Temporal Echoes (Legendary)

A crown forged from chronosteel and embedded with time-crystals. Grants the wearer the ability to perceive brief glimpses of potential futures, but each use fragments the user's sense of present reality, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between what is, what was, and what might be. Would that be able to stop you from using it, however?

"Tempting, but I'd rather not go insane from temporal displacement," Noah said, moving on.

His attention was drawn to a weapon rack displaying an array of exotic blades. One in particular caught his eye—a katana with a blade that seemed to bend light around it, creating a shimmering, almost liquid appearance.

Blade of Void Severance (Legendary)

A katana forged in the space between dimensions. Its edge can cut through both physical matter and magical barriers with equal ease, but prolonged use slowly erodes the wielder's connection to reality, eventually causing them to phase out of existence entirely. Might be a mercy for you.

"Why do all the good weapons want to kill me?" Noah asked rhetorically, though he couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship.

Moving deeper into the vault, his eyes still skimming for any trace of the Shard, Noah came across a pedestal holding a seemingly simple leather-bound journal. Yet something about it made his skin crawl—a wrongness that spoke of forbidden knowledge.

Codex of Whispered Truths (Legendary)

A journal that writes itself, recording secrets and hidden knowledge from across the realms. The reader gains access to information that should remain unknown, but each revelation comes with the whispers of the entities that guard such secrets, slowly driving the reader toward madness. You’re already there though.

"At least this one's honest about the madness part," Noah observed, backing away from the pedestal, ignoring the system’s comment. Just when he was about to turn around, see if he’d missed anything, something caught his eye.

In a corner of the vault, almost overlooked among the more impressive displays, sat a simple wooden box. Inside, nestled in black velvet, lay a pair of what looked like smooth river stones.

Eyes of Truth - Legendary

Ancient runic stones that enhance perception abilities. Allows the wielder to see more, quicker. This one might be good for you.

They didn't look like much—just two polished stones inscribed with faint runes that seemed to shift when he wasn't looking directly at them. But something about them felt right, like they'd been waiting for him specifically. Even the system hadn’t made any snarky comments—only telling him it might be good for him.

Noah reached for the Eyes of Truth, feeling their weight settle into his palm. The stones were surprisingly warm, and the runes seemed to pulse once before settling into a steady, barely perceptible glow.

"Those?" Seraphina's voice made him turn around—she was walking towards him a crystalline staff that hummed with arcane energy clutched in her hands. "They look so... ordinary. Why would you choose something so plain when there are much better options?"

Noah glanced at the staff in her hands, then back at the simple eye-like stones. "They feel… right." He pocketed the Eyes, feeling their warmth against his chest. "Besides, I've learned that flashy usually comes with strings attached—or in this vault's case, a healthy dose of madness."

Seraphina laughed, shaking her head. "Fair point. Most legendary artifacts seem to love to drive their wielders insane. A valid exchange, I’d say."

Noah rolled his eyes, but followed her as they made their way toward the vault's entrance, where the other finalists had gathered. Noah could see the varied choices reflected in the group—some had gone for obvious power, others for subtlety.

Aurelia stood with what looked like a pair of gauntlets that seemed to be made of condensed flame, the metal glowing cherry-red even in the vault's golden light. "Of course," Noah muttered with a grin. "Trust Aurelia to find the most brutally direct fire-based artifact in the entire vault. Probably doubles her flame output."

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Erwest had chosen something that practically radiated holy energy—a pendant that caught the light and seemed to purify the air around it. The paladin wore it with obvious satisfaction, and Noah could sense the divine blessing emanating from it even from a distance.

"Let me guess," Noah said as they approached, "that pendant either amplifies divine magic or provides protection against unholy influences?"

Erwest's expression remained stoic, but there was a hint of approval in his eyes. "The Aegis of Sanctity. It strengthens my connection to Hellion and provides resistance to corruption." His gaze flicked to Noah's seemingly empty hands. "And your choice?"

Noah patted his pocket where the Eyes rested. "Something that helps me see more clearly. Figured that might come in handy."

Vion looked between them, her own selection—a scaled bracelet that seemed to shift and move on its own—coiled around her wrist. "Practical choices, all of us. Though I have to admit, I was tempted by that crown that showed glimpses of the future."

"The one that slowly drives you insane with temporal displacement?" Noah asked, pressing down the awkwardness bubbling in his heart as he replied to her. "Yeah, I saw that one. Decided I have enough voices in my head already."

All of them rolled their eyes at this—except for Erwest, and uncharacteristically, Aurelia—but before they could continue talking, the last three also walked up to the entrance of the Vault.

Valeria approached their group, her choice gleaming at her side—a small silver mace brooch that seemed to sing with righteous fury. "The Brooch of Dawn's Judgment," she said, noting their curious glances. "It resonates with divine will and lets me grow stronger against those who have committed great evil."

Neal materialized beside them with that unsettling way he had of moving, as if reality briefly forgot he existed before remembering. In his hands, he cradled what looked like a simple wooden box, but the air around it seemed to writhe with barely contained energy.

"Pandora's Whisper," he said in his usual polite tone, though his smile made everyone take an unconscious step back. "It contains fragments of pure chaos—wonderfully unpredictable effects when opened. The description mentioned it once turned an entire battlefield into a garden of singing flowers that drove men mad with their beauty." His eyes lit up with genuine enthusiasm. "Isn't that delightful?"

"That's... one way to put it," Aurelia muttered, her gauntlets flaring slightly as if responding to her unease.

The other draconic candidate watched them with a polite but guarded smile, clearly not comfortable to talk or show off in the princess’ presence.

Master Kellan's voice echoed through the vault before anything more could happen. "Time has expired. Are these your final selections?"

Noah—along with the other seven candidates—nodded.

—

Noah sat cross-legged in the center of the room, the Eyes of Truth resting in his palms. The stones felt warm against his skin, their faint runes pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.

Do you wish to use Eyes of Truth?

Yes/No

As soon as he selected Yes, a warm sensation seeped into his eyes, the two orbs circling around his head before they lost their glow, falling back into their box with a clatter. Placing them back into his inventory, he sighed.

Outside, he could hear Aurelia's measured footsteps as she paced the corridor, having volunteered to guard the door—instead of stay in the room like usual.

We'll need to talk after this, he thought, remembering the unspoken tension that had become present between them. But first, he had work to do.

Taking a deep breath, Noah focused on the Paths he would be picking. His heart, for Wyrmblood Guardian. The runes spanning across his body—both his eyes and the chains—for Runebody Arcanist. And then Tony, for Abyssal Predator. Each would become part of him now, fused into his very essence as Path Focuses for his advancement to Rank C.

He closed his eyes and reached inward, feeling for the familiar barriers that had contained his power. Unlike his previous breakthrough, this time he didn't need external mana stones—his own accumulated strength was more than sufficient. The real challenge would be integrating the Paths into his core being.

"Let's begin," he whispered.

Noah started with the Shade-Lightning Heart, feeling its dark, electrifying energy merge with his mana core. The process was different this time—instead of the violent overflow he'd experienced before, this felt like a careful reconstruction. The Shadow Heart dissolved into wisps of ethereal energy that flowed through his spiritual pathways, seeking its destined place.

His chest burned as the wisps found its target. Noah gasped as his mana heart—the spiritual organ that channeled his magical energy—began to pulse erratically. Then, with a sensation like two puzzle pieces clicking together, his mana heart fused with his physical heart.

Lightning and shadow erupted through his bloodstream.

Noah's back arched as dual energies raced through his veins. Every heartbeat now pumped not just blood, but raw magical power through his system. His blood itself had become a conduit, carrying the essence of storm and void to every cell in his body. The transformation was agonizing and exhilarating simultaneously.

Tony, he felt his symbiotic partner stir, awakening to the flood of new power. The parasite's consciousness touched his own, and Noah sensed immediate changes. Tony's presence felt sharper, more intelligent, his responses more nuanced. The symbiote was evolving alongside him—in time with the Heart, because it could initiate the process on its own.

Next came the Chains of Binding. Noah felt the familiar weight of his spectral chains as they began to transform. The artifacts merged with his spiritual essence, and immediately the system responded:

Chains of Binding Path Focus Integration Complete.

Chains enhanced with Ethereal Binding properties. Can now bind incorporeal entities, magical constructs, and abstract concepts. Power Absorption capability unlocked - bound targets have their energy drained and transferred to wielder.

The chains erupted from his body, visibly longer and crackling with new power. Noah could feel their potential, their new nature, as he relished in it for a second.

Finally, the Eyes of Truth. As the artifacts dissolved into motes of silver light, Noah felt them flow upward, seeking his vision. The sensation was indescribable—like having his eyes replaced with something infinitely more complex. When the transformation completed, he opened them and gasped.

The world had changed. Everything was sharper, clearer, more detailed than before. But more than that, he could see through illusions, perceive magical auras, detect hidden truths that would have been invisible before. The Eyes didn't just enhance his sight—they revealed the world as it truly was.

New Ability Unlocked: Truth Sight (Legendary)

See through all deceptions, illusions, and hidden truths. Perceive the true nature of beings and objects.

But the artifacts were only the beginning. Noah felt his spiritual barriers crumbling as his accumulated power demanded release. It felt like a dam bursting.

Power flooded through him in torrents. His muscles, bones, and organs all greedily absorbed the energy, but now it flowed through his transformed blood as well, creating feedback loops of enhancement that multiplied his gains exponentially.

A cascade of notifications flooded his vision:

Your rank has increased to C.

All attributes increased by 150.

Processing existing experience points…

Wyrmblood Guardian has reached level 227.

Runebody Arcanist has reached level 229.

Abyssal Predator has reached level 228.

Power: 1840 → 2238 [2797]

Agility: 1716 → 2006 [2507]

Constitution: 1844 → 2210 [3094]

Mystic: 1960 → 2196 [3074]