Chapter 12: The Vault Key and the Golden Payout
For the next twelve hours, Mark was oblivious to the Shady Quarter's noise, the scent of the tanneries, and the rhythmic chiming of the city clocks. He sat cross-legged on the floor of his cramped room, his eyes fixed on the rune rubbings and the open pages of the forbidden Lexicon. His mind, guided by Jarvis, was running a high-speed decryption algorithm—a synthesis of ancient Dwarven logic and modern System processing.
The pressure inside his skull was immense, a dull, throbbing pain that accompanied the rapid acquisition of information. His Intelligence 18 and Advanced Analysis (Lvl 2) skill were being pushed to their absolute limit.
"Host, the Deep Tongue is designed with an inherent self-corruption protocol. Each line translated unlocks the key to decrypting the next line. Analysis has reached the final cluster of runes—the Activation Sequence," Jarvis reported, his mental voice tight with focus.
Mark felt the sudden shift in the mental pressure—the grinding resistance was gone, replaced by a smooth, undeniable flow of logic. The last few lines of the massive Vault Manifest snapped into place like the tumblers of an ancient lock.
[Cryptic Stone Tablet: Lines 48-50/50]
"Translation: Foundation Core Aetheric Storage Unit. Location confirmed: Below the Central Obelisk of the Royal Academy. Activation Sequence: Recitation of the Binding Oath in Dwarven, followed by a three-point convergence of Elemental Fire, Water, and Earth, applied simultaneously to the primary structural vents during the Vernal Equinox."
Mark took a huge, shuddering breath, the tension finally breaking. He felt weak, but triumphant. He had the activation key and the exact location—directly beneath his rival, Alistair Veridian. The irony was almost as sweet as the potential wealth.
"The Royal Academy Obelisk… that's where the Dwarves built their first settlement after the Great Betrayal, isn't it, Jarvis?"
"Affirmative. The Obelisk is the geographic and magical center of Port Elmswood. It is currently the most heavily warded structure in the kingdom. The Core cannot be accessed without the full activation sequence and the precise timing of the Vernal Equinox, which is exactly three months from now," Jarvis noted.
"Three months. That gives us time to prepare. But first, we must honor our deal."
Mark carefully re-secured the Lexicon and the finished translation. He covered the runes with a neutral, academic summary of the tablet's contents, deliberately obscuring the final, crucial lines.
He found Madam Zaya back at the Whisper Market, polishing the same obsidian amulet.
"The little broker returns," she purred, her eyes shining with avarice. "Do you have my knowledge?"
Mark laid the full translation—a massive scroll filled with meticulous runes and cross-references—on her counter. He pointed only to the lines detailing the logistics of resource allocation, the ancient Dwarven banking structure, and the names of the exiled families. He omitted the activation sequence entirely.
"The translation is complete, Madam Zaya. This is the Vault Manifest of the Exiled Dwarves. It is not a magical text, but a logistical ledger detailing the location and contents of every storage unit they ever built, including the vast gold stores buried across the region. You have 24 hours to read it. I must present this to the Guild by nightfall."
Zaya's hands trembled as she clutched the scroll. The knowledge of the location of centuries of lost Dwarven gold was, in the black market, worth more than the gold itself. Mark had just given her a roadmap to unimaginable wealth.
"You are true to your word, Master Broker," she whispered, her voice husky with excitement. "This is a fortune. You have earned my allegiance in the Shady Quarter. If anyone tries to steal this knowledge or harm you in this part of the city, they answer to me."
Mark had secured his secret, delivered his end of the deal, and acquired high-tier, low-cost protection in the process. He retrieved his scroll, leaving Zaya already poring over the Dwarven ledger.
Mark arrived back at the Adventurer's Guild Library just before the official deadline.
Alistair Veridian was waiting. He sat at a small table, surrounded by stacks of ancient tomes, his face haggard with exhaustion and frustration.
"You're late, peasant," Alistair snapped, his eyes red from sleepless study. "You have failed. I was able to translate only 12 lines. It's an allegory about the Dwarven sun god. You have wasted the Guild's time."
Mark walked straight past him to the Guild Clerk, who was waiting with Peverell.
"I have the complete, verified translation of the Cryptic Stone Tablet, Gold Contract 12-B," Mark stated, unfurling the massive scroll.
Alistair leaped up, enraged. "Impossible! I am the only one with the credentials! This is fraud!"
Peverell, who had arrived to verify the completion, took the scroll, examining the precision of the runes and the accompanying academic analysis. Mark had prepared a clean, professional copy for the Guild, detailing the allegory—a false narrative of the Dwarven sun god hiding their power for a future age—but accurately mapping the rune-to-logistical-marker translations.
After a few minutes, Peverell smiled, a rare expression of relief. "The translation is verified. The context is sound, aligning perfectly with the obscure theories of Scholar Fendrick. The client is satisfied. The contract is complete."
The clerk immediately pushed a heavy leather pouch across the desk. It clinked with the beautiful, satisfying sound of gold.
[Quest Complete: Translation of the Cryptic Stone Tablet. Reward: 150 Silver Shillings. Experience Gained: 1500 XP.]
"Host, XP threshold for Level 6 has been reached. Current Level: 5 (1500/1500 XP). Class Evolution Pending after Attribute Allocation."
Mark ignored Alistair's furious, spluttering protests about academic theft. He secured the pouch of 150 SS—an unprecedented amount of wealth for a single contract—and walked out.
He was a Master Broker, Level 5, with 1500 XP pending, 205 Silver Shillings in hand, and the knowledge of a hidden, city-sized power core.
He returned to his room, locked the door, and addressed Jarvis.
"Jarvis. We have three months until the Equinox. We need the three elemental convergence points—Fire, Water, and Earth—to activate the Core. I am Level 5, weak, and now dangerously rich. What is the Master Plan to acquire the power we need?"
"Analysis: The immediate priority is to increase your elemental proficiency to handle the activation key. You must use the 205 Silver Shillings to acquire highly specialized training and equipment. The plan is designated Project Prometheus," Jarvis stated, his mental voice now clear and resonating. "Before training, allocate your Attribute Points to reach Level 6 and unlock the necessary Tier 2 Skill."
Mark looked at the shimmering blue screen that offered his next upgrade.
[Level Up!]
Attribute Points: 2 available.
Goal: Unlock [Elemental Focus (Lvl 1)] at Level 6. Requires Intelligence 20.
Current Intelligence: 18.
Mark didn't hesitate. He knew exactly where the points needed to go.
"All two points into Intelligence."
"Intelligence 18 -> 20. Level 6 unlocked. New Tier 2 Skill Acquired: [Elemental Focus (Lvl 1)]."
[Host Profile: Mark Noax]
Class: Master Broker (Tier 2)
Level: 6 (0/2500 XP)
Attributes:
Strength: 6
Agility: 7
Endurance: 9
Intelligence: 20 (+2)
Charisma: 15
Skills:
Basic Negotiation (Lvl 2)
Advanced Analysis (Lvl 2)
Logistics Optimization (Lvl 1)
Elemental Focus (Lvl 1) [NEW]
Basic Stone Skin (Lvl 1)
Mark felt the final surge of mental energy, the world snapping into a sharper, more precise focus. He now had the mental capacity to begin training in Elemental magic.
"Project Prometheus, Jarvis. Let's hear the plan."
AUTHOR NOTE :
[I'm Authors kun, I'm sorry for not updating on time everyday, I was Hospitalised, sorry everyone. I'll upload everyday from now on,
And I'll cover all the chapter I missed till date,
From Chapter 9 - Chapter 13
I'll update today
And from Chapter 13 - Chapter 18 Tomorrow, I'm pinky promise you
SAME RULE, 5 POWER STONE = 3 NEW CHAPTER
AND
5 HONEST REVIEW = 3 NEW CHAPTER
**** everyday 8:30 pm 'evening' new chapter ****]