The Secret Vale Archives [Closed]

Shiroe stared at the doors for a while. They seemed inviting and tempting to open. He approached them but decided against opening them right away, he took his piece of paper and read the contents over again. The hint and a red number must mean something once they pass the doors, but at the moment they need to regain composure and at least plan it a bit through.

"My name is Shiroe Pendragon, but I prefer to save formalities for later until we assess the situation." he said

"I noticed that the papers have hints and numbers. I also noticed since we each have different numbers it must be obvious that we also have different clues or hints. I suggest we each read the papers so in case after we open those doors and we encounter something difficult we may be able to dispatch it right away." Shiroe said as he walked back towards the group. He clenched his fist a bit then continued.


"My paper says Number four, and it also says To pass the women guards, do what they can't do. This must be in reference to what we're going to encounter later on. The numbers must be of significance as well otherwise they wouldn't be put there." he  said to the others. "I suggest we share whatever information we have or will acquire as we proceed. So, what do your slips say?"

Vega looks over to Shiroe and the doors. "Considering my paper talks about the first area and its number one the numbers likely show the order in which the hints will occur." Vega walks over to the door and considers opening them. "We are heading into a maze of shelves lined with books everyone keep an eye out for the color of the books and for each other we don't need anyone getting lost. If anyone has a reason we shouldn't enter yet speak now."

Shiroe took a step closer to the door and pondered about what was right behind it, he had a feeling it was definitely not something friendly nor was it anything simple. They had to be ready as well as alert. He placed his hand on the handle, tempted to open it and just rush in. He then let go and backed away a few feet a turned to the rest of the group again, he looked at each of them and knew he had to place his trust in them despite them being strangers.

"Understandable. Now, I do believe everyone is awake and ready for the first area." Shiroe said, he turned to Vega and said, "So, Vega was it? Since you're number one, would you like to do the honors of leading the way?"

Vega nodded and stood up to the large black doors. Though ominous, the doorknobs seemed to be speaking to him in a welcoming manner. He touched them and twisted them to give it a small push.

As large as they were, the doors opened with ease, swinging open and making a long

creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaak....

sound. The room in front of them was filled with light even brighter than the room behind them. Large lights came from the ceilings and poured down on a maze of bookshelves so tall none of the adventurers could see what laid behind them. The bookshelves stuck close together to form walls of the maze and the floor was a shining mahogany.

The first thing that laid ahead of them was an intersection going left or right. A sign was boarded there. On the left the book were red. On the right, the books were black.

The sinister is the truth and the truth is a lie. the sign said.

Vega looks toward the sign and thinks. "We're going to the left and following the red books. Sinster is another word for left." Vega turns around faces the others. "Any objections?" Before they have a chance to answer Vega turns toward the path remembering to check for enemies using his semblance. "We won't be alone by the way there's something in there."

Vega looked Solomon over and noticed his gloves. "Your weapons seems to be close combat. I would be fine with you in the lead. I would take it myself but my weapons are a bit of a hassle in tight quarters such as a maze like this." Vega turned back to shelves of books and picked a random one out inspecting it. As he held the book he spoke to but did not turn to face Solomon. "Solomon I have one request. Try to keep collateral damage to a minimum. It'd be a shame to lose such a vast collection of knowledge."

As they continued through the maze, the lines of books zigzagged in one way...and then the other. Red books here...black books at another...they continued to dodge the black ones and follow only the red. It was strangely the same red as the vixen's dress had been, but no one really wanted to recall her at the moment.

Things were strangely uneventful. Was it really going to be this easy?

It was just at another intersection of red and black books that a noise in the thick, thick silence came.

Clack, clack...

Something was walking. It was a sharp, but dull sound. It was too loud to be shoes. Soon enough, the clacking sound followed with the subtle shaking of the shelves. A shadow emerged and soon revealed itself to belong to the dark figure of a bull. Standing on two thick hoofs, the sinewy legs and arms were attached to a the large dark body of a bull. He had the mask of the Grimm and in his hands was a giant battleaxe.

Upon seeing the intruders he shouted and rushed towards them.

Shiroe spots the grim and realizes how little space they have to fight in. He starts channeling his aura into the runes on his blade, getting his rune of force in shape. The bull-like Grimm charges towards them at full speed as Shiroe charges his blade with power.

"I'll create an opening, then you guys attack!" He shouted, just as the Grimm closed in.

Charge complete. Rune of Force, activate.

His Sabre was glowing red now, he then dashed towards the charging Grimm and swung his Sabre to intercept any attack that would follow.

The Grimm Bull charges forward only to be hit by a powerful force coming from Shiroe's sabre. The Grimm slams into a wall of books, but the shelves don't fall. Books fall on top of it and enraged, it gives out a loud roar.

Auuuuuuuuuuuurooooooooaaarrroooooo!!!!

It motions to push Shiroe away and swings its large battleaxe towards the people behind him. Faster and faster it spins like a whirring blade. What mercy will there be for the one who gets hit were any to be struck by it?

Thorn rushed up catching up to the group. She lagged behind before as she was tired. She looked at the Grimm bull and drew Ambrosia Spike. She stood back as she noticed the others were handling it. She would wait for the Grimm to charge at her and then she would make her move. She pressed a button on Ambrosia activating the electricity and charging the 3 spikes at the end of her weapon. They glowed with a deep blue and would surely shock whatever it stabbed into submission. "Whenever you guys need me I'm here!"

The weapon slammed into the Grimm's skull and was pushed back towards the bookshelves. The weapon lodged into its skull and it let out an agonized grunt. It was then that it fell backwards, letting out one final groan and dissipated like shadows in the light.

Its shout echoed through the room but it was then that it followed with even more shouts. Shouts coming from other places. The vixen's voice seemed to whisper in the ears of her questers.

Run, run, run...

Shiroe listened carefully as more shouts were heard, and they didn't sounds friendly. He walked ahead of the group and kicked up the dust where the grim disappeared. It was odd, grimm usually don't vanish after being defeated. More roars were heard and Shiroe felt as if it was a good time to get moving.

"I suppose now would be a good time to run" Shiroe suggested, "Judging by the sounds, we might be joined by more of them soon enough."

He started walking ahead, checking any corners for signs of enemies."Come on now it's clear, we don't have all day, unless you want to be joined by some other company."

All of the members of the Dormirse clan were now gathering in the great hall where the Remembrance would be held. Of course, Liseran was not allowed to participate in this because she didn't have the semblance. Like  most of the children below ten, Liseran wore a navy blue robe instead of the praised royal purple. It made her miserable. But what made her more nervous was the vision she had earlier.

"I know they're going to steal it..." she said. "But no one believes me..."

She there would be five of them, all in all, and they would be heading for the core of the library. Without further ado, Liseran slipped from the halls were the children were patiently waiting to sing and she took hold of her two bells, Weeping Cerinthe.

"If no one's going to believe me," she said. "Then I'll have to do it myself."



Far far away, in the small herbal and trinket shop, the vixen woman was waiting. The decay of her arm had now reached her shoulder, but she wasn't worried.

Don't make me wait too long, she seemed to address them.



Faster and faster the five traveled through the complex book labyrinth as the Grimm bulls (if that's what they were) followed after them. From each side where the black shelves were the roars came louder but they didn't come upon any of them. Another door was ahead, but it was strangely locked. The large door had a single knob and what looked like a number dial in the middle. ENTER THE 4-DIGIT CODE a sign said above it.

Nearby, there was a notice on the wall. It said the following:

TO STAFF:

"I was going to Saint Ives when I met a man with seven wives
Each wife had seven sacks and each sack had seven cats
Each cat had seven kittens.
Kittens, cats, sacks and wives,
How many are going to saint Ives?"

Shiroe thought for a while and tried solving the problem mathematically in his head. He placed his fist under his  chin and over his arm in a thinking position.

"If we count the total number of people then I estimate that the total should be almost seven thousand, but the riddle never said where the others were going." Shiroe said out loud. He began reciting the riddle to himself then suddenly laughed out loud.

What a petty trick.

"Hahahaha, simple enough. The riddle only says as I was going to Saint Ive's, It never said that the others were going." Shiroe declaimed confidently and approached the number dial. " I believe 0-0-0-1 is the correct code it that is the case. Please correct me if you believe otherwise but I'm quite confident in my answer."

Vega drew his blade with one hand and readied his wires with the other. "It sounds good to me Shiroe but just in case its not we'll hold off whatever is coming toward us why you figure it out." Vega looked over at Solomon. "I still trust you Solomon would you like to join me in guard duty?"

After typing the dial, the door made a large clank sound and the door drew open. The five hurried past it only to find themselves in a place that was pitch black. Before they could even think, the door closed behind them just as the strange bull creatures appeared from one of the bookshelves.

Darkness enveloped them so thickly it felt like material. The door had blocked the sounds of the noises from the other room but it was replaced by the ominous sound of silence. From above, all there was a glowing line almost as thin as a spider's web zigzagging around the room.

As one of them made a step, there was a huge hissing sound. The sound of hot water touching something cold. The path was obviously narrowed again but in the dark which was the path and which was the hot water--acid, it could even be?

Vega strained his eyes in order to try and see but was met with failure. No luck. We have to be extremely cautious. Vega remaind still as he sent out his semblance bringing back no sign of enemies. Vega spoke in the general viscinity hoping they had stayed close together. His voice was low but loud enough for the party to hear."We must be cautious. There are no enemies but that still leaves possible traps. Solomon you were the second to arrive. Does your paper mention anything about this room?