The library's ceiling soars high above, supported by colossal stone columns adorned with carvings of creatures that are seemingly battling angels, coming face-to-face with their spears of light and majestic wings. Stained glass windows—each a masterpiece of art that Flora had only seen a few times during her time as a princess—allow shards of multi-coloured lights to dance upon the towering bookshelves. The tinted windows depict scenes of legendary tales, celestial constellations, and heroes from perhaps bygone eras, bathing the library in a soft, kaleidoscopic glow.
The shelves themselves seem to stretch into infinity, holding a vast collection of manuscripts, scrolls, and codices. The ancient texts, bearing the wisdom of long-forgotten civilizations, share space with mystical grimoires filled with incantations and arcane knowledge. The books are meticulously arranged, with leather-bound volumes secured by golden clasps, and illuminated manuscripts adorned with strange calligraphy and embellishments.
There were probably over 10 floors in this cathedral from what Flora has seen. Each floor was massive, beating the palace she grew up in by three times. She knew this because she used to run around the palace in laps, much to her family's annoyance. She never got out of the kingdom much except when her master was around so she had to use the palace for her workouts and training. Her family didn't allow her to leave the palace grounds anyway unless it's with someone they trust—like her master. He was appointed—on recommendation from her father who knew him personally—which is why her parents trusted him to take care of her.
As expected, it was easy to get lost in this place. If Flora hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings, then she would've gotten lost. Luckily, she had an alternative plan to keep track of her surroundings.
"And one here." Flora threw a small white disk—known as a totem plate—into the air. It floated on its own when the seal on its surface glowed.
She had left similar disks like these floating in other areas she's been to in this building. There's a reason for this: first is to secure a way back outside or to the main hallway leading up to the entrance. The second reason is to make it easy for Arthur and the others to navigate this place by following her tracks if they decide to explore.
There's another issue to address. Her work might've been for nothing if the rooms end up moving again once she destroys the next runestone.
Flora looked up at a wall. There were vine-like things on the walls, every one of them glowing a different color. The vines go right through the floors and there was probably something supplying them with that glowing energy.
But what use do they have? Are they responsible for controlling the mechanism that moves the walls and floors? Perhaps that could be the case. Flora knew that Elves are very advanced in magic, maybe it's the same for every realm or world? Seeing as how that's the case, the cathedral might've been designed to be a living artifact.
Living artifacts are structures that have the capabilities to move, either by themselves or through certain sequences and actions (like pushing buttons or pulling levers). All Flora did was destroy a runestone so the cathedral must have a control room somewhere that's either being operated on through her actions or someone is watching her, ready to push buttons to trick her into thinking she's the reason for the room moving.
Flora lifted her middle finger.
"Can you see this, fucker? You must be playing games with me, huh? Twiddling your thumbs while spying on me like a pervert. If you're out there then I'll find you and kill you painlessly."
Flora had no evidence to suggest that some mastermind was controlling the cathedral from inside so she might look like an idiot from another perspective. If there really is someone then they should be keeping an eye on her, watching her every move. This must be a game of theirs.
"If it's a game then I should expect to run into trials to let me pass and find the next runestone." Flora unsheathed her sword. She could sense several monsters hiding among the bookshelves and piles of books. It might just be easier to send a powerful shockwave their way but she'd rather avoid doing that since the entire floor above might collapse on her. Not only that, the runestone might get lost in the rubble if it's not damaged by the falling debris or her attack.
"Could these monsters be the trials I have to complete? That seems a bit too easy. But I prefer it this way."
She's not very smart when it comes to solving puzzles and riddles. From what she knows, dungeons and relic tombs that have puzzles where you have to destroy certain objects to complete a puzzle is known as "beginner trials". Even a simpleton can solve them.
'I should've asked that Anais girl to come with me. She's a know-it-all so she should be able to solve this trial rather quickly.'
Flora activated a body strengthening technique:
[Celestial Refinement Core] – a technique that improves all bodily functions by 50%. This includes metabolism, muscle memory, learning comprehension, arm strength, among countless others (even sexual pleasure). It's a beginner technique that all warriors learn in the first years of their training. To be able to improve all bodily functions, you need to perfect the art (which Flora could do in a matter of days). The preponderance of warriors cannot do the same. They either quit learning the art and move on to the next or they quit altogether.
If you can't perfect the art then it'll continue straining your body until you die(sort of like that dangerous power known as Aether). Flora has never had this problem before because she could master the art astronomically faster than the average person.
Flora closed her eyes. She could see herself in the third person perspective again. This time she limited her senses to this particular floor.
She's already aware that this won't help her locate the runestones. That's because she already tried this earlier. Runic energy can't be sensed unless you're a runic master well-versed in the study of runes and runic magic. A magic item can also help you in this case.
The reason she's enhancing her senses with this technique is to get a better understanding of the floor's layout—the bookshelves, tables, chairs and other objects that prevent one from walking straight through this floor. This will allow her to move through the floor flawlessly even at high speeds.
"Alright. That should do it," She held her sword's tip near the floor. She placed her feet firmly on the ground.
Then she charged like a gale!
Flora moved through the maze-like library with precision, twisting her body skillfully when maneuvering around corners while cutting down every monster that stood in her path. They were so weak that one strike was enough.
'Humph, guess I'm too strong for them.'
The monsters that noticed her couldn't react in time while the ones who didn't were skewered helplessly.
The lights suddenly went out.
"Hah! So there really is someone watching me! You think a little darkness can stop me!?" Flora stomped the floor, collapsing a part of the floor and sending violent shockwaves throughout the whole level. The monsters recovered quickly and charged at her in waves.
Flora's vision might be obstructed but that doesn't mean that she's gotten weaker or that she's at a disadvantage. Flora pulled back her fist and punched the air, sending a powerful shockwave towards the monsters, toppling nearly all of them over. She jumped and stomped on the heads of two of those monsters. The next moment she kicked one of the towering shelves, causing the shelf to fall on top of the monsters which was followed by rumbling.
Flora sheathed her sword and charged at the monsters, ripping the head off one of them, breaking the legs of another, and then tearing its jaw open and shoving the other monster's head down its throat.
She then smacked another monster on both sides of its head, crushing its skull and spewing brain matter all over her. Flora roared like a wild animal and ripped out another monster's heart.
"Bring it on, you shits!" Flora pounced at a group of monsters that tried to run away.
Two goliath monsters tried to crush Flora with their weight alone but Flora ripped them apart with her bare hands when she lost her grip on her sword.
The smaller monsters stepped aside, allowing the bigger monsters to face Flora. Flora slicked back her hair and tied it into a messy bun.
She picked up her sword, sheathed it and held up her fist.
Flora was about to charge at the monsters before she felt a chilling sensation go up her spine. The sensation was filled with so much killing intent that she was petrified for a few seconds.
She noticed that the monsters had dropped onto their knees, with their heads on the floor.
'Are they scared of whatever released that killing intent? Whatever. They're easy prey while defenceless like this.'
"All you'll accomplish with these numbers is breaking a nail! Don't even get me started on how weak you all are!" She rushed at them with incredible speed. However, before she could reach the goliaths, she was hit on the head with a powerful blow.
Flora was sent crashing into the floor.
She quickly got up and gained distance from this new arrival. While that was indeed a powerful attack, especially since it targeted her head, it wasn't enough to stop her. Flora looked up.
The thing that attacked her donned glowing red armour with golden wings behind its back illuminating the surroundings.
'A knight…? In a place like this? What's up with the wings? Is it an archangel? That can't be.'
"How dare you taint this sanctuary of Father with your diseased self!? You, who dare to trespass upon these sacred grounds, are nothing more than a base, cowardly vagabond, devoid of honour or virtue. You portray yourself as a swordsman who carries with her the virtue of a knight yet you show none of that when sheathing your weapon! Barbaric! Savage! No code of honour! It is a pitiful soul who seeks to challenge the valour of a true knight! Your insolence and arrogance reeks of desperation. Your ill-fated intrusion will be met with the swift retribution it so rightfully deserves. Know this, you scoundrel, that within these walls, honour and chivalry stand as mighty as us "Cell Guardians", and your presence is an affront to all that is noble and just. Turn back now, and perhaps you shall escape this confrontation with the tattered remains of your dignity, for in crossing swords with me, you have embarked on a path that leads only to ignominious defeat! You march this sanctuary so confidently which boils my blood because you set your diseased boots on this holy ground! I had to disobey Honorary Advisor, Lungcan's order to appear in front of you but no matter! Father will understand my feelings to protect his sanctuary!" The knight roared and hit the floor with his great shield.
His exclamation shook the entire level, pushing back the monsters that Flora had been fighting earlier. The monsters gained more distance from the screaming knight, a sign that they're scared of him.
Flora stood up to get a better look at this annoying insect. He was fairly large, matching Hofir in height. Judging by his rounded-belly armour, he appears to be obese. On his left hand was a great shield and, on his right, a huge hammer.
"Take me to your master or whoever's in charge. Or better yet point me to the remaining runestones."
"Grrr, how dare you talk in the presence of a true knight with that filthy mouth!? I shall teach you the old ways us knights punish the insolence of vermin!"
The knight's hammer was suddenly right in front of Flora's face!
"Wha!?" Flora hurriedly put up her arms to block. She felt a jolt of electricity and pain going up her arms, rendering them numb for a few seconds.
She was then pulled by the hair and her face was smashed onto the floor.
"Fucker!" Flora punched a dent in the knight's armor with all her strength.
The knight was sent backwards but not so much as to lose his footing. He quickly recovered and bashed his hammer and shield together in a taunt.
"Such a weak punch will never shatter this great armor given to me by the Blight King!"
'He's not just strong but fast too. Is there really a fat tub of lard in there?'
"Not only are you a diseased vermin, you speak words, inside this holy ground, that mocks the very gods! Unforgiveable! Deplorable! Hateful! How dare you use such foul language!?"
"Shut your fucking mouth. I don't give a damn about how upset you are. You're so annoying. Let's just get this fight over with so that I can go back to looking for the runestones."
"I ought to wash that foul mouth with your blood!"