'Let's see what this place was...' I thought to myself jumping into the portal like doorway that had opened on the surface of the ground within the forest.
Instantly reappearing in a vault that was wide! Incredibly so at that, to the point where I went into a free fall. "Varan, what's going on?" I needed some insight given the current situation. [It would seem the space is several hundred times larger than we thought... or at least it seems that way...] Varans voice came through speedily.
"There's a high rank space formation here; how do I know that?" I asked, not directed at Varan or myself, but just out of confusion.
[You are capable of near instantaneous magic analysis. It is understandable that you've likely lost several memories due to bearing the burden of the 'Great traversal' for nearly 110,000 beings.] Varan took a pause, letting it sink in as we were still in free fall.
[I have lost an incredibly large portion of my memories as well, and a plethora are sealed beyond reach by you. Regardless, I will remind of what I can remember accordingly. The surface is within reach sir-]
Breaking my thought train with the latter part, I noticed Varans voice had a certain femininity to it, one that I was previously oblivious to, but she quickly interrupted once more.
[Rotate your body at a 73 degree ang- not enough time to explain, I've implanted a visual representation in your mind; execute the movement in 3... 2... 1!]
I rotated my body swiftly, as the movement re-orientated my body so I brace the fall with my feet, and then Varans voice resounded in my mind once more. [Impact!]
Contrary to my thoughts there was no loud thud or crash, it was almost as if it was a feathered step, and the recoil I expected instinctively was non-existent.
[It would seem your body is also incredibly strong, and can easily absorb and disperse impacts.]
I had subconsciously overlooked what Varan just said, my attention trained on my current surroundings. I was in what I would describe as a rather large white room with high ceilings, and a hallway going down from that room, into the distance.
The space was pretty well lit up, though it meant little to my method of vision anyways. The walls were polished, beautiful, with picturesque drawings or symbols, likely of the civilization of old.
I began walking, coming across the first of the many room along the hallway, stored in it were coins, silver, gold, white-gold, and what was likely mithril, all neatly stacked on each other in rows. 'Another space formation.'
[Given that each stack contains a hundred gold coins, and each shelf contains five-thousand stacks, with a total of a thousand shelves allocated to gold, then the gold is in the half a billion range, the other half a billion is white-gold. As for the silver coins, it is roughly the same amount, although the mithril differs in number, as they only numbered a million.]
"And why would you count them?" I asked, stumped. [It was easier to do so, than to not do so, Titan.]
'Right... if you say so.'
[I do, sir.]
I simply let out a sigh, resigning myself to my fate.
[Do you wish to store the coins Xerxes?]
"How?"
[Though you may not currently be able to open your previous storage pockets, but I believe I should be able to create one for you, given the knowledge from those spells earlier, and your endless mana reserves.]
"Go on."
[As you desire.] There was a slight rumbling, as the air trembled ever so gently and within a moments notice, Varan responded [Done! Storing... storage completed!]
Varan didn't just store the coins, but the shelves too, and the packaging for the coins that kept them stacked neatly. If she could, something told me she'd store the entire room.
"How... resourceful." Walking out of that room, and into the room opposite, what I found next were liquids, several different kinds, at least 3 dozen types stocked in the thousands.
My eyes scanned the bottles, each containing something foreign yet familiar. "Elixirs?" I questioned, though no one in particular.
[Correct, sir. Potions, elixirs, concoctions of various kinds. I recognize several healing drafts, mana-replenishing liquids, and more exotic blends, though many are unknown, even to me, or maybe my memories of them are lost. It's quite an extensive collection, and their crafting methods are here as well.]
I reached for a small vial filled with a shimmering blue liquid. As my fingers touched the bottle, I could feel the intense magical energy radiating from it. "What is this one?"
[High-tier mana elixir. Capable of restoring a significant amount of mana instantly. Depending on how this continent progressed over the centuries/millennia, it could prove to be quite rare in the current world, It would be wise to store them.]
"And these?" I asked, carefully inspecting one of the smaller vials. The liquid inside shimmered with an ethereal glow, a soft light flickering beneath its surface like a distant star. I had no memory of ever seeing something like it before.
[This one appears to be a restorative draught. Capable of healing severe injuries in mere moments. The others seem to vary, some are designed for enhancing physical abilities, while others could grant temporary magical boosts.]
I stared at the shimmering liquid, a sense of wonder and unease washing over me. "Store them all."
[Done, sir.]
Moving through the room, I noticed that the liquids were meticulously organized. Each shelf had small labels, written in a language that, while unfamiliar, felt strangely recognizable. Varan translated quickly, pointing out the more powerful concoctions.
One caught my eye—it was stored in a long, slender flask, the liquid inside, translucent. [A Potion of Invulnerability. However, its effects are highly temporary—lasting only a few minutes.]
I paused, the weight of the discovery sinking in. "Invulnerability.. even for a few minutes," I muttered under my breath. "That could be invaluable."
[Indeed, sir. Should I store it?]
"Yes. Everything."
With a small rumble, Varan completed the storage process. The room, once filled with rare and precious liquids, was now as empty as the vault-like space I had first fallen into. I moved on to the next room, the echoes of my footsteps reverberating through the hallway.
I nodded, placing the vial back, before having Varn store it. Room after room, similar discoveries awaited me. Armories stocked with ancient weapons, each more intricately designed than the last. Armor sets that gleamed under the magical light, their designs betraying an age far older than anything I could immediately place.
A particular weapon caught my eye: a long spear with runes carved along its shaft. Picking it up, I felt a surge of power course through my hand. A small pedestal with some letters written on it, somehow I could understand it.
{A relic, forged in the Heartforge of Durganath. Dwarven craftsmanship at its finest. The runes indicate enchantments of immense durability and strength.}
I gave the spear a few experimental swings, feeling the weight shift effortlessly as if it were an extension of my arm. Instinctively impressed, I stored it away with a thought, feeling it would come in handy later.
The next room housed what appeared to be scrolls and books. Piles of ancient tomes lined the shelves, few of them written in languages I couldn't begin to decipher.
The air smelled of old parchment and forgotten knowledge. There was a reverence in the atmosphere, as if I had stepped into a long-lost library.
Varan's voice hummed softly. [These texts... they are ancient. Many of these in current time might be lost spells, forgotten histories, and forbidden knowledge. Some of these spells are likely the reason this vault is hidden and protected so well.]
I ran my fingers along the spines of the books, feeling the magic pulse faintly through the pages. Some were cracked and brittle, others were wrapped in protective seals. I pulled one of the scrolls from the shelf, careful not to damage it. The writing on it glowed faintly, flickering as if it was aware of my presence.
I approached one of the few scrolls that seemed to hum with energy.
"This one feels… alive."
[It is, sir. A living spell. One of the rarest forms of magic in existence. Only a handful of mages throughout history have been capable of creating them. It's likely bound to a powerful protective enchantment.]
I carefully unraveled part of the scroll, but the moment I did, it snapped back in place, resisting my touch. "Seems like it doesn't want to be disturbed," I remarked.
[Understandably. Living spells can be temperamental.]
"Can you store these as well?" I asked, eyes scanning the vast collection.
[Yes, sir. However, I would suggest caution. Some of these texts may be cursed or dangerous to unseal. I will make sure to analyze them thoroughly before we access them.]
"I understand Varan. Proceed."
The books and scrolls disappeared from the shelves, one by one, as Varan completed the storage. A slight tension lingered in the air, as if the knowledge contained within the room still had a hold on the space.