The Ancients World

Chapter 195: Ulma Runa's lab

We make it to the lowest level and see a single door at the end of the hall the stairs lead into. It's finally almost to an end, all this work and effort. Sally still isn't speaking after what I did in the throne room. I don't know if she'll ever get over that, but that is something that I can live with. We walk up to the door and knowing Ulma Runa. It's probably booby-trapped. "Stay behind me, Sally. I don't know what kind of traps there are here." She nods her head silently, and I look at the door carefully as we finally stand in front of it. It doesn't look like it's aged a day. This door is older than anyone in this city, I don't know what secrets are beyond this door, but it's time to find out. I don't sense any magic coming from the door, I use inspect on it, and I get little information.

[Door to Ulma Runa's lab]

[Description: A door that hasn't aged a day since the time of Ulma Runa. Beyond this door is a lab where Ulma Runa conducted experiments and developed the curse on the Dryads.]

It doesn't say it's trapped, I place my hand on it, and nothing bad happens. I push the door open, and as I do, lanterns automatically turn on. I doubt there are any traps left. They should have been disabled years ago. The curiosity of this place would attract the now king. Learning it was trapped, he would have it taken care of so he can look around. I take a step into the room, and nothing happens. It's safe to say there are no traps here anymore. "It doesn't look a single day old. Flint's old apprentice sure did know her stuff. Let's see if we can find what we are looking for. Check for anything that could be related to curses." The quests I have definitely hint at the answers being all here. All we have to do is find them.

Sally walks off to a bookshelf without saying anything. I think I'm going to be getting the silent treatment for a while. I let her go and do what she needs to make her feel better. I walk over to what looks to be her desk. I sit in her chair and sit in her world for just a second. Now, where would I hide my secret evil curses if I was an insane magician? I bring my hand under the desk and feel around for any secret levers, but nothing sticks out. Ulma Runa would use something involving magic, not a secret lever. I open the drawers to her desk and see documents that aren't related to the situation. I pick one up and start to read it to get a feel for what was generally kept in this drawer. What I read is what I love, lore.

[Early developments on magic enhanced crops]

[I have done as my king requested and searched for ways to increase food production for our growing kingdom, while my results have produced some positive effects. Nothing worthwhile in terms of volume and quality has been shown. I don't complain about the things I'm assigned to do. They pay me a lot. I'll admit this was a little dull though, hopefully, future projects will be more interesting. ~Signed UR]

She used her initials instead of her name. This must have been documented before any developments on the curse for the Dryads began. I place the document back in the door and lean back in the chair. I fold my hands behind my head and notice that my wings take up a lot of space here. I toggle them off for now, and I focus back on the task at hand. As I'm looking at the ceiling, I notice a square spot above my head that looks a little different from the rest of the pattern. As if it has been messed with and adjusted from time to time. I use inspect on it, and it comes back as nothing more than a regular ceiling piece. That is strange, though. I stand up and jump up to it. I punch through the rocky surface, and my arm enters an empty space.

She found a way to hide things from the inspect ability. "Don't trust the inspect ability, Sally. It doesn't fully work in this room." I say out loud while breaking the rest of the ceiling apart. As I do, several boxes and scrolls hit the desk and ground below me. Once I'm certain I have everything out of the little hiding spot, I let go and easily land back on the ground. I pick up the documents and scrolls and place them on the desk. I begin reading them, but they are reports and research on automated security defenses. There are even some old sketches. They are similar looking to the machines on guard on the walls. She must have had something to do with the early iterations. I continue reading until I come across an interesting document.

[A strange request from the new king]

[He has halted my research into the automated defense systems and asked me to look into the Dryad people. He didn't say why, but it's not my job to ask him questions. What I have learned about the Dryads is they are a very old and powerful people. Most importantly is there developments in magic and connection to all of nature. They are a living, thinking, and breathing part of nature. Even if their armies should fail, they can always call on the forests and animals for help. There has recently been a large increase in tension with the Dryads. It's easy to see that is why the king asked me to look into them.]

I shuffle through other papers trying to find any that follow this one, but I have no luck. I read some other documents on other interesting things, but not enough to mention. "I found something over here!" Sally draws my attention from reading, and I turn to look at her. As I do, she waves me over to come and check it out. I stand up from the chair and make my way over. Once next to her, she points to another hidden compartment that doesn't quite fit in. I ball my fist and punch a hole into it too. I rip the rest of the rock out, and a couple of boxes of documents reveal themselves. I pick them up and take them back to the desk. This time Sally help me read through them too. As I'm reading, I come across the document that I need.

[New developments on a curse]

[The king has asked me to develop a curse that is strong enough to kill an entire species. While it's impossible to do so, we can remove them from the picture with ease. My old mentor told me that any curse could be broken, but the king doesn't need to know that. I have done some interesting research on sleep curses and pocket dimensions. I'm going to see if this applies to my research.]

I scrounge through the boxes looking for the document that follows this one, and I find it. I begin to read it, and it goes through her process. I have to keep searching through documents. After reading nine pages, I finally find the last one. It goes into detail on how it's going to be applied and what'll happen. Then I see the way to break the curse. I have to find the original body the curse was placed on and cleanse it. I already know who the original body was, Princess Elenore. She is likely still in that boss chamber I didn't go into because I wasn't strong enough. As I finish putting it together, both of my quests update. I open the quests to see what has changed.

[Quest: The False One]

[Description: You have found the truth about Bellvia and their involvement with the Dryads, and you have found out about the curse and who made it. You will have a choice to make. Only one of the following objectives can be completed.]

[Objective 1: Expose the Kingdom of Bellvia and have them pay for their crimes.][Not Available]

[Objective 2: Find the weakness of the curse and use it to free the Dryads and return them to Ancients World.][Completed]

[Objective 3: Now that you are in Bellvia, finding the right person to talk to is important. How you do this is up to you.][Completed]

[Objective 4: Use the potion to cleanse Princess Elanore in the boss room at the Ruins of The Dryads.][In Progress]

[Quality: Legendary]

[Rewards: Hidden]

[Quest: An Abomination][Completed]

[Description: Find the research and notes of Ulma Runa on her development of the curse.]

[Objective 1: Find Ulma Runa's lab in Bellvia's capital][Completed]

[Objective 2: Go to the lowest level in the palace and find what you are looking for in Ulma Runa's lab.][Completed]

[Objective 3: Once you have the relevant information, this quest will be completed, and the quest: The False One will be updated.][Completed]

[Quality: Epic]

[Rewards: The potion to Cleanse Princess Elanore]

I don't get any exp from An Abomination being completed, but I get an important piece to finish my legendary quest. I check my inventory, and there is a potion there. I read its description, and it's basically saying it's the unique potion to cleanse Princess Elanore. "Were done here, Sally. Let's go back up into the palace and go around the city till nightfall. We'll meet the crew at the location outside the city once nightfall hits." Despite her frustration with me, I see her crack a smile.