Looting the Castle

Past the throne room, there was a hallway that led down to the treasure room of the castle. The room was a sort of Vault made of pure steel. 

Gore, Alfred, and Dane took turns hacking away at the door, but even with an Oath-blade and Aura, it took thirty minutes to take the door down.

Inside the room there were dozens of chests filled to the brim in gold and silver. To the side, there were two boys and two women who were all huddled up against the wall. 

Dane walked over to the four huddled figures. "Are you all related to the late Viscount?"

A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes nodded with tears in her eyes. "He's dead then… I am his daughter, and these are my siblings and mother."

Dane nodded. "You will all be treated well if you do not try to escape. We will ransom you to your uncle."

She nodded. "I understand."

Gore and Alfred were opening the chests and looking inside them. There were thousands of gold coins in some of the chests while others contained silver. There was one chest in particular that held jewels. 

Alfred clapped Gore on his shoulder. "This is a jackpot! This is the most I have ever gotten from conquering a castle… It's enough to build four more castles of the same quality!"

Alfred turned to Dane who walked over from the family. "Father, what are you going to do with this castle?"

"It's near enough to Lexton to be an outpost of mine. From this castle, I will patrol the forest and offer protection to caravans passing through the nearby road for a price. That is what made this Viscount rich after all."

Alfred grinned. "How much of a share is Gore going to get? There are six chests of silver, five chests of gold, and a chest of jewels."

Dane shrugged. "Dump half a chest of silver out onto the floor and fill the half with gold. I don't think that he would know how to sell the jewels."

To the side, a knight called out. "There's a hidden compartment here!"

Dane turned around and walked over. 

In the granite floor, there was clearly a little space where rocks had been cut. The knight had pulled the rock out and had found an old small chest inside the hole.

Dane pulled the chest out of the ground and then threw back the lid. From the chest, two bright purple lights shone. Dane's jaw dropped and he muttered something which was barely audible. "Ancient Mana stones…"

Alfred ran over. "Th- are those Mana stones?!"

Gore slowly strode over. "Those stones, what are they?"

Dane and Alfred both whirled around. "How do you not know what these are?"

"Well, you both just said Mana stones, but I don't know what that is. I thought it was something that you have to awaken."

Alfred sighed and glanced at Dane. "I'll explain it… Long ago, in the age of legends, there was a great cataclysm where the whole world was destroyed.

But men who possessed great power fixed things and they founded the kingdoms that exist to this day. The lines from those people have Mana in their blood and they can awaken Mana but is far weaker than what those legends had.

These stones are from those who died. It contains so much Mana that it is a danger to even try to consume it. People have found these stones in the past, but they all died in great explosions large enough to destroy a whole castle."

Gore grinned. "Give me a stone. I want to consume one of these stones."

Alfred raised his hand. "Let me explain some more. It is said that only people who have awakened Aura can consume them. Three with Aura have tried, but they all died."

Gore shrugged. "And what if it is a requirement to have no Mana awakened?"

Alfred blinked. "Maybe?"

To the side, Dane nodded. "Take both of the stones and that will be your entire share from this raid, but if you consume the stones, go to the woods. I don't want you blowing my brand-new castle to hell."

Gore nodded, closed the lid of the small chest, and tucked it under his arm. 

Alfred moved over one of the chests with gold in it. He took a little hide bag from the floor and then he began to fill the leather bag up with golden coins. 

Alfred gave Gore the bag filled with golden coins. "This is filled with 200 golden coins for helping us. With this we have given you more than we promised. Go out and do what you will. Or you could wait until we are done feasting."

He glanced at the two women behind him. "Among other things…"

Gore shook his head. "I will feast when I have consumed these stones."

Alfred offered his gauntleted hand to Gore and Gore took it and shook it. Gore's hand swallowed Alfred's hand in size. 

The two released each other's hands and Gore instantly walked out from the hall. Gore sheathed his sword and secured the leather bag with golden coins to his waist.

As he exited the gate, he saw that the men-at-arms outside were gathering all the loot. All of the prisoners, peasants, weapons, and any valuables from the outside buildings were being grouped up. 

Gore turned away from them and walked past several men-at-arms on guard at the gates. He walked all the way into the woods where drew his sword again. He sliced a tree completely through down to the stump. He then sat down on the stump and set the little chest down on the ground next to him. 

As Gore opened the chest, the purple light from the two stones shone upon his face. He smiled and then reached his enormous fingers for the closest stone. 

As Gore's fingers brushed up against the stone, the energy from the stone shot up his arm and to his heart. He shivered as the energy passed through him and then fell to the ground, unconscious.