Leave No Trace (Part 2)

Chapter 12

Leave No Trace (Part 2)

Inside the secret entrance, the children's eyes turned serious at the sight.

It was nothing like they'd imagined.

This wasn't a king's treasure room of gold and jewels; it was something altogether different.

It was a vault of significant materials.

The vault held racks upon racks of gleaming weapons—swords, spears, axes, shields, and more, each meticulously crafted and set with strange symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light. Ancient relics of untold power lined the shelves, their handles and blades whispering secrets of battles long past.

"I heard that when the owners died in the battlefield, their weapons disappeared too..." Nameless walked over, scrutinizing every rack. "I guess this was where they came back to."

On one side of the vault, hung upon a small pedestal, was a worn yet majestic cape. It was silver with delicate gold embroidery that sparkled with an almost sentient energy.

Nameless felt a strange, calming aura radiating from it—a sensation of wisdom, quiet resilience, and perseverance.

"It's the human king's," the young dragon murmured from behind her.

Nameless nods as if she realized too, reaching out as if to touch it, then stopping herself. "This is the cape he wore in times of crisis. It's said to bring clarity and endurance to its wearer. I remember Gashu mentioning it. But the one he wanted more was..."

Her eyes trailed to the relic beside it.

Next to it, displayed on a carved wooden head, rested a simple yet elegant crown. Its silver band was embedded with soft, pastel gemstones that seemed to emit a gentle, soothing light. The sight of it filled the air with an unexpected warmth, and Royce found himself strangely drawn to it, as if it held the power to listen and understand.

But Nameless slapped his hand away with a smile, "This is the crown of kindness I assume." she muttered, almost to herself, "It grants kindness and understanding. Not a crown for ruling, but for peace."

Eliron nodded.

"The human kings and queens of the past used this when they forged alliances. It's said to help its wearer see beyond fear and prejudice, to understand other perspectives."

Further down the rows was a small, peculiar fruit lay nestled in a stone bowl. It emit a soft, golden glow.

Its' skin was unblemished, yet it seemed ancient, as though it had been waiting there for centuries. "The Fruit of Steady Strength," Eliron explained quietly, his voice filled with reverence. "One bite at a time, and it grants a gradual, enduring strength—not just of body, but of spirit. It was a gift of the Elvish Priestess, cultivated with the goddess' holy magic. It grows twice for during a Priestess' lifespan and five times for a Saintess. This was her first fruit."

At the mention of the Priestess, Nameless made a curious gaze.

"Wow. So she grew this all on her own?" Her pink eyes sparkled, akin to someone in front of a masterpiece.

"If you can emit your holy power to a seed, no matter which fruit it is, then you can grow one too." Eliron advises, "Like how you encapsulated the wall earlier with golden light."

"I see." At the mention of growing one, Nameless' gaze became somber.

Royce stepped closer, eyeing the fruit. "If this is the first one where's the second?"

Eliron shrugged. "I don't know. At the time of Gashu's entry in this land I was the first one to be captured and knocked out... So I don't know any details about the war nor what happened during that."

Hearing his nonchalant explanation, Royce bit his tongue and scolded himself.

Bad Royce. Very bad. I should've known!

And then, at the very center of the vault, displayed on a tall pedestal beneath a faint beam of light, was the largest relic of all—a single golden wing.

It was magnificent, crafted from gold yet shaped as though it had been plucked from a living creature. Scales of every size layered upon one another, each one intricately detailed with fine engravings. The wing shimmered with a power that felt both ancient and deeply sorrowful, as if it had been left here as a promise, a memory.

There was only one.

Nameless took a step closer, feeling its radiant energy almost pulsating from the pedestal.

She could sense something powerful hidden within, something tied to both the past and the future. Eliron's gaze was fixed on it too, his eyes filled with a strange, melancholic understanding.

"It was once part of something greater," he whispered. "A strong and might dragon who never yielded even against adversaries. But was kind to his friends no matter how weak they seemed."

The children stood in awe, understanding that this vault was not just a treasury—it was a record of the kingdom's soul, a hidden arsenal of the past.

Each relic represented a piece of history, a virtue that the kingdom had once cherished and fought for.

And now, here they were, standing before it, guardians of its secrets.

"Do you know the owner of this wing?" Royce asked with reverie.

He glanced at Eliron, whose face was a mixture of reverence and pain.

He nodded slowly. "My father's."

The words were almost a whisper, heavy with the weight of history. Royce and Nameless exchanged a look, each of them grasping the significance of what lay before them.

It was more than just a relic; it was a symbol of a sacrifice that had been made long ago.

Royce bit his tongue, drawing blood inside.

I should die for insensitivity really....

Eliron walked closer, caressing the wing with trembling fingers, as if he could not believe that it is only a relic now.

"My father gave his wing in the war to protect this kingdom," Eliron said, his voice low but resolute.

"When Gashu came, demanding our land, my father—the dragon king—offered his wing as a pledge of peace, a symbol of alliance. He believed in the strength of unity. He wanted to..." He trailed off, his emotions bubbling up to the surface. "He wanted to protect the weaker species who had no chance... Even if it meant sacrificing his pride."

Eliron chuckled, helpless. "I remember the details despite not seeing it. The Demon King bragged about it after all... But though it was for naught because the Demon King rejected his offer, my father at least saw that the others were on his side... and that's the only thing I know. I don't even know what happened to mother."

Nameless looked at Eliron, eyes filled with sympathy. "They kept it hidden here… almost like they were ashamed of the sacrifice."

Eliron's expression hardened slightly. "Perhaps. The human king promised it would be honored as a relic, a symbol of courage, but then it was buried here. Forgotten."

A heavy silence settled over the room, each of them feeling the bittersweet irony of such a powerful relic left abandoned.

"But I believe that's not the case." Eliron shrugged, "Maybe it was left here for me."

Nameless placed a hand on the young dragon's shoulder, nodding "Your father's sacrifice isn't forgotten—not to us, and not to you. This wing carries the spirit of the pact he believed in. Maybe that's why it's still here… waiting."

The small dragon held her gaze, something akin to gratitude in his eyes, and for a moment, the weight of his past seemed lighter.

With renewed resolve, they turned to face the rest of the vault, the relics, and the path that lay ahead. They would carry this history with them—not hidden in a vault, but alive in their hearts, as they faced whatever awaited them beyond these walls.

After a while, Eliron clicked his tongue bitterly.

"Are we taking everything?"

"Of course. We'll leave no trace behind. Be it wards or treasures."

Nameless was propped by the wall, watching the children pack the things.

The older kids, namely the leaders of the group, handled the heavy ones such as shields and breastplates, or axes. The swords and other weapons can be handled by three children together after all.

While the most important relics: The crown, the cape, and the fruit were handled by Emman, Lemon and Lime.

Eliron wondered about it earlier but when Nameless mentioned they were carrying the crimson fragments, he didn't know where she was carrying it. But seeing that Lemon and Lime had a briefcase each with a spatial storage, he figured it was there.

He didn't even know that spatial storage was common, it wasn't really, but he thought it was since Lemon and Lime who were slaves had their hands on it.

The weapons were placed on the knapsacks, finding leather ones from Georgies' storage room and making use of it, and prepared to be placed on Eliron's back later on.

"I'll probably not reach Norkif safely if we carry those on me."

"How many hours can you travel with that load then?"

"About an hour?"

"If I aid you with the Goddess' abilities?"

"Maybe an hour and a half?"

"That's enough I guess."

Nameless shrugged as if it was final but Eliron shook his head. "It takes five hours to get from this shore to Norkif's ports, you know. My parents said it was so."

"I see."

"Why are you calm? An hour and a half isn't enough to reach Norkif unless there's a structure catching us from midpoint." He frowned.

She chuckles, "We're not heading to Norkif in one trip. Look at the map," Upon hearing her, Emman walked closer and showed a map to both of them. "See here. Norkif's port city was sunk years and years ago by the demons so they won't easily reach Gashu." She pointed at the map. "But somehow the adventurers still manage to challenge the Demon King every year without fail, gathering a large number of troops and heading here in a steady pace."

Her finger moved a bit to the left.

She pointed on a spot between tree points: the shores of Georgies Ocean, the sunken port city of Norkif, and the southern point of the Winshen continent, Chastes.

"They built a floating free city here. Though it's called a city, it's actually just a ship to guard whatever comes close to the other continents."

"So there are guards there? Are they on our side?"

"The guards are from the Heroes' Association, established by adventurers and kingdoms' who wish to put an end to Gashu's terrifying existence. And of course, I don't know any of them nor do they know me." 

"How do you know all of this?" Eliron frowned.

"A demon told me." She grins.

His frown only deepened, "Well, then what? Are you planning to reveal your Saintess' status to enter their area?"

Nameless shook her head. "No. I have this."

She pulled a medallion from her pocket.

It was silver that had a carved landscape of a tree at the center with the sun and moon on either side of it. This was the medallion she showed Georgies before.

However people in this land wouldn't know it's true value.

Those who knew will easily be able to reach the other continents though.

"What's that?"

"A medallion," Nameless grinned when Eliron glared at her.

"I didn't ask wha—"

"Well for now that's all you need to know. It's a medallion that will grant us access to almost everywhere."

Keith called out for the both of them. 

Everything was prepared already. Weapons were stored and their tips were wrapped in a bundle of paper to not hurt the children carrying them, food were packed in Lime's spatial storage, Lemon's had the smaller relics, and Emman carried a knapsack with documents that Keith deemed important later on.

Ynez took it upon herself to carry large bags of clothes all on her own to lessen the burden on others but to also have spares of clothes for the children.

"At this point you should make your own orphanage..." Nameless sighed at the girl's attentiveness.

"What's an orphanage?" The latter tilted her head.

"No, nevermind."

Keith read his pocket watch, "It's 7AM already... We should go now." 

He tried not to show his anxiousness but ever since they started packing everything he couldn't help but glance at the forest, through the woods, where the path to the capital was.

They didn't know when or where reinforcements of the Demon King would come.

As if understanding his troubled mind, Nameless finally asked Eliron to transform, removing his transformation magic and turned back into the large brown dragon.

Not any longer than an hour, once the equipment were loaded on his back, they left.

Headed towards the small sentry point of the Heroes' Association.