The Last Dahlia

020

"You would think that this was the grand hall, but no, it's the home of psychics and quacks. Just when I thought I'd finally chanced upon a kingdom that had got its priorities right."

Yuehwa stood beside Shoya, looking across at the golden roof that lay before them. The pillars were emblazoned with gold calligraphy in an ancient script—she couldn't understand any of it, but she guessed that it was probably some mystical hocus pocus that was supposed to protect the place. Protect against what exactly, she wasn't sure. She thought it odd that this extravagant golden building that was shaped like an eye was situated right in the middle of the Feng palace. Most palaces would have their grand halls at this central location, where the king would meet with his officials every morning to discuss the matters of the kingdom; the palace of Feng had chosen instead to place an eye to the heavens at its heart.

She glanced sideways at the man beside her, who looked entirely unperturbed by any of this.

"I thought you already tried looking here, why are we coming back?" she asked.

"Because it's in here somewhere," Shoya replied. "They say that the astrologers' vault is a heavenly mystery in itself that no ordinary man can navigate, which is why it has been used to keep royal secrets for the longest of times. But this place was built by humans, and that means there must be a way to get around it."

Turning to Yuehwa, he said, "Once we're inside, stay close. The minute you lose your focus in there, you could get lost within the maze forever. There are many traps that have been set within—I almost lost an arm and a leg the last time I tried to find my way around. Anyone with less agility would probably already be dead."

Snorting in disbelief, Yuehwa said, "Quit exaggerating. It's only a vault! You're just trying to scare me and I'm not falling for it. Do you think we'll be able to find the golden chrysanthemum in here somewhere?"

"Who knows? Perhaps. Believe what you will, but what you see in front of you right now is only a façade; what's underground is what truly makes this place special, and it's a dozen times more extensive than what's above. Remember the cave where we found the sword? The king of Dahai kept his most prized possession in that cave, guarded by the undead. The king of Feng likewise has his own way of keeping his treasures safe, and the astrologers' vault is his version of the cave."

"Are you saying that we'll meet those guardsmen again?" Yuehwa pulled a face.

"I'm saying I don't know what we could meet down there."

Shoya took one final scan of their surroundings. Once the guards that had been patrolling the perimeter of the building rounded the corner and vanished from sight, he took the lead and hopped off the roof, landing soundlessly on the pavement below.

Even though it was the middle of the night, security around the astrology building hadn't seemed to dwindle in the slightest. The guards continued to patrol round the clock, leaving almost no window for anyone to sneak in.

Clearly they had learnt their lesson after the first break-in.

Yuehwa and Shoya moved at the speed of light to avoid the next patrol that would soon appear. She followed behind him as he led the way to a small door at the side of the building, which looked like a servants' entrance. Slipping a metal wire into the keyhole, Shoya carefully worked it for a couple of seconds, before an audible click was heard and the door swung open.

"Looks like the librarian underestimated your need for a key," Yuehwa chuckled in amusement.

"There are locks, and then there are locks," Shoya replied.

They entered into what looked to be a kitchen, pitch-black and quiet since everyone had long gone to bed. Slipping stealthily down the corridors and stairs, Shoya brought them several flights underground, stopping in front of an ornate stone door covered with intricate gold engravings. It was the same ancient script that they had seen on the pillars outside, and all of it was still gibberish to Yuehwa.