Knights of Ferlonia

CHAPTER IV

<<This is a mess. A really hot mess,>> Viryl said with dismay, limping towards the ruins of his farmhouse. The effects of Anker's paralyzing magic were wearing off, but the aftershocks were still being felt. Anker was despairing and screaming inarticulate sounds as he pulled away pieces of wood, junk and planks in an attempt to recover Madja's body.

<<Anker, boy, we don't have time to waste here, we have to run to the observatory immediately!>> Viryl exclaimed, trying to get Anker's attention.

<<What the hell are you talking about?! Come here and help me!>>

<<Boy, I don't know if you noticed, but what the Fearkan was carrying in its beak was my Exoplion. I assure you that right now the top priority is to prevent that beast from doing whatever it has in mind to do. We can think about your friend's body later.>>

Anker was momentarily taken aback by Viryl's cynicism, but after all, that was a fallen man he was talking to: was there any compassion or honor to be expected from him? Anker simply replied: <<Fearwhat? What the hell are you babbling about? If you don't want to help me, get out of here!>>

Viryl sighed and shrugged: <<Suit yourself, I don't have time to give you more exhaustive explanations than that right now.>>

Then he added: <<If only you had spared me that shitty paralyzing dart...,>> and he walked as quickly as he could, though considerably hampered, towards his destination.

Following Viryl's footsteps on the fresh snow, by the light of the glowing orb, turned out to be quite easy for Anker.

About a quarter of an hour had passed since Viryl had left when Anker decided to follow his tracks. In a few minutes he had managed to find Madja's body, almost unharmed except for a few broken bones where the beams had fallen on her, and it had taken almost twice as long to extract her. He had also been able to recover the bear skins on which she had been laid, and he used them to wrap her inside.
She was still warm, but the total absence of breathing and pulse left no hope: she was dead. He had also tried to cast a defibrillation spell and revive her for a few minutes, but without success.

Then Anker had sat down in the snow next to the bundled corpse, with one knee to his chest and his eyes lost in the void, like his mind. He had only come to his senses when he had been reached by the air displacement generated by an immense being gliding down from the mountain. It must have been the monster that had attacked them shortly before.

Since there was nothing more to be done for Madja, it was worth reaching Viryl and finding out what he had to say.

The footprints wound their way through fir trees and dwarf pines, until they reached an extensive clearing at the edge of which one could glimpse the outline of a tall and wide stone building. On the front steps, which bore the signs of time in the form of cracks and lichens, sheltered by a portico supported by equally ancient columns, Viryl waited disconsolately. <<I arrived too late,>> he began.

Anker asked no questions and stood next to him, looking at the valley and the faraway lands, where the lights of the magic lanterns of the city and villages of the province of Hither Sanchiria stood out. During the day, the panorama that could be observed from the observatory must have been truly breathtaking.

<<I saw the Fearkan leave the observatory when I was a few hundred yards from the entrance. I tried to hit it with one of my spears as it flew over my head, but even though I hit it, it didn't flinch and continued its descent. And now I'm not sure what to do. But maybe you can help me, Anker.>>

<<Help you do what?>>

<<You see, this observatory was built on the ruins of a Classian Empire temple dedicated to the god Ghorou, which in turn must have been built on a much older structure. To protect the secrets hidden inside, a magical seal has been placed on the front door, which only opens to the knights of the Royal Order of Ferlonia.
To be precise, you need an enchanted emblem that resonates with the recess on the lock; for example, you can use a badge or an Exoplion to open the seal. Unfortunately, on the day of my abdication, I returned my badge and, as for my Exoplion, well...>>