Chapter 177: You Check Your New Space

Elias said nothing, but he could feel where this was going, and he did not know what to feel about this, but this did not stop Brother Valerius from continuing his speech.

“The Commander has decided that you are the successor.” Valerius reached into his robe and produced a key. Elias did not know what to expect, but he certainly did not think that the key would be a crystal, whose surface was etched with runes that matched those on the door.

It caught the amber light and scattered it in tiny rainbows across the stone floor. “The ninth floor is yours now. All of it.”

Elias stared at the key for a long moment before he replied. “I have quarters that serve me well.”

“You have a four-room hovel at the base of the Asylum.” Valerius’s voice carried no judgment, only fact. “It served its purpose when you were mortal and needed to stay clear of the wards and energies that permeate the upper levels. But you are no longer mortal, Elias. You are an Ascendant Candidate, and you will be training as one. You need space. You need facilities. You need a place that is truly yours, not a borrowed corner of someone else’s domain.”

He held out the key, and there was no way Elias could deny the truth of his words. He took the keys from the hand of Brother Valerius.

The crystal was warm against his palm, and he felt a faint vibration as the runes on the door responded to its presence, a hum of recognition, and of welcome.

“The ninth floor has twenty-three rooms,” Valerius continued, falling into the role of guide with the ease of long practice. “A main living quarters with a bed large enough for someone your size, the previous Second Blade, was a mountain of a man, so you should find it comfortable. A private study with a desk, shelves, and a communication array linked to the Asylum’s main network. A kitchen, though you’ll find it stocked with preserved goods rather than fresh, Orwin will handle fresh supplies if you request them. A bathing chamber with running water heated by a small formation array, no more cold showers.”

Elias felt something shift in his chest at that last detail. No more ice water, then this meant that they had deliberately pumped cold water into his quarters. He did not know whether to laugh or cry at these new changes, especially now that the cold no longer bothered him.

“Beyond the personal quarters, you have a training room, forty feet square, reinforced walls, enough space for weapons practice or light sparring. A small armory, though most of the weapons there will be sized for the Second Blade’s build; you may need to have them adjusted or replaced. A storage room for personal effects, currently empty. A library, modest, but containing texts on tactics, strategy, and the history of the Order that Silas deemed appropriate for your level.”

Valerius paused, his one eye studying Elias’s face.

“There is also a meditation chamber. It was the Second Blade’s private space, and it had been maintained by the Asylum’s wards for two centuries. The Commander suggests you make use of it. As an Ascendant Candidate, your mind would carry great burdens, and the chamber may help.”

Elias’s hand tightened on the key. The Passenger stirred in the back of his thoughts, a murmur of interest, but he pushed it down.

“Twenty-three rooms,” he repeated. “For one person.”

“For now.” Valerius’s crinkle-smile returned. “The Order has a habit of accumulating strays. You may find yourself with company sooner than you expect. Also, most of the rooms are empty, perfect for pursuing your other activities,” he glanced at Elias’s hands holding the Alchemist kit.

Brother Valerius turned and began walking back down the stairs, pausing only to add, “Your training begins at dawn tomorrow. The Commander will send for you. Until then, explore your new domain. Familiarize yourself with it. Make it yours. I have heard about the training that is given to Ascendant Candidates, and I can promise you, what the Commander plans for you is many times harder… You will need to manage your time effectively, Elias, or you will be crushed under the weight of what is to come.”

His footsteps faded into the darkness, leaving Elias alone before the massive door. He paused for a moment, reflecting on the last words spoken to him, and he could not help the surge of anticipation that rippled across his spine, as his eyes briefly transformed from green to a glowing prismatic rainbow.

He turned around, and the key was drawn from his hand to fit into a slot he hadn’t noticed, hidden in the door’s runic pattern. Nothing happened until he turned the key and the amber light on the door flared once, before the door swung inward without a sound.

Elias stepped through into his new home, and the ninth floor was not what he had expected.

After the rough-hewn stone of the lower levels, the polished elegance of the corridors took him by surprise. The walls were smooth, almost glassy, their surface veined with the same Profound Iron that ran through the armor in the armory. Ember orbs floated near the ceiling, their light soft and warm, adjusting automatically as he moved to keep the path ahead illuminated.

He did not know what kept these Ember Orbs floating above, and this sight alone intrigued him, as it whispered of the ancient secrets within these walls.

He walked slowly, letting his Perception spread outward, mapping the space. It was vast, and indeed, there were twenty-three rooms. Brother Valerius had not exaggerated.

The main living quarters were a massive chamber with a bed that could have slept four, its frame carved from dark wood and inlaid with silver. The sheets were fresh, smelling faintly of lavender.

A wardrobe stood against one wall, empty, its doors carved with scenes of battle. A writing desk near the window overlooked the city below, and Elias found himself drawn to it, looking out at the lights of Stormfall spread beneath him like a map of stars. A moment before, he had been walking along these streets, but he knew there were a thousand paths through the city, and he had only walked through just one of them.

Elias knew that he would be spending a long time here; there was something about the city that drew his attention and relaxed him… but then the vision from the boy that showed him a devastated Stormfall flashed through his mind, and he frowned before looking away from the window.

He walked to the kitchen, which was small but functional, with stone countertops, a hearth that would stay lit without fuel, most likely another formation, and shelves lined with jars of dried goods. He opened a few, found them well-stocked. Orwin’s work, probably.

The bathing chamber made him pause. It was larger than his entire previous quarters, tiled in pale stone, with a sunken pool in the center, large enough for four people. Steam rose gently from its surface, and Elias could feel the warmth radiating from it. A formation array glowed faintly on the ceiling, maintaining the temperature. He touched the water, perfectly warm, not hot, not cold. He could stay here for hours.

There was still much for him to see, and so he moved on.

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