The Elemental Hymn

Chapter 7: unsealing the Apollo observatory

"Luckily, I am a light magician" said Isaac.

"Be as it may, but to unseal the Apollo observatory, you have to figure out the placement on the elements on each gate. Once you have pass through the four gates, the real challenge is trying to create a shadow image to alternate the portrait of Queen Puabi to make a mirror image. We tried to solve it, even with darkness magic, we couldn't get it to break the seal" explained the female tour guide.

"It seems the Equinox were thorough on the security, with one puzzle that couldn't be solved except for one element needed" said Isamu.

"True, but let's try and solve it in the morning. I'm feeling tired and hungry, are you?" Said Eleanor.

Isamu silently nodded, as well as Isaac too. The female tour guide escorted the trio to the large empty tent, where they can sleep. However, when the trio entered the tent, they saw three plates with numerous chunks of breaded chicken piled on like a small tower that are glazed with sauce like croquembouche. The smell made their stomachs growl, in which they walked towards the table where the three plates are at.

"Mmm! What's that sweet but tangy smell?" Asked Isaac.

"These are the local delicacy of the western part of Leikios, they are called "The kings royal tower". It is an ancient dish dated back to when King Ur- Pabilsag still ruled this continent, but when it was made is specifically is lost. It consists of chunks of chicken meat, hand breaded, and fried. The sauce is made from chili peppers, cane sugar that grow at the river banks near here, ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar that is imported from the far east" explained the female tour guide.

"It sure does look delicious" said Isamu.

Eleanor began eating her plate of kings royal tower, soon followed by Isamu and Isaac. When Isaac eats the glazed chicken, he can taste the sauce being sweet and spicy at the same time. He took a swig of water before continued eating the glazed chicken, and repeat. Eventually, the trio got done eating their meal.

"I'm so full that I couldn't eat another bite" groaned Isamu.

"Me too. If I were to finish my plate, I would've get sick" said Eleanor.

"I have to admit, the kings royal tower meal is so sweet and spicy that I kept on drinking my water" said Isaac.

"Alright, time for bed" said Isamu.

The trio lay on the separate foldable cot beds, and went to sleep. However, an airship that Nathan is piloting has landed in the mountains in the south. It was running out of fuel, so Nathan and others had to make camp before setting out to the Apollo observatory.

At dawn

Isaac and others wake up the first thing the sun rises from the north, they had to leave the tent before anyone does. They walked up the steps that was carved from the mountain, and when they reached to the top, a massive stone gate with the symbol of fire stood before them.

"This must be the elemental gates the tour guide talked about" said Eleanor.

"At any case, we have to unseal the Apollo observatory to make a base there" replied Isaac.

In front of the trio, large stone rings with the images of the elements carved on it were separated on the stone floor. Isamu walked up to the red stone ring with the image of fire, and pushed it to the point that it rolled towards the symbol of fire on the gate. The light from the sun shines on the fire ring, thus creating a shadow on the symbol of fire and causing the gate itself to glow before opening. After that, the second gate has the symbol of water on it. Eleanor used her strength to push the blue stone ring with an image of water, thus causing it to roll towards the symbol of water. Once the shadow is on the symbol of water on the gate, it glowed before opening to another gate that has the symbol of earth. Isaac and Isamu had opened the gates of earth and air, by rolling the respective stone rings onto the symbols. It leaves with the final gate, in which it would be hard to open.

"This is it, the last gate. I'll use my magic on it to finish the puzzle" said Isaac.

The right side of the gate has a portrait of a beautiful woman wearing a headdress like the one the trio has seen, the left side is but a blank circle. When Isaac walked up to it, he saw a plaque on it that says:

"To the descendant of the Equinox or a light magician unrelated, create an image mirroring me. Then, cast thy light onto me, the way into the Apollo observatory shall open".

He thought for a moment on what the plaque says, but then he figured it out. He told the others that, to make a mirror image of the portrait, they must roll the elemental rings to create a shadow of the portrait. They rolled each of the rings towards the blank circle on the gate, and soon enough, it creates a shadow forming into a mirror image of the portrait. Then Isaac used his light magic on the portrait, and the gate glowed before opening the way into the Apollo observatory. Beyond the gate is a large stone building with a massive golden telescope at it's roof, with a faint glow coming from within. This is now doubt that this is the Apollo observatory, where the power of light is being harnessed.

"We did it! Now, let's head inside to see if there's anything of use to us" said Isamu with a smirk.

"Agreed" said Eleanor.

The trio opened the stone door, before entering. Inside, the walls are made with numerous slabs of lapis lazuli that mimic the stars at night, the center of the room has the model of the solar system, but the stairs are also made of slabs of lapis lazuli. In between the model of the solar system is empty pits with light coming out, providing light in the observatory since it lacks any windows. The trio were amazed at the sight, so they head upstairs to explore. At the second floor, there were numerous pipes connected to the giant telescope, a large metal sphere that resembled the one from the Wind Tower, and a pedestal that has a white gemstone that resembles either quartz or moonstone resting on it.

"Wow, who knew the Equinox were able to build this place. The fact that they were astronomers, they built this place to not only study the stars and the planets but to also use the telescope as a laser cannon" remarked Isaac.

"Well? Aren't we going to set up base here?" Questioned Isamu.

"Perhaps this will make the emperor happy" said Eleanor.

Authors note: this marks the part where Isaac and others set up a base in the Apollo observatory, that is until Nathan and others are going to stop them.