Chaos and Order - A Multiverse Fanfic

C67: Vault No. 999 - A Scheming Showdown!

The rail became steeper as they kept going deeper into the abyss.

Every other row of Vaults was farther than each other, Kai realized. The speed, though, was still the same. It was fast, with hell-wind blasting against their faces, trying to strip them off the skin.

When the cart stopped with a jerk, the darkness wasn't alone in greeting them.

Cold; a bone-chilling gust of wind rolled around them like a blanket of death.

The cold kept becoming colder.

Some coldness were known to have animalistic tendencies, trying to bite into flesh, one layer after another. This cold, though, was just plain sad. It did have a vileness to it, and Kai doubted if he would be ever happy again.

Something clicked in his mind, and Kai shuddered in terror.

He wasn't alone, though.

"Take it out, sir," the High Guard growled.

The High Goblin was shaking like a leaf. Mr. Gilson's voice jolted the goblin and he hastily reached into his robes, taking out a black bag. The color of the bag was so dark that even the surroundings felt impotent compared to it. The High Goblin opened the cover, and a white sun rose, blinding the unseen depths of the abyss.

Kai felt a rush of pure light around him. Eyes squinted, he looked at the thing.

It was a fist-sized orb within which there was a sea of silver mist. It reminded Kai of the intangible form the Ghost Serpent took to pass through the solid objects. There was something in it, he could tell.

Something alive.

"A petrified Corporeal Patronus!" Sord exclaimed.

The High Guard nodded. "Only two of their kind," he said. "Goblins had forged them ages ago until the Ministry banned its forging and seized the rest."

Kai had no clue what was going on.

But it must have been shocking, for Sord's mouth had yet to close after seeing the thing.

"Two..." Sord muttered. "Where is the second?"

"In my chambers," Mr. Gilson declared. "Let's go. Who knows how much damage the explosion has done to the vault? Wands out."

Wands were already out, though both Kai and the High Goblin didn't have any.

Sord put himself in front of Kai, as the wizard, Mr. Gilson, towered behind the High Goblin, his wand pointed out over the goblin's head. The orb in the goblin's hand worked like a high-luminosity bulb, brightening up the cliff's edge they were walking on.

"This is the last vault where the guards may venture," Sord told Kai. "But even I haven't come down here before."

"There!" the High Guard said after a minute of walking. "Behind that looming edge of the stone wall, there is a right turn which leads to the vault."

And, yes. There was a right turn behind that edge.

But when the four took the turn, another sun was waiting for them, lying before the heavy iron door of the vault. The number, 999, glistened ghostly silver-gold against its light.

"How can that be?!" the High Goblin exclaimed, looking taken aback. Sord stumbled back a few steps, his back hitting Kai's chest.

"It's not possible!" Mr. Gilson said in hollow awe. "Who dares to rob my belongings?"

I hope they never apply for an acting job, Kai sneered, almost rolling his eyes.

After a momentary silence, the four resumed their amble, keeping to the right. On their left was a drop, where even the light from the silver orb couldn't seem to reach.