OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 105: Team Dive

The Liberation Army, with its guerrilla tactics and military training, had managed to establish a foothold in some parts of the ruins.

They had set up traps and ambushes to prevent the other factions from advancing and were constantly searching for any information that could give them an edge in the war against the

UEF.

Their resourcefulness had made them formidable opponents, and it was clear that they would not give up the Silent Archive without a fight.

The Templar, on the other hand, operated in secrecy and isolation.

They were a highly disciplined and fanatical order that was willing to sacrifice everything for their beliefs.

They saw the Silent Archive as a holy site, and their search for the lost manuscripts was driven by their faith in the power of Aether.

Which they believed to be a divine force. A 'Creator.'

Templar had already infiltrated some parts of the ruin and were using their knowledge of runes to decipher the clues that could lead them to their prize.

Their obsession with Aether and their faith in its power have driven them to undertake extreme measures, including sacrificing their own members, to gain the knowledge they seek. Templar was not to be underestimated, and their zealotry made them a dangerous foe to

cross.

They were convinced that the hidden knowledge within the Silent Archive would allow them easier access to ascending to a higher plane of existence, and they would stop at nothing to obtain it.

The Gateway Alliance, meanwhile, had set up a temporary base on the outskirts of the ruins.

They brought with them a team of scientists, engineers, and historians who were using advanced technology to map the ruin, analyze the artifacts and relics, while also decoding the texts inscribed on the walls.

Their goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the world before the apocalypse and to use that knowledge to gain technology that would establish themselves as a faction that truly specialized in all matters regarding transportation.

They weren't interested in the political or ideological struggles of the other factions and were content to observe and record the events from a safe distance.

Although not involved in the race, their presence had not gone unnoticed by the other factions.

Templar viewed them as a threat to their mission and had begun to watch them closely.

The Liberation Army, however, saw the potential value of their knowledge and tried to strike up a tentative alliance with them, just like they did with Templar outside the matters of this ruin.

Despite the tensions between the factions, the Silent Archive remained a highly contested ruin, with each group determined to come out on top.

The UEF had no interest in the Silent Archive, however, solely due to them joining the CCA.

The Cosmic Civilization Alliance (CCA) was a contract that bound all factions under the Universal Table.

The Order in the guise of maintaining the CCA, had openly established friendly relations with the UEF.

And although the UEF were at war with the Order, they still chose to focus their efforts on other ventures that aligned with their partnership in the CCA.

So this lack of involvement from the UEF gave the other factions more freedom to operate in this ruin.

The UEF's more advanced technology and military might could easily overpower any of the factions if they were to choose to intervene.

But that would decrease their manpower on the front lines, costing them the entirety of Earth, incomparable to one ruin.

For Emir, Lyra, Kiera, and the rest of the gang members, the absence of the UEF was both a blessing and a curse.

Since they could simply search the ruin without fear of interference from the UEF hoarding the relics for themselves.

But they had to be constantly vigilant for any signs of outside threats, as the UEF's absence quantified the danger.

As they descended into the underground district, the group of hunters did as hunters always did.

Adapt.

Kiera led the way, her experience evident in the way she navigated the dark and laborious terrain.

Or rather, it was dark for her at least.

Since Emir and Lyra could now easily see in the dark with their night vision, a mutation that Aether provided.

Both of them followed closely behind, in the middle of their pack.

Their eyes scanned the walls and floors for any traps or signs that might indicate a possible attack.

The rest of the gang positioned themselves at the rear, their weapons ready to defend at a moment's notice.

Leo moved with them at the center of the group.

He took charge of monster spotting and used his information gathering device to keep them informed of all potential threats.

Which they simply avoided by moving in a different direction.

Emir could've easily done a better job, but as he and Lyra were only there to keep watch over them, they didn't interfere.

The remaining members of the group spread out to search for relics in the rubble scattered around them.

The group moved slowly and cautiously, their progress impeded by the maze-like terrain and the threat of ambushes from the other factions and monsters.

As they moved deeper into the ruins, the tension and excitement among the group grew.

And their emotions reached their peak when they finally, after navigating a series of twisting corridors and avoiding several traps, came upon a grand archway that led to the entrance of

the silent archive.

[Emir, I just received an invitation from this ruin's AI manager to talk.] Lyra informed as she stopped and stared at the entrance.

[Be safe.] Emir nodded without looking at Lyra.

[Of course.]

Moments after their conversation, Kiera stepped in front of the ruin and turned to face the

group.

"This is it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"The Silent Archive."

The group fell silent as they took in the sight before them.

The entrance was intricately carved with symbols and figures, their meaning lost to time.

The massive doors were made of dark, polished stone, and adorned with intricate metalwork.

Sarah stepped forward and ran her hand over the metalwork, tracing the intricate patterns

with her fingers.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

Emir nodded in agreement.

"And dangerous," he added.

"We need to be careful from here on out."

Leo chimed in:

"My device is detecting some strange energy readings inside.... It's definitely not something

natural."

Emir looked at Lyra and said:

[It's Aether right?]

[Yes, most definitely. Your information gathering device didn't detect any monsters, so we

can say that it is safe for now. It might be because of the manager, I'll tell you more about that

when I return.] She replied.

He nodded.

"No worries about that, there are no monsters, this reading that your device detected is something else, so we can go ahead, it is safe."

Now assured by Emir, Kiera gestured for the group to follow her.

They stepped through the archway and into the grand library and were greeted by row upon

row of towering bookshelves.

They were immediately struck by its awe-inspiring size and beauty.

The shelves themselves appeared to be made of dark, polished wood that glimmered in the

dim light.

Those shelves housed rich leathers, all scattered about, joined with intricate metal clasps and buckles, most probably thrown away after the books were extracted.

The air was thick with the musty scent of old parchment and leather bindings, and shafts of light filtered down from unknown sources set high in the walls.

In the center of the chamber stood a massive marble statue of a regal-looking figure holding

a book, its face weathered and worn by time.

The statue was flanked by two enormous pillars that stretched up to the vaulted ceiling far above, which was decorated with intricate carvings and frescoes depicting scenes from

ancient history.

The floor of the library was made of polished marble, and surrounding the figure was etched a

circular pattern of mosaics that depicted a series of intricate runes that pulsed with

otherworldly energy.

Aether.

The Aether went unnoticed by the group, as only Emir looked at the statue in surprise.

But he quickly composed himself and joined them.

He didn't ask Lyra, as he knew her interaction with the manager of this ruin was the cause of

it.

As the group moved further into the library, they saw that many smaller rooms and alcoves were branching off from the main chamber, each filled with even more shelves.

It was clear to them that this place had once held an immeasurable amount of knowledge and history, and the group felt a sense of reverence as they walked past its many secrets. Emir and the others kept watch over the gatherers as that part of the group spread out, carefully inspecting the shelves for any relics that might be hidden among them.