Lowly Ascent

It felt as if the swamp had transformed into a lush jungle, with vines upon vines obstructing Cain and Xavier's path.

Cain skillfully sliced through the entangled vegetation with his daggers. The master and servant found themselves amidst a vibrant green forest, a stark contrast to the gloomy surroundings of Netherane.

As Cain severed the healthy green vines, a looming grey stone-like structure emerged in the distance.

With each step forward, the structure grew larger and more imposing, capturing their attention.

They finally arrived in a more open area, revealing the building that had captured their gaze for the past few minutes. It stood before them—an ancient, crumbling structure, its grey stone façade bearing the marks of time.

Confirming the unmistakable craftsmanship of plague bearers, excitement surged through Cain.

The buildings stood as relics of a bygone era, devoid of interior spaces. Walls stood side by side, forming one-sided structures, eroded and worn down over time.

Their journey to the city's center unveiled the place's immense scale. Despite walking for at least 40 minutes, they were still far from reaching their destination. Xavier informed Cain that the centers of such ruins often housed underground facilities dedicated to specific research.

From afar they could already see such a center through the trees.

The entrance to the underground facility was peculiar, encircled by watchtowers and large tents. Beyond this core area lay the city, with plague bearers typically guarding the research facility due to its potential outputs.

In ancient times, research was openly shared more than it is today, which led to a flock of plague doctors eagerly awaiting the research of these facilities' results while conducting their own studies.

However, once these facilities served their purpose, they were abandoned.

In addition to being located in dangerous areas, they became uninhabitable for ordinary people.

Consequently, the cities eroded and faded over time, never to be heard of again, even their names lost in the sands of time.

However, some cities were spared. Xavier surprised Cain with the revelation that Carc used to be one such city. It was a time when plague doctors realized that building cities exclusively for themselves was counterproductive, as it consumed too much time that could be spent on research.

And so they began constructing cities inland, enlisting the help of common people to create lasting communities. This period coincided with the rise of Free City, which initially held a single research facility focused on land fertility—an area of study that had previously garnered little attention.

Cain knew that the pursuit of fertile land in Free City extended beyond mere agriculture. They were likely seeking a way to reverse the devastation inflicted by Numineer.

As a result of their research, Free City thrived, becoming a bustling hub of advancements due to its findings and advances.

But enough about history. Cain and Xavier finally reached the heart of the city. A large pond was in front of a rusted structure, surrounded by a sparse collection of trees and piles of stone.

Cain could only imagine how heavily guarded this area once was.

A small encampment of soldiers surrounded the main tent, protected under the gaze of those on the watch towers.

Approaching the rusted building, they discovered that the interior sloped downward like a ramp. Though well-preserved, the floor bore signs of decay, with occasional holes and areas crumbling under slight pressure.

Venturing deeper into the facility, Xavier diligently observed their surroundings, searching for any clues related to Cain's objective.

The path grew darker, prompting Xavier to illuminate the way with his lamp.

The ramp eventually ceased, revealing an uneven surface beneath their feet. Progressing even further into the tunnel, the facility gradually regained its former glory.

The underground facility began to become less eroded as they walked deeper. The facility began to look like it never aged, the walls now only having only a little rust.

The singular trait that showed just how old this place was, was the dust that coated everything in a thin layer.

Eventually, even the facility began to culminate in the revelation of functional electricity, Cain flicking a switch and the facility coming to life. It resembled the intricate inner workings of the Union's headquarters.

Even as only a puppet, Xavier expressed awe, captivated by the sleek and advanced appearance of the facility. Its machinery held an allure he had never encountered before.

Being more knowledgeable about the technology employed here, Cain took the lead in entering the main facility.

There were seemingly endless rooms that housed personal quarters for the facility's staff. Cain was reminded of the sprawling white hallways, reminiscent of the Union's endless corridors.

At long last, they stumbled upon a research chamber. Inside, well-preserved papers lay scattered, their contents inscribed in a language foreign to Cain.

Xavier stepped in to assist.

"Master, this is the language of runes," Xavier explained. "It takes a form similar to alchemic runes but serves as each Runesmith's personal language. Each language is distinct yet shares similarities. Decoding them should be a matter of using alchemic runes as a base."

Curiosity piqued, Cain asked, "If it's so easily decoded, why did they use it?"

"The language was reserved for personal matters, while confidential documents employed a language inspired by runes yet developed into something entirely different. Decoding these notes shouldn't take long, but they may not be directly connected to what you seek."

As Xavier delved into the task at hand, scanning the room for clues.

Cain's eyes roamed, captivated by the antiquated tools and apparatuses surrounding him.

These machines, bare-boned yet out of place amidst the facility's advanced technology, showed just how primitive Netherane was at the time.

This facility was constructed with the technology of a different territory not originating from Netherane.

This explained the antiquated appearance of the machines created by plague bearers, not having the capacity to copy this intricate technology.

After a few more minutes, Xavier completed the translation and presented his findings to Cain.

"These pages detail a recent breakthrough made by another research group. Interestingly, the group was working on developing runes to be used as seals, aligning with our purpose here."

"Alright, let's locate that part of the facility and unveil the means to open this Black box."

With now having a lead, the two exited the room, poised to uncover the answers they sought.