<h4>Chapter 586 Entering an Abandoned Altar</h4>


    The surroundings of this coastal area had changed in the centuries since Torne had passed through. Much had happened in the meantime, with the fall of the Cataclysm Order, and then the time had caused vegetation to cover previously open ces.


    The bird heard Vicente''s question and used one of its wings to indicate a spot ahead. "There is indeed an interesting area nearby, master. I''ve been living in this area for about a year, and this morning, I couldn''t help but try to defend my territory against a stranger..." It looked at Torne and then asked. "Are you going to that ce by any chance?"


    "Hmm, lead us there, Onyx." Torne agreed and told the beast to lead them to their ce of interest.


    Tamed or enved magical creatures followed a natural hierarchy based on length of service and power level. Since Torne was at the same level as the bird and had served Vice the longest, Onyx obeyed him immediately and set off for the ce Vicente was looking for.


    Onyx soon stopped in front of an area covered with mud and some creeping nts facing the coast.


    From a distance, no one would notice that something was hidden there. But when he looked closer, Torne recognized some details in the surroundings.


    "This is the ce." Hemented as he momentarily observed the state of this former secret ce of his organization.


    In Torne''s time, there were basically three types of Cataclysm Order sites. The mostmon of these were ordinary altars, which usually contained magical awakening tforms and not much else. These were simply ces to help families of Dark Path magicians so that they would have ces nearby to awaken their family members'' powers.


    The leastmon of all was the secret altars, where the religion usually kept small groups and plenty of resources in case of serious problems. Finally, there were the public altars, where members of the organization usually went to help other practitioners of the Dark Path, sometimes acting in daylight to defend their cause.


    The first andst types of ces of this religion were the most attacked in thest war before the end of this organization.


    The ce that Vicente had found in Torne, in the province of Scott, was of thetter type. As such, that ce had been attacked and swept away by the forces of the Congregation of Revtion.


    As for this ce in the Kenyth Empire, it was one of the organization''s secret outposts that might not have been attacked because only members important to the religion knew about these ces.


    Such individuals would rather die than give up theirpanions or secret locations that might one day be useful to possible survivors.


    The members of the Cataclysm Order hated the Congregation of Revtion deeply. So, if there were any chance of revenge, the elders of that force would not spoil their chances by opening their mouths to talk about these secret ces.


    In short, the only possibility that this ce had been explored or destroyed was if some survivor of the order hade to this ce after the war or if some enemy had followed some survivor there.


    However, these things would be difficult to achieve, as few people knew about these ces, and even fewer had the keys to enter such altars.


    "Master, please summon your Cataclysm Moon Pendant," Torne said to Vice after scanning the area around the ruins.


    Vicente did as he was told, and then Torne exined it to him. "All the secret ces of my religion were properly locked after the guards left their posts. Only with a special key could one enter one of these posts."


    "And that''s what this ne will do?" Vicente asked


    doubtfully.


    Torneughed and said. "Of course. As the most valuable item


    in our order, this ne can give you ess to all ranks of


    my order, master. After all, this was the artifact that only the


    Master of the Order could wear casually!"


    "Oh?" Vicente followed Torne as he made his way through the


    metal artifacts floating around him.


    Onyx followed behind them towards the entrance of the


    ce, not finding it difficult to use the same path as them.


    Although he had a ''giant'' body, it was nothingpared to


    what birds normally looked like. Onyx was only a little taller


    than Vicente. And with its wings retracted, its size was much


    less, so it could keep up with its master and Torne.


    They soon passed the main entrance to the altar. This ce


    was hidden in the crevices of the rocks in this area, and few


    things in the surroundings indicated that this was no simple


    abandoned ce.


    Only someone with Torne''s knowledge or Onyx''s elemental


    affinity could understand its value.


    Passing through the entrance, which was not very obvious


    from the outside even if it weren''t covered in undergrowth,


    Vicente and his twopanions reached the passage that


    would lead them to the secret location of the Cataclysm


    Order in this area.


    Entering what looked like a well-crafted cave, Vicente and his


    twopanions soon found themselves in front of arge


    round metal door.


    On the door were a series of symbols and entrances through


    which the mechanisms could be moved either with the


    appropriate password or by using one of the keys to this post.


    Torne said to Vicente. "Master, put some mana into the


    Cataclysm Moon Pendant."


    Vicente did that until a gray glow emerged from the object


    that looked like a crescent moon.


    As he did so, every mechanical and non-mechanical structure


    in the area shook as the mana inside stirred, making Vice and


    Onyx realize how right Torne was.


    Torne clenched his skeletal fists as he felt this, finally back in a


    ''preserved'' ce of his religion after millennia!


    After about 20 seconds, Vicente''s ne stopped emitting


    the glow, and the round door in front of him began to roll


    aside, revealing a dark passageway to them.


    Torne said. "Keep your ne around your neck until we


    leave this ce, master. It''s not a good idea to wear it for a


    long time, but the Cataclysm Moon Pendant will do you good


    in this ce."


    Vicente draped the pendant around his neck and then walked


    down the passageway that opened before him, following


    Torne while Onyx trailed behind, watching his back.


    Torne quickly spread his senses over the area, taking in the


    good and the bad. There were things they could use to


    strengthen themselves and prepare for the future, but not as


    much as this ce had once held.


    "It seems that somepanions came here before us, but


    they did us the favor of leaving things for us. There are some


    things here you need to see, master."