126 – Chalice

With a bronze rank secured, Vivi wasted no more time in tying up loose ends. She had put off the Quest for too long already, simply out of sentimentality.

Thus, she wrapped up discussions with Elise, met Remy, received his stunned and disbelieving approval, and then teleported the two siblings over to Vanguard. After signing him on as an adventurer and Elise as staff, Vivi warped to the Eastern Kingdom and scooped up Shel Donovan, Petra’s prior apprentice.

Malach had been handled earlier that morning, as agreed upon, which left the last three crafters. Unsurprisingly, each had accepted the offer to join Vanguard the moment Rafael presented it. The steward wouldn’t have pursued anyone he wasn’t certain would accept. Rhek Verontell, the grumpy leatherworker, was the last individual to be signed on, officially completing the Quest.

The old parchment that Rafael had brought in from the common room burned with golden fire for three spectacular seconds, washing the room in vibrant yellows, then smoldered down into not so much as a dusting of ashes.

“That’s that, then,” Vivi said, the gathered individuals all looking at the empty spot on Rafael’s desk where a scroll had once lain.

“You got the Codex out of the last one?” Saffra hesitantly ventured. “Any idea what the next will be?”

“I honestly couldn’t guess,” Vivi replied. The Codex was one of the most powerful artifacts in the world, so far as she knew. Certain plot-related items she remembered from the game’s campaigns could rival it, though none of those belonged to her, and even if she hunted them down, they would come with drawbacks or troublesome prerequisites. That this relatively simple mission might provide a second piece of legendary equipment was both ridiculous and, admittedly, exciting. Because she was far from immune to the allure of shiny new gear. “But let’s go find out,” she finished.

“Thank you for your time, Master Leatherworker,” Rafael told the craftsman, reaching out to shake his hand. “We have some tasks to attend to, but we look forward to working with you in the future.”

Vivi glanced at the dwarf. He had stayed quiet, grunting or giving gruff replies as needed. The demeanor wasn’t entirely new; she had noticed the change the moment he had realized who she was, back during that crafting project of theirs. She could only assume that his methodology for ‘being on best behavior’ was keeping his mouth shut.

They said their polite goodbyes, and Vivi, Rafael, and Saffra left the steward’s office, parting from Rhek Verontell. The party of three trekked to the guild’s vault. Even Rafael’s steps were brisk—he wanted to know what they would find as much as Vivi did. Yet no doubt for different reasons. She was curious about what world-shaking powers an artifact derived from the Reaper of the Lost Harvest might possess. Specifically, how it might be used to make casting more interesting, though she knew she shouldn’t jump to conclusions. It might not even be functional for mages. She’d likely gotten lucky with the Codex, it being a magic user’s dream item. Rafael, on the other hand, knew the artifact would introduce opportunities one way or another. Complications, depending on what it did. An item that powerful could create fear in important people, or change the conflict against the void threat somehow. Or who knew what else?

The steward pulled open the vault door and bowed slightly while gesturing for Vivi and Saffra to enter. They did so.

Centered a few feet in front of the opposite wall where the holder of the Codex had once sprouted was a pedestal that had certainly not existed the last time she had stepped into the vault. Atop that stone stand sat a cup carved from bone, red and amber gems adorning its intricately etched sides.

Vivi’s first instinct was to [Inspect] the item, and she indulged. A screen flashed into existence, which she read with interest.

***

The Chalice of Withered Plenty

Legendary

Lv. 2000 (Lv. 0)

Description

Drink deep of a bounty not yours.

***

She digested the name and description, then huffed. “That’s definitely an artifact of the Reaper’s,” she said dryly. “I see it’s keeping to the ominous tone the Codex set.”

“I question whether an item whose base is a Cataclysm could be anything but menacing,” Rafael remarked.

“Um,” Saffra said. “Am I allowed to [Inspect] it too?”

Vivi glanced at the girl in surprise. “Of course you are.”

“You asked me not to with the Codex,” Saffra explained. “But I guess that’s just because I didn’t know who you were yet. Just wanted to check.” The girl peered at the cup, squinting, and clearly pulled up its name and description. She froze, eyes widening at what she saw. “Oh. That’s… interesting. What does it mean?”

“‘Drink deep of a bounty not yours’?” Vivi quoted. “I’m not sure.”

For reference, Vivi pulled out the Codex and [Inspected] that too, just to see if any similarities jumped out at her.

***

The Codex of the Hollowed Sun

Legendary

Lv. 2000 (Lv. 0)

Description

Consume it all, for come what may.

***

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

But while the book’s description gave vague clues on what it might be used for, it certainly didn’t illuminate anything in clear terms. She had needed to use her magical intuition to deduce the Codex’s purpose, and the Chalice probably wouldn’t be any different.

“Let me see if I can find anything out,” Vivi said, striding up to the pedestal. She raised her staff and cast a series of analysis and detection spells, the same sequence as she had with the first artifact. She hardly believed a Mythic Quest would deliver a cursed item to her, but with such a sinister name, description, and appearance, she felt obligated to check.

When those spells returned no warnings, she gently gripped the stem of the elegantly carved, bejeweled chalice of bone. Power thrummed through the artifact, but unlike with the Codex, she felt no immediate intuition on what its purpose might be. The Codex had cried out to be opened and linked to, and for mana to be poured in.

“I can feel… that it’s empty,” Vivi said slowly. But even her impressive instincts failed to explain more than that. Perhaps because the Codex had been an inherently magical item—working with the flow of mana at its foundation. A mage’s tool. She didn’t think the chalice was the same, which produced some disappointment.

But don’t jump to conclusions, Vivi. It’s probably nothing to scoff at.