“The place I am about to show you is treated twice a year with anti-essence alchemical lotion. Very rare stuff that only master alchemists can make. There are many other nasty defense mechanisms that don’t bear discussing. So don’t get any ideas about making your little wolf monsters tunnel their way here so that you can steal everything.”
I made a mental note of the anti-essence lotion. A chemical that limited essence use might come in handy in the future.
If Brenda was right, then it was beyond Maginhart’s current alchemy expertise. But maybe his master, Cynthia, would know of it and be capable of brewing some.
I didn’t say any of this to Brenda. Instead, I followed her through what turned out to be a cavern system under the lodge. The passageways were made from a cold-looking stone. Narrow in some places, wider in others. Despite being a connoisseur of underground spaces, I refrained from giving a critique.
Soon, we came to a wide-open chamber with a hundred glass cases inside it. Inside every case was a Revered Trinket. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. It was like showing a hungry man a banquet of the finest steak.
“Since there was no winner of this decade’s tournament,” said Brenda, “the Revered Trinkets that were to go to the victor have not been used. Most will stay here, along with the rest of the Revered Trinkets, where they will be put to use in ten years. However, the tournament elders have been informed by many witnesses that you and your academy stayed to fight the Shielded Republic, while the Dungeon Core Academy fled.”
“It was nothing. I’m well known for my selflessness.”
She raised an owl eyebrow. “I’m sure you are.”
Floating in this place filled with Revered Trinkets, I began to get a suspicion about the owl in front of me.
“You aren’t just a bureaucrat, are you, Brenda?”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“This place. They wouldn’t give just anyone a key. It would only be someone who has proven themselves trustworthy of being the custodian of such an array of trinkets. Not only that, but it would have to be someone capable of defending themselves and the trinkets if the need arose.”
“You sound as though you’re getting ideas, Core Beno.”
“Not ideas. Just suspicions,” I said.
“It has been hundreds of years since the war with the Shielded Republic. The Battle of the Five Stars tournament was created shortly after. All this time, only certain people have been trusted with guarding the integrity and legacy of such an honored tournament. Not to mention all the boons and resources that come with it. Sometimes I spend my days behind a desk, and other times my duties carry me into more interesting places such as this.”
“You’re the head elder of the tournament, aren’t you? My friend Gulliver heard rumors of a secret sect of people who oversee things, but he thought it was just talk.”
Brenda smiled. “The head elder’s identity is never been divulged. That secrecy is yet another legacy of the tournament. Let’s end that line of questioning, shall we? Nosey beaks get caught by the cat.”
“If you say so. I’m hoping you didn’t bring me here to learn the history of the tournament.”
“Because you stayed to defend the arena and the spectators within it until the Empire guards arrived, it is been decided you deserve a reward. You are not the winner of the tournament, but your actions have earned a boon all the same.”
“Boon. There’s a word you don’t hear every day.”
“Have a look around the Hall of Revered Trinkets, Beno. See what treasures are kept here. You can take one Revered Trinket from this chamber.”
I eyed the glass cases hungrily. “Just one?”
“He told me you were never satisfied.”
“He?” I said.
“Never mind. Choose your trinket. I don’t have all day. You can take any trinket you want. But once you make your decision, it is done. You will likely never see this chamber again. Not even if you return in ten years’ time and win the tournament. No core has ever been allowed to peruse our whole exhibition. I suggest you make your decision carefully. However, I also suggest you bear in mind that I have other duties. I am not your assistant.”
Brenda retreated to the wall of the chamber and settled onto a steel rod that was fixed onto it, gripping the rod with her talons. She then produced a book from somewhere inside her feathers and began to read.
Faced with so many different trinkets and with only one choice, I felt overwhelmed. Choosing between three options after my fights had been hard enough. How was I supposed to make a decision when there were so many treasures to pick from?
For the next few hours, I floated from case to case, looking at the trinkets inside and studying the texts etched below them.
Although the text explained what the trinkets were, I knew they didn’t tell the full story.
Take the Glade of Rest, for example. When I chose it, I believed it was just a magic item that allowed the user to rest for longer than was physically possible. After experimenting with it, it turned out to be a tool that would let me train my monsters for extended periods, while little real time passed.
In short, the Glade of Rest was a middle finger to the laws of time.
So, what nuances were the rest of the Revered Trinkets hiding?
As Brenda turned page after page in her book and gave the occasional impatient cough, I threaded my way through the chamber.
I saw the Pants of a Thousand pockets. From the outside, they appeared as regular trousers but could hold as much
