Chương 288: Chapter 284 - Echoing warnings

Scarlett arched an eyebrow as she regarded Yamina's strange form — a shimmering blue projection that flickered faintly at the edges.

"That is quite the unusual appearance, Miss Ward," she remarked.

"If memory serves, you were considerably less…ethereal during our last meeting." A tickled smile played across the wizard's translucent lips as she inclined her head.

"Don't mind me. This is merely the result of an artifact I discovered in the Forgotten Tower. It's an avatar shaped by mana, allowing me to project my consciousness across vast distances. I'm currently on the mainland, and this artifact is one of the few things capable of bypassing the Rising Isle's wards undetected. From what I've gleaned in my studies, it seems the artifact's creator had a hand in designing the wards as well." She paused, her spectral form shifting slightly.

"The Council would likely be livid if they learned of its existence, so I use it sparingly. I'd appreciate your discretion on the matter." Scarlett chuckled softly.

"Your secret is safe with me. But I am curious — what keeps you from the Rising Isle? Where precisely on the mainland are you?"

"I'm afraid I can't share too many details at present," Yamina replied, gliding to take a seat opposite Scarlett. Her form seemed almost weightless, as if hovering just above the chair.

"You might say I'm pursuing a personal endeavour."

"Might it be related to what you sought in the Veiled Library?" Scarlett asked, studying the woman as she rested one arm on the table. Yamina cocked her head, her expression revealing little.

"Who can say?" Scarlett watched her for a moment longer, considering some of the possibilities. The wizard had been looking into the Tribute of Dominion in the Veiled Library, which was likely to involve Beld Thylelion in some capacity. If that were the case, she'd probably be collaborating with the mage towers and Dean Godwin. Yet Scarlett hadn't heard anything of the sort from Adalicia, and it didn't seem like the sort of venture Yamina would have to keep under wraps.

"…I suppose we all have our secrets," Scarlett finally said, lightly tapping her finger on the table.

"That said, something you mentioned piqued my interest. You said this artifact that allows you to project yourself was found in the Forgotten Tower? I have often wondered how you gained access to such an allegedly impenetrable place. If you are willing to share that tale, I may have some valuable information to offer in exchange." A gentle laugh escaped Yamina.

"While your proposal is tempting, regrettably, that story will have to wait for another time. This avatar form isn't sustainable indefinitely, so we should probably get down to business." Scarlett couldn't hide a flicker of disappointment, but she nodded in acknowledgment.

"Very well. What did you wish to discuss with me?" She had received a message from the wizard earlier this evening, shortly after concluding her meeting with Gaspar, and all Yamina had said was that she wanted to speak. Scarlett thought that meant in person, but apparently not. Yamina's gaze fixed on her, the reflection in her spectral glasses lending an eerie sheen.

"I asked Magister Penney to relay my message the moment I heard of your arrival. I assume you've already spoken with Grand Wizard Hartford about the situation in the Hall of Echoes?"

"I have," Scarlett confirmed.

"We met only a few hours ago."

"And, I presume, as with the Astral Sanctum and the Veiled Library, you possess certain 'forgotten knowledge' about the Hall that justifies the Council requesting your presence?" Yamina continued, her form flitting briefly as she leaned forward.

"I seem to recall you suggesting something of the sort on your initial visit."

"That is correct," Scarlett replied.

"Or, at the very least, I have reason to believe so. I cannot guarantee anything until I visit the Hall myself."

"Hmm." Yamina observed her for a long moment, then adjusted her glasses with a blue-tinted hand.

"Well, it's as I suspected then. I had a feeling you would return to the Isle soon enough, but I only received the news from Hugbert earlier today. Now, as for why I wanted to meet you in person—figuratively speaking—do you recall my suggestion that you visit the Hall of Echoes?" Scarlett nodded.

"I do, yes. Does it bear some connection to what is happening now?" If the woman somehow managed to predict this, an event that—as far as Scarlett was aware—was outside of the game's narrative, then it would indeed be impressive.

"It may be," Yamina replied.

"Though I didn't quite expect it to unfold in this manner."

"How did you anticipate it unfolding?"

"Not in any one particular way, frankly," Yamina said with a ghostly shrug.

"As I've mentioned before, divination is a capricious school of magic. It's rarely, if ever, precise enough to where you should actually bother with things like expectations. Vague notions and impressions are often the limit of what one can glean. However, if what I've heard about what's currently occurring in the Hall of Echoes is true, the situation is far more unusual than even those inklings led me to believe." This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

A faint frown creased Scarlett's brow.

"Do you know what is happening there, then?" Gaspar had outlined the overall situation, but it hadn't made much sense to her. What he'd described was different from what she had experienced or knew to expect from the game, to the point where it was honestly worrying.

"I'm afraid I'm likely more in the dark than you are, Baroness," Yamina said, a hint of what might have been frustration threading her voice.

"Due to my current absence from the Isle, the Council hasn't seen fit to share much with me, and I can't perform any inquiries from where I am now. All I know is that my original divinations suggested some sort of connection between you and the Hall of Echoes, seemingly stemming from our visit to the Veiled Library. I will say that, as I have been trying to analyse the threads of those divinations further, I've noticed they have become increasingly difficult to interpret.

The results appear almost unusually inconsistent, even erratic, in a manner far beyond the norm — even for ones involving you." Scarlett's eyes widened in slight surprise. Did that mean her meeting with Thainnith had somehow triggered whatever was happening in the Hall of Echoes? And if Yamina's divinations were becoming increasingly unreliable, did that imply that something was interfering with fate beyond Scarlett's own existence?

"I wanted to warn you," Yamina continued, her gaze locking with Scarlett's, a new intensity in her eyes.

"I can't even begin to predict what might happen there, but I suspect that whatever your original plans for the Hall of Echoes were, they won't play out as smoothly as you might have hoped. I have no tangible proof of this suspicion, and neither my divinations nor my instincts are in agreement on it, but that very contradiction is precisely why I'm concerned. Something peculiar is happening in the Hall, and I only wish I had the opportunity to investigate it myself."

Scarlett remained silent, contemplating the warning. After a while, she reached into her [Pouch of Holding] and withdrew the [Orrery of Dissonant Convergence]. Yamina did not seem to fully register what the device was, the woman's gaze sharpening as she curiously looked on. Turning the intricate metal bracelet over in her hands, Scarlett inspected the small, spherical mechanism within its copper frame. The Orrery remained inert, giving no particular reaction to its surroundings beyond what she would have expected.

However, if the disturbances in the Hall of Echoes were somehow linked to her visit to the Veiled Library, and they had started somewhere around the same time as well, it would coincide suspiciously well with the Orrery's first significant response to a major disruption in fate. Could it be that the Hallowed Cabal's assault on the empire wasn't the only incident that happened during that period? Was their sudden attack somehow intertwined with this anomaly here on the Isle?

If so, how did Scarlett meeting with Thainnith's remnant—and the inheritance she received from him—fit into all of this? She would have to bring the Orrery to the Hall of Echoes to gauge its reaction firsthand. At the very least, it might provide a measure of the disturbance's scale. If events there did deviate drastically from what she knew, she would need to approach this situation with greater caution than initially planned.

"I appreciate your effort in offering this warning," she said, looking up from the Orrery to meet Yamina's eyes once more.

"I shall consider your words carefully as I decide how best to proceed." Yamina's brow furrowed slightly.

"But you still intend to go there?"

"Of course," Scarlett replied without hesitation. Not only could she expect a more substantial reward from the Council for her efforts, but more crucially, she needed to get to the bottom of whatever was happening. Was this apparent discrepancy a result of her own influence, the machinations of the Hallowed Cabal, the involvement of an unknown player, or something else entirely?

While the Hall of Echoes she was familiar with from the game didn't hold anything she desperately needed, every dungeon on the Isle thus far has revealed unexpected surprises. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that she'd stumble upon something of interest there as well. Moreover, while she was waiting for Gaspar to report back to her on the Arlene situation, this seemed like a productive use of her time.

Yamina studied her for several long seconds, the woman's gaze eventually falling back to Scarlett's hands. Finally, recognition flickered across her features as she seemed to register the Orrery's presence.

"…Is that the artifact from last time?" she asked deliberately.

"It is," Scarlett answered, slipping the Orrery back into her [Pouch of Holding] and keeping her expression neutral.

"Was there anything else you wished to tell me?" Yamina scrutinised her for a moment longer, then shook her head slowly.

"I simply wanted to offer my warning, that's all." She glanced down at her own hand, as if checking something unseen.

"I don't have much time left, besides." The woman rose from her seat, giving Scarlett one last, meaningful look.

"I'll take my leave now. I hope you find success in your endeavours within the Hall." Scarlett offered a slight gesture of farewell.

"And I wish you the same in whatever pursuits presently occupy your attention."

"If fate smiles upon us, perhaps we'll have the opportunity to meet again soon, Baroness," Yamina said with a final smile.

"Farewell." With those parting words, her form began to glimmer and fade. The air around her rippled like a heat haze, and within seconds, she had vanished entirely, leaving Scarlett alone in the now-silent room. Scarlett remained still for a time following the wizard's departure, her finger continuing to tap a steady rhythm against the table as she considered the implications of this new information.

She had intended for this visit to the Rising Isle to be relatively straightforward, but it seemed 'Fate' had other designs. She would need to put her mind to it if she wanted to unravel what tied all of this together, it seemed. And it would all begin tomorrow, with her first foray into the Hall of Echoes.