Chapter 364: Chapter 364: Toward the Surface
The chamber was silent except for the faint hum of dormant mana. Dozens of automata remained kneeling, their metallic frames bowed in frozen reverence. Noel stepped forward, The Key dangling loosely from his fingers.
"Well," he muttered under his breath, smirking, "no harm in testing it."
He pushed a thread of mana into the pendant. Its dull surface pulsed once, faintly. Immediately, several automata lifted their heads in perfect unison. The sound of shifting gears echoed, eerie in its synchronicity.
Selene stiffened beside him. "Noel..."
"Relax." His grin widened. "Let’s see just how much they’re listening."
He raised his voice. "Do push-ups."
At once, the nearest row of constructs lowered themselves onto their plated arms, rising and falling in mechanical rhythm. The floor trembled faintly beneath their synchronized motion.
Selene’s brows knit together, her usually calm face betraying a flicker of disbelief. "What—?"
"Alright then," Noel continued, fighting the laugh tugging at his lips. "Jumping squats."
The automata complied without hesitation, launching up and down in perfect, heavy synchronization. Dust shook loose from the ceiling with every impact.
Selene’s voice slipped, low and incredulous. "They’re... responding to you."
Noel shot her a look over his shoulder, a playful glint in his eye. "Told you it was worth trying."
He turned back toward the constructs, letting his smirk fade into something sharper. "Enough. Show us the way out."
The automata froze mid-motion, then all at once rose to their feet. Their heads tilted as though acknowledging the command, before they pivoted toward a shadowed corridor at the far end of the hall.
Noel adjusted Revenant Fang at his side, stepping up beside Selene. "Guess we’ve got ourselves a guide service."
The automata marched ahead, their metal footsteps echoing like a drumbeat through the endless halls. Noel and Selene followed close behind, the air still heavy but no longer hostile.
Noel twirled The Key between his fingers, his smirk twitching. "Alright, let’s make this interesting."
He raised his voice. "Spin in circles."
The two constructs at the front immediately halted, then began rotating clumsily, their armored frames turning like stiff dancers.
Selene blinked, then covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "...What are you doing?"
"Testing limits," Noel said innocently, though the corner of his lips tugged upward. "You never know when this might come in handy."
"Handy?" Selene repeated flatly.
He ignored her tone and called out again. "Handstands. Go."
Four automata slammed their heavy hands onto the stone and awkwardly balanced upside-down, their legs trembling as they tried to maintain the pose.
This time, Selene’s composure cracked. A sharp laugh slipped out—then another, until she was leaning slightly forward, shoulders trembling, laughter spilling freely from her lips.
Noel froze, blinking at her. It wasn’t the faint, almost invisible curve of her mouth he’d caught more than once before. This was full, unrestrained laughter, bright and completely unguarded.
For a moment, he just stared. ’She... actually laughs like that?’
Selene caught herself after a few seconds, realizing his eyes were on her. Her laughter cut short, and her cheeks flushed crimson. She turned her head quickly, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear. "Don’t... look at me like that."
Noel’s smirk softened, more genuine than teasing this time. "Didn’t know you had that in you."
Selene’s voice was sharp again, though thinner, almost defensive. "Forget it."
The corridor stretched on, their steps echoing behind the automata’s steady march. The silence between them felt different now—not heavy, but fragile, as if something unspoken lingered after Selene’s burst of laughter.
Noel glanced sideways at her, catching the faint pink still lingering on her cheeks. For once, her sharp mask wasn’t fully in place.
He let the words slip out before he could stop himself. "You know... you’ve got a nice smile."
Selene blinked, her steps faltering for half a heartbeat. "What?"
He smirked faintly, eyes forward again. "That laugh back there. The way you smiled—it suits you. You should do it more often."
The air thickened instantly. Selene’s composure cracked, her breath catching in her throat. She turned her face slightly, as if studying the wall instead of him. "Don’t say things like that so easily."
Noel shrugged.
For a few moments, neither spoke. The automata continued their mechanical march, guiding them deeper into the labyrinth.
Selene finally whispered, just audible enough: "Smiling like that... it’s not me."
Noel glanced at her, his smirk softer this time. "It could be."
Her fingers tightened around her wand, and she pressed forward quickly, her cold mask snapping back into place. But the faint flush on her ears betrayed her.
At last, the corridor widened into a circular chamber. In its center, a stone platform embedded with glowing runes waited, dust gathered thick around it. The automata lined up around the edges, standing as silent sentries.
Selene narrowed her eyes at the platform. "An elevator."
Noel exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Guess this is our ride out."
The runes beneath the platform flared to life as Noel pressed The Key against them. A low hum filled the chamber, and slowly the elevator began to rise, stone grinding against stone.
Neither of them spoke during the ascent. The automata remained below, watching silently as the platform carried its new master upward. The higher they climbed, the colder the air grew, until at last a draft of mountain wind swept across them.
Light spilled in through a narrow crack. The platform shuddered once before locking into place, revealing a hidden exit carved into the mountainside. Moss and jagged rock disguised the entrance, so well that Noel doubted anyone could stumble on it by chance.
He stepped off first, scanning the rocky slope. They were high up—far above the treeline, where clouds brushed the cliffs. The sanctuary’s entrance was invisible now, swallowed by the mountain itself.
Selene emerged behind him, her voice calm but wary. "Clever. A door no one would ever find."
Noel adjusted Revenant Fang against his shoulder, his eyes narrowing at the horizon. "Hidden, but not forever."
They didn’t move far from the opening. For a while, only the wind and the cry of distant hawks filled the silence. Then, a faint mechanical hum drifted across the rocks.
Noel’s gaze snapped up. Hovering above the cliffs, a small drone-like construct emerged. A single red eye glowing in its center. It paused, scanning the area.
The hum sharpened, and a beam of light passed over them.
Noel’s jaw clenched. "Looks like we’ve been found."
The drone whirred once before zipping away, vanishing beyond the cliffs.
Selene’s grip on her wand tightened. "What now?"
Noel exhaled slowly, sinking onto a rock. "We wait here for a bit. No point chasing it—we’ll deal with whatever comes after it reports back."