They probably checked every inch that they could. Long minutes went by probably even an hour. Gilyon looked at the out come, but still needed a few more minutes to figure it out.

“It’s part of a magical lock of some kind. I’m sure I can open it… somehow.”

There was two runes on the opposite sides of the room. Gilyon was sure of that he have to activate them. But how? The key was energy of course, but which kind? If only he were better in elemental magic. First he tried to push them with small kinetic blast. Nothing happened other than some equipment flying of the tables and crushing on the floor. Still he thought it was worth a try. His second guess was that it might be the same as outside. But he was afraid try something like that indoors. If he makes a mistake the whole thing could collapse on them.

Fundamental form of energy manifested should’ve been lightning. Yet he was unable to cast the simplest spell of that area. And his friend wasn’t trained in that field. Freyan probably wasn’t strong enough but with his spells chances were that he could destroy the lock leaving what ever it was hiding unknown, with the door or gateway where ever it was remain closed. So the task remained his to solve. He searched for a spell crystal in his bag. It flickered on alternating frequency with a dimmed white light.

“You should step back” he warned Freyan, but elaborated when he saw him doing just that. “I mean like to back to the room entrance or something like that. Just to be sure.”

When it seemed his assistance is in safe distance, he activated the spellcrystal. A quick lightning escaped the crystal with radiant light, but Gilyon managed to catch it with one hand. Then he dropped the now dull crystal from the other. He arched the magic between his hands for a few moments. Lastly letting it go in both directions.

After the flashing light, there was only darkness as Gilyon let his magelight go out in the concentration. He heard only something heavy moving in the dark. But Freyan could see a door opening in one of the walls.

Gilyon caught his breath for a few seconds, only to almost scared to death summoning his magelight back up. Freyan walked up to him without a word or a sound he could hear.

“Next time at least say something!”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay” he put his hand on Freyan’s shoulder straightening his own stance back up.

They went down on the opened hidden passage. Surprisingly there were no further traps. All of them either already went off or were broken.

They arrived in a spacious hall. Faint light filled the room. Its source was an opening on the ceiling at the end of it. It was if natural light shone down upon an empty pedestal. But Gilyon knew it could be only made by magic. And not only because Axzavion was all created once.

Bookcases tall to reach the ceiling followed the walls and decorated some places in the hall. Remains of old decaying books were everywhere. It was as if someone threw them around in his anger. Shortly after looking around they found the probable culprit making this mess. A dried up and disfigured corpse lay on the floor before the pedestal as if it was trying to reach up for the light.

“Well… it explains the broken traps” Gilyon tried to speak in his usual lighthearted tone, but he looked grim, and almost couldn’t say the last word.

Freyan looked first the on remains then to Gilyon. He felt empty inside. All he could notice that the remains looked more like a dried out plant creature with tentacles to him than actual human remains.

“The Weeping Driad…” he said on a faint voice. And continued when Gilyon looked at him with query. “It looks like almost like the Weeping Driad in the Norther Forest.”

“If you say so…” Gilyon thought about it for a second. But probably it would tell him more if he ever saw the actual thing. “Let’s collect what’s left. And still watch out for traps.”

Freyan nodded. They searched around the hall. And he quickly understand what it meant ‘what’s left”. Most of the books were ruined. Some of them turned to dust upon being touched. Yet still there where some, even if they got thrown around, in perfect condition. It was highly suspicious that those were enchanted with some kind of preserving magic.

As they picked up what they could and turned around to leave the noticed an other passage leading out of the room, not just the one they came through. The two looked each other.

“I’m all about exploration…” started Gilyon hesitantly.

“Maybe an other time?”

“Sure.” Gilyon could agree to that even out loud. They still had to get out. And as they went back to the other room the secret door closed behind them. So did the main entrance started to fade in the meantime. They could saw it slowly disappearing as they left.

“This way” stated Gilyon and started to lead Freyan through the forest.

It was almost astounding how easily he found where he wanted to go even if dawn was just on the doorstep.