Compared to the machine factory-like layout of the Stinky Tower, the interior of Zak Tower is more like some kind of research and preservation institution. There are many basically unprotected "booths" at the entrance and the ground floor, with a large number of strange shapes and purposes placed on them.
Unidentified dwarf mechanical parts.
As the floors rise, stone fences that only serve a formal purpose gradually appear outside the booths, metal cages to closely protect the exhibits, and even airtight crystal isolation devices.
In addition to the spherical guards, the guards along the way were snow elves wearing dwarf armor. Arthur very doubted how they could serve as guards if they couldn't even open their eyes.
"Due to their age, most of the protective measures on the exhibits have failed, and some are even completely locked and cannot be opened. But fortunately, the [Elder Scroll] you are looking for is not an example." Galeb said as he led Arthur to the top of the tower.
.
"Well... although I promised to help you attack [Twilight City] in exchange for the 'Elder Scroll', is it really appropriate to give it to me in advance?" Aren't you afraid that we will just take it and leave? This last sentence from Arthur
I just thought about it and didn't say it directly.
"You will understand this problem after you see the 'scroll'." Galeb's words seemed to be filled with a smile.
"Okay." Arthur turned to look at Septim and said silently. After all, he had written several books about the Elder Scrolls.
"It seems that you haven't read my book seriously," Septim said, glancing at him as if he were a lazy apprentice. "Then just wait while the master tries to show off, boy."
"Pfft." Ella chuckled.
"Perhaps due to some objective reasons, even if it is given to us in advance, we cannot take it away." Laidiya said after thinking for a while.
Perhaps it has something to do with the Twilight City. The existence of that city will have some impact on us and prevent us from taking away the Elder Scrolls?
Although Arthur thought so, he did not continue to analyze and inquire. It was pointless to do such a thing for something that could be seen immediately.
"Here we are," Galeb said: "The way to turn it on is obvious, but it's different every time. You can try it."
The top floor of Zac Tower is a huge circular room with completely opened walls. There is an equally huge metal disk on the ground, engraved with numerous star patterns, but it is only a section of the complete sphere that can be vaguely seen below.
The ceiling of the room is also made of dwarf metal, but it has dozens of small circular light sources with different directions. If they are imitating the starry sky, then only two or three will form images, but if they are imitating the black "sky", then
The similarity is at least 80%.
In the center of the house, there are more than a dozen metal cantilevers with the thickness of ordinary people's arms hanging from the ceiling. Each one has a different posture and position, but its ends are all inlaid with a large piece of crystal, and the crystal is fixed with the one downstairs.
There are quite similar exhibits in the exhibition hall.
"Perhaps you have noticed that after a certain crystal is illuminated by the light source on the roof, the cantilever supporting it will hang down close to the ground for people to visit, but at the same time other crystals will rise again. According to records, every time allowed here
Visitors are limited to three people to avoid conflicts," Galeb said.
"So, is that the 'Elder Scroll'?" Arthur asked, pointing to the huge crystal closest to the ceiling. Although it was illuminated by several rays of light, it had no intention of falling at all.
"That's right, if you want it to descend, you must activate the exhibits representing the 'Eight Holy Spirits' at the same time, and then it will descend to a position where it can be visited. There is an operation platform over there. You can try it." Galeb told Ya.
"The first time I succeeded, it took about three hours," Ser said.
The so-called console is three metal cylinders as thick as buckets. Each one has a sapphire button on its surface. According to the icon next to it, whenever one of them is pressed, different parts of the "starry sky" on the ceiling will follow.
It rotates, and the affected crystal below it will also move up and down.
"Well..." Arthur pressed the first button tentatively.
——5:11——
"Dad - aren't you okay yet -" Sophie hugged the rabbit and sat on a metal chair for visitors to rest, shouting to Arthur from a distance, and the strange rabbit had not eaten [blood thistle] for a long time.
】, becoming a little depressed.
"I've almost found the pattern! It'll be fine soon!" Arthur responded to the girl while continuing to press the button.
Creak, creak - With the sound of metal friction, the starry sky on the ceiling began to rotate, several crystals fell, and several more crystals rose, but the giant crystal containing the "Elder Scroll" remained motionless.
"That's what he said an hour ago." Ella said to Jane Russell beside her.
"Hmm... does it mean that Mr. Baron has perseverance?" The dark elf looked at Arthur and responded hesitantly.
"The one with perseverance is the other one." Ella curled her lips and looked at Lydia, who was standing next to Arthur. Since a very aggressive dwarf machine jumped out of a crystal not long ago, this guard
He stood behind Arthur with his shield up and didn't leave.
After lifting and lowering several more times, Arthur's brows became more and more frowned. Every time he thought he had mastered their rules, there would always be more strange lifting and lowering reactions, but there were obvious rules and connections between them. This...
…
"Okay, after you try out all the rules, one night will pass." Septim, who had been talking to Galeb before, silently walked to the console: "Leave it to me now. After all, you are going to find me."
It’s also for this purpose, isn’t it?”
Arthur spread his hands and stepped away from the console.
I saw the old mage Bluebeard taking out a cube made of a material very similar to dwarf metal from his mage robe, and pressed it into the diamond-shaped groove next to the console, which Arthur originally thought was a decoration.
Steam steam——kaka——squeak——
There was no movement at the console, but the ceiling, which originally required control to move, began to rotate on its own, and the crystals also rose and fell in a strange and regular rhythm.
Finally, eight crystals tilted outward hung from the air and formed a circle in the middle of the hall. After that, the huge crystal that originally stood motionless slowly dropped from the air with its metal cantilever and approached the ground.
Open slowly.
"...I understand." Arthur looked at the form of "The Elder Scroll" and shrugged: "There is really no way to take it away before [Twilight Saga] is solved."
It was a giant metal scroll that was two meters long. It was silver-white and shone brightly under the starlight. Judging from its size, it could only be taken away by carrying it on one's back. At present, the twilight scroll is everywhere.
In the case of city spies, this is simply the most obvious target.
"Mortals can easily be blinded when they watch its content rashly. It is said that the 'Holy Moth Priests' deliberately cultivated by the Septim Empire can read it in some ways, but each priest can watch it a limited number of times," Galeb
He tilted his head slightly to avoid the reflection of the ancient scroll: "As a dragonborn, you should just be unable to read without getting hurt. Others can also try if they have extraordinary powers."
Extraordinary power? Which one do you mean? Arthur looked at the companions around him. Except for the newly joined Jane Russell, probably no one present was a real "mortal". Even the rabbit was suspicious.
"What you see when you read the scroll is not certain. It can come from the past or the future. It may be valuable or worthless," Galeb said. "However, what I saw was the collapse of the 'Twilight Zone'
, the 'Black Sun' goes out, these things did not exist in the past, so they must come from the future created by me."
"The 'Elder Scroll' can be read over and over again, but as long as something is seen from it, the content will be fixed unless another scroll is found." Septine said silently: "I have already read this one, so there is no need to count it.
It’s mine, this time.”
What he saw was indeed the ruins in the iceberg...
"Jie Jie - then I'm not welcome -" Following a strange voice, a tall and thin man wearing a lumberjack costume with yellow eyes appeared in front of the Elder Scroll, grabbed the handle on the side and pulled it directly
Opened it.
"Vampire! When did he sneak in!" Arthur drew his sword with his backhand and was about to rush over.
"Gah!" When everyone reacted instantly and prepared to launch the first wave of attacks, the intruder suddenly let out a shrill scream, and then his whole body ignited with golden flames. The next moment, he suddenly turned into countless bats.
He crashed through the wall and escaped from Zac Tower in the air, but judging from the remaining dying bats, the vampire king probably only had less than half of his life left.
"Is the Elder Scroll such a dangerous thing? Can it kill readers just through words?" After Lydia recovered from the accident, she first cared about Arthur: "Then Baron, you'd better not read it.
.”
"Impossible, the holy moth priests of the Empire's White Gold Tower are at best blind. I have never heard of any priests dying suddenly, ever." Septine shook his head in silence.
"If I had to guess, the vampire might have seen the sun up close. Let me try this time." Arthur smiled at Lydia and walked towards the Elder Scroll: "Don't worry, as a 'Dragonborn', there are no pictures or
Words can hurt me."
Except for Jane Russell, everyone seemed to be more or less relieved. After all, he was a "dragonborn" who could turn into a dragon.
The scroll itself was not locked. Although it was made of metal, the part pulled out of it was similar to smooth white leather, with a complex and weird circular pattern similar to a magic circle drawn on it. The moment Arthur saw it, he was stunned.
It gradually faded away, and at the same time, another picture vividly appeared before his eyes.
It was a distant view of a noble residence. The perspective seemed to be restricted and it was impossible to get closer. Through the railings on the wall, you could vaguely see a small garden inside. There was a person who looked like the one he had seen before at the Mage Academy.
A girl who is very similar to "Zela Pesh", but in rather weird clothes, is lying on a rocking chair next to the fountain and taking a nap, while something red is swirling around her.
Although he could not understand the significance of this scene and was completely inaccessible, Arthur inexplicably wanted to watch it for a while longer.
The next moment, his vision went dark and he fell on his back. Before he fell into coma, he vaguely heard the exclamations of his companions.
