49. The Pyramid

After a very relaxing night and a good breakfast, the four travelers left the castle to seek their objective. A bit anxious, they left the town and went to the forest behind the castle. Caoilainn was wearing a fancy elaborate mauve dress, with lots of frills and ornaments, long gloves and delicate shoes of the same color. Her staff was of a dark brown wood and its top had a silver floral structure holding its gem which was an amethyst.
- "Aren't you a little too fancy, Caoi?" - asked Isabella.
- "Never, the great mage Caoilainn, the beauty of Kitatik should be dressed in her best way to achieve her dreams!" - she posed letting her now pink long curly hair on the wind. She laughed and they all did the same.

With the mood lighter, they advanced on the forest, until they reached some large cobblestone walls, signs of "no trespassing" and an iron gate. As Isabella got her bronze key, Caoilainn, excited, got it from her hand and tried it at the lock. However, it did not budge. Noticing Caoilainn's disappointment, Isabella approached and said:
- "I am sorry Caoilainn, this lock does require one extra step: royal blood."
- "That does not make sense!" - Caoilainn replied. She didn't have problems not having royal blood, she simply did not understand.
- "You will see." - Isabella got the key from her hand. She lifted her index finger and bit it until it bled. Richard's eyes were drawn to her. Then, she grabbed the key with that finger and put it on the lock. Turning it, the gate opened and they went inside. Caoilainn said:
- "Well, I hadn't seen this kind of blood magic before, that is a powerful protection."
- "Indeed" - replied Isabella - "and the blood needs to be fresh. It is hard to trust your family, but it is a valuable protection."
- "Hey, Richard, aren't you coming?" - Caoilainn said, looking back. He got startled and said:
- "Oh, sorry, I spaced out" - and he also proceeded.

The woods got more dense as they progressed and they walked wary for possible threats. Despite that, they didn't face any hurdles until they reached a large clearing in the forest. Close to them was an old altar, and in front of it, instead of ground, there was a large square floor made of stones. The four approached the altar, but naturally, Caoilainn and Richard got closer. On the altar, there some lines which seemed erased by time. Caoilainn looked at Richard and said:
- "We have the same thing in mind, right?"
- "We do." - he replied. She took the messages from Jacques they joined and tried to unite the drawings on the altar with the drawings of the messages. The result was a circle, with a three pointed star inside it. In the center of the star was an octagon and 4 loose lines were around the star. Caoilainn took a step back and couldn't contain her excitement.
- "Richard, this is special" - she looked at him. - "Help me fetch the components, this will be a transmutation to remember." - at Caoilainn's instructions, he helped her arrange the three components of the Tria Prima: mercury, sulfur and salt on the three points of the star and a slab of lead on its center. He also helped her set the sun and moon stones, water and her staff in a good position, along the lines. - "Now, step back!" - and so he did.

The other three watched as Caoilainn silently extended her fingers and initiated the process. A light emanated from her fingers and from the circle. First, the base materials dissolved into a black mud and were reunited. Them, the mud started to bubble, releasing impurities which were thrown out of the altar. Them, the mixture slowly got harder and yellowish. The light increased, as the the mixture became a hard and polished gem, shining red. Slowly, the light subsided, and all that remained was Caoilainn's staff and a perfectly polished transparent gem on the octagon. Caoilainn took the gem called the others and said:
- "Behold my friends, a Philosopher's Stone." - they watched in awe, as she turned the gem around and it shone and reflected every pristine color of the rainbow.
- "Does that mean we are done?" - asked Richard. Caoilainn was quick:
- "I don't think so, I will do a test." - Caoilainn set the stone on the altar and tried a transmutation, but nothing happened. Then, she picked up a small twig, put it on the altar and transmuted it into a wood carving of a bird. She showed it to then.
- "What does that mean?" - asked Richard. Caoilainn answered:
- "I was just checking my knowledge. The Philosopher's Stone is not as strong as in the legends. In the legends it is said that it would be above equivalent exchange, not requiring any materials to transmute. However, the only trustworthy document regarding it says it removes the need for an alchemic circle or a rune, submitting transmutations to your wildest desires, but still requiring the materials. As you could see, I needed the twig and not circle, so, it is as it was expected." - Richard looked down and said:
- "That is disappointing."
- "Not at all" - continued Caoilainn - "first because it might be key to Anima Mundi, bypassing the need for specific knowledge for each transmutation." - she looked forward - "and second because right here there is a hole in the ground of the exact shape of the stone." - Caoilainn went forward, knelt and set the stone on the hole as the others observed.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled and the stone started shining. They all stepped away, as a hatch opened on the stony ground. Caoilainn gulped as the others approached to look.

- "Well" - said Isabella - "it seems our path is downward." - she turned to them - "get the torches, let us not waste time." - they got torches from their bags, and, starting by Isabella, one by one they descended.

Slowly the four travelers descended the stairs revealed by the hatch. Haunted by the echoes of their own steps, they kept going without talking. Observing, they noticed as they alternated between tight corridors and larger chambers, in which the echoes increased dramatically. Still, they preferred to keep going down and forward, as the stairs were continuous.
- "It is like an inverted pyramid" - Richard said, in a low voice.
- "I wonder why we are going so deep." - said Mazanlold.
- "Pyramids in my world were created to be closer to god, so they were tall." - Richard continued - "that is all I know."
- "Well, some say Anima Mundi emanates from the center of the planet." - said Caoilainn - "maybe that is why."
- "Well, if this is a pyramid we need to be wary. That means there is only one way back. Let us stay sharp!" - Isabella said in a stern voice.

They continued until they reached a seeming dead end.
- "There must be something here" - said Richard. Isabella carefully touched the wall ahead of her until she felt a button and pressed it. The heavy stone door opened. Inside was only darkness and no more stairs. Isabella breathed deeply and went forward.