Legion's Fifth Vault

(These summaries have been taken from the author's website with permission]

# Legion's Fifth Vault - Summary

Jagen, the Champion for the god Izac, is in the Infernal Realm speaking with those who might have information on how Jagen, along with four of Uru’s Champions, had escaped the Spirit Realm. While there, the Aspect of Death appears and kills everyone present except Jagen. The Aspect of Death reveals herself as Echo, the young woman Ruwen helped during the Step Trial, and the daughter of Lalquinrial, the god of the Infernal Realm.

Ruwen, in New Eiru, is rebuilding the city after the war with Naktos. He asks Niall, Hamma’s father, to be the High Priest for the temple there. Uru arrives and accepts whatever punishment Niall desires because Uru had altered Niall’s memories in the past. Miranda arrives to carry out the punishment. After speaking with Uru, Niall decides to not punish her and accepts Ruwen’s offer on the condition Hamma goes with her father to fetch her mother.

Ruwen discovers that Fractal has improved an elixir that will bring Ruwen’s transition from Gold to Jade to around four days. He also learns that Blapy, with Fractal’s help, is trying to create an inorganic solution to revival so that even without a deity, you can revive.

Ruwen uses the improved elixir and transitions from the Metal Gold to the new Gem tier Jade. The process dissolved all his skin and muscles leaving only his bones, before rebuilding his body. This gives him vastly more power and control over his body and leads to immediate gains in his Bamboo and Viper Steps.

While Ruwen was undergoing the transformation from Gold to Jade, the rest of the team stole a book needed for Ruwen’s Inklord quest line. Something happened to Sift during the heist but no one will tell Ruwen (you can read what happened in the “Extras” tab of afkauthor.com). This book allows Ruwen to complete his current quest and gain both himself and Rami upgrades.

The Scarecrow Aspect that Ruwen stole in the Spirit Realm and traveled into the Material realm wearing acts as a seed during the transition process. Instead of transitioning into Jade as expected, the Scarecrow Aspect allows him to move straight into Diamond. With Ruwen’s transition taking so long, they barely have time to reach the Step Championship tournament. Ruwen is shocked to learn that Echo is at the tournament as well and recognizes him.

Ruwen and Sift advance through the tournament and reach the quarter-finals. As a reward, the whole team is invited to a party at the city’s library. Rami begins to absorb the library's contents and Ruwen finds himself face to face with Echo.

Blapy arrives with the team she sponsored, and talks with both Ruwen and Echo. The god Izac, Uru’s brother, arrives to speak with Blapy and is introduced to both Echo and Ruwen. Ruwen is terrified he will be recognized through his disguise and remains as quiet as possible. Echo wishes to speak to Izac and the two disappear.

Rami triggers a trap in Izac’s Inklord’s office and Ruwen saves Rami from the consequences. In the process of doing this, the mental construct Overlord breaks away from Ruwen’s mind and becomes his own entity. In addition, Rami is trapped in a dimensional prison and Ruwen is forced to leave her in the library so he can escape.

When the entire team, minus Rami, reaches the underwater safehouse, Xavier, the Celestial Remnant, is furious with Ruwen for leaving Rami behind and attacks Ruwen.

Ruwen survives the attack and the next day Sift and Ruwen fight Echo in the Step Championship. They win and advance to the semi-finals where they face Blapy’s team. Since the only time they can mount the rescue of Lylan’s brother in Legion’s Fifth Vault is the day of the Championship match, Ruwen and Sift decide to purposefully not win the semi-final match. Even though they lose, Ruwen is forced to exert his new Diamond body in his match.

On the day of the Championship match, Ruwen and the team follow the plan and enter Legion’s Vault. When they reach the fifth vault to rescue Lylan’s brother and the caged Rami, they find Echo waiting for them.

Ruwen retrieves both Lylan’s brother and Rami but the team is forced to enter an arena where the only escape requires someone to step through a gate runed portal door. Ruwen decides since he has the best chance of surviving to enter one of the doors.

Hamma gives Ruwen her Wyrm coin so he can summon Blapy for help. He steps through the gate runed door and finds himself in deep space, so far from home that his link with Uru no longer exists. In addition, his Void Band’s connection no longer works either. He tries to draw some gate runes home, but none of them work.

As a last resort, he flips the Wyrm coin so Blapy can appear and tell him how to get home. But Blapy doesn’t arrive to catch the coin. The coin turns a different color as it transitions into three wishes.

Ruwen realizes if he wants to get home, he needs to figure out how to do it on his own.