Storm, Aurora and Leyocan spent the rest of the early evening going through everything they knew and setting up backup plans.
In order to avoid drawing suspicion, they planned to use the underground tunnels to make their way towards the Maze.
At close to midnight, they were standing in front of the entrance.
"What can we expect from the Maze?" Asked Aurora.
"Anything from trapped rooms to guardians. The Maze is unpredictable and dangerous, which is why no one would be expecting us to use this route." Explained Leyocan.
He pulled out the map and studied the route.
"Stay close to me and don't wander off!"
He took the lead and stepped into the maze.
Storm carefully inspected the roof, walls and floors as they walked.
The entire Structure seemed to have been made from a light silver metal.
Like it's name said, there where numberless pathways leading through the many chambers.
The walls were without features of any kind except for the regularly placed light crystals, which makes keeping track of where you have been before next to impossible.
If they didn't have the map, Storm would have already been hopelessly lost.
After several minutes of walking, they entered what seemed to be a massive foundry.
Unknown machines were shaping what appeared to be metallic men with a single strip of light where the eyes should be.
The constructs had no eyes or nose and seemed to be powerful based on their muscular frames and 6 foot heights.
There were numerous ones scattered around the room.
Most were incomplete and were lacking an arm or a head.
Other were nothing more than a headless, armless torso sitting on a table waiting for someone to complete them.
A few of them were completed, but were showing signs of battle with dented bodies or a missing limb and were waiting for repairs.
"Are these...?" Asked Aurora.
"Golems." Explained Leyocan.
"How are these even made?" Asked Storm.
"None but the Artifaciers know. They're based on Fallen One technology and were discovered several decades ago.
Before this, the Arcadians used elementals, but they fell out of favor after the 'Djinn rebellions'."
"Hmph. What other choice did we have?! We were kept as little better than slaves!! Rebellion was our only option. " said Fulgur.
"I don't blame your people for what you had to do." Said Leyocan.
"And yet we are still mistrusted for our past?" Asked Fulgur.
"The reason you are mistrusted is because a significant number of your people tried to conquer the entire world after you freed yourselves!!" Answered Mimereus in a biting tone.
"But just as many of us were against it and worked with the rest of you to bind those renegades!!
Yet people always seem to forget that piece of history!!" Retorted Fulgur.
"Enough, you two!! This isn't the correct time to be arguing about ancient history!!" Said Storm.
They continued walking through the corridors until they entered a large hall that seemed familiar to Storm.
"We're here!
We're back at the Arcanium!" Exclaimed Leyocan.
"Good thing we didn't encounter any traps or guardians. " said Aurora.
"Let's hope our luck holds!!" Said Storm.
They made their way through the abandoned corridors until they reached the area where the offices were located.
They found several golems patrolling the halls, but the guardians ignored them as they walked past.
"This thing is quite useful." Said Storm as he gestured to the crystal that kept them practically invisible to the guards.
"Enjoy it while it lasts! It won't take the Artifaciers long to find out and close up this vulnerability once they discover it!"
They finally reached the office marked by the name 'Ignatius', as well as a large sign warning that access was expressly forbidden.
Leyocan picked the lock while Storm and Aurora kept watch.
As they opened the door, the first thing they saw was the 8 foot tall Golem that was patrolling around the room.
It stopped and glared at them for a full 5 minutes, before continuing to patrol the room.
The Golem had 4 arms, the top 2 were regular hands with a single large blade on top of each arm.
The two bottom arms was some kind of tube like object that had some purpose Storm couldn't identify.
4 red eyes were set in it's otherwise featureless head.
It was standing on two strong legs with two forward facing joints as well as a single backwards facing one.
These joints acted as 'toes' and the backwards facing one gave the machine a significant stability and made it almost impossible to push off balance.
"Remember to keep your distance from it!! It might detect us if we wandered too close." Warned Leyocan.
They carefully made their way across the room to the desk that used to belong to Storm's uncle.
Most papers and objects had been cleared from the table by the investigators.
"What did the letter say again? Asked Storm.
"Find a touch of home to reveal the way." Recited Leyocan.
They spread out and began to search the office
As Storm went through a nearby cupboard, something caught his eye.
It was a small crude wooden sculpture of a dragon that was carved out of a small piece of wood.
He made this for his uncle decades ago as something to remember him by while out on missions.
It was meant to depict a Storm as a hatchling but considering that he was still highly inexperienced with his hands at the time.
The thing he made barely even looked like a dragon but he remembered being immensely proud of it as a hatchling and eagerly gave it to his uncle.
Storm smiled in amusement at the sight.
"I can't believe he actually kept this old thing." Thought Storm.
He tried to pick it up but was suprised to find that it had been glued to the cupboard.
He turned the sculpture completely around in a clockwise direction until he heard a click as a secret panel at the back of the cupboard came loose.
He pulled it open and revealed a rolled up map, a stack of papers, and a thick red journal.
"I found it!!" Called Storm as he took everything out and placed it on the desk.