The tunnel gradually widened, until finally, the octet emerged from it. Then almost immediately, the group froze, and for several moments, none of them spoke nor move...

They simply stood at the threshold, staring at what lay beyond. The chamber before them was unlike anything they had encountered since their arrival in the Crimson Forest.

The Breeding Nest had been horrific in its own way; a grotesque monument to decay and corruption, a place where death had been twisted into something unnatural...

This, however, felt entirely different. It looked ancient and reverent, as though they had stepped into a place built not just to celebrate death, but also to honour it.

"What the actual fuck..." The curse slipped from Vaelorin’s mouth almost instinctively as he stared wide-eyed at the chamber.

"Now, I know that I said those tunnels felt like a catacomb, but seriously... I really wasn’t expecting something like this."

The failed Pyromancer wasn’t the only stunned one as the rest of the group shared the same disbelief.

Before them stretched a vast underground crypt, and for something that was built below ground, it sure was large.

Its ceiling arched so high overhead that it vanished into the darkness beyond the reach of Kaeloris’ Lantern. The immense chamber seemed almost endless, its upper reaches swallowed by shadows that had likely remained undisturbed for centuries.

Massive pillars rose from the floor like ancient sentinels.

Each column had been carved from black stone streaked with veins of silver mineral that shimmered faintly whenever Kaeloris’ Lantern light brushed against them, creating the illusion that moonlight flowed within the rock itself.

The air here was also different as it lacked both the oppressive hostility of the Crimson Forest and the freshness of the lake. Instead, it carried a stillness that felt older than memory itself.

The scent of aged stone lingered throughout the crypt, mixed with the earthly smell of soil that had remained untouched for countless years. There was no breeze nor movement of any kind; there was only silence...

And standing there, even their breathing sounded strangely loud in the silence enveloping the chamber.

Running along both sides of the crypt were rows of statues. At first glance, there seemed to be dozen of them, but the longer they stared, however, the more difficult it became to count.

Maybe they numbered in the fifties... Or perhaps, a hundred. Either way, the sheer scale of the chamber made judging their exact number impossible, and the moment the octet laid eyes upon them, they immediately recognized what the figurines were.

They were knights... Just like the statues lining the tunnel walls. The only difference was that these ones were vastly larger as each of them stood nearly twice the height of an ordinary man.

They had been sculpted with an astonishing precision and perhaps because of where they were placed, they looked preserved, as time itself has failed to erode their features.

From where the group stood; individual plates of armour remained visible, intricate engravings still decorated breastplates and gauntlets, and even the fold of stone cloaks appeared almost lifelike despite the countless years that must have passed.

The statues stood atop elevated platforms overlooking the central avenue of the crypt. Like their counterparts within the tunnel, no two were identical as each knight possessed a unique armour, weapon, and posture.

Yet despite these differences, they all shared the same similarities; they faced inward. Every single one of their gaze remained fixed upon the center of the crypt as though standing eternal vigil over whatever rested there.

Between the rows of stone guardians stretched a broad avenue paved with polished obsidian. The effect of the dark surface reflecting Kaeloris’ Lantern light was almost unsettling...

At certain angles, the floor resembled still water rather than stone, as though a black river flower through the center of the chamber.

Yet even those impressive features paled before the true centerpiece awaiting at the far end of the hall...

A colossal sarcophagus rested atop a raised dais with several wide obsidian steps leading upward toward it.

The coffin itself appeared to have been carved from a single piece of black stone. Its proportions were immense as it was far larger than anything a burial chamber should have.

Ancient runes covered its surface; dust had gathered within their grooves over countless years, yet the markings were still faintly visible beneath the layers of age.

Two smaller sarcophagi rested beside it; one stood to the left while the other to the right. Together, they formed a solemn arrangement surrounding the central coffin.

And behind all three stood the grandest statue in the entire crypt. But from where the eight exiled stood, they could only make out its silhouette. Yet, even that was awe-inspiring enough to leave them almost breathless.

They remained standing for nearly a minute as they tried to comprehend the scale of what they were seeing...

Obviously, whoever built this structure possessed resources, manpower, and craftsmanship beyond anything they could imagine. And all this further reinforced Kaeloris’ statement about an ancient civilization having a hand in all of these...

Eventually, Vaelorin shifted foward. He had taken a step already and was just about to take another when...

"Stop!"

Regaleon’s voice cut through the silence. His tone carried enough authority to freeze the failed Pyromancer on the spot.

Vaelorin turned around with furrowed brows. "Why...?"

Regaleon’s golden eyes swept across the crypt before he replied.

"Do you honestly think someone would go through the trouble of building a place like this without preparing against the possibility of intruders?"

The Forgotten Knight gestured toward the crypt, his gaze lingering longer on the dais before he spoke.

"I mean, look around. This place clearly isn’t ordinary. If anything, it looks like the tomb of someone important. So I suggest we exercise caution because we have no idea what we might be walking into here."

Understanding dawned upon Vaelorin’s face, then instantly, he took several steps backward as wariness appeared in his fiery red eyes...

Regaleon crouched down and gathered several small rocks from the ground. Seeing him do this, Sylveris asked with eyes full of curiosity.

"What are you doing?"

The silver-haired Knight weighed a stone carefully in his palm as he answered. "Making sure that we don’t die from a stupid mistake."

Then without further explanation, he flicked the pebble forward...

The stone skipped across the polished path; then a second one followed, then a third... And soon, several pebbles flew through the crypt.

Some bounced against the floor, others struck the bases of nearby statues, and a few even hit the lower section of the dais.

CLANG!!!

The noise echoed throughout the chamber as a mix of discordant sounds, bouncing from pillar to pillar, before gradually fading...

The group waited, expecting something to happen... But there was no reaction.

There was no hidden mechanisms activating, no blades springing suddenly from the walls, no sections of the floor collapsing beneath unseen pressure plates, and no volley of arrows erupting from concealed openings.

Instead, the statues remained motionless and the crypt itself still maintained its ghastly silence.

Valmyr scratched the back of his head as he spoke. "I guess whoever built this place forgot to add traps against grave robbers..."

"Or maybe they didn’t have to worry about them in their time." Veyrath muttered.

Aureleah’s gaze remained fixed on the chamber for a few moments before she finally spoke. "I think it’s safe..."

Regaleon nodded in affirmation. And with that confirmation, they all stepped forward...

Their footsteps echoed across the polished obsidian avenue as they moved between the rows of ancient guardians.

Somehow, it felt as though countless eyes followed them as they ventured deeper. The sensation was irritational, yet none of them could completely dismiss it.

Eventually, the octet reached the base of the dais and only then did they finally get a good look at the gigantic guardian.

The statue was magnificent. Six enormous stone wings stretched outward from its back while its armoured hands rested upon the pommel of a massive sword planted before it.

The giant knight loomed above the three sarcophagus like a celestial sentinel protecting sacred grounds.

Seeing this familiar statue, Kaeloris adjusted his glasses as recognition flashed across his face.

"Regaleon, isn’t this the same knight we saw back at the ruined temple?"

The silver-haired Knight’s golden eyes gleamed as he answered. "Yes. Yes, it is..."