Across the crypt, Regaleon and Aureleah were already moving...

The moment they noticed the Terracottas assembling, the two Awakeners rushed toward the gathering army with immediate alacrity.

The Forgotten Knight held his Halberd tightly as he accelerated across the obsidian avenue, taking one determined after another. Beside him, Aureleah glided through patches of darkness, her silver eyes fixed upon the growing formation of constructs.

Neither intended to give the Terracottas time to organize themselves. A dozen enemies acting independently was already dangerous, but a dozen enemies fighting together was far worse...

Unfortunately, they were too late as the Terracottas already assembled. Rows upon rows of armoured figures stood shoulder to shoulder in flawless formation.

Spears, swords, maces, shields and all manner of weapons reflected the crimson glow burning within the knights’ visors. The constructs stood with an unnatural stillness, resembling an army carved in time...

The sight alone was enough to make Regaleon’s expression grim. The wound on his shoulder throbbed painfully beneath the damaged pauldron, but he gave no thought toward it.

There were pressing concerns more important than a non-fatal wound...

After getting within range, the pair slowed slightly and prepared themselves for the inevitable clash...

Regaleon lowered his center of gravity, tensing every muscle in his body. He resembled a predator preparing to spring upon it’s prey...

Next to him, Aureleah was already halfway submerged within shadows. Darkness coiled around her limbs like mist as her Daggers disappeared and reappeared intermittently beneath the veil.

The atmosphere grew heavier and the tension stretched taut enough to snap. Just when it seemed like the two sides were about to collide; something strange suddenly happened...

The army remained unmoved as not a single Terracotta charged forward neither was a weapon raised against them. Instead, the constructs remained motionless as their crimson eyes stared beyond Regaleon and Aureleah...

The pair exchanged baffled glances upon seeing their odd behavior. Then...

CRRKKK!

Dozens of stone necks turned simultaneously. The sound echoed throughout the crypt, like an ancient machinery awakening from slumber.

Every Terracotta shifted its gaze toward the same location... The dais.

Regaleon instinctively followed their line of sight. At first, he was quite confused, then he saw the others. He focused mainly on Vaelorin, Valmyr and Veyrath because the trio looked like they were struggling to carry something... Or someone.

The figure appeared to be wrapped in layers of faded cloth and ceremonial fabric. Even from a distance, Regaleon could tell that the body was ancient. Time had clearly ravaged it, reducing it to little more than a preserved husk.

The sight confused him greatly. Weren’t they supposed to be destroying the Mummification Array...?

So what were they suddenly doing with a corpse...?

And more importantly, why did it seems like it had attracted the attention of the entire Terracotta Army...?

"What are they doing?" Regaleon muttered.

Aureleah didn’t answer as her silver eyes remained fixed upon the corpse. The gleaming orbs carried the same confusion as Regaleon’s golden ones.

Neither of them truly understood what was happening, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the luxury of investigating because in the next moment, the Terracottas began moving...

BOOM! BOOM!! BOOM!!!

Their synchronized footsteps shook the sepulchre. The obsidian floor trembled beneath the sheer weight of their advance, yet what caught Regaleon’s attention wasn’t the movement itself. Instead, it was the direction...

Regaleon’s expression changed the instant he realized that the constructs were actually marching toward the dais. It seems that whatever the others discovered had somehow became the focus of the entire Terracotta Army... And that was not a good sign.

Without hesitation the Forgotten Knight broke into a sprint, followed closely by Aureleah. Together, the pair chased after the advancing army...

Meanwhile, Kaeloris felt his heart hammering violently against his ribs. Despite the composed expression he desperately projected outward, the failed Gnost was terrified.

Truthfully, he wasn’t even certain his theory would work. On paper, the idea sounded reasonable; the Terracottas were guardians and the sarcophagi contained the individuals they had been created to protect.

Therefore, interfering with the occupants of those coffins should influence the behavior of the constructs. Or at least, that had been the theory.

However, reality often possessed an irritating tendency to disregard theories...

And for all Kaeloris knew, removing the corpse from it’s resting place might provoke the guardians even further. Perhaps, they had even accidentally accelerated their own deaths by infringing upon some ancient prohibition.

But there was no turning back now. Since they’ve already crossed that line, all they could do was see it through.

The rhythm of marching footsteps echoed relentlessly throughout the crypt.

BOOM! BOOM!! BOOM!!!

The army advanced steadily toward the dais. Watching them approach was strangely unsettling. One would expect the animated statues to move awkwardly or rigidly, like puppets manipulated by invisible strings.

Yet these Terracottas moved with frightening discipline as; every step was synchronized, every motion was precise, and even their formation was maintained perfectly.

If someone had witnessed this scene from afar, they wouldn’t think that they were looking at animated statues. Instead, they would think they were observing a battalion marching toward a battlefield.

The distance vanished gradually until finally, the army reached the foot of the broad staircase leading toward the dais.

The atmosphere immediately became suffocating. None of them spoke or breath even loudly. Somehow, it felt like even the smallest sound was inappropriate amidst the heavy silence...

The six of them stood frozen atop the platform, staring in horror at the stone army. The Terracottas also stared back...

An army of murderous guardians versus six frightened youths. The contrast was almost laughable...

The air itself seemed charged with anticipation as a tense stillness, the kind that preceded disaster, settled over the crypt...

Then... Every Terracotta raised its weapon simultaneously...

The motion was so sudden and synchronized that it appeared as though a single organism had moved. Spears pointed skyward, swords gleamed coldly, maces rose, shields shifted forward, and just like that, a forest of weapon materialized before the dais.

The sight was utterly terrifying as...

Veyrath nearly fainted. His knees almost gave out beneath him as his heart pounded violently against his chest. The first thought that crossed his mind was painfully simple; this is how he dies.

Though he had expected death somewhere within the Nether Lands, he had imagined something more dramatic like being devoured by monsters or being torn apart by beasts.

He had never, in his frail mind, thought that he was one day going to be slaughtered by an army of angry statues; and strangely enough, the realization almost made him want to laugh...

Beside him, Vaelorin wasn’t faring any much better. The red-haired’s face was paled. Cold sweat coated his forehead and the corpse in his hold nearly slipped from his trembling hands.

Every instinct screamed at him to run, yet his legs refused to move. He could only stay rooted on the spot, staring in absolute terror at the army standing below them...

Even Valmyr’s perpetual grin had vanished. The failed Vanguard’s expression was grave and the maniacal enthusiasm that normally drives him was nowhere to be seen. Not when it comes to fighting against these things...

Even Kaeloris found himself swallowing nervously. His fingers shook as he adjusted his glasses. For the first time since entering the crypt, the failed Gnost genuinely wondered whether they had finally exhausted their luck.

Perhaps this was it. Perhaps there would be no miraculous solution or clever discovering that might help them. After all, how exactly were they supposed to fight an army of Terracottas whose strength rivaled Rank One Animas?

The answer to that question was simple. They couldn’t...

They were still wallowing in their despair when something impossible happened...

Suddenly, every Terracotta dropped to ine knee.

BOOM!

The impact echoed like thunder as the entire army knelt simultaneously. Then one by one, they lowered or withdrew their weapons. The motion wasn’t done with hostility; instead, it was done with reverence and respect...

The six stared at the sight with complete astonishment as the Terracottas "surrendered."

Sylveris’ silver eyes widened and instantly, the fourteen-years-old turned toward Kaeloris.

Pointing toward the kneeling knights, she asked in disbelief. "Kaeloris... Does this mean that our plan worked?"

The failed Gnost observed the kneeling army for several moments. Then the fear that coloured his face gradually disappeared from his face.

For the first time in what felt like ages, a small smile appeared upon his lips. He released a long breath he hadn’t realized he was holding before replying.

"I guess you could say so..."