The massive stone slab eventually slid open and now came the moment of truth. Slowly, the eight of them gathered around the coffin and peered inside...

Unlike the previous sarcophagus, this one did not contain the remains of an elderly man. Instead, a woman rested peacefully within. Even after untold centuries, there remained an unmistakable elegance about her...

She appeared to be middle-aged when she died. Time had certainly left its mark upon her, but not nearly as cruelly as it had upon the priest from the previous coffin. It was almost as though the Mummification Array itself had preserved her more carefully.

Her skin had withered and drawn tightly against her face, yet enough remained for them to distinguish the gentle contours of her features. She possessed high cheekbones, a straight nose, and thin lips that had long since lost their color. Her eyes rested shut beneath delicate lashes and, if someone merely glanced at her, she would resemble not a corpse that had lain buried for ages but a woman trapped within an endless slumber.

Her silver-white burial robes were almost identical to those of the elderly priest...

Layers upon layers of folded white fabric draped gracefully over her body, embroidered with countless pairs of feathered wings woven together in intricate patterns. Though the once golden threads had dulled with the passing centuries, the craftsmanship remained breathtaking.

Across her chest rested both hands, gently clasping another rosary. Just like the first, twenty-four translucent crystalline beads formed a perfect loop.

Ancient runes had been carved into every single bead, each inscription glowing with the same faint silver radiance. The ethereal light illuminated her frail fingers, making the Artifact appear as though time itself had never touched it...

Yet, astonishing as the rosary was, it failed to command everyone’s attention. Instead, every gaze gradually drifted toward what rested upon the priestess’ head; a delicate diadem...

Unlike a crown forged from gold or silver, this one had been woven entirely from flowers... Or rather, what had once been flowers.

Most of the petals had withered into brittle husks long ago, their vibrant colors surrendered to countless centuries. Yet somehow, the circlet retained its perfect shape.

Delicate silver threads intertwined with the dried blossoms, binding the ancient wreath together. Here and there, faint traces of pale blue petals stubbornly clung to the twisting vines, refusing to disappear completely.

Despite its age, the floral diadem possessed an almost sacred beauty. It looked less like an ornament and more like a blessing bestowed upon someone dearly beloved...

Sylveris found herself staring as she whispered. "She’s beautiful..."

Hearing that, Vaelorin immediately perked up. His fiery red eyes gleamed with an unusual light as he nodded supportively.

"Yes. She really is..."

The words were clearly intended as praise, but unfortunately, they emerged from the failed Pyromancer’s mouth with an unmistakable undertone that sounded far more questionable than he had intended.

Veyrath slowly turned toward him.

The failed Alchemist wore an expression of utter disgust as he spat "What do you mean by that?"

He looked genuinely creeped out as he eyed the failed Pyromancer up and down. "Don’t tell me you’re so weird that you’re now lusting after a dead corpse."

Vaelorin merely shot him a sidelong glance before looking back at the priestess.

"What’s weird about that? I see nothing wrong with what I just said."

An awkward silence instantly descended upon the crypt...

And before the failed Pyromancer could process what was happening, he suddenly realized that everyone had instinctively taken several steps away from him.

Even Regaleon had quietly shifted backward as though trying to avoid a plague...

Caelestra looked at him as though she had just discovered a horrifying secret...

And Valmyr himself appeared thoroughly disturbed. A visible chill ran down his spine, causing him to shudder involuntarily...

Vaelorin blinked in confusion. It was only after a brief moment that the realization finally dawned upon him.

"...Guys." His eyes widened. "It’s not what you think."

He hurriedly waved both hands in denial as he tried to explain himself.

"I was only trying to say that she’s beautiful. You know... just like how Sylveris said it. In a completely platonic way, of course."

No one answered him immediately. Instead, seven pairs of eyes continued staring at him with unconvinced expressions...

Although the suspicion lingering in their gazes gradually softened, none of them looked particularly persuaded by his explanation.

Fortunately for him, the awkward moment eventually passed and the group quietly returned to examining the priestess...

After several moments of silence, Caelestra suddenly spoke.

"Guys... I just thought of something." Her voice was unusually subdued as she spoke. "Don’t any of you find all of this... Strange?"

The others turned toward her with Aureleah furrowing her brows as she asked.

"Strange? In what way?"

Caelestra released a slow breath before continuing.

"I mean... if you think back to everything that’s happened since we were exiled into the Nether Lands, you’ll realize something doesn’t quite add up."

She paused briefly, carefully organizing her thoughts before proceeding. "We were sent here to die, weren’t we?"

"Yes." Valmyr replied. "But I still don’t see what’s strange about that."

"I’m getting there." Caelestra folded her arms. "If you think about it carefully, we’ve gone from being condemned exiles struggling to survive... To becoming explorers uncovering the secrets of an ancient civilization."

She gestured toward the crypt surrounding them.

"Look at where we are. Four days ago, we knew absolutely nothing about the Nether Lands. Now we’re standing inside a forgotten crypt beneath a ruined temple hidden behind a waterfall, studying relics and uncovering mysteries that no one has likely seen for centuries."

Veyrath scratched the back of his head. The failed Vanguard looked utterly confused as she spoke. "Uhm... I still fail to see your point."

Kaeloris adjusted his glasses before nodding slightly. "I think I understand what she means."

The failed Gnost looked around the chamber.

"You’re talking about how we’ve gradually stopped thinking like people who were merely trying to survive and started acting like people searching for answers instead, aren’t you?"

"Exactly." Caelestra nodded affirmatively.

"Our original goal was simply to stay alive. Yet somewhere along the way, survival ceased to be enough. Every clue we’ve found has drawn us deeper into the mysteries of this place. Instead of running from the Nether Lands, we’re beginning to understand it."

Vaelorin folded his arms. "And how exactly does that pertain to the corpses, the coffins, and the crypt?"

Caelestra’s gaze shifted toward the resting priestess. "Because these aren’t just random graves..."

Her voice grew thoughtful as she continued. "Each coffin we’ve opened has revealed something important. The first helped us deactivate the stone knights. The second confirms that this wasn’t merely the burial place of a single priest but part of an organized religious order. The more we uncover, the clearer it becomes that this place wasn’t built to hide the dead..."

She slowly swept her eyes across the chamber.

"Instead, it was built to preserve a story. And somehow, we’ve become the ones uncovering it..."

The group fell silent as her words lingered heavily in the air. When they thought deeply about it, they realized that she was actually right...

Only four days had passed since their exile; four days ago, they had been frightened prisoners abandoned to certain death and every waking moment had revolved around finding food, water, shelter and training to survive another day. But Now...

They had survived... And not only survived, but they had also adapted. Though they still knew almost nothing about the Nether Lands, one could say that they had already begun taking their first genuine steps toward understanding it.

It was a small beginning but every long journey began with one...

The melancholy behind Caelestra’s realization settled over the group for several moments as each person silently reflected upon the unlikely path that had brought them here...

Eventually, Valmyr clapped his hands together. "Anyways..."

His familiar grin returned. "Since we failed to get any clues from this one, how about we open the last coffin?"

The rest could practically feel the enthusiasm oozing from the failed Vanguard’s body. Clearly, the bulky youth was still lost in his delusions about discovering some sort of treasures from the sarcophagus.

"Hold on." Kaeloris suddenly interrupted him. "Who said we failed to get any clues?"

Immediately, everyone’s attention shifted toward him. Regaleon’s eyes narrowed slightly as he asked.

"Oh? What did you find?"

Kaeloris adjusted his glasses before replying. "We already know this crypt is connected to the ruined temple above the watefall. Also, we have a rough idea of the culture that built it. Judging from the robes, the rosaries, and the symbols of wings, this was almost certainly a religious order. However, what we still don’t understand is why this temple and crypt were built here in the first place."

A faint smile appeared on his lips as he said almost certainly. "But I think we’ve finally found a clue."

"Oh?" Vaelorin leaned forward slightly. "And what exactly is that clue?"

Kaeloris looked around the crypt before speaking. Think about it. Who in their right mind would build a temple in the middle of a horrific forest located within the Nether Lands?"

He paused briefly, them posed another question.

"Or better yet... Who would go to such extraordinary lengths to give their dead such elaborate burials in a place universally regarded as a cursed land?"

None of them answered any of the questions as they waited for Kaeloris to continue...

"But what if we’re looking at this from the wrong perspective?"

Regaleon frowned. "I don’t understand. How are we looking at this from the wrong side?"

Kaeloris adjusted his glasses once more.

"We’ve been assuming this temple was built by an ancient civilization that once lived in the Nether Lands. You know, considering what we’ve uncovered so far..."

His voice became quieter as he continued. "But actually, no one has stopped to ask a different question. Because, what if they didn’t actually live in the Nether Lands?"

Several brows furrowed.

Kaeloris’ eyes reflected a growing certainty as he continued. "What if it was actually the Nether Lands that came to them?"

Veyrath blinked several times. "Uhm... Kaeloris."

He awkwardly scratched his head.

"Can you stop speaking in riddles and just say it plainly?"

Regaleon’s expression, however, had already changed. His golden eyes narrowed and he could already sense where Kaeloris’ thoughts were heading...

And just as he expected, the failed Gnost finally voiced the suspicion that had been quietly forming in his mind.

"What I mean is that, what if the Nether Lands wasn’t always the Nether Lands...?"

The question fell like a stone into still water and instantly, the entire crypt descended into absolute silence...