The nearest rock worm let out a guttural, bone-vibrating screech as it lunged forward, tons of muscle and rage barreling straight for the ruined temple's entrance where the trio stood.

Lucian immediately stepped in front of them, one arm flaring out to the side, shielding them.

"Back!" He commanded.

Ereskia and Larpard obeyed, quickly retreating a few steps behind him.

Lucian braced himself, greatsword held low and tight in both hands. A sudden surge of black lightning crackled along the blade, snapping and hissing through the air. The electricity danced like a living thing, coiling around the weapon in arcs that burst with tiny, violent thunderclaps in the rain soaked air.

But then, before the worm could even reach them—

Schweeeing!!!

The five ancient pillars that circled the ruin pulsed all at once with a radiant, searing white light! Lines of old glyphs lit up in cascading lines across their surface

Then—PANG!

The worm slammed into something unseen, just meters from the group.

The sound was immense, like a cathedral bell being struck by a falling mountain. The invisible barrier shimmered under the force, holding firm.

And in the next second—whoosh!

White flames ignited across the creature's body where it touched the barrier.

The worm let out a horrific scream as the divine fire clung to its hide, searing through even its armored scales. It thrashed against the stone, writhing in pain, trying to scrape the fire off. Clumps of scorched shell cracked and peeled, revealing blistered muscle beneath.

Then, it stopped.

Coiling backward, smoldering, it let out a furious roar, but did not approach again.

The others joined in. Five, six, seven worms, all were roaring from a distance, the sound echoing like the end of the world.

Yet none of them crossed the glowing threshold.

They knew better.

"Ha…" Lucian exhaled, the tension in his shoulders finally loosening. He didn't lower his blade just yet, but a crooked smirk tugged at his lips.

"Nice," Larpard said, a breathless grin breaking across his face. "Guildmaster, you were right. The temple really is protected!"

Ereskia let out a long, trembling breath. Her shoulders finally dropped from their battle-readied tension. For the first time since the worms had appeared, she allowed herself to breathe freely.

Outside the barrier, the rock worms continued to screech in raw, furious sounds that echoed across the stone like war drums at the end of the world. But slowly, the cries began to fade.

One by one, the monsters sank back into the earth, their massive bodies slithering beneath the sand and stone with deep, growling tremors. Their rage vanished beneath the surface, swallowed by the silence they left behind.

Lucian stood still, watching the dust settle, then exhaled. "We'll need to be smarter on the way out," he said, voice low. "Let's make sure we don't wake them again."

"Yeah," Larpard nodded, catching his breath. "Definitely."

Then, as if guided by the same thought, the three turned together, facing the stone stairway ahead.

It loomed just past the glowing pillars: an ancient stair carved directly into the black stone of the ruin, descending in a steep curve into utter darkness. Cold air drifted up from below, dry and hollow, like the breath of a tomb. The very walls seemed to lean inward around the mouth of the stairwell, whispering a quiet welcome, or a warning.

Lucian raised one hand.

With a simple flick of his fingers, his magical lantern reappeared, the blue flame flickering softly to life. Its glow bathed the entryway in cool light, casting tall, wavering shadows.

Ereskia's eyes narrowed, focused.

"Let's go," she said quietly. "Let's find Dad."

Her hand moved before she even realized it.

Larpard reached out and caught it without hesitation, giving it a small squeeze. His sister's hand was trembling, but only for a moment. As their fingers intertwined, the trembling faded.

"Yeah." Larpard nodded. "We'll find him."

Lucian glanced back at them, then stepped forward, sword resting across his broad shoulders.

"Alright, we're moving down now," He said. "I'll take the lead. Stay close and keep your senses sharp."

"Yes, Guildmaster," both siblings answered in unison.

Lucian stepped forward, boots echoing as they met the first ancient stair.

Ereskia and Larpard followed without a word.

Together, they descended, each step drawing them deeper into the ancient ruin.

Deeper into silence.

Into shadow.

And into whatever waited far beneath the earth.

----------------------------

Step. Step.

Each footfall echoed down into the black, swallowed quickly by the hush of ancient stone.

The stairway narrowed the deeper they went, carved straight into the bedrock. Cold air coiled around their ankles, rising like mist.

The mana here was so dense here.

It clung to their skin, sank into their lungs. Not like breathing air, but like breathing pressure—a fog of raw power so dense it pressed on their bones and made their every breath feel earned.

Ereskia's ears twitched, pricked and alert, catching even the tiniest creak of movement. But there was nothing. Here, there was no monsters, no wind, just their footsteps, and the rhythmic thrum of heartbeats—hers, Larpard's, and Lucian's ahead of them.

The glow from Lucian's lantern shimmered against the walls, casting long, warped shadows…

But then, even that was no longer needed.

Soft light began to bloom along the corridor.

With each step, ancient glyphs carved into the walls stirred to life, with small runes of unknown origin lighting up with a pale blueish hue, pulsing faintly in rhythm with their movements, as if the ruin itself recognized them.

Still, Ereskia didn't let go of Larpard's hand.

And he didn't let go of hers.

They walked like that, step after step, deeper into the unknown.

Then, with a small voice, barely above a whisper, thick and trembling with emotion—

"…I'm sorry…." Larpard's words came suddenly, like a stone dropped into still water.

Ereskia stopped, turning toward him.

"Hey," she said gently. "What's wrong?"

He couldn't meet her eyes. His gaze stayed low, jaw clenched as if the words physically hurt to say.

"Eres… I'm sorry. For not believing you. About Dad… About everything."

Hearing that, Ereskia's heart caught. She hadn't expected it, not here, not now.

But she smiled.

"…Larpard."