As the group of seven with Charon in the lead went along the bridge, They could see the beach they were going towards much better than before. The beach seemed untouched, with marks or anything denoting someone previously stepping foot here before.
Once Charon saw this, he decided to try actively calling upon his inherent ability. He knew that usually it seemed to give him knowledge or warnings right when he needed it, however he had decided to test to see if he could activate it at will as well.
Once he did so, he found himself in a trance-like state. Still aware but not fully in control as some Astral Energy began to gather in his eyes. Almost like a light being turned on to reveal what hides in the dark, he could see much clearer and not only that.
Even though it confused him, he could now see souls scattered across the beach. Souls which had no connection. Which meant that, from his knowledge at least, these were the souls of the dead.
He found his instincts as a man obsessed with knowledge burning brighter than the sun when he saw this. A single question almost brought his attention away from the task at hand.
'Why can I see the souls of the living and not the dead?'
Shaking his head so as to bring his thoughts away from the distraction, he slowed down so as to be next to Hades and Aeacus. He looked back briefly to gauge the distance between him and his servants and the volunteers for the reconnaissance mission before turning his face back ahead.
"I know you both can't use your souls like I can yet, but you should be able to imbue body parts with them now." Charon mumbled only loud enough so that the both of them could hear before gesturing at his eyes.
Charon then walked back to the lead as both Hades and Aeacus gathered what Astral Energy they currently could within their eyes. Eyes which widened in shock from what they saw. Hades immediately went into full vigilance as he went on guard, his eyes constantly going back and forth from the sand covering the beach and the shrubbery lying at the edge of the beach.
"Why don't we feel that hunger from before?" Aeacus realized something, which made Charon slap himself in realization at his mistake.
"I am not sure, I could assume for me that my Afterlife protects me from that. As for you two… I am not sure, maybe it is due to whatever prevents us from seeing it normally, though I am ultimately unsure." Charon replied, confusion etched upon his features.
Charon finally got to the end of the bridge, which ended about 20 feet above the beach. He held his hand up for everyone to pause as he looked down at the beach. He looked over at Hades with a questioning look on his face.
"While we aren't completely sure as of right now, but if this is the Brindwal Continent then it has vastly different monsters than Alsheira Continent. However, going from my experience I would guess whatever it is will be hidden under the sand or is waiting at the bushes and trees lining the edge of the beach." Hades was constantly rubbing his ring, ready for any threat to Charon if it were to jump out.
"What's the issue?" One of the original two volunteers stopped by Charon and his subordinates at the end of the bridge.
"My Inherent Ability tells me that many have died on this beach. Albeit we are unsure of the how and why right now." Charon's response made The volunteer nod in understanding before looking over the bridge.
"Well, if it is under the sand then it wouldn't see based on direct sight. I would hazard the guess that maybe it is based upon sound or movement, though I am as blind in this as you." The Volunteer, obviously of noble origins, seemed unsure as to how to refer to Charon now.
As they were talking, the rest of the volunteers reached the end of the bridge as well. Confused at those in the front's reticence, they looked at each other before joining the half circle of people staring intently at the beach.
"Is there something wrong?" The other original volunteer questioned, before the situation was explained to the others of the group.
They all stared at the beach before Charon got an idea.
"Do any of you have something unimportant we could throw onto the beach?" Charon looked around hopefully, while the members of his current party began shoveling through their respective pockets.
All he got from most of them was a shaken head or a shrug of the shoulders. One of the volunteers however managed to find something as he pulled out a copper coin.
"That should do. Now what are everyone's names? I feel like if we are about to fight, I should at least know your names." Charon looked out at the volunteers.
"The name's Odysseus, sir." The Volunteer and veteran who first talked to Charon replied first as well.
"Ramnis, sir." The other veteran replied next.
"Howard, Prince" One of the volunteers dressed up in the garbs of a scholar and mage replied. He was also the one to offer the copper coin
"You can call me Kathy, Prince" The only woman to volunteer tried her best to give him a curtsy, failing only due to her nerves of being one of only two adepts here.
"Good. Also, for now just call me Charon. I am a prince no more." Charon's face significantly darkened as those words left his lips before he focused back on the task at hand.
Taking the coin from Howard, Charon tossed it up and down. Trying to get a feel for its weight, he let it go into the air and back into his palm a couple times. After deciding he had a good idea of how much force to use, he stopped tossing it.
Inside Charon, the Astral Energy which normally moved as slowly as clouds on a day with no wind began to raucously pour into his arms like a typhoon. After feeling he had reached the amount needed, Charon calmed the storm inside of him with but a thought.
Charon took a good look at the beach and his target. Charon was going to aim for the center with enough force to cause a sound akin to a clap of thunder when it landed.
He hoped that if it was underground then this would force it to reveal itself. If it wasn't underground then hopefully the sound would scare whatever it is off for now.
"Howard, Odyseusus. Since you two are the only humans here you may want to cover your ears." Charon forgoed warning Kathy and Ramnis since they were undead and did not rely on natural hearing like humans and some other races do.
Charon's arm which held the coin began to radiate a white light as he slowly prepared to throw the coin. Bringing his arm back, Charon took a deep breath to mentally prepare himself.
Feeling ready, Charon's arm moved beyond the speed at which it could normally be seen. One moment it was winded back and the next it was outstretched in front of him. Immediately after he threw the coin, like the calling of war drums a loud bang could be heard resounding out.
The center of the beach looked more like a crater instead of the almost even sand it had been before. Rustling of leaves could be seen in the forest past the edge of the beach as several animals were startled from the abrupt noise.
There was also a new sound at the beach. A rhythmic noise which sounded almost relaxing due to its consistent nature. A shuffling noise as sand began falling even further on the beach.
This noise got clearer and clearer to those gathered, until it sounded as if it was right below them. Which as it turned out, it was.
With an explosion of sand launched higher than the floating bridge, It revealed itself at last.
The monstrosity partially revealed itself above the beach. Looking directly at the group a deep and guttural sound echoed out from behind closed teeth.
The sound grew bigger and bigger before erupting in the roar of a king. It's entire being screamed of anger at those who had disturbed its peaceful slumber.