Determined to uncover the truth about the lost civilization, Edmund and his group delved deeper into the ruins. The study of ancient inscriptions and symbols revealed patterns suggesting not only an advanced culture but also a society terrified by forces beyond comprehension.
Kieza spent hours deciphering the carvings on the walls of the great temple. His eyes gleamed as he identified a passage that seemed to be a warning:
— "Those who awaken the wrath of the Sleeper shall be condemned to oblivion." — he read in a low voice, a shiver running down his spine. — Whatever happened here, they feared something... or someone.
Edmund analyzed the reliefs in another section of the temple. Many depicted warriors wielding silver spears and swords, battling the same monstrous creatures they had encountered in the jungle. One image, in particular, caught his attention: a massive being of shadows with glowing eyes, surrounded by flames and lightning. Beneath its figure, a city in flames.
— This must be the 'Sleeper' they speak of. — Edmund murmured. — It seems that this civilization tried to fight it... and failed.
Deeper within the ruins, they found an underground chamber sealed by a massive stone door. Unlike the rest of the structure, this door remained intact, as if something had been locked away there for centuries. Voss ran his fingers over the engraved seals on its surface.
— These symbols are different from the others. They look like some kind of containment magic. — he said, intrigued. — If the creature is still inside...
Edmund pondered. The decision to open or not open that chamber could be crucial. If it was a prison for something dangerous, releasing it could bring terrible consequences. But at the same time, the knowledge stored inside could be the key to understanding how to defeat the creatures plaguing the archipelago.
Kieza found a partially deteriorated manuscript near the altar. Its contents were disturbing. It spoke of a being called Vael'Zyroth, the Scourge of Eternity. According to the writings, it was an entity from immemorial times, a primordial force that had been sealed away by the last lineage of priest-kings. Its power was described as an insatiable hunger, capable of consuming not only flesh and soul but also the very fabric of reality itself. The ancient people had built a great empire, but when they dared to challenge Vael'Zyroth, their punishment was absolute: storms of fire and darkness engulfed their cities, and the few survivors used the last remnants of their magic to lock it in an eternal prison.
— If this is true... — Kieza whispered, his voice trembling — this monster may be far worse than any creature we have ever faced.
— And what if it's still alive? — Voss questioned, staring at the sealed door. — Time may have weakened its prison.
Silence fell over the group. The decision to open that chamber could mean awakening something that had been forgotten by the world for a good reason.
As night fell, the group retreated to an improvised camp within the ruins. The fire flickered, casting unsettling shadows over the ancient walls. In the silence, the wind whispered between the stones, as if the island itself was murmuring forgotten secrets.
But Edmund felt they were being watched.
Something was still alive on that island.Something that did not want them to uncover the truth.