"Thud!"
A thunderous crash echoed through the tombstone chamber, kicking up dirt into a cloud of dust.
"Ugh…"
Halcyon groaned, pain shot through her chest as she gasped for breath… She felt a heavy weight, pinning her to the ground... Her heart pounded violently in her chest.
What she saw and thought what could a be any creature, that hopped through the weeping pool.
Her eyes fluttered open, and through blur haze she saw a face… both their eyes widened. It wasn't a random person nor enemy. Time seemed to stop, as they both stared at each other, in shock and all around suprised.
W-What's going on?! Why is Lucian on top of me?!
Lucian's mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out. They lay frozen, breathing each other's startled breaths. He even had the same thought as Halcyon.
What happened?… Not this again. Of all the people to fall on… it had to be Halcyon. Seriously, what is she even doing here?
Almost, a minute passed as they both stayed still. When eventually, Halcyon screamed and shoving Lucian hard off her body.
"Get off me! What is wrong with you?!"
Lucian scrambled up, he winced and covered his ears… Her scream echoed through the stone walls like a shockwave.
"Damn, Sunny… I must've missed the day you upgraded your lungs," he muttered.
Halcyon pushed herself up, brushing dust from her clothes, angrily… Her glare could have shoot daggers through him. They couldn't remember been this close or this awkward since… well, since the last situation like this.
"What are you doing here?"
Lucian straightened, scanning their surroundings... He wasn't ready to admit he'd been searching for the relic not to her. She'd only mock him for chasing death… but he would have said the same for her.
"…Searching for something… I need to return."
Halcyon brows arched up slowly. She didn't answer, but she had her own thought. Doubts.
That can't possibly be true… Lucian hardly ever lies to me unless he has no other choice. Is he after the Crown too?
She knew that, only a few knew about the Crown relic. Crimson Sanctum. A few kingdoms. Dangerous people and creatures. How would Lucian of all people know? I'd he just been here… She didn't know about the situation with Alpha Sam.
So, she didn't believed him… While Lucian didn't have a tell… like her she knew him, he wasn't a person to lie to her.
"What are you doing here?" Lucian countered, his eyes narrowed at her. "You told me you were leaving. Why are you still here?"
"Thats…"
His gaze dropped low, onto her bouncing leg, before she added quickly. "Well exploring… If that's all you want to know you can leave. Now." She pointed to the right tunnel and the left. "I'm going this way… you go this way."
Lucian stared at both paths, then back at her. She was already shuffling away… A smiled tugged her lips.
She was never good at lying… and she's still the same, always taking off on her own. I should be used to it by now. Still… What she's planning to do… I hope she survives this place.
He now had a deep frown… as he saw she entered the right tunnel. So he did as she said and decided to entered the left, especially if this was the exit. He also, trusted her to believe, that she was doing something good and… She will be safe.
He came to a realization, it's up to him to find. Where be was and a way out… as he ended up here, he recognized that, the pool was a portal… he wondered how could they both endup here?
Deep down, does Lucian feel responsible for Halcyon's current state of mind and her recklessness?
Halfway, through the right tunnel… Halcyon kept looking over her shoulder. Even constantly biting her nails.
"You idiot… this was the perfect chance to ask him more about what happened. Even if I don't want to dig up the past… it's Lucian."
Despite, only running away from Lucian. They both, was known to never take unesseary risks… still she felt the need to move apart from him, he couldn't be here apart of this underworld never again… she remembered, that all the risk they took, when they were young and they learned from that mainly, due to Lucian.
Also, she couldn't let Lucian see her current health… it will make her look weak.
Why am I like this…? He never cared if I looked weak before. But now… it feels different. I was supposed to change after all this time apart.
On the other side. Lucian also had his own thought because it was rare to see, them both lead into one location. He just suddenly, stepped down into the portal and puff he was here.
"It's weird seeing Sunny in this kind of situation. I always knew she was reckless, but not like this. It's almost like she's trying to prove something... but in a place like this, that could cost her everything."
He remembered, that Halcyon used to be the more cautious one between her and Lucian when they were younger, but after a traumatic event, she became more reckless, feeling she had "nothing to lose."
While, he was suspicious he knew this underworld so well to end up, at he second layer… As remembered never, encounting such a phenomenon here in the underworld.
His brows arched, as be wondered. How long, had she been here, and how come he never heard anything about her, like her causing trouble for the underworld.
He didn't want anything to happen as she remembered her being weaker than him, also being human she can die easily… though he saw something different, that almost made him smile.
He remembered the first time they snuck into a beast cave. She was braver than him back then, even reckless. But now… now she looked tired, guarded. And she wasn't letting him in.
If she trusts Lucian deep down, why does she instinctively push him away when he gets close?
As both Lucian and Halcyon continued they both saw a small light at the end of the tunnel. Both there eyes brighten, and it immediately dimmed.
As, Lucian and Halcyon both bummed into each other, the moment they turned a bit of the corner.
"Huh."
"What are you still doing here? What happening?"
Halcyon head twisted and turned, each tunnel pointing at them… then she stopped she, palm her forehead. Before she contemplated that one of the tunnel could lead to somewhere bad like a trap, but she didn't expect it lead to the same place and worst with Lucian… it made her feel stupid.
Still, she felt it couldn't be a coincidence that they both are looking for the same thing… to both ended up into the same position twice… Lucian shouldn't know about the Crown Relic power if he been living a normal life… as she knew, how dangerous for any race to get control over it.
Importantly, since the Crimson Sanctum have been seeking it, beside them she knew there are for sure other are also looking maybe more dangerous than them…
Lucian walked around Halcyon, to the ending of the tunnel. "I guess... just like old times, we leave together." He said slowly.
He continued. "Maybe now you'll finally spill the truth about why you're here."
Halcyon gaze narrowed at Lucian. "No, I won't. But since we're here, we might as well find out what's hidden in this place. Neither of us knows what's here… especially since it's been so long since we last came to this part of the underworld."
Lucian nodded. "What exactly is this place? These symbols and markings… they're too detailed. This has to be an ancient structure, maybe even a temple."
"I don't know for sure… only that it's supposed to lead somewhere special. A place that can heal… or curse."
"This on the second layer of the Underworld… i know multiple location where there are thing to benefit ther and bring bac… its is suspicious how come its clear like no creatures nor humans here." Lucian said, his brows slowly arched.
"Well your wrong… it's the third level."
Lucian eyes widened briefly… before he continued to follow Halcyon, he didn't know how she was willing to be at this level.
Does she want to die?
Halfway through the tombstone… they both only came across, multiple items of old feather pen, and dishwares that are made of ancient designs.
That even, Lucian took out his notepad… he crouched by the wall, his notepad balanced on one knee as his pencil scratched furiously across the paper.
He finally decided to mark down… all them interested him, noting down was something he lived.
Whoever this place belong to had fought multiple battles with creatures…why is for good or bad… maybe that why they had place specially bulit for them… but something went wrong and he had to disappear from society…it seems he belived in something opposite of humanity.
What kind of Oath was powerful enough to build this place… and dangerous enough to destroy its creator?
He remembered from all his old knowledge, he came to a somewhat understanding that the owner of this place had made some kind of Oath… However, it give a consequence that he didn't wanted.
Beside Lucian, Halcyon continued walking, her eyes kept darting around like she saw something.
As Halcyon continued walking, her eyes kept darting around like she saw something. "The walls kepts shifting… when I'm not watching."