The two Awakened and the Grey Knight continued their movement through the dark depths of the unruly caverns. As they moved, it was mostly silent, save for moments when Shawn would engage Steven in conversation every now and then, all of which Steven brushed off with short, blunt replies.

He even tried talking to Nott. The silent knight proved to be more entertaining in his own way, responding only with nods and small gestures whenever Shawn spoke.

At some point, they reached a crossroad where two tunnels branched off. One was a path Shawn claimed he had marked to identify where he had previously passed through.

The other led into an unexplored region of the caves.

They quickly identified the correct path and began moving through it at a steady pace.

That was when the group went silent for a moment.

Until, strangely enough, Steven decided to speak.

"Uhm, Shawn... have you found any memory beacon of this place?" he asked, his face tainted with worry.

Shawn shook his head in response. "None, I’m afraid."

At the reply, Steven bit his lips slightly, his fingers finding their way to his temples in frustration.

In every Realm, there existed Memory Beacons. The beacon in question could be anything—a statue, a cup, a place, or even a person, according to what Steven had learned. These Memory Beacons acted as some sort of tour guide for the entire world.

Just like when he entered the Realm of Entry, Rat’s body had become the Memory Beacon, allowing Steven to see descriptions of the place and its history through his system.

It was crucial they found their way to one in this realm as well.

’According to the books, they’re quite easy to find...’ Steven mused, placing his hands at his sides.

Feeling a bit like a talk thief at the moment, he turned to the fat Awakened once again and spoke, "You look like you come from money."

Shawn groaned in reply, his face paling slightly as he clearly did not want to answer that question.

[God of Weave: Why so shy? Flaunt your status.]

[Shawn: No, I can’t let him know my father is the head of the Second Sigil Awakened Association.]

Steven’s lips curled darkly at the notifications flashing before his gaze.

’I already have my answer. This is just too fucking golden.’

He sighed, acting as though he had crossed a line and no longer wanted an answer.

"What was your Realm of Entry experience like? I don’t mean to barge in on your abilities, but since it’s a long walk, a little story time wouldn’t be inappropriate."

The question lingered in the air for a while before Shawn nodded, seeing no real harm in talking.

"Well, I was scared at first when I got the mark. Despite being trained for the most part, physically at least. I wasn’t prepared mentally."

Steven narrowed his eyes slightly at the physically prepared part. This man looked nothing like it.

"But anyway," Shawn continued, "I had no choice but to honor my father and go to the Realm of Entry. Not like I had a choice, really."

His face lightened as he went on.

"I’d heard stories about how the Realms were dangerous, places forged from hell itself. I expected the absolute worst. But what I found instead was... mythical."

"A sight straight out of a novel I once read. A beautiful oasis with blue skies, an orange sun, green vegetation—myriad colorful birds and butterflies filling the sky. It was paradise."

Steven could almost see it himself from the way Shawn described it, the softness of his tone slowing as he spoke of what mattered most.

For a fleeting moment, Steven nearly forgot just how cruel the damned Realms truly were.

"But eventually," Shawn said, his voice lowering, "as though a century had passed in a blink... it vanished. The sky turned red. The wonderful clouds subsided. The birds were replaced by horrid corpses littering the darkened ground, charred red and obsidian."

"It felt like I had been thrown into hell."

He hesitated, taking a breath before continuing.

"I fought a few Shadow Eaters here and there... and then I was pulled out of that hell by my sponsor."

[God of Weave: Aww, you skipped the best part.]

[Shawn: I can’t expose my ability to him, can I?]

Steven nodded, accepting the story as it was. He was curious about the missing pieces, about what had been left unsaid, but he didn’t press. After all, this was someone he had only met a few hours ago.

Soon after, the cavern came to an end, not against a wall, but before a metal door.

It wasn’t rusted. In fact, it looked pristine and well-maintained, which was strange given the abandoned tunnels.

Nott approached the door first, gripping the knob and twisting it before pulling.

It opened without resistance, not rigid or seized, despite what must have been centuries of disuse.

Beyond the door lay a spiraling flight of stone stairs leading upward.

The two Awakened exchanged a brief glance before beginning their ascent, each step taken more carefully than the last.

In their minds, countless scenarios replayed. A monster could drop from above and crush them beneath its weight. Or perhaps the staircase itself was a living thing, waiting until they climbed high enough to compress all at once, turning their mere human bodies into puddles of horrid flesh and shattered bone.

But none of that happened.

At the top of the staircase stood another door, this one made of stone.

Steven reached for the knob this time, with Nott positioned closely beside him in case anything went wrong.

He took a deep breath... then pushed the door open.

What greeted him was a sight entirely unexpected.

Before him lay a massive, glistening room. Yes, room was the correct term.

White marble flooring stretched beneath pristine tables and chairs, all arranged neatly around a grand centerpiece. A silver chandelier hung above, casting a dull gleam. Wardrobes lined one side of the chamber, and a massive king-sized bed rested against the far wall.

Steven stepped inside, followed by Nott and then Shawn, all three wearing expressions of confusion and awe.

They were amazed and uneasy.

An empty room... yet one befitting royalty.

Of course. How had he not realized it sooner?

They had entered through a secret passage, likely one used by whoever once lived here to escape during an attack. Steven had read about such things, royals always had hidden routes.

Still...

Why would an escape passage be filled with so much danger? Why did it ultimately lead to nothing but an outcrop and endless skies, waiting to swallow anyone who fell?

From the look of things, no one had been here for years. Cobwebs clung to the corners, and some structures looked barely capable of standing.

Steven scanned the room slowly, his mouth slightly agape as bewilderment settled in.

"Just what happened to this place?"