The refugees gathered around a huge board that the squires newly erected. It had several announcements and rules written on it. Some of the rules written were:

“Seek permission from the squires on duty when leaving the refugee town”

“Don’t be alone, have someone with you all the time”

As for the announcements, the Vicar changed his mind and opted to create a council instead of the original plan to have one governor. The council was to be formed by any surviving chiefs from different towns.

Naya's jaw dropped when she saw her name written on the board, “Chief! Why did you nominate me? I can’t do it!”

“Yes, you can! You’re far better than me. The first meeting will be tomorrow.” the chief said as he escaped the crowd forming in front of the board.

Naya followed her but she failed to catch up, "What's happening with him? He's acting weird lately."

###

Tanna followed Magnum down the hole. He walked to him and tapped his shoulder. She signaled Magnum to move to her back.

“Why?”

“You don’t know the traps here,” she said.

“Okay,” he let her walk in front.

The dark corridor were lit by small torches on each side. They could only see a few meters in front so they walked slowly. Several minutes later there’s a light at the end. They walked through the light and found a huge cavern. It was no ordinary cavern, it had buildings and structures Magnum couldn’t comprehend. There were pillars, lots of pillars.

“Where are you, demon?”

Tanna and Magnum both stopped marveling at the magnificent old kingdom.

“So where do we go,” she said.

Magnum looked around, “You said you already came here.”

“Yeah. But as you can see. It's a big place. We’re actually not allowed to go down that city but it's alright. I am giving you permission.”

“Why are we not allowed?”

“Cause dragons could be lurking down there. Also, You! Are not allowed. Not me.”

“You own this place?”

“No dumbass! But my people will be held responsible if you die here.”

“And that’s why I didn’t invite you.”

“I’m going anyways. Even if you didn’t. Let’s go down.”

They walked down to the ruins on a path that circled the cavern.

At the city, Tanna pointed to one of the buildings. “See this one? No doors! And this one! And that one!”

“Why?”

“We’ll it's from the Age of Light so they got be using some magic doors right?”

"Magic doors? huh!"

“Human, find the tallest tower.”

“Let’s find the tallest tower,” Magnum said.

“Tallest tower? These towers are all tall. Did the demon say that?”

“Maybe it's hidden. Let’s go find it.”

“Hey, so the demon is really talking to you?”

"Yes"

“Interesting. I want to see this "demon" of yours. but I don't think it's a demon. It must be some kind of a spirit.” she said.

"It said it was a demon. Why do you think so?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"What if it's lying?"

"I'll kill it if it's lying."

The two walked deeper into the ruins. There were fresh marks on the sand. Human marks.

“Must be the scholars?” he said.

“Yes, people do come here.”

“Good thing, we haven’t encountered any traps yet.”

“That was a joke. All the traps have been disabled already. I mean all those that were found here in the main city.”

“There are other parts?” he said.

“Yes, only 60% has been explored. The remaining parts, we never dare to go. Only Garza and the Guild Master are allowed to explore it.”

“Maybe the demon can help us explore it.”

“Don’t trust whoever is talking to you. We don’t even know if it's a real demon.”

“Having second thoughts, Human? Bwahaha!”

“No Demon, I never said I trusted you. As long as you give me the power I want. I don't care about anything else.”

“You won’t be disappointed.”

They started walking quietly and carefully but couldn’t find anyone.

“What happened to that party? Anyways, let's look for your tower.”

After a while, they found the tower but it had already fallen, most crumbling to the ground.

“Do we need to dig through the sand?” Tanna said.

“There should be a temple near the tower, human.”

“No, it's not that. It's this temple on the left.”

“It looks like it's made for worship,” she said.

The temple had a few broken statues at the top. Both of them were not familiar with these gods. Half the temple was already buried and a huge stone was covering the front.

“How do we enter?” she said.

The two looked at the huge stone of about 10 feet. It was made with the same stones that were used on the pillars. It's a hard material but there was a small opening that could fit a human.

“It doesn’t look like a door. This stone was just added here,” he said.

The two went through the small opening, crouching and crawling. A dead body was already in sight as soon as they entered.

“Not surprising,” Tanna held his weapon.

It was dark inside. They walked further in and at the end was another door with a red rounded light at the center. There were two huge statues beside the door which looked like warriors in armor. Magnum touched the door and the two statues moved. They also felt movement on their back and saw two other statues behind the door.

“What the hell!” he said.

“Yes, break through them! Human!”

“You should have warned us!"

The two evaded the strong swings of the statues in front of them and the balls of fire that flew from the back.

“Separate!” he said while looking at the two statues from the back which looked like mages. It was just standing there in the corner and spewing fireballs.

“No climb!” she said.

“Right!” the two climbed to the top of the two guards and then the guards hit each other, destroying the stones they were made of.

“Easy!” she said as they fell on the ground along with the sand and some stones.

“Jump!” A fire flew again.

“Oh shit!” The sand around them started to move again and formed six human-sized statues.

“Oh Shit!”

The two were running around evading the swings from the smaller statues.

“Why are these things still alive?” she said.

“Alive?”

Magnum looked around.

“There!” He pointed at a small blue glowing light at the ceiling.

“Ah yes! Shoot it!” she said.

“Oh! I have a rifle now.”

Magnum put his gunblade on his hip and started shooting above but he wasn’t hitting it.

“Let me shoot it.” Tanna ran and jumped on a wall circling in the air and then shooting the blue light above.”

“It has a barrier!”

“Is your pistol that weak?”

“No, this barrier is just too strong!”

Magnum was running around and around again while evading the sand warriors’s sword attacks and fireballs. They started climbing the walls but the fire mages were still trying to shoot them.

“You go up! I’ll distract them,” he said.

Magnum ran in front of the two mage statues. He then jumped backward so that fire would hit the sand warriors but it was nothing to them.

“Fire doesn’t work of course!”

He was being cornered now, so he jumped on one of the big mage statues. But it was wrong. the other mage can target him easily. He used his coat to hide but the other mage statue still sent fireballs to him.

“Hey! I’m burning here!”

“Got it!” Tanna said. She was now at the ceiling. She was sitting on a rope strap to the ceiling and the wall. Her sniper rifle was now pointed to the light.

Bang! Bang!

Two quick shots and the blue light was gone. The human-sized statues fell to the ground but the two mages were still firing at each other.

“Where’s the other?”

Magnum looked around before the fire hit him again.

Tanna also looked around but couldn't find anything. “Look at their back!” she said.

“Oh right! I didn’t think of that!”

He jumped to the side of the statue and climbed up to the back. He found the light at the nape. It also had a barrier but Magnum easily blew it up with his gunblade.

“Got it! It's at the nape!” he said.

Tanna then destroyed the other one by also climbing at the back. They both jumped down as the last two statues fell.

“Whew!” he said.

They walked back to the door and pushed it. As they opened, their eyes widened in shock as more statues were in the next room. They were larger than the ones they just fought. The room was also larger and had a white circle drawn at the center. The statues here looked like the ones they saw before they entered the temple.

“Don’t touch anything!” he said.

“I’m not doing anything!”

They both froze looking at the statues.

“Move dumbass!” the demon said, “There’s no more guards. It's just statues of the old gods.”

“Old gods? Are you sure? I don't want to wake them up!”

“Yes! Walk to the center!”

“Maybe you want me wounded and then you’ll eat me!”

“Pathetic. Human, do you want power or not?”

Magnum breathed before he started to move. He was looking around while he walked to the center.

“It's safe?” she said as she walked while looking at the statues, “Is the demon still talking to you?”

“Yes, it said we are close.”

The circle at the center started moving and formed a spiral of stairs that led down.

“It is these stairs that lead down,” he pointed.