Kaelen led the squad to a jagged fissure in the ground, its edges lined with dark stone and overgrown with roots tangled like veins. The scent of damp earth mixed with an unsettling hint of rot lingered in the air. He gestured toward the entrance. "This is where the threshers emerged."

Leo peered into the abyss. "Looks cozy." His sarcasm didn't mask the tension thick in his voice.

Without hesitation, Kaelen leaped into the darkness. The squad exchanged quick glances before following suit, landing in a wide cavern illuminated by faintly glowing moss. The walls shimmered with patches of irithine ore, giving the cavern an ethereal glow.

Suddenly, a low, guttural growl echoed through the cavern. Three threshers slithered out of the shadows, their eyes gleaming with primal rage.

"Here we go!" Velvet grinned, sparks of energy crackling around their fists.

The threshers charged, their spiked tails lashing through the air. Leo unsheathed his sword, meeting the first creature head-on. His blade cleaved through its armored hide with brutal precision. Velvet darted around another, their fists colliding with its skull in a burst of kinetic force.

Kouneli summoned a vortex of blood, encasing the third thresher in a prison of blood. "Got it!" he called out, panting.

Ubel observed from the side, calculating every movement. "Efficient, but don't get careless," he warned.

With the threshers defeated, the group pressed deeper into the cave. The narrow path twisted and turned, leading them to a vast chamber adorned with ancient murals etched into the stone walls.

Velvet's eyes widened. "Whoa... What is this place?"

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Ubel stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the intricate carvings. "This is written in ancient Etrean, the first language of the world, predating even the Canticlysm."

"You can read it?" Kouneli asked, intrigued.

"I've studied it extensively," Ubel confirmed, tracing his fingers over the symbols. "These murals depict the history of the world in three distinct eras: the Old World, the Current World, and the New World."

He began translating, his voice steady and reverent:

The Old World

Where light was born from Luminous' will,

Celestials rose with radiance to fill,

Drowned gods beneath the waves did rise,

Waging war 'neath shattered skies.

The Forge of Elysium split by fate,

Sin and Virtue separate,

Darkness fell from throne divine,

To walk as man 'neath fading shine.

The Current World

Civilizations forged anew,

The Song abused by those who grew,

Celtor drowned beneath the tide,

A god of souls awakened wide.

The Lord of Darkness claimed the flame,

His son the price, eternal shame.

The New World

Forge of Sin seeks darkness lost,

Wars unending bear the cost,

Elysium reforged once more,

Until the world meets final score.

As Ubel concluded the translation, a heavy silence settled over the group. He meticulously copied the inscriptions into his journal. "This knowledge is invaluable. We must preserve it for future study."

Velvet shivered. "That's some heavy prophecy stuff. Makes my skin crawl."

"It explains a lot about this world's history," Kouneli murmured. "But what does it mean for us?"

Ubel's eyes glinted with curiosity. "We'll find out soon enough."

They continued their descent, the air growing colder and heavier. The path opened into a vast cavern with a shimmering underground lake. Crystalline formations jutted from the water's surface, reflecting the faint glow of the moss-covered walls.

In the middle of the lake, ripples formed as a creature hovered just above the water. Its translucent body pulsed with otherworldly light, tendrils spiraling outward as if weaving reality itself. The water beneath it began to swirl, forming a spiraling portal.

Ubel's eyes widened. "An Interluminary Parasol."

Kouneli's brow furrowed. "What's that?"

"A rare entity capable of bending space between luminants and Scyphozia."

Leo clenched his fists. "Is it dangerous?"

"Very," Ubel said grimly. "If that portal stabilizes, it could bring forth something far worse than threshers."

Velvet cracked their knuckles. "Then let's shut it down."