The scales of the statue had been hewn into the sculpture with immaculate detail. A piece frozen in time, which didn’t have the wear of ancient creation. Those striking emerald eyes resembled a snake’s. Gold was cast into small slits in the emeralds, giving the illusion of pupils. The golden fangs were filed to a point, and its body wrapped around in a twist that left its head nearly twice Amethyst’s height.

She looked up at the snake. Its eyes remained fixed forward, but somehow had also followed Amethyst to its base. Small, doll-like figures lined the edges. Some figures bowed to the ground. Others had their hands up. Several appeared partially concealed beneath the stone’s surface, resembling a shroud draped over their afflicted bodies. Amethyst’s fingers traced the ornate figures. They were as smooth and carefully crafted as the snake had been.

Tenya’s fingers, likewise, brushed the stone before she stepped away. Stochastís commented on its design, theorized its origin for a moment, then passed it by. Only Amethyst remained to give any attention to the guardian of the next chamber.

“Misty,” Tenya interrupted.

Amethyst looked at once. Tenya gestured her head to follow the rest of the group. Amethyst’s hands lingered on the statue for a moment longer before stepping away from it. She sensed the persistent gaze as they moved into the next room.

The room was like a chapel. Each wall featured carvings of serpents and other statues next to old, dormant braziers in the darkroom. Echoes of their steps reverberated around them. Stone pews were arranged at slight angles and even distances from the back to the front of the chapel.

Stairs led up onto a stage. There was an altar of stone that was dark with dried blood. The stains ran down the edges of the stone. Amethyst lingered on the altar. She surveyed the dimly lit, dark room using the faint green light from her collected stone.

Beyond the altar, mirrored statues flanked an iron door at the platform’s end. The statues were of one half of an individual facing the door. One side comprised men; the other were women. Both sets were naked. The first statue stood, hands outstretched with a small tray, while the second bowed lower, as though asking forgiveness, and the third and final depiction lay prostrate on the ground. Their spines poked out of their backs, the ribs jutting as though they were merely husks of people.

Rust and pits marred the iron door, slowly being eaten away by the hunger of time. Minimal effort opened the door for the group. Despite apparent rust, the hinges opened smoothly, with no audible clue.

The room featured many lanterns, emitting the same soft green glow. Dominating the center of the room was another altar, carved into the shape of a ship, shaping its stem and stern into snake heads that focused on the altar’s center. They had rubies in their eyes. The altar was clean and nearly glowing with how well polished the surface had been.

Neatly placed shackles were at both ends—two for the hands, two for the feet, and one for the neck. Amethyst rubbed her scars, the cold metal heavy in her memory. The tight bonds prevented her from swallowing as guards forced her to eat bread and drink water before abandoning her in the dark.

Tenya’s arms wrapped around Amethyst’s waist and shoulder. The vision faded away, and Amethyst left Tenya’s warm comfort. There were tables topped with books and scrolls. Examining them, Amethyst couldn’t tell what any of the words were. She recognized the letters as being Melydaesian and set the books into their original place. The others were similarly walking around the space, examining things.

“A lot of books,” Garba sassed.

“We are looking for one with a snake devouring itself on the cover,” Stochastís muttered.

Amethyst found a book open to a dissected corpse, but it was all wrong. The organs were entirely unfamiliar to her. She had never considered the positioning in her own body, or anyone’s, for that matter, except for the brain and the heart. Yet, the object before her appeared to lack either of those attributes. She flipped the page to find the diagram done from the side of the body. Another few pages later, there was an illustration of one of the owl-men.

“Stochastís.” Amethyst requested.

Stochastís made his way around the tables and took the book from Amethyst. “Kako, the owl-men are called Kako.” Stochastís dropped the book moments later. The thud rang through the room. “They were people.”

Amethyst cast her eyes down. She felt bile rising in her throat, then settled as her mind remained calm. “Were.” She closed the book, continuing the search.

Tenya quietly announced. “I found it.”

Stochastís was next to Tenya in an instant. He held the book in his hands. Amethyst walked over to them, along with most everyone else. Garba was standing with Wa Chini next to a large iron cauldron. Amethyst looked down at the book and recognized the letters as Hypirian... mostly. Their order was strange. The unusual lettering and handwriting style made the words look odd; some were Melydaesian, others Asharan.

Stochastís shook his head. “Some of these words are familiar, but I am at a loss.”

While Stochastís studied the book, Tenya approached Amethyst. She pulled her away from the group.

“I’ve seen that book before,” Tenya confided. She regarded Stochastís, then Amethyst. “My father had one just like it in his study... I didn’t remember until I saw the jumbled words.”

Amethyst’s tail flicked as she thought. “It’s not likely to be the same book.”

“The cover on my father’s was green with gold leafing, and the handwriting was different, but I remember now, and it’s definitely the same.” Tenya paused, then sighed. “I don’t know why I didn’t recognize it before, but the symbol, my dad definitely had the same one on the cover of his book, I swear it.”

Amethyst looked at the group. She looked at Stochastís, studied his face. She could see his features wince as he paged through the book. “We should be open about it.”

Tenya nodded as Amethyst stepped over to Stochastís and the others and explained what Tenya had discussed. Tenya looked nervous as Amethyst explained. She took Tenya’s hand and clasped it, squeezing it three times. Tenya returned the gesture.

Stochastís gave a sympathetic grin and nod towards Tenya, then he returned to the book. The rest of the group acknowledged her words in similar fashion. While Stochastís studied the book further, Garba and Wa Chini approached Amethyst.

“You should see this,” Wa Chini squeaked.

Amethyst entered an adjacent room and found several massive cells. She could tell which they meant in an instant. The bars had been torn outwards of the cell. Some were merely bent, while others had ripped the stone from floor and ceiling. A larger tunnel ascended at the far end of the cell.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

In the cell, she saw the stone had been carved away in some spot, and absolutely crushed in other places. The bars connecting the other cell had been bent out of shape as well. Kako had been the prior residents, which were only distinguishable via their shed feathers outside their enclosure.

“Perhaps where they held Sofía?” Amethyst suggested.

“I thought the same.” Garba answered. “But it is inconsistent with the description of Sofía, besides, in this opposite cell, look at the walls.”

With Amethyst’s back to the destroyed cell, she looked into the longer unbroken cell on the opposite wall. There were writings and scribbles all around the walls, carved into the stone. Amethyst couldn’t decipher them, so she went to Stochastís.

He had moved on from the book and became fixated on something else. Amethyst approached to see he was going through portraits. There were many faces, but the two Stochastís had separated were one of his mother and one of his father, when they were much younger.

“Kill on sight.” Stochastís mumbled. He placed the papers into his satchel. He wiped his eyes. Streaks of tears dripped down his stained cheeks.

Amethyst put her free hand onto his shoulder, then glanced over the table. She spied a curious paper that looked almost new and let go of Stochastís’s shoulder and Tenya’s hand. Pulling the corner exposed a bundle of white paper. She opened it up, unfolding its many layers.

Inside, the paper had a diagram of Stochastís’s home. Written around it was the schedule of the guards, along with the family’s routines. Stochastís mumbled every word he read as he dug into the many papers. The diagram was of the entire property. It included what looked to be even secret passages. There were arrows with plans, plans to enter and escape the house, each focused on Aféleia.

“Apaísios.” Stochastís grunted.

“How could you be sure?” Amethyst asked.

Stochastís refolded the papers and jammed them next to the posters. He clung to the book, trying to stuff it into the already overly full satchel. Growing frustrated, he threw his satchel to the ground, then flipped the table, letting let out a pained yell before dropping to his knees.

Tenya cleared her throat while Stochastís kneeled on the ground. He flipped his hair and shook his head. He took several deep and lasting breaths.

“Sorry.” Stochastís rose from his place and picked up his satchel. He went through and reorganized it, leaving behind a few things he seemed not to need.

Amethyst looked at the mess Stochastís had left and noticed a half of a drawing that looked almost like a bull. She helped Stochastís up. Then, quietly, they left the chamber and went into the adjacent room. She studied the scene, then peered over the scribbling in the cell that had not been destroyed.

“I found this?” Wa Chini lifted a scale from the ground. It had the same shimmer from the scale found in the Old Temple where Sofía was.

Stochastís took it carefully. “Sofía was certainly here. There is no way she left the way we came.”

“Then we must ascend.” Exousía exclaimed. She confidently marched towards the tunnel and passed the destroyed cell.

The group paced behind Exousía, Stochastís just behind her. Amethyst and Tenya both took a little time before they followed.

“Thanks for not freaking out.” Tenya muttered.

“Why would I?” Amethyst inquired.

“Just... it doesn’t look good when your family has some weird tie with whatever this shit is.”

“Well, it’s not on you.” Amethyst responded. “Besides, you are a good person, hardly the type to be into this.”

“I wouldn’t say good,” Tenya mumbled. She was keeping a watchful eye on what was in front of her, but Amethyst could tell she was deep in her mind.

“Name a kind trait about yourself.” Amethyst insisted.

Tenya stopped and turned her head awkwardly.

“Say something you like about yourself.”

“Uh.” Tenya puzzled for a moment. “I never give up? How does that make me a good person?”

“It doesn’t, but you clearly need to be nicer to yourself.”

“I don’t see how it correlates.”

“My point is, you are a good person, Tennessee, and you should give yourself more credit. You have come far and overcome a lot. Your past and your father, or any crazy conspiracy cult he might be connected with, do not define who you are. What matters are the choices you make now.”

“Wise words, Misty, wise words.”

“Not wise, just...”

“Tell me a trait you like about *yourself.*” Tenya giggled.

“Well...”

“Not so easy when put on the spot, miss high and mighty.”

“Don’t be rude.”

“My apologies, oh wise lady.”

Amethyst glared at Tenya, but couldn’t help but smile. “I guess...” Amethyst took her turn puzzling out an answer. “This is hard.”

Tenya laughed as Amethyst struggled to consider a trait she liked about herself.

“I am an excellent judge of character.” Amethyst said, satisfied.

“How do you explain me?”

The girls laughed and pushed each other gently. They chatted about whatever popped into their minds. It wasn’t just their spirits, but the entire group felt lighter. Stochastís’s shoulders were not as tight as they had been. Garba and Wa Chini were arguing and Nuru and Stochastís were quietly chatting, while Exousía marched them forward.

The tunnel wiggled between the earth, slowly pushing upwards until it burst the earth apart. The cave’s mouth opened into the forest right beneath the old temple. Rays of sunlight filtered through the shedding branched and glinted off of the leaf litter that blanketed the forest floor. Gusts of wind were mixed with the dull crashing of waves against the nearby cliffs. Crows were fighting against the sea bird’s screeches.

Amethyst covered her welling eyes as a stiff icy breeze welcomed her with the sweet smell of decaying leaves. She inhaled deeply through her nose with an enormous grin.

“I will not be going back into any more creepy caves.” Amethyst walked out into the leaves, her tail dragging through them. “I have yet so see a nice... anything underground.”

Garba grunted as he sat with Wa Chini against a tree. Nuru wandered towards a boulder. She sat back and let the sun access any bare skin she had remaining. Exousía and Stochastís stood with Amethyst and Tenya, their eyes closed as the wind hit their faces.

The forest was dense, cut through with a path like a game-trail. It wound gently around standing trees like a river through a valley. Amethyst looked around, taking in the seaside mountain gulch. A wider, more direct path had also been carved through the trees. Splintered trunks lay half split, or completely uprooted along a gouged trail through the soil.

Amethyst nudged Stochastís, pointing towards the path of devastated foliage. He eyed it with his hand on his chin, then heaved a great sigh. He shook his head and, with a limp gait, he meandered along the neater trail towards the cliff sedge. Amethyst looked at Exousía, who shrugged before stumbling after Stochastís. Amethyst and Tenya fell in line behind them, stopping only long enough to grab the attention of the remaining group.

They stumbled through the woods, eventually meeting with the path which led up towards the temple, or down to the city. Stochastís looked between the two options.

“Tomorrow,” Exousía whined wearily.

Stochastís nodded, then turned towards the city. Amethyst was relieved, but still let her mind entertain what could have crashed through the trees. She hadn’t let go of Tenya’s hand, instead she had tightened her grip each time she realized her hand was still swinging with Tenya’s. Her mind calmed as she considered the bath she was going to have. Her desire was for it to be long, hot, and overflowing. Though the chilly wind lessened against her crusty skin, it still sapped away her remaining warmth all the same.

Their heads remained low, despite their victory, as they crept towards Stochastís’s home. Guards bearing the family crest spotted them, and within minutes, there was a wagon to take them the rest of the way. Stochastís spoke briefly with a guard on horseback. The horseman reared back and bolted across the hills, ignoring the roads while headed towards the estate.

In the back of the wagon, they huddled together, squeezing their warm bodies tightly against each other. They rocked back and forth to the sway of the road. Amethyst struggled to keep her eyes open and in a daze. She remembered getting out of the wagon and making her way into the bathhouse. Her body melted into the familiar grooves as the hot water robbed all worry and stress from her mind and body. Eyes close, she let her head lay back against the comfy rest.

Groggily, she munched on a hastily provided meal of chicken and bread with a large cup of wine. The last lights of the setting sun highlighted the hills as wind danced through the grass, chasing after the sun’s embrace. Above, dark storm clouds had gathered. Their dark gray underbellies sparked with hints of pinks and purples that deepened as the hours dwindled into dusk.

Amethyst sat swaying across from Tenya. After saying goodnight to everyone except each other, they remained locked in place, too tired to even fall over to asleep. Each hard fought blink lingered longer and longer. Tenya stood suddenly, crossing the room clumsily. She patted Amethyst, gesturing for her to scoot further into the bed. Tenya Pulled the sheets from under Amethyst and the two cuddled under the covers.

Staring into Tenya’s eyes, Amethyst mouthed, “Goodnight.”

Tenya stared back at Amethyst and mouthed in return, “Goodnight.”