The priest's words struck like a hammer against Jaylar and his supporters, silencing any squabbling. And now, the men were resolved to honor their fallen comrade, as they set about the task of creating a place for him to enjoy his eternal rest.

Yet they soon found this to be no easy matter, for the cave's floor had been frozen solid and was as hard as stone, and they lacked the necessary tools to soften it.

But that hardly mattered; their resolve was not so weak as to falter over something like that.

And so, with axe and spear, they labored, thrusting their weapons into the ground, softening the dirt before scooping it aside with their shields and helmets.

Little by little, what started as a small cut on the surface became a gaping wound, and a grave began to take shape.

Joshua climbed down from the top of the wagon and rejoined the gathering discreetly, just as the burial ceremony commenced.

His eyes remained fixed on Jaylar, seeing him approach Rolland's corpse and dismiss one of the guards; it seems that he intends to participate in the burial ceremony.

Joshua immediately realized what Jaylar was aiming for: that he and the head guard cooperating to inter the corpse in a show of unity would go a long way in salvaging his relationship with the guard unit, especially after his initial insistence on burning the corpse had caused tensions to rise.

But for him, it was more advantageous if they kept butting heads. Their previous conflict proved that cracks were starting to form, and the fact that a neutral third party was needed to resolve it could work in his favor—if he could manipulate the situation to fuel even more antagonism.

So, Joshua began to think of ways to ruin Jaylar's plan. However, he remained wary of the somber mood that had settled over the room and realized he needed to be subtle.

Yet as the situation developed, Joshua began to realize that taking any action was becoming increasingly unnecessary. Jaylar proved to be extremely capable of ruining his own plans, and so Joshua found himself more of an observer than a participant.

It all started with him insisting on switching positions with the head guard, wanting to carry the body by its head, a position of honor usually reserved for the immediate family and lifelong friends of the deceased.

Even though Jaylar's insistence caused a few murmurs in the crowd, the captain still reluctantly agreed. He seemed determined to ensure the funeral proceeded smoothly.

But to everyone's chagrin and Joshua's delight, that wasn't the end of it. What should have been a short, ceremonious journey to the grave turned into a drawn-out affair as Jaylar repeatedly set the body down every few steps to rest.

When another guard stepped forward to relieve him, telling him he had done enough, Jaylar took offense, shouting, "I got it, I got it!" before correcting his tone and adding, "This is the least I can do."

"That's if you can even do it," a voice whispered from the back. This earned a few muffled chuckles that quickly dispersed as an enraged Jaylar scanned through the crowd, trying to figure out who made the remark.

But the dim light made it difficult to see people's faces, and after a short while, the captain spoke up, his frustration growing. "Please focus on the matter at hand. Let poor Rolland rest."

Jaylar eventually managed to get the body to the grave, but by then, discontent rippled through the crowd—several people from both sides were visibly dissatisfied with his actions.

The negligent guard stepped forward, burdened with grief and shame. Kneeling by the mound of dirt, he filled his helmet and pulled out a small pouch brimming with silkworm eggs, mixing them into the soil. He then took a fistful of the gritty blend and, with a slow, deliberate motion, scattered it over Rolland's lifeless face.

"Do you remember when we first met? When you joined, I had just stopped being the new guy—I wanted to give like I got. Every time I asked you for something, you never complained. Not once. how come you didn’t just—… why didn’t you just say no?" he choked back a sob and continued scattering the dirt over him silently.

And so, Rolland’s body lay in a frozen grave, marked with his trusty axe that remained inseparable from him, even in death. For though valiance had been stolen from him, his identity remained unshaken—he was a warrior.

Just as the ceremony was coming to a close, Joshua turned around and saw Hebert approaching.

There was nothing else he needed to do here, so he dashed forward and asked, "Did you find something?"

"Yes, we—mmmgh!" Herbert began to reply loudly, which prompted Joshua to quickly cover his mouth and drag him away, whispering urgently "Shhh! Don't let anyone hear you" as they distanced themselves from the crowd.

After they got out of ear range, Herbert started squirming, muffling," Mghmgh—mmmgh!" This reminded Joshua to take his hand off his mouth, "Hhhhffff, at least don't cover my nose!"

"Did you guys find anything?"

"We hit a dead end, but Sai thinks it's a hidden passage. I think it's best if you see for yourself"

As the two approached the rest of the group, Joshua could feel their desperation and worry. Many of them paced back and forth, the flickering torchlight casting shifting shadows across their faces.

When he looked down, he noticed the ground texture had changed. It seemed polished and shiny as if a heavy object had been repeatedly dragged across it.

As he stepped forward, he suddenly felt his foot sink a little deeper into the ground, as if he had stepped on something. He felt a click at his heel.

When he looked back up at the wall, he saw something that sent chills down his spine.

Sai, still focused on the wall, stated: "You're finally here, good. I think this door is—"

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When he turned around, he saw Joshua, his pupils dilated and his face tinged yellow. The sound of his teeth clicking together rattled through the air.

Everyone huddled around him, helping him to his feet and asking if he was okay.

Joshua didn't answer, his gaze drifting around their faces in confusion. The genuine concern in their eyes made it clear to him—he was the only one who could see the grotesque sight.

With their help, Joshua managed to stand up. He fixed his gaze on the ground and said, "I'm okay..."

"No, you're not. Your hand is twitching, and you look so pale... Is this mud?" Sai asserted as he rubbed it off his hair.

"My leg just slipped... I think I stepped on something.'"

Sai pointed the torch toward the ground but found nothing out of place. Confused, he stepped around several times until he finally felt a click. "You're right! I felt a click!"

He waited a few moments before saying, "It doesn't seem to be doing anything."

He kept stepping on it repeatedly as if testing it.

"STOP!" Joshua shouted abruptly

"Is something wrong?"

"Uhh, no... it's just better not to mess with it without knowing what it does. It could be a trapdoor or something.'"

"Right... are you sure you're okay?"

Joshua said "Yes, I'm fine. I'll rest when we find Jasmine"

As he sat down in the corner, Joshua reflected on the eerie scene unfolding before him.

The wall resembled a living organism, with dozens of thin, red nerves branching together, so delicate that he could see the blood coursing through them. This crimson web was covered with massive eyeballs, each as large as a boulder, their sclera was dark as coal, and their irises as white as clouds.

He felt like he was losing his mind, pressing his thumbs so hard against his eyes that he almost gouged them out.

This was the second time in his life he prayed—no, 'prayed' isn't the right term. He begged for what he saw to be nothing but an illusion, mere tricks his mind played on him. Alas, reality doesn’t change just because he wishes it to. When he opened his eyes again, the eyeballs were all still staring at him.

He picked up a few pebbles and, in a moment of boldness, extended his arm to throw them, his hand shaking uncontrollably. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

He looked around at his siblings, all hard at work trying to figure out how to get past the gate, desperate to rescue Jasmine. His gaze then shifted to the knives adorning their waists... Could it be?

**No, impossible!** He was disgusted with himself for even considering such an idea.

People stranded at sea or in the wilderness, as well as soldiers operating behind enemy lines for extended periods, often develop a 'forest mentality'—the mindset that everything out there is out to get you. They understand that letting their guard down for even a moment can prove deadly.

What he had experienced in the past few weeks since the attack had instilled in him the same attitude. This 'forest mentality' was something he needed now more than ever, especially when dealing with an unknown foe. But he realized that no man can survive alone. If he couldn’t trust the very people he called family, he had nothing in life. The very idea disgusted him.

And there was something else he could see, beyond the monstrous eyes.

Joshua asked everyone to gather around him before announcing, "I think I know how to open this gate."

A gleam of hope shone in their eyes as they eagerly asked for more details, readying themselves for instructions. The one who had led them this far had finally gotten it together and figured it out.

Joshua added, "There's a riddle we need to solve"

The sin and virtue of every crowd is silence, for it conveys both agreement and opposition. The lack of response and the surprised expressions caused Joshua to pause, contemplating his choices for a moment before continuing, "I can see it."

Everyone started looking around the room, and soon their surprise turned to confusion, then concern, as they couldn’t find anything.

Sai placed his hand on Joshua's shoulder and said, "Are you sure you're okay? You talk as if you're seeing things."

Joshua understood their reaction—he was claiming to see things that weren’t there. If he were in their position, he wouldn’t hesitate to call himself crazy.

"I know this sounds insane, and I can hardly believe it myself, but that's not all I can see."

Sai asked again, still skeptical "You're serious? You sure it’s not just the stress getting to you?"

Joshua went all in, "What you keep calling a wall is a bloody, oozing web of nerves, with dozens of eyeballs scattered around." His voice cracked with fear, and his lips trembled "And they are all staring at me"

Sai was dismissive and rationally rejected the idea, firmly believing that something that couldn't be explained by logic couldn't possibly exist. He took his hand off his shoulder and shouted, "Oh yeah, and are there flying pigs around too?".

Sarai interrupted him "Sai..."

"What? You expect me to believe that there are invisible magical words and a living wall with dozens of eyeballs?"

Altan, who had been silent until now, chimed in, "I believe him."

"Are you seeing things too?"

"No, but he wouldn't lie about something like that. And I’ve felt like I’m being watched for a while now."

Sarai also supported him, "That’s right, Joshua wouldn’t joke around, especially in a situation like this."

Sai sighed "Well that's conclusive evidence... You're in a cave with dozens of strangers. Of course, you're being watched."

Sai kept pacing back and forth, examining the wall and then looking back at Joshua, who had his gaze fixed on him.

He eventually relented and said, " Well what's this riddle that we have to solve?"

Joshua closed his eyes for a few moments, mustering the courage to look at it again. He thought of Jasmine and what she might be going through right now, finding a driving force that could conquer his fear. With that, he opened his eyes once more and recited the riddle.

"The moon is young, the stone stands still,

The flare of torches over the hill,

Tonight they band to do the deed,

For the sin of my absence, the lord shall bleed.

Fault is his own for what they lack,

For in my presence, the land they hack."

For a moment, no one said a word. Then, predictably, Sai broke the silence once more.

"Great.. so not only is this riddle invisible, it's also cryptic nonsense... just perfect."

"And how are we supposed to answer, huh? With invisible ink and paper we can’t even see?"

"Enough!" Joshua barked, his voice regaining its edge. "You can sit here whining, or you can trust me and help figure this out."

Reluctant, Sai starts breaking down the clues: "The moon is young, so it's visible—no clouds tonight. The torches are burning, meaning no rain to put them out. They’re banding together, planning something... a conspiracy, perhaps. The mention of absence—something is missing, something critical. The fault lies with the lord, so he’s likely the target of their anger, the one they’re going after.....Is it rebellion?"

He opened his hand as he gave his reply, eyes locked on the gate, waiting for something to happen. But the gate remained shut.

"Well, nothing happened. Great," Sai muttered, frustration lacing his voice. "We can’t even know if this thing is actually a passcode or if are we just talking to a damn wall."

When Sai's eyes veered back to Joshua, he found him looking around in confusion before his gaze settled beneath Sai's feet.

Joshua was in immense pain, a loud shriek was ringing through his head—one that only he could hear. After Sai gave his answer, Joshua saw a third of the eyeballs blinking rapidly, their massive eyelids making a nauseating, sloshing noise. Then, hundreds of rays of faint light converged into a single beam, forming indecipherable characters before directly beneath Sai.

Joshua rushed toward Sai, the thumping in his ears rising ever higher. Without hesitation, he launched himself forward, attempting to push Sai away as the eerie light settled into the ground. He was convinced that the mysterious glow posed an imminent threat.

This was done in the nick of time, for as soon as he got out of the way, Sai saw the ground collapse where he once stood, revealing a dark, gaping pit and an abnormal stench.

The look of disbelief and cynicism in his eyes was replaced with horror and realization—Joshua was telling the truth after all.