Their hearts pounded with exhaustion, sweat streaming from their pores in the cool, misty air, as the three young men left a trail of footprints along the hiking path they’d traversed from morning till noon.

They had faced countless obstacles on their arduous journey: plantations, sloping land, rocky cliffs, steep ravines, savanna fields, and wildflower meadows.

Now, they entered an area surrounded by dense shrubs and towering weeds, where a mystical aura instantly enveloped their bodies.

Kairav, Gavin, and Baron froze as they found themselves before countless black stone fragments, moss-covered and varying in size.

“There are so many scattered stones. Was there once an ancient structure on this mountain? Could it be a temple complex?” Gavin wondered, amazed as he snapped pictures with his camera.

Kairav frowned, thinking. “I don’t think so,” he replied.

Gavin looked puzzled. “Why?”

Kairav stepped toward a pile of rectangular stones, some as tall as an adult, resembling building pillars. His hazel eyes studied the ruins carefully before he explained, “Temple buildings usually have more intricate architecture, decorated with statues or reliefs. Also, temple stones are arranged symmetrically.”

Gavin looked harder at the stones from where he stood. “That’s true,” he said. “And looking at the size of these stones, they seem too large for temple construction, don’t they?”

Kairav nodded in agreement.

Gavin grinned at Baron, who was sitting, catching his breath. “Hey! Third-year archaeology student, what do you think?”

“Shut up!” Baron snapped, annoyed and worn out.

Gavin intensified his teasing. “What’s wrong, you think you’re smarter than Kairav now?”

Baron shot him a glare. “Tsk! Don’t compare me to ambitious Kairav! I only attend class to sign the attendance sheet,” he muttered, making Gavin laugh.

Kairav, a little irritated by the noise, shot them a look. “Guys, can you be quiet?” he scolded.

Baron grunted, pointing at Kairav with his trekking pole. “See? Your friend’s in his own world again,” he sneered.

“He’s your friend too,” Gavin retorted, walking over to Kairav, who seemed lost in thought. “Bro, did you find something new?”

Kairav continued to scan the area, searching for answers. He stood and said, “I’m sure this isn’t a temple. It’s a stepped pyramid.”

He pointed at the large, rectangular stones arranged in neat lines, some half-embedded in the ground, forming what looked like an ancient staircase.

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“See? Stepped pyramids typically have stones arranged in steps or terraces, like that staircase over there,” he explained, gesturing toward the structure with a knowledgeable tone, his inner archaeology student shining through.

“So this place is a tomb?” Baron asked, rising to join them, curiosity piqued.

Kairav nodded. “It’s possible. But it could also be a boundary marker.”

Gavin’s expression turned serious. “Which kingdom ruled the eastern part of Sovereign’s Mainland in the past?”

“The Darkconian Empire,” Baron answered. “Some smaller kingdoms existed, but they were under the empire’s control.”

“The Darkconian Empire?” Gavin frowned. “Isn’t that the empire founded after the Everlasting Three Lakes Mountain disaster, the one that nearly wiped out humanity 1,000 years ago?”

Baron nodded. “Yeah. Kairav also mentioned that the first emperor of that empire became the first Astral Conjurer.”

Gavin’s eyes widened. “Right! Bro, didn’t your father and Prince Arkana tell you anything about the empire?”

Kairav sighed, shaking his head. “No. They’re hiding things from me.”

Baron furrowed his brow. “What about Astral Conjurers? Did they explain anything about that?”

“All they said was that Astral Conjurers are chosen to host animal spirits and have elemental control,” Kairav replied, gloom in his voice. He glanced at the sky. “I don’t even know who my real parents are...”

The atmosphere darkened as thick fog descended, adding a chill to the air. A light drizzle began to fall, dampening the forest floor.

“What now?” Baron asked, worried about the change in weather.

Kairav scanned the old trees and dense underbrush. “We should move. The trees here are too old—dangerous if they fall in a storm. Let’s find another spot to set up camp while the rain’s still light.”

“Maybe we’ll find the cave that leads to the Forest of Lost Souls,” he added.

Gavin and Baron nodded, adjusting their jackets before they continued their trek. The stone steps of the ancient pyramid led them higher up the trail.

They passed towering shrubs and trees, the sounds of birds and insects filling the air. The moss, made slick by the rain, caused them to slip a few times as the day went on.

Just as fatigue set in and they were about to give up, a bright point of light appeared in the distance.

Kairav wiped the rain from his face and squinted at the light. “Guys, do you see that?”

Baron and Gavin nodded. “Is that the cave?” Baron asked. “Or… a flashlight?”

“There must be other hikers here,” Kairav said suspiciously.

Gavin looked uneasy. “Who else could it be? Treasure hunters?”

“Tsk! Stop talking nonsense!” Baron scolded.

Kairav calmly interjected, “It could be the dairy cow or the stranger I heard before—the one who said, ‘If you want to know, meet me in the Forest of Lost Souls when the rainy season comes’.”

Gavin’s brow furrowed. “Are we going to meet them?”

Before they could decide, the light started moving toward them. A girl emerged from the cave, walking with weak, shuffling steps, holding a flashlight.

“Do you know her?” Baron whispered to Kairav, who shook his head.

The girl, pale and trembling in the cold rain, noticed something bright among the greenery.

“Who are you?!” She shouted, her voice shaky and weak.

“How can she see us?!” Gavin exclaimed, panicking.

Baron and Kairav smacked him on the head. “Who told you to wear a polka-dot jacket in the forest?!” they snapped.

The girl limped toward them, trembling under her red jacket, which was torn, revealing large, fresh wounds on her hands and back.

Seeing the alarming situation unfold before him, Kairav shot up from his hiding spot without hesitation and rushed over to the girl. “Miss, are you okay?” he asked urgently, his voice filled with concern.

His sudden movement left Gavin and Baron both irritated, muttering under their breath about Kairav’s impulsiveness. Still, despite their annoyance, they followed after him, worried about the girl’s condition.

With her last strength, the girl gasped, “In the cave… Please, help us…”