Everess’ heart raced with a sense of unease as she have reflected long enough on the missed opportunity from the previous day. The nagging feeling of unrest had been a warning. A warning she foolishly ignored. One she wished she had heeded as soon as possible. The weight of her inaction bore heavily, knowing that her presence could have made a difference. She vowed to never ignore her instincts again, given her current situation.
A pink sheet of light immediately surrounded her until an orb enveloped her and when it finally disappeared like how it appeared, she found herself in an unusual place. She found herself standing at the entrance of a vast tomb. The structure loomed before her; the doorway carved from the heart of the mountain as she deduced that she was inside one. The air was cool and musky, as should any caverns and tombs should be. She slowly walked inside, with only her footsteps echoing in the vast chamber. As she walked, she noticed blood splatter along the cavern walls and from there; she was surprised that it connected to a vast cavern. The air was thick with the scent of dust and decay, and the only sound was the faint echo of her footsteps on the stone floor.
The cavern was carved out. The people who wanted it hidden made this. And at the end of a cavern, lied an intricate tomb that was carved out as well.
As she stepped inside, the faint darkness enveloped her like a heavy cloak. The only light came from the openings atop the cavern ceiling, allowing sunlight to still penetrate and illuminate these stone cavern halls. The air was cool and musty, and she could feel the weight of years pressing down on her.
Her curiosity grew even more than she could really tell that this was meant to be hidden. Yet, spacious and elegant enough — for its time to be considered as such. It was clearly made for someone of great importance, but who?
As she got closer, there she noticed something that should not be present in such an ancient tomb. Bodies. lifeless ones. She gasped the cold, dusty air, as her hand shook as she slowly covered her mouth. Her lips trembled from the sight alone. Blood was splattered and painted on the floor and walls. Some bodies lay on the floor, some impaled on the cavern walls itself, and some shouldn’t be separated at all.
A feeling of dread befell her shoulders, along with the already heavy air that the tomb had.
She walked close to one of the bodies and waved her hand as it glowed faintly of bright purple to turn it around. She noticed their armor, their uniforms, and was taken aback by who they were. They were imperial royal guards.
She immediately looked back at the tomb, to look for any signs that this was an imperial tomb and found herself frustrated. How could she have missed it? She was already there, and she still missed the telltale signs. This was an Imperial Trasidar Tomb. She felt a sudden onset of dread, as this could spell disaster or even chaos.
The Queen Empress Tamara was already having a tough time maintaining her control over the empire because of what had happened five years ago. The burden of the conference she just held this year with the other leaders was already hard. Adding this now would make her look weak. This is a problem.
She stood there, surrounded by the silent and eerie dead. She felt a sense of fear wash over her. This was a place of power and mystery, a place where the past and the present seemed to merge together in a timeless dance. And she knew that she had only scratched the surface of the secrets that lay hidden within these ancient walls. And the power of this tomb may have the power to upend the Queen Empress young reign.
She focused on the matter at hand. As she tried to figure out what they were doing there. Given that they are royal guards, then the tomb itself is of royal importance.
Her heart raced as she surveyed the scene before her. Bodies lay strewn across the tomb, their lifeless forms a stark reminder of the violence that had taken place. Blood stained the stone floor, a grim testament to the brutality of the attack.
But there was no time to dwell on the horror of the scene. She had to focus on the task at hand. The tomb was of royal importance, which much was clear from the presence of the royal guards. But whose tomb was it? And why had it been attacked?
She began to carefully examine the bodies, searching for any clues that might help her identify the tomb’s occupant. She noted the positions of the bodies, the wounds they had sustained, and any other details that might be relevant. She also took note of the layout of the tomb itself, trying to piece together the sequence of events that had led to this tragic outcome.
Upon closer look, the guards were killed in a way that was so inhuman. Absent of emotion, consideration upon its victims. Even a wild ursalynx will know its limits. Heck, even xerxecians are not like this. The cruelty and the way they met the hand of death were just too great to bear.
As she looked around, she noticed something that twinkled in some parts of the cavern. She looked around and noticed that they were all over. She walked over to some of them and noticed something that she had noticed too recently — a dark, purplish mucus. She was flabbergasted at the thought. This all but confirmed that magic was used here. What’s worse was that she knew all too well that only she could produce such powerful magic for it to leave physical traces behind.
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
She looked at the tomb that loomed before her. Trasidian markings was all over the imposing carved structure and some other emblems that were not familiar with. She approached the tomb with caution. A mixture of trepidation and curiosity. The structure loomed before her, its massive stone walls rising up from the earth like the ribs of some ancient, long—forgotten beast. The surrounding air was thick with the scent of dust, decay and death, and the only sound was the faint echo of her footsteps on the stone floor.
As she drew closer, she noticed that the circular seal on the tomb’s entrance was broken and cracked. The emblem that had once adorned it was incomplete, with only half of the design visible. It was clear that someone forced themselves through, but for what purpose? She could not say. Grave robbers won’t have the nerve to even go to this tomb. The empire’s elite heavily guarded it, so a frontal assault wouldn’t work. There is only one entrance as well, so an ambush or infiltration won’t work either.
She was about to go in to investigate further when she heard footsteps approaching.
“Who goes there?” one of the guards demanded, his voice echoing through the chamber.
She hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. But then, with a sense of urgency, she made a mental note of the clues she had uncovered and prepared to leave the tomb. She looked at the tomb’s sealed door itself and noticed an emblem that she knew she would have seen somewhere, but couldn’t remember. She would have to continue her investigation later, when she had more time and could work without the threat of discovery.
As her form dissolved into the shimmering light of the teleporb. A rush of conflicting emotions swirled within her. The sight of the tomb’s grim interior, the eerie silence broken only by her footsteps, and the haunting presence of the lifeless bodies all played havoc on her senses. With each beat of her heart, a surge of curiosity battled against the weight of dread that settled heavily upon her shoulders.
And then, with a soft pop, she reappeared on the soft, cushioned chair of a carriage, her surroundings shifting abruptly from the dank confines of the tomb to the relative comfort of the enclosed carriage. Her personal guards, vigilant and stoic, flanked her on either side, outside the carriage. Seemingly not minding what she just did.
But even as the carriage rumbled forward, she couldn’t shake the lingering echoes of what she had just witnessed. The memory of the blood-stained walls, the lifeless bodies of the royal guards, killed in ways she could not wish upon her greatest enemies and the ominous presence of the tomb loomed large in her mind.
Lost in thought, she absentmindedly traced patterns on the smooth surface of her cloak, her eyes distant as she wrestled with the puzzle that now consumed her thoughts. Who were the perpetrators behind the gruesome attack? What secrets lay hidden within the depths of the tomb? And the fact that magic was used, who did it?
Despite the rhythmic clatter of hooves against the barely paved road and the steady hum of the shardonian winds, she remained lost in her own thoughts. The determination to unravel the mystery grew intense, driving her forward even as uncertainty gnawed at her resolve. For this does not affect only her, but the entirety of empire once more. Her only concern was how long will this be under wraps, especially since Tamiron, for all she knew of him, will find out about this barbaric attack, sooner than later.
With each passing mile, the city of Bastominad drew closer, its towering spires looming on the horizon like silent sentinels. And as the carriage pressed onward, she knew that something was amiss. For the mystery of the tomb and the events that had unfolded within its shadowy confines would stay with her, a puzzle that she was determined to solve, no matter the cost.
She grappled with the weight of her discovery, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Should she tell Tamiron immediately, or would it be wiser to gather more information first? The thought of his reaction weighed heavily on her. Especially now that she became his counsel. A feat that had greatly expanded since his rampage five years ago.
What if he took it the wrong way, seeing it as a sign of her incompetence or disloyalty? The consequences of her actions, or lack thereof, could have far-reaching implications for her relationship with Tamiron. Given his current self-state, ruining it now would derail her own plans. She felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on her shoulders. The weight of being his only trusted friend and the weight that the Gods and Animos thrust upon her put her in a very delicate, yet powerful position. The burden of her position as the Crown Regent trusted advisor.
It was becoming increasingly clear to her that her role as an advisor might not suffice in the face of the grave escalation, the moment that Tamiron finds out. The weight of responsibility was pressing down on her, and she knew that merely advising him might not be enough to address the challenges ahead. She needed to take action, to gather all the necessary information before approaching Tamiron with her findings.
As she contemplated her next steps, she realized that she couldn’t afford to make any hasty decisions. She needed to be thorough, to ensure that she had all the facts before presenting her case to him. It was crucial to approach him with a clear plan, to show him that she was capable of handling the situation.
An ache in her heart echoed, a foreboding sense of dread that whispered of the unknown. She feared that this may only be the start of something far beyond her control, a dark tide rising that threatened to engulf all she held dear.
As she looked upon the towers of the Bastominad, kissed by the sun’s dying light of dusk, the wind howled around her; she knew that she had to act. She couldn’t let fear paralyze her, not now. She couldn’t afford to freeze now and let the darkness win. She had a responsibility to protect the empire — know the world.
End of Chapter V