⟡ Chapter 23: Whispers Beneath the Stone
The tomb was quiet — too quiet for anyone to feel safe. Each step echoed like a question, and the answers never came.
Jio walked at the front, sword loosely held at his side. Havella followed, eyes constantly scanning. Vexi, smaller and visibly nervous, kept close behind.
"Still can't believe this place was just hidden here," Jio muttered, glancing at the moss-covered carvings along the wall. "The ground looked normal from outside."
"That's kind of the point," Vexi replied softly. "Elder Tombs hide themselves. They don't want to be found."
"Then why are we inside one?" Havella asked without turning around.
"I don't know," Vexi admitted. "This wasn't supposed to be here. I thought it was just another pass..."
She trailed off. The silence around them thickened.
The path split into three, and without a word, they picked the left one.
They hadn't gone far when something moved.
From the shadows, thin, grey arms pulled themselves out of the stone floor. Bodies followed — deformed and trembling. Their skin was dry and paper-like, their eyes hollow. They hissed without sound.
"Ghouls!" Vexi cried, stumbling back. She didn't think twice before grabbing Jio's arm and hiding behind him.
Jio stepped forward, unfazed.
The first one lunged, but he sidestepped cleanly and ran his blade through its neck. Havella gritted her teeth and ran straight at the next, her blade flashing as she cut through it with sharp precision.
A third one staggered toward them, slower.
Havella caught it by the arm and twisted her own wrist over its chest — a dark shimmer passed from the creature into her hand.
It flinched.
"Got something..." she whispered.
She stepped back, then drove her dagger into the ghoul's chest — this time, with unnatural force, like her body moved heavier and faster. The ghoul shattered against the wall.
Vexi peeked out from behind Jio. "Did you just—"
"Steal something from it, yeah," Havella replied, panting slightly. "Don't ask what. I didn't have time to look."
She brushed a strand of hair from her face and kept walking.
"That was fast," Vexi said, still behind Jio. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Thanks for—"
Jio shook his head. "Don't worry about it."
Behind them, Havella exhaled slowly. She didn't say anything — just walked.
She didn't know why that little thank you bothered her. It wasn't like she had any reason to care. They met Vexi yesterday. She was just tagging along. She wasn't staying. Right?
"You okay?" Jio asked.
"Yeah. Fine."
Vexi caught up again, brushing dust off her legs. "Ghouls usually mean we're near the core of the place. They don't show up unless there's still power inside."
"Power?" Jio asked.
"Old power. Elder Tombs like this weren't just graves — they were made to test people. The ones who passed… became Lords."
Havella blinked. "Lords like…?"
"They're a step below Fairies," Vexi explained. "Not just strong. Dangerous. These tombs choose people who can handle their pressure — people who can claim their memory. It's how some get into the higher ranks of the Realms."
Jio looked down the dark hallway ahead. "You're saying someone might've already passed this one?"
"It's possible."
"And someone strong enough to control darkness like that woman..."
"You mean the one that tried to stop us two nights ago?" Havella asked.
Jio nodded. "We never saw her. Just the shadows. But if she's tied to something like this..."
"She might be a Lord," Vexi finished his thought. Her voice dropped. "Or worse — someone who failed and survived anyway."
They all fell silent.
Further down the hall, they reached what looked like a dead end — a tall stone wall covered in prints, curves, and spiraling marks.
Vexi stepped forward, examining them closely. Her hands trembled.
"What is it?" Jio asked.
"These markings..." Vexi whispered. "They're not tomb-made. They're Fairy script. Really old. Older than I've ever seen."
Havella raised a brow. "You sure?"
"Yes. I've only seen these once. They were used in places no one was supposed to find."
Vexi turned to them, eyes filled with something that wasn't just fear.
"They didn't build this part to be explored."
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End of Chapter 23
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