Bab 7: Chapter 7: The Eerie Tomb Chamber
Astella glanced at Cohen beside her.
The boy, usually with a weak presence, looked like he'd just been drenched in cold water. When they set off, he was full of enthusiasm, but now he resembled a defeated stray dog, his face shadowed with gloom and disappointment.
Though he had inexplicably snapped at her earlier, Astella couldn't help but feel some sympathy for him. She was a few years older than these high schoolers, knowing that this small group wasn't the right place for someone like Cohen. The only reason he was part of it was due to his wealthy background and his people-pleasing nature. To fit in, he willingly played the role of an obedient follower—a walking ATM.
His desire to explore the burial chamber and offer information was his way of trying to prove he wasn't "useless," an attempt to break free from his sidekick label, hoping to earn Laina's attention. However, with Gerald possessing mystical items from his home and Astella's extensive knowledge, his chance to shine had been stolen. Laina hadn't even glanced at him.
Astella thought the best solution was to wait for Cohen to figure it out on his own. Once he stopped obsessing over Laina and realized this superficial group didn't truly care for him, he'd naturally distance himself.
Sigh, maybe I should try talking some sense into him after this, Astella thought to herself. But if he insists on staying stubborn, I can't do much. Teenagers can be so complicated…
If Cohen was dead set on winning over Laina, Astella might even consider selling him one of her sequence 9 formulas—though not "Apprentice." She also had "Assassin" and "Diviner."
As they passed through the massive dark gray door, the light dimmed significantly. Thick darkness filled the surroundings, the eerie silence almost stifling.
Gerald raised the lantern, casting light over a small area. The passageway felt sinister, with barely perceptible cool air flowing, sending chills down their necks.
"I-I'm a little scared…" Laina hugged her arms.
"There's nothing to be afraid of!" Gerald thumped his chest, sounding overly confident.
"Wooo… woo…"
From the darkness came faint, indistinct wails.
"W-what's that sound…?" Cohen's voice trembled.
Gerald, growing impatient, snapped, "It's just air currents. Tombs always have hollow spaces—didn't you pay attention in science class?"
"No," Astella, alert to the surroundings with her heightened intuition, furrowed her brows and raised her voice slightly. "Cohen, on your side!"
A gray, featureless shadow emerged from the darkness, its form twisted and grotesque. A chilling coldness radiated from it, as a dark maw opened on its writhing "face."
"Ooh…" it exhaled a ghostly sound, lunging toward Cohen. In the blink of an eye, it enveloped his head like a gray-white shroud, suffocating him!
"Ahhh!!"
Amidst the panicked cries of the boys and the girls' screams, Astella reacted swiftly. She grabbed Laina from behind, guiding her hand holding the "Cup of Glory," and raised it to point the spiral-shaped cup toward Cohen.
A fierce golden light burst forth, piercing through the thick darkness, illuminating Astella's cool gray eyes.
The "Cup of Glory" acted like a powerful firearm, and the holy, warm golden beam struck the eerie creature with a sharp hiss. The thing let out a brief, high-pitched scream before disappearing.
"Just a low-level spirit," Astella explained calmly. "The 'Cup of Glory' is highly effective against this type of being. It seems the Church of Steam has already cleansed this place. The spirits left behind are weak, likely regenerated slowly due to the unique environment here."
Cohen shivered, as if shaking off the cold from being briefly possessed. Glancing at the terrified Laina, he mumbled, "Thank you… Astella."
"No problem." Astella didn't think much of it. She turned to reassure the petrified Laina. "See? They're really weak, disappearing in an instant, like ice melting under fire. Want to try?"
Laina's lips moved, regaining a bit of courage. With the group's encouragement, she successfully banished several more of the spirits. This made her less anxious and more composed.
It's easy to get addicted to picking on the weak. Eventually, Gerald took back the mystical item, enjoying his own turn at the action.
The rest of the journey was remarkably smooth, with no traps triggered. Astella noticed remnants of explosions and traces of purification magic, along with fragments from what she assumed were once traps.
This was clearly the handiwork of a team from the Church of Steam and Machinery. They hadn't fought individually but opted for a saturation-style attack—what you might call "scorched earth."
Impressive... Astella thought with admiration.
She knew the Steam Church followed the "Artisan" path, excelling in creating mystical items—clearly, they had no shortage of resources.
Astella remained observant, occasionally deep in thought.
"What's wrong, Astella?" Andrew, more perceptive than the others, asked.
After a moment of contemplation, Astella replied, "We're close to the main burial chamber now. For such a large tomb, belonging to a significant noble, it's strange that there are no murals here."
"Could they have been destroyed by time or by the Steam Church's cleansing?" Andrew asked.
"Doesn't seem like it," Astella shook her head slightly. "Even if they were damaged, there should be traces."
They hadn't explored every corridor since, aside from Astella, the others weren't particularly interested in the noble's life story. In fact, the tomb, aside from the occasional weak spirits, was almost too large and dull—like a haunted house with little variety. The group gradually relaxed, even engaging in casual chatter.
"So much for the great tomb of a Fourth Epoch noble!" Gerald laughed. "Astella, you were way too cautious before we set off!"
Astella glanced at him and thought, This guy is perfect for the Sailor pathway.
She gently said, "That's because the Church's team already cleaned the place. Stronger mystical creatures or shadows, comparable to mid-sequence Beyonders, are beyond our abilities to handle."
Honestly, if Gerald hadn't brought the "Cup of Glory," she would've suggested they retreat after encountering the first spirit.
A "Trickster's" lightning magic could cause slight damage to spirits, scaring off unintelligent low-level ones, but killing them would've been difficult. Although using her powers would reveal her identity as a Beyonder, if it meant these high schoolers would learn their lesson, she wouldn't have minded.
Gerald chuckled awkwardly, clearly not taking her words to heart.
"You still seem uneasy, Astella?" Laina asked quietly.
Realizing that Astella appeared to be the most reliable of the group, more so than the two male Beyonders, Laina looked at her expectantly.
Astella hesitated, then admitted, "I'm not sure… The closer we get to the main chamber, the more I feel like something is watching me."
"God, are you serious?" Laina shrank back in fear.
"We've come this far—we have to check it out! I don't feel any such presence," Gerald declared.
Astella looked toward Andrew, who shook his head slightly, indicating he felt nothing. Cohen also shook his head.
Maybe I'm overthinking this... Astella sighed and followed the group through the bomb-scarred hallway, arriving at the entrance of the main burial chamber.
A massive, black stone door stood before them. Its surface was engraved with deep, intricate patterns, and a gray-white disc was embedded at its center.
The disc resembled a clock but was unevenly divided into twelve sections of varying sizes. A black hand, shaped like a peculiar spear, pointed at one of the segments, each partially cloaked in shadow, casting a strange light under the dim lantern.
Astella paused before softly uttering, "Amon... This crest belongs to the Amon family of the Fourth Epoch."
But what she was really thinking was: Maybe I should leave now.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone