In the depths of the unknown tunnel, a skeletal figure draped in a black robe led Diana, Tetra, and Ella deeper into darkness, toward a place where the Kingdom’s long-buried truths awaited.

  The air was heavy, and the shadows pressed in on all sides, and the only light came from the torch clutched in the creature’s bony hand, its flickering flame casting jagged shapes along the damp stone walls.

  Diana bit her lip, her eyes narrowing as her heart thudded violently in her chest. Yet, beneath the fear, a flicker of curiosity sparked.

  H-How did he know my r-real name? She swallowed hard, feeling her throat tighten.

  Then, without warning, the skeleton stopped and slowly turned, its empty sockets locking onto her.

  “I told you just now,” it said, its voice a hollow echo that filled the tunnel, “don’t be so tense with me.”

  Diana’s brows knitted together, defiance flickering through her unease.

  “T-Tell us about y-yourself then,” she said, her voice trembling but not without a spark of resolve.

  The skeletal figure tilted its head, towering over her, its form nearly twice her height.

  Tetra, carrying Emma on her back, stepped in front of Diana, her glare fixed on the robed figure.

  “My own existence is of no use to you, outworldly soul,” the skeleton replied,

  its gaze lingering on Diana.

  “What matters are the shadows of this Kingdom. its secrets long buried." It paused for a second.

  "They are the key to what is happening now.”

  It turned away, taking a slow, deliberate step deeper into the tunnel.

  “And if you wish to protect the people of this land… you must learn the truth.”

  Diana’s heart sank, though deep down she knew the sensation wasn’t her own. It was Towa’s lingering emotions bleeding through.

  She clutched the fabric near her chest, drawing in a heavy breath before exhaling softly.

  Then, lifting her gaze to Tetra and Ella. “Sorry… but we must walk forward.” she said quietly,

  Tetra’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flashing within them.

  “What’s the purpose of following that monster, Your Majesty?”

  Ella nodded firmly.

  “She’s right. We can go back to where we entered. We can’t risk everything at once… Your Majesty.”

  But Diana shook her head twice, her gaze fixed on the robed skeleton ahead.

  “I can feel it. He’s telling the truth. And if I miss this chance… I might never be able to change this Kingdom for the better.”

  Her voice tightened as she bit her lip.

  “I don’t want that to happen. I want to save everyone!”

  At that moment, her eyes seemed to glow brighter than the torchlight, like stars piercing through the suffocating darkness.

  The radiance caught Tetra and Ella off guard, their pupils widening as though drawn by a force beyond reason.

  Diana stepped slowly and deliberate but filled with unshakable resolve.

  Tetra and Ella exchanged glances. They had no choice but to follow.

  “Ella, can you carry Emma for me?” Tetra asked softly.

  Ella nodded and carefully lifted her twin onto her back,

  Diana’s eyes filled with determination that set in her gaze as they pressed onward.

  The skeletal creature glanced over its shoulder, its empty sockets gleaming faintly in the torchlight.

  “Your atmosphere has shifted,” it murmured. “Are you prepared for what lies ahead?”

  Diana’s chin lifted, resolved flashing in her eyes.

  “I’m always prepared.”

  They pressed deeper into the narrowing tunnel, the air growing heavier with each step as if the darkness itself thickened, weighing on their lungs.

  Diana could feel it pressing against her chest.

  Then, the skeleton’s voice rumbled through the darkness, low and intimidating.

  “Tell me, do you know when Apocrypha first rose to become a Kingdom?”

  Diana swallowed hard, her grip tightening on the fabric at her chest.

  “Yes,” Diana replied. “Two hundred and thirty-five years ago, when my ancestors, seven generations back founded a village and slowly turned it into the Kingdom I rule today.”

  The skeleton let out a low, unsettling sound, something between a sigh and a dry rattle.

  “You are… knowledgeable for an outworldly soul. But you’re not completely correct.”

  Diana’s brows furrowed. “Huh? I read it in the history journals written by the generational rulers themselves! How am I not correct?”

  “Because those journals were written to brainwash you. To deceive future rulers and citizens into a carefully woven lie.”

  A cold shiver ran down Diana’s spine as the words sank in.

  She pressed her lips together tightly. Her hands clenched into fists, anger and unease twisting together in her chest.

  “Then tell me the truth!” she demanded, her voice echoing down the tunnel.

  The creature slowed its pace, then spoke with chilling certainty.

  “The ancestors you believe built this Kingdom never lived in the first place.” It paused, trying to lessen the thickening atmosphere.

  “There has only ever been one ruler… one King… since Apocrypha’s founding.”

  Diana’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth slowly agape.

  It turned slightly, its empty gaze locking with Diana’s.

  “King Lethros has ruled this Kingdom for its entire existence. He was the one who built the Apocrypha from start till today.”

  Her hands were trembling controllably.

  “Impossible…” she whispered.

  Behind her, Tetra and Ella froze, their faces mirroring Diana’s shock, the torchlight flickering in their wide, unblinking eyes.

  “H-H-How is that e-even possible?!” she stammered, her voice louder than she intended.

  “Two hundred thirty-five years have passed since the founding of the Apocrypha.” She paused, her shoulders slightly trembling.

  “A-Are you saying he lived that long? How could a human possibly survive for centuries?” Her hands flailed slightly, disbelief flickering in her eyes.

  “He made a deal with God,” Its head shook so slightly.

  “Or should I say Demon God.” the skeletal being replied, then started to walk and turn to the left. “granting him life beyond human limits to rule his beloved kingdom.

  But the consequences… were far heavier than he could bear.”

  “W-What? Wait… h-he made a deal with the Demon G-God? H-How—?”

  Her words tangled, her mind unable to grasp the weight of what she was hearing.

  “You did the same with Towa,” it replied sharply.

  Her mouth fell open.

  He was right. Towa made a contract with the Gods to transfer my soul to her body… she muttered under her breath, sweat dripping down her face uncontrollably.

  Tetra’s jaw tightening while her eyebrow knitted against each other. What are they saying? She whispered under her breath.

  “But the price of such a deal,” It continued, “was heavier than he imagined. The Cathedral’s sudden rise in power, the Duke of the North secretly plotting rebellion, aided by the neighboring kingdom with weapons and gold…” It laughed creepily that hung in the air.

  “Taxes climbing rapidly while the market prices soaring out of reach. All of it struck at once, and even the King… could not solve it all alone.”

  Diana pressed her palm to her forehead, the weight of the revelation pressing down on her like the chill air in the tunnel. She took a shaky breath, trying to digest the torrent of information.

  The silence lingered for a couple of seconds, then the skeletal creature spoke again.

  “Do you know why he suddenly died of an unknown illness, despite living for so long?” His tone was sharp, each word striking with precision.

  She bit her lip hard. “No!”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “He didn’t die from any illness. He took his own life because he was too afraid to face the consequences. And instead of carrying that weight himself, he passed the burden to his own daughter, Towa!”

  "Huh?!"

  Her hands trembled, and tears pricked at her eyes. She pressed a shaking hand to her lips, as if trying to hold back the storm inside her.

  The torchlight flickered across the walls, echoing the turmoil in her chest.

  She gasped, a sound so raw it startled Tetra and Ella. They moved instinctively to comfort her, but Diana held up her hand, commanding them to stop. Her eyes, though blurred by tears, blazed with a fierce resolve.

  Tetra pressed her lips together, silently taken aback. She had never expected to see Diana look so vulnerable… yet her eyes sparkled so strongly.

  The skeletal creature halted, glancing back at her.

  “Why are you crying?” it asked coldly. “This isn’t your burden to bear.”

  Diana wiped away the tears trailing down to her lips, her fingers trembling for only a second before stilling.

  Then, unexpectedly, a chuckle slipped past her lips, soft at first, then sharper, clashing with the rage burning in her eyes.

  “What are you even talking about?” Her voice trembled, not from fear but defiance. “Of course it’s my burden to deal with.”

  She glared at him, fierce and unyielding, yet her eyes gleamed brighter than the stars, as if daring the darkness to swallow her whole.

  “I know the burdens left for me are like an unbreakable rock. No matter how hard I strike, it won’t shatter.” She lifted her chin, letting the weight of her resolve fill the air.

  “But I’m not weak. I’ve never given up. If it won’t break… I’ll strike again. And again. And again… until it finally does.”

  For a moment, silence followed until the skeleton unexpectedly chuckled, its hollow tone carrying a strange warmth.

  “Worry not,” it said, almost amused, “those sticks of yours aren’t nearly as dull as you think they are.”

  They had wandered through the twisting tunnels for what felt like a long minutes, their footsteps echoing softly in the stillness.

  Finally, a massive entrance loomed ahead, its sheer size forcing Ella to crane her neck just to glimpse the tip of the towering gate.

  “The gate is… massive,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

  With a slow, resonant creak, the gate began to open. Light spilled through the widening gap, revealing what lay beyond. When it finally stood fully ajar, they stepped inside and froze.

  The space before them stretched so far it could fit the entire city.

  Sunlight filtered in faintly from unseen openings, casting strange, shifting glows across the floor.

  Diana’s gaze wandered, taking in the open wide center area until it fell upon seven colossal pillars rising proudly from the ground. Some were broken halfway yet still towered high above them.

  Every pillar bore strange symbols, carved deep into their surfaces, twisting in patterns that seemed to shift under the dim light.

  Diana’s eyes traced them, trying to make sense of their meaning, but the script was foreign, utterly unknown to her knowledge.

  She even saw a carving of a figure with long hair, gesturing its hand with grace, while below were people kneeling as if praying for that figure above.

  She touched the carve carefully while her eyebrow knitted against each other.

  What is this? She muttered under her breath.

  Her gaze drifted onward, drawn to the center of the place. There, a massive stone stood bound by thick, weathered ropes.

  In front of it rested a wooden lectern, and upon the lectern—a book, its cover dark and worn with age.

  She narrowed her eyes and stepped closer. She noticed the seven pillars were placed to a perfect circle around the lectern, almost as though they stood guard, warding off some unseen force.

  A knot of unease tightened in her chest.

  What is all of this…?

  As she reached the lectern, the book stirred. Its pages began to turn on their own, whispering faintly as they shifted.

  Diana froze; her breath caught in her throat.

  W-What’s going on!? Her wide eyes darted toward the skeleton in the corner, silently begging for an explanation.

  “What is this book!?” she blurted, desperation cracking through her voice. “Does it… does this book had all the past happenings in the Kingdom?!”

  Their eyes locked, and for a few long seconds, silence weighed heavy in the air.

  Then, the skeleton shook its head slowly, its voice echoing like a hollow drum.

  “That book… does not merely hold the truth of this Kingdom,” its tone rising like a distant roar. “It holds the truth of the entire world!”

  The skeletal being looked at the pillars.

  “The seven pillars aren’t just for decorations but these pillars symbolize the seven Gods that keep the book protected.” Its bone hand gestured from the left.

  “As you can see, neither your companion nor I could enter inside.”

  The skeleton flicked its finger, and suddenly a transparent barrier shimmered to life, connecting to the seven pillars in a perfect circle as it enclosed the lectern and the massive stone within its glowing bounds

  Diana flinched. “W-Why am I the only one who can enter?!” she shouted, fear gripping her chest as she instinctively stepped back.

  “Because you’re the chosen one!” its voice rang out, reverberating through the whole place like a divine proclamation.

  “The God who stands above all Gods has chosen you. DO NOT FEAR! For he gives you the authority to judge others!"

  Diana’s brows knitted tightly as she frowned. Suddenly, a violent gust of wind erupted from the book, sending debris swirling chaotically around the area.

  Her green ponytail whipped through the air as she stared at the book, wide-eyed in confusion.

  “W-What should I do with this?!” she shouted, panic flickering in her face.

  “Touch it!” the skeletal figure bellowed, its robe flaring wildly in the storm.

  Without hesitation, Diana reached out and let her fingers brush the book’s surface.

  In an instant, the world around her shifted, dissolving into something entirely unfamiliar, her vision pulled into another realm, twisting and reshaping reality itself.

  She floated high above, suspended in a pale blue sky, and for a moment, she marveled at the vastness of the world below.

  The rolling landscapes, sparkling rivers, and endless horizon.

  It was breathtaking, a beauty that stole her breath… until it twisted into horror.

  From nowhere, enormous waves of fire surged around her.

  As she twisted through the flames, her eyes caught a scene that froze her in shock: people being crucified upside down, children wailing in endless agony, their cries echoing like knives in her ears.

  Then, a light descended from above, piercing the chaos.

  Slowly, other rays of light followed, cascading from the heavens.

  From the brilliance, she saw countless figures with enormous wings, shining armor and weapons stained in blood, as if they had just annihilated all of humanity from existence.

  Though she could fly, a sudden force pulled her downward.

  Memories, unknown yet vivid, surged through her mind like a raging river, drowning her senses.

  As she plummeted toward the ground, she snapped back to consciousness, gasping in pain, as if her very will to breathe had been ripped from her.

  And then, a voice came—

  “Y-Your Majesty!” Ella’s voice rang in her ears, yanking her back from the haze of unconsciousness.

  When she finally opened her eyes, she saw tears running down Ella’s cheeks, her gaze fixed on hers.

  “Y-Your Majesty, y-you’ve finally awoken! W-we thought you were…gone!” Each word trembled, catching in her throat, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

  Diana sat slowly to the ground, pressing a hand against her left eye, her chest rising and falling unevenly.

  “W-What just happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “When you touched the book, the wind immediately stopped but you lost consciousness… nearly to the point of losing your life.” Ella wrapped her arms around her instantly.

  Surprised, Diana clutched her back just as tightly.

  “S-Sorry… I-I didn’t fully understand w-what happened, but I’m alive somehow”

  Ella pressed her face against Diana’s shoulder, sobbing softly, relief and lingering fear trembling through her frame.

  Tetra, standing beside the skeletal being, pressed her thin lips together, a cold shiver crawling down her spine. Suddenly, a surge of bloodlust erupted from the left.

  She spun, eyes snapping to the source just in time to see a massive tentacle whipping through the air with terrifying speed, aimed straight at Diana and Ella.

  Without hesitation, a sword materialized in her right hand. In a blink, she vanished, only to reappear directly in front of attack. The blade sliced through the tentacle cutting it in half effortlessly, halving them with a force that shook the ground beneath her feet.

  A nervous smile flickered across her face as she saw the figure standing farther ahead.

  “What reason does one of the bishops have here?” she demanded, pointing her sword toward him.

  The figure took a deliberate step, the echo rolling through the empty space like a drumbeat of menace.

  “That should be my line. Why is the strongest of Leo’s subordinates, Eleana and, above all, Queen Towa doing in the Cathedral’s domain?”

  Tetra’s brows knitted tightly as her gaze locked onto him. “Bishop Denise!”