Chapter 117: The Aftermath and Unforeseen Consequences

Over the destroyed temple the dust collected while battle residue lingered heavily throughout the air. The vanished Forgotten King left behind a silent void that weighed heavier than the loudest battle noises ever could. A peaceful state did not exist at this temple even though its demonic guardian departed permanently. The ruins handled dark energies with secret whispers while the ground underneath their feet reacted with powerful tremors as though the remains of the battle were alive to soak in victory.

The battle had taken its toll on Natasha's body as she stumbled while recovering from the fight because adrenaline was disappearing from her system and leaving her muscles with severe pain and fatigue. She noticed the blood marks on her armor but it failed to capture her attention. The temple ruins in front of her triggered a mental spiral of thoughts. The fight against the Forgotten King marked the start of something much more ominous than the previous battle.

She could feel this disturbance building inside her stomach because it refused to leave her alone. A short time after finishing the fight an intense force began to develop beneath the surface of the ground.

Alison stood by her side with his typical composed expression now tight as he kept his hand on his sword hilt. While his attention shifted between the distance and his thoughts he remained fixated on every direction. He showed a different mood than his typical calmness through his solemn demeanor. He concealed the effects of battle through his controlled manner but it still affected him deeply.

"I will say it for now. We won our battle," Natasha spoke with weakened determination. "But there's something else here. I can feel it."

The corner of his face showed a brief tender expression when he looked at her. "You're not wrong. The ground's shaking… it's not over."

The examination work of Dren stopped when he looked up with an annoyed expression. The weight of the atmosphere seems to have increased around us. Like something's waiting for us?"

"Something is," Ira said, her voice low, almost reverent. Ira was holding onto the orb while it no longer shone but made soft vibrations like it contained residual power. "I can feel it, too. This isn't the end."

Each member of the team silently absorbed the emotional exhaustion and physical fatigue from their recent battle. The pounding of Natasha's heart remained fierce as she attempted to understand the events they had just faced. Time has left behind this ancient entity which survived from a previous era. The longer she thought about it she understood the temple itself created a greater danger than the creature that emerged from it. The temple hidden secrets surpassed the darkness of the defeated king they had encountered.

The earth shook once more with an action that differed from the previous tremors which had been battle remnants. A powerful unknown force pushed the temple stones which started to grind against each other. Natasha stared in shock as the ground began to split before their eyes to reveal a dark abyss that opened in front of them.

A hidden chamber.

A powerful cold breeze emanated from the open space that made Natasha shiver as if evil spirits surrounded her. The opening beneath them made Natasha feel something more sinister than the Forgotten King could ever be.

"Did we… do that?" Ira spoke with a mixture of admiration and worry when she asked that question.

"No," Alison replied, his voice low and tense. "The temple's changing. The hidden secret within this place shows signs of disturbed rest.

Everyone on the team looked at each other with caution as the important choice confronted them. Saving Natasha's brother took precedence before but now they encountered a menace which seemed larger than their initial objective. The concealed space below demanded their attention through a mysterious summons. A mysterious force drew them toward exploration of the concealed contents.

Dren broke open his knuckles while his fingers lit up with fire. The situation calls for action so I will confront any danger head-on because turning back is not my style. We finish what we started."

"Wait." Her tone turned sharp as she held her hand up to interrupt him. She alternated her stare between the cave entrance and those standing beside her. The area beneath us remains unknown to all of us. The danger waiting beyond seems worse than everything we have faced up until this point.

Alison's eyes locked with hers. This discovery might serve as both the solution and the primary challenge. The Forgotten King existed to protect and evaluate individuals seeking entrance to this chamber. Whatever remains concealed underground represents our most significant adversary.

She paused while her breathing became uneven. Alison's message weighed heavily upon her but she could not push away the deep anxiety in her stomach. The journey they had begun thus far made it impossible to turn back now. Did they truly need to depart without discovering what reality they actually confronted?

Alison moved nearer to her as if he understood her thoughts which brought her a sense of calm. His brief touch on her arm sparked a comforting sensation which overcame the frosty atmosphere surrounding them.

"His reply came out softly as he said "I'm with you." We will deal with everything that lies beneath us as a united front.

Natasha gazed at his eyes yet her mind could not identify the faint sensation that began to grow inside her. Her feelings got mixed up between fear and determination and a profound emotion she could not define. His solid backing together with his peaceful confidence through ambiguity gave Natasha the courage to overcome her uncertainties.

"I know," she whispered, taking a deep breath. "We'll face it together. But we need to stay focused. We must never allow ourselves to become careless because danger exists at every moment.

Every member of the team squeezed their weapons harder then before entering the dimly lit lower floors.

The group proceeded toward the doorway while the surrounding air emitted an aura of historical energy. The orb Ira held emitted another weak flash which cast light on their way forward.

Before entering deeper into the ruins Natasha took one last look at their surroundings. "Let's go. We have no choice now. We finish what we started."

A heavy feeling of uncertainty intensified against their bodies while they went down to the concealed space. Each footstep they took through the depths made the temperature drop while their footsteps produced startlingly loud sounds.

There was no more possibility of returning because they had gone too far.

The secrets of the abandoned temple remained undisclosed. The concealed power together with its intentions and hidden shadows would soon expose itself to transform the world as they knew it.

As they descended deeper into the passage Natasha experienced growing dread that squeezed her chest. The explorers had uncovered only a small portion of the hidden secrets that lived beneath this historical site. The group proceeded forward while understanding that worse conditions awaited them ahead.

The worst was yet to come.