Act 10: Beneath the Forgotten World

The third day of travel had been fraught with unease. The horses trotted nervously, their hooves faltering on the jagged terrain, while the faint howl of the wind seemed to whisper through the craggy landscape. The sun had long disappeared behind thick, gray clouds, leaving an unnatural gloom to settle over the land.

Inside the carriage, Johan had drifted off into an uneasy slumber, his head bobbing with the uneven motion of the vehicle. Across from him, Jonathan sat alert, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his eyes scanning the murky horizon through the small window.

Suddenly, the carriage jolted to a halt, causing Johan to wake with a start.

"Huh? What's going on?" Johan groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat upright.

"I don't know," Jonathan replied, his gaze shifting to the sound of approaching footsteps.

A royal guard appeared at the carriage door, his expression tense. "My lords, the terrain ahead is unstable. We can't risk proceeding with the carriage. The wheels may sink into the earth."

Jonathan stepped out, glancing at the fractured landscape. "We go on horseback," he ordered. "Prepare the mounts."

The guards swiftly complied, and soon the princes were astride their steeds, flanked by their royal escort. As they advanced through the uneven terrain, an unnatural quiet enveloped them. The land seemed hollow, the air thick and unwelcoming, as though they were being watched by unseen eyes.

The group crested a hill, where the land suddenly fell away to reveal an immense fissure in the earth. A soft, golden glow pulsed faintly from the depths below.

"Do you see that?" Johan asked, his voice tight with a mix of wonder and unease.

Jonathan nodded. "It doesn't look natural."

The princes dismounted, instructing their guards to stay close as they approached the fissure. The light emanating from within cast eerie, dancing shadows across their faces. Without hesitation, Jonathan turned to the group.

"We're going down," he said firmly.

"But, my lord, we don't know what lies below," one of the guards protested.

Jonathan's gaze was unwavering. "Then we'll find out. Secure the ropes."

With torches lit and ropes anchored, the group descended into the depths. The cavern walls glimmered faintly with veins of crystalline material, casting an ethereal glow as they descended further into the unknown.

---

When they reached the bottom, they were met with an astonishing sight. They stood at the threshold of a sprawling, underground city, its spires reaching into the cavernous expanse above. The architecture was intricate and ancient, unlike anything they had ever seen before. Ornate carvings of figures and creatures adorned the walls, each detail seemingly alive with history.

"This is incredible," Johan whispered, his breath catching in his throat.

Jonathan surveyed the surroundings, his grip tightening on his sword. "Stay close. We don't know what else is down here."

As they moved through the deserted streets, an unshakable sense of dread hung in the air. The glowing spires seemed to flicker faintly, casting fleeting, ghostly silhouettes that played tricks on their eyes.

Johan stopped abruptly, his gaze fixed on an archway ahead. "Wait. Look at this."

The arch was adorned with carvings, the symbols etched into the stone reminiscent of an ancient tongue Johan barely recognized.

"Is that… David's language?" Jonathan asked, his voice low.

Johan nodded slowly, his fingers brushing over the symbols. "Not quite, but it's related. It might be older… a precursor, maybe."

Their attention was drawn to the center of the courtyard beyond the archway. There, resting on a crumbling pedestal, was a piece of parchment encased in a glass-like material. The faint glow from the spires reflected off the case, illuminating the fragile artifact within.

Jonathan's instincts flared. "It could be a trap."

"Trap or not, we can't ignore this," Johan said, stepping forward.

Before they could act, a deep, guttural growl echoed through the chamber, freezing them in place.

The ground beneath their feet quivered as something massive shifted in the shadows. From the darkness emerged a creature unlike any they had ever encountered—a hulking, armored monstrosity with a maw of jagged teeth and glowing, crimson eyes.

The guards immediately raised their weapons, but the beast lunged, its claws slicing through the air with deadly precision. One of the guards, a loyal soldier named Ellis, was caught in its path.

"No!" Johan shouted, but it was too late.

Ellis was thrown against the stone wall, his body crumpling lifelessly to the ground. Blood pooled around him as his comrades scrambled to defend themselves.

"Retreat to the pedestal!" Jonathan commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The group fought their way to the pedestal, their weapons barely holding the creature at bay. Johan, despite the chaos, focused on the manuscript.

"This casing… it won't open!" Johan yelled, his hands fumbling for a way to free the parchment.

"Break it!" Jonathan ordered, slashing at the beast to keep it at bay.

With trembling hands, Johan found a sharp fragment of broken stone and struck the casing repeatedly. It finally shattered, and he grabbed the parchment just as the creature lunged again.

"Run!" Jonathan roared, and the group fled deeper into the ruins, their torches flickering wildly as they stumbled through the narrow streets.

---

After what felt like an eternity, they found themselves in a smaller chamber, the beast's growls fading into the distance. The group, battered and breathless, lit their torches to inspect their surroundings.

Johan carefully unrolled the parchment. His face fell as he scanned the text.

"It's written in a forgotten tongue," he said, his voice heavy with frustration. "I can't read it."

Jonathan placed a hand on his shoulder. "But we have it. We'll find someone who can."

Johan nodded, but his gaze lingered on the symbols. Beneath the exhaustion, a strange unease gnawed at him—an unspoken sense that the answers they sought might come at an even greater cost.

For now, though, they pressed on, the manuscript in hand, the memory of Ellis's sacrifice weighing heavily on their hearts. Beneath the forgotten world, the brothers vowed to uncover the truths hidden in the depths—and to honor the price paid to obtain them.