The true about the secret chamber

That morning, I was still tired from the previous night's events when the Queen called us for an important meeting.

"Things might get pretty rocky from here on out," she began. "Sabrina went ahead and eliminated what would've been our biggest threat."

So that's what they were up to while we were apart. All that theater, letting us fall into a trap… was that really necessary?

"You need to know what lies ahead," the Queen continued. "The secret chamber is actually the tomb of an ancient Demon King."

I had a feeling there was something special about that place, but this? You're telling me I spent my whole life living on top of a Demon King's tomb?

"Demon Kings don't usually die here in the Middle Realm. Normally, they return to the Abyss once they've completed their missions on these lands."

There was a trace of sadness in her eyes. It was becoming more and more clear that this Demon King had been someone important to her.

"But the Demon King buried here chose to exile himself instead, to avoid sparking a civil war in the Abyss."

The sorrow in the Queen's gaze grew deeper as she spoke.

"His loyal followers built this tomb to give their king some peace in his eternal rest," she went on. "Since he refused to return to the Abyss, they created a convergence point."

I don't know why, but something about that name made it sound incredibly dangerous.

"With abyssal energy flowing through the convergence point, they managed to turn part of these dungeons into a replica of the Abyss's natural environment."

So what the Queen's saying is... I grew up living on a pocket-sized version of Hell?

"On top of creating the convergence point, they also swore to protect the tomb for eternity, against any intruders." The Queen's expression turned grave. "Sabrina and I won't be seen as intruders—after all, we're of royal blood from the Abyss."

So the Queen and Sabrina are cousins? Is that why she never included her in our games? No, that doesn't sound like her.

Wait—wrong focus! The point is, the Demon King's followers are still protecting his tomb, and they'll attack any trespassers.

"Sabrina and I will be safe, no need to worry," the Queen tried to smile, but this was clearly personal to her.

"You all, though… that's another matter," she added, serious again. "Still, you don't need to worry too much. The strongest demons down there are probably the Four Generals. After all this time, they've likely decayed into Greater Demons. There shouldn't be any Archdemons left."

Whew, what a relief. We only have to fight four Greater Demons. Wait, why are we even going into the Demon King's tomb again? The Elf had the same question.

"Why are we getting ourselves into this mess again?" she asked.

"You, Ted, and Mary have no obligation to go on. But Arthur… it's really important to me that you reach the tomb of my… the Demon King."

Yeah. That just confirmed it—he meant something to her.

"No worries. Sabrina alone could handle four Greater Demons, right?" I asked, praying my suspicions wouldn't come true.

"I would never raise my sword against the protectors of Great King Diablo's tomb," Sabrina said calmly.

And there it was—confirmed. The Queen and Sabrina couldn't help us.

Also... Diablo? Really? That's the best name you could come up with, Author? If you're just going to use another language's word for demon, why not go full local—Capeta, Tinhoso, Sete Pele, Coisa Ruim... you've got options.

"Well, we've come this far. Might as well keep going," Mary said. "Not like we've got anything better to do."

"Ma Flower says that, but she'll be goin' too." added the Bear.

"Like Mary said, it's not like we have anything better to do," the Elf tried to argue.

"Shoot, I could make a long list o' better things to do," Ted drawled. "Why don't ya just admit yer dyin' o' curiosity 'bout what's in that there tomb?"

"It's not curiosity, it's solidarity! We're a party, after all. When one of us needs help, we help," the Elf retorted, trying to cover her true intentions.

"If ya say so, Flower, I'll go on 'n pretend I believe ya," Ted replied.

Suddenly, everyone was laughing. I wasn't sure if it was because of the funny exchange between the Bear and the Elf, or just a way to hide our nervousness about what awaited us. But in that moment, the Elf's words rang true.

Despite the short time together, our group had already formed a strong sense of camaraderie.

"I'm glad you've all decided to go on," the Queen interrupted our little moment of relief. "But the monsters down there are born of the Abyss. Your current weapons won't be enough."

With that, a chest appeared in Sabrina's hands, and she began helping the Queen distribute some "gifts."

"Ted, this set belonged to the Shield Legion of Astaroth."

She gave the Bear a beautiful shield and a twin-bladed axe, both forged from black steel, adorned with engravings and magical circles in gold and silver.

"Sylph, this magical bow belonged to a Valkyrie I defeated in my youth. It doesn't use arrows—it works as a catalyst for magic. Perfect for your wind magic. I also want you to have this: a lute that belonged to a satyr, servant of Dionysus himself. Another relic from my younger days."

She handed the Elf a gorgeous golden bow with floral motifs, and a beautifully crafted lute etched with silver and gold.

I was curious to hear more about the Queen's duel with a Valkyrie and what exactly she did to get a satyr to gift her his instrument—but that's a story for another time.

"Mary, from now on, you won't be able to let others fight for you. That would be far too dangerous. Since you're not used to fighting, I'm giving you a weapon that fights for you. This whip is my own creation. I think I'll name it 'Lilith's Punishment.' I'll teach you how to use it later, but for now, just know—you feed it, and it'll do the rest."

I was very curious to see how that whip worked. It didn't look like much—just a medium-length black leather whip. Seemed ordinary. But if it came from the Queen, it was definitely something powerful.

"And for you, my Prince, I gift you the 'Sword of Yezharael.'"

She pulled out a stunning sword made from a magical alloy I couldn't identify. It had a silvery sheen and radiated a golden aura.

"Are you sure he's ready, my Queen?" Sabrina asked.

"Yes. I would entrust my life to the Prince," she replied.

I didn't realize it then, but the 'Sword of Yezharael' was one of the few weapons that could seriously wound the Queen.

Handing it to me was a huge sign of trust.

When I touched the sword, I could feel how powerful it was—but also, that power would only awaken if I proved myself worthy.

A knot of anxiety twisted in my stomach.

If the Queen was arming us with weapons this powerful, what we were about to face must be truly dangerous.

Beyond the weapons, she also gave us potions, accessories, and protective amulets. We checked our supplies one last time, and now we were ready to go.

Headed straight into a miniature version of the Abyss.