Chapter 259 - The House of Fire
The hidden passage within the House of Fire plunged Scarlett and her companions deeper than anticipated, guiding them to the entrance of what looked to be an underground temple, its smooth, darkened stone walls bearing the marks of unknown craftsmanship.
Upon reaching the temple’s threshold, the group paused to retrieve their equipment from the [Bag of Juham] and readied themselves for combat. A single, long corridor stretched out before them, its far end punctuated by a faint, flickering light. Scarlett conjured a flame that danced before them and illuminated their path as they started moving.
After a few minutes of walking, they emerged into a vast, cavernous chamber. The ceiling stretched high above, almost lost in the shadow above, while massive pillars, some crumbling and others toppled, rose from the floor like obelisks. The walls bore faded murals depicting scenes of what was presumably the fire goddess and her followers at the height of their power, performing various rites.
Scattered across the chamber’s expanse lay other remnants of the temple’s former glory: abandoned altars, urns, and offerings long since reduced to ash. Bursts of flame erupted periodically from sconces embedded in the walls and floor, casting an eerie, pulsating light throughout the space, and the air hung thick with an almost oppressive heat, carrying a faint tang of sulfur.
At the heart of all this stood a grand, partially collapsed statue of the fire goddess. Although equally worn by the centuries as the rest of this place, her stern gaze seemed to follow their every move, as if judging their worthiness to tread upon this ground.
Allyssa’s voice broke the prolonged silence, tinged with wonder. “This… This is unbelievable. It’s huge.”
“Indeed it is,” Scarlett replied, her eyes surveying the chamber. “And I believe this is merely the first layer of what awaits us.”
The girl’s eyes widened in shock. “There’s more?!”
Even Shin couldn’t mask his incredulity. His brow furrowed as he scanned the area. “…I’m having difficulty understanding how this place has remained hidden beneath the capital for so long without anyone realising.”
“Right?” Allyssa nodded vigorously at his statement.
“That is hardly uncommon for sites of this nature,” Scarlett said. Otherwise, there would be no ‘forgotten ruins’ left to explore. “These locations often bear enchantments that render them nearly undetectable unless one knows precisely what to seek. This is likely even more true for what were once the holy sites of gods and goddesses.”
“How lucky we are that you just happened to know what to look for, then,” Rosa remarked.