A root shot up a few meters away. It swerved at the last second.
A resurrected Saint turned its head toward them. Then looked away. As if their presence didn’t warrant acknowledgment.
Tim slowed down.
They had reached a patch of neglected land, partially hidden behind several sturdier huts and a tall black stone fence meant to block prying eyes—a rare feature in a place like this.
Aside from the ashes of a prematurely extinguished fire, there were only scattered stones, a few half-collapsed steles, and a stretch of yellowed grass baked by the arid climate. Maybe an old cemetery. Maybe just abandoned ground.
Nothing important. At first glance.
Tim took three more steps. Stopped. Tilted his head slightly.
"Hm."
He tapped the ground with the tip of his foot.
Once.
Twice.
Then a faint smile curved his lips.
"If I trust my senses, we’re in the right spot."
Before Lily could ask right spot for what, he made a simple gesture with his hand.
The earth rose—or rather, tore free.
Just... a section of ground—rock, dead roots, dust—lifting as if gravity had decided to clock out. The entire slab came loose cleanly, revealing a dark opening beneath.
A staircase. Ancient. Carved straight into the stone.
Lily froze.
"...What?"
She blinked, then stared at Tim as if trying to pinpoint the exact moment he’d decided to become a walking enigma. Ever since the Ordeal began, that’s all he’d been.
He’d found her just like that too. Out for a stroll. Following wherever his steps happened to lead him. She’d long since lost count of the absurd scenes they’d stumbled into, racking up windfalls left and right. Whether it was their gear or their personal strength, their standards had skyrocketed in a matter of days.
It was almost indecent.
For Tim, bathing in the Lumyst River barely counted as a risk with luck like his. And because it spilled over onto her, it hadn’t been one for her either. If it weren’t for the fact that past a certain enchantment threshold luck alone stopped being enough, they probably would’ve tried bathing beneath the twin waterfalls too.
This staircase was just another blessing waiting for them. Like always.
And still, she never got tired of it.
In this adventure where she was clearly the side character, things always turned out fine. Zero suspense.
Tim shot her a calm, almost innocent look.
"You coming?"
He was already stepping onto the first stair. The darkness below seemed to swallow the ambient light whole.
Lily took a deep breath and grabbed his hand. Almost instinctively. To hide her nerves. To remind herself he was real.
He gently closed his fingers around hers.
And together, they began to descend.