Their hearts had long been pounding erratically from exhaustion. Beads of sweat continued to drip incessantly from their pores, despite the cool, misty atmosphere.
Their breaths came in uneven gasps, matching the increasing number of footprints left by the three young men along the mountain trail they had traversed from morning until midday.
They had overcome various obstacles during this tiring journey—plantations, gentle slopes, rocky cliffs, steep ravines, expansive savannas, and fields of wildflowers.
Now, they found themselves entering an area surrounded by dense underbrush and towering wild grasses, enveloping them in an immediate aura of mysticism.
Kairav, Gavin, and Baron fell silent as their eyes suddenly caught sight of numerous moss-covered black stone fragments of varying sizes scattered before them.
"That's a lot of scattered stones. Could there have been an ancient structure here once? Perhaps a temple complex?" Gavin mused, captivated, as he quickly snapped photos of the scene with his camera.
Kairav furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "I don't think so," he replied.
Gavin turned to him, his face filled with curiosity. "Why not?"
Kairav stepped closer to one of the piles of rectangular stones, resembling building columns and standing as tall as an average adult.
His hazel eyes carefully examined the remnants of the ancient structure before him, drawing upon his archaeological knowledge.
"Temples usually feature more complex architectural designs, adorned with artistic elements like statues or reliefs. Additionally, the stones are typically arranged symmetrically."
Kairav's explanation prompted Gavin to reconsider, his mind racing.
He observed the stone piles from where he stood. "You're right," he acknowledged.
"Also, these stones seem too large to have been used in temple construction, don't you think?" he asked, seeking confirmation, to which Kairav nodded in agreement.
The dark-skinned young man then turned and grinned mischievously at Baron, who had been sitting nearby, catching his breath. "Hey! Third-year archaeology student, what's your take?"
"Shut up!" Baron snapped, irritated and lacking enthusiasm due to his fatigue.
Gavin continued to tease him. "What's wrong? Feeling outsmarted by your junior who's only in his first semester?"
The bespectacled young man shot a glare at Gavin. "Tsk! Don't compare me to ambitious Kairav!" he retorted.
"You know I only attend classes to mark my attendance!" he grumbled, eliciting hearty laughter from his friend.
Meanwhile, not far from them, Kairav grew annoyed by the commotion. "Guys! Can you keep it down?!" he scolded, casting a sharp look at his noisy companions.
Baron sighed, turning to Gavin and pointing at Kairav with his trekking pole. "See? Your friend is off in his own world again!"
"He's your friend too!" Gavin retorted, leaving Baron behind as he walked over to Kairav.
He crouched beside Kairav, observing his friend, who seemed deep in thought. "Bro, did you find something new?" he asked, curious.
Kairav's eyes continued to scan the area meticulously, examining various objects that appeared to hold the key to his inquiry.
He then stood up and declared, "I'm convinced this isn't a temple. It's the ruins of a stepped pyramid," he said confidently.
He pointed to the arrangement of large rectangular stones lined up neatly around him.
Many of these stones were partially buried in the ground, forming an ancient staircase-like structure.
"Look, stepped pyramids typically consist of large stones forming tiered terraces or steps, similar to that structure," the fair-skinned young man explained.
"So this place is a burial site?" Baron interjected, furrowing his brow as he stood up, intrigued.
Kairav glanced at him and nodded. "That's a strong possibility. But it could also have served as a territorial marker," he added.
Gavin's expression turned serious upon hearing this. "In the past, which kingdom ruled over the eastern part of the Sovereign's Mainland?" he inquired.
Baron turned his head and responded, "As far as I recall, most of the Sovereign's Mainland was under the Darkconian Empire's control."
"However, some areas were governed by smaller kingdoms, though they were all subordinate to the empire."
"The Darkconian Empire?" Gavin echoed, his brow furrowing further.
"In the Everlasting Three Lakes Mountain disaster theory, isn't that the name of the first empire established after the volcanic eruption nearly wiped out humanity a thousand years ago?" he asked.
The bespectacled young man nodded, confirming the statement.
He then shifted his gaze to Kairav. "That's right. And if I remember correctly, Kairav once mentioned that the first emperor of that empire was the first Astral Conjurer."
Gavin's eyes widened as he recalled something. "Oh, that's right!" he exclaimed, patting Kairav's shoulder.
"Bro, didn't your father and Prince Arkana tell you more about that empire?" he asked eagerly.
A long sigh escaped Kairav's lips as he slowly shook his head.
"No," he replied, his tone reflecting his frustration and emotional fatigue.
Baron furrowed his brow in confusion. "What about the Astral Conjurers? Did they not explain anything about them either?" he asked.
Once again, Kairav shook his head. "They only said that Astral Conjurers are chosen individuals tasked with hosting animal spirits and possess the ability to control various elements," he explained somberly.
He paused briefly before adding softly, "It's clear they're hiding a lot from me..."
The young man took a deep breath, tilting his head back to gaze at the gloomy, overcast sky.
"I don't even know the names of my biological parents..."
"And even this damn system can't provide much useful information..." he thought to himself.
The light around them seemed to dim suddenly, accompanied by a thick fog that enveloped them in a cool, damp embrace.
Drizzling rain began to fall among the decaying leaves on the ground, prompting the three young men, who had been lost in their somber thoughts, to consider leaving the area.
"What should we do? Should we continue or stop for now?" Baron asked, slightly anxious about the changing weather.
Kairav slowly scanned their surroundings, noting the presence of ancient trees and dense underbrush filling every corner of the wild terrain.
This observation strengthened his resolve that leaving was the best option. "Let's keep moving," he said firmly.
"The trees here are old and could fall if a storm hits. We should find another place to set up our tents before the rain gets heavier," he continued.
"Besides, if we're lucky, the cave that serves as the entrance to the Forest of Lost Souls might be nearby. We can rest there before continuing our journey," he explained.
Gavin and Baron agreed with this sensible decision.
The three young men quickly adjusted the hoods of their rain jackets before setting off, leaving the ruins of the ancient structure behind.
They climbed the stone steps of the remaining stepped pyramid ruins, ascending to higher ground.
Bushes and large trees stretched as far as the eye could see, with the sounds of birds and insects echoing through the wild vegetation.
The thick moss, now slick from the intensifying rain, nearly caused the young men to slip several times.
Time seemed to pass swiftly as they continued their trek.
Unfortunately, they had yet to find a suitable and safe spot to pitch their tents.
Just as they were beginning to feel frustrated and weary, their eyes caught sight of a bright white light glowing in the distance.
Kairav quickly wiped the rain from his face, trying to focus his vision.
Soon, he realized the light appeared to emanate from within a cave hidden among the dense trees.
"Guys, do you see that too?" he asked.
His two friends nodded, their eyes fixed on the same point.
"Is that the cave?" Baron asked. "But... isn't that a flashlight?" he added, furrowing his brows.
Kairav responded with suspicion, "Someone else is hiking besides us."
Gavin immediately turned to Kairav, concern etched on his face. "But who? What are they doing here? They can't be treasure hunters, can they...?" he speculated.