The group descended deeper into the enormous cave.
Stone staircases stretched downward into the darkness, disappearing beneath layers of ancient water.
Every step echoed.
The deeper they went, the colder the water became.
Salim looked around.
Salim: "This place is huge…"
Katsa slowly turned her head, staring at the enormous structures surrounding them.
Katsa: "I've never seen anything like this."
They continued down the ancient staircase.
Then—
The darkness opened into something much larger.
A massive bridge stretched across the underwater city.
Long tunnels had been built into the walls, carrying oxygen through the ruins and keeping parts of the city breathable.
Michael stared in disbelief.
Michael: "Wow…"
He slowly looked around.
Michael: "This is something new."
Salim touched one of the ancient stone walls.
Salim: "I don't think Organization X built any of this."
He looked toward the enormous structures ahead.
Salim: "This place looks ancient. Really ancient."
The group continued forward.
Salim suddenly stopped.
Salim: "What's the point of investigating all this?"
Everyone looked at him.
Salim: "We know their goal. We know where they are. We know what we have to do."
He pointed toward the path ahead.
Salim: "So why investigate this place instead of preparing for the fight?"
Ikiro remained silent for a moment.
Then he looked deeper into the city.
His expression became serious.
Ikiro: "Because our answer lies in this city."
Salim frowned.
Salim: "What answer?"
Ikiro looked directly at him.
Ikiro: "The Destroyer."
Salim's eyes widened.
The word seemed to echo through the ancient ruins.
Salim: "The Destroyer…"
They crossed the bridge.
On the other side, they discovered several oxygen tanks hanging from the ancient walls.
Michael grabbed one.
Michael: "They even have equipment for us."
Ikiro nodded.
Ikiro: "Then wear them."
Everyone equipped the oxygen tanks.
Ikiro moved ahead.
In the distance, faint lights began glowing throughout the underwater city.
Ancient lamps.
Still alive after all these years.
Ikiro picked up a torch connected to a strange box.
The flame flickered against his face.
Michael looked upward.
Michael: "We're really deep right now."
Ikiro glanced at him.
Ikiro: "I know."
He looked toward the glowing city.
His expression became heavier.
Ikiro: "This is our last shot."
Michael frowned.
Michael: "What do you mean?"
Ikiro tightened his grip around the torch.
Ikiro: "If we miss this…"
He paused.
Ikiro: "It's all over."
Michael looked at him.
Michael: "Why?"
Ikiro finally revealed what he had been keeping to himself.
Ikiro: "I haven't told anyone this…"
He looked toward the distant city.
Ikiro: "They're literally done."
Everyone became silent.
Ikiro: "All they have to do is put their hands together inside the main box that will appear at ten o'clock."
Salim turned toward him.
Salim: "The main box?"
Ikiro: "It will indicate the ores."
His voice became quieter.
Ikiro: "For them, it's basically a game. They have around an hour and thirty minutes to do whatever they want."
He looked at the others.
Ikiro: "But for us…"
He paused.
Ikiro: "We need a chance."
Michael nodded slowly.
Michael: "And that chance is finding a different cure."
Ikiro: "Exactly."
Ikiro looked down.
Ikiro: "If I told everyone earlier, they would panic."
Michael placed a hand on Ikiro's shoulder.
Michael: "And panic leads to mistakes."
Ikiro nodded.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Ikiro's eyes became watery.
His hand slowly moved toward the tattoo on his biceps.
Michael noticed.
His voice became softer.
Michael: "She would be happy for you."
Ikiro stared at the tattoo.
Ikiro: "I know."
Michael looked at him.
Michael: "She's in a better place."
Ikiro wiped his eye.
Michael: "A place where you always wanted her to be."
Ikiro took a breath.
He lowered his hand.
Ikiro: "You've gotta move on."
Michael gave him a small nod.
Michael: "Yeah."
Ikiro looked forward again.
His expression became determined.
Ikiro: "Let's finish this."
Salim moved toward the front.
Salim: "Are we ready?"
Everyone nodded.
Katsa: "Yes."
Michael: "Let's do it."
Ikiro raised the torch.
Ikiro: "Then let's go."
The group leapt into the water.
SPLASH!
The sound echoed through the enormous underwater ruins.
They began swimming deeper into the ancient city.
Salim moved through the water with surprising ease, his legs cutting through the current almost like a mermaid.
He looked around.
Ancient buildings surrounded them.
Broken statues.
Massive towers.
Forgotten roads.
Salim's thoughts raced.
What is this place?
Then—
Everyone stopped.
Ahead of them stood a massive statue.
Between its hands was a gigantic ancient book.
Katsa slowly approached it.
Katsa: "A book…"
She reached toward it.
Her hand touched the seal.
Nothing happened.
The seal remained locked.
Katsa pulled her hand back.
Katsa: "It's sealed."
Ikiro swam toward her.
Ikiro: "Move."
Katsa looked at him.
Katsa: "What are you going to do?"
Ikiro closed his eyes.
Blue energy surrounded him.
Suddenly—
The entire group felt something inside their minds.
Michael: "WHAT?!"
Salim: "Ikiro?!"
Their voices echoed directly inside their heads.
Katsa's eyes widened.
Katsa: "How the hell are you doing this?!"
Ikiro opened his eyes.
Ikiro: "Another power I never told you about."
Michael stared at him.
Michael: "ANOTHER power you hid from us?!"
Ikiro shook his head.
Ikiro: "I didn't hide it."
He looked around at them.
Ikiro: "I can access the minds of people who allow me to."
He smiled slightly.
Ikiro: "Like you guys."
Salim looked surprised.
Salim: "So we can talk without speaking?"
Ikiro: "Exactly."
Katsa looked at the enormous book.
Katsa: "Then can you open it?"
Ikiro studied the statue.
His eyes suddenly narrowed.
Ikiro: "I know what to do."
He pointed toward the opposite end of the statue.
Ikiro: "This book isn't being held from the front."
Michael looked around.
Michael: "Then where?"
Ikiro pointed behind the statue.
Ikiro: "At the back."
Salim and Michael immediately swam around the statue.
They found a massive mechanism connecting the book to the structure.
Salim grabbed it.
Salim: "This?"
Ikiro: "Yes."
Michael grabbed the other side.
Ikiro: "Pull it out."
Salim frowned.
Salim: "Plug it off?"
Michael shook his head.
Michael: "He means take it out."
Both pulled.
The ancient mechanism finally released.
The massive book moved.
The seal shattered.
The book slowly opened.
A cloud of ancient dust drifted through the water.
Everyone stared.
Katsa moved closer.
Katsa: "This might be the answer…"
Michael looked at the cover.
Michael: "What does the title say?"
Ikiro leaned closer.
He read the ancient words.
His expression suddenly changed.
Ikiro: "It says…"
He paused.
Everyone waited.
Ikiro: "THE HISTORY OF NOCTHARIS…"
His eyes moved to the second line.
Ikiro: "…+ DESTROYER EDITION."
Silence.
Katsa's eyes widened.
The ancient city around them suddenly felt much darker.
Katsa: "Noctharis…"
She stared at the book.
Katsa: "What exactly happened here?"
Nobody answered.
Because they were about to find out.