It took some time but the officers cleared most of the dirt on the house. They stepped back, panting and took a look at what they had uncovered.
"My lord..." Sterling whispered.
All the enforcers – especially the researchers were in awe. The house was made of the same wood as of the trees that surrounded them. It was big enough to fit a single man. It had slanted roof and a chimney with a balcony on the side.
"What are we waiting for Charles?! Let's explore this house for God's sake." Sterling exclaimed.
"I'm just as excited as you, Sterling. Hey! Team. Let's get moving." Charles signaled to the other four researches as they approached the house.
The enforcers stayed outside in case of an emergency. The floor creaked as Charles stepped onto the balcony, seeing a chair and a table.
'It seems there was only one resident here…'
He looked no further. With his fellows, he unlocked the door and pushed it open. The interior was no different from the exterior – all made of wood. He and Sterling stepped inside, observing the place carefully. Sunlight seeped through the open windows as they entered.
"A bed, a toilet and a fireplace…all the necessities for surviving through the year…" Sterling muttered, adjusting his glasses.
"He probably cooked his food outside since cooking in here is definitely a hazard." Charles inspected the walls.
The other researches also began searching the home. The bed's mattress was filled with wool with a cover that seemed to be handmade. The fireplace, made of stone neither had ash nor wood in it. The kitchen was fairly simple which included a sink, a dish holder, a trash can, storage and cold storage.
"We need to document this." Sterling stated.
He peeked out the door and shouted.
"Arthur! Bring me a camera!"
Arthur flinched but obeyed, rushing towards one of the cars and opening the trunk. He grabbed a case and unzipped it, revealing the latest model camera. He rushed back and handed the camera to the professor. Sterling excitedly took it and began clicking photos of every nook and cranny of the home. After a while, he had all the photos he needed.
He met with Charles outside and began theorizing.
"This proves the tales we've been told as children, Charles!" Sterling exclaimed. "We used to live here! Before the modern age even began, humans covered every part of the continent Pangea!"
"This does prove it but…" Charles said, cutting off his sentence.
"But what?" Sterling questioned.
"Why did our ancestors migrate to a much smaller continent with less resources?" Charles inquired.
Sterling rubbed his mustache. "Perhaps, it's a matter of natural selection?"
"Continue." Charles urged.
"Maybe they were driven out by a…much more powerful predator. Something that would be higher than humans on the food chain."
"But that would classify them as intelligent life…maybe as smart as humans or at least…orcas."
"We're swimming in dangerous waters."
"We need to careful moving forward. Otherwise…who knows what may happen." Charles puffed his cigar.
"Careful on the cigar. I might get a heart attack and die." Sterling blew away the smoke.
"My apologies, It's an addiction." Charles took the cigar out of his mouth.
Just then, one of the assistants found something.
"Mr. Sterling and Mr. Charles. Over here!" He called out.
The two nerds of science paused, then they approached the fellow. The assistant pointed to a table with an open cabinet. Inside was a handmade diary with a quill and ink pot. Charles leaned closer.
"My~ My~"
Sterling's mind began jumping around with excitement as he picked up the ancient object. He blew away the dust on top, placing it on the table which creaked. He took a deep breath…
'Let's see who this person is…'
…and turned the first page. As he locked onto a name, he pupils dilated, shock freezing his entire body. Charles gazed over and shock also froze him in place. He dropped his cigar, charring the floor.
Right then, Nyx appeared between them.
"So…Done with the investigation, Mr. Charles and Sterling?"
The two did not speak – did not move. Nyx raised a brow and peeked over. Then, she also froze in disbelief as she read the content of the first page.
[The Diary of Pangea.]
The name alone stopped them. Time froze for a moment as if it was processing the moment. The trio knew that this was not the continent's name rather it was…
Sterling drew a sharp breath and slammed the diary shut.
"We mustn't peek into the founder's secrets. We'll return this to the Royal family once the expedition is completed."
Nyx and Charles nodded slowly, completely agreeing to his statement. He passed the cameras to Charles and tucked the diary into his pocket. He slowly turned around with the rest and stepped to the exit. As they stepped out, the enforcers looked at them hoping for answers. But after seeing the supreme commander's expression, they didn't speak – they just went back to their transport in silence.
Sterling held his breath as they went back to their cars. The enforcers loaded into the safari vehicles, made especially by fortress Bragg to help adventurers explore the forbidden continent. The drivers revved the engines. They passed the little house and headed to find a river bank. Major looked outside the window with a face of pure intrigue.
'That house was interesting…I should've tried to get a peek inside…and what the hell is it with these ravens? I've only seen ravens since we entered this forest.'
Major thought as Night finally came. The crescent moon rose from other side, making the night seem darker. The drivers didn't stop for a while, trying to find an open meadow like before. After a few minutes, they finally found one and stopped their cars outside it. The enforcers got off and began setting their tents for another night as the air filled with curiosity of the house that they had found.