Reone and the others were searching the first room they came across. The room itself was like all the others, a large empty space before it, and damaged murals of crowned Diviners on the walls.
"Have you guys noticed the architectural design of this room?" Mickey called from the corner of the room. "It's brilliant and very rare in Volaria."
"What I noticed is another skeleton," Primi said dryly. "But you didn't hear me calling out to everyone about it because we are only supposed to do that when we find the Trident or something equally useful, Mickey."
Mickey's face fell at Primi's reply, a little bit put out.
"It is useful if you're trying to understand how the design works," he said in a low voice before sighing. "Like Nova and I."
At the mention of one of the Sylph girls, Reone tensed. It was an unwelcome reminder that they weren't here. That Lyrian wasn't here.
His jaw clenched as hard as it could. Then he called out to the others in a toneless voice:
"There is nothing here. Let's clear out."
"Yeah, the Trident is probably in one of the other rooms," Anika said in a low voice that successfully hid her disappointment.
"This way," Reone told the others.
They all quietly filed out of the room and into a hallway.
Soon, they reached a corridor that branched into several directions. Reone barely stopped, choosing the closest one on a whim.
Behind him, he heard Mickey mention the Sylph girls again, how he hoped they were okay, and Reone immediately started walking faster, seething on the inside. He was walking so fast that he didn't notice they were getting left behind.
"Reone, can you… slow down a bit? We can barely keep up with you when you're half jogging like that," Mickey called from the back.
"No, I can't. We need to locate that Trident before Damon and the Sisterhood."
"But how will we do that when you're leading us too fast to even search for it?"
At this, Reone sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Fine," he said before reluctantly reducing his pace, but not by much.
"Can we address the real issue here, Reone?" Sire whispered, briskly moving to Reone's side.
"What is that exactly?" Reone snapped in a hard tone, not looking at the other guy.
Sire looked at him, wanting to call him out — that the real reason he was being difficult was because he was still upset about the fight with Lyrian.
But Sire decided against it.
It was likely that Reone would unleash his aggression on him rather than continuing to focus it on the mission, which would, of course, lead to more tension and only slow them down further.
It was the last thing they needed.
"Never mind," Sire said with a sigh.
Reone let out a low sigh of relief, glad that Sire had abandoned whatever he had wanted to say.
He had a feeling he knew exactly what it would have been about, and he was not in the mood to hear it, regardless of whether or not it was true — which it probably was.
He was still angry about the split with the Sylph girls.
With Lyrian.
He was full-on enraged by the whole thing, actually. Reone wished for so many reasons that it hadn't happened.
One of the big ones being that he could hardly protect her like this.
The second — and most important reason — was that she had yet again refused to stand by him.
Reone wanted to plant his fist somewhere at the thought.
True, Lyrian had gone to save Mia from herself, a point which Reone could understand and even make peace with.
Mia was also his friend.
But Lyrian's separation from him wasn't just about saving her.
No.
She refused to accept his plan to avenge Rhys and Varek.
And in doing so, she also refused to accept him.
So much for them getting back together, he thought, a lump forming in his throat.
Reone knew that the darkness that was an irremovable part of him made her uncomfortable.
Because of it, she could never really accept him, as was proven by her leaving him.
And no matter what Lyrian had said or done before, one thing was clear to Reone:
She wouldn't be taking him back.
He closed his eyes for a moment and swallowed his heartbreak.
At that moment, they came upon another room that Reone knew they should probably search.
He cleared his throat to say this to the others.
Instead, what came out was:
"Alright. In here, Lyrian."
The second the words left his mouth, his eyes widened and he faltered in his step, realizing what he had just said.
Slowly, he turned around, very much hoping nobody had noticed.
They had.
They stared at him with stunned, awkward expressions.
He immediately tried to correct himself.
"I meant—"
"We know what you meant, Reone," Anika said, lips pursed tightly.
Reone sighed heavily before nodding and walking into the room, grateful to escape those knowing looks.
He must have triggered some kind of trap because he heard a clicking sound in the next moment, making him freeze.
Then an axe shot out from the wall, heading straight for his head.
Reone was too shocked to move.
In the end, it was Anika who came to his rescue.
She rushed forward and shoved him aside, sending them both crashing onto the floor.
At the same time, the axe flew past where Reone's head had been a moment earlier and embedded itself into the wall with a heavy thud.
From the floor, Reone's eyes widened.
"Shoot," he breathed.
"Are you guys okay?" Mickey asked as he, Primi, and Sire rushed toward them.
"I am," Reone muttered, looking at Anika. "What about you, Anika?"
"I'm fine," she said, raking her black hair back.
Even after she said this, Primi wasn't reassured.
He immediately knelt beside her, taking one of her hands and looking her over.
"Princess, are you sure you're fine? Sometimes it takes a second for an injury to—"
"I'm sure," Anika interrupted.
For a moment, Primi looked vulnerable and Anika thought he was going to hug her. She held her breath.
Instead, Primi simply stood up, clearing his throat.
"Thank the stars," he said, extending a hand.
Anika took it while internally cursing her own stupidity.
"That was close," Reone said after the guys helped him to his feet. "Thanks, Anika."
Anika nodded.
"No problem."
Mickey looked at the sunken tile Reone had stepped in, the one with creepy symbol.
"Guess this is symbol Nova was talking about," he said dryly.
For a moment they all stared. Then Sire switched his gaze to Reone.
"What happened to your lightning-fast reflexes there, buddy?" he asked.
Reone resisted the urge to wince.
Because the answer was obvious.
He had been distracted by thoughts of Lyrian, and it had almost gotten him killed.
"Don't know," he said with a shrug. "But it won't happen again."
And he meant it.
From now on, he wasn't going to think about Lyrian.
Or their fight.
She was on her own mission, and he had to focus on his.
"Let's go inside. The booby trap could mean the Trident is in here. But be careful where you step."
The others nodded.
When Reone entered the room this time, he did so cautiously.
No axe appeared.
No hidden trap activated.
He walked further inside and began searching the room as carefully as he could. This room was a bit different, housing what looked like a stone altar, with rows of similarly designed seating.
After Anika followed Reone inside, Primi elbowed Sire and whispered:
"Is he okay?"
Sire didn't need to ask who he was talking about.
"Of course he isn't," Sire answered quietly. "I mean, how would you feel if you and Anika had a huge fight in the middle of all this?"
At the remark, Primi tensed.
"Fine, make your point, Sire. But I don't see why you have to use me and Anika as a couple to do it since there's nothing between us like that. Nothing except a professional relationship and mutual respect."
Sire let out a derisive sound.
"Even when the possibilities of us surviving this continue to dwindle more and more, you still deny your feelings for her. You are a stubborn man, Primi. I'll give you that."
Primi glared at him but didn't say anything.
Sire rolled his eyes, giving up on him. He then went to check out one corner of the room.
He was surprised when Primi joined him a moment later. Sire looked at him curiously.
The Diviner spared a cautious glance toward Anika across the room before whispering to Sire.
"Say I did have feelings for her. How would that even work? She's a princess, whilst I…"
"Whilst you're a phenomenal guy in your own right."
"But—"
"Listen, Primi," Sire interrupted. "I've been where you are. I know what I'm talking about."
When Primi looked skeptical, Sire elaborated.
"As you've probably learned by now, the girl I'm in love with — Diamond — is the Princess of Solaris. And at one point, when we started dating, I was convinced we couldn't last. That a girl like her didn't really belong with a regular guy like me."
He smiled faintly.
"I'll spare you the details. The point is, I was wrong. Our relationship was strong, and it has survived every problem we've faced because we love each other."
Primi looked at him intently, pursing his lips.
"So what you're saying is…"
"What I'm telling you, my Diviner friend, is that as long as you and Anika love each other, you shouldn't let anything stop you from being together. Your love will help you overcome your problems."
Primi nodded, though he still looked nervous.
"Just give it a chance. You'll see what I'm talking about," Sire said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Sire," Primi said. "That was actually helpful. And surprisingly deep."
"Shocking, right?" Sire replied with his usual grin.
Primi smiled back.
The moment was broken as Mickey called out to them again.
"Guys, check this out!"
Primi and Sire turned.
"Let me guess," Sire said. "Another rare Diviner design you and Nova are interested in?"
"Not this time," Mickey replied.
At this, Reone stopped whatever he was doing.
"What?" he asked, his dejection making it sound as if he was barely interested.
Mickey pointed to a brown square thing on a wall.
"It's the depictions on this metal plate. They're... very interesting."
"Yes, but anything about the Trident?" Reone asked impatiently.
"No," Mickey said, which made Reone sigh and almost turn back to his search.
Until Mickey continued.
"But I think it might be a map."
Reone quickly raised a surprised eyebrow.
"A map?"
"A map of what exactly?" Anika asked as well, curious.
"Of this place," Mickey answered quietly. "It has to be."
Everyone gathered around him.
Using his Legion strength, Mickey ripped the large metal plate from the wall and proceeded to brush the dust off it.
"Look," he said, pointing at it. "This is the entrance we came through. We searched this room first, came through this corridor, and now we're here — in a place called the Prayer Chamber."
"That would explain the altar," Sire said.
"I think you guys are right, Mickey. Awesome job," Reone said.
He didn't smile, but Mickey and the others could tell the words were genuine.
Anika gazed at them with excitement.
"This is totally awesome. Now we don't have to wander around aimlessly and can easily find our way back if we get lost. I know Reone's already said this, but great job, Mickey," she said, grabbing his arm in her happiness.
"Thanks," Mickey said with a smile.
Primi's gaze slid from the map to Anika and then to where she held Mickey.
He frowned deeply, envy getting the better of him.
Fortunately, Anika casually released Mickey's arm a moment later, and Primi's eyes lost their hostility.
Sire resisted the urge to smirk.
Still studying the map, Anika's smile slowly disappeared.
"Wait a minute."
"What?" Primi asked.
She reached out slowly and pointed to a section of the plate.
"It says Ancestral Funeral Chamber here."
"Yeah…" Primi said, prompting her to continue.
"That's where Diviner ancestors are buried after they die. And usually, no Diviner is allowed into such places so the dead can rest in peace."
"Your point being...?"
"Guys, remember the riddle."
Everyone went silent.
"Seek power not where voices gather, but where the powerful are rendered forever silent."
Realization slowly spread through the room.
"What if the riddle is trying to tell us that the location of the Trident is in the Ancestral Funeral Chamber?" Anika continued. "Where the powerful become forever silent."
"As a hiding place, it works. Nobody would ever think to look in it, not even a Diviner," Reone added.
Mickey's eyes lit up.
"Yes, of course. The Ancestral Funeral Chamber has to be the place. Anika, you're a genius."
"Yes, she is," Primi said. Then almost as an afterthought, "And so are you Legion."
As he said that, Anika blushed lightly, while Sire affectionately shook Mickey's shoulder.
"Well, what are we waiting for, guys?" Reone said, taking charge, a little excitement finally returning to his voice. "Let's go get that Trident."
LYRIAN
"Mia!" Diamond yelled impatiently. "Mia, where are you?"
Lyrian quickly moved in front of Diamond, her eyes screaming caution.
"Don't yell. You could alert the Sisterhood to our presence. Not to mention that if Mia heard us coming, she'd probably head in the opposite direction."
Diamond let out a tired sigh.
"You're right." Then, "It's exhausting helping someone who doesn't want to be helped."
"She's worth it," Lyrian said, still making her way through the corridors.
Nova pursed her lips.
"She is, but… how are we ever going to find her? I mean, this temple is huge."
"I don't know, Nova. We'll figure it out as we go along," Lyrian said, an edge in her voice.
The fight with Reone had already upset her, and the girls' antics and questions weren't helping, as valid as they were.
"You realize we could get lost, right? If we're not already," Nova continued.
"We'll figure it out," Lyrian repeated.
This time, no one missed the irritated note in her voice.
Behind her, the girls looked at each other knowingly.
"If you say so, Lyrian," Nova said.
Glad that the questions had stopped, Lyrian pursed her lips and was about to turn into another corridor when someone grabbed her hand with a gasp.
It was Seren.
"What is it?" Lyrian asked.
"Look down," she said.
Lyrian did so.
In front of her was a tile with an ominous symbol.
"Nova, isn't that the symbol you said we need to watch out for?"
"It is," Nova said. "Good thing you caught it, Seren, or else we could have been in real trouble."
Lyrian pursed her lips tightly, terrified that she had almost activated a trap.
Nova was still talking.
"From now on, we need to be careful of where we step and what we touch, girls. Any place where you see this symbol should be avoided at all costs."
"Got it," Lyrian said in a breathy voice that communicated her fear.
She then stepped onto a tile beside the one with the symbol and, fortunately, nothing happened.
Lyrian internally let out a sigh of relief.
"I hope Mia is being careful wherever she is," Seren said as they continued searching the corridors, swallowing her nervousness.
"We'll find her," Lyrian told Seren.
It was the only thing she could think of to make the other Sylph feel better.
"What about Anika and the guys? Am I the only one worried? Without us, how will they ever survive this creepy, cursed temple?" Diamond said in a fearful voice.
Lyrian gave her a dry look.
"They'll survive. They're trained warriors, aren't they? They're capable of taking care of themselves."
Diamond sighed.
"I know. I just miss my darling Sire," she said wistfully.
Then she looked at Lyrian.
"Don't you feel the same about Reone?"
Lyrian frowned at the direction the conversation had taken.
"Nope," she said as coldly as she could, which wasn't very cold at all. "He can take care of himself."
Diamond raised an eyebrow.
"You know you sound exactly like him right now," she said in a slightly amused voice.
At this, Lyrian gave Diamond a dark look.
"Come on, Lyrian," Diamond said, unfazed. "You can tell us how you really feel."
"Yeah," Nova said. "You'll feel better when you do."
Lyrian hesitated.
She then caught Seren's concerned look, which managed to crack her heart wide open. She let out a soft growl at the pure anguish that washed through her.
"I have tried to see things from his perspective. I really have," Lyrian began, hands on her face. "But I just can't agree with him. And I won't support murder. It's wrong. He's wrong. I love him more than anyone in the world, but he's wrong."
When she finished, she bit her lower lip, fighting to stop herself from tearing up.
The others looked at her compassionately.
"And because you can't agree with him, you don't want to be with him anymore?" Seren asked gently.
Lyrian's eyes widened at the question.
"Of course I still want to be with him!" she said fervently. "I mean, despite everything, I do still love him… though I'm not sure this will be enough to bring us together when we can't seem to agree on something like this."
The thought broke her in a way that the Temple of echoes, for all its traps and threats, had failed to do.
"Know what I think, Lyrian?" Nova said, cutting through her heartache.
Lyrian and the others looked at her.
"I think your problem isn't really about Reone's revenge plan. At least, it's not the main issue."
Lyrian looked at her with a perplexed frown.
"What are you talking about, Nova?"
"I think the real issue here is that you don't believe Reone has changed since Arcanum."
Lyrian looked at Nova, her brows drawing together in confusion as she let the words sink in.
And the more she thought about them, the more she realized Nova might have a point.
She closed her eyes wearily.
"Reone just has these dark tendencies."
"I think we all do. But that doesn't make us bad people," Nova said after a moment. "I mean, look at Mia. She's out for blood right now. Damon's blood. But we know she's still the same kind-hearted person inside. She's just in pain. Just like Reone."
"Nova is right, Lyrian. Don't decide the outcome of your relationship based on the version of him that's still grieving," Diamond said.
Lyrian stared at the three of them for a moment, knowing there was wisdom in their words.
But despite this, she still had her doubts.
"I hear what you guys are saying, but… I just can't support murder."
"Then don't support it. Fight him on it instead."
The impassioned advice came from the usually gentle-natured Seren, making Lyrian raise an eyebrow.
"That's if you still think he's on the wrong path," Seren continued. "Just...don't stop loving him through it all."
Lyrian smiled at her, though it only lasted briefly.
She knew all of this was a lot easier said than done.
"But what if I do all that and it's still not enough to dissuade him?"
"It was enough to dissuade us," Diamond said.
Lyrian's breath caught.
"Really?"
The three Sylph girls looked at each other, seeming to be of one mind.
"Really," Nova answered.
Hope flared in Lyrian's chest for the first time, and her face broke into a small smile.
But before any of them could say anything else, footsteps echoed from another corridor, followed by a familiar female voice.
"Are we ever going to find that stupid Trident?" the voice asked in frustration.
It was Nivara.
The Sylph girls froze the moment they realized this.
"Is that…" Nova started.
But before she could finish, another voice spoke—this one much calmer.
"Not with that attitude, we're not."
"Caelynn," Diamond whispered.
Their suspicions were confirmed the next second when the two Dark Sylphs turned into their corridor, freezing the moment they spotted Lyrian and the others.
For a moment, the two groups just stared, equally shocked to see each other.