The deeper they walked, the older the forest became.
Massive roots pushed through the soil like sleeping serpents. Some trees were so wide that it would take five people holding hands to circle them.
Lake stopped occasionally, tilting his head slightly as if listening to something distant.
"Time feels… weird here," he muttered.
Oliver raised an eyebrow.
"Weird how?"
Lake waved a hand slowly.
"Like the forest remembers things."
Julian continued forward, Excalibur resting calmly at his side.
Eventually, the trees opened into a clearing.
At the center stood the crumbling remains of an ancient stone altar. Ivy had wrapped around it over the centuries, but the runes carved into its surface still faintly glowed.
Julian stepped closer.
The moment his hand touched the altar, the ground beneath them rumbled.
The stone cracked open in the center of the platform.
Inside the hidden compartment lay a folded set of armor.
It shimmered faintly even in the darkness.
Julian carefully lifted it from the altar.
The metal felt warm.
Alive.
Engraved along the chest plate were celestial symbols older than most civilizations.
Armor of the Eternal King.
Forged by celestial smiths long before the castle was built.
The moment Julian slipped it over his shoulders, the armor adjusted perfectly to his form.
A quiet pulse of energy moved through it.
The armor's power became immediately clear:
• It granted immortality while worn, protecting the wearer from death.• Magical attacks striking the armor were reflected back at their source.• And when the wearer neared death, the armor could summon a spectral army of ancient warriors.
Lake whistled.
"Well," he said slowly, "that's not terrifying at all."
Julian simply nodded once.
But the altar had not finished revealing its secrets.
Beneath the armor lay a circular crystal ring engraved with stars and spiraling symbols.
Julian lifted it.
The air around them shimmered slightly.
Noah immediately recognized the runes.
"A portal device," he said quietly.
The artifact was known as the Astral Gate.
When activated, it could open portals across worlds themselves.
Its abilities were extraordinary:
• It could open gateways for instant travel across vast distances.• It could also summon creatures from other realms through those portals.
Lake stared at it.
"So basically… we can teleport now."
Julian slipped the ring onto his finger.
"Looks like it."
But there was still one more artifact hidden beneath the altar.
A massive polearm rested inside the final compartment.
Dark metal shaft.
A curved blade that crackled faintly with electric energy.
Julian lifted it.
Lightning flickered across the blade as if the weapon had awakened after centuries of sleep.
The Stormbreaker Halberd.
The weapon's power surged through Julian's hands.
It granted three devastating abilities:
• The halberd could summon lightning strikes during combat.• Slamming it into the ground released shockwaves capable of knocking enemies down.• And its wielder gained resistance to lightning.
Noah shook his head slowly.
"This forest really does hide everything."