Chapter 267: Collective Amnesia (1)

Chapter 267: Collective Amnesia (1)
Dominic

"Stay together, record everything, retreat if things go south," Julian recited. His voice was steady, and I was relieved to see he looked focused rather than reckless.

"And don't touch anything that looks important until we figure out what it is," Ethan added.

Damian nodded, shouldering his pack full of recording equipment. "I've got cameras, GPS mapping gear, and air quality monitors. If there's anything weird about this place, we'll know."

You mean, weirder than a century-old monster living under our territory.

"Alright," I said, flicking on my high-powered flashlight. "Let's see what's been hiding under our noses all these years."

The descent was exactly as I remembered—the narrow tunnel leading to the massive cavern, the ancient carvings on the walls, and that unsettling feeling that we were entering a place never meant for creatures like us.

But under the bright beam of the flashlight, I could see details I'd missed during our hurried nighttime exploration.

"Holy shit," Damian breathed, clicking rapidly to document the carvings. "These aren't random markings. This is definitely writing, some kind of historical record."

What kind of historical record?

I moved closer, studying the symbols he was photographing. They were carved deep into the stone, worn smooth by age but still clearly visible. Some of the symbols looked almost familiar, like twisted versions of runes I'd seen werewolves use centuries ago.

"Can you read any of it?" I asked.

Damian shook his head. "Not directly. But some of the symbols... they're similar to Old Norse, maybe early Germanic. If I had time to study them, I might be able to find some translations."

Time. The one thing we might not have.

"Record what you can," I ordered. "We'll worry about translation later."

Julian had already moved toward the center of the cavern, where the flat stone slab still bore dark stains from Orion's blood. "This is where you found him?" he asked, his voice carefully controlled.

"Yeah. Unconscious, clawed up, but alive." I examined the area around the slab, looking for clues about what had happened here. "Whatever attacked him, it happened fast. Orion didn't have time to fight back."

Considering Orion's abilities, that was fucking terrifying.

"Over here," Ethan called from the other side of the chamber. "Another tunnel. This one leads deeper into the mountain."

Of course it leads deeper.

The second tunnel was different from the entrance we'd used. Where the first entrance felt natural, carved by water and time, this one was clearly artificial. The walls were too smooth, too regular, the floor intentionally leveled.

Someone—or something—built this.

"Air quality is good," Damian reported, checking his instruments. "No dangerous gases, oxygen levels normal. The whole system seems well-ventilated."

We continued deeper into the artificial tunnel, our footsteps echoing strangely in the enclosed space. The carvings continued along the walls, becoming more elaborate and detailed as we progressed.

"Jesus," Ethan whispered, stopping to examine a particularly complex section. "Look at this."

What he'd found appeared to be a battle scene—figures in combat, some clearly human or werewolf, others... different. Larger, stranger, with features that didn't match any creature I'd ever seen.

"It's telling a story," Julian said, wonder creeping into his voice. "Like a comic book, but carved in stone."

A story about what?

I studied the images more carefully, trying to piece together the narrative. The scenes seemed to progress chronologically, showing the arrival of smaller figures, conflict with the larger ones, and finally... victory? It was hard to tell, but the final panels showed the large creatures retreating or being driven away.

"This might be a record of some kind of war," I said slowly. "Werewolves versus... whatever those things are."

"Guess who won," Damian added grimly.

But if the werewolves won, why is that thing living here?

The tunnel curved ahead of us, and suddenly we saw light—not the artificial light of our flashlights, but soft, natural light coming from somewhere deep in the system.

Light. Underground. That's impossible.

"You seeing this?" Ethan asked, his voice tight with tension.

"Yeah. Stay alert, weapons ready."

We approached the light source cautiously, all senses on high alert. What we found defied explanation.

The tunnel opened into another chamber, but this one was unlike anything I'd ever seen. It was massive—easily the size of a football field—and filled with what could only be described as an underground forest.

Underground forest. What the actual fuck.

Ancient trees rose from the chamber floor, their branches reaching toward a ceiling that seemed to glow with its own inner light. Clear streams wound between the massive trunks, and the air smelled of growing things.

"This is impossible," Damian whispered, his camera forgotten in his hands. "Nothing like this could exist underground."

But there it was. The evidence right in front of us.

"Magic," Julian said quietly. "Has to be. This isn't natural or scientific—this is magic."

Magic. Great. As if ancient monsters weren't scary enough.

I was about to suggest we retreat and report our findings when I noticed movement. Something was moving through the forest toward us, graceful and fluid like a predator.

Here we go.

"Everyone stay calm," I ordered, raising my weapon but not directly aiming at the approaching figure. "Let's see what it wants."

The creature that emerged from the trees was not what I'd expected.

It was humanoid, roughly the height of a tall human, but clearly not human. Its skin had a slight greenish tint, its features were sharp and angular, almost elven. When it spoke, its voice seemed to carry across centuries.

"You have entered the Sanctuary," it said, its accent strange but the words clear. "Why do you disturb the peace here?"

Sanctuary. Of course.