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The moment Taufik said those words, something in the air changed. It became heavy like the desert itself was holding its breath.

There was a strange feeling, like they were standing in a sacred place, where time had stopped long ago.

From deep within the sealed ruin, the soft humming sound grew louder and deeper.

It wasn't just a sound, it felt like a heartbeat, slow and powerful, buried under layers of time and silence. The dunes seemed to echo with that ancient pulse as if the desert remembered something from long ago.

Then, with a soft click, the stone seal began to shift. Faint lines of light traced along its surface. The ancient lock, untouched for who knows how many centuries, was finally opening.

A deep rumble followed. The ground shook slightly, enough to make the sand ripple. Then, with a low groan, the earth at the base of the old structure cracked open.

The sand rushed downward, falling away into the dark like water down a drain. Slowly, a hidden staircase revealed itself. It spiraled downward, carved from the same ancient stone, leading into the shadows below.

The air that rose from it was cool and dry, carrying the scent of forgotten things... Dust, stone, and time.

Rani's eyes narrowed as she watched. Her voice was low but firm. Said.

"This place… It predates even the oldest records of my people. If the seal was tied to a guardian beast like that… What's buried down there must be dangerous"

Aksara wiped the sweat from his brow and forced himself to stand straighter.

"Guess we're not just taking a walk through the desert after all…"

Taufik stepped to the edge of the staircase and looked down, his expression unreadable, dark aura swirling faintly around his form like a mist reacting to the ancient energy below.

"We move carefully. Whatever lies beneath… I want to see it"

"But..."

Jenn's voice, gentle yet firm, cut through the tension like a cool breeze in the scorching desert.

"... Dear, we have children with us, remember?"

Taufik turned his head slightly to glance at her.

The concern in her eyes wasn't just for him, but for all of them. Even Gaia, who had stayed quiet, nodded in agreement.

"... You right... Then, let's do it like this..."

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The group stood in silence for a moment, the wind blowing softly across the desert.

Taufik looked at Aksara and Lembuswana, then back at the dark staircase leading down into the ruins.

"This won't take long... We'll catch up after we check what's inside"

Taufik said.

Jenn, still looking worried, but gave a small nod.

"Just… Be careful"

"I will"

Taufik said softly.

Rani stepped forward, glancing between Taufik and the stairs.

"We'll keep moving toward the Golden Dragon Kingdom. I'll make sure everyone stays safe"

Gaia gave a slow nod. Then said.

"Stay alert. I don't like the energy coming from down there"

With that, the group split.

Rani, Jenn, Gaia, and the rest began their journey toward the kingdom, riding on Rani in her dragon form, witnessed by Taufik, Aksara, and Lembuswana their figures slowly fading into the shimmering heat of the desert.

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Taufik, Aksara, and Lembuswana turned back to the staircase.

The steps were old and covered in dust, leading down into a darkness deeper than night.

Aksara swallowed hard.

"…Why do I feel like something down there is waiting for us?"

Taufik didn't answer right away. He stared into the darkness, his eyes glowing softly.

"Because something is"

He finally said.

"…And it knows we're coming"

Without another word, Taufik began walking down the stone stairs. The light from above cast long, flickering shadows, making everything below seem even darker.

Aksara followed close behind, his hand on his sword, ready for anything. His eyes moved carefully, watching every corner as they went deeper.

Lembuswana, perched on Taufik's shoulder, let out a low growl. It wasn't afraid; it was warning them; his glowing eyes stayed sharp, watching the shadows.

Dust floated in the air with every step. The only sounds were their footsteps and a faint, strange humming, like something far below was still alive.

The desert above slowly disappeared behind them as the ruins swallowed them whole.

They had stepped into the unknown.

There was no turning back.

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As they descended further into the depths, the walls began to change.

At first, the stone was rough, ancient, and worn by time, but the deeper they went, the smoother it became, almost polished.

Faint carvings began to appear, etched into the walls like forgotten scriptures written in a language older than words. Symbols twisted and coiled like serpents, pulsing faintly with a light that was neither magic nor fire, but something else… Something primordial.

Aksara slowed as his fingers brushed one of the glowing markings.

"Do you recognize what language is this, father?"

He asked quietly.

Taufik shook his head slowly.

"No… But"

Taufik said, looking at Lembuswana on his shoulder.

"... Lembu, do these carvings mean anything to you?"

Lembuswana narrowed his eyes as they glowed brighter for a moment, reflecting the strange light from the carvings. He hopped from Taufik's shoulder to the nearby wall, claws clinking softly against the stone.

A pause.

Then, in a voice lower than usual, like he was speaking from memory not his own, Lembuswana whispered:

"... This… This is a record of my battle with Basukhi. I doubt anyone would go out of their way to create something like this just out of boredom. One thing's certain though... Whoever did this isn't just anyone. They're far from ordinary"

Taufik's brows furrowed. His eyes followed the carvings along the walls, which now seemed to shift slightly with every glance as if they were alive, responding to Lembuswana's recognition.

"Your battle with Basukhi…"

He repeated slowly, the name heavy on his tongue.

"I thought at that time only the two of you who is an intelligent creature"

Lembuswana glanced back over his shoulder, his glowing eyes sharp.

"It was... Draco, at that time, was a world with the rule of Survival of the fittest... The creatures that lived at that time moved relying on their instincts, not their minds... So there was no way those creatures could create something like this"

Aksara turned, scanning the wall with renewed focus. The carvings depicted titanic figures clashing; one is an ugly beast coiled in chaos, the other a beautiful Creature surrounded by elements.

Even rendered in crude lines, their power was undeniable. One scene showed the ugly beast consuming the sky; in another, Lembuswana struck it down with a roar that split the heavens.

And then came the final panel, unlike the others, this one was surrounded by a thin, unbroken line of gold embedded into the stone itself.

It showed Basukhi... Falling, dissolving into shadow and flame. While Lembuswana stood tall beneath a storm of lightning and fire. But behind him, barely noticeable unless one looked closely, was another figure, cloaked, faceless, standing with a hand extended toward both creatures.

"... That's... Mikhael, he's the one who sealed me and separated Basukhi's essence into several parts, and that's how the Dragons could exist on this Planet Draco... This mural, Shows my final battle against Basuki before finally being stopped by the Angels"

... A long silence followed.

Aksara stared at the cloaked figure in the mural, eyes narrowing.

"That figure... Mikhael. An Angel powerful enough to stop two Aboriginal beings like you and Basukhi?"

Aksara said, his tone mixed with disbelief and awe.

Lembuswana nodded slowly.

"He wasn't alone. There were others... But Mikhael was the one who made the choice. Instead of destruction, he chose containment. He tore Basukhi's essence apart and spread it across the world... and me? He sealed me Inside an Orb, and then I was freed by Anugerah's brother, but I was stopped by this father of yours, and here I am"

Taufik's gaze lingered on the mural, on the faint outline of Mikhael, the faceless figure who had decided the fate of godlike beings.

"...Containment over destruction" Taufik murmured. "That's quite an interesting choice... But Lembu, do you remember what caused you to fight Basukhi to the death at that time?"

Lembuswana's eyes narrowed. Refocused his gaze on the Mural

"... We always fought, but that one fight... I don't know, usually, when we feel like our fighting has gone too far, we will stop... But at that time, I didn't know, my mind was blurry, and the only thing I could think about was ending Basukhi's life and I think Basukhi did the same"

"... Demon"

Taufik murmured, then a deep silence filled the space after Taufik spoke that word.

Demon.

It echoed not just in the stone chamber, but in their thoughts, resonating with the ancient humming that still pulsed in the air like the heartbeat of something long buried.

Lembuswana didn't respond immediately. His expression turned grim, almost pained as if that single word unlocked something he'd tried to forget.

"…Now that you mention it"

He said, at last, his voice heavy.

"There was something… Strange… Back then. A presence neither me nor Basukhi could see. Not a creature, not even a god… But something that whispered. It whispered war into our bones"

Taufik's eyes sharpened.

"... And you both listened"

....

...

..

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