86 Holy Land

Haelan heaved a loud sigh as Ottis' words linger in her head. "Maybe… just maybe, if I turn back the time where I first lost my crest.. everything would be just fine", Haelan thought as she bit her lip. However, she couldn't fathom the actuality that her body bleeds inside with just a few clockworks… what more a few years behind?

She snapped back into reality when she noticed she could no longer feel anyone's presence nearby. Later, she stood up and decided to follow Umbriel's trail for he's the only one unarmed and unable to protect himself. With only the twilight coming from the sunset, Haelan searched for the young priest beyond the trees and bushes. As quiet as possible, she trudged the mushy soil until she hears someone nearing.

"Whoa! Haelan you scared me!", Jac shrieked like a girl. He felt like all his hair stood up from being frightened by Haelan's sudden presence. He almost drop the wild boar that he's carrying over his shoulders. "I mean, you scared us", Jac cleared his throat as he lower his voice.

Haelan tried to contain her laughter after seeing Jac's face turn white. "My apologies, did I frighten you? I didn't take you as someone who could be easily scared", Haelan snorted as she try so hard not to burst in hilarity.

"Scared? Of course I wasn't. But at least make a sound, will ya'! You sneaky squirrel!", Jac scoffed as he glare at Haelan.

"Where are you going?", Atrius asked as he beam a smile.

"Umbriel left and uh.. he haven't returned yet, so I got worried", Haelan said.

"Where's Ottis?", Atrius asked as he fixed his gaze on Haelan.

"He's somewhere, getting more firewood", Haelan explained as she wave her hand in the air.

"Are you sure he went this way?", Atrius asked as he look around. "We didn't saw him on our way back.", he assured.

"Go on, look for the priest. I'll cook the meat", Jac said as he head on. "Don't stay out there too long, it's dangerous here", Jac said as he disappear in the bushes.

Atrius and Haelan decided to walk together to find Atrius. At certain instance during their stroll, Atrius would occassionally hold Haelan's elbow carefully as they trudge the slippery soil.

"You don't need to do that. I'm not fragile", Haelan said as she tap Atrius' shoulder. She then supported herself using the scepter.

"You're still a girl, despite.. all that", Atrius said as he point his finger at Haelan from head to toe. "I'm impressed how easy you go with it, you act very natural", he said as he follow Haelan down the slopes.

"Just because I carry it well, Doesn't mean it isn't heavy.. but please, I'm not feeble. See me like how you first met me", Haelan said as she decided to continue to pretend to be a man in front of everyone else.

"I will do my best", Atrius agreed reluctantly for naturally, he treats women delicately. He lowered his eyes as he follow Haelan.

"I can sense him now. He's near", Haelan said as she feel the presence of Umbriel's light.

"There! I can see him", Atrius peered through the bushes as he see the flickering flame from Umbriel's torch. The pair made their way towards the young priest who's standing against a long barricade of tall stone walls.

"Umbriel!", Haelan called softly. "What are you doing here?", Haelan worriedly asked as she sees Umbriel standing unmoved with the torch on his hand.

"I've been here before", Umbriel uttered as he graze the stone walls with his hand.

"Are you sure?", Haelan looked around and noticed the ashes embedded on the charred stone walls. "It smells like something burned here", she said as she smell the acrid odor at every whiff of the air.

"This is..", Atrius slightly recalled a memory so vividly about the land of the priests where his parents brought him. "This is the Holy land of the priests", he said.

"Oh", Haelan slowly shifted her gaze at Umbriel who seemed teary-eyes. "The one that has been burned down", she said softly.

"I never thought that I would come back here. I've always wanted to come by before, but.. it's too late now", Umbriel uttered as he walk slowly. He led the way to the entrance of the holy land together with Atrius and Haelan.

Haelan and Atrius trailed Umbriel carefully. Whether it's the palace knights or the travelers, they stood by on high alert as they enter the premises beyond the stone walls for the fear that someone might jump on them.

"I don't think this is a good idea", Atrius whispered to Haelan.

"He needs this", Haelan uttered. "Umbriel needs to see with his own eyes the pain of what's gone for him to believe that it's lost forever", she said as Atrius seems wary of their intrusion.

As they cross the threshold of the holy land, they could only hear Umbriel's heartbreak. He whimpered at every turn, and he trembled at every step. Every little thing in the holy land that's tainted with the good memories have turned to ashes.

There were five pillars inside the Holy Land. Aflamed and alight, all four were left nothing but charred bricks by the blaze of fires except for one. One was supposed to be the main church, another one was the kitchen and the dining hall, and the other was an altar where the important relics and artifacts are kept as ordered by the palace. The other two were sleeping quarters, library and learning rooms. The small huts that were completely destroyed were the private homes for the high priests and guests.

"Why do you think this place was attacked?", Atrius asked as he look around. He placed his hands together and whispered a prayer for all the souls that were taken from the attack.

"I have no idea", Haelan shook her head while her eyes roam. They are starting to lose light from the sky as it have began to see harder with just Umbriel's incendiary light.

Followed by Haelan and Atrius behind, Umbriel walked ahead until he reached they smallest structure at the left side of the locale. It was the only structure that wasn't heavily burned. The tall wooden door aren't burned, and yet, it seemed like it was broken down into pieces instead. Umbriel passed the torch to Atrius, as he crouch down and inspected the door pieces.

Feeling a presence inside, Haelan guarded the young priest with an assumption that they are not alone in the Holy Land. "I don't think it's safe here.", Haelan said calmly to avoid panic and suspicions from the two.

"I was taught here for a while. I remember being scolded everyday for entering this building", he said. "Aren't you curious why of all the structures here, only this one isn't completely destroyed by fire?", he asked as he stood up. "This is where we keep the relics and artifacts. The ones I told you about.", he revealed. Umbriel took the torch from Atrius and stepped in the relic hall. With all still familiar, he gave his torch a light touch onto the wall which eventually lighted five coral torches from the ceiling. The hall is entirely full of different items of cultural and historical interest in gold and silver displayed inside glass covers. Paintings of different make and sizes were hanged all around. With only a few ashes and dusts, none really was touched by fire.

"They are protected with some witch magic", Atrius whispered to Haelan. The unburned and untouched relics inside put Haelan in awe.

"Do you think they have taken something?", Atrius asked while he watch Umbriel tap the floor with the heel of his shoe.

"Not all of the relics and artifacts here really matter. There's just one thing I'm worried about that might have been taken", Umbriel answered as he continue to tap the floorboards.

"What are you doin?", Haelan asked as she make a side eye to Atrius.

"During my first years here, we were taught that if danger would arrive in the Holy Land, we need to protect the only one artifact- the iron coffer. It's the most important relic here", Umbriel said.

"What's inside the coffer?", Atrius asked.

"No one told us. We haven't seen it really.", Umbriel pouted as he continued to tap the floorboards.

"I don't see any coffer", Atrius said as he look around while his neck turning side to side.

"It's because, it's not just simply displayed here", Umbriel said. "It's around here somewhere", he said after a few more taps. "Here, take it", Umbriel handed the torch to Atrius as he search for what he seek on the floor. Then finally, he tapped something hollow as he hunker down and feel the floor with his hands. In a while, to Haelan and Atrius' surprise, Umbriel opened the door from the floorboard as it reveal a wooden ladder going down. "Soul travelers cannot get in", Umbriel said as he step down the ladder. Atrius handed the torch back to the descending priest.

Haelan was hesitant at first as she feel the presence particularly underneath the ladder. But if soul travelers cannot go there, she hoped that the presence she feels isn't mortally dangerous. She attempted to follow Umbriel down but apparently, she couldn't get in. Like there's some force repels her feet, "He's right", Haelan said.

"I'll go", Atrius guided Haelan to the side and followed Umbriel down.

"Be careful", Haelan said as she watch the two descend slowly.