"Definitely not what I was expecting to find here..." Calen admitted.
"I mean it’s a temple, something would make sense, but I concur it is a bit excessive." Alfred nodded.
The underground level was a crypt - an absolutely massive one, easily bigger than the group level of the temple. Rows and rows of stone sarcophagi stretched on every direction, and each of them was adorned with sculpture representing whoever was buried inside.
For some reason however, none of the depictions had a face - just like the statue outside, but despite that each and every one of them was different.
"Kind of a weird way of honouring the dead." Alfred commented. "Since their faces are scrubbed people can’t easily recognise who it is, but the fact that they are unique suggests they wanted to know who lies where."
"Perhaps it was a custom from the age of the old gods?" Isara suggested. "Either that or there’s some symbolism behind it - like: we were individuals, but our identity doesn’t matter."
"What would be the point behind a message like that?"
"I don’t know, I made it up after all."
After that exchequer they searched the entire level, but they haven’t found anything of note.
"Grave robbing isn’t on my agenda, so I don’t think there’s anything in here for us." Calen stated, but then something caught his attention.
In the sea of similar stone coffins he spotted a one that looked different - it didn’t have a sculpture on it.
He came closer to inspect it, and saw that it had even more differences from the others - for one it wasn’t as tall as the rest, and it was cut from a different type of stone.
"What did you find?" Cassian approached him and looked at the sarcophagus. "You’re not thinking of opening a grave just because it looks different, are you?"
"I don’t think it’s a grave."
"What else could it be? We’re in a crypt."
Calen ignored his friend and grabbed the stone lid of the coffin - then lifted it off revealing what’s inside.
"You were saying?" He grinned.
Instead of a mummified body or a skeleton, the sarcophagus held a ladder leading deeper inside.
"It’s not going to be like the staircase, is it?" Elira questioned. "I can’t think of anything worse than getting stuck hanging like that."
"There are no traps, I checked." Calen assured her. "But you don’t have to go if you don’t want to."
They slowly descended into the room below, one by one.
The chamber was small and rather empty - the only thing inside was a life-sized statue of a warrior, the same one Calen saw outside, but much more detailed, and holding a real sword.
In fact the sword seemed to be the centerpiece of the room, it was built to draw eyes to the weapon and nothing else.
"Is that a champion weapon?" Calen asked Elira.
"I must admit that I didn’t actually get a good look at the altar, and have no idea of this temple is supposed to hold one." She smiled apologetically. "But it’s entirely possible."
"Champions don’t exist anymore though." Isara pointed out. "And this definitely isn’t a Sun temple, so Cal won’t be able to take that sword."
"Maybe anyone can take it now?" Alfred proposed and approached the statue.
He grabbed the hilt and pulled...
Nothing. The sword didn’t even budge, it was frozen in place.
"I guess not." Alfred shrugged. "Anyone else wants to try?"
"I can’t even wield a sword, no reason to try." Isara shook her head.
"Same here." Elira said.
"What about you Cass?" Calen asked. "You’re the one who needs power the most currently."
"Yes you, I have the divine flame, Ellie has druidic powers and Isa got the Fool’s inheritance. You’re the only one without nifty new powers."
Cassian fell silent for a while - he didn’t like having his weaknesses called out, but he couldn’t exactly get mad at Calen for saying the truth.
"Fine, I’ll try - but it’s not like anything will happen."
He approached the statue and reached out for the weapon.
The moment his fingers touched the hilt, the sword fell out of the statue hand right into his.
"Would you look at that." Calen chuckled. "I guess you’re also a chosen one now."
Cassian inspected the sword in silence.
"I prefer bigger weapons."
The sword seemingly heard the complaint, because it suddenly grew to the size of his current sword.
"It’s an artifact Cass, I assume it has many other powers - unfortunately since there are no priests left you’ll have to figure out them on your own."
"I like my old sword better."
"Alfred said they have a Smith at the Order, with some magic we can help you reforge the swords into one - and maybe add some of the stuff you got from the Fool."
"Fine, but for now I’ll keep using the old blade."
"They’re both yours, that choice is entirely up to you."
"Jokes aside, only a champion can grab a weapon like that." Elira interjected. "But there are no more gods, how can you be a champion without a god?"
"Maybe a Guardian can also name a champion. Come to think of it, if that’s the case then you’re also kind of one, no?"
"You’re the first and only apprentice Sylara has ever taken, that makes you her ’chosen one’ in a sense."
"I don’t know if master-disciple relationship is really that similar to a god-champion one."
"One side tell the other what to do and provides them guidance, pretty much the same thing - bet that if we find the champion weapon of Nature it’ll choose you."
Elira didn’t look particularly convinced, but she didn’t argue any further.
"I don’t think there are any other hidden passages here, let’s get out."
The temple was fixed, its secrets discovered and the altar was activated - they didn’t have much left to do except to wait for Isara’s recovery.