Last Scion Of The Sun

Mysterious Stone Statues

Finally after walking for a while, Sol and Lance arrived at a spacious dark room which looked like some kind of religious altar. In the middle of the room was a circular stone platform with two giant stone statues placed opposite to each other.
Wings coming out from it's back and it's eyes blindfolded, each of the stone statues were carrying fire torches in their right hand and a stone sword in their left hand. The only light illuminating the whole altar was the flickering light's of the fire from the fire torches.
"What is this place?"
Lance bewilderingly questioned upon entering the Altar.
"I'm not sure of it either. I may have discovered the hidden passage but I've never been here myself."
"But you said that it led to the capital?"
"Sorry about that, I just ran my mouths without thinking. And honestly even I'm not sure about where it'll lead us."
As they cautiously walked closer to the stone platform, the appearance of the stone statues became more vivid. The grotesque stone statue resembled a person with wings. 
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaa"
Lance screamed all of a sudden.
"What? What happened Lance?"
"No, no it's nothing. The face of statue scared me for a bit."
As the flickering light's of the torches fell on the statue, it's spooky face became more vivid.
The stone statues looked so real and detailed that it seemed like it'll come to life at any moment. Terrified by it's appearance, they continued to maintain a certain distance from the stone statues.
"A person with wings? Does such thing even exist in the world?"
Sol perplexingly exclaimed.
"I've read about it in few books. If I remember it correctly, then I'm sure it is referred as Angel."
Lance replied with his eyes fixated at the statues.
As if he was lost in some kind of reverie, Lance continued to observe the stone statues without blinking his eyes.
[Oh! It's still the same.]
Azrael spoke all of a sudden.
'What do you mean it's still the same?'
[What I mean is, even when I discovered the Altar back then, I encountered this very same stone statues.]
'Then do you know anything about the stone statues?'
[No idea. All I know is that after you step in that circular stone platform a portal will open. And that portal will lead to the capital. Also don't ask me about the portal, I don't know anything about it myself]
'Tch- What do you even know?'
Sol clicked his tongue and contorted his face upon listening to Azrael.
While they were keenly observing the stone statues, they failed to notice one thing. Some kind of ancient runic language were inscribed all over the stone platform.
"Lance?"
Sol called out to Lance who was lost in his reverie.
"Ye- Yeah!"
He startlingly came back to his senses upon hearing the calls of Sol.
"We need to leave. We can't continue to remain here."
"But how do we do that? From what I've been observing till now, I don't see any other path than the one we took to come here."
Lance exclaimed.
"May be it's hidden. So why don't we find it?"
Despite knowing the exit, Sol kept it hidden from Lance and pretended like he wasn't aware of it either.
Both of them started to search for the hidden passage which was only in theory.
While Lance went to check on the walls of the Altar, Sol walked towards the stone platform. Unfazed by the intimidating stone statues, he walked closer to the circular platform.
Standing atop the circular platform, he called out for Lance.
"Lance, come here."
Lance rushed towards the stone platform. But out of fear, he hesitated to climb up the stone platform.
Despite his vivid hesitation, Sol kept on insisting Lance to join him on the stone platform.
Finally giving in to his insistence, Lance hesitatingly walked up the stone platform.
'Now what?'
[Place a magic stone in the middle of the platform and imbue a certain amount of mana in it.]
'What? We need magic stones? Why didn't you inform me about that earlier?'
Sol burst out in fury.
[Did I not mention about it? I must have forgot about it hahaha.]
Azrael sniggered and let out a playful smile.
Luckily Sol still had some artifacts with him. And since it was made up of magic stones, he didn't need to return back in search of magic stones.
Sol took out one of the low-tier artifact from his inventory which he had traded for the tickets.
He then placed the artifact in the middle of the platform.
'Now what?'
[Channel your mana into it.]
As instructed by Azrael, Sol poured his mana into the artifact. Just as he did that, the runic letters started to glow red all of a sudden.
"Sol? Sol? What's happening?"
A worried Lance started to panic.
"Nothing. Just stay still at your place."
After every letters of the runic scriptures in the platform lit up, a portal appeared in the middle of the stone platform.
"Let's go Lance."
"Go where?"
"Inside the portal."
"I'm not sure if that's even safe though."
Lance's worries became more rampant with the appearance of the portal.
[Quick kid, head inside. You don't have much time.]
Despite Lance's unwillingness to enter the portal, Sol grabbed his hand and jumped into the portal.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaa"
Lance screamed.
It didn't take them long to exit the portal. Within a blink of an eye, they were outside.
It was already night time.
The night sky was lit with a celestial glow, as the moon spread its ghostly light through the thin cloud cover above.
As mentioned by Azrael they did arrive at the capital of the empire. But Sol who had never been to capital was mesmerised by the lively city of the capital.
"Lance? Lance?"
Sol called out for Lance who kept his eyes closed even after exiting the portal.
"Di- Did we arrive? Or are we dead?"
Lance stammered.
"We're still alive and we're infront of a lively city."
Sol assured.
Lance opened his eyes. Upon opening his eyes, he was greeted with the sight of a city decorated with numerous flickering lights.
The kaleidoscope of the shimmering lights flickered in the distance as the starry sky swept over the city that never slept.
The flickering lights in the distance serving as testament of the lively city which was bustling with the sounds of people even during the nightime.
"We really did arrive at the capital."
Lance exclaimed in astonishment.
Lance pinched himself.
"Ouch"
Everything they had been through today seemed too unreal for him to believe. Firstly they were attacked by wyverns, secondly the existence of the hidden passage.
And lastly the most mysterious among them, the existence of an otherworldly portal which connected the mine and the capital.
Even after exiting the mine, their problems hadn't ended yet. They were at the outskirts of the capital city and just to reach the city, they would have to pass through dense forest and walk for hours.
It wouldn't have been a problem, if only they would have to walk but it was nightime.
As the moon casted a spectral glow across the dense forest, the howls of the animals sharpened.
As Sol casted his glance towards the serene moon, far in the distance a shadow of a bat like creature flew past the moon. The sudden appearance of the bat like creature startled him.
"Lance should we rest here for today and head out in the morning?"
Sol suggested.
Lance pondered for a while and spoke;
"May be we should do that. It's not safe to travel through forest at night."
Upon deciding to spend the night at the top of the cliff, Sol sat down.
Sigh~
He then released a deep sigh.
Immersed in the observation of the silent night sky filled with glittering stars and serene glow of the moon, Sol revealed a tranquil look on his face.
Witnessing the calmness on Sol's face, Lance joined in on the act of sightseeing.
He then sat down beside Sol and continued to look at the night sky.
With occasional howls of the animals from the forest and howls of the cold breeze, the night sky was very silent and peaceful.
Silently, without speaking anything, they continued to enjoy the peaceful moment.
Suddenly Lance turned his gaze towards Sol to say something. But as he looked at him, words didn't come out of his mouth. He stood frozen in awe.
The occasional gust of cold breeze caressing Sol's medium-long black hair, his brown eyes shimmering with the reflection of the moon's luminous glow, the sight of Sol silently enjoying the night sky was very picturesque.
Witnessing the sight of Sol peacefully enjoying the silent night, Lance shrugged off the question he wanted to ask to Sol.
Neither Lance nor Sol, nobody among them spoke anything for the whole time they sat down. And as such while observing the night sky, their eyes became heavy and started to wear them down.
Tired from the day's actions, neither of them were aware of the moment when they felt asleep.