Damon wasn't sure how to react… he had read it to show them not to be blinded by religious doctrines created by mortals, to not limit themselves. He had read it aloud for that purpose… he had been surprised to find the name Mugu, but he didn't even have time to be surprised when the hidden passage revealed itself. Matia held her ascendant weapon as if expecting something to crawl out of the darkness of the stairwell and attack them. The others all looked around cautiously, weapons drawn… ready to fight. Damon looked down… then back at Leona. "Now we slowly retreat and come up with a plan… with our luck, I won't be surprised if we end up in some hidden dungeon…" The others nodded, slowly backing away… as they did, the altar behind them began to close. As soon as it shut itself, they all felt relieved. Damon glanced at Sylvia, whose eyes were focused on the book in his hand… or rather, her single eye—the other was now blind. "Can I see that…" she opened her palm. He passed the book to her without question… she opened it, flipping through the pages… Then looked at him. "It's empty…" Damon blinked, confused, and snatched the book back. "No, it's not… I can see what's written… hmm." He frowned. "It's the same damn thing repeated… on every page…" Evangeline sighed, holding her temple. "Don't tell me you're cursed again…" He looked at her with a deadpan expression. "Why are you talking to me like you're my mother…" She sneered… ready to retort. Leona sighed. "Can you two lovebirds settle down? Your hostile flirting is distracting us from the main problem…" Damon nodded, glancing at Sylvia. He opted not to argue. "Use your skill to determine if that place is safe for us to explore… as for the book…" He looked down at it. "It's probably enchanted. As for why I can read it… it's probably because I know the words to open it. However, Evangeline, purify me just to be safe." Sylvia raised her head. "It's safe… as far as I searched… I can look into the future, just—" "No." They all cut her off at once. Xander looked at her with a worried expression. "As far as dangerous skills go, yours is the worst… the payment it demands is random and almost demonic. It feels like you're playing under the whims of some cruel god…" Sylvia looked down at the floor of the cathedral. She was playing by the rules of some god who had made her a deal she couldn't refuse… but she had been given a choice. Damon sighed. Xander was right about that… but he didn't like the idea of Sylvia getting burned at the stake. If anyone found out her secret, she'd be branded an enemy of the goddess. "We all have horrible skills… for someone who has faith in the goddess, are you accusing the goddess of fate of giving Sylvia a burden she can't carry?" Xander could hear the mocking edge in Damon's voice. He scoffed, crossing his arms. "Glad to see you're still the same mongrel I know." Matia watched them bicker with a long-suffering sigh, her hand idly resting on the hilt of her weapon. "Right… I remember now. This is exactly how they were at the academy…" She half-raised her hand to interrupt—but no one paid her any attention. Evangeline exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Guys, that's enough… we're all tired. Let's get some rest." Damon, already tugging on Xander's hair like a child starting a fight, glanced at her with a mocking smirk. They both stared at her—then at each other—before speaking in perfect sync. "Who died and made you boss?" Evangeline gave them a sugary smile… and casually obliterated them with a flash of light magic. Moments later, they were seated in a rough circle, the scent of scorched cloth lingering in the air. Sylvia silently patched up some angry red scorch marks on Xander's arm. Damon, the shameless mongrel he was, had used Xander as a living meatshield without a second thought. Xander shot him a look of pure betrayal. "Dishonorable… I knew I couldn't trust you." Damon just grinned wide, tossing in a few childish jeers like a schoolboy who had gotten away with murder. Evangeline bit into a piece of dried jerky, her mood visibly souring. "Let's address our problems. We're running dangerously low on rations. We have about…" Matia rummaged through the supplies, her brows knitting together. "Four days' worth," she announced grimly. Evangeline nodded. "We also have no map of the city. No idea where to find a waypoint or a teleportation gate…" Her gaze sharpened as she looked directly at Damon—their so-called party leader. "What are our options?" Damon's jaw tightened slightly as he leaned back, thinking. "We've got another issue. Even if we find a gate or a way out, the Keeper won't let us leave. Not before answering his riddle." Sylvia shifted uneasily, recalling the ominous game. "The game that can't be won… and a Keeper who controls the city…" Leona nudged Damon, her eyes wide with worry. "How do we pass? Why is it unwinnable?" Damon exhaled slowly, tension gathering in his shoulders. Sylvia spoke before he could, her voice calm but weary. "Let's go over the riddles. One has an answer. In fact, it's so obvious it's painful. The second one doesn't—it's impossible. And that's the answer to the first question." Leona looked lost, glancing between Sylvia and Damon. The two exchanged a knowing look. Sylvia crossed her arms and asked the group quietly. "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?" The second question dropped into the silence like a stone. Leona stood up quickly, her hand raised with false confidence. "Force smashes through the object! The strongest spear always beats the strongest shield!" Without hesitation, Damon smacked her lightly on the head. "That answer would definitely get you killed when we meet the Keeper. Just shut up and let me do the thinking… and talking." Leona pouted, rubbing her head with a soft whimper. "That's so mean…" Damon's expression softened a little. He reached out, ruffling her hair in a rare moment of tenderness. "Don't worry. I'll figure something out." He smiled at his friend, noting how adorable she looked when she pouted her face. "You're too stupid to be damned for eternity."