Chapter 258

The ground before the bronze door was paved with concrete and adorned with a mosaic of black-and-white tiles forming the Wheel of the Year. They had excavated such an ample space within the mountain and even installed a bronze door. She considered if it could have been a tomb or something else entirely. Hera approached the ancient bronze door, its surface weathered with time. On either side, the guardians Michael and Gabriel were engraved, though their forms were obscured beneath a layer of dust. In the center, a lock shaped like the letter "H" was covered in dust. Below it, a T-shaped keyhole hinted that it could be unlocked with the correct key, though Hera knew it wouldn't be so straightforward. Even with the correct key, a labyrinth lock would require precise alignment of internal mechanisms. The challenge of deciphering such a secretive lock intrigued Hera, almost tempting her to attempt it then and there. But the timing wasn't right. She needed to leave first. With her fl