Part Twenty Five

*A rich history, an unknown past, a broken spirit...*

### Content Warnings

Cultists, imprisonment, mention of body horror (woman with jaw pulled off, a man’s head exploding), sounds of gore and blood, emetophobia

## Summary

Leaving the bonfire behind, Arthur and John search for an exit. Beneath the Larson Estate, they discover ancient tunnels, as well as a prison. In the prison they find a man named Matthew, who informs them the tunnels weren’t built by Larson. The tunnels are related to a quest undertaken by The Three Soldiers for a powerful object called The Black Stone. Pushing for answers makes Matthew’s head explode. Arthur’s growing impatience to find Larson and apathy to Matthew’s death causes a fight. John says he’s glad he’s not like Arthur, and Arthur replies that the feeling is mutual.

## Synopsis

Arthur and John scale the stairs by the bonfire. John expresses disappointment that they didn’t assist with the cultists, but Arthur dismisses his worries by saying that they may not be innocent and John’s bleeding heart would only get them killed.

Near the top, they find a tunnel and a doorway. Arthur pulls off a piece of wood from the damaged doorframe and picks it. While doing so, John expresses gratitude that Arthur survived while he was away. Arthur asks, curious, if John was aware that he was gone, and John replies that he didn’t.

In the tunnel, they find six passages: four alcoves with statues, a barred room, and a room with a gate. They continue onward with John remarking that the tunnels seem incredibly old. Arthur dismisses him. They find a t-junction. In the center is a statue of a knight, who bears a shield with an octopus and a sun on it. John sees a path of bloody footprints heading to the left of the t-junction.

Before they venture further, they go into the gated room from earlier. They find an unworn table with leather high-backed chairs, along with statues of three soldiers, reading: ‘Erwin Kipling’, ‘Neitsh Walder’, and ‘Entie Walder’. They also find a book entitled ‘De Tribus Militibus’ and John notes that a painting appears to be missing.

As they return to the crossroads, Arthur explains to John about Larson and Addison, including overhearing Uncle hurting someone. He connects it to the bloody footprints. John wants to save whoever might be in danger from Larson, but Arthur disagrees, saying they ought to stop Larson first. Eventually, they decide to go right, where the footprints came from.

They come upon a wide rectangular room with five apparent prison cells. They find the dead woman with her jaw evidently pulled off, which sickens John. Arthur reassures John’s newfound sensitivity as they continue searching the cells, eventually coming upon a man named Matthew.

Over John’s protest to free him immediately, Arthur starts to question Matthew in return for letting him out. Matthew says the tunnels is not for Arthur, Matthew, or Larson, but instead something old. He emphasizes that it’s also not for the Order of the Fallen Star, which is in New York. John takes keen interest in the Order. Matthew goes on to say it hides in plain sight, as most people don’t know about it, and it has a name in some circles, like the Freemasons (though it’s invite only). Matthew refuses to tell him anything more about it, saying that if he does, Arthur won’t do it, and he has to go there himself.

Arthur presses on, and Matthew grows more agitated, saying he’ll be killed if he reveals any more. He clarifies that Larson will not be the one to kill him, though Larson did imprison him. Both Matthew and John plead for Matthew to be released, and Arthur complies.

John wants to ask more about the Order, but Arthur instead asks about the tunnels. Larson says that Larson is already gone, but that the tunnels were built to seek something ancient and powerful. As Matthew’s eyes start to bleed, he explains that the tunnels are connected to The Three Soldiers, who were tasked with finding The Black Stone. Matthew’s head explodes.

John is horrified by what he sees, but Arthur is more concerned with losing their source of information. They return to the estate to find their things as they speak. Arthur connects The Three Soldiers with the soldiers in the desert, the ones who gave him the coin. He also recalls seeing a painting of a black stone in the estate above. John expresses doubt that they can get answers out of Larson, and they start to argue.

Arthur snaps that they’re not returning to rescue the people by the bonfire, that Matthew and the cultists deserve to die. He insists that they have to focus on stopping Larson, and that he won’t allow John to drag him down. John implies that Arthur was the monster between he and Yellow, and Arthur shoots back by calling John a ‘manipulative, naïve parasite who was too inconsequential to exist on his own’. Angry, John tells Arthur he’s glad that he’s not like him, and Arthur replies with mutual feeling.

## Votes

* Chapter 121: **Use Lighter [78]** / Stay in the Dark [21]
* Chapter 122: Left [15] / Right [36] / **Back [38]**
* Chapter 123: Left [13] / **Right [74]**
* Chapter 124: **Let Him Out [90]** / Leave Him In [15]
* Chapter 125: No vote.

## Additional Notes

* John calls Arthur a 'monster' and Arthur calls John a 'parasite' in Part 18.
* Arthur calls Yellow a 'parasite' and a 'monster' in Part 21.
* Yellow calls Arthur a 'monster' in Part 23.