The air inside the ruins was different—thick, heavy, and cold, like the breath of something ancient that had never left. The walls were carved with twisting symbols, their edges glowing faintly as if remembering some forgotten language. Dust shifted under their boots, each step echoing too loudly in the endless corridor.
Jen pulled a folded map from the inside of her cloak, eyes narrowing in the dim light. "Let's move fast. We don't have much time. The alignment will begin soon." Her voice carried the kind of reckless determination that dared the ruins to stop her.
She flicked her fingers, summoning a glowing orb of energy—soft yellow light hovering above her palm. It floated forward at her command, spilling light over the etched stone and the eerie faces carved into the walls.
Shu followed nervously, glancing at the shadows that seemed to stretch too far. "You sure this is the right way?" His tone was high with doubt, as if the symbols might twist and laugh back at him any moment.
"Of course it is, dumbo," Jen shot back without even looking at him. "This map's legit. I paid a huge amount for it."
Rees chuckled, the sound bouncing through the dark like he was mocking both her and the ruins themselves. "Paid? Really? Just like we paid for that key to pass the barrier?" His smirk was sharp enough to be heard even in the dark.
Jen stiffened. "…I might've borrowed the key. Permanently. But that's not the point right now!" She huffed, clutching the map tighter as if the parchment itself was on her side.
Shu rubbed his arm, voice dropping to a whisper. "If these ruins are really this important… there must be traps or guardians, right? Things left behind to stop thieves like us?"
For a moment, the silence of the corridor answered instead. The glowing orb of light hummed gently, drifting further into the passage. Strange carvings of eyes seemed to watch them as they walked, unblinking and eternal.
Rees' smile faltered just slightly. "If there are traps, then we'll just outsmart them. That's why you've got me." He tapped a pocket full of gadgets, the clink of metal echoing like faint bells.
Jen's grin returned, reckless as ever. "Exactly. And if there are guardians, well… they'll wish they never crossed paths with me." The ball of light pulsed brighter, as though answering her challenge.
But Shu couldn't shake the feeling that the walls were listening—that the ruins themselves had just been… warned.
The orb of light sputtered like a dying candle, shadows swelling and shrinking with every flicker. Jen cursed under her breath, forcing her magic to stabilize. Sweat trickled down her temple as she pumped more energy into the trembling sphere.
"What the hell is happening…" she muttered, voice low but sharp with frustration.
Shu, meanwhile, wasn't looking at the orb at all. His wide eyes darted into the corridor ahead. With each pulse of light—on, off, on again—something appeared and vanished like a nightmare caught between heartbeats.
For a breathless instant, in the dim glow, he saw it.
A face.
Grotesque. Twisted. Its eyes glimmered with an unnatural light, staring straight back at him through the dark.
The orb went dark.
He was blind.
The orb flared weakly back to life.
The face was closer.
Shu's knees nearly buckled. His tongue fumbled uselessly. "M-M-M-Mo—mo—mo—"
Jen's jaw clenched. "For god's sake, cow, shut up! I'm concentrating!"
But then Rees froze mid-step. His cocky grin vanished, replaced by a thin-lipped stiffness. His gaze fixed forward. The shadows danced across his face as he stammered, "J-Jen… behind the light… look—"
Jen snapped her head around, ready to scold him too. "WHAT?!"
Then she saw it.
The orb flickered off—pure darkness swallowed them.
It flared back on.
And there it was again.
The creature's face.
Pale, inhuman. Grinning. Unmoving, yet closer each time the light returned.
Jen's throat went dry. The hand holding the map shook, though she forced her voice steady. "…That's… not part of the ruins."
The light sputtered again, threatening to die completely.
Jen's voice cut through the panic. "Rees, it's time for that light gadget you've been bragging about. Now!"
Rees, pale but trying to keep his usual bravado, fumbled in his satchel. "Right, right—don't rush me." He pulled out a silver sphere no bigger than his palm and hurled it upward. With a soft whir, it ignited mid-air, casting the ruins in a harsh white glow.
The light spread across the chamber—revealing what lurked just ahead.
A monstrous figure towered in the center of the path, its body carved of stone and sinew, moss clinging to its jagged shoulders. Its face was a grotesque mask of fangs and hollow eyes that shimmered faintly, locked directly on them.
Shu's knees buckled, his lips quivering. "W-we should run!!"
The creature's chest expanded, then it let out a thunderous roar that rattled the ancient walls. Dust rained from the ceiling.
Rees immediately took two steps back, hands raised in mock surrender. "S-sorry, Mr. Creature—we were just passing by, hehe…"
"Jen, maybe we—" Shu's voice cracked.
"Shut it!" Jen spat, her eyes blazing. "I'm not leaving!"
She thrust her hands forward. Bolts of golden energy burst from her palms, slamming into the beast in rapid succession. Sparks and smoke filled the chamber, but the monster only staggered slightly, unphased by the barrage.
Jen grit her teeth, sweat dripping down her brow. "Tough, aren't you? Then take THIS!"
She pulled her hands together, building a searing orb of light between them until it buzzed with raw energy. With a cry, she unleashed it in a massive blast. The chamber shuddered as the beam slammed into the creature, forcing it back several feet.
For a heartbeat, it looked like she'd done it.
Then the monster braced, shaking off the attack like dust from its shoulders. Its massive arms slammed against the ruin walls, cracks spreading across the stone as it roared again, louder, angrier.
Jen's eyes widened. "…What?! Too strong? Fine. I've got more tricks under my sleeve."
Her hands sparked with a sudden flash, brighter than lightning. The room exploded with light, searing across the creature's face. The beast bellowed, stumbling blindly and thrashing in confusion.
"Move! We've only got seconds!" Jen barked.
Rees didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed Shu by the collar and bolted, Jen sprinting behind them. The three dashed down the twisting corridor, their footsteps echoing in the ancient ruin.
Shu panted heavily, his voice breaking between gasps. "Y-you're amazing, Jen!"
Jen smirked, even as her chest heaved. "I know that!"
Behind them, the creature's roar tore through the ruin, a sound so fierce it rattled the stone itself.
Outside, at the barrier's entrance, the guards stiffened at the echo.
One turned to the other, face paling. "That roar… It's the Ruin Protector."
The other's grip tightened on his staff. "That means someone's broken in without permission." He spun on his heel. "We need to alert the others. Now."
The air around the ruins grew heavy, charged with the promise of trouble.