The three groups, Redwake, The Rising Heroes, and The Wind Chasers, stood in front of the dark entrance of the ruins. Their armor and weapons gleamed faintly under the desert sun, and the air felt heavy as if the ruins themselves were waiting for them.
Alex, with his usual calm but strong presence, stepped forward first. Adriana walked right beside him, her confident stride unshaken even by the silence around them. At the rear of the group, Diego lazily swung his axe across his shoulder, while Darius trudged forward with his shovel slung on his back, clearly unwilling but present all the same. Anya walked near him, her cold but graceful presence keeping him somewhat in line.
The ruins themselves were massive, yet hollow, the old stone cracked and worn from time. Moss and sand covered parts of the walls, and the air smelled dry and ancient, as if no one had breathed inside for centuries. Few had ever dared to explore this ruin, for it sat directly on the border of two kingdoms. That was reason enough for most to avoid it.
But this time was different.
Alex explained as they walked further in, his voice steady and clear. "These ruins were long ignored, but only a few weeks ago, both kingdoms agreed to explore it together. The risk of leaving it unchecked was too great. If something evil made this place its nest, neither kingdom would be safe."
His words echoed faintly along the stone walls.
Lila listened carefully, her brows furrowing as she suddenly remembered. "Wait… the gifts. You're talking about the recent exchange of goods between kingdoms, aren't you?"
Alex glanced at her and gave a small smile. "Yes. Some gifts and goods were traded as a sign of goodwill. It was part of the deal. Let me guess—you and your group were the ones who delivered them?"
Lila nodded slowly. "Yes… that was one of our quests."
Adriana gave a soft laugh. "Looks like fate has brought us all here together."
The group pressed on deeper into the ruins. Their footsteps echoed in the long hallway, dust floating in the stale air. After some time, they came to what appeared to be a dead end.
"This can't be right," Alex muttered as he stepped forward, running his hand along the old stones. His sharp eyes scanned the wall carefully. "Ruins like this always hide something. A secret door, a mechanism. Something."
The others spread out, touching the stones, searching for any sign of a hidden way.
While the more serious members investigated, Fizzle floated about without a care, humming to herself. She drifted too close to the wall and suddenly thud!—she bumped into one of the stone blocks. To everyone's surprise, the block pushed slightly inward.
"Ehh?!" Fizzle yelped, her small face scrunching in panic. She quickly zipped backward, fearing that she had triggered a deadly trap. Everyone tensed, their hands on their weapons, waiting for something to happen. But nothing did.
Silence filled the corridor again.
After a long pause, Gepa spoke in his calm, thoughtful voice. "That block moved… it might be part of a mechanism. There could be other blocks like it, scattered across the walls. If we push the right ones, we may activate a hidden passage."
Diego crossed his arms. "Or we might trigger traps and end up with arrows sticking out of our backs."
Adriana smirked. "Well, what's an adventure without a little danger?"
They agreed to try, but carefully. One by one, they spread across the ruins, searching for blocks that seemed loose or different. Each time one was pushed, something happened. Sometimes nothing at all. Other times, traps were unleashed—arrows shooting out of the walls, fire bursting from cracks, sudden jets of air that tried to knock them down, or even stunning sparks of lightning.
But none of this slowed the group down. These were not amateurs. Redwake, The Rising Heroes, and The Wind Chasers moved with experience, dodging and countering traps almost like a game. Adrian sliced arrows mid-air, Sera's barriers absorbed flames, and Anya froze dangerous jets of water before they could strike, while Darius yawned and swung his shovel whenever debris flew his way.
After nearly an hour of pushing blocks, however, they found themselves standing in the same hallway, no closer to solving the puzzle. The supposed dead end remained sealed, as though mocking them.
Diego groaned. "We're wasting our time. There are hundreds of blocks in this ruin, we can't just push them all one by one."
Alex rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "It's true. There must be a pattern. But finding it might take too long."
Anya sighed, folding her arms. "So what now?"
"Now…" Alex said slowly, "we split up. Search every corner of these ruins. Look for clues, symbols, anything. Something must connect these blocks."
Though hesitant, the groups agreed. They divided into smaller teams and began their search. The ruins stretched farther than expected, with halls looping into other empty rooms, each filled with more blocks, carvings, and dust.
Hours passed. Still, nothing. The sun outside was dipping lower, and inside, the ruins remained silent, as if hiding their secrets. Despite their best efforts, the groups had found no hint of how to move forward.
For now, they had reached a dead end.
---
Meanwhile, two days earlier…
Zora sat quietly in his home, staring out at the horizon. His thoughts were heavy, though he did his best to remain calm. He leaned back in his chair, sighing softly as he thought of his daughter.
"She should be at the west border by now," he murmured to himself. "Through the desert… I hope nothing troubles her or her group."
It had already been a while since Lila had left on her mission. He knew she was strong. He knew her group was capable. But no matter how strong a father knew his child was, worry always remained.
The days passed slowly, until finally, a message arrived. It was from Lila herself. Zora's hands shook slightly as he read the words.
Her quest had been successful. She had delivered the goods. But she explained that she would not be returning yet. She and her group had chosen to stay in Ula Town for a while longer, as many dangerous beasts had been appearing near the town. She wanted to help the townspeople before coming back. She promised she would return the next week.
Zora let out a slow breath, relief and unease mixing in his chest. "She's safe… for now," he said softly. But even then, something tugged at his heart. A feeling of uneasiness, one he could not ignore.
And then, just as he sat lost in thought, there was a knock on his door.
When he opened it, he was met not with a messenger, nor a neighbor, but an unexpected guest.
Someone had come to visit him, someone who would soon change everything.