The three groups, Redwake, The Rising Heroes, and Wind Chasers, were still inside the ancient ruins. The walls were tall and cracked, with moss and vines crawling up the stones. Dust floated in the air, and every sound of their footsteps echoed loudly. It had been hours since they began searching, but there was no clear path forward.
The atmosphere was heavy. Nobody wanted to make a mistake. If this truly was a mythical ruin, one wrong step could mean losing their only chance to enter.
Darius leaned against a broken pillar, sweat rolling down his forehead. His voice was tired, but serious.
"We can't rush this. If it really is a Mythical Ruin, forcing our way inside will only anger it. Then we'll lose everything."
Anya nodded, brushing dust from her hands after checking the carvings on the wall.
"Then we need to find a sign… some clue that will tell us which one of the Mythical Ruins this is."
Alex glanced around, scanning the strange symbols on the stone floor.
"There are eleven Mythical Ruins, right? Each has a different identity, a different spirit. If we figure out which one this is, then we'll know how to move forward."
Adrian exhaled in disbelief.
"Still feels unreal… to think we might be standing in one right now."
The groups split up, each taking a part of the ruin to investigate.
---
The Rising Heroes searched near the collapsed arches. Lila ran her fingers over the faded markings. Some looked like eyes, others like stars.
"These don't look like ordinary carvings," she said softly. "But they're broken, hard to read."
Doran crouching low to see from another angle. "Hmph, they could be illusions. Old ruins like this love to trick your eyes."
Adriam, studying the lines carefully. "No. They're not illusions. These marks are layered. Like… they tell a story, but the story is hidden under dust and time."
---
On the other side, Wind Chaser examined the stone statues lined up along the ruined hallway. Some statues were of warriors, others of creatures no one could recognize.
Anya touched one of the broken statues. Its head was missing, but the body looked like it was reaching toward the sky.
"These figures… they all look like they're dreaming. Or maybe reaching for something they can't touch."
Darius narrowed his eyes. "Dreaming…" He looked at another statue, one that seemed to have its eyes closed, its face peaceful. "Interesting. It's a repeated pattern. Almost like the ruin is trying to tell us its name."
---
Meanwhile, Redwake was searching near the inner chamber. Diego knelt on the ground, rubbing his hand across the cold floor. "There are symbols here too, but they're scattered. Like pieces of a puzzle."
Alex crouched beside him, tracing one with his finger. The carving was faint, but he could make out shapes that looked like clouds and waves.
"Clouds… waves… and what's this? A sleeping figure?"
"Yes," Adriana replied, frowning. "Almost like someone is lying down, lost in a dream."
Alex stepped closer, his boots crunching against bits of stone. "So it all connects. Statues reaching, carvings of sleeping figures, symbols of clouds… the ruin wants to be recognized for what it is."
---
After a while, the groups regrouped in the central chamber. Everyone shared what they had found.
Anya explained first, pointing toward the statues. "They all carry the same meaning. Reaching, sleeping, lost in some vision."
Gepa spoke next. "The wall markings are layered, but I'm sure they represent the same theme. Stars, eyes, and patterns that look like dreams."
Alex added his part, recalling the carvings on the floor. "Clouds, waves, sleeping figures… it's the same thing, repeated in different forms."
For a moment, silence filled the chamber. Everyone looked at one another, waiting for someone to connect the dots.
Darius finally stepped forward. His voice was steady, though tired.
"There are eleven Mythical Ruins. Each has its own name and identity. Based on all the signs we found, this one must be…" He paused, looking at Alex.
Alex caught his gaze and finished the sentence.
"The Ruins of Never-ending Dreams."
The words echoed through the chamber, as if the ruin itself had been waiting to hear its name.
The ground rumbled beneath their feet. Dust shook loose from the ceiling. Strange light spread across the carvings and statues, as if they had come alive. The once dull symbols now glowed faintly, connecting into a web of shimmering lines.
"Everyone, stand back!" Adrian shouted, pulling Lila closer.
The glowing lines gathered in the air above them, twisting and folding into a strange shape. At first, it looked like light without form. But then it grew clearer, a portal, a doorway made of shifting air and glowing mist.
The air itself seemed to pull them in. A soft but irresistible force wrapped around their bodies.
"This is it," Alex said, his eyes fixed on the portal. "The ruin has accepted us."
Before anyone could react further, the air engulfed them all. Their vision blurred, their bodies lifted from the stone floor. The ruins faded away, replaced by a strange new space.
They had stepped into a different territory.