The arch of roots swallowed them whole, and for a moment the crew walked in darkness, their lights flickering against twisted bark. Then, without warning, the forest broke open.
A vast clearing stretched before them. Stone spires jutted from the ground, cracked and half-buried beneath roots. The air was colder here, heavy with dust that shimmered like ash in their beams. At the center rose a structure shaped like a broken crown—half temple, half monument, its edges sharp as blades.
Dr. Marquez stepped forward, her voice almost reverent. "This… this is architecture. Intelligent design. These aren't natural formations."
Okafor scoffed, though his voice was quieter than usual. "On Earth? Buried under a forest no map records? No. This isn't supposed to be here."
Hayes scanned the perimeter, jaw tight. "Stay sharp. We don't know what else lives here."
Daniel's pulse quickened. The crystal in his chest glowed fiercely now, casting its own light. The ruined temple responded—symbols carved into its surface lit faintly, pulsing in rhythm with the crystal.
Marquez touched one of the glowing marks. "Same script as the trees." She ran her fingers across the grooves. "It's a language… but not like any Earth tongue. This—this looks like it was imported."
Hayes frowned. "Imported? From where?"
Marquez's eyes flicked to Daniel, then to the crystal. "From beyond."
---
The Hall of Echoes
They stepped inside the crown-shaped ruin. The walls hummed faintly, alive with resonance. Their footsteps echoed unnaturally, stretched into whispers that didn't belong to their voices.
Daniel froze. The whispers weren't just echoes. They were words.
"…The bridge comes… The seed returns…"
He clutched the crystal tighter. It burned against his chest, demanding release.
Hayes caught the movement. "Control it, Daniel."
"I—I can't. It's… it's calling."
Before anyone could stop him, Daniel pressed the crystal against a symbol on the wall.
The ruin trembled. Dust rained from the ceiling. The stone split, revealing a hidden chamber beneath their feet.
---
The Chamber Below
A staircase spiraled down, choked with roots. The crew descended carefully, their lights cutting through the dark until they reached the bottom.
There, in the heart of the ruin, stood a pedestal of black stone. Upon it rested another crystal—larger, cracked, and dim, as if drained of life.
Marquez whispered, "Two… there are two of them."
Daniel stepped closer. The crystal in his chest pulsed wildly, answering its broken twin. The entire ruin shook.
Hayes barked, "Back away, Daniel!"
But it was too late. The cracked crystal flared once, and the shadows from the forest slithered into the chamber, filling the walls, sealing every exit.
The ruins had awakened.