"Let's split up. According to Alvin, this ruin is spread over a large area.", Seventeen said.
Alvin nodded, "Great idea instructor Seventeen. I used my attribute to sense the earth and found that this is a rather massive ruin. Possibly the largest in Elveria."
He pointed at the stone blocks, column, and arch, "Those are only a percent of the entire thing."
Robin frowned, "Don't tell me you're going to excavate the whole ruin."
"No Robin. That's crazy. I'm only doing the initial inspection.", Alvin said.
"Will you call the Earth Cardinal?", Seventeen asked. He remembered Violet claiming she is the best archaeologist around.
Alvin nodded, "Of course. I'm pretty sure this will interest her."
Seventeen wondered if Violet is still visiting Frigus in the hidden garden of Mt Raviel. Perhaps he should go there after this. He did promise to give the wyvern a good fight.
"So me and Arthur, Ruth and Gray, Alvin and Robin.", Seventeen suggested.
"Why am I with Alvin?", Robin asked. "Aren't siblings great at working together?", Seventeen smiled.
Robin sighed, "Alright."
Alvin beamed, "Awesome! How long has it been since we worked as a team?", he slapped Robin's back.
"Jeez. It has only been two months Alvin.", Robin rolled his eyes. The others laughed.
Alvin gave Seventeen and Ruth a hand-drawn map, showing a massive complex of corridors and rooms.
"I drew this from what I could sense with the Earth attribute. It's not fully accurate but at least we know where to start looking."
Both of them nodded.
'This is pretty impressive in a world where even Ground Penetrating Radar has not been invented yet.', Seventeen thought.
(Thank the abundant magia in this world for that. That blue stuff truly is amazing eh?)
'Indeed.'
"Send a magia pulse if you find anything and also alert us if there is any problem.", Alvin said. Everyone nodded and the group split up.
Seventeen and Arthur went east which according to the map, contains several different rooms underneath the earth.
"I know it had only been a day. But are you having any progress with liquid magia?", Seventeen asked.
Arthur nodded, "I managed to make a ball, a wobbly one in fact."
"That's good. With constant practice, you will be able to hold your own against warlocks with stronger attributes." Seventeen said optimistically.
He then looked at a tree and sighed, "You can come out of the shadows Vesta. I believe you are quite bored just sitting and watching."
The shadow under the tree rippled and Vesta emerged from it with a frown on her face.
"I'm starting to consider getting a better shadow ring.", she rubbed one of her rings with a grey stone.
"You do know that an enchanted ring with the shadow attribute is expensive.", Arthur said.
Vesta raised her eyebrows, "Wow. I can't believe I'm hearing the word 'expensive' from someone in an Arken Family."
Arthur rolled his eyes, "Oh. Shut it."
Seventeen laughed, "Well. Let's start looking."
They spent about an hour exploring the eastern side and uncovered parts of the ruins that stuck out of the ground and were covered with vegetation.
Seventeen suddenly felt a magia pulse from where they split up. "Something's up.", he said. Vesta slipped back into the shadows as they neared the place.
The others were already there, "What happened?", Seventeen asked. Ruth held up a package, "Lunchtime."
"Oh.", Seventeen momentarily forgot that he was the only one who didn't need to eat to stay alive.
(Not everyone is an android, Seventeen.)
'I know.'
(You can eat. I gave you artificial taste buds so that you can experience the taste of this world and besides, eating with others is one of the things that makes one feel alive. Isn't developing your soul and being alive your ultimate goal?)
'Well. Yeah.'
(Also. Elven cuisine is the best in this world.)
Seventeen sat down with the others and had his lunch. Prime was right, it was delicious.
"What did you guys find out?", he asked.
Alvin Sylran shrugged, "Not much. More stone blocks and arches. Also what remained of engravings and inscriptions. They were too faded so I couldn't properly date them.
"Well. We also found some stone blocks and a column. Judging from the map and the things we found, this could be the ruins of an ancient palace. A massive one in fact", Seventeen said.
Alvin nodded in agreement.
Ruth chuckled, "Looks like we were the lucky ones."
Everyone looked at Ruth and Gray. "You found something ice queen?", Seventeen asked.
Ruth nodded, "Indeed. We found something that resembled the top of an entrance to the interior, plus some clear inscriptions in the stone. It was written in a language that looked familiar and not familiar at the same time."
"What do you mean?", Seventeen asked.
"It is an ancient language that was used 3500 years ago but with noticeable differences in the style of writing. My conclusion is that the language is between 3500 and 2000 years old.", Ruth said.
Seventeen's eyes widened, "You mean this could be 3000 years old?"
Ruth nodded, "That is a possibility. But before I could read it I felt the magia pulse and came here to find out it was lunchtime."
"My bad.", Alvin smiled sheepishly. "It's alright. We can go there after lunch.", Ruth said.
They soon finished eating and washed down with some wine.
Seventeen and the others followed Ruth to the west side of the ruins and reached the buried entrance. Seventeen saw the inscriptions and was surprised.
'They're the same.', he thought, recalling the inscription on Raviel's gravestone.
"Can you read it?", he asked Ruth. She nodded, "I can try. I mastered ancient languages but the style of this is unlike anything I had ever seen."
She squinted and ran her finger across the letters etched into the stone, "It's a name.", her face paled as she read it, "Oserion Syrel."
A strong wind blew across the forest when she said the name.
"Who?", Seventeen asked. Even the others were puzzled.
"Oserion Syrel.", Ruth repeated the name and stood up, "My grandma told me about him in a story when I was a kid. He was called the Mad King."
Seventeen whistled, "Damn. That's a catchy name."
"His tale was passed through generations in the Aeva family. A tale not even told in the two Elven Arken Families, the Sylran and the Aurel.", Ruth said.
"And guess what? According to the tale, Oserion lived 3000 years ago.", she pointed at the inscription.
"No way.", Alvin said in disbelief.
"But isn't he a tale?", Arthur asked. "He was. Until now.", Ruth said.
Robin thought for some time, "I'm not an archaeologist. But what from miss Ruth said, could this be one of the first major things that are 3000 years old?"
"Indeed Robin. This is monumental.", Alvin said excitedly. He looked at Ruth, "Can you tell us more about Oserion, instructor Ruth?"
Ruth nodded, "Why yes. According to my grandma, Oserion was the greatest elven king to ever exist. His people loved him and it was under his rule that Elvenkind was at its most prosperous."
"He also played a huge role in a great war where he killed an enemy leader at the cost of his own life."
"It was said that his tactics were seen as outrageous and insane, but they were all successful. He loved to fight and laughed like a madman in the heat of battle. His enemies called him the Mad King.", Ruth explained.
(Hey. That sounds like me.)
'Shut up.', Seventeen said in his mind.
"No wonder he's called that.", Robin said in awe.
Alvin frowned, "If such a great ruler indeed existed. How come we've never heard of him?"
Ruth gave a dry smile, "The same reason why we don't have any major evidence of Arken 3000 years ago."
"But what about your tale of the Mad King, instructor Ruth?", Gray asked. Ruth smiled, "Stories and tales cannot be counted as actual evidence Gray."
"Oh.", Gray said.
"Well. Looks like the Mad King had an amazing home to live in. I could remove the earth covering the entrance so we can explore further.", Alvin offered.
"That is a good idea but do you three want to get inside the entrance? We don't know what lies ahead.", Seventeen asked Arthur, Gray, and Robin.
Arthur smiled, "Sure sir. I am curious about this place and I'm pretty sure we'll be able to handle the dangers.", he said with confidence. Gray and Robin nodded in agreement.
"Alright then.", Seventeen said. He liked their confidence and nodded to Alvin.
Alvin held out his hand and concentrated. The earth covering the entrance vibrated and broke off from the ground. He guided them to a spot and slowly the entrance came into view.
A soft breeze blew from the entrance as if it was taking its first breath after a very long time.
(I detect some energy signatures deep inside. They were dampened by the earth so it was hard.)
'How do you even do that?', Seventeen thought.
(I used your sensors.)
'That sounds creepy. Please inform me the next time you use my components.'
Seventeen looked into the dark passageway beyond the newly uncovered entrance. He gulped, his soul fluttering with the excitement of the unknown.
"Well. Let's get going. What can go wrong?", He said optimistically.
(Well. There is a chance of the structure collapsing and burying you under tons of rubble.)
'Jeez Prime. Try to be more positive. No wonder you sucked at talking to women.', Seventeen thought.
(You know that hurts my feelings.)
'Whatever.'
Alvin interrupted Seventeen's conversation with Prime, "Before we enter the unknown, we need someone to stay behind so they can inform father if something goes wrong."
"Great idea. But who?", Ruth asked.
Robin sighed, "You can come out, Gelair.", a young elf, about Ruth's age emerged from the shadow of a tree. He knelt to Robin, "What is it, young master?"
"I want you to stay here and inform dad if something goes wrong.", Robin instructed his Shadow.
"But young master, it is my sworn duty to stay by your side and protect you.", Gelair replied, not happy at the thought of leaving his charge alone.
Robin smiled, "I know Gelair. But this is a way of protecting me. Also, you need not worry about my safety. I have my brother with me and I'm strong."
Gelair pondered the thought for some time before finally relenting, "Fine young master. How long will I have to wait?", he asked Alvin.
"If we don't return in two hours, inform father.", Alvin replied. "Very well.", Gelair bowed to Alvin.
He then turned to Seventeen, "I have seen your skills as a warlock. Please make sure that the young master is safe."
Seventeen smiled, "Of course. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to keep my students safe."
Gelair nodded and sank back into the shadows.
"Well then.", Alvin faced the entrance, "Let's see what the Mad King has left for us."