The journey to the Ruins of Kahl was long and arduous, with each passing day bringing Haruto, Bane, and Sylvie closer to the mysterious northern reaches of the Kingdom. The landscape grew increasingly desolate as they traveled, the once-lush greenery of the southern lands giving way to barren fields and jagged rocky outcrops. The sky, once clear and blue, now hung heavy with dark clouds, as if the world itself sensed the ominous events that were beginning to unfold.
As they trudged onward, the trio shared their thoughts, the rhythmic clinking of their gear providing a steady backdrop to their conversation. "Sylvie, what do you know about this place we're heading to?" Bane asked, his curiosity piqued by the snippets of information Sylvie had mentioned back at the guild.
Sylvie raised a hand to her chin, her brows furrowing in thought. "Honestly, not much that's concrete," she admitted. "The ruins were once used during the Great War by a fanatical sect of warlords, or so the stories go."
"Fanatical?" Haruto inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Sylvie nodded, her expression growing more serious. "Yes, according to legend, these warlords believed they were messengers of ancient beasts, and the Ruins of Kahl were a sacred site for their dark rituals. They would perform sacrifices, channeling dark magic in the hopes of summoning these creatures."
Haruto frowned, recalling the cults he'd seen in horror movies back in his world. The idea had always seemed absurd to him, but after witnessing the strange phenomena in this realm, he was beginning to see how such beliefs could take hold. "So, a cult?" he asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.
"Technically, yes," Sylvie replied. "But then, one day, in the midst of one of their rituals, they all just... vanished. No one knows how so many powerful mages could disappear without a trace. Since then, the ruins have been a no-go zone, feared by all but the bravest—or most foolish. It's become a ghost story, really. Parents tell their children that if they misbehave, Kahl will rise from the ruins and take them away, never to be seen again."
Bane shook his head, a look of disbelief on his face. "What a terrible story. Do children actually believe it?"
"I did," Sylvie admitted with a small, bitter smile. "And I wasn't the only one. Even the most hardened warlords avoid missions near the ruins. There are always reports of strange things—crops withering overnight, beasts found dead with no visible wounds, that sort of thing."
As Haruto listened, he couldn't help but wonder if the strange occurrences were connected to the anomalies they were investigating, or if they were just a natural part of this world's bizarre landscape. Either way, he was certain they'd find answers soon enough.
After several hours of travel, the scenery began to change drastically. The barren plains gave way to dense forests, their ancient trees towering high above, their thick canopies casting long shadows across the path. The air grew cooler and heavier, thick with the scent of damp earth and moss. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the occasional distant call of some unseen creature.
The trio did not fail to notice the sudden shift in the landscape. Haruto felt a strange sensation beneath his skin, an unfamiliar energy humming through his veins, as if the very air was alive with magic. He wasn't alone; Bane and Sylvie both felt their own magic stirring, more potent and volatile than usual.
As they rounded a bend, they were greeted by an unexpected sight: an elderly man struggling with an overturned cart, its contents scattered across the ground. The sight was so out of place that all three of them immediately thought the same thing: What is an old man doing out here, in the middle of nowhere?
Bane and Sylvie hurried over to help. "Sir, we are warlords from Mordell," Bane called out. "Do you need assistance?"
The old man looked up at them, his eyes momentarily unfocused. But when he locked eyes with them, it was as if they were staring into an abyss—endless and consuming. "Ah, yes," he finally responded, his voice eerily calm. "Some strong, kind souls. Please, if you don't mind."
Bane lifted the cart with ease while Sylvie helped gather the scattered goods. Haruto approached more slowly, an uneasy feeling settling in his gut. Something was off. The old man's presence here didn't make sense. How had he ventured so far without protection, especially with the dangers lurking in the wilderness?
As Haruto drew closer, the old man turned to him, and for a brief moment, Haruto felt as if the world around him faded away. The old man's voice echoed in his mind, though his lips did not move: *Oh? What is this? Another who does not belong here, but one who is pure of heart. I remember when I was like you—conflicted, misusing my influence, abusing my power, consumed by resentment. But resentment led me to enlightenment, and enlightenment to ascension. Have you found your enlightenment yet?*
Haruto blinked, snapping out of the trance. Had he imagined that? He looked around, but neither Bane nor Sylvie seemed to have noticed anything unusual.
Once the cart was righted and the goods were back in place, Sylvie asked, "What are you doing out here, sir? It's not safe."
The old man smiled, a serene yet unsettling expression. "I am but a wanderer, seeking my place in this world. But I sense that what you seek is not far from here. Good luck, young ones." With that, he began to walk away, his cart creaking behind him.
Bane and Sylvie exchanged puzzled glances, but Haruto couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him. Who was that old man, really? And what had just happened?
They continued their journey, now more alert than ever, scanning the dense forest for any sign of danger. As they rounded another bend in the path, the trees began to thin, and the air grew colder still. In the distance, the faint outlines of crumbling stone structures emerged, half-hidden by the encroaching forest.
The Ruins of Kahl loomed before them, a testament to a forgotten age. The once-grand buildings were now reduced to rubble, overtaken by vines and moss, the remnants of a civilization long lost.
Haruto felt a chill run down his spine as they reached the outskirts of the ruins. There was something deeply unnatural about this place, something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He exchanged a glance with Bane and Sylvie, both of whom looked equally on edge.
"This place gives me the creeps," Sylvie muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Bane nodded, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. "Stay sharp. We don't know what we're dealing with here."
Still thinking about the strange encounter with the old man, Haruto took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Let's stick together. We'll explore the ruins, find out what's causing these disturbances, and get out of here."