Inoue stood before the receptionist at the Adventurers Guild, her heart pounding with anticipation. She had just been officially inducted as a member and was eager to embark on her first quest. "Excuse me," she asked, her voice quivering with excitement, "where can I find the ruins?"
The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with a warm smile, glanced up from her paperwork. "Ah, the ruins," she replied, her tone thoughtful. "They're located to the east of town. Just follow the path through the forest, and you'll come across them."
With a grateful nod, Inoue thanked the receptionist and headed out of the guild, her mind already racing with possibilities. As she made her way towards the ruins, she couldn't help but admire the natural beauty of the forest surrounding her. The trees towered overhead, their leaves casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.
As she approached the ruins, she noticed a figure in the distance, clad in dark red samurai armor. Intrigued, she quickened her pace, her curiosity piqued.
As she drew closer, she could see that the figure was a young man, perhaps in his twenties, with a black spear strapped to his back. He seemed to be studying the ruins intently, as if trying to map them out.
Inoue approached him cautiously, her hand resting on the hilt of her short sword. "Excuse me," she called out, "are you an adventurer?"
The man turned to face her, a friendly smile lighting up his face. "Why, yes I am," he replied. "My name is Guillaume, but you can call me Guill. And you must be a fellow adventurer as well?"
Inoue nodded, relief flooding through her. "Yes, I am," she said. "I've accepted a quest to map out these ruins."
Guill's eyes lit up with excitement. "Well then, it seems we're on the same quest," he said. "Why don't we explore the ruins together? We'll cover more ground that way."
Inoue hesitated for a moment, but the prospect of having a companion in this unfamiliar place was too tempting to resist. "That sounds like a good idea," she said with a smile.
As they made their way through the ruins, Inoue couldn't help but marvel at the ancient architecture surrounding them. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings, depicting scenes from a long-forgotten era.
Suddenly, Inoue stumbled upon a pile of rubble blocking their path. With a grunt of effort, she began to clear it away, but to her surprise, Guill joined in, his strength making quick work of the debris.
As they cleared away the rubble, they uncovered a hidden staircase leading underground. Inoue hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the hilt of her sword.
Guill noticed her uncertainty and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he said with a smile, "I'll be right behind you."
With a deep breath, Inoue descended into the darkness, her heart pounding with anticipation. Guill followed closely behind, his hand conjuring a ball of fire to light their way.
As they descended further into the depths of the ruins, Guill couldn't help but notice the determination in Inoue's eyes. "You seem awfully young to be an adventurer," he remarked casually.
Inoue shrugged, her gaze focused ahead. "I have my reasons," she replied cryptically.
Guill chuckled. "Not much of a talker, are you?" he said with a grin. "Well, allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Guillaume, and I became an adventurer for one simple reason: money."
Inoue raised an eyebrow. "Money?" she echoed, her tone skeptical.
Guill laughed. "Hey, a man's gotta eat," he said with a shrug. "But what about you? Why did you become an adventurer?"
Inoue hesitated for a moment before replying. "I became an adventurer to find someone I care about and to protect the people I love," she said quietly.
Guill nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "A noble cause," he said with a smile. "But wouldn't becoming a knight help you find this person faster?"
Inoue's expression darkened. "I'm not exactly knight material," she replied bitterly. "I come from the countryside, where money doesn't exactly grow on trees."
Guill nodded sympathetically. "Fair enough," he said. "But enough talk. Let's see where this staircase leads, shall we?"
As they reached the bottom of the staircase, Inoue's breath caught in her throat. Before them lay a vast chamber, illuminated by a soft blue light. Mana-charged trees grew along the walls, their leaves shimmering in the light.
Inoue's eyes widened in awe as she took in the beauty of the chamber. "This place is incredible," she whispered.
Guill grinned. "Indeed it is," he said. "But we should report back to the guild about what we've found."
Inoue hesitated for a moment, but Guill's words reminded her of their duty as adventurers. With a nod, she agreed, but not before suggesting that they explore a bit more first.
Guill chuckled. "Who knows," he said with a laugh, "we might even find some treasure down here."
Inoue smiled, her spirits lifting at the thought. "I can't deny that I could use some extra coin right now," she said with a grin.
As they ventured deeper into the ruins, they came across intricate drawings adorning the walls. Inoue studied them intently, her eyes widening in recognition.
"These drawings," she said breathlessly, "they depict the divine war."
Guill nodded in agreement. "And look at that one," he said, pointing to a depiction of the Hydro goddess, a beautiful woman fully clothed in a white robe with her hands in a praying position. Her golden hair floated gracefully around her. "I think these ruins were some sort of temple dedicated to her." Surrounding the goddess were several guardians, mechanical centipedes with one blue sphere in the middle of their head, resembling the same color as the blue light that illuminated the room.
As they continued to explore, Inoue's gaze fell upon a mysterious gate hidden behind a massive mana-charged tree. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she informed Guill of her discovery.
Guill's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well then," he said with a grin, "let's go check it out."
But as they approached the gate, Inoue couldn't shake the feeling of dread that washed over her. Something about this place felt off, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into danger.