A Heated Discussion – What Comes Next?
The forest was silent, save for the faint rustling of leaves and the distant cries of unseen creatures. Mellali and Hadjer stood over the bodies of the slain wargs, their breaths still heavy from the battle. The rush of leveling up filled their veins with new energy, but the uncertainty of their situation weighed heavily on them both.
In the distance, through the dense thicket of trees, the outline of ancient ruins emerged—a shadowy, towering structure, half-hidden beneath the canopy of twisted branches. The stone walls were worn with age, overgrown with moss and vines, and an eerie aura seemed to radiate from the darkened archways that beckoned them forward.
Mellali stared at the ruins, feeling a pull—something ancient, powerful, and dangerous was waiting inside. It could be the key to escaping this world, the answer they had been searching for. But it could also be a death trap. The wilderness had already proven its dangers, and whatever lurked within those walls would be far worse than wolves or wargs.
Hadjer, her wounds from the battle freshly bandaged, stood beside him, her arms crossed and her eyes locked on the ruins. Her expression was grim, her thoughts clouded with uncertainty.
"I don't like this," she said quietly. "Those ruins… they're dangerous. We should wait. Keep leveling up before we even think about going in there."
Mellali frowned, his gaze still fixed on the towering stone walls. "And waste time? What if those ruins lead us to a way out of this world? We can't afford to wait around, hoping we're ready. We've leveled up. We're stronger. We've got spells and power. What else do we need?"
Hadjer turned to face him, her voice sharp but controlled. "Power isn't everything, Mellali. It's not just about how strong we are. It's about being prepared. We barely survived those wargs, and there's no telling what's waiting for us inside those ruins. If we rush in now, we could get killed."
Mellali narrowed his eyes, frustration building in his chest. "We can't hide out here forever, Hadjer. The longer we stay in this wilderness, the more we risk getting ambushed by something worse than wargs. We're not going to get stronger by waiting and grinding out every little encounter. Those ruins could hold the key to everything—the way out, ancient magic, who knows? We should go now, before someone else finds it."
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The Argument – Risk vs. Caution
Hadjer shook her head, her voice rising just slightly. "You're acting like we're invincible just because we leveled up. We're still just level six, Mellali. There's so much we don't know about this world, and we're already walking a thin line between survival and getting killed. The ruins will still be there after we take some time to get stronger, scout the area, figure out what we're really up against."
Her eyes flashed with irritation as she spoke, but there was a layer of concern in her words. She was always the more cautious one, and Mellali knew it came from her background. Back in the real world, Hadjer had been a nurse, always making careful, informed decisions. And here, in this brutal, unforgiving world, that mindset hadn't changed.
Mellali's frustration boiled over. "And what if we wait too long? What if something worse happens while we're sitting around leveling up? Every second we waste out here, we could be missing the one chance to escape. You think this place is going to get any safer?"
Hadjer's jaw tightened, but she didn't back down. "No, it won't get safer. But it'll get a whole lot more dangerous if we rush into something we're not ready for. We need to think about this, Mellali. We need to plan."
Mellali clenched his fists, trying to keep his temper in check. They had been through so much together—Hadjer had always been by his side, the one person he could trust. But right now, all he could see was the opportunity in front of them, and the risk of letting it slip away.
"I am thinking, Hadjer. But sometimes we don't have the luxury of planning every move. Sometimes we have to take the risk and dive in. If we don't, we'll never get out of this mess."
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A Moment of Silence – Weighing the Options
The argument left a heavy silence hanging between them, the tension thick enough to cut with a blade. Mellali turned his gaze back to the ruins, the ancient structure looming like a beacon of mystery. He knew Hadjer was right—rushing in without caution could end in disaster. But there was something pulling him toward those stone walls, something that whispered of escape, of answers they had been desperate for since they arrived in this world.
Hadjer stared at the ground, deep in thought, before finally breaking the silence. "Look, I get it. You want to get out of here. So do I. But we've fought too hard to throw it all away on a gamble. Let's take some time to prepare, get stronger, scout the area. Then we'll go into the ruins—together—when we know we can handle whatever's inside."
Mellali sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And if we miss something important? If those ruins close off, or someone else finds them?"
Hadjer met his gaze, her eyes softening. "We're not the only ones out here, Mellali. But we're the only ones who can make sure we survive long enough to see the end of this. Let's do it right."
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The Decision – What Will They Do?
Mellali stood in silence, his mind racing through the possibilities. He didn't want to wait. He didn't want to let this opportunity slip away. But Hadjer's words echoed in his mind—caution, preparation, survival. They had come this far together, and she had always been the voice of reason when his instincts pushed him toward risk.
His eyes drifted back to the ruins. The pull was still there, but so was the danger. Inside those ancient walls, anything could be waiting—traps, monsters, or something far worse than they had faced before. If they weren't ready, they could die, and there would be no escape from that.
But time was precious. The wilderness held its own dangers, and the longer they stayed out here, the greater the risk of another deadly encounter. They needed to grow stronger, but at what cost?
---
A Tense Decision – The Ruins Beckon
The silence between Mellali and Hadjer stretched as the ancient ruins loomed ominously in the distance. Their argument about whether to proceed into the ruins or hold back had ended without resolution. Both felt the weight of their decision pressing down on them, but neither could shake the sense that something was watching them.
The forest around them, once filled with the subtle rustling of leaves and distant animal calls, had gone unnervingly quiet. Mellali's instincts prickled, a familiar sensation that told him they were not alone. He could sense something out there, hidden in the dense shadows between the trees. Something far more dangerous than the wargs they had just fought.
Hadjer's gaze shifted uneasily to the treeline, her hand drifting back to her rapier's hilt. "Mellali, do you feel that?"
Mellali nodded, his voice low, eyes scanning the dark forest. "Something's out there. And it's getting closer."
Hadjer tensed, her eyes narrowing as her grip tightened on her weapon. "I told you this place was dangerous. We should've moved sooner."
Before Mellali could respond, a faint, rhythmic thumping sound echoed through the woods—low and steady at first, like distant footsteps, but growing louder, heavier. The ground beneath them trembled slightly, and Mellali's pulse quickened. Whatever was approaching wasn't just dangerous—it was massive.
"Get ready," Mellali muttered, summoning a protective aura of psionic energy around himself. His heart raced, and he could feel the tension in the air thickening by the second. The shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally, darkening the path between the trees as the mysterious presence drew nearer.
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A New Threat – The Beast in the Woods
The thudding grew louder, reverberating through the forest floor like the heartbeat of a predator. Then, through the gloom of the forest, Mellali saw it—a hulking silhouette moving between the trees. It was too large to be any ordinary beast, its shape indistinct but monstrous. Pale moonlight filtered through the canopy, catching the glint of dark, armored scales and the faint glow of its menacing, amber eyes.
The creature stepped into the clearing, revealing its full, terrifying form. It was some kind of giant draconic beast, easily twice the size of any warg, its massive frame covered in thick, spiked scales. Its breath came in ragged snarls, each exhale sending plumes of smoke from its nostrils. Jagged horns curled back from its head, and its claws, sharp as swords, dug into the earth with every step.
Hadjer inhaled sharply, her knuckles white as she gripped her rapier. "That thing's no normal predator."
Mellali's throat tightened, his mind racing. He'd heard of creatures like this—ancient beasts that wandered the deepest, most dangerous parts of the wilderness. And they were out of their league.
"We're not ready for this," Mellali whispered, feeling a rare chill of fear creep up his spine.
The creature let out a deep, guttural roar that shook the trees and rattled the air around them, the sound sending birds scattering from the branches above. Its glowing amber eyes locked onto Mellali and Hadjer, and in an instant, the decision was made for them.
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The Chase – Into the Ruins
"Run!" Mellali shouted, his voice cutting through the shock as he grabbed Hadjer's arm and pulled her toward the ruins. There was no time for hesitation—the beast was far too powerful for them to face, and their only hope was the ancient ruins that stood before them. Whatever was inside, it couldn't be worse than what was chasing them.
Hadjer didn't argue. She turned and sprinted alongside Mellali, her footsteps light but swift as they raced toward the crumbling stone archways of the ruins. The sound of the beast's heavy footsteps thundered behind them, growing louder with each passing second. Every breath they took was filled with the raw panic of survival.
The entrance to the ruins loomed closer—massive, cracked stone doors that had long since fallen into disrepair. Vines curled up the ancient stone, and the air around the archway seemed to hum with an eerie, magical energy. Mellali could feel it—the pulse of something old and dangerous lurking within the depths of the ruins. But there was no choice now. The beast was gaining ground, and they needed shelter.
They reached the entrance just as the beast let out another deafening roar, its claws tearing into the earth behind them. Mellali cast Misty Step (bonus action) to teleport through the doorway, landing just inside the ruined hall. Hadjer, her Bladesong activated, moved with blinding speed, diving through the entrance as the beast's massive claws slashed at the spot where she had just been standing.
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Inside the Ruins – A Moment of Safety
The stone walls of the ruins closed in around them as Mellali and Hadjer stumbled into the dark, crumbling hall. The heavy, ancient doors at the entrance slammed shut behind them with a loud boom, sealing them off from the creature outside. For a brief moment, silence fell, broken only by their ragged breathing.
Mellali collapsed against one of the stone pillars, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. "That… that thing would have torn us apart."
Hadjer, still gripping her rapier, nodded, her voice strained. "We had no choice. We couldn't fight it."
Outside, they could hear the frustrated roars of the creature, its heavy footsteps pounding against the earth as it circled the ruins, searching for a way in. But the ancient magic of the ruins held firm—the beast wouldn't be able to follow them inside.
Mellali slowly stood, wiping the sweat from his brow as he looked around. The ruins were vast and dark, lit only by the faint glow of scattered magical runes that lined the walls. The air was thick with dust and the weight of centuries-old secrets, and the deeper parts of the hall seemed to stretch endlessly into the dark, unknown corridors beyond.
"We're safe for now," Mellali said, his voice quieter now. "But we've traded one danger for another."
Hadjer took a deep breath, her hand still resting on her weapon. "Whatever's in here… it might be the only way forward. We've come this far."
Mellali nodded, the reality sinking in. The ruins had saved them from the beast, but now they were trapped inside. There was no turning back. Whatever was hidden in these ancient halls, they had to face it—and hope that, somehow, it would lead them to the answers they sought.
---
Exploring the Ruins – A Dangerous Path
As Mellali and Hadjer ventured deeper into the ruins, the sense of ancient magic grew stronger. The stone walls were carved with intricate runes, glowing faintly as if reacting to their presence. The air grew colder the farther they walked, and the silence became oppressive, as though the very walls were watching them.
Mellali's thoughts raced. The ruins were likely filled with traps, ancient guardians, or worse. But somewhere in this place, there could be answers—clues to the magic that held this world together, or even a way out.
"Stay sharp," Mellali whispered, his hand gripping his arcane focus. "There's more here than meets the eye."
They stepped into a large, open chamber, the ceiling high above them. At the far end of the room stood a massive stone door, engraved with more glowing runes, pulsating softly. In front of the door, however, stood something far more ominous—a stone sentinel, its eyes glowing with a cold, blue light.
Hadjer's breath caught as the sentinel's eyes locked onto them. "Looks like we're not the only ones here."
The sentinel's stone body creaked as it came to life, its massive, stone fists tightening. Dust fell from its ancient joints as it prepared to defend the ruins from intruders.