The morning sun filtered through the thin canvas of the tent, casting long rays over Kael's workbench as he carefully cleaned his tools from the previous night's work. His hands moved methodically, though his thoughts wandered to the forest—what waited for his party out there, and what they'd face now that their equipment was better prepared.
His musings were cut short when the tent flap snapped open. Kael looked up to see a stern-faced soldier, clad in the deep green and silver uniform of the camp's elite guard. His rigid posture spoke of discipline, but the urgency in his eyes gave Kael pause.
"The commander requests your presence. All of you."
Kael wiped his hands on his tunic and nodded. "Where?"
"Main tent. Now."
Without another word, the soldier turned on his heel and disappeared into the bustling camp. Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair before grabbing his pack. It had been only a few hours since he'd sent his companions back to their own quarters to rest. Whatever Commander Rasputin needed them for, it wasn't likely to be a casual chat.
He found the others already waiting outside the main tent when he arrived. Aldric stood with his arms crossed, his newly enhanced armor gleaming under the morning light. Lia leaned against a post, idly plucking at the string of her repaired bow, while Varis stood nearby, his staff resting lightly in his hand, his expression unreadable.
"Took your time," Lia said with a smirk as Kael approached.
Kael shrugged. "Couldn't let you have all the fun."
The air around them was thick with tension, not from their party but from the camp itself. Soldiers moved with purpose, their faces drawn tight with exhaustion and worry. Supplies were being loaded onto carts, and scouts were returning with grim expressions. Something was happening.
Before anyone could speculate, a guard stepped aside, pulling back the flap of the main tent and motioning for them to enter.
Inside, the tent was dim, the smell of parchment, ink, and old metal filling the air. At the center stood Commander Rasputin, a broad-shouldered man with a commanding presence that matched his reputation. His black hair was flecked with gray, his square jaw lined with the hard edges of experience. He wore the same dark green and silver as the guards, but his armor was of a finer make, gleaming faintly with magical etchings.
The commander was flanked by several high-ranking officers, but as the party entered, his sharp eyes fixed directly on them.
"Kael. Aldric. Lirael. Nyxara." Rasputin's voice was as rough as his demeanor, a deep rumble that carried authority. "I trust you've had enough rest?"
"Not really," Aldric said, stepping forward, "but I'm guessing this isn't a social call."
Rasputin let out a low grunt, acknowledging the paladin's directness. He stepped aside, revealing a large table covered in maps, documents, and strange symbols that Kael didn't immediately recognize. A few of the officers moved aside, revealing a parchment pinned to the table—a map of the forest. But what caught Kael's eye was a detailed sketch of a ruin, ancient and foreboding, half-buried in the dense thicket.
"I called you here because we've found something in that forest," Rasputin said, motioning toward the sketch. "It wasn't just the wild beasts or the corrupted plants that attacked you on your last mission. Something much older has been disturbed."
Kael exchanged a quick glance with Nyxara, whose eyes had narrowed as he looked at the map. "What do you mean by 'older'?"
Rasputin leaned on the table, his finger tracing the outline of the ruin on the map. "We've recently uncovered traces of ancient structures deep within the heart of the forest. At first, we thought they were nothing more than remnants of an old settlement, maybe a fort lost to time. But the more we investigated, the more... unusual things became."
"Unusual how?" Lirael asked, her tone wary.
"One of our scouting teams ventured too close to one of the ruins," Rasputin continued, his voice growing more grave. "They didn't return. We found traces of their camp—tents torn apart, their supplies scattered. And the trees in that area..." He shook his head. "They seemed to be guarding something."
Kael's eyes flickered to the map, his mind already running through the possibilities. If the forest was acting as a barrier, something powerful—something ancient—was at its center.
"You think this ruin is the source of the corruption?" Aldric asked.
Rasputin nodded. "We believe so. But we don't know what kind of ruin this is, or what magic it's tied to. That's where you come in."
"Why us?" Lirael asked, crossing her arms. "We're capable, but we're not exactly experts on ancient ruins."
"You are now," Rasputin replied, his smile edged with pragmatism. "Your team has the right blend of talents. Kael's inscriptions can read the energy embedded in the structures, Nyxara's arcane mastery will help unravel any magical traps or anomalies, and your combat skills will keep you alive in that cursed forest. There's no better team to handle this. You were brought together for this reason, and now I need you to go in, investigate, and figure out if what's buried there is something we can use—or something that needs to be wiped from existence."
Nyxara's brow furrowed, her fingers drumming thoughtfully on her staff. "And what if this ruin is from an era beyond anything we've encountered before?"
"That's why you'll be bringing some additional support," Rasputin said, gesturing toward the back of the tent. From the shadows emerged two figures—an older man, gray-haired and robed in the deep crimson of the Order of Histories, and a young woman wearing light armor, her belt weighed down with scrolls and various tools.
"This is Ardan, a historian of ancient magic, and Cerys, a specialist in runic deciphering," Rasputin explained. "They'll accompany you and provide the expertise you lack in historical knowledge. I suggest you listen to them closely. We have no idea how dangerous this ruin could be."
Kael studied the newcomers. Ardan's sharp eyes held the weight of someone who had seen more than most, while Cerys looked young but determined. If they were to navigate whatever magic lay within that ruin, these two would be key to understanding its origins.
"How far into the forest are we going?" Lirael asked, glancing at the map.
Rasputin straightened, his eyes darkening. "Deeper than before. Far past the edges where the plants started fighting back. You'll need to be on high alert. The scouts have reported strange sightings—shadows moving between the trees, unnatural sounds at night. Whatever 's in that ruin... it's waking up."
Kael's stomach twisted at the thought, but he kept his voice steady. "When do we leave?"
"First light tomorrow," Rasputin said firmly. "Gear up, and make sure you're ready. I want this mission done quickly and quietly. If there's something dangerous in those ruins, I want to know about it before it becomes a problem we can't contain."
Aldric. nodded, already prepared for the challenge. "Understood."
As the meeting concluded, Rasputin gave them one last hard look. "This isn't just another mission. If what's in that ruin is tied to the corruption in the forest, it could change the course of this entire war. Don't take this lightly."
With that, the commander dismissed them, leaving the party standing in the dim light of the tent, the weight of the mission settling on their shoulders.
Kael glanced at his companions. "Looks like we've got some ruins to investigate."
Lirael smirked, though her eyes were sharp. "Better bring your best equipment. I have a feeling this is going to be more than just a stroll through the woods."
Nyxara was already deep in thought, no doubt considering the magical challenges that awaited them. "Let's hope whatever we find is willing to stay buried."
Kael's fingers traced the worn edges of his tools as they turned to leave the tent, his pulse quickening at the thought of what lay ahead. Ancient magic, hidden ruins, and a forest alive with mystery—whatever secrets waited in the depths, he felt a thrill of anticipation he hadn't known in years. This was exactly the kind of challenge he'd been craving.
As they prepared for the next day's journey, a shared sense of anticipation and dread hung in the air. The forest was waiting. And so was the ruin.
As they prepared for the next day's journey, the air buzzed with a mix of anticipation and unease. The forest beckoned, and somewhere within it, the ruin waited—holding mysteries they were eager, yet wary, to uncover.