The night deepened, and Rogya Village fell into a quiet calm. Stars flickered above in the sky, but Liam was restless, his mind alive with the possibilities of what lay beyond the village. His conversation with the blacksmith about the ruins gnawed at him, filling him with curiosity. Strange lights? Magic? Liam's instincts told him that something important lay within those ruins.
After a quick mental calculation, he decided there was no reason to wait until morning. He was no stranger to night exploration, and if the villagers were afraid to venture near the ruins, that only made it more likely he'd uncover something worth his time. Steeling himself, he stood up from his resting spot near the village outskirts and began the trek toward the north, guided by the faint whispers of the wind.
The forest gradually gave way to a more open space, and soon Liam saw a clearing in the distance, illuminated by an eerie, otherworldly glow. His pulse quickened. This must be the ruins the blacksmith spoke of. As he got closer, the remnants of crumbled stone walls and ancient, vine-covered structures came into view, half buried in the earth. But it wasn't the ruins themselves that held his attention- it was the lights floating above them
Tiny, shimmering orbs of soft blue and white light danced through the air, weaving between the ruins with a grace that defied logic. Liam stopped in his tracks, mesmerized. At first glance, they resembled fireflies, but as he focused, he realized they were something else entirely. Spirits.
The ethereal beings fluttered in elegant spirals, their forms sometimes solidifying into tiny humanoid shapes before dissolving back into light. They moved with purpose, but there was a carefree nature to their flight, as though they were engaged in some eternal dance. Liam had read about spirits in the books back at the university, but seeing them in person was a different experience altogether.
"So, spirits are real here," he whispered to himself, watching as the lights flitted around him. His curiosity deepened as one of the spirits hovered closer, circling him cautiously before darting away to join the others. These weren't ordinary beings. If they had gathered here, it was likely tied to the magic of the ruins.
Liam cautiously approached the central part of the ruins, where the concentration of spirits seemed strongest. As he neared the heart of the ancient site, he could feel the air grow heavier with an energy that tingled against his skin. His hand instinctively twitched toward his [Divine Shield] skill, but he hesitated. These spirits didn't seem hostile. They were simply... existing.
Yet something was off. In the center of the clearing stood an old, weathered altar, overgrown with moss and vines. The spirits seemed drawn to it, circling it in intricate patterns as though protecting or worshipping it. Liam's eyes narrowed. He could sense something beneath the altar- something ancient and powerful, perhaps even dangerous.
Stepping forward cautiously, Liam decided to investigate. He conjured his [Divine Shield], crafting a small, delicate dagger from its energy. It gleamed in the pale moonlight as he used it to slice through the overgrowth covering the altar. As the vines fell away, revealing the stone underneath, the air around him shifted, and the spirits suddenly halted their dance.
Liam froze, glancing up. The once-carefree lights now hovered in place, watching him, their forms pulsating with a soft glow. It was as if they were aware of his actions, waiting to see what he would do next.
Not wanting to provoke them, Liam sheathed the [Divine Shield] dagger. "I'm not here to harm anything," he murmured softly, though he wasn't sure if the spirits could even understand him. But they didn't move, still floating in place, their eyes-or at least what Liam assumed were eyes-fixed on him.
Taking a deep breath, he reached out and placed his hand on the surface of the altar. The moment his fingers made contact, a shock of energy surged through his body, almost knocking him off his feet. He stumbled back, eyes wide as the altar began to glow faintly with a deep, golden light. The spirits resumed their movement, this time swirling faster around the altar, as if the site had been awakened by Liam's touch.
Taking a deep breath, he reached out and placed his hand on the surface of the altar. The moment his fingers made contact, a shock of energy surged through his body, almost knocking him off his feet. He stumbled back, eyes wide as the altar began to glow faintly with a deep, golden light. The spirits resumed their movement, this time swirling faster around the altar, as if the site had been awakened by Liam's touch.
He regained his balance, heart pounding. Whatever magic was hidden in this place, it was old- older than anything Liam had encountered so far. It wasn't like the dark magic he had sensed in the forest. This was something purer, more primal. But it was still powerful.
Liam was about to pull back when, suddenly, one of the spirits broke from the group. It hovered in front of him, glowing brighter than the rest, almost beckoning him forward. Liam narrowed his eyes, unsure if he should trust it, but his curiosity won out. He stepped closer, following the spirit as it floated behind the altar, toward a narrow passageway hidden beneath an overhanging stone.
The entrance looked like it had been sealed for centuries, its stone door cracked and weathered. But now, under the faint light of the spirits, Liam could make out strange runes etched into the door's surface, glowing faintly in the same golden hue as the altar.