The weight of the stone tablet's warning still hung in the air as Cedric and his companions continued their search through the ruins. The faint hum of magic surrounded them, growing stronger as they ventured deeper into the ancient structure. The stone walls seemed to close in around them, as though the ruins themselves were watching.
Kellen glanced back at Cedric, his usual grin gone. "So, if this seal's broken, what's stopping that shadow magic from spreading everywhere? Shouldn't we be seeing more… I don't know, chaos?"
"We might already be seeing it," Cedric replied, running his hand along a series of carvings on the wall. "The land wyrm we fought, the corruption we've sensed… it's possible the magic is spreading, but slowly."
Lira's brow furrowed as she examined the stone. "Or it's just waiting for the right moment to release its full power."
Tamsin shuddered. "That's not exactly comforting."
Maeve shrugged, crouching down to examine another broken tablet. "If it's waiting, we should move faster. No point in giving dark magic more time than it already has."
Cedric knelt beside her, his fingers tracing the faint magical etchings that still pulsed with energy. "These ruins are connected to the original seal. If we find the right clue, it could lead us to what's left of it."
Lira straightened, her eyes narrowing as she glanced further into the ruins. "We've searched the surface. If there's anything valuable left, it's going to be deeper underground."
"Of course it is," Kellen muttered. "Because the easy stuff is never what we're after."
Cedric shot him a half-smile. "Wouldn't be much of an adventure otherwise, right?"
---
The deeper they ventured into the ruins, the colder the air became, and the light from the sun grew dim. Soon, the group found themselves standing at the entrance of a long, narrow passageway that sloped downward into the earth.
Maeve peered into the darkness, pulling a small vial from her belt and shaking it. The liquid inside glowed faintly, casting a soft light ahead. "Looks inviting," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Not like we have much choice," Cedric replied, stepping forward.
As they descended into the passage, the hum of magic grew louder, more intense. The air felt thick with it, pressing down on them as though the very stones of the ruins were alive.
"Can you feel that?" Tamsin whispered, her voice barely audible.
Cedric nodded. "The magic's getting stronger. We're getting close to something."
Lira's hand stayed on the hilt of her sword, her eyes darting around the narrow corridor. "Stay alert. Whatever's down here could be dangerous."
Kellen chuckled softly, though his eyes were scanning the shadows. "Dangerous? In an ancient ruin filled with dark magic? Shocking."
"Not helping, Kellen," Lira said, her voice tense.
"I'm just saying," Kellen replied with a grin. "Keeps things interesting."
---
The passageway eventually opened into a large, circular chamber, the walls lined with more of the glowing, ancient symbols they had seen throughout the ruins. In the center of the room stood a raised stone platform, upon which rested an object that glowed faintly with dark energy, an orb, pulsating with shadow magic.
"That's it," Cedric breathed, his eyes fixed on the orb. "It's connected to the seal. I can feel the magic."
Tamsin's eyes widened as she stared at the object. "What is it? Some kind of… magical key?"
"It's more than that," Cedric replied, stepping closer. "This is a conduit. The seal's magic was channeled through this orb to keep the shadow magic contained. But now that it's broken, the orb's power is being drained."
Maeve frowned, glancing at Cedric. "And if the orb's drained completely, the shadow magic is going to break loose, isn't it?"
Cedric's expression darkened. "Yes. And we don't have much time."
Lira, ever pragmatic, stepped forward. "Can we repair the orb? Or use its power to restore the seal?"
Cedric studied the orb closely, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I'm not sure. It's ancient magic, stronger than anything I've worked with before. But if we can find a way to stabilize the orb's power, we might be able to stop the magic from spreading."
Kellen leaned against a nearby pillar, his gaze fixed on the orb. "And how do we do that? Just pour some magical glue on it and hope for the best?"
Maeve rolled her eyes. "There's more to magic than that, Kellen."
Kellen raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just trying to simplify things."
Cedric ignored the banter, his focus entirely on the orb. He could feel the magic pulsing through it, but it was unstable, fraying at the edges as the dark energy threatened to break free. If they didn't act fast, the shadow magic would escape, and the consequences would be disastrous.
"We need to take this with us," Cedric said finally. "If we can stabilize it, we might be able to use it to restore the seal."
Lira nodded. "Then let's move quickly. The longer we stay here, the more vulnerable we are."
Maeve carefully wrapped the orb in cloth, its faint glow dimming as she tucked it into her pack. "Ready when you are."
---
As they turned to leave the chamber, a low rumble shook the ground beneath their feet. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling, and the walls trembled with the force of the disturbance.
"That's not good," Kellen muttered, drawing his daggers.
Cedric's heart raced as he felt the magic around them surge. "The orb's destabilizing the ruin. We need to get out of here now."
Lira drew her sword, her eyes scanning the room. "Stay together. Move quickly."
The group hurried back through the passageway, the walls shaking with every step. The magic in the air was growing more chaotic, as if the entire ruin was reacting to the orb's removal.
"We're not going to make it at this pace!" Maeve called, glancing back as cracks began to form in the stone walls.
"We will," Cedric shouted, his voice firm. "Just keep moving!"
The ground beneath them trembled, and for a moment, Cedric thought they wouldn't make it. But as they reached the entrance to the ruins, the shaking slowed, and the magic around them began to stabilize.
They burst out into the open air, breathing hard as they collapsed onto the grass outside the ruin.
Kellen grinned, despite the situation. "Well, that was exciting."
Lira shot him a look, but the tension in her shoulders eased. "Too exciting."
Maeve pulled the orb from her pack, her expression serious. "We've got the orb. Now what?"
Cedric stared at the faintly glowing object, his mind racing. "Now… we figure out how to stop the shadow magic from spreading. Before it's too late."