The path to Hollow Pines twisted through the forest like a forgotten thread, narrow and overrun with tangled roots. Aidan's boots scuffed against the uneven dirt as he pushed forward, ducking under branches and brushing past thorny undergrowth. The further he walked, the heavier the air seemed to grow, as though the forest itself was pressing down on him.
The map in his satchel shifted again, ink rearranging itself to show the trail. Aidan pulled it out, glancing at the faint glowing path that ended abruptly ahead. "I swear this thing just loves giving up halfway," he muttered, rolling it back up. "Couldn't even bother with a 'You've arrived' message?"
The satchel pulsed faintly against his hip. The crystal inside glowed intermittently, a soft and steady rhythm that felt almost like a heartbeat. Aidan glanced at it warily but didn't pull it out. He had grown used to its occasional reactions but couldn't shake the feeling that it was leading him somewhere—though whether it was a good or bad thing remained unclear.
The forest thinned suddenly, giving way to an open clearing. Aidan stopped, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. The sight before him made his stomach twist.
---
The Clearing
The clearing stretched wide and silent, a stark contrast to the oppressive forest. At its center was a cluster of stones, each standing at varying heights like jagged teeth. Their surfaces shimmered faintly with carvings that seemed to ripple under the sunlight. At the heart of it all stood a massive monolith, its towering presence dominating the space. The carvings on it were denser, flowing together in intricate patterns that almost hurt to look at for too long.
The air here was different—charged, like the moment before a storm. Aidan stepped closer, his boots crunching against the dry grass. As he approached, a faint hum filled his ears, low and persistent. It wasn't loud, but it resonated in his chest, a vibration he couldn't ignore.
"Definitely not your average archaeological dig," he muttered, crouching near one of the smaller stones. The carvings were cold to the touch, the grooves unnaturally smooth. The faint glow beneath them pulsed in time with the hum, as though the stones were alive.
---
The Carvings
Pulling out Eiden's journal, Aidan flipped through the pages until he found a rough sketch that resembled the stones. Notes were scrawled hastily in the margins: "Possible alignment? Energy transfer? What triggers it?" Another section caught his eye: "Collapsed passage? Symbols suggest guidance—look for the missing point."
Aidan frowned, comparing the sketch to the carvings in front of him. The patterns weren't identical, but they were close enough to make him uneasy. He traced his fingers along the grooves, noting how they seemed to flow toward the central monolith.
The hum deepened as he stood, stepping closer to the towering stone. The carvings on it were far more intricate, spiraling inward in a way that made his head spin. The pulsing light seemed stronger here, almost brighter than the sun filtering through the trees.
And then he heard it—the whispers.
---
The Whispers
The first sound was faint, barely audible over the hum. Aidan froze, his eyes darting around the clearing. The whispers grew louder, slipping into his ears from every direction. They weren't words, not at first, just a soft murmur that sent shivers down his spine.
Then the fragments came: "... balance... too late... must protect..."
Aidan stumbled back, his breath catching. He turned in a circle, searching for the source, but there was no one there. The voices seemed to come from the stones themselves, their light pulsing in rhythm with the whispers.
"Great," Aidan muttered, forcing himself to steady his breathing. "Haunted ruins. Just what I needed."
---
The Vision
The crystal in his satchel pulsed sharply, brighter than ever before. Aidan yanked it out, holding it up toward the monolith. The glow from the carvings intensified, syncing with the crystal's light. For a brief moment, the world seemed to tilt.
An image flashed in his mind—a circle of hooded figures standing around a glowing light. Their hands were outstretched, their faces obscured by shadows. The light pulsed violently, illuminating something in the center: a jagged crack in the earth, from which a crimson glow seeped like blood.
The vision vanished as quickly as it came, leaving Aidan gasping. He stumbled back, clutching the crystal tightly. "What the hell was that?" he whispered, his voice barely audible over the fading hum.
---
Discovering the Passage
Shaking off the lingering unease, Aidan circled the clearing, determined to find something tangible. Near the edge of the formation, he spotted a cluster of stones arranged differently from the rest. These were smaller, their carvings more jagged and chaotic, as though carved in haste.
Kneeling beside one, he brushed away the dirt and leaves covering its base. The grooves seemed deeper here, cutting into the stone like wounds. A faint gap between two stones revealed what looked like an entrance—sealed and overgrown but unmistakably deliberate.
"Collapsed passage?" Aidan murmured, recalling the note in Eiden's journal. He crouched lower, trying to peer inside, but the opening was too narrow to see anything.
The whispers returned, softer this time, as though urging him forward. He ignored them, focusing instead on the stones surrounding the passage. The carvings seemed to converge here, pointing toward the sealed opening like arrows.
"Why seal it off?" he wondered aloud, running his fingers over the grooves. "What were you hiding, Eiden?"
---
Preparing to Leave
The sun was beginning to dip below the treetops, casting long shadows across the clearing. Aidan knew he couldn't stay much longer; the thought of being caught here after dark made his skin crawl.
He sketched a rough outline of the carvings in his journal, snapping it shut with a sigh. "Alright, Hollow Pines. You've given me nightmares for a week. Time to head back."
As he stepped toward the treeline, the monolith pulsed one last time, brighter than before. The hum returned, louder and sharper, sending a jolt through his chest. Aidan froze, turning back just in time to see the light fade into the growing darkness.
"I'll be back," he said softly, his grip tightening on the satchel. "But you'd better have answers next time."