An Ominous Start
The journey to the ruins was eerily quiet. Even the forest, which had been filled with strange sounds and lurking dangers, seemed subdued as if warning them to turn back.
"Why is it always ruins?" Ryo muttered, staring at the crumbling structure that loomed ahead.
The ruins were massive, with jagged stone pillars and half-collapsed archways covered in moss. Strange symbols glowed faintly on the walls, their meanings lost to time.
"It's always ruins because that's where ancient people liked to leave all their dangerous junk," Kenji quipped, adjusting his bag.
Rei unsheathed her daggers, scanning the area. "Stay alert. There's no telling what traps or creatures are waiting inside."
Ryo sighed. "Why can't we ever find a shard in, like, a nice meadow? Or a bakery?"
"You'd eat the shard," Sakura said flatly.
"No, I wouldn't," Ryo protested, then paused. "Okay, maybe I'd lick it. But that's it!"
---
The First Trap
As they stepped into the ruins, the temperature dropped. A faint mist clung to the ground, and the air smelled of damp stone and decay.
The group moved cautiously, with Sakura using her magic to illuminate the way. Suddenly, the floor beneath Kenji shifted, and a series of stone spikes shot up inches from his feet.
"Whoa!" Kenji yelped, leaping back. "This place has it out for me!"
"Watch your step," Rei warned. "These ruins are probably filled with traps."
"No kidding," Kenji muttered. "I almost became a human kebab."
Ryo laughed. "At least you'd be a delicious one."
"Keep laughing," Kenji shot back. "You're next."
---
The Puzzle Room
They entered a large chamber with strange glowing tiles on the floor and an inscription on the wall.
Sakura examined the writing, frowning. "It's a riddle. 'To claim the shard, step in time. Wrong moves will summon the wrath of the ancients.'"
"Step in time?" Ryo asked. "What does that mean?"
"It's probably a pattern," Rei said, studying the tiles. "We need to figure out the sequence."
Kenji groaned. "Why do ancient people always make things so complicated? Just hide the shard under a rock or something!"
As Sakura and Rei worked on deciphering the riddle, Ryo decided to test his luck. He stepped onto a random tile, which immediately lit up.
"See? Easy," he said, grinning.
The next tile he stepped on triggered a loud rumbling. The walls began to shake, and ghostly figures emerged from the shadows.
"Ryo!" Sakura snapped. "What did you do?!"
"I don't know!" Ryo shouted, backing away from the advancing spirits. "I thought I was helping!"
"You were wrong!" Rei yelled, drawing her weapons.
---
Fighting Ghosts
The spirits were translucent, their forms shifting like smoke. Rei's daggers passed through them harmlessly, and Kenji's attempts to throw rocks were equally ineffective.
"Why aren't they dying?!" Kenji yelled.
"They're ghosts!" Sakura said, casting a spell. A burst of light struck one of the spirits, causing it to wail and dissolve. "Only magic works against them!"
"Great!" Ryo said. "And guess who doesn't have magic?!"
He waved the orb around frantically, hoping it would do something. To his surprise, it glowed brightly, emitting a pulse of energy that sent the spirits scattering.
"Ha! Take that, you spooky jerks!" Ryo cheered.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't get cocky. There are more coming."
---
Solving the Puzzle
As the group fended off the spirits, Sakura and Rei worked to decipher the puzzle.
"It's a rhythm," Sakura said, her eyes lighting up. "The tiles correspond to a melody. We need to step in the right order to deactivate the trap."
"Melody?" Ryo asked. "What melody?"
Sakura pointed to the symbols on the wall, which began to glow in sequence. "Follow the pattern. Step carefully!"
Rei moved first, stepping lightly onto the correct tiles. The glow intensified, and the spirits began to fade.
"See? Easy," she said, motioning for the others to follow.
Kenji went next, wobbling slightly as he stepped. "If I die, I'm haunting all of you."
Ryo was last, hopping awkwardly from tile to tile. "This is like Dance Dance Revolution on hard mode!"
Finally, they reached the other side, and the spirits vanished. The door ahead creaked open, revealing a staircase leading deeper into the ruins.
---
A Close Call
As they descended the staircase, Ryo tripped—again—and nearly sent the group tumbling.
"Can you go one day without falling?" Rei snapped, catching him by the arm.
"Gravity has it out for me," Ryo said defensively.
"Maybe gravity just has good taste," Kenji muttered.
The staircase ended in another chamber, this one containing a pedestal with the shard floating above it.
"Finally!" Ryo said, running forward.
"Wait!" Sakura yelled, but it was too late.
As Ryo grabbed the shard, the floor began to collapse, revealing a pit filled with glowing green sludge.
"Why is it always sludge?!" Ryo cried, clutching the shard as the group scrambled to escape.
---
A Narrow Escape
The group ran back up the stairs as the chamber collapsed behind them. The ruins shook violently, and debris rained down around them.
"Faster!" Rei shouted, pulling Ryo along.
"I'm trying!" Ryo yelled. "But I can only run so fast when death is literally on my heels!"
They burst out of the ruins just as the entrance caved in, sending up a cloud of dust.
Everyone collapsed on the ground, panting.
"Well," Kenji said, "that was horrifying. Who's ready for the next shard?"
"No one," Rei and Sakura said in unison.
Ryo held up the shard triumphantly. "But hey, we got it! And I only almost died... twice!"
"Congratulations," Rei said dryly. "You're a real hero."
Sakura smirked. "Let's just hope the next trial isn't as ridiculous."
Kenji grinned. "Knowing us? It'll be worse."
A Not-So-Safe Camp
The group didn't make it far from the ruins before deciding to set up camp. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, but the tension from their recent adventure hadn't faded.
Kenji stretched out on the grass, his arms behind his head. "You know, I think I deserve an award for my contributions back there."
"Contributions?" Rei raised an eyebrow. "You mean almost getting skewered and throwing rocks at ghosts?"
"Hey, someone had to provide comedic relief," Kenji replied smugly.
"You're like a bad sidekick," Ryo muttered, leaning against a tree and holding the shard up to the fading light. It shimmered faintly, its glow calming but mysterious.
"What do you think this thing even does?" Ryo asked, turning it in his hands.
Sakura sat cross-legged nearby, her expression thoughtful. "The shards are said to hold fragments of the Forgotten Realm's original power. Together, they could reshape reality—or destroy it."
Kenji whistled. "And we're just casually collecting these things like Pokémon cards?"
"Speak for yourself," Rei said. "I'm here to make sure he doesn't die before the final battle."
"Touching," Ryo said sarcastically.
---
Dinner Mishap
Kenji rummaged through his bag and pulled out a pot, some vegetables, and a suspiciously dented can.
"What are you doing?" Rei asked, watching him warily.
"Cooking dinner," Kenji replied. "I thought I'd whip up something special to celebrate our survival."
"Define 'special,'" Ryo said, leaning over to inspect the ingredients.
Kenji grinned. "Trust me, you'll love it. I call it 'Kenji's Deluxe Adventure Stew.'"
Half an hour later, the group sat around the fire, staring at the bubbling pot with varying degrees of concern. The stew was an unnatural shade of green and emitted a smell that was equal parts savory and alarming.
"Is it supposed to look like that?" Ryo asked, poking the stew with a stick.
Kenji ladled out a bowl for him. "Stop complaining and eat it. It's full of nutrients."
Ryo took a cautious bite and immediately gagged. "What did you put in this? Poison?"
"Just some canned meat and wild herbs I found," Kenji said proudly.
"You found herbs in a cursed forest and thought, 'Yeah, this is edible?'" Rei asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Kenji shrugged. "Survival instincts."
Sakura set her bowl down after one taste, her face unreadable. "I think I'd rather starve."
---
A Mysterious Visitor
As night fell and the group prepared to sleep, an unfamiliar sound broke the silence: the faint tinkling of bells.
Everyone froze.
"What is that?" Ryo whispered, clutching the shard tightly.
Before anyone could answer, a figure stepped into the firelight. It was a man dressed in elaborate robes, his face partially obscured by a hood. Around his neck hung a chain with small silver bells that jingled softly with every movement.
"Greetings, travelers," the man said, his voice smooth and unsettling. "I see you've acquired one of the shards."
Rei was on her feet instantly, daggers in hand. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
The man chuckled. "I am merely a humble observer. But beware—the path you tread is fraught with peril. The shards are not meant for mortals."
"Great," Kenji muttered. "Another cryptic warning. Just what we needed."
"What's your deal?" Ryo asked, standing but keeping his distance. "If you're here to steal the shard, you're out of luck."
The man shook his head. "I am no thief. Consider this a friendly reminder: the shards attract more than just your little band of misfits. Be prepared, for the real trials have yet to begin."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, the sound of his bells fading into the night.
---
Unsettling Thoughts
The group sat in silence for a moment, processing the encounter.
"That guy was creepy," Ryo said finally.
"Creepy and right," Sakura added. "We've already seen how dangerous these shards can be. If others are after them, we're in serious trouble."
Rei nodded. "We'll need to be more cautious from here on out. No more rushing into situations blindly." She shot a pointed look at Ryo.
"Hey!" Ryo protested. "That trap wasn't my fault. Entirely."
"Sure it wasn't," Kenji said, smirking.
---
A Sleepless Night
Despite their exhaustion, none of them could sleep easily. The air felt heavier, and the shadows seemed to stretch longer than they should.
Ryo stared up at the sky, the shard glowing faintly in his hand. "Hey, Kenji," he whispered.
"Yeah?"
"You think this chosen-one thing is worth it?"
Kenji was quiet for a moment. "Honestly? I don't know. But if anyone's gonna save the world, it might as well be you. At least you make it interesting."
Ryo chuckled softly. "Thanks, I think."
Nearby, Rei and Sakura exchanged a glance, both silently acknowledging the weight of their mission.