Alina stood at the edge of the ruins, her breath shallow. The towering stone pillars, covered in ancient carvings, loomed over her like silent guardians. The place felt untouched by time, yet it pulsed with an eerie presence, as if the past had never truly left.
The torchlight flickered along the path, casting elongated shadows across the crumbling stones. Someone had been here recently.
Cautiously, she stepped forward, keeping her footsteps light. The carvings along the walls depicted celestial symbols—stars, constellations, and what looked like a great cosmic wheel. Her fingers brushed over the cold stone, tracing the patterns.
This place was more than just ruins. It was a message, a story etched into time.
But before she could study further, a sound made her freeze.
Footsteps.
Alina ducked behind a broken pillar, heart pounding. She peered out cautiously.
Two figures moved along the pathway, their dark cloaks barely distinguishable from the night. They weren't travelers. They carried themselves with purpose, their gazes scanning the ruins as if searching for something.
Or *someone.*
Her breath hitched. The pursuers had found the ruins as well.
Carefully, she crept backward, staying in the shadows. She needed to move, to find a place to hide before—
A hand clamped over her mouth.
Panic flared, but before she could react, a familiar voice whispered in her ear.
"Don't scream."
Kael.
Relief flooded her, and she nodded quickly. His grip loosened, and she turned to face him. He looked battered, a fresh cut along his brow, but he was alive.
"You made it," she breathed.
Kael gave a tired smirk. "I could say the same about you."
But there was no time for reunions. The cloaked figures were still searching, drawing closer.
Kael's expression darkened. "We can't stay here. They're looking for the same thing we are."
Alina swallowed hard, gripping the parchment.
They had reached the ruins.
Now, they just had to uncover its secrets before their enemies did.
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