Alina pressed her back against the crumbling stone pillar, barely daring to breathe. Kael crouched beside her, his gaze locked onto the two cloaked figures moving cautiously through the ruins. Their footsteps echoed off the worn stone, each step deliberate, searching.
"They're looking for something," Kael murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Alina clutched the parchment tightly. "Then we have to find it first."
Kael gave her a sharp look. "That means staying alive long enough to do so."
She swallowed but nodded. She wasn't about to let fear stop her now.
The figures moved further into the ruins, their torchlight casting eerie flickering shadows against the ancient carvings. Alina and Kael used the opportunity to slip away, keeping low as they navigated through the broken pathways.
They reached a partially collapsed archway, the stones above it barely holding together. Beyond it, the ruins opened into what looked like an ancient courtyard. A large stone slab sat in the center, covered in unfamiliar symbols.
Alina's breath caught. "This is it."
Kael frowned. "How do you know?"
She knelt beside the slab, running her fingers over the carvings. The patterns matched the celestial markings on the parchment. "These symbols… They aren't just random. They map the sky, aligning with constellations at certain times of the year."
Kael exhaled. "So it's a star chart?"
Alina nodded, excitement building despite the danger. "Not just that. It's a key."
Kael tensed. "A key to what?"
Before Alina could answer, a sharp voice rang out.
"There they are!"
The cloaked figures had spotted them.
Kael was on his feet in an instant, sword drawn. "Alina, whatever you need to do, *do it now!*"
Alina's pulse pounded as she turned back to the slab, frantically studying the markings.
The ruins held a secret.
And if she didn't unlock it in time…
They wouldn't live to see it.
---