The stone door sealed shut behind them with a heavy *thud*, plunging Kael and Alina into near-total darkness. The only light came from the faint blue glow emanating from below, casting eerie shadows along the spiraling stone staircase.
Alina's breathing was uneven, her heart still hammering from their narrow escape. Kael released her wrist, scanning their surroundings. "Well," he muttered, "no turning back now."
Alina took a slow breath, steadying herself. "We were never turning back."
Kael shot her a wry look, but she was already moving forward. The deeper they descended, the stronger the hum in the air became. It wasn't just sound—it was *energy*, pulsing through the stone like a heartbeat.
The walls were lined with carvings, similar to those above but more intricate, untouched by time. Alina ran her fingers over them, tracing the ancient script. "These symbols… they're older than anything I've studied."
Kael kept his sword ready. "Any idea what they say?"
Alina squinted at the markings, murmuring as she deciphered them. "A prophecy… something about the 'Starborn' and a 'sealed power beneath the sky.'" She hesitated, her fingers pausing over a particular set of words. "And… a warning."
Kael tensed. "Of course there's a warning."
Before Alina could translate further, the staircase ended, opening into a vast underground chamber.
She sucked in a breath.
The chamber stretched far beyond what should have been possible, its ceiling lined with glowing blue crystals that mimicked the night sky. In the center of the room stood an enormous stone pedestal, atop which lay an object—something metallic, ancient, and pulsing with energy.
Alina took a hesitant step forward. "This… This is what the ruins were hiding."
Kael frowned. "And something tells me we're not the first to come looking for it."
As if in response to his words, the hum in the air grew stronger. The carvings along the walls flickered, glowing brighter.
Then, the chamber *shifted.*
A sudden gust of energy swept through the room, and the symbols around them flared to life.
The ruins weren't just awake.
They were *reacting.*
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