Chapter Thirteen – The Forgotten Ruins
The ruins were ancient.
Even Frieren was surprised by how old they were. The stone structures, half-buried in the earth, were worn by time yet still held an aura of former grandeur. The carvings along the walls depicted scenes long lost to history—battles, rituals, and towering figures with eyes that seemed to watch.
"It's older than anything I've seen in centuries," Frieren murmured.
Stark shuddered. "It's creepy."
Fern ran her fingers over the faded inscriptions. "I can't even read this language."
Gilgamesh stepped forward.
The moment his fingers brushed the stone, a pulse of energy rippled through the air.
The ruins reacted.
Golden light flickered along the carvings, illuminating patterns that had long since faded from mortal memory.
Frieren's eyes widened. "This isn't just a ruin, is it?"
Gilgamesh exhaled slowly. "No… it is not."
Stark tensed. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Gilgamesh said, "that someone was waiting for me."
Silence fell over the group.
Then—
BOOM.
The ground trembled.
A stone guardian—a massive construct of rock and magic—emerged from the depths of the ruins. Its eyes glowed with the same golden energy that had surged when Gilgamesh touched the stone.
Fern stumbled back. "What is that?!"
Frieren narrowed her eyes. "A guardian. Designed to protect something… or someone."
Gilgamesh's expression remained calm. He raised a hand, and the Gates of Babylon shimmered into existence behind him.
The guardian charged.
Gilgamesh flicked his wrist.
A single spear shot forward, piercing through the guardian's core before it could even take a full step.
The construct froze—then shattered into dust.
Stark stared. "Okay. That was… fast."
Frieren crossed her arms. "I was going to analyze it first, you know."
Gilgamesh smirked. "It was in my way."
Fern sighed. "You could've at least let us prepare first."
Gilgamesh turned to her. "Why waste time?"
Before Fern could respond, another pulse of energy surged through the ruins.
This time, a doorway—hidden beneath layers of rock and magic—opened before them.
Gilgamesh's golden eyes flickered.
It seemed that his past was not as forgotten as he had believed.
Frieren glanced at him. "Are you going in?"
Gilgamesh smiled. "It would be rude not to."
And with that, he stepped forward into the unknown.
The past was calling.
And this time—
He would answer.