The city faded into the distance behind them as Kazuki and his friends made their way toward the unknown. The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a golden glow over the rolling hills and winding forest paths.

"So… where exactly are we going first?" Kazuki asked, adjusting the strap of his bag.

"Does it matter?" Sonnet grinned. "The world's huge, and there's plenty of trouble to get into."

Andreas walked ahead, hands in his pockets. "Trouble? Don't you mean fun?"

"Same thing."

Lumi, munching on a fresh fruit she'd picked along the way, nodded. "I vote we find more food."

Kazuki laughed. "You just ate."

"And? There's always room for more!"

That evening, the group set up camp by a riverbank. Andreas worked on starting a fire, while Sonnet laid out a makeshift gambling setup using leaves and stones.

"Come on, Kazuki," Sonnet said, shuffling her "deck" of leaves. "Let's bet something fun. If you lose, you have to carry my bag for a day."

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "And if I win?"

"I'll… cook dinner tomorrow."

"You can cook?" Lumi asked skeptically.

Sonnet shrugged. "I'll figure it out."

Andreas snorted. "Let's hope you don't poison us."

The game ended with Kazuki losing spectacularly, and the group burst into laughter as he reluctantly agreed to carry Sonnet's bag the next day.

The next morning, while exploring a dense part of the forest, Lumi suddenly froze. "Hey… do you hear that?"

The group stopped, listening carefully. A faint, melodic humming echoed through the trees.

"What is that?" Kazuki whispered.

"Let's check it out!" Andreas said, already moving toward the sound.

They emerged into a clearing, where an ancient-looking statue stood in the center. Vines wrapped around it, and glowing symbols marked its surface.

"Creepy," Sonnet muttered. "But kind of cool."

Kazuki reached out, brushing his fingers over the symbols. For a split second, the ground seemed to hum beneath their feet.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Okay, time to go!" Lumi said, tugging at his sleeve. "I don't trust glowing things in the middle of nowhere."

As they walked away, the symbols flickered faintly behind them, almost as if watching the group leave.

Back at camp, they sat by the fire once more, recounting their strange discovery.

"So what was that statue, anyway?" Andreas asked, chewing on a piece of jerky.

"No idea," Kazuki replied. "But it felt… familiar."

"Maybe it's a sign," Sonnet said with a smirk. "Or maybe it's just some old magic junk."

Lumi leaned back, staring at the stars. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out. Together."

Kazuki nodded. Despite the strange encounter, he couldn't shake the feeling that something big was coming. But for now, it could wait.

They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

The forest grew darker as the group ventured deeper into unfamiliar territory. Ancient trees towered above them, their branches intertwining to form a canopy that blocked out the sun. Vines clung to crumbling stone structures scattered around the area, remnants of a forgotten time.

"What is this place?" Kazuki asked, running his hand along a moss-covered wall.

Lumi's eyes narrowed, her voice unusually serious. "It's what's left of the Original Eidolon."

The group froze.

"Original Eidolon?" Sonnet tilted her head. "Like… the old, corrupted one?"

Lumi nodded. "Before the Savior built the dreamscape, this was the real Eidolon. The war and the corruption left it in ruins. Not many dare to explore these parts—it's dangerous."

"Dangerous how?" Andreas asked, intrigued rather than worried.

"You'll see."

They continued walking, their footsteps echoing eerily in the silence. The structures became more elaborate—towers leaning precariously, shattered bridges, and statues standing solemnly in the shadows.

Kazuki slowed as he noticed a strange statue ahead—a woman with her hands covering her face, weeping silently.

"Creepy," Sonnet whispered. "She looks… too real."

"Just don't blink," Lumi said, her voice low.

Kazuki frowned. "What?"

Suddenly, the sound of stone scraping against stone echoed through the air. Kazuki spun around, and his eyes widened. The statue had moved.

"Run!" Lumi shouted.

The group bolted through the ruins, the sound of grinding stone following close behind. Every time they glanced back, the weeping angel statues were closer, their arms outstretched and mouths open in a silent scream.

"Faster!" Andreas yelled, vaulting over a fallen pillar.

Sonnet laughed, despite the danger. "This is insane! We're being chased by creepy statues!"

"I thought you said you wanted adventure!" Kazuki shouted back, narrowly avoiding another statue.

Lumi led the way, weaving through the ruins. "Over here! There's a way out!"

They burst into a clearing, gasping for breath. The statues remained at the edge of the ruins, motionless once more.

"What… was that?" Kazuki panted, clutching his knees.

"Guardians of the old city," Lumi explained, wiping sweat from her brow. "They're cursed to protect these ruins. As long as we stay out of their territory, we'll be fine."

"That was… terrifying," Kazuki admitted, still catching his breath.

"But kind of fun," Andreas grinned. "I mean, it's not every day you get chased by ancient cursed statues."

Sonnet nodded. "10 out of 10, would do it again. As long as we don't die."

Lumi rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "You guys are hopeless."

As they left the ruins behind, Kazuki glanced back one last time. The statues stood frozen in place, but something about them felt… watchful.

"We'll come back one day," Lumi said quietly. "There's still a lot to learn from the past."

Kazuki nodded. "Next time, let's bring a map."

The group laughed and continued on their way, unaware that the ruins had already taken an interest in them—and that their adventure was only just beginning.