Ch 11:Ruined Plans, Shifting Fates
The ruins lay in eerie silence, broken only by the faint groan of shifting stone and the oppressive whisper of wind weaving across fractured structures. Soren leaned heavily against a crumbling wall, each breath quick and ragged. Dust and blood smeared his face, and his muscles screamed with the effort of staying alive.
Crouching low, Ayola tightened her grip on her dagger. The pale braid trailing down her back shifted slightly with her movements, the shorter braids framing her face catching the faint streaks of the moonlight through the ruins. Her amber eyes flitted between the shifting shadows, searching for signs of movement.
“They left us,” Soren muttered, his voice rough and raw, laced with disbelief. His fists curled against the weight of betrayal.
“They just—left.”
The tactician didn’t respond immediately, her focus split between Soren’s words and the faint outline of movement in the distance. Her dagger caught the faint glow of the moonlight filtering within the ruins as she tightened her grip. “They did what they thought they had to,” she said finally, her voice steady but laced with a faint edge of frustration. “It doesn’t matter now.”
Soren’s jaw clenched, his anger flaring hot. “Easy for you to say. You weren’t the one they abandoned to fight this thing.”
Ayola’s head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowed. “We’re both alive…for now,” she hissed her voice low but cutting. “If you want to keep it that way, stop sulking and start surviving.”
Before Soren could reply, a faint tremor rolled amid the ground beneath them. It wasn’t violent, but it carried a weight that sent a shiver up his spine. The beast’s guttural growls deepened, a promise of carnage echoing through the ruins.
Ayola’s voice softened slightly, though her gaze remained hard. “We need a plan.”
The weight of the last few hours pressed down on Soren’s shoulders, heavier than the rubble surrounding them. His body ached, his lungs burned, but it was the gnawing sting of betrayal that hit hardest.They’d been left behind, cast aside like they were expendable. But the ruins didn’t care for his anger or pain—they demanded his attention. Shaking the thoughts aside, Soren’s sharp eyes scanned the wreckage, honing in on unstable structures and shadowed corners. Each broken pillar and jagged arch offered both threat and opportunity—cover that could shield them or collapse under the beast’s assault. His mind raced, cataloging the ruins’ potential as a battlefield.
‘Survive first—rage later.’
With a sharp exhaled harshly, Soren forced his rising anger into something useful, scanning the wreckage,his eyes landed on the fractured ruins, each shadow brimming with hidden threats.
The ruins sprawled outward like a fractured cross, their paths splitting into four distinct directions. At the heart of it all, the central ruin loomed largest, Its open expanse filled with jagged remnants of stone and crumbling walls. Around it, five towering pillars stood in a loose circle, their surfaces etched with faint, intricate markings that gleamed faintly beneath the dust. The ground beneath them was uneven, cracked in patterns that resembled vines leading toward the glowing pedestal in the distance. The air reeked of stone dust and something metallic, almost like blood.
“It’s fast, stronger than anything I’ve ever seen, and those feathers—” He gestured to a gouged section of stone near their feet, where crystalline shards still glinted. “—they cut through solid rock like it’s nothing. We can’t take it head-on.”
“Then we use the terrain,” Ayola said without hesitation, her mind already working. Her braid swayed as she gestured sharply towards a cluster of half collapsed structures leaning precariously on one another.
She gestured toward a cluster of half-collapsed structures leaning precariously on one another. “The ruins are unstable. If we can lead it there, we might be able to trap it. Or at least slow it down.”
Ayola’s word lingered, unfinished, as a sudden chill settled over the ruins. A demeaning screech tore through the silence, and in an instant, the distant threat became terrifying real. The beast’s massive form emerged through the haze.
“Move!” Ayola shouted, diving for cover as the beast’s screech rose in pitch, echoing across the ruins.
Crystal feathers exploded through the air, their edges gleaming like molten steel. They tore into stone with deafening force, turning solid structures into jagged debris. Dust erupted into a suffocating haze, choking the narrow corridors of the ruins and casting the battlefield into chaos.
Soren rolled instinctively, the chain whip in his hand snapping out to latch onto a broken column. He swung himself to safety just as another volley of feathers obliterated the ground where he’d been. A sharp hiss escaped him as he landed, his knees bending to absorb the impact. His gaze shot upward, catching the glint of the beast’s wings as it circled overhead, its glowing eyes sweeping the smoke-filled air.
The dust settled slightly, revealing Ayola pressed against the wall of a broken structure, her breathing steady but shallow. She gestured sharply, motioning for him to stay low. “It’s going to find us,” she said, her voice barely audible over the creature’s growls. “We don’t have much time.”
Soren crouched behind a shattered pillar, his katana drawn, the blade catching faint streaks of light filtering through the haze. His grip tightened around the hilt. “Then let’s hear this brilliant plan of yours.”
Ayola’s pursed lips tightened, her mind racing as she assessed the terrain. The beast’s movements weren’t chaotic—it was deliberate. It circled tighter with each pass, its gleaming eyes flicking between the smokescreen and the glowing object pulsing faintly at the center of the ruins. Her sharp gaze followed the light’s rhythmic glow, and her brow furrowed. “That thing—it’s been acting strange. Whenever the beast gets close, the glow changes.”
Soren glanced toward the pedestal at the heart of the wreckage, its faint hue distorted by the swirling dust. “And you think that thing is the key?”
Ayola’s gaze narrowed. “If it’s not, we’ll figure something else out. But it’s our best chance right now.”
Soren’s teeth clenched, his instincts warring against the idea of separating. But the urgency in Ayola’s voice left little room for argument. “Fine,” he said, his tone clipped. “But don’t get yourself killed.”
Ayola smirked faintly, though her sharp eyes betrayed no humor. “Same to you.”
The ground shook again as the beast landed nearby, its talons digging into the stone. The shimmer of its feathers intensified, casting distorted shadows through the dust. Soren and Ayola exchanged a brief, tense nod before splitting in opposite directions, their movements fluid and practiced.
The beast screeched again, louder this time, and lunged forward.
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Soren sprinted through the rubble-strewn remnants, the beast’s massive talons gouging deep furrows into the earth behind him. Its screech reverberated through the air, sending shards of stone and dust cascading from the crumbling structures above. His chest heaved as he dodged, rolled, and darted through the chaos, each movement honed by years of instinctual survival.
The chain whip in his hand snapped out, latching onto a jagged outcrop of stone. With a sharp pull, he swung himself up and out of reach, landing on a fractured pillar just as the beast lunged.
Soren landed hard, his knees buckling as a sharp jolt shot through his legs. He swayed for a moment, his chest heaving as his grip on the weapon tightened to steady himself. His muscled screamed in protest, each movement growing slower, heavier. His sharp eyes darted upward, catching the glint of the beast’s wings circling overhead, but even that motion felt like dragging a stone uphill. Its talons smashed into the stone, shattering it into rubble and sending him tumbling to the ground.
“Damn it,” he muttered, rolling to his feet. His sharp eyes caught a glint of light as the beast unfurled its massive wings, the crystalline feathers catching the sunlight in an eerie, hypnotic display. Soren gritted his teeth. The thing was toying with him now, those glowing eyes locking onto him with a predatory intelligence.
From somewhere behind him, Ayola’s voice cut through the chaos. “Keep it moving, Soren! Don’t let it pin you!”
“Oh sure, let me just stroll while it’s tryin to kill me!” he snapped back, his tone edged with frustration. He darted to the side as the beast lunged again, its talons tearing through the ground where he’d just been standing.
Soren’s sharp eyes caught the fainted twitch in its wings, an unnatural jitter that hadn’t been there before. It’s strikes became faster but less precise, its talon raking the air in the wild, almost desperate arcs. It let out a guttural growl, its head snapping towards the glowing pedestal at the center of the ruins for just a moment before lunging again. Whatever was happening, the ruins were affecting it— and not in a way that made Soren feel safer.
The beast feinted, its wings flaring as though to strike from above. But something shifted. As Soren darted closer to the middle of the ruins, the beast’s movement became less calculated, its strikes more erratic. It let out a guttural growl, the sound vibrating through the air as its wings twitched unnaturally. For a brief moment, it hesitated, its glowing eyes flicking towards the central pedestal before lunging forward again with renewed aggression.
Soren caught the movement and dodged left—but it was a trick. The creature pivoted mid-air, its talons slashing downward in a blur of crystal and power. Soren barely had time to react, throwing himself into a desperate spin. His body twisted horizontally, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike as he rolled into a crouch.
The dirt and dust kicked up around him as he locked eyes with the beast. Its head tilted slightly, almost mockingly, before it charged again.
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Ayola crouched behind a fallen column, her mind racing as she watched Soren evade the beast’s relentless assault, his movements growing slower with every passing second. The ruins loomed liked an uneven chessboard, and she scanned for the next move. There—an unstable archway could tip the balance.
To her, they weren’t obstacles—they were opportunities.
Her sharp eyes scanned the battlefield until they settled on a sagging archway just ahead of Soren’s path. The structure groaned under its own weight, cracks spidering across its base. There was something odd about it—the faintest flicker of light glinted near its foundation, almost imperceptible through the haze of dust and moonlight. She filed the detail away, focusing instead on the immediate threat.
Ayola’s voice cut through the chaos “Soren! Over here!” She gestured toward a crumbling archway, already calculating her next move. “Lead it toward the unstable structure—if we’re lucky, it’ll collapse!”
Soren gritted his teeth, dodging another volley of feathers. “Sure, no pressure,” he muttered, his muscles screaming as he swung himself onto higher ground with his chain whip. Dust kicked up as the beast lunged again, claws raking stone.
Just as Soren darted beneath the archway, Ayola flung her knife. The blade struck true, sinking into the cracked stone and sending a cascade of debris raining down.
But the beast was faster than she anticipated. It skidded to a halt, its wings flaring as it leapt backward, avoiding the collapse entirely. The archway crumbled in a deafening crash, but the creature emerged unscathed, its violet eyes now fixed on her.
Ayola’s heart sank. “Well, that didn’t work.”
She spared a brief glance at the faint glint near the base of the rubble—whatever it was, it could wait. For now, staying alive took precedence.
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The beast’s attention shifted between the two of them, its predatory gaze calculating. For a moment, neither Soren nor Ayola moved, their breaths coming in sharp bursts as they gauged its next move. Then, with a frustrated screech, the beast unleashed a volley of feathers. The projectiles shot through the air like shards of glass, embedding themselves into the stone and sending shards flying.
Soren ducked behind a toppled pillar, narrowly avoiding the spray of debris. His back pressed against the jagged edge, his katana gripped tightly in his hand. Around him, the feathers stuck in the ground shimmered faintly, their edges gleaming with a sharp brilliance. He scanned the area quickly, his sharp eyes tracking the faint differences in their glow. Something felt… off.
He darted out of cover as the beast lunged toward him, its claws narrowly missing him.
As Soren sprinted towards the central area, his sharp eyes caught faint etchings on the bases of the nearby pillars—intricate carvings that seemed almost alive. The grooves glowed faintly, just enough to catch the edge of his vision before the beast’s roar pulled his focus back to survival. It was almost like the pillars were part of some design, connecting the ruins like spokes on a wheel.
His movements were sharp and unpredictable, meandering between rubble piles and shattered columns to throw off the creature’s aim. The chain whip snapped toward a broken column, latching on and pulling him up onto a higher ledge. From above, his gaze flicked to the cluster of feathers embedded in the stone beneath him. The ones closest to his current position, near the edges of the ruins, were solid—pristine and sharp like jagged glass. But as his eyes traveled inward, toward the center of the ruins, the feathers lodged in the rubble looked dull, their crystalline surface marred by faint fractures.
“Come on, Soren! Move!” Ayola shouted from behind a broken wall, her voice cutting amid the chaos as she threw another knife at the beast. The blade bounced harmlessly off its glowing feathers, but it forced the creature to turn its attention to her.
“I’m moving!” Soren shot back, leaping down from the ledge just as the beast charged after Ayola. He rolled to his feet, his katana flashing in the dim light as he sliced through an exposed feather jutting from the rubble. To his surprise, the blade sheared through it cleanly, like cutting through brittle stone.
Soren’s brow furrowed as he shifted back into cover, his breathing heavy. His mind replayed the moment—the solid feathers near the outskirts versus the brittle ones near the ruins’ center. His eyes darted back to the path he’d just traversed, catching glimpses of faint cracks in the feathers embedded along his route. “Ayola!” he called out, pressing against a fallen column. “The feathers—they’re tougher out here on the edges, but closer to the middle, they’re cracking easier!”
“What?” Ayola replied, ducking low as another volley of crystal feathers tore through her hiding spot. She darted out and ran in a wide arc, weaving between fallen debris to keep the beast guessing. Her sharp mind caught up to his words as her eyes flicked to the faint shimmer of embedded feathers closer to the central ruins. He was right—those closer to the heart of the ruins had an almost brittle quality, their surfaces marred with fractures that didn’t appear on the feathers farther out.
Soren darted out of cover again, zigzagging as he moved to avoid giving the beast a straight shot. His chain snapped out to swing him across another gap in the rubble. His boots skidded against the uneven stone as he landed, the force nearly toppling him. “I don’t know why, but it’s weaker when it’s near the center! The feathers—whatever they’re doing—they don’t hold up the same!”
Soren’s boots pounded against the uneven ground, his chest heaving with every ragged breath. The beast’s screeches tore through the air behind him, its talons raking the walls as it tore the narrow passageway in pursuit. Every instinct screamed at him to veer away, to zig-zag again, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself forward, staying ahead of the monster.
The beast roared in frustration, pivoting sharply to pursue Soren again. Ayola seized the moment, darting from her hiding spot and hurling another knife toward the creature’s exposed side. The blade ricocheted off its wing, drawing the beast’s attention back to her.
“Ayola!” Soren called out again as he bobbed and weaved through the rubble, the brittle feathers crunching under his boots. “It’s not just the feathers! Its movements slow down when it’s near the middle too—it’s subtle, but I can see it!”
“What are you saying?” Ayola yelled back, her voice tight with effort as she hurled another knife.
The beast lunged, its talons striking the pillar Soren had ducked behind, sending shards of stone raining down. Soren rolled out of his way, his katana flashing as he rose.The air felt different—thicker,heavier, as if the ruins themselves were pressing down on him. The beast’s movements,too, seemed slower, its strikes powerful but less precise.
“I’m saying we can use it!” Soren growled, leaping over a pile of rubble as the beast lunged at him again. He slashed at its claws mid-air, the impact sending a jarring vibration through his arm. “Get it closer to the center! We’ll figure out the rest from there!”
Ayola didn’t respond immediately, her sharp eyes scanning the battlefield. The beast was closing in on Soren again, its wings flaring wide as it prepared to strike. She took a deep breath, her mind racing. If Soren was right, the ruins themselves might hold the key to taking this thing down.
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“Fine,” she called back, darting between the rubble as the beast lunged.
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Soren darted left, his body moving on instinct as the tension in the air thickened. A quick glance back revealed the beast’s violet eyes locked onto him, its movement heavy and deliberate, like a predator toying with its prey. “I’ll keep it distracted,” he called out, his voice tight with exertion. “Figure something out!”
Ayola hesitated, her sharp eyes scanning the battlefield. The faint glow of the recently collapsed pillar still lingered in her peripheral vision, its fractured remains flickering like a dying ember. Her brow furrowed. Something about the glow tugged at her attention.
“Don’t get yourself killed!” she shouted after Soren as he whipped around another corner, the beast barreling after him. Its talons raked the ruins, sending chunks of debris flying in its wake.
“Not planning on it!” Soren yelled back, already disappearing into the labyrinth of ruins.
With Soren leading the beast away, Ayola crouched low, her mind racing. She turned back to the nearest collapsed pillar, her eyes narrowing as she noticed faint streaks of light snaking outward from the shattered base. The glow wasn’t bright—more like a faint pulse, subtle and rhythmic, like the beating of a heart.
“What is this…” she murmured, stepping closer.
The light wasn’t just isolated to the collapsed pillar. Now that she was closer, Ayola could see faint veins of orange energy running through the ground, almost hidden beneath the thick layers of dust and stone. The network was delicate, like spider silk, branching outward in all directions.
Her gaze veered toward the first pillar they had brought down, barely visible in the distance. The same dim light flickered there too, as though the collapse had somehow activated the network. Her heart raced as her sharp mind pieced together the connection.
‘The ruins… They’re powering something. But if they’re connected, where does it all lead?’
Ayola knelt beside the collapsed pillar, brushing away dirty and rubble to reveal glowing veins etched into the stone. Her fingers hovered over the faint pulsing lines etched into the stone, the hum of energy vibrating through her bones. Her sharp jaw tightened as she glanced toward the glowing pedestal in the distance,piecing the fragments of the puzzle. The pale strands of her hair clung to her damp skin as she worked.
‘A conduit’ she realized, her sharp mind piecing the fragments together. ‘It’s feeding something or someone’ her chest tightened, the urgency pressing harder as the faint glow led her towards the ruins center.
If the network was feeding energy to the central ruins, then breaking it might weaken the beast—or sever its connection to this place entirely. But what if she was wrong? What if destroying the wrong pillar made things worse? The hum of energy beneath her fingertips grew stronger, almost impatient, and she clenched her jaw. There was no time for uncertainty.She’d just have to trust her instinct.
Ayola’s sharp eyes followed the faint, pulsing glow weaving through the ground beneath her feet. The hum of energy vibrated faintly in her bones, growing stronger with every step. As the battle raged on above—marked by screeched, clashing steel, and the distant crash of rubble—her focus sharpened. Whatever lay at the center of this place, it held the key.
Her eyes darted toward the heart of the ruins, where she had glimpsed the faintest glimmer of light earlier. It was brighter now, a soft but steady pulse that stood out even through the haze of smoke and dust. Her stomach tightened as the realization hit her.
‘Whatever’s at the center… that’s where all of this is coming from.’
Her sharp mind raced as she pieced the clues together. The energy pulsing through the ruins wasn’t random—it was deliberate. It was part of an intricate design that connected the three outer ruins to the central temple. The runes, the glowing veins, the pillars—it all served a purpose. But what? And how long could Soren keep the beast distracted while she figured it out.
Behind her, the beast’s screech tore through the air, a chilling reminder of the danger still lurking. She stood quickly, her grip tightening on her dagger as she turned back toward the sound of Soren’s battle. He was still holding his own, leading the beast in tight circles through the ruins, but she knew he couldn’t keep it up forever.
Ayola’s gaze flicked back to the glowing network. If she could follow it—figure out where it led—maybe she could turn the tide.
Her voice cut through the chaos. “Soren! Delay it as long as you can!”
“I’m not exactly lounging here!” he shouted back, his chain whip cracking in the distance. A loud crash followed as another section of ruins collapsed, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air.
With Soren holding the beast at bay, Ayola pressed further into the depths of the ruins.
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Soren snaked through the rubble, his boots crunching over shards of crystal feathers embedded in the stone. He glanced back to see the beast still on his tail, its violet eyes gleaming with sharp intelligence. It was fast, almost impossibly so for something its size, and the narrow passage ahead was his only chance to buy time.
His chest burned with exertion as he gritted his teeth and whipped his chain toward a precarious archway overhead. The chain wrapped around the crumbling stone, and with a sharp pull, he tore it down just as the beast lunged forward. The falling debris exploded into a thick cloud of dust and stone shards, forcing the creature to halt and shield itself with its crystalline wings.
Soren tumbled to the side, coughing as the dust enveloped him. His ears rang from the crash, but he wasted no time scrambling to his feet. He ducked behind a column, glancing over his shoulder to assess the damage.
The beast screeched in frustration, shaking off the debris. Its wings unfurled, sending a sharp gust of wind through the ruins, clearing the air. The crystalline feathers shimmered faintly, and for a fleeting moment, Soren noticed something strange: the shimmer wasn’t consistent. The glow of the feathers near the creature’s body was strong, vibrant—but the feathers closer to the ground, especially those embedded in the rubble near the collapsed archway, looked fractured and dim.
He frowned, his sharp eyes narrowing. There was a pattern here, something he couldn’t quite put into words yet. His gaze flicked toward the center of the ruins, where the faint, rhythmic glow of the pedestal still pulsed through the haze.
“Keep it at bay—I think I’ve found the key!” Ayola’s voice cut through his thoughts, sharp and commanding. She was crouched farther back, her silhouette framed by the jagged ruins.
“Great,” Soren muttered under his breath. “Because I’m definitely not tired of running circles around this thing.”
The beast unleashed another screech, its its glowing eyes locking onto him with a predatory gleam.
Soren pressed himself against the jagged remains of a fractured wall, his sharp chest heaving. Each breath felt sharp, scraping against his lungs as sweat dripped down his face. He took a a moment to scan the area—jagged stone and half—collapsed columns. The beast roared in the distance, its talons raking stone, and Soren clenched his jaw. The central ruin loomed ahead, its open expand both an opportunity and a death trap.
With a burst of speed, it charged through the debris, talons gouging deep furrows into the ground. Soren took a steadying breath, adjusting his grip on the chain whip.
“Alright, you oversized bird,” he muttered. “Let’s see if you’re as dumb as you look.”
He darted out from his cover, weaving between the shattered columns and jagged rubble. His movements were sharp and deliberate, never running in a straight line for too long, always zig-zagging to keep the beast guessing. It lunged after him, its claws tearing through stone as it chased him relentlessly. Each time it got too close, Soren used his chain to swing himself out of reach, luring it deeper into the ruins.
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Meanwhile, Ayola pressed herself against a crumbling pillar, her breathing steady but shallow. Her eyes scanned the battlefield, tracking the beast’s movements as it followed Soren. The glowing feathers embedded in the stone caught her attention, their fractured, dull light contrasting starkly with the vibrant glow of the feathers farther out.
Her gaze shifted to the first pillar they had accidentally toppled earlier. A faint glow emanated from its base, barely visible through the thick vines and debris. Her sharp mind connected the dots. She glanced back toward the center of the ruins, where the pedestal pulsed faintly with the same rhythmic light. Between the two points, she could just make out faint tendrils of energy—like a network of glowing veins stretching across the ground, weaving through the rubble.
“A network,” she murmured, her voice barely audible over the chaos. The ruins weren’t just ruins—they were part of something larger.
She darted toward the toppled pillar, her steps light and precise as she navigated the uneven terrain. Kneeling beside the fallen structure, she brushed away the dirt and vines, revealing intricate carvings that glowed faintly with the same orange hue. The carvings looked like runes, their shapes unfamiliar but deliberate.
Ayola’s sharp mind raced. The glow was weaker here, fractured—likely because the pillar had been toppled. Her eyes followed the faint network of light, tracing its path back toward the pedestal. If these conduits were supplying energy to the central structure, then disrupting them might weaken whatever connection the beast had to this place.
She glanced back at Soren, who was still leading the beast in an unpredictable dance through the ruins. “Soren!” she called out, her voice cutting through the chaos. “We need to bring down the pillars! They’re part of some kind of network—it’s feeding power to the center!”
“What?” Soren shouted back, his voice tinged with exasperation as he narrowly avoided the beast’s swipe. “And how exactly am I supposed to do that while this thing’s trying to kill me?”
“Improvise!” Ayola snapped, already moving toward the next pillar.
Ayola sprinted along the faintly glowing network, her sharp eyes scanning for the next pillar. The beast let out another piercing screech, and she risked a glance back to see Soren darting between the rubble, his movements fluid and precise despite his exhaustion.
“Bring it this way! If we can get it to hit the pillars—” she shouted, her voice sharp with urgency, Her hand shot out, pointing towards the next pillar.
Soren’s eyes flicked to one of the massive columns nearby, the faint glow of its etched runes catching his attention. Could the pillars have something to do with the creature’s erratic behavior? He didn’t have time to contemplate, the notion stayed with him as he swung himself towards the next pile of rubble.
“Yeah, yeah,” Soren cut her off, his tone sharp but focused. “I don’t have much left in me but fine!”
The beast lunged again, and Soren ducked low, swinging his chain whip toward a crumbling column. The stone shattered on impact, sending debris cascading onto the creature’s wings. It screeched in fury, shaking off the rubble, but its movements were slower now, less precise.
Ayola didn’t waste the opportunity. She darted toward the next glowing pillar, her mind racing as she traced the faint network of light. The ruins were ancient, their purpose shrouded in mystery, but one thing was clear: the pillars and the central pedestal were connected. If they could disrupt that connection, they might have a chance to turn the tide.
The faint hum grew louder as she reached the second pillar. It wasn’t just a sound—it was a sensation, vibrating through the ground and into her very bones. Whatever power these ruins held, it was ancient and immense. She crouched beside the base of the pillar, her sharp eyes scanning the carvings.
Behind her, Soren’s voice rang out again. “Ayola, whatever you’re doing, do it faster!”
She didn’t reply. Her focus narrowed to the glowing runes, her mind working through the possibilities. The beast’s screech echoed through the ruins, and she knew they were running out of time.
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Soren ducked under a shattered archway, his feet skidding against the uneven ground as he glanced over his shoulder. The beast was relentless. His breath came in ragged bursts, his muscles screaming with the effort of staying ahead. The narrow passageways that had been his advantage moments ago now felt suffocating—there was nowhere left to run.
The beast lunged, its talons raking through the rubble just inches from his back. Soren pivoted sharply, his instincts screaming at him to keep moving. But as he zig-zagged through the ruins, he realized with a sinking feeling that the creature had caught onto his pattern. Each turn, each feint—it adapted faster, its movements becoming more precise.
He was running out of options.
Soren skidded to a halt as his path narrowed into a dead end—a jagged alcove bordered by crystalline feathers embedded deep into the stone. The beast’s guttural growls echoed behind him, growing louder with every second. His eyes darted around, searching for an opening, a weakness—anything. But there was none.
The beast emerged from the shadows, its wings flaring wide as it closed the distance.
Soren’s grip tightened on his katana, his sharp mind calculating the split-second decisions that might keep him alive. There was no way out, no room to maneuver. If he was going to survive this, he had to face it head-on.
With a deep breath, he stepped forward, his chain whip snapping out to wrap around a nearby embedded feather. He yanked hard, using the leverage to swing himself upward. The beast lunged just as he twisted mid-air, his katana flashing in a wide arc. The blade glanced off the creature’s wing, sparks flying as it scraped against the crystalline surface.
Soren landed hard, his knees buckling slightly before he straightened. The beast let out a furious screech, its claws raking the ground as it charged again. This time, Soren didn’t retreat. Instead, he darted forward, using the momentum of his chain whip to propel himself around the creature. The whip snapped around another crystal, creating a centrifugal force that sent him spinning at incredible speed. He twisted his body, adding velocity to his movements as he closed the distance.
His katana struck true, carving a shallow gash into the beast’s side. The shimmering feathers along its wings refracted light wildly as the creature screeched in pain. Soren hit the ground and rolled to his feet, his chest heaving, his muscles trembling with the effort of maintaining his momentum.
But the beast wasn’t done. It pivoted sharply, its claws swiping toward him in a blur of crystal and power. Soren raised his katana to block, but before the strike could land, the beast’s tail lashed out from the side—a brutal, calculated feint. Soren’s eyes widened as the tail slammed into his midsection with devastating force.
He was sent flying, his body tumbling through the air like a ragdoll. As he careened toward a crumbling wall, the faint orange glow from earlier—the same hue as the ruins—flickered faintly around his body. The energy pulsed for a moment.
The impact against the first ruin sent a dull thud reverberating through the air, followed by another as he collided with a second wall farther back. Dust and debris erupted in thick clouds, obscuring him entirely from view.
The beast let out a triumphant screech, shaking the ground with the force of its cry. It spread its wings, the crystalline feathers shimmering ominously as it stalked toward the cloud of dust where Soren had fallen. Its massive talons crushed stone beneath its weight, and it lowered its head, sniffing the air like a predator savoring the hunt.
The dust hung heavy in the ruins, shrouding everything in a haze of uncertainty. The beast crouched low, preparing to strike again, its glowing eyes piercing through the haze. Then, with a powerful lunge, it dove headfirst into the cloud, the ground shaking as it tore through rubble and debris in a ferocious assault.
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Veering away from the battle’s chaos, Ayola wove through the ruins. Her sharp eyes caught a faint orange flow threading through the rubble, pulling her focus forward.
The beast’s roar faded into the distance as white-haired tactician darted through the ruins, her focus narrowing on the faint orange glow threading through the rubble.
Each step she took revealed more of the glowing network, the veins of light pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. The hum of energy grew louder, vibrating through the air and into her very bones. She could feel it now—a pull, almost magnetic, guiding her deeper into the labyrinth.
Her footsteps faltered as she reached another pillar, this one partially obscured by thick vines. The carvings glowed faintly beneath the overgrowth, their intricate patterns pulsing with the same orange light. She brushed the vines aside, her fingers tracing the runes as she examined them more closely. The pillar hummed with energy, its glow intensifying as she neared it.
The sound of Soren’s fight echoed in the distance—clashing steel, furious screeches, and the heavy crash of rubble collapsing. Her jaw tightened as she glanced back, torn between the urgency of her discovery and the need to help him. But the network of glowing light pulled her forward, leading her toward the center of the ruins. Whatever this was, it was the key.
She pressed her palm against the pillar, the carvings warm beneath her touch. With a sharp crack, the structure began to splinter, the orange glow fading as the energy within dissipated. Ayola stepped back, her heart pounding as the light in the ground dimmed, redirecting toward the next pillar.
The ruins were alive, and they were leading her somewhere.
She took off running, her movements precise and deliberate as she followed the trail. The hum of energy grew louder with each step, and she could feel the pull intensify. Her mind raced, piecing together the fragments of information—the glowing feathers, the brittle crystal, the shifting energy. It all connected to the center of the ruins, where the faint glow of the pedestal beckoned like a beacon.
“Soren,” she whispered under her breath, her thoughts racing. “Just hold on a little longer.”
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The beast’s claws scraped against the jagged stone as it prowled through the haze of dust and debris, its glowing eyes cutting through the dim light. The shimmering feathers along its wings pulsed faintly, reflecting its growing agitation. It sniffed the air, tilting its massive head as it searched for its prey. The ruins had fallen silent except for the crunch of its talons on shattered rubble and the faint whisper of the wind through the splintered structures.
The dust began to settle, revealing the collapsed wall where the beast had struck. It crouched low, its movements slow and deliberate as it crept toward the impact site. But when it reached the rubble, it froze. The area was empty. Its prey was gone.
The beast let out a low growl, a deep, guttural sound that reverberated through the ruins. It reared its head, scanning the labyrinth for any sign of movement. Its wings flared slightly, sending a cascade of crystal feathers scattering to the ground. For a moment, the ruins were still, the tension thick enough to suffocate.
Its violet eyes narrowed as it lurched forward, each step deliberate, claws scraping loudly against the ground in sharp contrast to the oppressive silence. The beast sniffed the air, its predatory instincts sharpened, as it prowled closer to the broken wall where its prey had disappeared.
The air felt thicker here, charged with the remnants of energy from the earlier fight, but the beast paid it no mind. It lowered its head, peering into the shadows behind a half-collapsed wall. Dust shifted faintly, stirred by its heavy breath, but there was no sign of Soren.
A disgruntled screech escaped its throat, the sound harsh and grating as it straightened, prowling the area with slow, deliberate movements. Each step seemed to stretch time itself, the crunch of debris beneath its talons echoing through the ruins. Its glowing eyes scanned the jagged edges of the nearby rubble, moving carefully between shadowed crevices and overgrown foliage.
On the other side of the crumbled wall, Soren crouched low, hidden behind a thick patch of foliage that clung to the ruin’s base. His chest heaved silently as he fought to steady his breathing, each inhale shallow and measured. Sweat dripped down his face, and his knuckles whitened as he gripped the hilt of his katana. He could hear the beast’s movements—slow, methodical, predatory.
The creature stalked closer, its massive form brushing against the wall that separated them. Soren remained perfectly still, his muscles coiled like a spring. The tension was unbearable, every instinct screaming at him to move, to fight, to run. But he stayed put, his sharp eyes locked on the faint silhouette of the beast through the cracks in the wall.
A talon scraped against the stone, the sound grating in the silence. The beast stopped directly on the other side of the wall, its head lowering as it sniffed the air. Soren held his breath, his pulse thundering in his ears as he braced himself. His grip on the katana tightened, the blade trembling faintly as he prepared for the inevitable.
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The air grew colder and heavier as she descended further into the ruins, her footsteps echoing in the narrowing stone passage.The pulsing veins of light that had guided her now branched out in intricate patterns, illuminating the carvings along the walls. As she stepped forward, the corridor opened into a vast chamber, its domed ceiling partially collapsed, letting faint moonlight filter through the cracks. The air hummed with energy, vibrating faintly against her skin.
At the chamber’s center stood a pedestal, its surface etched with intricate runes that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Atop the pedestal rested a small orb, its crystalline surface glowing softly. The carvings surrounding it seemed alive, the orange light flowing through them in rhythmic pulses like a heartbeat.
Ayola approached cautiously, her sharp eyes scanning the chamber. The air here felt different—heavy, almost electric, as if the ruins themselves were holding their breath. Her hand brushed the edge of the pedestal, and she froze. The runes reacted to her touch, their glow intensifying for a brief moment before dimming again. The orb remained in place, its light steady but unyielding.
Her fingers hovered over the artifact, hesitating. The energy emanating from it was powerful, ancient, and entirely unknown. The crash of rubble echoed faintly in the distance, snapping her out of her thoughts. She clenched her jaw, her resolve hardening. “No time to think,” she muttered to herself. “Just do it.”
With a sharp inhale, Ayola wrapped her fingers around the orb. The moment she touched it, a searing pain shot through her hand, coursing up her arm like molten fire. Her braid trembled with effort as her head dipped forward, sweat tracing the curve of her sharp jaw. The wrapped strands framing her face clung to her damp skin as she gritted her teeth, her amber eyes blazing with determination. The runes on the pedestal flared brightly, the energy resisting her grasp with an almost sentient force, as if trying to repel her entirely.
Her knees buckled slightly, but she held on, her determination outweighing the agony.
Ayola clenched her teeth, her mind racing through every possible outcome. If she couldn’t remove the relic, the energy might keep the beast tethered to this place—or worse, release it completely. The thought of Soren fighting alone above made her hands tighten, the pain coursing through her arm ignored as she threw every ounce of her strength into pulling the orb free.
“Come on,” she growled through clenched teeth, her muscles straining as she pulled. The orb felt impossibly heavy, as if the entire ruin’s weight bore down on it.
Finally, with a sharp, cracking sound, the orb came free. Ayola stumbled back, clutching it tightly as a wave of energy surged through the chamber. The orange light rippled outward, flowing through the ruins and dimming the glowing network beneath her feet. The air shifted suddenly, the oppressive weight lifting as a strange stillness settled over the ruins.
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The beast froze mid-step, its towering frame rigid as the wave of energy rippled through the ruins. The faint glow beneath its feet flickered, the pulsing veins of light dimming until they vanished entirely. Its glowing eyes wavered, the relentless fury in its gaze softening, replaced by something new—an inkling of awareness, of recognition.
It let out a guttural sound, low and deep, but it wasn’t the harsh screech of rage that had haunted the ruins. The noise carried a different weight, almost like a questioning note. The creature tilted its massive head, the glow in its wings dimming further as it scanned its surroundings. The oppressive tension that had permeated the air began to lift, replaced by a strange, almost disconcerting stillness.
And then it happened—a sound that pierced the silence and sent chills down Soren’s spine. The beast let out a shriek, its voice reverberating through the ruins like a shockwave. But this wasn’t like the screeches it had unleashed before. This sound was different—alive, raw, and layered with something unrecognizable. It was as if the creature were crying out, not in rage, but in pain or confusion.
Soren, still hidden behind the wall, pressed himself lower, his katana trembling in his grip. The shriek carried on, rising in pitch and intensity until it suddenly cut off, leaving the ruins in utter silence.
The beast unfurled its wings, the faint shimmer of its feathers returning as it reared back. With a powerful thrust, it launched itself into the air, the force sending a gust of wind through the ruins that scattered dust and debris in its wake. Soren tensed, his sharp eyes following its movements as it rose higher, the sound of its wings cutting through the air.
He stayed perfectly still, his breath caught in his chest, as the creature circled once, its massive silhouette framed against the faint light breaking through the ruins. And then, without warning, it flew off into the distance, its hulking form shrinking against the horizon until it disappeared entirely.
Soren’s knuckles whitened around the hilt of his katana, his chest heaving with controlled, measured breaths. For a long moment, he didn’t move, the silence pressing down on him like a weight. Finally, he exhaled shakily, the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding escaping his lips.
As the beast disappeared into the distance, Soren’s body gave out. His katana slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground as he staggered and dropped to his knees.
The jagged rubble bit into his legs, but he didn’t care. A shuddering breath escaped him, and he collapsed onto his back, staring up at the sky through the fractured ruins. The silence felt oppressive, almost deafening after the chaos, but for once, he welcomed it.
The cool stone beneath him seemed to sap the fire from his aching muscles, and he let his eyes close for a moment, his chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. The beast was gone. He was alive. That was enough for now.
A faint rumble echoed in the distance, the ruins shifting once more, and Soren forced his eyes open. His gaze flicked toward the center of the ruins, where the faint pulse of the pedestal’s glow still lingered, steady and unyielding.
Whatever had just happened, it wasn’t over. Not yet.