Off the coast of Javon City, the moon hung low, casting a silvery glow on the restless waves. Soon something began to rise from the depths to the surface, illuminated by the ethereal light. A city emerged from the water-a ghostly outline of ancient spires and crumbling towers.

The following day it caught the attention of the local investigators of district Tomata. The mysterious city was a fair distance away from the coast but was still visible. A few investigators headed out to check out this mysterious place.

Sophie, a star rank, stood on the deck of a small boat looking straight ahead towards the island. The fresh salt air on her face. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation; the discovery had stirred the district into a frenzy, not wanting to reveal this to the public before it was investigated or else adventurers would herd towards it.

"Look at that!" Mark, her colleague and fellow star rank, pointed as the outlines of the city grew clearer. The intricate carvings and remnants of stone structures whispered of a forgotten civilization. "It's like something out of a dream."

"Or a nightmare," Sophie replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She tapped her bracelet and a holographic screen appeared. She used it to snap a picture of the distant city.

As the boat inched closer, the sound of water slapping against the hull mingled with the distant calls of seabirds. The divers begin to jump into the water to explore the surroundings and determine how it rose from underwater.

Sophie and Mark move from the shore into the city. As they did, the full scale of its ancient grandeur became evident. Towering spires, once majestic, now leaned at precarious angles, their stone surfaces worn and mottled by centuries of brine and algae. The once-pristine carvings that adorned the buildings had faded into shadowy outlines, yet hints of artistry remained-intricate motifs of swirling waves and creatures long forgotten.

Mark looked around, his eyes wide with wonder as he snapped photos of his surroundings. "Can you believe this place? It's incredible! Look at those golems!" He pointed to a cluster of weathered stone constructs standing guard at the entrance of what might have been a grand plaza. Their forms were partially covered in coral and seaweed.

"Incredible, yes. But something is unsettling about it." Sophie tapped her bracelet and typed up a message but noticed something odd. "Hey Mark, are you getting a signal"

Mark tapped his bracelet and looked at his screen, "No, I'm not getting a signal. Is that strange, I mean we're not on the mainland anymore"

"Obviously, these things should work even off the mainland. They developed them in Aetheria which is even further from the mainland" she explained. "Let's just investigate quickly"

"The unknown is what makes exploration worthwhile," Mark replied, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and bravado.

Sophie hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the boat, then nodded. "Alright. But let's stick together."

As they ventured deeper, the city revealed itself in eerie beauty. The entire ground was made of stone, giving evidence that this was a man-made city. Everything on the island was made of stone. The ground was littered with remnants of a past life-broken columns, shattered pottery, and fragments of what had once been vibrant murals, now dull and obscured by layers of sediment. Suspended above the city, a massive stone pyramid hovered in the sky, looming three hundred feet above, casting an imposing shadow over the ruins below.

They entered into a central square, where a massive stone fountain stood at its heart, now filled with murky water and crowned with spiraling tendrils of kelp. Dead fish piled around them, caught up with the city's rising, were stuck in the city, and lost their water source.

"Look at that!" Mark gestured towards a nearby golem, its once-proud form now marred by barnacles and erosion. "It's almost like they're frozen in time."

Sophie studied the golem. "More like they've been forgotten. I wonder what happened?"

They moved deeper into the city, the silence enveloping them. The sounds of the ocean faded, replaced by the soft creaking of stone and the distant rustle of marine life. Sophie's pulse quickened as they ventured through the archways of a crumbling building.

"Can you imagine what this place was like?" Mark murmured, brushing away sediment from a stone relief. "It must have been beautiful."

"Beautiful, and dangerous," Sophie replied, her gaze sweeping over the wreckage. "Whatever led to its downfall, I can't shake the feeling that it's still here. We need to be careful."

As they explored further, they discovered remnants of what might have been a marketplace, stalls now crumbled and overrun with aquatic growth. The air was thick with the scent of salt and decay, a reminder of the passage of time. Sophie felt an inexplicable weight settle on her chest.

"Let's check that building over there," Mark pointed to a larger structure at the end of the square, its roof partially collapsed but still imposing.

As they entered the building, the silence deepened, and Sophie couldn't shake the feeling that they were not alone. "Mark, do you feel that?" she asked, glancing around at the darkened corners.

"What?" He turned, his expression shifting to one of concern.

"Like... something dangerous is lurking around."

Mark shrugged, trying to keep his tone light. "We'll be fine. We're both Star rank, so we should be able to handle pretty much anything this place throws at us. Besides, if something too dangerous does appear there is no way for it to get off this island city and if we dont return to the mainland in time the place will become a quarantined zone"

They continued their exploration, their footsteps echoing faintly through the hall. After several turns and dimly lit rooms, they found themselves standing before a massive stone entrance, its arched doorway leading into a dark, yawning corridor.

Mark hesitated, studying the ominous entrance. "A labyrinth... Just our luck."

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Sophie nodded, glancing back toward the way they'd come. "This just became too much for us to handle alone. Let's get back and call in more help. We need a full team for this one."

Mark agreed. After taking some pictures, they retraced their steps and headed back to the boat. The sun had begun to set as they waited for the divers to return. They wrote their findings down and made sure to document everything they witnessed. It took them all day to walk around and they only investigated less than a tenth of the entire city.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the bow of the boat. The divers emerged, breaking the silence. One of the divers climbed onto the boat, clutching something tightly in his hand-a glimmering object that sparkled.

"What did you find?" Mark shouted, eyes wide with curiosity.

The diver's voice trembled from the cold as he spoke, "It's... it's a relic."

Sophie moved closer, the allure of the mysterious object drawing her in despite her instincts warning her to stay back.

As the diver held up the relic-a beautifully crafted amulet with a turquoise gem, adorned with strange symbols.

"What do you think this is?" Mark asked, his excitement coming through.

Sophie swallowed hard, her eyes locked on the amulet. "I don't know, but we need to find out. I have a feeling this city could change everything."

The following day, Sophie and Mark sat across from their boss, Director Hale, in his office. Sophie and Mark laid out their findings and placed their bracelets on the table showing the holographic pictures they had taken.

Director Hale leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied the images. "You're certain about all of this?"

"Yes, sir," Mark replied. "There's no doubt. And this labyrinth... it's massive. We haven't even scratched the surface of exploring this city"

Sophie nodded in agreement. "We believe this discovery could hold untapped historical significance-maybe even something that predates everything we know about this region. But we have no idea what's lying in wait down there. We're requesting additional personnel to conduct a thorough investigation."

Director Hale took a deep breath, glancing over at the photos once more before sitting back. "Listen, I'm afraid we're going to have to hand this over to officials. You're both going to be off this case. We don't have the personal capacity to explore something this grand. With a discovery like this, government officials are already pressuring us to hand it over"

Sophie's heart sank as Director Hale's words hit her. "But, sir," she began, trying to keep the frustration from her voice, "we're the ones who discovered it, who've seen it with our own eyes. We should have the right to explore it. We are even Star ranks, we should have the authority to explore unidentified locations."

Director Hale's gaze softened, but his tone remained firm. "I understand, Sophie. But this isn't a simple excavation. This discovery goes far beyond our department's capacity. It's not a matter of rank. Officials are calling it a matter of national importance. They want full control over the investigation."

"National importance my ass, an island city isn't enough to consider it state importance" murmured Sophie.

Mark leaned forward, his jaw clenched. "Sir, with all due respect, this discovery belongs to the people of the Tomata district. If licensed personal of high enough rank are already registered to be investigating, the government can not intervene"

Hale sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know. Believe me, I've fought to keep this within our team, but the decision's already been made. The district administration already handed it over to the city officials. They'll bring in their resources, their own specialists, and, frankly, their own security."

Sophie shared a glance with Mark, her resolve hardening. "At the very least," she said, her voice steady, "we need to be there to guide them through since we have knowledge of the terrain."

After a moment, Director Hale nodded reluctantly. "I'll push for you both to remain as consultants. But you have to be prepared for them to take control"

As they left the office, Sophie glanced at Mark, a spark of determination in her eyes. "We're not giving up that easily. This isn't just another case-it's history waiting to be uncovered. And we're going to make sure it's done right."

Mark raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I thought you didn't like being there. You were being pretty pessimistic, after all."

"Just because I was being cautious doesn't mean I'm not taking this seriously," Sophie shot back, crossing her arms. "This was our district's discovery. We shouldn't have to hand over jurisdiction."

"Well as long as we remain on the case, it means we'll continue working with each other," Mark said with a grin, "I look forward to continuing to work with you"

After four months, the exploration team had scoured the city and mapped most of the labyrinth, finally declaring it safe for public access. The labyrinth was granted a "Planet" rank due to the danger level of the monsters that appeared and the danger of the traps.

After further investigation, they uncovered the name of this ancient city, Sitnalta.

Sitnalta, one of the legendary lost cities, had eluded discovery for centuries. Many people have tried to uncover its location but have failed due to incomplete information leaving many believing it to be pure myth.

Even with today's technology, constructing a city on water remained a feat out of reach, making Sitnalta's floating architecture all the more extraordinary.

A bridge, skillfully built by earth users of many ranks, connected the once-inaccessible city to the mainland. Over the next few months, a dedicated construction team meticulously restored Sitnalta's structures. Careful not to compromise the city's historic integrity, they used the original materials used to build the city to rebuild it. The city was divided into four districts. The rivers going through the city acted as borders between the districts.

The local government took steps to regulate new construction, ensuring that Sitnalta's unique charm remained intact. As artists worked to recreate the original murals and stone masons repaired intricate carvings, Sitnalta's allure grew. Each street corner, it seemed, held a piece of history restored to its former glory. Hundreds of workers worked day and night to complete it as fast as they could.

Three months later, Sitnalta was officially opened to the public. Initially, Adventurers were the first people to visit the city as they eagerly entered the labyrinth, fueled by legends claiming Sitnalta had once housed great treasures. The first wave of explorers returned with tales of twisting passages and hidden chambers, though no treasures had yet been found. However, rumors of riches lying within Sitnalta's depths only drew more adventurers from across the land.

As interest in Sitnalta grew, visitors explored the city with a mixture of awe and caution. Business owners set up shops to meet the needs of tourists and settlers alike, eager to sell wares to the growing influx of visitors. Food stalls, artisan shops, and trinket markets quickly filled the squares and alleyways, breathing new life into Sitnalta's historic structures.

Housing has recently become a major problem in Javon City. Due to the influx of settlers coming from many states, they could not meet the demand for housing. This city had begun to fix this issue as it had many residential areas with plenty of housing. The prices were very expensive, largely because the city is built on water and has been undergoing a rebuild to restore it to its former glory. The cheaper areas are found in residential zones where apartment buildings are cramped and space is limited, offering more affordable options.

It was a slow process but soon many people began to flock towards the city. It didn't take long for the city to become its own community. The government was wary of allowing so many people into the city so a check in was created at the front of the bridge where everyone must be checked in before entering the city. No one in the city is unaccounted for.

The discovery of this city was so important, many merchants that heard of its opening came from different states to sell their goods. This was limited to the fact that the goods were difficult to import so they would only be sold this once.

Mark and Sophie watched the evolution of Sitnalta with satisfaction. Though their role in its discovery had been overtaken by larger forces, they couldn't deny the sense of pride they felt as they walked the now-vibrant streets, seeing life return to a place once lost to legend.