Ruins

Upon his sudden defeat, Ragnar exited the stage and made his way back toward Julius, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"So, how does it feel to get your ass handed to you?" Julius asked, barely containing his laughter.

Ragnar's eye twitched as he replied, "Why don't I show you instead, huh? It might be faster." He flexed his arm with a threatening gesture, a vein bulging on his forehead.

Julius backed up with an exaggerated pose, holding his hands in mock-surrender. "Nah, I'm good," he said, lowering his voice to a pseudo-wise tone. "As a wise man once said: If you can avoid a beating, you avoid it." He paused for dramatic effect, nodding sagely as if imparting ancient wisdom.

Ragnar raised an eyebrow, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. This guy was always ready with a joke, no matter the situation. But before he could retort, Julius's grin returned.

"Nah, seriously though, did you not know who that guy was?" Julius asked, his voice dropping to a more serious note.

Ragnar shrugged. "Was I supposed to?"

"Well, yeah," Julius replied, a bit taken aback. "In the region of Savannah, only one family is known for having blond hair—the Hargrave family. I thought you knew before going on stage."

"Well, no, I didn't. To be fair, I recently found out that I've lost all memory of this place. So you could say my knowledge of this world is next to nothing," Ragnar explained.

Julius raised an eyebrow, waiting for the punchline. When he saw that Ragnar's expression was dead serious, he was genuinely shocked.

"For real? Like, really forgetting everything? Man, that must be tough." Julius shook his head in disbelief. Then, patting Ragnar on the shoulder, he added, "Long story short, the Hargrave family comes from a bloodline that traces back to one of the people from the Divine Council. No wonder you got your butt kicked!"

Ragnar grimaced. "Wish I'd known that before I went toe-to-toe with him."

Julius laughed. "Hey, at least you know now. Next time, maybe do a little research before you jump into the ring." He gave Ragnar a sympathetic look. "If you ever need a crash course in who's who, just let me know."

"Anyway, before coming here, I heard various rumors about this place. You interested in checking it out?" Julius suggested.

"Sure," Ragnar replied, curious about what Julius had in mind.

As they walked through the bustling streets of Axiom City, they passed by a variety of shops and businesses. There were bakeries with sweet-smelling pastries, blacksmiths hammering away at hot metal, jewelry shops with sparkling displays, and clothing stores showcasing the latest fashion trends. The streets were alive with activity, filled with people shopping, chatting, and exploring.

Julius took the lead, guiding Ragnar through the city. They moved away from the bustling center, heading toward the northeastern outskirts. The further they went, the more the lively atmosphere faded. The vibrant energy of the city center gave way to quieter streets with fewer people. The buildings became less frequent, and the landscape took on a more neglected appearance.

As they continued walking, they noticed that this area was sparsely populated, with many structures appearing abandoned or in disrepair. The contrast with the vibrant city center was stark, and Ragnar wondered where Julius was taking him. After a while, they came upon a large structure in the distance, its silhouette looming over the otherwise desolate landscape.

"There it is!" Julius exclaimed, pointing toward a large, square block of concrete. It looked ancient, with its edges worn down by time and its surface overgrown with moss. The surrounding area was littered with crumbling walls, making the place feel eerie and haunted.

Ragnar surveyed the scene, not entirely sure what to make of it. "Care to explain what this extraordinary place is?" he asked sarcastically.

Julius grinned, enjoying the theatrics of the moment. "Well, my friend, this place is rumored to have been an altar used by devil-worshipping cultists. Apparently, a long time ago, they sacrificed people here and spread terror throughout the entire region. It was so bad that the gods themselves decided to intervene. They sent mana into the world and gave mana users a divine calling to annihilate the cultists and put an end to their reign of terror." He spoke with dramatic flair, almost as if he were telling a ghost story.

"Did they succeed?" Ragnar asked, a bit skeptical of Julius's ghost story.

Julius shrugged. "Beats me. I just wanted to see this supposedly scary place that everyone keeps avoiding. But it's nothing much, really."

Just as they were about to move on, an old man appeared, leaning heavily on a cane. He was holding a broom and had a stern look on his face, his wrinkled brow furrowed as he approached them.

Ragnar and Julius exchanged surprised glances, not expecting to find anyone out here in this abandoned area. The old man gave them a once-over, his expression scrutinizing as he spoke.

"What are you lads doing here? Lost?" he asked, his voice gruff but not entirely unkind. He seemed more curious than hostile, but there was a sense of authority in his tone that made it clear he wasn't just a random passerby.

"Uhm, no, we were actually just looking around," Julius said, attempting to sound casual.

The old man raised an eyebrow. "Hah. Let me guess, you also came here for the rumors?" he asked, his tone flat and unconcerned.

Julius flinched, realizing they'd been caught, but since the cat was already out of the bag, he decided to press for more information. "So, is it true what they say about this place?"

The old man shot him a quizzical look, then made a face as if he'd just smelled something unpleasant. "Hey, lad, I know I'm old, but did you really think I was around when all that happened? These new generations, always with the insults!" He let out a huff and shook his head.

Julius laughed nervously, feeling a bit foolish. "Uh, no, I didn't mean it like that. I just thought you might know something, you know, being around the area and all," he explained, trying to backtrack.

The old man grumbled under his breath, shaking his broom at them. "Sure, sure. Everybody comes here looking for stories. Well, let me tell you, it's just a bunch of stones and old moss. Nothing to see here, so move along." He gestured for them to go back the way they came.

Ragnar smirked at Julius's awkward attempt to save face, but the old man seemed more annoyed by their presence than anything else.

The old man walked past them, sweeping the old ruins with his broom. His movements were slow but deliberate, like he was used to this kind of work.

Ragnar found the whole scene a bit odd. Why would someone be cleaning an abandoned place like this? Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to ask.

"Is there a reason you're cleaning this place, elder?"

The old man stopped sweeping and gave Ragnar a brief nod. "At least someone has some manners," he said, casting a pointed look at Julius, who avoided eye contact and started whistling like he was innocent. The old man rolled his eyes and continued, "Well, it's for business. This old ruin is the only thing that attracts people to this part of the city. Since some of us can't afford land near the center, we have to make do. This place serves as an attraction for our small shop not far from here."

"Oh, what do you sell?" Julius asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Simple dishes and snacks," the old man replied. "We mostly sell our goods in the city. Just take this path if you want to visit—my son is running the shop right now." He pointed in the direction they should go.

Intrigued, Ragnar and Julius followed the path to the shop. It was well past lunchtime, and their stomachs were starting to grumble. Finding a small diner seemed like a good idea, especially if it was associated with an old ruin that held some mystery.

After a short walk, they reached a quaint little diner. The exterior was unassuming, but the aroma of freshly cooked food wafted through the air. A man in his thirties was sitting near the entrance, but upon seeing them, he stood up and greeted them with a warm smile.

"Welcome! Looking for something to eat?" he asked, gesturing for them to come inside. The diner had a few tables, and the walls were adorned with simple decorations. It had a cozy, homey feel, a stark contrast to the eerie ruins they'd just left.

"Hello, your father guided us to this place. We heard you serve food here?" Ragnar asked as he and Julius entered the small diner.

"Yes, sir. Please, have a seat. I'll get your food ready," the man replied with a warm smile, gesturing to a couple of empty tables.

As they sat down, Ragnar couldn't resist asking a question that had been on his mind since their encounter at the ruins. "Hey, is it true what they say about the altar your father is cleaning?"

The man paused for a moment, looking at Ragnar with a hint of hesitation. After a brief silence, he spoke. "Well, I don't know if all the rumors are true. But from what I've learned, it's partly accurate. The place is indeed an altar, but it's not for a devil-worshipping cult or anything sinister like that. It's said that, long ago, it was one of the churches of a divine being."

Their ears both perked up. "Please continue," Julius urged, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, I don't know much more," the man admitted. "I heard it was something like a conflict between different faiths, resulting in one of them being completely annihilated. That's about the extent of what I know, unfortunately."

Julius nodded, intrigued. "That sounds quite interesting. Who knew something like that happened? But then again, it's mostly based on rumors, so it might be completely made up."

The old man's son smiled wryly. He knew these stories were often just that—stories. But they added a layer of intrigue to a place that was otherwise just a crumbling ruin. It wasn't unusual for tales to evolve into legends, especially when the details were lost to time.

Soon enough, their food was ready, and they tucked in, enjoying the hearty meal after their exploration. Ragnar couldn't help but think about the story the man had shared. For some reason, he felt like that the stories were not just stories.