Chapter 14: The Final Ruins

The three relics glowed in our hands, casting a soft light that illuminated the darkened chamber. With the defeat of the inferno dragon, we had unlocked the final quest, and our next objective was clear: uncover the hidden secrets of Treasure Island. The map guided us to a new area on the island—a structure that seemed different from anything we'd encountered before.

The journey there was surprisingly quiet. The techno ruins and the orange desert faded into the distance as we ventured into a part of the island we hadn't seen yet. The landscape around us gradually changed, becoming more serene and almost ethereal. The air felt lighter, and the ground beneath our feet was smooth and white, like marble.

As we approached our destination, a grand structure loomed on the horizon. It was a vast, open building, reminiscent of ancient Greek temples, with towering columns and an expansive, open roof. The walls, if they could be called that, were merely a series of archways, allowing the cool island breeze to flow through freely. The temple seemed to be untouched by time, standing in stark contrast to the chaotic, glitch-filled areas we had encountered before.

"This is it," ShadowStalker said, his voice hushed with awe. "The final ruins." 

We walked up the marble steps, our footsteps echoing in the stillness. The temple was empty, devoid of the monsters or traps we had grown accustomed to. Instead, the atmosphere was calm, almost reverent. As we stepped inside, the relics in our hands began to hum with energy. 

At the center of the temple, we found a large circular platform inscribed with strange symbols. It pulsed with a faint glow, and as we approached, the relics lifted out of our hands, hovering in the air before slotting themselves into three corresponding indentations on the platform.

Suddenly, a series of holographic images flickered into existence around us. They depicted scenes from the game's history—battles, ancient civilizations, and mythical creatures long forgotten. It was as if the temple itself was telling us a story, revealing the hidden lore of Tale Tale Fantasy.

"Look at this," I whispered, watching the images play out around us. "This must be the backstory of the game."

"Yeah, no shit," he sighed. "They haven't changed shit."

 I guess he already knew all this.

The lore was rich and detailed, showing the rise and fall of powerful empires, the creation of the relics, and the battles between gods and mortals. Each scene added depth to the world we had been exploring, making it feel more alive, more real. As the final image faded, the relics glowed brightly one last time before disappearing into the platform, their energy absorbed into the structure.

Before us, three chests materialized, each one as ornate as the relics themselves. They were covered in intricate carvings and shimmering with treasure. We approached cautiously, unsure of what to expect.

"This feels... significant," ShadowStalker said, running his hand over one of the chests. "Like the culmination of everything we've been through."

Daisy: Treasure!

IKYKYK: Let's go!

Viewer6: Is it me or do those chests look sexy?

I nodded in agreement. "Let's open them."

We each took a chest, opening them simultaneously. Inside, we found piles of gold coins, rare weapons, armor, and other valuable items. It was a treasure trove, a fitting reward for all the challenges we had faced. But beyond the material wealth, there was something more—scrolls, ancient and worn, each containing a piece of the game's lore. Also, I got two new skills, so nice!

As we divided the treasure, our quest log updated: **Quest Complete: Uncover the Hidden Secrets of Treasure Island**.

 >>Level up!

Just as we finished collecting our rewards, the temple around us began to tremble. The ground shook, and the once-solid walls and pillars started to flicker and distort. The island, it seemed, was beginning to unrender.

"We might...need to run," I said, putting everything in my inventory.

"Uh-huh," ShadowStalker nodded, stuffing a few more items into his inventory before turning to run. We dashed out of the temple as the marble floor began to break apart beneath our feet. The serene landscape outside was dissolving, pixel by pixel, the world we had just explored falling away into nothingness.

We made it back to the portal just in time, diving through as the island collapsed behind us. The screen flashed, and we found ourselves back at the starting area, the island completely gone from the map.

Viwer5: Back to the shitty graphics again, boys.

"That was close," ShadowStalker said, breathing heavily.

"Yeah," I agreed, my heart still racing. "But it was fun. 

As we stood there, catching our breath, a message popped up on our screens: >>Congratulations! You have completed the Treasure Island questline. More adventures await you in future updates.

It was over. The island, the quests, the challenges—all completed. We had uncovered the secrets, but the game had hinted that this was just the beginning.

"What do you think comes next?" ShadowStalker asked, his eyes still on the screen.

"I don't know," I replied, a smile tugging at my lips. "Shouldn't you be the veteran?"

My man put his hands up like he had no clues whatsoever.

With our inventories full of treasure and our minds full of new questions, we logged out, knowing that the adventure was far from over.