Chapter 7 : The Lost Ruins

**Chapter 7: The Lost Ruins**

The sun hung high in the sky as Alina and her companions trekked through the dense forest beyond the trial bridge. The air smelled of damp earth and blooming flowers, yet an eerie stillness settled around them, as if the land itself was holding its breath.

Zephyr was the first to sense something was off. "We're being watched," he murmured, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.

Cassian's flames flickered at his fingertips. "I feel it too. It's not just animals."

Rowan smirked. "Well, that's not ominous at all."

Alina focused, stretching her spiritual senses outward. A strange energy pulsed ahead, different from anything she had felt before. "Something's up ahead. It's powerful."

They pushed forward, navigating through the thick foliage until they stumbled upon an ancient ruin hidden within the heart of the forest. Massive stone pillars, covered in glowing runes, jutted from the ground, forming the skeletal remains of what must have once been a grand structure.

"This place…" Cassian's voice was barely a whisper. "It feels ancient."

Zephyr knelt by one of the runes, tracing it with his fingers. "These symbols… They predate any known civilization."

Rowan let out a low whistle. "So we've found some creepy lost ruins. What now?"

Alina stepped forward, drawn by an invisible force. As soon as she set foot inside the ruins, the air crackled with magic. The runes began to glow brighter, and suddenly, the ground trembled beneath them.

The ruins responded to her presence.

A deep voice echoed through the air, ancient and commanding. "Who dares trespass upon the Temple of the Forgotten?"

Cassian's stance stiffened. "Temple? That means there could be relics here."

Zephyr shot him a warning look. "And dangers."

Alina inhaled deeply. "We mean no harm. We seek knowledge."

Silence.

Then, a gust of wind swept through the ruins, and the ground cracked open. From the fissure, spectral guardians emerged, their forms flickering between solid and mist. Their eyes glowed with an unearthly light as they brandished spectral weapons.

Rowan groaned. "Why is it always ghostly warriors?"

Zephyr drew his sword. "No time for complaints. Defend yourselves!"

The battle erupted in an instant. The guardians moved like the wind, their attacks swift and merciless. Cassian sent out waves of fire, but the spirits barely flinched. Zephyr's blade sliced through them, yet they reformed just as quickly. Rowan ducked and weaved, striking with precision but never quite landing a solid hit.

Alina clenched her fists. If conventional attacks weren't working, then maybe…

She closed her eyes and focused. The energy of the ruins pulsed through her, the same magic that animated the guardians. If she could tap into it…

Her body surged with raw power, her elemental magic flaring to life. She extended her hands, summoning wind and water in a harmonious dance. The moment her magic touched the spectral warriors, they froze, as if recognizing her.

One by one, they turned to her, their weapons lowering. The tension in the air shifted.

The voice spoke again. "The Heir of Elements has returned."

Alina's breath caught in her throat. "Heir of Elements?"

The guardians knelt before her before fading back into the ruins, leaving only silence.

Cassian exhaled. "Well, that was different."

Rowan grinned. "I think we just found out something very interesting about you, Alina."

Zephyr's gaze lingered on her. "We need to find out what this place truly is."

Alina looked at the glowing runes, feeling the weight of destiny settle upon her shoulders. Whatever secrets lay within these ruins, they were tied to her.

And she was ready to uncover them. Traps, Trouble, and Too Much Talking

The moment Alina took another step deeper into the ruins, the floor shifted beneath her feet. A loud *click* echoed through the chamber.

"Uh-oh," Rowan muttered. "That didn't sound good."

Before anyone could react, the ground vanished beneath them, and they plummeted into darkness.

Alina barely had time to scream before she landed on something—or rather, someone.

"Ow!" Cassian groaned from beneath her. "Alina, get off me."

"Not my fault!" she shot back, rolling off him just as Rowan landed ungracefully next to them with a loud *thud*.

"I hate ancient ruins," Rowan wheezed.

Zephyr, of course, landed gracefully on his feet, barely fazed. He looked around the dimly lit chamber they had fallen into, ignoring Rowan's grumbling. "Looks like we're trapped."

Cassian groaned, rubbing his shoulder. "Fantastic. And here I thought today would be trap-free."

Alina squinted into the darkness. The chamber was large, with walls covered in more glowing runes. In the center stood a massive stone door with intricate carvings and—oh great—a giant, very obvious pressure plate in front of it.

Rowan sighed. "Well, we all know how this goes. Touch the wrong thing, and something tries to kill us."

Cassian crossed his arms. "So, what's the plan? Do we just press the plate and hope for the best?"

Alina stared at the door. "Maybe there's another way. Let me see if I can read these runes first."

She stepped closer, studying the glowing symbols. They whispered to her in an old, forgotten language, the meaning unraveling in her mind.

"'Only the chosen may pass. Prove your worth through the trial of—'" Alina frowned. "'—wit, agility, and trust.'"

Rowan perked up. "Wit? Agility? I like where this is going."

Cassian gave him a skeptical look. "You like anything that sounds like a game."

Zephyr's sharp eyes scanned the room. "Then we need to figure out what this 'trial' actually is."

As if on cue, torches on the walls burst into flame, illuminating the chamber. The stone walls shifted, revealing hidden alcoves filled with dart holes, swinging axes, and—Alina gulped—moving platforms over a pit of what looked like very sharp spikes.

Rowan whistled. "Okay, I take it back. I don't like this."

Cassian rolled his shoulders. "We've been through worse. Let's split up and figure out how to get through this."

Zephyr pointed at the nearest section of the chamber. "I'll take the moving platforms."

Cassian smirked. "I'll handle the fire traps."

Rowan grinned. "That leaves me with the darts and axes. Nice."

Alina groaned. "And what do I get?"

Zephyr glanced at the glowing runes on the door. "You get to solve the final puzzle."

Rowan chuckled. "No pressure."

Alina sighed and turned her attention to the runes while the others tackled their respective challenges.

Zephyr moved swiftly across the shifting platforms, his balance impeccable. Cassian used his flames to counter the fire traps, timing each step with precision. Rowan—being Rowan—decided to make a game out of dodging the darts and axes, laughing as he narrowly avoided each one.

"Could you stop *enjoying* this?" Alina called out, exasperated.

Rowan dodged another axe with a grin. "What? I thrive under pressure."

Finally, as they reached their destinations, Alina pressed her hands against the final puzzle—a complex series of runes that needed to be aligned in a specific pattern.

With a deep breath, she let her instincts take over. The runes responded, shifting and glowing in sequence until—

*Click.*

The massive stone door groaned and began to open.

Rowan dusted himself off. "And *that's* how it's done."

Cassian smirked. "We barely survived, but sure, let's pretend that was easy."

Zephyr nodded at Alina. "Good work."

Alina exhaled, feeling both relieved and exhausted. "Let's just get out of here before something else tries to kill us."

With the door open, they stepped forward, ready to face whatever came next. And knowing their luck, it wouldn't be anything simple.