Robert turned away from the monument and faced the others.
He explained his decision simply. They knew the monument was ancient. They knew something was buried beneath it. They knew the formation covering it had been built by someone far more powerful than anyone currently standing in this valley.
What they did not know was why any of it existed, who had built it, or what it was designed to do. Disturbing a formation they did not understand was not a risk worth taking yet. The surrounding settlement contained answers they had not found. That was where they should look next.
Everyone agreed without discussion.
They began with the inner ring of buildings closest to the monument.
The construction quality changed noticeably as they moved toward the center of the settlement. Buildings near the valley's outer edge had been built with standard stone blocks and basic mortar.
