The forest had grown darker as Lioren and Rattle returned to the ruins the next day. The blue glow of the pedestal had faded, leaving only faint traces of its ancient magic in the stones. Lioren adjusted his satchel and ran his fingers over the vial he had collected yesterday.
Rattle rattled nervously beside him. Master, are you sure we should come back? I mean, yesterday's experience was… educational, sure, but also terrifying.
Lioren smiled. Terrifying is exactly why we come back. Every challenge teaches us something. Today, we'll explore deeper, see what else these ruins hide, and maybe even test our combat skills.
Rattle clattered his jaw. Combat skills, he said? You mean we're going to fight something alive this time? Because last time it was mostly ghosts and lessons.
Ignoring Rattle's commentary, Lioren stepped into the ruins, his eyes scanning every shadow. Broken pillars and moss-covered statues lined the corridors. The air smelled of damp stone and faint traces of ancient magic.
As they moved deeper, a sudden clatter echoed from behind a fallen wall. Three skeletal guardians emerged, their bones jagged and covered with faint traces of glowing runes. Their eyes flared with necrotic energy as they raised rusted swords.
Rattle rattled furiously. Master, this is exactly why I said maybe we should have stayed home!
Lioren raised a hand, summoning two skeletons from the earth to his side. These would act as his first line of defense. The guardians lunged at them, swords clashing with bone in loud, sharp impacts. The sound echoed through the ruins, rattling the remaining stones.
Stay calm, Rattle, Lioren thought. Watch and learn.
With precise gestures, Lioren directed his skeletons, guiding them to flank the guardians. One guardian swung a sword at him directly, and Lioren ducked, drawing a rune on the floor with chalk. Blue energy erupted, creating a temporary barrier that forced the attacker back.
Rattle groaned. Master, that's… actually impressive. But also extremely noisy and terrifying.
Lioren smirked. Noise is part of strategy. The goal isn't silence—it's survival.
The guardians coordinated their attacks, swinging and lunging with relentless precision. Lioren responded by summoning two more skeletons, slightly larger this time, each carrying a crude bone club. They collided with the guardians, sending sparks of magic and bone flying.
One guardian swung high, and Lioren rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow. He flicked his fingers, sending a wave of blue energy toward the remaining attacker, staggering it.
Rattle's voice buzzed with sarcasm. Master, maybe we should write a polite note to the skeletons before we fight them. Just a suggestion.
Lioren laughed as he pressed on. Every movement, every rune, every command was a test of his skill. The guardians fought intelligently, but they underestimated the boy's cleverness.
After several tense moments, one skeleton guardian collapsed under a perfectly timed strike from Lioren's summoning. The remaining two hesitated, and with careful coordination, he forced them back, finally disassembling them with a small burst of magic.
Rattle rattled his jaw. Master, you're lucky I like your enthusiasm, because that was… terrifying. But impressive. Very impressive.
Lioren exhaled, brushing dust from his hands. Each encounter, each obstacle, strengthened his resolve and skill. But as he turned to explore further, a faint rumble shook the ground beneath his feet.
Rattle stiffened. Master… did you feel that?
Lioren's eyes narrowed. Yes. Something is out there. Something big.
He didn't see it yet, but a shadow passed across the moss-covered walls. It was larger than any creature he had faced, and its movement carried a weight of ancient power. The rumble continued, low and deep, like bones shifting beneath the earth.
Rattle rattled frantically. Master… I think that thing from the legends… it's awake.
Lioren frowned, curiosity and caution mixing in equal measure. Whatever it was, it was far beyond the level of the skeletal guardians. He noted the faint glow along its shadow—blue, pulsing, like the spectral magic he had seen yesterday.
We'll deal with it carefully, he thought. One step at a time. First, exploration. Then, preparation. Then, whatever comes.
As they moved deeper into the ruins, the air grew colder, carrying whispers that seemed to come from the stones themselves. Faint skeletal shapes moved in the shadows, too fast or ethereal to see clearly. The presence of something enormous lingered just out of sight, a hidden force that demanded attention.
Rattle's voice buzzed anxiously. Master… I don't like this. That shadow, that energy… it feels like a warning.
Lioren nodded, feeling the hum of magic under his fingers. He understood now that the ruins were layered tests—first the puzzle of the pedestal, then the guardians, and now this looming presence. Every stage was preparing him for something far greater.
We'll be ready, he whispered. Whatever waits in the shadows, whatever is stronger than these skeletons, we will face it.
Together, they continued into the deeper corridors of the ruins. The shadows thickened, the air pulsed with magical energy, and faint blue glows shimmered along walls and broken statues. Lioren felt the excitement of discovery mix with a growing sense of awe.
Somewhere, hidden in the ruins, a force slept, watching, waiting. And when the time came, Lioren knew it would challenge everything he had learned so far.
Rattle rattled softly beside him, muttering under his breath. Master… remind me to negotiate with it before it decides to attack.
Lioren laughed quietly. One day, Rattle, one day.
And with that, the two companions pressed on, deeper into the heart of the ancient ruins, ready to face the unknown, with laughter, strategy, and magic guiding their steps.