Vivienne remained eerily still for the next hour, her gaze fixed on the distant ruins as if tethered to some invisible thread. Rava worked around her, dismantling the ward with methodical efficiency, her movements tense with suppressed irritation. When the time came to set it back up, however, she had to physically push Vivienne out of its boundaries—an act that felt more like wrestling with an immovable object than coaxing a friend to cooperate.

  It was frustrating, to say the least. Ordinarily, a ward only needed to be established once, with periodic infusions of aether to sustain its nexus. But Vivienne’s unique nature—and the ruins’ apparent effect on her—turned a straightforward process into an ongoing battle. Each night they would be staying here, Rava would find herself needing to corral her friend back into the ward’s protective embrace, ensuring she wouldn’t wander off in the dead of night. It was tedious, but the alternative—letting Vivienne succumb to whatever strange pull the ruins exerted—was unthinkable.

  At least Renzia seemed to be keeping an unyielding watch over her new mistress. The mannequin had been a constant, silent sentinel through the night, her inscrutable face angled ever so slightly toward Vivienne as though ready to intervene at the first sign of trouble. It was oddly reassuring, despite the uncanny nature of the construct. Renzia might not speak, but her presence was steadfast, her loyalty unshakable.

  Rava exhaled heavily as she finished the final adjustments to the ward, the soft glow of the aether-infused barrier pulsing faintly in the morning light. The ritual was always draining, but the extra vigince required with Vivienne’s unpredictable behavior made it feel twice as taxing. At this rate, the next few days were shaping up to be an endurance test as much as anything else.

  Straightening, she wiped her hands on her tunic and cast a gnce toward Vivienne, who was still within the ward’s boundary, her focus entirely on the distant ruins. Her posture was taut, as if some unseen force were pulling her forward. Rava’s brows furrowed in concern before she called out, her voice firm but not unkind. “Hey, Viv, can you step out of the warding zone for me?”

  Vivienne turned her head slowly, blinking as if pulling herself out of a deep trance. With a nguid nod, she began moving—but instead of heading back toward camp, she drifted toward the ruins, her steps measured and deliberate. Rava groaned softly, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Renzia,” she called over her shoulder, her tone carrying both exasperation and trust, “can you please make sure Viv doesn’t wander too far?”

  The mannequin responded with a sudden, sharp twitch, her movements jerky for an instant before smoothing into a fluid grace. Without hesitation, Renzia moved to Vivienne’s side, her head tilting as she observed her mistress with unwavering attention. As Vivienne took another step toward the ruins, Renzia reached out, her cloth-wrapped hand grasping one of Vivienne’s cws in a gentle yet firm hold.

  Vivienne paused, gncing down at the mannequin’s hand with a faint look of surprise. Her lips twitched into a wry smile, though her gaze remained distant. “Thank you, Renzia,” she murmured, her voice soft but distracted.

  Rava watched the interaction, a strange mix of relief and unease settling over her. She trusted Renzia’s devotion to Vivienne—whatever that devotion truly meant—but the mannequin’s silence made it impossible to gauge her thoughts. For now, though, Rava was grateful for the extra pair of watchful eyes. They’d need all the help they could get if the ruins continued to exert their strange influence.

  When Rava finished her work with the ward, she brushed off her hands and set off toward the ruins to catch up with the unconventional pair. The distance between the camp and the ruins wasn’t far, but it was enough to worry her with Vivienne in such an absent-minded state.

  As she drew closer, Rava’s sharp eyes picked up on the odd interaction between the two. Renzia, silent as always, kept tugging at Vivienne’s cw with her cloth-wrapped hands, her movements quick but unsteady. The mannequin’s efforts were earnest but ultimately futile—Vivienne’s strength was such that Renzia might as well have been trying to move a mountain. The nightmare-woman didn’t seem to notice, her gaze fixed ahead, a faintly serene expression on her face as if she were being gently lulled by an unseen force.

  Rava quickened her pace, closing the gap in a few long strides. Without hesitation, she pced her paw firmly on Vivienne’s shoulder and gave her a sharp tug. The sudden jolt broke through whatever trance had gripped her companion, and Vivienne blinked rapidly, her dark eyes focusing as if seeing her surroundings for the first time.

  “Viv?” Rava’s voice was calm but firm, a steady anchor in the surreal pull of the ruins. “We can go investigate the ruins now. Can I trust you to stay sharp while we’re in there?”

  Vivienne tilted her head, her expression flickering between confusion and curiosity. “Sharp? I am sharp, Rava,” she said, attempting a lighthearted grin. But the teasing didn’t quite reach her eyes, which still held a faint gze of distraction. “Have you seen my cws or teeth? Extremely sharp.”

  Rava’s jaw tightened as she studied her friend. “You know what I mean,” she said, her voice softening but losing none of its seriousness. “Whatever that pce is doing to you—whatever pull you’re feeling—you have to stay with me. Focus. We’re here to find Tarric, not to get lost in whatever mystery those ruins are hiding.”

  Vivienne’s grin faltered, and for a moment, she looked torn. Her gaze drifted back toward the ruins, her cws twitching slightly as if resisting an invisible tether. Finally, she sighed and nodded, her shoulders rexing under Rava’s paw. “You can trust me,” she said, her tone quieter but resolute. “I’ll stay sharp. Promise.”

  Rava nodded to herself as she watched Renzia disappear back toward the camp. At least someone would be there to watch Kivvy and the supplies. The mannequin's strange loyalty was both comforting and unnerving, but for now, it served a purpose. Rava adjusted the strap of her pack and turned toward the looming ruins, the jagged remains casting long shadows in the early light.

  “Ready?” she asked, her golden eyes flicking to Vivienne.

  Vivienne didn’t reply immediately, her gaze locked on the ruins as if the crumbling stones themselves held some hypnotic power. Rava’s brow furrowed, but she didn’t press. She’d learned it was better to let Vivienne find her footing in these moments rather than disrupt her focus.

  “Alright, let’s move,” Rava said firmly, starting forward and keeping her pace steady but deliberate. She gnced over her shoulder to ensure Vivienne was following, relieved when the smaller woman’s cwed feet padded quietly behind her.

  As they walked, the air seemed to thicken, each step closer to the ruins feeling like wading into unseen waters. The silence was oppressive, pressing against Rava’s ears and making every sound—every rustle of fabric, every shift of weight—seem unnaturally loud.

  Her sharp eyes darted to every corner, scanning the horizon and the rubble ahead. The ruins were unnatural, even for a world steeped in the bizarre. Shattered spires jutted upward like the broken ribs of a long-dead beast, and the ground beneath her boots felt wrong—smooth where it should be jagged, uneven where it should be level.

  Vivienne kept close, her movements eerily quiet, as if she were gliding rather than walking. Rava didn’t need to look at her to know her focus was still locked on the ruins. She could feel it—a tension radiating from her companion that was as palpable as the strange pull of the pce itself.

  “Still nothing,” Rava muttered, her ears swiveling as she strained to pick up any sound—wind, animals, anything.

  “Nothing,” Vivienne echoed, her voice distant.

  Rava frowned, her cws flexing at her sides. The ck of sound wasn’t just unsettling; it was wrong. Even in the dead of night, there was always something—crickets, distant howls, the rustle of leaves. Here, there was nothing but the faint crunch of their own steps and the weight of the silence pressing in.

  Her gaze flicked to Vivienne, who seemed utterly absorbed, her bck eyes fixed ahead. Rava slowed her pace, deliberately stepping into her companion’s line of sight. “Viv?” she said, her voice steady but firm.

  Vivienne blinked and looked at her, as though surfacing from deep water. “Hmm?”

  Rava exhaled through her nose, her concern deepening. “We’ll figure this out, but don’t let it get to you. This pce—it’s wrong.”

  Vivienne nodded vaguely, her focus already drifting back to the ruins.

  Rava suppressed a growl of frustration and kept walking. If the ruins were doing this much to Vivienne, it was a problem. And yet, she couldn’t deny the potential insights Vivienne might gain from it.

  She pushed the thought aside and scanned the ruins ahead. Their jagged outlines were growing sharper as the pair approached, the crumbled remains revealing more detail with every step. The air grew heavier, oppressive, like a storm building in the distance.

  “We’re almost there,” Rava said, her voice low as she flexed her gauntleted paws. She gnced at Vivienne again, this time keeping her gaze on her a little longer. If the ruins were going to reveal something, Rava needed to be ready.

  Rava stopped just at the edge of the ruins, her cws brushing against a weathered stone fragment as she scanned the area. The silence pressed heavily around them, broken only by the faint crunch of their steps against the dirt and debris. Her golden eyes swept over the shattered ndscape, taking in the jagged edges of walls and the faint remnants of structures that once stood tall.

  Vivienne moved ahead, her cws barely making a sound as she stepped over scattered rubble. Her gaze seemed fixed on something unseen, her head tilting slightly as though listening to a distant call. Rava stayed close behind, her tail flicking with unease.

  The air grew colder as they ventured further in, and the faint scent of ash and damp stone filled Rava’s nose. A breeze stirred the loose dirt and dead leaves at their feet, but even the wind seemed muted here.

  “Anything?” Rava asked, her voice low, as though speaking too loudly might disturb whatever y within the ruins.

  Vivienne shook her head but didn’t look back. “Not yet. But…” She paused, her gaze shifting to a fractured doorway ahead. “Something’s here. I can feel it.”

  Rava’s ears fttened slightly, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she moved past Vivienne and ducked through the crumbled archway. Inside, the temperature dropped further, and the shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally, clinging to the edges of the walls like living things.

  Her sharp eyes caught something unusual near the far corner of the room. A faint shimmer of light reflected off a metallic object half-buried in the dirt. She crouched, brushing away the soil with practiced care.

  It was a tin cup, dented and worn but unmistakably lekine in design. Beside it, the faint remnants of a campfire—charred wood and a small circle of bckened stones.

  “Viv,” Rava called, her voice edged with urgency. “Over here.”

  Vivienne appeared at her side almost instantly, her bck eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. Her gaze lingered on the cup and the fire pit before sweeping the room with renewed focus.

  “This is recent,” Rava said, running her cws lightly over the cup’s rim. “Weeks, maybe. Someone’s been here—and they didn’t stay long.”

  Vivienne crouched beside her, her cwed fingers tracing the edge of the fire pit. “Could it be Tarric?”

  “It’s possible,” Rava replied, though her tone was cautious. She reached for a small scrap of fabric snagged on a jagged stone near the fire. It was dark and frayed, but the stitching pattern was familiar.

  “Tarric’s.” Rava murmured, holding it up for Vivienne to see.

  The smaller woman tilted her head, her expression unreadable. “If he was here, where did he go?”

  Rava’s gaze swept the campsite one st time before her attention shifted to the dark mouth of a nearby passage. She gripped the scrap of fabric tighter, her brows furrowing.

  Vivienne noticed the shift in her companion’s focus. “You think he went inside?” she asked, her tone low, almost wary.

  “Maybe,” Rava answered, her voice edged with unease. “It’s the only direction that makes sense. Tracks are faint, but they lead that way.”

  Vivienne stood, brushing ash from her knees, and folded her arms across her chest. “If he did, we’ll find him.”

  Rava gnced at her, hesitating for a moment before stepping toward the cave’s entrance. “Stay close, but let me take point.”

  Vivienne blinked at Rava, tilting her head slightly. “You don’t trust me?”

  “It’s not about trust,” Rava replied, her tone steady but leaving no room for argument. “If something’s waiting down there, it’s better it meets me first. You’ve already been affected by this pce enough.”

  Vivienne hesitated, her cws flexing idly as if debating whether to argue. Finally, she relented, her shoulders rexing slightly. “Fine. But if anything happens, I won’t just stand back.”

  “Noted,” Rava said, offering a faint smirk before stepping cautiously toward the broken staircase.

  The descent was slow and deliberate. Rava tested each step before putting her full weight on it, her golden eyes scanning the narrow walls for any sign of traps or unstable stone. Vivienne followed close behind, her movements unnervingly quiet despite the uneven terrain.

  The metallic tang in the air grew stronger, mingling with a faint musty scent of stagnant water. The further they went, the more the aether seemed to thicken, clinging to their skin like an invisible shroud.

  At the bottom of the stairs, the passage widened into another chamber. It was smaller than the one above but more intact, its walls lined with faded murals depicting strange, angur figures surrounded by swirling aetheric patterns. A faint glow illuminated the room, emanating from clusters of crystalline formations embedded in the stone.

  Rava crouched low, her cws brushing over the ground. There were more footprints here—clearer this time. Nearby, a small satchel y half-open, its contents scattered: a few empty vials, a journal, and a broken quill.

  “This is his,” Rava said quietly, her paw hovering over the satchel.

  Vivienne stepped closer, her sharp eyes narrowing as she examined the items. She picked up the journal, careful not to damage the worn pages. Flipping it open, she scanned the entries, her gaze catching on a hastily written note.

  “‘The pull is stronger here,’” she read aloud. “‘The aetherbeasts are more common, as if drawn to something in these ruins.’”

  Rava’s ears fttened slightly, her tail flicking behind her. “The pull?”

  Vivienne gnced at her, her expression thoughtful. “That’s what he wrote. But it’s vague, even for Tarric.”

  “Vague or not, it’s clear he went deeper,” Rava said, standing and staring at another dark passage that led further into the ruins. “We’re close.”

  Vivienne’s gaze lingered on the journal for a moment longer before she tucked it into her satchel. “Then let’s not waste time.”

  Rava nodded, stepping toward the next passage. The air here was colder, carrying with it a faint, rhythmic vibration that seemed to pulse through the stone. The sound was barely perceptible but unnerving, like a distant heartbeat.

  As they pressed on, the walls became more ornate, the carvings growing more intricate and deliberate. Strange symbols wove together in hypnotic patterns, their meaning lost to time but still exuding a palpable sense of purpose.

  The oppressive silence was broken only by their footsteps and the faint hum of aether, growing stronger with each step.

  “I don’t like this,” Rava muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. Her sharp eyes scanned the dim corridor, her ears twitching at the utter absence of sound. “It’s still too quiet.”

  Vivienne’s steps slowed, her movements almost nguid, as if the air itself was pulling her forward. Her cws flexed lightly, not in readiness, but as if responding to an unseen rhythm. “You seriously can’t hear it?” she murmured, her voice distant. “The song? It’s so loud.”

  Rava stopped and turned, frowning. “What song?”

  Vivienne didn’t answer immediately. Her head tilted slightly, and her dark eyes gzed over, as though she was listening to something far away—or impossibly close. “It’s... beautiful,” she whispered, her voice carrying a reverence that Rava had never heard before. “It’s everywhere. Twisting, weaving, like a dance in the air. It’s calling to me.”

  “Vivienne.” Rava’s tone sharpened, and she stepped closer, her hand gripping the spear tightly. “There’s nothing. No song. Just silence.”

  Vivienne turned to her, but her gaze was unfocused, as if she was looking through Rava rather than at her. “No, it’s not silence. It’s alive,” she said, her voice trembling with wonder. “It’s ancient and endless and...” She shivered, her cws twitching as though trying to grasp something unseen. “I have to follow it. I can’t ignore it.”

  Rava moved quickly, pcing a firm paw on Vivienne’s shoulder and giving her a slight shake. “Snap out of it,” she said, her voice steady but urgent. “Whatever you’re hearing isn’t real—or worse, it’s real and wants to take you. Don’t let it.”

  For a moment, Vivienne seemed to resist, her body leaning toward the pull of the ruins. The haunting melody consumed her thoughts, its rhythm wrapping around her mind like a silken thread. She swayed slightly, her cws reaching out unconsciously.

  “Vivienne!” Rava barked, shaking her again.

  The nightmare-woman blinked, her trance breaking slightly, though her gaze still lingered toward the shadows ahead. “It’s just... so loud,” she murmured, her voice tinged with frustration. “How can’t you hear it? It’s beautiful, Rava. It feels... like it’s meant for me.”

  Rava’s grip tightened on her shoulder, grounding her. “And if it is? If it’s meant to lure you? That beauty could be poison.”

  Vivienne hesitated, her expression wavering between entrancement and understanding. Finally, she gave a slow nod, though her gaze drifted longingly toward the corridor ahead. “Okay,” she said softly, though the longing in her voice was undeniable.

  Rava paused, sucking in a deep breath as her mind wrestled with conflicting thoughts. Every instinct screamed at her to press forward—yet, despite her confidence in dealing with lesser beasts, there was a wariness in her chest that wouldn’t dissipate.

  She could handle most aetherbeasts on her own. She had done so countless times, clearing out weaker foes with practiced ease. Her experience and her strength, coupled with the right tools, made her a formidable opponent. But the more powerful creatures—the ones that lurked deeper in pces like this, in the heart of fallen ruins—were a different story entirely. The hydra they had faced together was a perfect example. Alone, Rava wouldn’t have stood a chance. She had barely survived with Vivienne’s aid, and the thought of facing something equally dangerous, or worse, without her was a daunting one.

  But what worried her more in this moment wasn’t the danger the ruins might hold. It wasn’t the beasts that might be lurking in the shadows or the twisted creatures that fed on the aether. It was Vivienne. The pull the ruins had on her was undeniable, and it wasn’t just the ruins themselves—it was something deeper, something dark that called to her, something that made her forget herself. Rava’s hand instinctively reached for Vivienne, who seemed to drift further into the byrinth of her own thoughts with every passing moment.

  The effect it had on her companion was more pressing than anything else. If Vivienne continued down this path, her connection to whatever force controlled the ruins might become a greater danger than any creature they might face. It was all Rava could do to keep her tethered to reality.

  She needed to find Tarric. The mission, the search for her brother, was what had brought them here. Yet, with every passing moment in this pce, her concern for Vivienne deepened. She couldn’t just ignore the danger to her friend, not when the cost might be so high.

  She gnced toward the deeper darkness of the ruins, the quiet stretch of untouched stone beneath her feet. The silence here was telling. Normally, these pces were thick with aetherbeasts, hungry for power and magic, but here… nothing. It was as if the ruins themselves were holding their breath, waiting for something—or someone. Tarric had been through here, she was sure of it. She could feel his presence, faint but unmistakable, like a breadcrumb trail left behind by someone who knew how to move through aether-riddled pces.

  Tarric was no slouch when it came to exomancy. He was the best in their family, with abilities that rivaled even the most dangerous Vyrondal exomancers. She had no doubt that he was capable of protecting himself here—he had faced worse before. Still, the ck of beasts was disconcerting. It made her wonder if something had changed, or if Tarric was trying to avoid attention. Either way, for now, she had to trust in his ability to survive.

  But as for Vivienne, Rava wasn’t so sure. Not anymore. The pull of the ruins, the way it seemed to wrap itself around her, was something she wasn’t prepared to face without help.

  Rava drew in another deep breath, turning to Vivienne. "We keep going," she said, her voice calm but with an underlying firmness that left no room for argument. "But we stay focused. No wandering off. Understood?"

  Vivienne nodded absently, her gaze still fixed on the darkness ahead, and Rava couldn't help but feel a pang of uncertainty. She needed to protect her—keep her grounded, even as the ruins threatened to swallow them both. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep her tethered to reality, but for now, they had a job to do. They had to find Tarric.

  SupernovaSymphony