As morning broke over the ancient ruins, a faint mist clung to the metallic structures, catching the morning light in an eerie but beautiful display. The fire from their camp had burned down to embers, and the scent of old metal mixed with the lingering aroma of dew grass.

  Sael stretched as he stepped out of his tent, rolling his shoulders and shaking off the last remnants of sleep. His eyes drifted toward Rhea, who was sitting on a stone ledge, idly flicking her tail back and forth as she munched on some dried meat. He found himself watching her a little longer than usual, noticing the small details that he had mostly overlooked before. The way her ears twitched slightly at every sound, the soft patches of fur on her forearms and legs, the way her tail curled around her waist when she was focused.

  Rhea caught him staring and tilted her head, a sly grin creeping onto her face. "What? Finally noticing how amazing I am?"

  Sael blinked and coughed, turning his attention to the fire. "Just… taking in the morning."

  She chuckled, hopping down and stretching her arms above her head, tail flicking behind her. "Sure, sure. You keep looking at me like that, and I might start thinking you’ve got a thing for beastkin."

  "Not what I was doing," he muttered, but she just smirked at him before wandering off to find more food.

  A few minutes later, he found Lyra seated near her tent, a book open on her lap as she absentmindedly traced runes in the dirt beside her. She looked up when he approached, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

  "Morning," she greeted, closing the book.

  "Morning," Sael replied, sitting down nearby. "I wanted to ask about yesterday—how you sharpened those boulders mid-air. That was impressive."

  Lyra’s eyes brightened at the chance to explain. "Oh! Well, it’s a combination of elemental shaping and structured flow. See, most people think of earth magic as static—just moving rocks around. But if you refine the spellwork, you can manipulate the very composition of the stone as you cast. By aligning the mana frequency correctly, I can alter the density and edge sharpness of the material in real-time. That’s why I was able to shift them from blunt projectiles to cutting weapons mid-flight."

  Sael blinked. "Right… that makes sense."

  She grinned, clearly not convinced. "You don’t get it, do you?"

  "Not entirely," he admitted. "But I get that you’re using magic in a way most people don’t."

  "Exactly," Lyra said, pleased. "It’s all about refinement. Anyone can throw a rock, but shaping it mid-air? That’s what makes magic an art."

  She leaned forward excitedly. "And that’s just one application! Imagine if I could mix in other elemental properties—like combining wind magic to increase cutting force or adding heat to—"

  Sael held up a hand. "Okay, okay, I get it. You’re terrifying with rocks."

  Lyra huffed but smiled. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

  Sael chuckled, leaning back against a broken metal pillar. The morning passed in relative peace, the three of them resting and chatting as they prepared for whatever lay ahead in the depths of the ruins.

  Sael crouched near the tank, tools in hand as he carefully detached the radar scanner from its mounting. With a few precise adjustments, he extracted the compact device, its smooth metallic casing still humming faintly with residual power. The built-in map functionality would be invaluable for navigating the ruins ahead.

  With the scanner secured in his pack, he rejoined Rhea and Lyra, who stood at the edge of the clearing, looking out toward the overgrown structures of the ancient ruins.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Alright,” he said, adjusting the straps on his gear. “Let’s get moving. We’re looking for anything resembling an entrance deeper into this place.”

  The three of them set off, weaving through towering remnants of the past. The ruins stretched before them in sleek, geometric formations, their once-pristine surfaces now marred by time and nature’s reclamation. As they walked, Sael periodically checked the scanner, watching as it slowly generated a rough map of their surroundings.

  They passed broken pillars with intricate carvings, shattered constructs resembling old-world machinery, and walls embedded with unrecognizable glyphs. Here and there, Sael pocketed small components—disks of an unknown metal, fragments of crystalline structures, and what appeared to be old data slates covered in faded inscriptions. He wasn’t sure what most of it was, but anything related to ancient crafting or constructs could be useful later.

  Finally, after nearly an hour of searching, Rhea’s ears twitched. “There,” she said, pointing ahead.

  A massive tunnel entrance loomed at the base of a collapsed structure, its edges lined with dull, glowing strips of light that flickered intermittently. The opening was wide enough to accommodate several people walking side by side, and the air that drifted from within carried a faint metallic scent.

  “This looks promising,” Lyra murmured, staring into the darkness beyond.

  Lyra cast a small spell light source and stepped forward, leading the way. The tunnel sloped downward, and as they ventured deeper, the walls became smoother, more refined—evidence of advanced craftsmanship.

  As they descended, they found themselves in a massive underground chamber. The walls were lined with towering pillars, each adorned with glowing inscriptions that pulsed faintly with power. At the center of the chamber stood a massive console, its surface covered in runes similar to those on the gate outside.

  His heart pounded. This was it—something that could finally help him decipher the ancient text.

  Beyond the console, the chamber stretched into multiple pathways, each leading deeper into the ruins. Shelves filled with rusted tools and half-intact constructions lined the walls, and scattered across the floor were remnants of a civilization long forgotten—fragments of armor, crystalline energy cores, and strange mechanisms unlike anything Sael had seen before.

  He stepped forward, running a hand over the console’s surface. "I think we just found what we were looking for."

  Sael stepped forward, curiosity guiding his hand to the console. The moment his palm made contact, the intricate glyphs carved into the metal blazed to life, casting sharp blue light across the chamber. Energy pulsed through the walls in synchronized waves, illuminating previously dormant circuits. A deep, mechanical thrum reverberated through the air, growing in intensity as the structure responded to his touch. With a sharp hiss of depressurization and the grinding of ancient gears, the doors to each route opened, its sections retracting to reveal dark passageways stretching into the unknown.

  As they continued searching through the chamber, Rhea’s sharp eyes caught something resting atop a dusty workbench—a repeating crossbow, sleek yet undeniably ancient in design. She picked it up, running her fingers along the intricate engravings carved into the dark metal frame. Despite the wear, the mechanism still seemed intact. She tested the draw, feeling the smooth tension of the reinforced string.

  “This looks useful,” she said, smirking as she slung it over her shoulder.

  Not far from her, Sael rummaged through a crate of metallic components, pulling out something that immediately caught his attention. It was roughly the size of a short rifle, its body composed of interlocking plates with faintly glowing lines running along its length. A small trigger mechanism rested under a grip that fit comfortably in his hand.

  “Think this is a weapon?” he murmured, inspecting the device.

  Lyra leaned in, her fingers tracing the engravings. “Looks like it could be. If it’s anything like our magic-based artifacts, maybe it converts stored energy into a projectile.”

  Sael aimed it at a crumbling section of wall and squeezed the trigger. A brief hum resonated from within the device before a concentrated bolt of golden light erupted from the barrel, scorching the stone with a sharp hiss.

  Rhea’s ears perked up. “Oh, I like that.”

  Sael grinned. “Yeah. Me too.”

  With their newfound weapons secured, they pressed onward, weaving through the chamber until they stumbled upon something unexpected, a massive, sealed door. It bore the same intricate glyphs as the console they had encountered earlier, its frame lined with dimly pulsing blue circuits. Sael, curious, stepped closer and placed his hand against the cold surface. Almost instantly, the symbols flared brightly, the pulsing lines along the walls surging with renewed energy. A deep, mechanical hum resonated through the air as the ground trembled beneath them. With a slow, heavy grind, the massive gate split open, revealing the dark interior beyond.

  New Quest Acquired: Restoration of the Ancients

  Objective: Unlock the power of ancient technology and restore its knowledge to the people.

  Reward: ???

  Sael exhaled slowly, staring into the darkness beyond the gate. "Looks like we’re just getting started."