The wind roared around them as Alister soared through the night sky, perched on Mar’Garet’s massive dragon head. Her scales shimmered under the moonlight.
He turned his gaze to Terra, who flew on his right.
“Terra,” Alister called, “can you spot anything peculiar?”
Terra narrowed her blue eyes, her pupils contracting to sharp slits as she scanned the terrain far below.
Her sharp vision pierced through the gloom like a blade. After a moment, she spoke.
“I see what looks like ruins… no, from most of the compact structures, it was most likely inhabited before. From what I can make out… it looks like an abandoned dragon city, a few hundred meters ahead. It’s partially collapsed, but it stands out against the rest of the landscape.”
‘Finally, the first thing we’ve found that could point to the existence of Dragon Kin in the Wastelands.’
‘Seems Terra’s suggestion was the best after all.’
‘Perhaps these ruins could be an old settlement. If they were living here before, we might be able to find out some things that could tell us where they currently are.’
Alister was referring to his search for the Dragon Kin; ever since that quest, Alister and his dragons would immediately begin a search right after they had completed their hunt, but the problem was that their method was ineffective.
Alister didn’t have the least bit of an idea on where to find the Dragon Kin. Although the system said they were out in the Wastelands, it never said where or how he would find them.
As such, Alister and his dragons engaged in a random search for a while before Terra offered a suggestion.
Using the dragon stratus tree, Terra suggested trying to make contact with the strings that were not connected to Alister’s main string.
She theorized that, as with the others, Alister could sense the presence of all his dragons due to the strings connected to his. Why not try sensing the presence of the Dragon Kin by coming into contact with their strings despite being disconnected?
With that method, Alister could vaguely sense traces of Dragon Kin around the Wastelands, and so he was now able to point his dragons to head to the ones closest to them.
With this, he had hope. With this, he was certain they would find the Dragon Kin one way or another, and perhaps they would have a Moon Stone in their possession. ƒrēewebnovel.com
But never in his wildest dreams did he actually expect he would be getting the stone tonight. No, he perhaps thought he could come very close, but not get it just yet.
Alister nodded, a faint smirk on his lips. “Good. That could be a clue for us.”
“We will head down and investigate it,” he commanded, shifting slightly in his seat. “Pick up the pace.”
“As you wish, my lord,” Mar’Garet replied with a delighted giggle, her voice echoing with excitement.
With that, her wings beat harder, propelling them forward with a sudden surge of speed. The gust from her powerful ascent caused ripples through the air, and the other dragons instinctively followed suit, their wings slicing through the sky with precision.
Draven let out a low growl, his purple eyes glowing as he pushed his speed to match Mar’Garet’s.
The air seemed to vibrate with their mana as they closed in on the structure. Alister’s focus sharpened.
Meanwhile….
In the ruins.
The air was filled with the scent of dust and decay as the Drifters Guild carefully made their way the corridors of the ruins.
The light from their enchanted lanterns cast long shadows across the jagged stone walls. Their faces were hidden behind black masks, each with a unique design to distinguish them. The guildmaster, Caldris, led the group. His mask, etched with golden runes, were practically waht distinguished him as the leader. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a cloak that swayed with his every step. His voice, low and firm, echoed softly in the corridor.
“Stay alert. Remeber we are in a ruin. We don’t know what’s waiting for us.”
“And we could be ambushed by monsters at any time.”
Behind him walked Raina, the guild’s scout, her slender frame nearly blending into the shadows. Her mask had the image of a crescent moon, reflecting her role as the group’s night eyes.
Her twin daggers gleamed faintly at her hips. She whispered, “No signs of traps so far, but the energy here feels… off.”
“‘Off’ is an understatement,” grumbled Bram, the group’s tank. His mask resembled a snarling wolf, and his massive shield hung on his back.
“This place gives me the creeps. Feels like something’s watching us.”
“Don’t tell me the big, bad Bram is scared,” teased Elric, the guild’s fire elemantalist, his mask designed to resemble a fox. A faint glow emanated from the spellbook hovering beside
him.
“Maybe you should hold my hand.”
Bram glared at him. “Say that again and I’ll use your book as firewood.”
“Enough,” Caldris cut them off, “Focus. We’re here for a reason.”
Lyra, the group’s healer, stepped forward, her mask a serene visage with floral patterns.
“Let’s not bicker. These ruins seem really ancient, and the markings on the walls suggest they’re sacred. We should respect this place.”
“Sacred or not,” muttered Kain, the rogue, his mask a featureless black slate, “if it’s got treasure, it’s ours for the taking.”
He moved silently, his daggers drawn, always a few steps ahead of the group.
After what felt like hours of careful exploration, Raina suddenly raised her hand, signaling the group to stop. She crouched down, examining the floor ahead. “There’s a marking here.”
Lyra knelt beside her, running her fingers over the strange symbols etched into the stone, seeing what appears to be people with horns bowing befure what seemed to be a massive creature with wings and horns as well.
Around them were runes.
“These are glyphs, but I don’t recognize them. They seem… protective.”
“Protective?” Bram scoffed. “Against what?”
Before Lyra could answer, Kain’s voice echoed from a nearby passage. “Hey, over here! I
found something!”
The group exchanged wary glances before following the rogue. They entered a room bathed in
a strange blue glow. More strange markings covered the walls, pulsating faintly as if alive. At the center of the room was a pedestal, upon which rested a large, ornate key.
“This looks important,” Kain said, reaching for the key.
“Don’t touch it!” Caldris yelled. “Not until we know what it does.”
“Always so cautious,” Kain muttered, withdrawing his hand.
As the group inspected the markings, a loud shout echoed from another corridor.
“Guildmaster! You need to see this!”
It was Torin, the guild’s brawler. His mask, designed with jagged lines resembling cracks,
peeked around the corner as he waved them over.
The group hurried to join him, he led them to shwt seemed like a set of stairs leading
downwards.
“Really? We have to go deeper? What’s up with monsters and underground spaces.” muttered
Kain.
“Forget that and just get down here.” insisted Torin.
They all followed him, entering a massive chamber that took their breath away.
Their jaws dropped at the sight.
Gold coins, gemstones, and artifacts were piled high, reflecting the soft glow of enchanted lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A massive, intricately carved chest sat at the center of the
room.
“By the gods,” Elric whispered. “We’ve hit the motherlode.”
Caldris stepped forward, his gaze scanning the treasure. “Stay sharp. This is too easy.”
“No traps here,” Torin said confidently, slamming his fist into his palm. “If there were, I’d
have triggered them already.”
“Don’t jinx it,” Lyra muttered.
As the group spread out, inspecting the treasure, Caldris approached the chest. Its surface was coverd with glowing runes, similar to those in the other room.
“This isn’t just treasure,” he said, his voice heavy with realization. “This is something more.”
The others gathered around, their excitement tempered by his tone.
“What do you think it is?” Bram asked.
Caldris placed a hand on the chest, feeling the faint vibration of magic beneath his fingertips, he then grinned. “We’ve hit the jackpot, what else is there to think?”
“With funds like this we could easily requite a bunch of new members and expand the guild.”
Grahhhhhhh
Out of nowhere ground beneath them trembled as a deafening roar echoed through the ruins, shaking the very walls they stood in.
It was deep and primal, echoing through the stone like a thunderclap. Dust rained down from
the ceiling, and the faint light from their lanterns flickered, as if struggling to stay alive in the
sound.
presence of such a mighty Instantly, every member of the guild fell into battle stances. Their hands hovered over weapons, feet positioned for movement, and their eyes scanning every corner of the room for
danger. The sudden shift in atmosphere could be felt by all of the, a collective unease settling over them like a heavy fog.
“What the hell was that?” Raina hissed, her voice sharp beneath her mask. She glanced around, her hand already gripping the hilt of one of her daggers.
Bram’s knuckles whitened around the shaft of his shield, his eyes scanning the shadows for any movement. “That’s not normal. Definitely not a dungeon creature.” Elric, frowned beneath his mask. “Could be an illusion. Or some kind of trap…”
Before Caldris could respond, a sudden shout echoed through the hall. One of the guild members, Xander, a bulky man with dark eyes and a red-trimmed mask, burst into the room, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. He skidded to a stop in front of the group, panting
heavily. “Guildmaster! We’ve got a problem,” Xander called out.
Caldris stepped forward, his expression unreadable behind his mask. “What is it, Xander?”
Xander’s gaze darted nervously around the room before settling on the guild leader.
“Dragons, Sir…”
“Dragons!”