Cassia gasped as Liliana pulled away some of the vines she had used to cover the entrance up. "Is that a staircase?"
Kite nodded.
She crossed her arms and looked around. "How odd, why did they build the place like a basement?"
He had never thought of that before. Maybe it was because some of his clan's structures were also built underground. The statue of the Goddess of Light, his blade's reaction to the ruins, and the format all pointed to the ruin makers being his clan. Then, did that mean his people once lived in this world? Was there still a branch of the clan left in Eldoria?
Kite's mind buzzed with questions, but he pushed them aside for now. "Let's find out," he said, gripping his Blade of Lumina more tightly as its glow illuminated the dark staircase.
Sylvana, cautious as always, took a step back. "Are we sure about this? We didn't come prepared."
Liliana, ever the optimist, flashed a grin. "Adventure waits for no one! Besides, Kite's sword provides enough light. We'll be fine as long as we stick together."
Tomas smiled and nodded as he continued to hold his sister's hand.
"She's right," Kite added. "We'll move carefully. If things look too dangerous, we can always turn back."
With that settled, the group of seven carefully descended the stone steps, their footsteps echoing in the confined space. The air grew cooler as they went deeper.
Tomas held his big sis's hand tightly.
The descent felt longer than it looked from the outside, the staircase spiraling down into the heart of the earth. The walls were damp and covered in moss, and the air was filled with the scent of ancient stone and earth.
As they reached the bottom, they found themselves in a vast hallway.
"Wow," Tomas said, his eyes looking around. "It's like a fancy cave! Think there's treasure?"
Liliana chuckled. "Last time we only found scrolls."
"Oh, like the one Grandpa decoded?"
Kite nodded. "Yeah, that was ond of them," Kite confirmed, his voice echoing slightly in the vast chamber. "But who knows what else we might find today."
They decided to go further and eventually reached a large chamber. The Blade of Lumina's light revealed high ceilings supported by columns painted with the same glyphs as those in the hallway.
The group spread out while also staying close, exploring the chamber with a mix of reverence and curiosity. Kite ran his fingers over the carvings, feeling a connection to the symbols that he couldn't quite explain. If his clan did make these ruins, then was this an ancient language of theirs? If it wasn't for the war back in his old world, he might've gotten to learn more things about his clan. Granted, he wouldn't have been here in Eldoria if not for said war.
Cassia, who had been quiet since they entered, finally spoke up. "These ruins... they feel alive, almost like they're waiting for something—or someone."
Liliana nodded in agreement. "It does feel like that, doesn't it? Like we're not just discovering the past, but awakening it."
Sylvana carefully examined the glyphs, her scholarly instincts kicking in. "I wish we could read these. They might hold the key to understanding this place."
Elian kept a watchful eye on the shadows, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Let's not forget to be cautious. This place might hold more than just secrets."
Sylvana looked around. "Right now, I'm not sensing any animals."
"And I don't sense any potential meanie plants," Liliana said with a playful smile. Was she joking about the meanie plants? Or did this world really have stuff like that?
Ludo, meanwhile, had taken out his notebook and was sketching the glyphs. "I'll compare these to the scrolls we found and the other glyphs from the hallway. Maybe there's a connection."
As they delved deeper into the chamber, they came across a pedestal in the center of the room. Atop it lay a single, dust-covered scroll adorned with gold. Kite approached it, the Blade of Lumina casting a warm light over the ancient parchment.
"Should we open it?" Liliana asked, her voice a whisper.
Ludo hummed. "If we do, we need to be careful. This one doesn't look as well persevered as the others we found."
Kite looked back at the group, seeking their silent consent. With a nod from each of them, he carefully unrolled the scroll. The writing was in the same mysterious language as the glyphs, but at the bottom, there was a drawing that caught everyone's attention—a tree with roots that seemed to weave through the very fabric of the earth.
Tomas tugged at Liliana's sleeve. "Is that the Cosmic Tree?"
"It might be," Liliana replied, her gaze locked on the drawing.
Kite felt a surge of energy from the Blade of Lumina, and the chamber was suddenly filled with a soft, harmonious hum. The glyphs on the columns began to glow, and the drawing on the scroll seemed to lift and shimmer in the air.
They all watched in awe as the image of the tree grew larger, its branches reaching out to the ceiling of the chamber. And then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the vision faded, leaving them in the dim light of Kite's sword once more.
"What was that?" Cassia breathed, her eyes wide.
"A vision, a message, or maybe a warning," Sylvana suggested, her mind racing with possibilities.
Kite carefully rolled the scroll back up and carefully put handed it over to Ludo for safe keeping. "I think it's clear we've only just begun to uncover the mysteries of these ruins." He glanced at Liliana and Tomas. "What's the Cosmic Tree?"
"It's said to be the tree that connects all realms," Liliana explained, her eyes still wide with wonder. "It's a legend, but many believe it holds immense power and knowledge. Some say its roots reach into every world and its branches touch the heavens."
Tomas nodded excitedly. "Grandpa told us stories about it! He said it could heal anything and show you the truth!"
Kite's mind whirled with the implications. If the Cosmic Tree was real, and if these ruins were indeed connected to it, then the potential discoveries could be beyond their wildest dreams.
"We need to be cautious. If this place is connected to the Cosmic Tree, there might be others who are searching for it too," Kite said.
Elian's expression grew serious. "He's right. We can't be the only ones interested in a place like this."
Sylvana nodded. "That said, we should document everything we've seen and bring it back to the Mirrin and Michiko. It might help us uncover the truth of this place."
"And we need to make sure we don't disturb anything we don't understand. The last thing we want is to trigger some ancient trap," Elian said,. glancing at Liliana.
Liliana pouted. "Why are looking at me for? Kite just touched a scroll on a pedestal."
Kite sighed. She had a point there. They were lucky the scroll didn't trigger a trap.
Ludo finished his sketching and closed his notebook. "I'll compare these glyphs with the ones from the other scrolls when we get back. Maybe we can piece together more of the language."
As they prepared to leave, Tomas tugged on Kite's sleeve. "Kite, do you think we'll find more scrolls and drawings like this one?"
Kite smiled down at the young boy. "I think it's very possible, Tomas. And who knows what other secrets we'll uncover along the way."
The group carefully retraced their steps, making sure to leave the ruins just as they found them, minus the dusty scroll.
As they climbed back up the staircase and emerged into the sunlight, Kite felt a renewed sense of curiosity. The mysteries of the ruins and the potential connection to the his clan were too important to ignore.
Cassia glanced at Kite and smiled. "Thanks for bringing me here, Kite. This was amazing."
Kite smiled. "I'm glad you you enjoyed it. There's so much more to explore, and I can't wait to see what we find next."
Liliana grinned. "Adventure awaits!"
Sylvana nodded, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Let's prepare properly and come back soon. There's a lot more to uncover."
With renewed determination, the group headed back to the village, eager to share their findings with the adults and prepare for their next expedition into the mysterious ruins.
As they walked, Tomas looked up at Kite with a wide smile. "Do you think the Cosmic Tree is real, Kite?"
Kite ruffled Tomas's hair affectionately. "I don't know, Tomas. But with friends like you by my side, I'm sure we'll have an amazing journey trying to find out."
He giggled. "Yeah!"