The sun was already high in the sky, turning the sand into a scorching sea of heat. Waves of hot air shimmered above the desert, making the world quiver like a golden mirage. The air was dry and suffocating, and the silence around them felt almost unnatural.
Alex stood up slowly, stretching his stiff muscles. He hadn't slept well. The images from his dream still lingered in his mind, refusing to let go. It wasn't an ordinary vision — he felt it held something more. Something he had to uncover.
Next to him, Lyra was still asleep, breathing softly, wrapped in a thin blanket. For a moment, he watched her in silence, then looked away and focused elsewhere. His thoughts returned to the dream — the ancient forest, the mysterious figure, and the words that still echoed in his mind as if they had just been spoken:
"Find us before they find you."
He shivered. He didn't know who they were, but he could feel that time was running out. He had to act.
Lyra stirred as soon as Alex started packing their things. She opened her eyes, blinked a few times, then looked at him with a sleepy but alert gaze.
— Why do you look like you've seen a ghost? — she asked, pushing herself up on one elbow.
Alex hesitated. He wasn't sure where to begin, but he had to tell her.
— I had a dream. — He sat down across from her. — It wasn't normal. It was… something more.
Lyra raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt.
— I saw a place. A forest I've never seen before. A fire that gave no warmth. And someone… a figure.
— Who was it?
— I don't know. — Alex shook his head. — Tall, slender, eyes glowing with golden light. They said my blood remembers and that I have to find the ruins. That they hide something that belongs to me.
Lyra watched him carefully, weighing his words.
— Ruins? — she repeated slowly. — You've never mentioned ruins before.
— Because I didn't know they existed. — Alex looked away. — But now I do. She said they lie underground… and that only I can open them.
Silence fell between them.
— It could be a trap, — she said, her tone cautious rather than fearful. — We don't know if that figure was telling the truth. We don't know what we'll find.
— We can't ignore it, — Alex took a deep breath. — There's something there, Lyra. I can feel it.
She stared into his eyes for a long moment, as if trying to gauge how much of it was conviction and how much desperation. Finally, she sighed.
— Fine. But on one condition. We're back by afternoon. If we find nothing, we drop it and head for the forest.
— Deal.
There was no more room for debate. They prepared the camels, fastening harnesses and strapping on supplies. Lyra wasn't experienced with the animals, but she managed better than she expected. Alex had more skill — he had ridden horses before, and the differences in movement didn't trouble him much. Still, the animals were restless, as if they sensed they were nearing a place they ought to avoid.
They had a quick breakfast — dried meat and a piece of hard bread. It wasn't tasty, but it gave them energy. Without further delay, they set off.
After several hours, they arrived.
And saw… nothing.
No ruins. No signs of ancient civilization. No statues or stone walls covered in inscriptions. Just endless sand, golden and hot, stretching to the horizon.
— This is it? — Lyra frowned, dismounting.
Alex didn't answer immediately. He felt it was the right place, but he couldn't prove it.
"They lie beneath the earth."
He jumped down and knelt, placing his hands on the scorching ground. He closed his eyes, letting his senses focus on more than just what he could see.
And then he felt it.
A faint pulse. Like a delicate thread of magic, thin, almost invisible — but real.
He lifted his head and looked around. His gaze fell on a small dune, barely distinguishable from the rest of the desert.
— There, — he pointed.
Lyra didn't ask questions. She simply followed.
They stopped at the top of the dune, dropped their packs, and tied the camels to prevent them from wandering. From the merchant's supplies, they pulled out two shovels.
— Time to work, — Alex said with a faint smile, plunging his shovel into the sand.
They began to dig.
Alex had experience. Over the past weeks, digging under the wall had taught him how best to remove sand without it collapsing back in. His movements were fast and precise. With each stroke, the pit grew deeper.
Lyra had a harder time. She wasn't used to such labor. The sand kept sliding back into the hole, and every motion felt futile. Eventually, she paused, wiping sweat from her brow.
But something else caught her attention.
The way Alex moved — his tense muscles, his focus, the way his sweat-slicked arms gleamed in the sun. For a moment, she couldn't take her eyes off him.
She shook her head and forced herself to keep working.
— Do you really think there's something here? — she asked.
Alex stopped, rested his hands on the shovel, and looked at her with a slight smile.
— If not, at least we'll learn some patience.
Lyra rolled her eyes, but returned the smile.
And then Alex froze.
— Lyra… I feel something.
He bent down, brushing away more sand with his hand. His fingers struck something solid.
Stone.
His heart began to race.
— I think we found it.
Lyra immediately knelt beside him and helped. Together they cleared away more layers of sand until finally, a symbol appeared before their eyes.
A rune, carved into stone.
They stared at it in silence, feeling the tension in the air grow heavier.
The ruins were real.