Chapter 130

“Serena! Serena!” Rachel yelled, waking me up my sleep. “What is it?” I asked, itching my eyes and yawning tiredly. “We have to go to the ancient ruins, now.” She said. Just then, everywhere fell silent. Ardan walked in. “Hey” he smiled. “Hi.” I replied with a smile. It was windy as we approached the ancient ruins, a crumbling remnants of a once-great temple hidden deep within the mountains. It was sun set. “Are you sure this is the place?” Ardan asked in a low tone. Rachel nodded, clutching the tattered map we’d used to find the location. “The symbols match the ones we found in the archives. This has to be it.” I stepped forward. The scent of old magic filled the air. Every step felt heavier than the last, as if the ruins themselves were watching us, waiting for something to happen. “This place feels wrong,” I said quietly. “It’s steeped in magic,” Rachel replied. “Centuries old, but still potent. Whatever happened here left a mark.” Ardan moved closer with his presence grounding me.