The air in Blackthorn still smelled of ash and blood when they left.
They didn't talk much as they moved through the ruins, slipping past the few remaining city guards who dared to investigate the carnage. Their battle with the raiders had changed something between them—not quite friends, not quite allies, but no longer strangers.
Jaxon led the way, his symbiote shifting like a living shadow as he scouted ahead. Kade moved like a phantom, silent and watchful, his chains whispering against the air. Elias flipped a card between his fingers absentmindedly, his mind already running through possibilities. And Reed, ever the cautious one, kept a hand near his belt, ready to heal or harm if needed.
They walked through the city's ruined outskirts, slipping past the last remnants of civilization. Then, finally—they reached the wilds.
---
The jungle loomed ahead, thick with emerald canopies and the sounds of unseen creatures. It was a place untouched by man, where the trees grew taller than castles and the roots twisted like ancient veins through the earth.
"This is insane," Elias muttered, brushing vines out of his way. "We just barely got out of a massacre, and now we're running into an overgrown death trap?"
Jaxon smirked. "You can turn back if you want."
Elias scoffed. "And miss whatever insane thing we're about to find? Not a chance."
Reed eyed the dense foliage warily. "I've heard stories about this place. The jungle swallows people whole."
"Then we don't get swallowed," Kade said simply, stepping forward.
They pushed deeper into the wilderness, moving cautiously as the humid air wrapped around them. The deeper they went, the more the silence became unnatural. No birds. No wind. Just the quiet hum of something unseen.
Then—the ruins appeared.
---
The first thing they saw was the statue.
It stood at the heart of the jungle, half-buried in vines and moss. A figure carved from stone, its face worn away by time, but its stance still commanding.
Beyond it, the ruins stretched outward—an ancient city, lost to time. Crumbling temples, towering pillars, stairways leading into darkness. The architecture was unlike anything in the kingdom, its symbols carved in a language long forgotten.
"This is…" Reed breathed. "This shouldn't exist."
Jaxon stepped forward, brushing a hand over the statue's surface. His symbiote recoiled slightly, sensing something old. Something watching.
"We're not alone," Kade murmured.
Elias flicked out a card, ready. "Of course not. Ancient ruins never come empty."
Then—the ground trembled.
A deep rumble echoed through the ruins, like the earth itself was waking up. From the shadows of the temples, figures emerged.
Draped in ceremonial armor, their faces hidden behind ornate masks, the warriors of the Ancient Civilization stepped forward, their weapons gleaming even in the fading light.
One of them raised a hand, and a voice like thunder spoke:
"You who walk in the land of the Forgotten. You who carry power beyond mortal men. You are not welcome— unless you prove yourselves worthy."
Jaxon's fingers curled into fists.
Elias grinned.
Reed swallowed.
Kade's chains shifted restlessly.
"Four trials await. Strength. Loyalty. Courage. Faith." The warrior stepped aside, revealing four separate paths leading deeper into the ruins. "If you fail, you will not leave this place alive."
A heavy silence.
Jaxon exhaled. "Guess we're doing this."
Elias chuckled. "I was hoping for a warm welcome."
Kade stepped forward without hesitation. "Let's get this over with."
And with that, the four warriors walked into the heart of the Forgotten City— ready to face whatever waited within.