Darius crouched near one of the walls, his eyes scanning the carvings intently. His fingers traced the edges of the symbols, his expression a mix of concentration and curiosity. I leaned against a nearby column, arms crossed, watching him work. Honestly, it was impressive how focused he could be, even in a place as unsettling as this.

"What are you even looking for?" I asked, my voice dripping with skepticism. "A magic 'Welcome to the Ruins' sign?"

He didn't look up, just continued studying the wall. "I'm trying to make sense of these symbols. Some of them look familiar—similar to the signs we use today."

I pushed off the column and wandered closer, squinting at the carvings. They just looked like squiggles to me, with the occasional picture thrown in. "Yeah, well, unless one of those symbols is a stick figure pointing us to the nearest exit, I'm not sure how helpful this is."

Darius ignored me, his fingers stopping on a section with both symbols and what looked like a faintly carved image of a large structure. "Look at this," he said, his voice tinged with excitement.

I stepped closer, tilting my head to see what he was pointing at. It was a picture of what could have been a city, though it was hard to tell. The lines were faded, worn down by time and the relentless assault of sand.

"So, it's a doodle. Great. Now we know ancient people liked to draw," I said, but even as the words left my mouth, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity.

Darius shot me a look, the kind that said, Can you be serious for five seconds? "This isn't just a drawing. It's a map—or at least a depiction of this place as it used to be."

I frowned, stepping even closer. "Wait, are you saying this dump used to be... important?"

He nodded. "I think so. Look at the layout—this wasn't just any settlement. It's too structured, too organized. And see these symbols here?" He pointed to a cluster of markings near the center of the carving. "They're similar to the ones we use for 'capital' or 'kingdom' in my world."

I stared at the faded lines, trying to see what he saw. "So, you're saying this was the capital? Like, the big deal of its time?"

"Exactly," he said, his voice gaining momentum. "But it doesn't make sense. If this was the capital, where's the rest of it? The city should be massive, but all we've seen are ruins barely big enough to count as a small village."

"Maybe it's buried," I offered, gesturing to the endless expanse of sand around us. "You know, swallowed up by all of this. Sandstorms, erosion, whatever. It's not like deserts are known for being gentle."

Darius considered this, nodding slowly. "It's possible. The sand could have covered entire sections of the city over time. If that's the case..." He trailed off, his gaze distant, as if imagining what the city might have looked like in its prime.

I couldn't help but snort. "Great. So we're standing on top of an ancient capital that's been buried alive. Fantastic. Maybe we should start digging."

He gave me another one of those seriously? looks but didn't say anything. Instead, he turned back to the wall, his fingers continuing to trace the symbols. "If this really was the capital, it must have been incredibly significant. There might be more clues here—something that tells us what happened to it."

"Or something that tells us how to get out of here," I muttered, kicking at a stray piece of rubble.

Darius didn't respond, too engrossed in his work. I sighed, crossing my arms again and glancing around. The ruins were eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made you hyper-aware of every little sound. Even the faint rustle of the wind against the sand felt loud in comparison.

"So, if this was the capital," I said after a moment, "does that mean your kingdom has been around... like, forever?"

Darius glanced at me, his expression thoughtful. "Not forever, but for a very long time. If this really was part of my world's history, it predates anything I've ever learned about. It's like finding a missing piece of a puzzle no one even knew existed."

"Great," I said, rolling my eyes. "So not only are we lost in a buried ancient city, but we're also stumbling into some big historical mystery. Because that's exactly what we needed right now."

Despite my sarcasm, I couldn't deny that there was something fascinating about it all. The idea that we were standing in a place that had once been the heart of an ancient civilization—it was enough to make even my inner cynic pause.

"Do you think there's more of these carvings around?" I asked, peering at the other walls.

"Possibly," Darius said, standing up and brushing the sand off his hands. "If this was the capital, there might be other sections of the city with similar markings. But finding them could take days, maybe longer."

"Awesome," I said dryly. "Because we have so much time to kill."

Darius shot me a faint smile, and for a moment, the tension between us eased. Despite everything, I was glad he was here. At least I wasn't facing this mess alone.

The sound hit us like a warning bell—a deep, guttural rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very ground beneath our feet. My head whipped toward Darius, who was already on edge, his eyes scanning the horizon with the intensity of someone bracing for the worst.

"Did you hear that?" I asked, even though the answer was obvious.

"Hard not to," he said, his voice tight. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side of the ruins, where we could take cover behind what looked like the remnants of an old wall.

The sound grew louder, a rhythmic thudding accompanied by what I could only describe as... buzzing? It was faint but growing stronger, like a swarm of something approaching. My heart raced as I tried to piece together what could possibly make a sound like that.

"Any chance that's something friendly?" I asked, my voice laced with sarcasm as I crouched lower, peeking over the crumbling wall.

Darius gave me a pointed look. "Do we ever get friendly things in situations like this?"

Fair point.

The buzzing grew louder, closer, and suddenly I saw movement in the distance—shadowy figures darting between the dunes, too fast and too numerous to make out clearly. Panic set in.

"Run?" I suggested, already moving before he could answer.

"Run," Darius confirmed, and we took off like our lives depended on it—which, knowing our luck, they probably did.

The ruins blurred around us as we sprinted, the sound of whatever was behind us growing closer. I didn't dare look back; the last thing I needed was to trip over my own feet because I couldn't resist the urge to gawk at whatever nightmare was chasing us.

"Faster!" Darius shouted, though it wasn't exactly helpful advice. My lungs burned, my legs screamed, and I could feel the sweat slicking my skin under the relentless desert sun.

And then it happened.

One second I was running, the next my foot hit something uneven, and the ground disappeared beneath me. I let out a strangled yelp as I tumbled forward, sand and debris flying everywhere. Darius wasn't far behind, his shout of surprise echoing mine as he tripped and fell beside me.

We rolled down what felt like a steep incline, the world spinning in a blur of sand and sky, until we finally came to a stop. I groaned, spitting out a mouthful of sand and coughing as I pushed myself up onto my elbows.

"What... the hell... was that?" I managed, my voice hoarse.

Darius didn't answer. He was sitting up, staring straight ahead with a look of utter disbelief on his face.

"What?" I asked, following his gaze.

And then I saw it.

The ruins were gone. The endless expanse of dunes had been replaced by towering buildings and bustling streets filled with people. Everywhere I looked, there was movement—vendors shouting, children laughing, carts being pushed along cobblestone paths. The air was alive with noise and energy, a stark contrast to the eerie silence of the ruins.

"What...?" I trailed off, my brain struggling to process what I was seeing.

Darius stood slowly, his expression still one of shock. "This... this doesn't make any sense."

"No kidding," I said, getting to my feet and brushing the sand off my clothes. "We were just in a deserted ruin, and now we're... here. Wherever here is."

Darius turned in a slow circle, taking in the scene. "This can't be real. How is this possible?"

I let out a hollow laugh, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "Oh, sure, this is where you draw the line at 'not possible.' Let me remind you, we've already done dimensional travel, found an ancient city buried under sand, and dealt with a glowing magical pendant. Time travel is honestly the least shocking thing at this point."

He turned to me, his brows furrowed. "Time travel? You think that's what this is?"

I shrugged. "Got a better explanation? Because I'd love to hear it."

He didn't reply, his gaze shifting back to the city. I could tell his mind was racing, trying to piece together what was happening.

"Look," I said, gesturing to the bustling streets. "Whether this is time travel, a hallucination, or some crazy magic, standing here isn't going to give us answers. We need to figure out where we are and how we got here."

Darius nodded, though he still looked dazed. "You're right. Let's... let's start by figuring out what this place is."

As we began to move toward the heart of the city, I couldn't shake the feeling that we'd just stepped into something much bigger than either of us could have imagined. This wasn't just a random twist in our journey—it was a game-changer.

As we walked through the bustling streets, I couldn't help but feel out of place. The air was thick with the smell of spices and something metallic, and the noise of the crowd was a constant hum in the background. Everywhere I looked, there were vendors shouting, people bargaining, and carts rolling along uneven cobblestone streets. This place was alive—so alive it was almost suffocating.

I glanced over at Darius, who was trying to keep his expression neutral, but the slight furrow in his brow told me he was just as overwhelmed as I was. "You look like you're holding in a sneeze," I muttered, trying to lighten the mood.

He shot me a look. "I'm trying to blend in."

"Well, congratulations. You're doing a terrible job."

He sighed but didn't argue. I turned my attention back to the crowd, my eyes scanning for something—anything—that might help us figure out where we were. That's when I saw her.

A small child, no older than eight or nine, was sitting against the wall of a building, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her clothes were tattered, her hair a messy tangle, and her face was smudged with dirt. She looked like she hadn't had a proper meal in days.

Without thinking, I made a beeline for her, ignoring Darius's questioning look as he followed me.

The girl's wide eyes locked onto mine as I crouched down in front of her. She looked ready to bolt, her thin frame tense like a coiled spring.

"Hey," I said softly, holding up my hands to show I meant no harm. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

The girl didn't say anything, her gaze darting between me and Darius.

"She's scared," Darius said quietly, standing a few steps behind me.

"Yeah, thanks, Captain Obvious," I muttered under my breath before turning back to the girl. I reached up and unclasped the earrings I'd completely forgotten I was still wearing—simple studs back home, but here, they'd probably be worth a small fortune.

I held them out to her. "These are for you," I said. "You can sell them, trade them, whatever you need. Just... can you help us?"

Her eyes widened as she stared at the earrings, her small hands hovering hesitantly before snatching them away. She clutched them to her chest like they were the most precious things in the world, which, to her, they probably were.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I smiled. "You're welcome. Can you tell us about this place? The city, the people, anything you know?"

The girl hesitated, glancing around as if making sure no one was listening. Then, in a voice that was surprisingly steady for someone so young, she began to speak.

"This is Arkenal," she said. "It's the main city of the empire. Everything happens here—trading, decisions, the king's court. They control everything, even the colonies."

"Colonies?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

She nodded. "There's another colony. On the other side. They call it Earth."

I blinked, my mind scrambling to process her words. "Wait, Earth? My Earth?"

The girl tilted her head, clearly not understanding my question. "Earth is where the greedy ones were sent. Long ago. They took things from here, wanted more, started wars. The king sent them away, but..." She trailed off, her expression darkening. "Not everyone agreed. Some wanted to keep control. The king's brother was one of them."

Darius stiffened beside me. "The king's brother?"

The girl nodded again, her face grim. "He's not a good man. He does bad things. People are afraid of him. He wants the throne, but the king is strong. He keeps him away."

"Not anymore," Darius muttered under his breath, his tone bitter.

I placed a hand on his arm to steady him before turning back to the girl. "Do you know anything about... relics? Like a pendant or a bracelet?"

The girl's eyes flicked to the necklace around my neck, and for a moment, I thought she might bolt again. Instead, she shook her head. "I don't know about that. But people talk about magic things. Things from before the war. They say they're dangerous."

"Dangerous how?"

The girl shrugged, her small shoulders rising and falling like she'd already learned not to ask too many questions. "They just say they are. That's all I know."

I nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "Thank you. You've helped more than you know."

The girl's lips quirked into a faint smile before she clutched the earrings tighter and darted off into the crowd, disappearing as quickly as she'd appeared.

Darius let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. "Well, that was... enlightening."

"Yeah," I said, still staring at the spot where the girl had been. My mind was racing, trying to piece together everything she'd said. Colonies, a power-hungry brother, relics of a past war... It was a lot to take in.

Darius placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression serious. "We need to figure out what we're going to do next."

"Yeah," I repeated, though my voice lacked conviction.