Kael woke with a start, sweat soaking his shirt. The voice still echoed in his mind, shaking him to the core.
"You are not ready."
But ready for what? The question spun endlessly in his head as he sat up on the cold stone floor of the chamber. Selene was still beside him, eyes wide but calm.
"We have to prepare," she said quietly. "Whatever sleeps beneath this ruin is powerful beyond belief. We can't face it unarmed."
Kael's fingers brushed the glowing pendant resting against his chest. The pulse was slower now but steady, like a warning heartbeat.
Outside the chamber, the sun was rising. The first light filtered weakly through cracks above, casting pale beams on the cracked walls. The ruined city above seemed peaceful, but Kael knew the calm was only a mask.
"We need allies," Kael said. "People who understand the old magic and the history of the ruins."
Selene nodded. "I know someone. An old scholar named Harlen lives nearby. He's spent his life studying the gods and their ruins. If anyone can help us, it's him."
The thought of asking for help made Kael uneasy. For years, he had faced his fears alone. But this was different. The god beneath the ruin was a threat that couldn't be ignored.
As they climbed the stairs and stepped back into the daylight, Kael looked back at the entrance. The shadows inside seemed to pulse and shift, as if warning them not to return.
"We don't have much time," Selene said. "The god will awaken fully soon. And when it does, the city won't survive."
Kael swallowed hard. His life had changed forever in just one night. The dreams, the voice, the glowing pendant, it was all connected. And it was up to him to stop what was coming.
Together, they set off toward the nearby village where Harlen lived. Every step felt heavy with the weight of the future.
Kael's mind raced. What kind of power could sleep beneath the ruins? How had it survived so long? And most terrifying of all, what would happen when it finally woke?
For the first time, Kael felt the true meaning of responsibility. He was no longer just a curious traveler. He was a guardian standing at the edge of an ancient darkness.
The journey ahead was uncertain, but Kael knew one thing, he could not turn back now.