Relics: The Ashes of a Lost World

The ruins loomed ahead, their jagged edges glowing faintly against the icy horizon. Walls of blackened stone, half-buried in snow, stretched toward the sky like remnants of a forgotten era. The pulsing light emanating from within seemed to breathe, rising and falling like a distant heartbeat.

Ade slowed his pace, glancing at Nur, who walked a few paces ahead. "You think we're the only ones here?"

Nur didn't break stride. "On this island? No chance."

Ade frowned, his boots crunching softly in the snow. "What makes you so sure?"

Nur shrugged, adjusting the goggles around his neck. "Common sense. Something brought us here, didn't it? You, me… whatever else is out there." He gestured vaguely to the distance, the ruins casting faint shadows across the icy ground. "It wouldn't just stop with two people."

The idea settled uneasily in Ade's mind. "How many, then? A dozen? Hundreds?"

"Doesn't matter," Nur replied curtly. "What matters is that we're not alone. I've seen signs—tracks, broken paths. Someone else is wandering this place, whether they're like us or worse."

Ade's gaze hardened as he scanned the snow-dusted horizon. The thought hadn't crossed his mind before. He'd been too focused on surviving the cold and the Merchas. "And what if they're not friendly?"

Nur smirked faintly, fire flickering around his fingertips as he raised his hand. "Then they'll get a warm welcome."

Ade exhaled, his breath fogging in the frigid air. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Nur shot him a look, the faintest hint of curiosity in his gaze. "You're awfully optimistic for someone who almost got flattened by a Mercha."

Ade ignored the jab, instead fixing his eyes on the ruins ahead. "I just don't like surprises."

Nur's expression darkened slightly. "Then you're really gonna hate this place."

They fell into a tense silence as the ruins grew larger before them. The hum vibrating faintly in the air grew stronger with each step, filling the quiet with an unsettling pulse.

Ade slowed his pace, frowning as he flexed his fingers. "It's strange," he muttered. "The cold's not bothering me anymore."

Nur, a few steps ahead, didn't glance back. "That's because of me," he said flatly.

Ade raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Nur exhaled, adjusting his goggles. "I set up a heat dome after I found you. My relic lets me control the flames enough to stop the cold from getting through. I figured freezing to death wasn't part of your plan."

Ade blinked, surprised. "You could've said something."

Nur smirked faintly. "And ruin the mystery?"

Ade shook his head, exasperated. "So, what, this dome is just around us?"

Nur finally glanced back. "For now. Don't ask me to hold it forever—it's not exactly fun."

Ade glanced down at the faint glow around them, realizing the snow stopped melting just outside an invisible perimeter. "Still… thanks."

"Don't mention it," Nur said, turning his attention back to the ruins. "Literally."

The hum in the air vibrated against Ade's chest, growing louder the closer they moved to the ruins. Something about it unsettled him, yet he couldn't resist the pull.

They reached the entrance—a gaping doorway framed by strange, glowing engravings. Lines and symbols etched into the stone pulsed faintly, flowing like veins of light. Ade stared, captivated.

"These markings…" he murmured, stepping closer.

Nur remained cautious, one hand hovering near his goggles. "Don't touch anything. I don't trust it."

Ade ignored the warning, his fingers tracing over the glowing lines.

CRACK!

A jolt—sharp, almost electric—shot up his arm. He stumbled back, eyes wide as the hum deepened, vibrating through the walls and ground.

Boom... boom...The ground trembled, the sound growing louder with each beat.

Nur cursed. "What did you do?"

Before Ade could answer, the shadows ahead stirred. The glow from the engravings dimmed as something massive began to move.

Clank. Hiss.

A pair of red, pulsing lights emerged from the darkness, glaring like eyes.

The Mercha stepped forward. Larger than the one outside, its limbs moved with crushing precision. Every motion felt calculated, deliberate. Patterns glowed across its body, syncing with the hum of the ruins.

BOOM. The Mercha's steps shook the ground.

Nur's hands burst into flame. "Move!" he shouted, sending a fireball hurtling toward the machine. WHOOSH. The flames exploded against the Mercha's surface, but it barely flinched.

Ade dove to the side as the Mercha's claw smashed into the ground where he'd been standing. Ice and stone shattered, spraying debris across the chamber.

"Come on!" Ade shouted, reaching out instinctively. "Opa!"

The hum rose sharply—piercing through the noise.

WHIRRRRR—

From somewhere unseen, Opa shot through the air like a streak of light.

Ade's hand snapped up, catching the staff mid-flight. The mechanical engravings pulsed faintly dark blue as Opa expanded and contracted in his grip.

THUD.

The Mercha charged. Ade spun the staff fluidly, blocking its strike with a metallic clang that reverberated through the chamber. Sparks flew, and Ade stepped forward, his instincts sharpening.

"About time!" Nur called, hurling another blast of fire to distract the beast. "Do something useful with it!"

Ade didn't reply. Opa shifted in his hands as he lunged, delivering a precise blow to the Mercha's side. The machine staggered, its red lights flickering.

The hum twisted suddenly, vibrating through Ade's skull. His grip on Opa tightened as the world seemed to slow.

Ade stood alone in an endless expanse of white, the snow swirling violently. Shapes emerged—low-tier Merchas, their eyes glowing red as they closed in.

Ade gripped Opa—without thought, without hesitation. His body moved, his strikes fluid and precise, faster than he ever remembered.

The Merchas lunged, but Opa was ready—expanding, spinning, striking. Ade countered each attack, taking down the machines one by one until the snow was still.

Finally, the last strike sent him collapsing into the icy ground. Darkness swallowed him, and Opa fell from his hands.

Ade gasped, snapping back to reality. His chest heaved, his mind reeling as the vision faded. The Mercha roared, its claws sweeping toward him.

Nur's voice cut through the chaos. "Ade! NOW!"

Ade pivoted, his grip on Opa firm as he spun and delivered a crushing blow to the Mercha's core. THUD. The machine groaned, its red light flickering and fading as it collapsed with a final, metallic crash.

Nur leaned against a nearby wall, extinguishing the flames in his hands. "Please tell me we're done," he muttered, his breath heavy.

Ade steadied himself with Opa, sweat dripping down his face. "I don't think so."

CLANK… CLANK…

Another sound echoed through the ruins, this time from deeper within. Nur groaned. "Oh, come on."

The shadows shifted, and before they could react, a figure emerged from a side passage. Hooded and cloaked, their face hidden in shadow.

"Run," the stranger said, their voice calm but urgent.

Ade straightened, gripping Opa. "What?"

The figure turned slightly, the faint glow of the ruins reflecting off their cloak. "You won't survive what's coming. This way!"

Ade exchanged a glance with Nur, who muttered, "You've got to be kidding me."

The sound of grinding metal grew louder, closer.

Ade didn't hesitate. "Let's go!"

Nur groaned again but followed as the hooded figure slipped into the darkness. The hum of the ruins grew deafening behind them, punctuated by the echo of heavy footsteps.

THUD. THUD.

Something was coming.