Ancient Ruin

After everyone introduced themself, Michael took everyone down through the tunnel. Walking through the tunnel, Alex found himself to be mostly unimpressed. "This just looks like a normal cave," thought Alex looking around seeing nothing of interest. The only thing keeping him from going insane was Isabel walking in front of him.

After walking into the cave for almost 2 hours Alex was starting to get unnerved. Not only was the cave musky and dull making Alex miserable but the number of twists and turns and different passages meant if Alex had to retreat alone he could easily get lost.

"How is he finding his way so easily?" Thought Alex looking at Michael. Not being able to think of anything he activated his second Rune to see if that showed any results.

Over the last couple of weeks, Alex had done little but train his mental energy and practise drawing his two Ruins. Thanks to that Alex was becoming far more proficient, able to draw the second Rune in a matter of seconds, whereas before it took minutes of hard confrontation.

Activating the Rune Alex experienced the familiar sensation of his mind opening up. "So that's how he does it," thought Alex. Looking at the floor Alex could see a thin blue line of mental energy tracing the floor. Focusing harder and branching out his mind, Alex could sense the line tracing all the way back to the entrance.

"At least if something happens I know how to get out. I wonder if I can trace things with mental energy as well?" Taking a small piece of mental energy Alex moved to it to the tip of his index finger, dragging it slightly across one of the rocks. Much to his delight, he could sense it just as easily as the line painted on the floor.

Looking back Alex noticed Miacheal giving him an odd look before carrying on. Going a bit pale, Alex realized a bit to late the blunder he made, if he could sense the mark he left then so could Michael and probably Desmon.

"Yeah I need to be more careful experimenting outside my body," thought Alex. Going back to the line on the floor, Alex decided to see if he could see where it ended. Concentrating, Alex became instantly annoyed, not because he couldn't find the ending but because he could.

The line would end after walking another 2.5 hours. "You've got to be kidding me," thought Alex. Sensing the end again he could see 5 energy signature all doing random stuff he. He didn't try to probe any more information trying to keep as much mental energy possible.

---

Two hours later the team had finally got to the end of the tunnels. "Finally, felt like that would never end," said Desmon.

"Welcome everybody, to the entrance to the home of the great Devourers," said a random researcher excitingly. It belonged to a group of Awakenked around the 500ac period.

Alex was about to ask more about the Devourers when his attention was drawn to something else. Right behind the random researcher was two massive doors made of rock. Both door were carved at the top with the doors filled with images of men and woman doing battling against monsters.

Looking at the door Alex felt amazed, not only was the door massive but the artwork on them made him feel like his journey was worth it.

"Guess you got what you wanted," said Isabel. Referring to their earlier conversation. "Yeah I guess so but it's still amazing," said Alex.

"You're not wrong," said the random researcher also staring at the door. Just imagining what secrets and treasures that laid behind them left the team in awe.

"Have you found a way inside yet?" Asked Isabel hopefully. "Yeah, there is a magical lock to it. Took us a while but we got in."

After waiting an hour for everyone to catch their breath and prepare. The scientists were formally ready to open the doors.

Walking up to the door, Micheal placed his hand on it channelling his energy through the artwork, being incredibly deliberate with his actions make only 1/3 of the door light up.

Hearing the sound of rock grinding against each other the team knew they had succeeded. "Everyone get ready, we don't know what's on the other side of that door," said Jasper.

Looking on with anticipation, Alex still prepared himself for any enemy that might appear. Considering Alex followed the Path of Fate he still thought his luck to be rotten.

Boom....after the doors set in place, the team waited a few minutes to see if anything happened.

Activating his Ruin, Alex tried to see if he could sense anything. "The inside is like a reactor, way too much energy to sense anything," thought Alex.

"Let's go, me and Alex will take Point," said Jaspers. Walking upfront Alex asked Jasper if he knew much about these so-called Devourers.

"I know a little, apparently they were battle maniacs. Some said they could absorb the energy from fallen enemy's, making them self stronger, some called them monsters in human form who would eat anything they killed, even other people. Whatever they were, I wouldn't want to fight one put it that way."

Taking in what Jasper said, Alex looked around to see if he could find anything of interest. Stone houses surrounding the outskirts of the Ruin while a massive stone building of higher quality was centre directly in the middle.

"Must be a least a mile in diameter," said Desmon. Alex wondered if he could tell that using mentally energy and if so how.

The amount of energy come from the central building was enough to completely blind him.

"That's where we will start," said Michael pointing at the centre. After about 15 minutes of walking the team could finally get a clear view of the building.

"Dammit another door like the one protecting the Ruin, this is gonna take a while," said Michael.

"Well you better make it fast, I can sense something between the buildings and it's coming at us fast," Said Desmon, a worried look on his face.