"It's definitely a ruin."
Elisha examined the faded geometric drawings and strange runes carved deeply into the massive stone pillars. Their exact origin was hard to pinpoint, but the erosion suggested they were thousands of years old.
'This could be the archaeological discovery of the century,' she thought.
Even as a top-tier prodigy at the Imperium Academy, she didn't recognize this specific civilization. Unearthing ancient ruins hidden beneath the Iron-Sand Desert was incredibly valuable; they often contained lost magical formulas or forgotten history.
"It's the precursor to the Ironridge foundations."
Elisha froze mid-fantasy, whipping her head toward Lucien.
"What did you say? You actually recognize this?"
Holding a makeshift torch he had crafted from a broken wooden spear and a localized fire spell, Lucien brushed the dust off a massive mural.
