15 City of Ravens 1 (2/2)
After walking out, I first checked out the left tunnel but was disappointed to find a dead-end. Entering the smaller right tunnel, I soon had to start crawling with the rocks bruising me with my every move.
Going through the tight spaces with weird twists and turns was very uncomfortable, but the good thing was I was going upwards.
A dozen minutes later I arrived at the exit of the tunnel. A massive cave with hundreds of stalactites, stretching what appeared to be hundreds of meters. Far in the distance a structure dozen of meters high with collapsed towers and destroyed walls.
I could feel my heartbeat accelerating as I approached the ancient looking structure. A spirit of adventure ignited in me when I saw it, this was the dream of every kid, usually later killed when they learn that most of the world was discovered.
Very few are lucky enough to experience it nowadays.
I forgot all about looking for the exit and run up to the building, it was huge like a small castle looking like a mix of Mayan and European style. The large entrance was decorated with sculptures of snakes, lizards, wolfs and owls and a raven standing above all of them.
As I stepped through the entrance and started to look around, I saw many ruined walls, pottery, and other items scattered on the floor. The ceiling was covered with murals showing armies clashing, generals shouting commands and warriors fighting.
Deeper I went the more murals I saw, telling a story of war and slaughter on one side humans, on the other Monsters. What was unusual was that these monsters were led by humans and it appeared that this story was being told from the monster's perspective.
An epic story of triumph, domination, and defeat. The monsters ruled lands that stretched far and wide, and when human armies came, they fought fiercely but were decimated in the end.
The last mural showed a city under siege, humans trying to break open the gates, and ravens flying around the battlefield killing them.
After the space on the ceiling was blank, waiting to be painted with the end of the story. Going deeper into the building I looked for anything interesting like the murals, but other than some destroyed wall paintings and broken frames there was nothing.
Not long after I found a tall door, made of stone and decorated with a similar style to the entrance, but with more details. I tried to push them open, but they wouldn't budge. With my soul image manifested I tried again and gradually moved.
They grated as I pushed them open and air rushed out of the room. Inside was littered with bones of different sizes, none of them making up a full skeleton. In the middle stood an altar filled with ancient looking writing.
This kind of texts only experts could translate, there was no need for me to look into them carefully. Wanting to examine the altar, I made my way up the steps and the moment my foot on them the altar light up.
With a high-pitched noise, the light floated up from the altar and gathered above it. My body stopped moving as if paralyzed none of my muscles could move. Frozen in place, I could only watch as the light rotated and changed shape becoming more human-like.
Wearing a dress of light, with hair like rivers and eyes made of stars, a beauty that can make countries kneel. With a wave of her hand, I was lifted into the air and moved opposite to her.
”Ur gvij ibgbhw p frńhj fgrś urcbpzł dzę p gvl uaynfięgvl lzncdhj. Rgayvlbc lóc yobf Z hzndy dzę hybdnl fgóav hz yrdgbł.”
She said something in a language that didn't sound like anything I know. She then gracefully placed her hand on my chest and started to chant.
My vision gradually became white, and ringing in my ears got louder, soon there was nothing around me, and I felt a thump. I could see again but the ruins were gone, and the 'ghost' was nowhere in sight. Sunlight hit my face, and the wind moved my clothes as I laid in the middle of the forest.