Chapter 15: Exploring an Ancient Ruin
Astoria’s mystical ruins had a reputation for both danger and beauty. Standing at the entrance of an ancient ruin, Everett and Evanora couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and unease. The entrance was framed by enormous stone columns, weathered by centuries of magic. Vines twisted around them, glowing faintly in the dim light of the enchanted forest.
“This place is… eerie,” Everett said, adjusting the straps of his backpack. His voice echoed off the stone walls.
Evanora stood beside him, her broomstick for once resting peacefully in her hand.
“Eerie? It’s amazing! Just think of all the magical artifacts that could be in there!” Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she practically bounced on her toes. “I’ve always wanted to explore a ruin like this. So much history... so much magic!”
Everett raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, and probably a ton of hidden traps, too. You know, the kind that try to squish you like a pancake.”
Evanora shrugged, grinning.
“That’s half the fun, right?”
“I’d prefer my fun without the pancake part,” Everett muttered under his breath.
With a deep breath, they stepped inside. The air was cool and smelled faintly of moss and something else Everett couldn’t quite place. Magic? It wouldn’t surprise him. Everything in Astoria seemed to hum with magic. The walls of the ruin were covered in intricate carvings, depicting ancient battles between witches, wizards, and mystical creatures.
Evanora led the way, her broom hovering slightly as she used it as a walking stick. Everett followed closely, his eyes darting from one corner of the ruin to the next, half-expecting a magical trap to spring at any moment. The deeper they went, the darker it became, until the only light came from the faintly glowing crystals embedded in the walls.
“Look at these carvings,” Evanora said, stopping to examine the wall.
“This must be from the time of the First Magic Wars. These ruins are probably thousands of years old!”
Everett nodded, even though his focus was more on making sure they didn’t accidentally trigger a booby trap.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. But I’d be even cooler if we didn’t accidentally, you know, summon a ghost or something.”
Evanora giggled.
“Oh, come on. What’s a little adventure without some risk?”
He shot her a look.
“I’ve had enough broomstick-related near-death experiences to last a lifetime. I’m good on the ‘risk’ part.”
As they continued deeper into the ruin, the walls began to narrow, forcing them to walk closer together. The air became thicker with magic, and the faint glow of the crystals grew brighter. Suddenly, they entered a large chamber, the ceiling towering high above them. In the center of the room stood a massive crystal formation, glowing with a soft blue light. Smaller crystals jutted out from the ground, casting an ethereal glow across the entire chamber.
“Whoa…” Everett breathed, his eyes widening at the sight.
Evanora’s mouth dropped open in awe.
“It’s… beautiful.”
The light from the crystals illuminated the room, casting soft, dancing shadows on the walls. It was as if the air itself shimmered with magic. They both stepped forward, drawn to the beauty of the glowing crystals. Their footsteps echoed softly in the vast chamber as they approached the largest crystal in the center.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Everett whispered, his hand reaching out to touch one of the smaller crystals. It was cool to the touch, and it pulsed faintly beneath his fingertips.
Evanora moved closer to the large central crystal, her hand resting on it gently. “I wonder if this is some kind of ancient magical artifact,” she mused. “The magic here feels… different.”
Everett glanced around, suddenly aware of how close they were to one another in the vast, empty chamber. He cleared his throat, trying to shake off the strange feeling in the air. “Maybe we should, you know, be careful. I mean, this place could still be booby-trapped.”
Evanora laughed softly. “Everett, you worry too much.”
As she spoke, she turned toward him, and in doing so, their hands brushed lightly against each other’s as they both rested them on the crystal. A sudden spark of magic shot through the air, causing both of them to gasp in surprise.
Everett jerked his hand back, blinking in shock. “Did you—did you feel that?”
Evanora’s cheeks flushed a soft pink. “Yeah… I did.”
They stood there for a moment, staring at each other. The air between them seemed to hum with a different kind of magic now, something less ancient and more personal. Everett’s heart raced in his chest, and he suddenly became very aware of how close they were standing.
“So… uh… weird magic, huh?” Everett said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Evanora giggled nervously, her face still slightly flushed. “Yeah. Very weird.”
Silence fell between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. In fact, Everett couldn’t help but feel like the magic in the air was pulling them closer together, like it was weaving a connection between them. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t make the moment more awkward than it already was.
“Do you think—” Everett started, but before he could finish, the large crystal in front of them pulsed with light again, casting a soft blue glow over their faces.
Evanora looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the shimmering light of the crystal. “Everett…”
And just like that, their hands brushed again, sending another jolt of magic through the air. This time, neither of them pulled away. Instead, they leaned in closer, the spark between them growing stronger with each passing second.
Everett could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he realized what was happening. He hadn’t planned for this, hadn’t expected it, but suddenly, it didn’t matter. All the awkwardness and clumsiness of their time together seemed to disappear, replaced by a quiet understanding between them.
Before he knew what was happening, their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss. It was brief, but sweet, and it left a warmth lingering between them even after they pulled away. The world around them seemed to stand still for a moment, the only sound the soft hum of the crystals and the gentle crackle of magic in the air.
“Well… that was… unexpected,” Everett said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Evanora’s cheeks were a deep shade of pink now, but she was smiling, her eyes sparkling with both embarrassment and something else. “Yeah… definitely unexpected.”
Everett chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck again. “So… uh… does this mean we’re, like… magic-kiss buddies now?”
Evanora burst out laughing, the tension between them breaking instantly. “Magic-kiss buddies? Really, Everett?”
He grinned sheepishly. “Well, I had to call it something. You know, since that was probably a magic-infused kiss or whatever.”
Evanora shook her head, still giggling. “Only you would come up with something like that.”
Everett shrugged, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “Hey, I’m just trying to lighten the mood. It was getting a little… intense.”
Evanora smiled warmly, her earlier nervousness fading away. “Well, you succeeded.”
For a moment, they stood there, the magic of the crystals still humming softly around them. Despite the clumsy way the kiss had happened, there was something undeniably special about it. Everett couldn’t help but feel like the ruin had chosen this moment for them, like the ancient magic had somehow known that they needed a little push.
“Do you think the ruin has a way of… influencing people?” Everett asked, half-joking but also half-serious.
Evanora raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying the ruin made us kiss?”
Everett shrugged again, smirking. “Maybe. I mean, this place is full of ancient magic. Who knows what kind of weird romantic vibes it might be sending out?”
Evanora giggled, but she didn’t disagree. “Well, if that’s the case, I guess we owe the ruin a ‘thank you’ for the… spark.”
They both laughed, the tension finally broken. The awkwardness of the moment faded away, leaving behind a newfound closeness that neither of them had anticipated.
Everett took a deep breath, feeling lighter than he had in days. “So… what’s next? Do we, like, continue exploring and hope we don’t trip any more ‘romantic booby traps’?”
Evanora smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Well, I think we should finish exploring, but maybe we’ll stick to regular booby traps. No more magical-kiss ones for now.”
Everett grinned. “Deal.”
As they turned to continue exploring the chamber, Everett couldn’t help but glance at Evanora out of the corner of his eye. The kiss had been a surprise, but it had also felt… right. He wasn’t sure what would come next, but for the first time, he felt like he didn’t need to know. The magic of Astoria had a funny way of making things happen, and he was more than willing to see where it would take them next.
Even if it meant more clumsy broom rides and awkward romantic moments, Everett had a feeling this adventure was just getting started.