The forest ruins stood beneath ancient canopy, moss-covered stone walls half-reclaimed by nature. Draven approached carefully as Warden's Mantle's enchantments hummed softly while Stormfang stayed ready at his hip. Sylvara moved beside him as the druid's connection to the forest gave her natural comfort in this environment, though her vine armor remained manifested defensively.
"Second attempt. Maybe the first location was isolated. Maybe these guardians remain stable."
Velnar's massive scorpion form clicked thoughtfully. "Previous visits to Southern Wilds, years ago, guardians peaceful. Corruption recent phenomenon. Gate-related possibly."
Zor circled overhead as Storm Crown glowed faintly. "Detecting atmospheric wrongness. Similar to first location. Dimensional instability present."
Feyra's golden eyes dimmed slightly. "Life element sensing corruption ahead. Similar signature. Not hopeful."
They entered the ruins carefully with weapons stored initially, attempting the same peaceful approach that succeeded at fifteen other locations across Theia.
The golems attacked immediately.
Thirty crystal golems emerged from the ruins interior as elemental veins blazed with that same corrupted wrongness. Earth-element constructs dominated here with brown-green corruption pulsing through transparent bodies, but fire and water variants appeared as well.
"Defensive formation!" Draven commanded while drawing Stormfang as Lightning Edge crackled to life. "Same pattern as before. They're all mad."
The pack responded instantly. Zor's Sky Dominion summoned storm ravens by the hundreds while creating aerial chaos. Velnar's Root Dominion erupted bramble wolves and root serpents from the forest floor. Feyra's Life's Chorus called healing spirits as her Gleamstep blurred between enemies while Dawnflare Beams shattered cores.
Sylvara's Nature's Command synchronized with Velnar's earth magic perfectly. "Forest responding. Trees becoming allies. Roots grasping golems."
Draven's Thunder Strike released his first stored charge as the magnitude 3 shockwave stunned six golems simultaneously. The pack moved through the corrupted guardians methodically while destroying cores, immobilizing constructs, overwhelming through coordinated assault.
Thirty golems fell within twenty minutes.
The ruins stood silent afterward as corruption lingered despite guardian destruction.
Sylvara created another vine pouch as her druidic magic wove organic containers for the crystal fragments. "Same draconic essence. Same corruption patterns. Confirming hypothesis—all Southern golems affected."
Draven photographed the ruins interior with his smartphone as Genesis Codex powered the device seamlessly. The images showed corrupted veins spreading through walls as the stable zone's protective magic inverted just as the first location demonstrated.
"No archive chambers accessible. Corruption spread to storage areas—crystal records shattered, information lost."
Velnar examined the ruins structure carefully. "Architecture similar to first location. Merger-era construction. But Pillar coordinates absent. Knowledge destroyed possibly."
Feyra nuzzled against Draven's leg comfortingly. "Second attempt failed. But samples collected. Understanding growing."
Draven collected two dozen crystal fragments while storing them carefully alongside the first ruins samples.
They moved toward the third location.
***
The mountain shrine perched on a cliff face, accessible only by narrow pathways carved into stone. Draven's pack climbed carefully as Zor carried Feyra when the paths grew too treacherous for the horse-sized Fennec.
"Third location. Same hope. Same likely result."
Genesis Codex pulsed beside him as Adhivar's presence manifested briefly. "Atmospheric readings identical to previous two locations. Corruption signature consistent. High probability of hostile guardians."
"Noted," Draven replied while already drawing Stormfang. "Pack ready?"
Affirmative responses from all four Lord-tier companions.
They entered weapons drawn this time.
Fifty crystal golems waited inside.
The mountain ruins contained the largest concentration yet. Fifty golems with all elements represented as air-element constructs dominated due to the high-altitude location.
"Extended engagement. Zor, prioritize air golems—your domain. Velnar, earth constructs. Feyra, water variants. Sylvara, coordinate support. I'll handle fire and thunder."
The battle raged for forty minutes. Thunder Strike charges expended all three times as each magnitude 3 shockwave stunned multiple enemies but barely dented the total number. Zor's Tempest Shroud spiraled violently while lightning arcs chained between air golems. Velnar's Thornburst Barrage launched explosive thorns continuously as his four-hundred-year combat experience showed in efficient targeting.
Feyra's Soulthread Mend proved necessary when Sylvara took a glancing blow from a fire golem's burning strike as the druid's bark armor scorched. Golden life-threads wove rapidly while healing the injury within seconds.
Fifty golems eventually fell, but the pack emerged exhausted with stamina depleted, wounds minor but accumulating.
"Third location secured. Third failure finding Pillar data."
They collected samples more quickly this time as the process became routine. Crystal fragments representing all five elements went into Sylvara's vine pouches, sorted and cataloged. Draven's smartphone captured dozens of images—corrupted architecture, shattered archives, destroyed knowledge repositories.
"Nothing survives. Every ruins in Southern Wilds—corruption destroyed the records we need. Merger architects stored Pillar locations here somewhere, but the infection erased everything."
Velnar clicked thoughtfully. "Fifteen other ruins explored previously—across Western territories, Northern Ice Fields, various regions—archives often intact. Southern Wilds specifically targeted possibly? Or coincidentally most corrupted?"
"Unknown. But three attempts, three failures. Need fourth location attempt before concluding Southern Wilds completely compromised."
Zor shrieked agreement from his perch. "One more. Then reassess strategy."
They rested briefly before continuing to the fourth ruins.
The sun was setting.
***
The riverside ruins sat beside a wide, slow-moving river as water lapped against ancient stone foundations. Draven's pack approached as sunset painted the sky orange and red while exhaustion weighed on them after three consecutive battles.
"Fourth location. Last attempt today. Tomorrow we rest, then decide strategy."
Feyra's Blessing of Dawn maintained gentle healing auras around the pack, but even her stamina showed limits. Zor's Storm Crown dimmed slightly as the permanent effect sustained but less brilliantly. Velnar's thorns retracted partially while conserving energy. Sylvara's vine armor thinned as druidic magic depleted.
"Enter prepared for combat. Assume hostility. No peaceful approach this time."
They entered the riverside ruins with weapons ready, powers active, expecting the worst.
Thirty-five golems attacked immediately as water-element constructs dominated near the river.
The fourth battle proved hardest despite fewer enemies. Exhaustion reduced effectiveness as reactions slowed while powers grew less potent. Draven's Lightning Edge still crackled along Stormfang's blade, but his swings lacked the speed and precision of earlier fights. Zor's Sovereign Strikes connected less frequently as the Thunder Raven's aerial dominance diminished by fatigue.
Velnar compensated with experience as four centuries of combat allowed efficient energy conservation. His Verdant Bind immobilized multiple golems simultaneously while holding them as others destroyed cores methodically.
Sylvara and Feyra worked together closely as Nature's Command and Life's Chorus combined to sustain the pack's stamina. Healing spirits mended injuries continuously while vine restraints controlled battlefield flow, but both showed strain.
Thirty-five golems fell eventually, but the victory felt hollow.
"Fourth location cleared. Fourth failure finding Pillar data. Pattern absolute now—Southern Wilds corrupted completely."
They collected the last samples as sunset faded to twilight. Crystal fragments joined the growing collection as dozens of pieces now represented four separate ruins locations, all showing identical draconic essence and corruption signatures.
Draven photographed the riverside ruins quickly while documenting the destruction. Archive chambers flooded as crystal records dissolved by water and corruption combined, knowledge irretrievable.
"Four ruins explored. Four battles fought. Four sample collections completed. Zero Pillar information discovered."
Velnar settled heavily beside the river as massive frame sagged. "Southern Wilds proving difficult. Corruption widespread. Merger architects' knowledge lost here."
Sylvara nodded agreement. "Other regions might preserve data better. Western territories stable when visited previously. Northern Ice Fields similar."
"Tomorrow we rest. Then reassess strategy."
They camped beside the riverside ruins, exhausted but alive.
***
The pack gathered around a small fire as Genesis Codex hovered nearby providing soft green-gold illumination. Draven sorted through the collected samples methodically while organizing crystal fragments by ruins location and element type.
"Four ruins explored in Southern Wilds since we encountered those gates. Every location corrupted. Every guardian hostile. Every archive destroyed. Pattern absolute."
Adhivar's presence manifested more substantially as the Worldroot Dragon's ethereal form studied the samples. "Draconic essence consistent across all four locations. Same Crystal Dragon, body distributed universally. But corruption levels variable—fourth location most severe, first location least. Progression possibly."
Zor clicked his beak thoughtfully. "Gate opened months ago. Corruption spreading since? Dimensional breach destabilizing stable zones gradually?"
"Plausible," Sylvara agreed. "Natural balance disrupted. Protective magic inverting over time."
Velnar's deep, rumbling voice added perspective. "Fifteen ruins explored before recent investigations. Across Western territories, Northern Ice Fields, various Southern locations, Sunken Archives region. All peaceful then. Guardians ignored us when unarmed. Archives accessible. Knowledge preserved."
"Time difference. Previous explorations—weeks and months ago. Before Gate fully active. Before dimensional breach accelerated. Before corruption spread widely."
Feyra's small voice added, "So Southern Wilds not uniquely cursed. Just most affected currently? Corruption spreading from here outward possibly?"
"Unknown. Need Overlords' reports. Their investigations at Western, Northern, Sunken ruins will indicate if corruption spreading globally or isolated regionally."
Despite exhaustion and frustration, Draven's determination remained evident. "Four locations, four failures finding Pillar data. But four successes collecting dragon samples. Understanding growing even if mission objectives incomplete."
He looked at his pack—Zor perched nearby with Storm Crown glowing softly; Velnar resting his massive form with thorns retracted; Sylvara maintaining vine armor despite fatigue; Feyra nestled against his side as Blessing of Dawn comforted.
"Tomorrow we rest. Day after, we continue. Southern Wilds proving difficult, but forty-three ruins remain unexplored total. Pillar location exists somewhere. We'll find it."
Quiet agreement from his companions.
The mission continued.
Draven stared into the campfire as Genesis Codex floated beside him while Adhivar's cosmic presence stayed steady and reassuring. Crystal dragon fragments lay organized nearby as physical evidence of their discoveries and battles.
"We've explored more than four ruins in Southern Wilds since we encountered those gates. Every one corrupted. Every guardian mad. Every archive destroyed. But we're collecting samples, understanding the dragon's origin, learning about the merger's desperation."
His hand rested on Stormfang's hilt as the Elite-tier blade provided familiar comfort.
"And we'll keep searching. However many ruins it takes. The Pillar location is out there. Somewhere."
Determination.
Persistence.
The Bearer's resolve.
Unshaken.
💖 Enjoying the story?
👉 Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/sa2quasar