The Ancient City Book Novels & Stories

He topped a rise and found himself looking down a ruined city. The ancient buildings rose up out of the barren plain down in the valley like broken teeth. Collapsed walls left heaps of rubble, but enough remained standing to show this had once been a busy metropolis. He could see the remnants of a pylon gate and the foundations of stone towers and colossal statues of helmeted guardians. There was a central plaza, its paving split and cracked. Old roadways and avenues were half-hidden by patches of strange otherworldly vegetation. Even in ruins, the city was impressive. The wall stones looked like white crystal from a distance and each was enormous. Several must have weight tons.

Kalia's eyes seemed to gleam with a fierce light as she looked at the book. "This is the Book of the Ancients," she said, her voice low and mysterious. "And it holds the secrets of our past." Maya's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the book. What secrets could it possibly hold? And why was Kalia so desperate to have her help? As she looked at Kalia, Maya saw that she was holding out the book, offering it to her. "Take it," Kalia said, her voice low and husky. "Take it, and you'll understand everything."

Aethermoor rose like a wound in the earth—its spires of dark stone twisted against the sky, a city not built, but exhumed. The ancient capital had once been the throne of magic, before the blood wars. Now it stood as a ruin draped in illusion, the facade of grandeur barely hiding its decay. The closer they rode to its gates, the heavier the air became. Magic pulsed beneath the cobblestones, old and waiting—like something breathing beneath the soil.

Pictures enclosed them, depicting topics beyond their identification skills. Although close to one wall upon which a carving had been etched, Serakha stopped and ran her fingers along its surface softly. “This city is more than just a city”, Serakha explained. “It’s a record. Architecture here is not about shelter, it is a written record. Lucian looked around. “Then the question is, whose?” They ventured further into the city’s middle. They did not need to guess which path to take. Standing ahead of them, a tall building that looked like an open book awaited them out of silent haste. In their walk a new discovery dawned on them.

Even the sky carries a faint harmonic vibration that makes the air shimmer around us. Aurelion feels it through the bond. Mate? “I’m fine,” I say quickly, though my voice shakes slightly. “It’s just… louder.” He glances around warily. How? “Magic,” I whisper. His dragon rumbles beneath me, intrigued. We fly for nearly an hour before the ancient city appears. It rises from the forest like something out of a dream. Tall white towers covered in ivy. Crystal bridges arching between buildings. Streets paved with smooth stone that glows faintly beneath the sunlight.

Riven’s knuckles were white on the crown key, sweat running down his face, his chest tight with the weight of what was coming. The ancient force beneath the city had fully awakened. Shadows deeper than night seeped into every corner, twisting roads, cracking walls, and igniting fires in blocks untouched by Bishop’s destruction. The air smelt of iron, ash, and something older—ancient decay that made the hairs on Riven’s neck stand on end. Luca’s voice broke through the roar of the city. “Riven… it’s coming up fast! The spire won’t hold it for long!”

Sam felt Kyle’s rage rush through him, and felt like killing them all. But the second thing he noticed made him change his focus. A city wall. An immense, stone wall, soaring hundreds of feet into the air, and stretching forever. That was when Sam realized: he had awakened on the outskirts of an ancient city. Before him sat a huge, arched gate, in and out of which streamed dozens of people, dressed in primitive clothing. They looked like they were in Roman times, wearing simple robes or tunics. Livestock hurried in and out, too, and Sam could already sense the heat and noise of the crowds beyond its walls.

There was a long tunnel with a glimmer of light at the end. We followed the tunnel and came to a secret room. It was filled with dusty books; some were open, but most were closed. There was also a desk with papers on it and a lamp that had no power cord because they didn't have electricity back then. We split up each taking a section of books to read through. Roman came through with some coffee because it was going to be a long night of research. When we were finished reading, we compared notes, which led us to the Book of Ancient magic. The Book of Ancient Magic was a book that contained spells and enchantments from ancient times. It was written in a mix of English, Latin, Greek and other l

Chapter 87 – Truth Has Teeth The message burned in the sky like a brand, its crimson glow casting long shadows across the group as they stood at the edge of the ridge overlooking Sanctuary. Below them sprawled an ancient city unlike anything they’d ever seen—its towering spires carved from obsidian and veined with veins of molten gold that pulsed faintly, as though alive. Streets wound through the city like arteries, intersecting at a central plaza where a massive tree grew, its roots cracking the stone beneath it and its branches stretching high into the heavens. The air shimmered with energy, making the hairs on their arms stand on end.

If they were to save him, they had to keep moving. The ruins were older than anything Elior had ever seen, carved from stone that seemed untouched by time yet worn by something greater than mere weather. The remnants of an ancient city stretched before them, its structures broken but standing, as though refusing to fall entirely. Symbols marked the crumbling walls, some familiar, others foreign. “This place…” Myrra trailed off, her voice hushed with reverence. “It’s older than the First King.” Bram ran a hand along a massive pillar, the carvings rough beneath his fingers. “Then why would he come here?”