Tenaro gasped, ducking in air when he realized he'd been holding his breath, and his eyes swept downward over the ruins below.

  The terraces flanking the grand staircase stretch wide and deep, much larger than any he'd seen before.

  He lifted his gaze again, directly at the arch above him. And ran a hand along its vertical support. The stone was cold under his palm, partially mottled with moss.

  *The stone is so preserved …* He marveled at the stone, his eyes full of curiosity.

  He stepped a few paces back, letting the illusion of distance pull the distant mountains close again.

  *How the hell did they do this??* He asked himself, scratching the back of his head, not knowing whether the design is scary-good or genius-good.

  *Either way, it's amazing.*

  With a deep breath, he passed beneath the arch and began down the stairs.

  Granite stretched beneath his feet, cold and smooth, the surface only lightly scratched in some places. Each step gave a faint echo as he descended. On the first terrace, buildings rose elegantly, their walls cut with precision so exact it seemed impossible.

  “Wow…” Tenaro breathed.

  He spotted a small granite house on his left and decided to see what was in there. He approached the building and stepped through the doorway. Inside, his eyes fell on the wall opposite of him, covered in weird inscriptions. The letter twisted and curved in a language he didn't recognize, making no sense to him. He gazed shifted to the flanking the words; a red dragon head, with smooth horns and elegant horns. It looked calm and confident, harmless in appearance.

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  On the other side, a coiled snake, mouth closed. It seemed calm as well, but more intelligent and wise. The two creatures looked elegant and proud in the forms.

  *A dragon and snake again?* Tenaro thought, raising an eyebrow as he thought of how the same two creatures appear again.

  He tore his gaze from it, and looked around. The walls looked intact and unscathed, defying the age they boasted somehow. Though they also showed signs of weathering, granular disintegration and even exfoliation, some of the granite looking smooth. He then looked on the ground.

  He froze.

  On the ground lay silver cups, this time they had ruby inlays, the gems glinting in the sunlight that poured through the window.

  He slowly stepped out of the house, his breath shaking and eyes wide as he remembered what happened last time he touched a silver cup.

  *Never again.*

  He turned with his head down, he took a deep breath to calm himself, his eyes closed and jaw clenched, almost as if thinking of something else. He continued his descent down the stairs and lifted his gaze and flinched, suddenly jumpy, but he forced himself to relax. The view struck him anew, breathtaking and impossible.

  *How can a view be this beautiful?* He thought, trying to put his thoughts at the back of his mind.

  His heart jolted in his chest. He pinched his arm, distracting himself from the view.

  The majestic buildings, ancient yet pristine, terraces stretching like woven stone, and the mountains looming beyond.

  It all genuinely seemed to defy reason.

  Descending slowly, he studied the structures around him again. The buildings yet again flexed how their designs seemed incongruous with the jungle around them, alien in the lush environment, yet nature didn't discriminate still half-covered them in moss.

  With every step down the staircase, the air grew fresher, and more gentle, his hair moving with the breeze. But the wind still felt cold, carrying the sound of monkeys and songs of hidden birds.

  Terraces upon terraces of houses awaited exploration, all the houses and buildings inviting him, calling out.

  *I wish I could discover every one of them.* He thought, the feeling of longing stirring in his chest, as his lips tugged his cheeks. But for now, his attention was on the main attraction: the ruins that awaited at the base of these massive stairs, calling out to him even louder.

  Curiosity and excitement propelled him forward, eager to uncover the secrets of Baru Naga.