A few minutes later, the group arrived at the outer perimeter of the actual Ancient Ruins.
An enormous black stone gate had risen directly out of the cracked earth.
It towered over the surrounding camps like the entrance to some ancient tomb built for a dead god.
The entire gate was covered from top to bottom in ancient demonic characters.
Some were carved deeply into the stone.
Others seemed to float just above its surface.
All of them pulsed faintly with dark purple energy.
Thick, unnatural black mist continuously leaked from the massive seams between the stone doors, slowly crawling across the muddy ground and coating everything nearby with a thin layer of dark residue.
Strangely, the air did not smell of rotting corpses.
It smelled slightly sweet.
Almost inviting.
Several young disciples standing nearby took deep breaths.
One of them even closed his eyes and sighed in enjoyment.
"What a strange fragrance..."
"It smells like some kind of spirit flower."
