Threads of Destiny

The Sahara stretched endlessly beneath the Quinjet, a sea of sand broken only by the occasional rocky outcrop. Jaden studied a holographic map, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"You sure about these coordinates, Marcus?" he asked.

Marcus nodded, not looking up from his tablet. "The ley line convergence is strongest here. If we're going to set up a stabilization point, this is our best shot."

Zoe peered out the window, squinting against the glare. "Not exactly prime real estate. What's so special about this patch of desert?"

"It's not what's on the surface," Dr. Chen replied, joining them in the cabin. "It's what's beneath. Ancient ruins, buried for millennia. They seem to act as a focus for the Earth's energy."

The Quinjet banked, descending towards a cluster of tents barely visible against the golden landscape. As they touched down, a figure emerged from the largest tent, waving frantically.

"That's Dr. Nasser," Chen said. "The lead archaeologist. He's been expecting us."

They dis