The ascent was treacherous.
Snow clung to Kael's boots as he trudged up the steep incline, every step sinking into the frozen ground. The wind howled through the jagged peaks, carrying a biting cold that seeped through his armor. His breath came in ragged clouds, and despite the burning in his limbs, he kept moving.
Liora struggled behind him, her cloak billowing wildly in the storm. She was exhausted—more than she let on—but she hadn't complained once.
They had been climbing for hours, following the faint outline of the Forgotten Sanctum as it loomed above them. An ancient tower of black stone, half-buried in snow, standing defiant against time.
The last remnant of an age long forgotten.
Kael's pulse quickened.
This place held secrets. His secrets.
As they neared the entrance, Liora collapsed to one knee, her breaths ragged. "I… I need a moment."
Kael hesitated, then knelt beside her. He didn't want to stop, but pushing too hard would get them killed.
Liora's fingers trembled as she dug into her satchel, pulling out a small flask. She drank deeply, wincing as the warmth spread through her body.
Kael exhaled. "We're close."
She gave a weak nod. "I know."
He scanned the surroundings, his instincts screaming at him. Something felt… off.
The wind carried no sound now. No whispers, no distant echoes. Just silence.
Too silent.
Kael's grip tightened around his sword. They were being watched.
A shadow moved in the snow.
His heart lurched.
He wasn't wrong.
Before he could react, a blur shot toward them—fast, inhumanly fast.
Kael barely managed to pull Liora aside as a clawed hand slammed into the snow where they had been, sending ice and stone flying.
He whirled around, sword raised.
And came face to face with a monster.
---
The Guardian of the Sanctum
It was unlike anything Kael had seen before.
A towering figure of twisted metal and bone, its body covered in jagged black armor that pulsed with a faint, eerie glow. Its face was obscured behind a cracked, rusted helmet, but its eyes burned with crimson light.
Kael's pulse pounded in his ears.
This wasn't just a mindless beast.
It was a guardian.
A relic of the past, forged to protect the Forgotten Sanctum from intruders.
Liora staggered to her feet, her eyes widening. "Kael, that thing… it's ancient magic."
Kael's grip tightened around his sword. "Then we'll just have to break it."
The guardian didn't wait.
With inhuman speed, it lunged again—this time faster.
Kael barely managed to block, his sword clashing against the creature's massive clawed gauntlet. The impact sent a shockwave through his arms, nearly knocking him off his feet.
Liora raised her hands, summoning a burst of golden fire. She hurled it toward the guardian, but—
The flames bent around it.
The attack didn't even scratch the surface.
Liora gasped. "It repels magic?"
Kael gritted his teeth. "Then we do this the hard way."
He twisted his blade, breaking free from the clash, and dashed forward.
The guardian swung. Kael ducked, rolling beneath its arm, and slashed at the exposed joint in its armor.
His sword connected—
But instead of slicing through, the blade skidded across the surface, barely leaving a mark.
Damn it.
This thing was nearly indestructible.
The guardian turned, its movements eerily smooth despite its massive frame. It swung again—faster.
Kael barely had time to raise his sword before the blow connected.
Pain exploded in his ribs as he was sent flying.
He crashed into the snow, rolling several feet before finally coming to a stop. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself to stand.
The guardian was already advancing.
Its burning eyes locked onto him.
Kael spat blood and wiped his mouth. "Alright, you bastard. Let's see how much you can take."
Liora's voice rang out. "Kael, wait—!"
But it was too late.
The guardian charged.
And Kael ran straight at it.
---
The Battle for the Past
Time seemed to slow.
Kael focused, his breath steady. His sword arm burned from exhaustion, but he ignored it.
He had fought creatures stronger than him before.
The key wasn't raw strength—it was finding a weakness.
As the guardian swung its massive claw, Kael dodged at the last second, rolling beneath it. He wasn't trying to attack.
He was watching.
Studying.
Every movement, every shift in its armor, every second it took to react.
And then—
He saw it.
A small, almost invisible gap between the plates of its armor, near the base of its neck.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
There.
He launched forward.
The guardian reacted instantly, swinging again—but Kael was already moving.
He slid beneath the blow, twisting his body as he swung his sword straight into the weak point.
This time—
The blade pierced through.
The guardian froze.
A terrible, guttural roar echoed through the mountains as its body convulsed.
Kael twisted the blade deeper. "Fall."
With one final push—
He ripped the sword free.
The guardian shuddered.
Its burning eyes dimmed.
And then—
It collapsed.
---
Victory… and the Truth
Kael stood over the fallen guardian, his chest heaving.
Liora rushed to his side, her hands glowing with healing light as she pressed them against his wounds. "You're insane."
Kael managed a weak smirk. "But we won."
Liora sighed. "Barely."
She turned toward the entrance of the Forgotten Sanctum. The massive doors, untouched for centuries, loomed before them.
Beyond those doors—
The truth awaited.
Kael exhaled, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.
No more running.
They stepped forward.
And the doors opened.