The wind carried the scent of rain and scorched earth as Reven stood at the edge of the ruined temple. Moonlight filtered through the shattered stone pillars, casting fractured shadows across the ancient floor. The whispers of the past lingered here—echoes of forgotten prayers and long-extinguished hope.
Kaela stood beside him, her keen eyes scanning the overgrown ruins. "This place reeks of old magic," she muttered, her fingers grazing the hilt of her blade. "Are you sure this is where the map leads?"
Reven unfolded the worn parchment, tracing the inked lines with his gloved hand. "It's here," he said. "The Vault of Elders. If there's any truth to the legends, what we need is buried beneath our feet."
Lirien landed lightly beside them, his wings folding against his back. His expression was unreadable, but his voice carried a note of unease. "I don't like this," he admitted. "Places like this—places lost to time—are usually lost for a reason."
Reven exhaled, pushing his doubts aside. "Then let's find out why."
The entrance was buried beneath centuries of debris, but Kaela's strength and Lirien's air magic made quick work of clearing a path. A set of worn stairs descended into darkness, the air thick with the weight of time.
As they stepped inside, their torches cast flickering light against walls etched with intricate carvings. Ancient symbols glowed faintly under the dust, their meanings long forgotten.
Kaela traced one of the runes, her eyes narrowing. "These markings... they're different from the ones we've seen before."
Lirien crouched beside her, brushing away dirt to reveal more of the mural. "Because this wasn't built by humans," he said grimly. "This is Beast-Kin craftsmanship."
Reven's brow furrowed. "Then why was it hidden from them?"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
A deep, rumbling growl shattered it.
The torches flickered violently as a tremor shook the chamber. Stone ground against stone, and from the depths of the temple, something stirred.
Kaela had her weapon drawn in an instant. "Tell me that was just the wind."
Lirien's wings flared slightly, his body tensed. "I wish I could."
Reven turned toward the source of the noise—an enormous set of doors at the end of the corridor. As if sensing their presence, the engravings on the doors ignited with a cold, blue glow. The air turned frigid.
Then the doors opened on their own.
A shadowed figure emerged, massive and inhuman. Metal scraped against stone as it unfurled, stepping into the dim light. Reven's grip on his sword tightened as he took in its form—a towering guardian of jagged bone and ancient steel, its hollow eyes burning with cold fire.
It spoke, its voice the grinding of rock and the whisper of old ghosts.
"You should not have come here."
The temperature dropped further. Ice spiderwebbed across the floor, creeping toward their feet.
Reven exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the sudden chill. "Too late for that."
The guardian roared, shaking the temple to its foundations.
Then it charged.
The first swing of the guardian's massive blade sent stone debris flying, narrowly missing Reven as he ducked into a roll. Kaela darted forward, her twin blades flashing as she struck at the creature's exposed joints. Sparks flew, but the ancient steel barely dented.
Lirien took to the air, sending sharp gusts of wind against the guardian's head, trying to throw it off balance. The attack only seemed to enrage it further.
Reven calculated his approach. The thing was built for brute force—heavy, armoured, and relentless. But everything had a weakness.
He caught sight of the glowing core embedded in its chest.
"There!" he shouted. "The centre—aim for the core!"
Kaela didn't hesitate. With inhuman speed, she launched herself upward, spinning mid-air to drive both her swords down toward the core. But the guardian reacted with terrifying speed, swatting her away with a backhanded strike that sent her crashing against the far wall.
Lirien swooped in, catching Kaela before she hit the ground. "I've got you!" he grunted, barely managing to hold her weight.
Reven saw his opening.
Dashing through the debris, he launched himself onto the guardian's arm, using the protruding bones as footholds. Climbing higher, he ignored the burning in his muscles. The guardian thrashed, but Reven reached the core, his blade flashing.
With a single, precise strike, he drove his sword deep into the glowing centre.
The guardian froze.
A soundless scream echoed through the chamber as cracks spread across its body, glowing with ethereal blue light. With a final, shuddering gasp, the ancient being collapsed into a pile of inert bones and metal.
Silence fell.
Reven landed hard on the stone floor, panting. Kaela was already getting back on her feet, rubbing her ribs. "Next time," she muttered, "maybe we try diplomacy first."
Lirien chuckled, though his expression was still wary. "That thing was guarding something. Which means whatever's behind that door is important."
Reven nodded. "Then let's find out what was worth protecting."
Beyond the guardian's remains, another door loomed, untouched by time. This one bore no carvings, no runes—only a single, ancient emblem.
Kaela pressed her palm against it. The moment her skin made contact, the door responded.
A pulse of golden light rippled outward, illuminating the chamber in an otherworldly glow. The sound of unseen mechanisms clicked into place.
Then, slowly, the doors creaked open.
Inside, bathed in soft golden light, stood a pedestal.
Upon it rested an artefact unlike anything they had ever seen.
Reven stepped forward, heart pounding. Whatever this was—whatever knowledge or power it held—it had been waiting for them.
He reached out, fingertips hovering just above its surface.
And then the world changed.