Chapter 23 – The Temple of the Lost Scrolls – Part 2
Monster (voice echoing with infernal wrath):
— "Intruders seeking sacred knowledge... You are unworthy! Burn with me for eternity in the flames of the damned!"
Adrian (smirking with defiance):
— "What a surprise... The first ugly monster I meet that actually talks. Too bad — we're going through you either way!"
Without hesitation, Adrian surged forward, the stone beneath his feet cracking from the force of his acceleration.
Adrian:
— "Sonic Kick!"
His strike slammed into the monster's chest with bone-crushing force, sending it staggering backward. A furious roar erupted from the beast, igniting the embers lining the temple walls. The very air rippled with oppressive heat.
Monster (howling):
— "Burn with me, sinners!"
With a guttural chant, it summoned a blazing fireball and hurled it with both hands.
Adrian:
— "Too slow!"
He twisted mid-air, unleashing another Sonic Kick. His foot collided with the fireball mid-flight. A violent explosion erupted, illuminating the grand hall like a lightning strike. For a moment, the smoke revealed ancient carvings along the walls — epic battles, divine sacrifices, truths carved into stone and nearly forgotten.
Monster (roaring):
— "Flaming Chains!"
Searing chains of flame lashed out through the air. Adrian leapt high, dodging narrowly as the chains scorched the floor, melting stone and leaving glowing scars in their path.
Cordelia (eyes glowing with divine light):
— "Now it's my turn! Divine Lamb Kick!"
She ascended in a graceful arc, spinning mid-air like a dancer cloaked in radiance. Her heel struck the creature's side, unleashing a shockwave of holy energy. The impact shattered the floor beneath it, slamming the beast into a massive pillar that crumbled under the force, scattering embers like fireflies in a storm.
Monster (raising a defense, voice trembling):
— "Flame Barrier!"
Adrian (appearing at its flank, fist charged with power):
— "Forgot about me?"
— "Sonic Punch!"
His fist shattered the flaming defense, blasting the creature across the hall and into another column. Stone and fire erupted in a thunderous crash.
Adrian (commanding):
— "Cordelia! Now! Don't let it recover!"
Cordelia:
— "Already on it!"
She charged, divine energy flowing beneath her steps like a sacred current.
Cordelia:
— "Divine Kick of the Lamb!"
Adrian:
— "And this one's mine—Sonic Kick!"
They leapt together, their attacks converging mid-air. The fusion of sonic velocity and divine might erupted in a blinding explosion. The ground split, walls trembled, and the hall was swallowed by fire and dust.
A moment of silence. Then…
Cordelia (panting):
— "Did we… get him?"
Adrian (watching the rubble):
— "I think so..."
The creature's body crumbled into ashes, its fiery eyes still glaring at them even as its form disintegrated.
Monster (dying):
— "You may have defeated me... but the knowledge you seek... will bring nothing but pain... Farewell..."
Its ashes scattered into the air like a cursed whisper. A heavy silence fell upon the temple, ancient and sacred. Then, slowly, a hidden stone door groaned open.
Cordelia:
— "What do you think he meant by that?"
Adrian:
— "Only one way to find out."
They stepped through and found themselves in a vast, silent chamber. Shelves stretched endlessly into the shadows, filled with scrolls upon scrolls. It was as if time itself had paused in this sanctuary of forgotten wisdom.
Cordelia (in awe):
— "Adrian... Look at all of them..."
Adrian:
— "This isn't a library. It's a tomb of truth. But how are we supposed to find one scroll in all this?"
Cordelia:
— "He mentioned sacred knowledge... Maybe something will call out to us. Let's split up. If you find anything, shout."
Adrian:
— "Got it. Left side's mine."
Cordelia:
— "Right side for me."
Cordelia moved quietly through the towering shelves, her torch casting dancing shadows. The silence was suffocating, broken only by the distant crackle of embers still cooling behind them.
Cordelia (murmuring):
— "So many scrolls… How will I ever know which is the right one?"
Then her eyes caught it — at the heart of the chamber, resting on a stone altar, lay a golden scroll. It pulsed faintly, as if breathing.
Cordelia (calling out):
— "Adrian! I found something!"
He landed beside her in an instant.
Adrian:
— "Where is it?"
Cordelia (pointing):
— "There… the golden one."
They approached the altar slowly. The scroll glowed brighter with every step, reacting to their presence like a living entity.
Adrian (examining it):
— "These markings… They're not from any language I know. It's like the letters are alive."
He turned to her, serious.
Adrian:
— "Your divine spirit awakened here. Maybe… you can read it."
Cordelia (nodding):
— "Let me try."
She reached out and placed her fingertips on the scroll. Her eyes shimmered with divine light. The symbols began to shift and rearrange, as if awakening from an eternal sleep.
Cordelia (gasping):
— "This is…"
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