Lian Yu stepped into the ruins, his eyes adjusting to the dim light within. The air was thick with an ancient presence. The deeper he went, the more he felt an inexplicable weight pressing down on him—as if something within this place was watching him.
The pendant in his hand pulsed again, its glow faintly illuminating the cracked stone walls. Strange symbols were carved into them, some still shimmering with traces of energy. This place was once sacred.
"Who built this?" he muttered.
As he walked forward, the space suddenly shifted. The world around him blurred, and for a brief moment, the ruins looked whole again—restored to their former glory. A grand hall stretched before him, its pillars soaring into the sky. Figures moved in the shadows—whispers of the past.
"Lian Yu, this is where it begins."
The voice echoed through the space—deep, commanding, and filled with something dangerous.
Lian Yu turned sharply, but the vision was already fading. The ruins returned to their broken state, and silence filled the air once more.
He was not alone here.
A low growl rumbled through the temple.
Lian Yu's muscles tensed as a dark figure emerged from the shadows.
---
From the depths of the temple, a massive creature stepped forward. Its body was made of black stone and molten veins of light pulsed through its form. Its eyes glowed with a dim gold, flickering like dying embers.
It had no face, only an impression of a mask carved into its head—ancient, unreadable, and emotionless.
This was no ordinary beast.
"A guardian spirit…?" Lian Yu recognized the energy. The creature had been bound to this temple for eternity, protecting whatever lay within.
The guardian raised its head, sensing him. The moment its gaze locked onto him, the air trembled.
Then, it moved.
Faster than its massive frame should have allowed, the guardian lunged.
Lian Yu barely had time to react. He twisted his body, leaping backward as the creature's claw smashed into the ground where he had stood.
The impact sent a shockwave through the temple, shaking its foundations. Dust and stone crumbled from the ceiling.
"It's testing me." Lian Yu realized.
The guardian was not attacking blindly. It was watching, measuring his strength.
The pendant in his hand burned hot, and suddenly, knowledge surged into his mind—a technique, a forgotten movement.
His eyes sharpened. "If you want to test me… then I'll show you why Heaven failed to erase me."
Lian Yu stepped forward, his breath steady. The fight had begun.