Chapter 12: The Mysteries of Miraxis
The air in the temple crackled as Ruby's heart thundered in her chest. The rift had opened wide, pulling the very ground beneath her feet. The black void stretched like an endless abyss, devouring everything it touched. It wasn't just the temple that was alive—it was the entire plane of Miraxis.
Ruby's Titan power surged, her body burning with raw, primal energy. Her senses sharpened as she faced Kade once more, the bounty hunter standing at the edge of the void.
"You think you can stop me?" Ruby's voice cut through the chaos.
Kade's helmet gleamed under the flickering light of the rift. "I don't need to stop you, Titan. Miraxis will do that for me."
The ground trembled beneath them. The temple groaned as it twisted, reshaping itself into something darker, more sinister. It wasn't just the gravitational pull of the void—it was the temple responding to the chaos Ruby and Kade had stirred. The walls were closing in. The pillars that had once stood firm were now cracking, disintegrating into dust.
"You're not going to make it out of here, Ruby," Kade continued, his voice laced with cold certainty. He backed away from the rift, his eyes never leaving hers. "You can feel it, can't you? The temple's waking up. It's hungry."
Ruby clenched her fists. The truth of his words gnawed at her, but she couldn't let fear control her. She wasn't going to let this temple, or Kade, dictate her fate.
"Then let's see how hungry it is."
With a swift motion, Ruby raised her arm, summoning the Titan power that flowed through her veins. The pulse of energy radiated from her palm, sending a shockwave through the temple. The force slammed into the rift, momentarily stabilizing the ground beneath them.
But the relief was fleeting. The temple was reacting, shifting in ways Ruby had never seen before. A rumbling sound echoed through the air, and suddenly, the walls cracked open, revealing the sprawling darkness beyond. Shapes moved in the shadows, rising from the depths of the temple. Horrible, twisted creatures formed out of the very stone itself, their glowing eyes piercing the dark.
"Whatever you're planning," Kade said, his voice filled with disgust, "it won't save you."
Before Ruby could respond, the first of the creatures lunged at them, its mouth gaping open, revealing rows of jagged teeth. Ruby reacted instantly, launching herself into the air with the speed of a predator. Her pulse gun cracked with energy as she fired, blasting the creature back into the dark recesses of the temple.
But there were more. The echo of their growls filled the air, rising in chorus as they closed in on Ruby and Kade.
"Get out of my way, hunter!" Ruby shouted, her pulse gun continuing its barrage.
But Kade didn't move. Instead, he raised his hand, and the kinetic energy around him surged. The very air around him rippled, and with a flick of his wrist, he sent a blast of energy that slammed into the creatures, sending them skidding backward.
"This is not your fight, Ruby," Kade said, his voice colder than ever. "The creatures are just the beginning. We've awakened something far worse than anything you're prepared for."
Ruby's mind raced. The creatures were only distractions, but what was truly lurking in the shadows of Miraxis? She couldn't afford to find out.
"Stay out of my way, Kade," Ruby warned, her voice deadly calm.
With a final shout, Ruby launched herself forward, her Titan strength amplifying her every movement. She cleaved through the remaining creatures with brutal precision, her blade flashing in the flickering light of the rift. Her body was a blur of motion, the Titan power infusing her every strike, sending shockwaves through the temple.
But even as she cut down creature after creature, she could feel the temple's pulse intensifying. It wasn't just reacting to the battle—it was evolving, adapting, becoming something more.
And then, it hit her.
Kade had been right. Miraxis wasn't just a place. It was a living, breathing entity. And it had a will of its own.
"You're not going to win, Ruby," Kade called out, his voice echoing in the chaos. "You're fighting a war you don't even understand."
Ruby's eyes narrowed as she turned toward him. "I understand one thing: I'm not going to let you take me down."
The two locked eyes, each recognizing the other's determination. But before either could move, a deep rumbling shook the entire temple.
The air shimmered.
And then—silence.
For a moment, Ruby thought the battle had stopped. But then the ground beneath her feet split open, the very fabric of reality itself warping.
A figure appeared. Dark and cloaked, with eyes glowing an otherworldly shade of violet.
Ruby's breath hitched.
This was no ordinary being.
"This is the heart of Miraxis," the figure said in a voice that vibrated the very air. "And you've awakened it."
The cloaked figure stepped forward, its presence radiating an unimaginable power. It was unlike anything Ruby had encountered before—far beyond any hunter or creature in the multiverse.
"What is this thing?" Ruby whispered, her hand instinctively reaching for her blade.
Kade stepped back, clearly unnerved. "It's the guardian," he said, his voice betraying a hint of fear. "The one who watches over Miraxis."
The guardian raised its hand, and Ruby felt a wave of pure, unfiltered energy wash over her, suffocating and immense. Her heart pounded as the pressure in the air grew unbearable.
But even as it reached for her, Ruby knew one thing: She had to survive this.
With a roar, Ruby unleashed her full Titan power. The very fabric of reality trembled as she hurled herself at the guardian, her strength building with every passing second.
But the guardian was ready. Its hand shot out, sending a blast of energy so strong it knocked Ruby back, slamming her into the wall of the temple. The impact rattled her bones, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through the pain.
This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
She stood, defiant. The guardian's presence was overwhelming, but Ruby's Titan blood burned hotter than ever. If Miraxis wanted a fight, she would give it one. And she would not lose.