Hurrying through the opulent corridor like streets of the Realm of Leisure, Bennett, and Costel reach the grand doors of the Queen's throne room. With practiced precision, Bennett unlocked the door's magic shield, a skill honed through years of training as a guardian.
Anticipation washed through the air as they entered the room, expecting to find Queen Leisure awaiting their arrival. To their bewilderment, the throne room was empty, devoid of any sign of the queen. Confusion clouded their thoughts as their eyes searched for any clues to her sudden disappearance.
Before they could unravel the mystery, a light step forward revealed a trap floor that suddenly gave way to the entire room beneath them, sending both guardians plummeting into darkness.
The furniture and clutter, precariously stuck to the throne room floor gave validity to the solid illusion. The floor then returned, ready for its next unknowing victims. With a resounding crash, Bennett and Costel landed on the hard ground below, disoriented and unsure of their surroundings.
"Costel, are you breathing?" Bennett shouted, with a sense of fear and confusion in his voice, a confirming grunt of pain returning from Costel in the darkness.
They scrambled to their feet, the darkness enveloping them, the sound of slithering surrounding the pit, sending shockwaves through their spines. Whatever lurked down here with them, was no small creature. So with their senses on high alert, the guardians drew their swords and braced themselves for whatever awaited them in the depths below.
Some time later Lionel and Kross arrived at Leisure, wandering through the bustling streets of the capital, they found themselves captivated by the alluring culture that surrounded them. The sights, sounds, and smells of the city engulfed them in its simple luxuries, momentarily drawing their attention away from their mission.
Kross swept back to reality with visions of her homeland being destroyed, and her brother calling to her from the falling debris. Recognizing the urgency of their task, a determined stride led her way towards the throne room, with Lionel trailing off behind, stopping to smell the roses.
As he caught up with Kross, he grabbed her, "Do you even care?" She muttered, turning with watering eyes, their journey punctuated by a brief tension, a clash of priorities between the two guardians.
Surprisingly, Lionel felt a wave of pride that squashed his guilt, as his student was slowly becoming the master. They quickly resolved to set aside their differences, for now, and focus on their mission.
Eventually approaching the throne room, devoid of the protective shield that typically guarded it, they proceeded cautiously. "Something is off," Lionel said with a sudden pause.
Each step forward was measured, their senses alert for any potential danger lurking within.
Lionel's keen observation saved them in this moment, as he noticed the subtle signs of a concealed paint that had torn in the corners of the room. Reacting quickly, he pulled Kross back just in time to avoid falling into the trap themselves, the entire room shifted revealing the large hole, a pit set to consume them.
Their relief was short-lived, however, finding themselves confronted by a grim scene of death and despair within the throne room. The trap had claimed many lives before them, evident from the scattered remains and discarded weapons that littered the floor.
Squinting his eyes, Lionel looked attentively across the room but was unable to identify exactly what had transpired, or why.
Before they could fully process the horror in front of them, they were suddenly attacked from behind by unseen assailants. Overpowered, Lionel and Kross were shoved into the trap, plunging into darkness as they fell into the depths below.
With the cracking of old bones breaking their fall, Lionel quickly recovered, met with the mocking laughter of Amex and Valerie from above, their former adversaries.
Confusion and anger filled Lionel's voice as he demanded an explanation for their betrayal.
"Do you see any useful guardians down there? Or do your eyes not work in the front of your head either?" Amex's silhouette and taunting words fuel Lionel's frustration, but he kept his composure, realizing they were outmatched in this surprise encounter.
With a tense expression, Lionel exchanged a knowing glance with Kross who was slow to her feet. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, as the grim scene of Bennett and Costel's partial remains came into view, leaving her stunned and grief-stricken.
Amex's callous remarks only added insult to injury, his attempt at humor falling flat in the face of tragedy. Kross's silence spoke volumes though, as she glared at Amex with a mixture of anger and sorrow, believing they were behind the deaths of her guardian comrades, her fists clenched in frustration.
Lionel, sensing the tension rising, stepped forward, his expression stern as he addressed Amex with a steely gaze.
"You know, I hate giving bad news to beautiful women" Amex quipped, cut short as Valire was struck with the door behind her knocking both guardians into the pit below.
Above them in the glint of Lesiures sun, towering over the defeated guardians stood the mercenary, pride returning to his quivering body, shaken with the excitement of his revenge plan unfolding. "Don't worry, beauty will know only the words of her new guardian, Venik" he spouts, revealing his half-thought plan to replace Bennet, or Costel as Leisure's Guardian.
Just as he appeared, he turned ever so quickly, his steps echoing behind him, each a subtle reminder of the events that had just played out before the guardians.
Without a second thought, Kross drew her sword and began to charge at the injured Valerie but was stopped by Lionel's firm grasp. "Let me do this" she pleaded in anger, Lionel looking beyond her as a monstrous serpent revealed itself from the darkness of its burrow.
Clumps of saliva hit the floor with a vicious splat, its tongue shimmying from its hungry mouth, looking upon the four guardians who must now work together if they have any hope for survival. The four share a cautious glace, one that communicates a moment of truce, as they ready their blades, together.
As the serpent circled them, its scales scratching along the dried ground, the guardians quickly honed their composure and joined forces to confront the formidable foe. With precise movements and coordinated attacks, they fought back against the serpent's relentless assault, their years of training and battle experience serving them well in the face of danger.
Working together seamlessly, they managed to hold their ground against the monstrous creature, determined to emerge victorious despite the odds stacked against them.
Although they shared skillful coordination, the battle against the creature proved to be grueling and intense. As the fight wore on, both Amex and Kross began to tire, their movements slowing slightly under the weight of exhaustion.
They refused to yield as Valerie and Lionel protected them against a violent lunge.
Just when it seemed like the serpent might overwhelm them, a sudden burst of energy surged through the four Guardians as they tapped into their inner strength and pushed themselves to their limits.
With a final, coordinated strike, they delivered a devastating blow to the serpent, causing it to roar in agony before finally collapsing to the ground defeated.
Breathing heavily, Amex and Valerie stood victorious over their fallen foe, their bond as guardians stronger than ever after facing such a harrowing ordeal together. Across from them Lionel and Kross, sharing a moment of laughter, over-coming yet another trial of their daunting quest.
They all took a moment to catch their breath and survey the aftermath of the battle, knowing they had emerged triumphant, opposing gazes caught the eyes of the battle-hardened heroes, each party waiting for the other to make a move.