The sorceress, revealed to be Eriol, a former ally and friend, gazed at Kae and Lyra with a mixture of surprise and determination. She had once fought alongside them against the Shadow King, but now her eyes burned with an unsettling intensity.
"I've been waiting for you, Kae and Lyra," Eriol said, her voice dripping with a sinister tone. "I knew you'd come seeking the Golden Apple. And I'll stop at nothing to claim it for myself."
Kae and Lyra exchanged a wary glance, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. Thorold and the Red Warrior stood ready, prepared to defend their companions.
"Eriol, what's driven you to this?" Kae asked, his voice firm but laced with a hint of sorrow. "We once fought together for a common cause. What's changed?"
Eriol's laughter echoed through the temple, a cold, mirthless sound. "You never understood, Kae. You never saw the true power of magic. And now, I'll show you."
With a flick of her wrist, Eriol summoned a dark, swirling energy that enveloped the temple. Kae, Lyra, Thorold, and the Red Warrior found themselves facing a formidable foe, one who would stop at nothing to claim the Golden Apple and dominate the world...