The moment the ritual began, the energy in the temple shifted, becoming dense and suffocating. Serena felt the weight of the ancient power pressing down on her, making the air thick with anticipation. The stone floor beneath their feet seemed to hum with life, responding to the blood they had offered. The statues of the ancient guardians, still motionless along the walls, now appeared to watch them with unseen eyes.
Serena's heart pounded in her chest. She had faced countless dangers before, but this felt different. The temple's magic was alive, ancient and unyielding, and it was now testing them in ways they could not predict.
Alaric stepped forward, his voice low and steady. "The ritual is awakening the temple's defenses. We've made the offering, but the real test is about to begin."
Rebecca glanced warily at the towering statues that lined the chamber walls. "I'm guessing those aren't just for decoration."
Alaric shook his head. "No. The guardians were placed here to protect the weapon. If we fail the test, they will come to life, and there will be no stopping them."
Serena's eyes narrowed, her muscles tensing as she scanned the room. "What exactly is this test?"
Alaric's expression was grim. "It's a test of our hearts. The temple will search our souls, weigh our intentions, and determine if we are worthy of the weapon. If any of us harbor selfish desires or dark motives, the guardians will awaken."
Serena's stomach twisted. She wasn't sure what the temple would see in her, but she knew her desire to destroy the Lumen Corvus was genuine. She wasn't after power—she wanted to end the threat. But what about Alaric? What about Rebecca? Could they all pass such an impossible test?
Suddenly, the chamber seemed to shift. The black stone floor rippled beneath their feet like liquid, and the air grew colder. Serena's breath caught in her throat as the room darkened, the dim light from Alaric's lantern flickering ominously. It was as if the temple itself was drawing them into another realm, a place between the physical and the spiritual.
Without warning, the statues of the guardians began to glow, a faint, ethereal light emanating from their stone eyes. The air hummed with magic, and Serena felt a cold, eerie sensation wash over her, as if something was reaching deep inside her soul.
She gasped, her hand instinctively going to the Lumen Corvus in her pack. The artifact pulsed faintly, responding to the magic in the temple, but it remained dormant for now. The temple's power, however, was anything but.
Rebecca tensed beside her, her fists clenched. "I don't like this. Feels like we're about to be judged by something we can't fight."
Serena nodded, her voice tense. "We just have to trust that we're here for the right reasons. The temple is testing our intent."
Alaric stood before the pedestal, his face pale but composed. "Whatever happens, stay focused. Don't let fear cloud your thoughts. The temple is ancient, but it is not without mercy."
Suddenly, the air around them thickened even more, and Serena felt a strange sensation tugging at her mind. It was as if invisible hands were probing her thoughts, searching through her memories, her desires, her fears. She gritted her teeth, trying to push back against the intrusion, but the force was overwhelming.
Images flashed through her mind—memories of her past, the battles she had fought, the sacrifices she had made. She saw the faces of those she had lost, the friends she had failed to save. She saw her own reflection, twisted with guilt and regret. The temple was showing her everything she had tried to bury, every weakness, every doubt.
But beneath it all, Serena held onto one truth: her desire to destroy the Lumen Corvus. The artifact had brought nothing but death and chaos, and she would not let it fall into the hands of those who sought to use it for evil. That was her purpose, her mission. And she would not waver.
The probing sensation intensified, and Serena's knees buckled as she struggled to remain standing. The temple was relentless, its magic digging deeper, pulling at her soul. She could feel it weighing her intentions, measuring her worth. Her chest tightened as the pressure grew, but she refused to give in.
Just when she thought she could take no more, the sensation eased, and the air around her lightened. The temple had judged her, and it seemed that, for now, she had passed.
Serena staggered, catching herself on the edge of the pedestal as she gasped for breath. Her vision swam for a moment, but when she regained her bearings, she saw that Rebecca and Alaric were still standing, though both looked shaken.
Rebecca wiped sweat from her brow, her voice shaky. "What the hell was that? I thought I was going to lose my mind."
Alaric's face was pale, his eyes haunted. "The temple showed us our deepest fears and weaknesses. It's part of the test. If we had faltered, if any of us had shown signs of corruption, the guardians would have awakened."
Serena straightened, her muscles still trembling from the ordeal. "Did we pass?"
Alaric's gaze shifted to the pedestal, where the glass case containing the weapon still rested. The faint glow from the object within had grown stronger, pulsing with a steady rhythm.
"I think we did," Alaric said quietly. "The temple has accepted our intent. We can take the weapon."
Serena stepped forward, her heart racing. This was it—the moment they had been waiting for. If the weapon truly had the power to destroy the Lumen Corvus, then they were one step closer to ending this nightmare.
With a steady hand, Serena reached out and lifted the glass case, revealing the crystalline structure within. The moment her fingers touched the weapon, a surge of energy coursed through her body, filling her with a strange, cold sensation. The weapon was alive, its magic humming in sync with her own.
She lifted it from the pedestal, cradling the delicate structure in her hands. It was beautiful, intricate, and terrifying all at once. The crystalline material shimmered with an ethereal light, and Serena could feel the immense power contained within.
"Is it… safe?" Rebecca asked, eyeing the weapon warily.
Alaric nodded, though his expression remained tense. "For now. But once we use it to destroy the Lumen Corvus, its power will be spent. We'll only have one chance."
Serena stared down at the weapon, the weight of responsibility heavy on her shoulders. They had come this far, but the final step still lay ahead. The Lumen Corvus was waiting, and with it, the forces that sought to claim it for themselves.
"We need to get out of here," Serena said, her voice steady. "The Syndicate is still out there. And now that we have this weapon, they'll stop at nothing to take it from us."
Alaric nodded in agreement. "We can't stay in the temple. The guardians won't protect us once we leave."
They turned toward the tunnel that had brought them into the chamber, but as they prepared to leave, a deep rumbling echoed through the temple. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and Serena's heart skipped a beat.
The statues of the guardians were shifting, their massive stone forms coming to life. Their glowing eyes locked onto Serena, Alaric, and Rebecca, and the air grew thick with the sound of grinding stone.
"They've awakened," Alaric whispered, his face pale. "They're not letting us leave."
Serena's blood ran cold as the first guardian stepped off its pedestal, its stone weapon raised high.
They had passed the test, but the temple wasn't done with them yet.
The real fight was just beginning.