The temple shook violently as the ancient stone guardians stirred, their enormous forms groaning to life after centuries of stillness. The grinding sound of stone against stone echoed off the chamber's walls, filling the air with a thunderous roar. Serena's breath caught in her throat as she watched the towering statues step down from their pedestals, each one brandishing a massive weapon carved from the same black stone as the floor beneath them.
For a moment, she stood frozen, the weapon they had just claimed still clutched in her hands. The crystalline structure hummed with energy, but whatever power it held was no match for the raw force of the guardians. They weren't just ancient relics—they were protectors of the temple, and now, they saw Serena and her team as intruders.
"We need to move!" Alaric's voice cut through the din, jolting Serena back into action. "They'll destroy us if we stay here!"
Rebecca was already moving, her knife out, though Serena knew it would be useless against the towering stone figures. "I'm guessing these things aren't just going to let us walk out of here with that weapon!"
Serena's heart pounded as the first of the guardians raised its massive stone hammer high above its head, preparing to strike. The sheer size of the weapon was terrifying—if it came down, it would crush all of them in an instant. Without thinking, Serena dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the impact as the hammer slammed into the floor with a deafening crash, sending cracks spider-webbing across the smooth stone surface.
"We have to find another way out!" Serena shouted as she scrambled to her feet, clutching the crystalline weapon tightly. "There's no way we can fight them!"
Alaric, his face pale with fear, nodded. "There's an exit on the far side of the chamber, but we have to get past them!"
Serena's eyes darted to the far end of the room. Sure enough, there was a narrow archway leading to another passage. But between them and the exit stood three more of the massive guardians, their stone eyes glowing with an eerie, otherworldly light.
Rebecca cursed under her breath, glancing between the guardians and the exit. "Any bright ideas, Serena? Or are we just running for our lives?"
Serena's mind raced. There was no way they could take on the guardians directly, but the passage to the exit was narrow—too small for the stone giants to follow them through. If they could make it to the other side, they'd have a chance to escape.
"We need to distract them," Serena said, her voice urgent. "If we can split them up, we can make a run for the exit."
Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "And how exactly do we distract giant stone monsters?"
Serena's gaze flicked to the weapon in her hands. The crystalline structure pulsed faintly, its energy resonating with the temple's magic. It wasn't just a tool to destroy the Lumen Corvus—it had power of its own.
"I'll draw their attention," Serena said, her grip tightening on the weapon. "You two make for the exit. I'll be right behind you."
Alaric shook his head. "You can't—"
"There's no time to argue!" Serena snapped, already moving toward the nearest guardian. "Go!"
Rebecca hesitated for only a second before nodding grimly. "Don't die on me, Serena. I'd hate to go through this without you."
Alaric gave her one last, worried glance before he and Rebecca sprinted toward the far end of the chamber, darting between the towering figures as they moved.
Serena turned her attention back to the stone guardians, her heart hammering in her chest. The crystalline weapon thrummed in her hands, its light growing brighter as if responding to her intent. She raised the weapon high, hoping its energy would be enough to capture the attention of the guardians.
"Come on," Serena muttered under her breath, her eyes fixed on the nearest statue. "Come after me."
The guardian turned its head slowly, its glowing eyes locking onto the weapon in Serena's hands. With a deep, rumbling growl, it began to move toward her, each step shaking the ground beneath her feet.
Serena's breath caught in her throat, but she didn't run. She stood her ground, the weapon held out in front of her, its energy pulsing like a beacon. The other guardians began to stir, their focus shifting to her as well. It was working.
"Just a little longer," she whispered, her pulse racing as the massive figure loomed closer, its stone fists raised high. "Come on…"
At the last possible moment, Serena threw herself to the side, narrowly avoiding the guardian's crushing blow. The hammer slammed into the floor, sending a shockwave through the chamber, but Serena was already moving, darting between the statues as she made her way toward the exit.
The guardians were slow, their movements heavy and deliberate, but their sheer size made them dangerous. Every swing of their massive weapons was enough to crush the ground beneath them, and Serena knew that one wrong move would be her last.
She could hear Rebecca and Alaric shouting from the far side of the chamber, urging her on, but her focus was on the path ahead. The exit was in sight, just a few more steps, but the guardians weren't giving up easily.
The largest of the guardians stepped into her path, its glowing eyes fixed on the weapon she carried. Serena's heart pounded in her ears as the stone giant raised its hammer once more, preparing to strike.
Without thinking, Serena raised the crystalline weapon in both hands, pointing it directly at the guardian. She had no idea what would happen, but she didn't have any other options.
The weapon pulsed with a sudden burst of energy, and a blinding light shot from its core, slamming into the guardian with a deafening crack. The force of the blast sent the stone giant staggering backward, its massive form cracking and splintering under the impact.
Serena stared in shock as the guardian crumbled before her, its once-imposing form reduced to a pile of rubble on the floor. The weapon in her hands still thrummed with power, but the light had dimmed slightly, as if it had spent some of its energy in the attack.
"Serena! Move!" Rebecca's voice snapped her out of her daze.
Serena didn't waste any more time. She sprinted for the exit, dodging the remaining guardians as they lumbered after her. The narrow archway was just ahead, and beyond it, the safety of the passage that would lead them out of the temple.
She burst through the archway, her lungs burning as she skidded to a halt beside Rebecca and Alaric. The guardians didn't follow—the passage was too small for them to enter. They stood at the entrance to the chamber, their glowing eyes watching but unable to pursue.
Serena collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath. Her hands were still trembling from the energy of the weapon, and her heart raced with the realization that they had survived.
"We made it," she panted, her voice shaky. "We actually made it."
Rebecca, still catching her breath, gave a weak laugh. "That was insane. But damn, Serena, you just took down one of those things like it was nothing."
Alaric, though visibly shaken, nodded in agreement. "The weapon's power is real. But we can't rely on it too much. It's meant to destroy the Lumen Corvus, and using it too often could drain its strength."
Serena nodded, her grip on the weapon tightening. "Then we'll save it for when it matters most."
She glanced back at the stone guardians, still watching from the chamber beyond. They had passed the test and claimed the weapon, but their journey was far from over.
With the temple behind them and the Lumen Corvus still in their possession, Serena knew the hardest part was yet to come.
And the Syndicate was still out there, waiting.