"You see me as a traitor, but I am merely the mirror of your own weakness. I do not sacrifice myself for you—I sacrifice myself for the chaos you cannot stop." – Morvan
The ancient ruins stretched out before them, shrouded in an oppressive, eerie silence. The stone walls were etched with long-forgotten runes, and the air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decay. Ash, Yuichiro, and Aiden stood at the entrance, while the faint light from Aiden's bone-shaped torch cast long, flickering shadows over the moss-covered stones.
"This must be it," Ash murmured, eyeing the dark corridors ahead. "Pretty grim atmosphere. I bet Valenor had a morbid taste in architecture."
"Focus," Yuichiro snapped, gripping the hilt of his katana tightly. His eyes scanned the walls, searching for potential dangers. "This isn't a place for jokes."
Aiden sighed, stepping between the two before an argument could break out. "We're here to find the heart of the Seal Ruins. Save the banter for later." He raised his torch higher, illuminating the first corridor. "Let's move. We don't have time to waste."
The three ventured deeper into the ruins, their footsteps echoing ominously through the vast, hollow space. Every crunch of stone and faint drip of water felt like an amplified warning emanating from the ancient walls.
Ash took the lead, his movements smooth and precise as he surveyed their surroundings. "Looks like the architect of this place had a fondness for traps. There are pressure plates on the left side of the corridor. Better avoid stepping on those."
"Good eye," Aiden remarked, carefully stepping around the marked area. He knelt down and placed a hand on the ground, activating [Lifetime Legend - Restrictionless]. Bone-like tendrils emerged from the ground, spreading like a network that probed the structure around them. "This should give us a layout of the surroundings. Let me—"
Suddenly, an ominous energy pulsed through the tendrils, and Aiden flinched. "There's something… alive ahead," he muttered, quickly retracting the tendrils.
Yuichiro frowned. "Alive? Here? What could—"
Before he could finish the sentence, Ash raised a hand. "Quiet," he hissed. The playful tone in his voice was gone, replaced by sharp vigilance. "There's movement. Something's close."
The three held their breath as the flickering torchlight danced weakly across the walls. Then, without warning, the ceiling above them began to tremble. A deafening roar echoed through the ruins, so loud it seemed to reverberate through the ancient stones. The ceiling collapsed with a thunderous crash, and large chunks of stone tumbled to the ground.
"Get out of here!" Aiden shouted, leaping aside to avoid a falling boulder. But before they could retreat to safety, a black, viscous substance dripped from the ceiling. The roar rang out again, louder, angrier.
"What is that?!" Ash exclaimed as he sliced a droplet of the slime with his daggers. The slime sizzled dangerously upon contact with the blade, leaving small, smoking marks.
Yuichiro drew his katana, assuming a combat stance. "Whatever it is, we need to be prepared. This thing isn't done yet."
Aiden gripped the torch tightly, summoning the bone tendrils once more to form a protective barrier around the group. "Stay together. Whatever's up there—we're not letting it through!"
The air in the ruins grew heavy with tension as the ominous roar of Leviathan echoed through the halls again. The massive, slime-coated figure of the once-protective guardian moved like an unleashed force of nature. Morvan, triumphantly perched on its back, commanded Leviathan with merciless precision as thick black slime dripped in heavy globs, dissolving everything it touched.
"You cannot escape," Morvan sneered, his face twisted into a smug grin. "Leviathan will consume you—and with it, your pathetic plan to restore the Seal!"
Ash spun his daggers, leaping into the air to strike Leviathan with a swift attack. But his blades rebounded uselessly off its slimy exterior, and he was flung backward, narrowly dodging a wave of black slime.
"This thing is unstoppable!" he yelled, struggling back to his feet. "Got any bright ideas, Aiden? Because I'm running out of tricks here!"
Aiden, breathing heavily, gathered all his energy and summoned a massive bone wall with [Lifetime Legend - Restrictionless] to block Leviathan's next assault. But the slime dissolved the bones effortlessly, and Leviathan broke through the barrier with a thunderous roar.
"We can't stop it," Yuichiro muttered, standing between Aiden and Leviathan with his sword raised. "Not like this. We need a way to get to Morvan, but this slime… it leaves us no opening."
"You'll die here," Morvan jeered as Leviathan lowered its massive head, preparing to unleash a devastating attack.
But before Leviathan could strike, the entire ruin trembled as another, deeper roar filled the space. It wasn't a sound like Leviathan's—it was raw, primal, like an echo from an ancient time. The group looked around frantically as the walls quaked, and from the other side of the ruin, a massive shadow emerged.
Through the shattered entrance of the hall, a colossal figure charged in, its presence eclipsing everything else. It was a Gigantosaurus—a towering Tier-III dinosaur-like beast, its body rippling with powerful muscles and clad in thick, armored hide. Its massive claws scraped against the stone floor, and its intense yellow eyes burned like fire in the darkness.
"What… is that?" Ash stammered, staring in disbelief at the immense creature. "That's… incredible."
"The Gigantosaurus," Yuichiro whispered, his usually serious expression now tinged with awe. "I thought it was only a legend…"
"Not anymore," Aiden muttered. "But what's it doing here?"
The answer came sooner than they expected. On the massive back of the Gigantosaurus stood a man whose presence was as commanding as his mount's. He wore simple yet elegant clothing that spoke of his expertise in handling beasts. His eyes were sharp and determined, and his voice carried a quiet authority as he spoke.
"You're fighting Leviathan?" the stranger said, his tone calm but penetrating. "That explains the noise."
"Who are you?" Aiden called out, keeping an eye on Leviathan, which now glared furiously at the Gigantosaurus.
"My name is Ryder," the man replied. "And this…"—he patted the Gigantosaurus's neck—"is Tyran. We're here to help you."
"Help?" Ash shouted, still visibly overwhelmed by the sight. "What makes someone like you want to team up with us?"
Ryder smirked faintly, his eyes never leaving Morvan and Leviathan. "I've heard about your plan to restore the Seal. Tyran told me everything! I know what's at stake. If Morvan and this corrupted Leviathan stop you, the world is doomed. I can't let that happen."
Morvan's grin vanished, his teeth grinding in frustration. "The Gigantosaurus? Ridiculous! Do you really think that thing can stop me? Leviathan is unstoppable!"
"We'll see about that," Ryder replied calmly, signaling to Tyran.
The Gigantosaurus let out another earth-shaking roar and charged forward with a speed that belied its massive size, colliding with Leviathan. The impact shook the floor of the ruin as Leviathan coiled its slimy body around Tyran. But the Gigantosaurus used its massive claws and teeth to tear itself free and counterattack.
"This is our chance," Ryder shouted to the others. "I'll hold off Morvan and Leviathan—you need to reach the Seal! There's no time to waste!"
Aiden hesitated, but Yuichiro grabbed his arm. "He's right. If we don't reach the Seal, it's all over."
"But—" Aiden began, but Ryder cut him off.
"Go, Aiden!" Ryder shouted firmly. "I've got this under control. You have your task—and I have mine."
Aiden clenched his fists, his eyes filled with conflict, but he finally nodded. "All right. Thank you, Ryder."
"Make this fight worth it," Ryder said with a determined smile before focusing entirely on the battle.
Aiden, Yuichiro, and Ash sprinted away as Tyran and Leviathan clashed in a battle that threatened to destroy the entire ruin. Morvan taunted them as they ran, but Ryder gave him no chance to continue. With a mighty strike from his mount, Ryder pushed Leviathan back and turned his attention to Morvan.
"Your game ends here, Morvan," Ryder said quietly but resolutely. "Not with me."
Episode 15 – Temple Runner (Part 1)
The sounds of the raging battle between Tyran, the Gigantosaurus, and the dark, slime-covered Leviathan thundered through the ruins like rolling storms. Aiden, Ash, and Yuichiro had no time to look back—their focus was solely on the race ahead.
"He's trying to reach the Seal!" Yuichiro shouted, gripping his sword as he quickened his pace. "If he breaks it, everything will have been for nothing!"
Morvan, his figure still shrouded in dark slime, leaped over rubble and fissures in the ground with unnatural speed. His movements were no longer human but animalistic and instinctive, like those of a beast. His mocking words echoed through the ruins as he pushed forward.
"You're too late!" he called over his shoulder, deftly dodging a falling beam. "The Seal will fall, and with it, your pathetic hopes of saving this world!"
"Not if we're faster!" Ash yelled, darting forward with near-unbelievable speed. His daggers glinted in his hands as he leaped over falling rocks and shattered columns blocking his path. "Yuichiro, try to cut him off!"
"I know what I'm doing," Yuichiro growled, his face set with determination. With a powerful jump, he launched himself off a ledge and landed on a higher level running parallel to Morvan. From there, he forged a path toward the ledge that led directly to the Seal.
Aiden, running behind them, activated [Lifetime Legend - Restrictionless]. Bones sprouted from the ruin's walls, forming spears and barriers to block Morvan's path. But the slime enveloping Morvan's body easily corroded the obstacles.
"He's not slowing down!" Aiden panted, using a bone spear to dislodge a loose stone slab Morvan had almost used as a springboard. "We need to be faster!"
"Don't worry, I've got something up my sleeve!" Ash shouted, darting down a side path that could bring him ahead of Morvan. "I'll cut him off—you two keep up!"
Meanwhile, Morvan leaped with inhuman strength over a wide chasm that seemed to drop into a bottomless abyss. The others followed closely behind, but they could feel the distance between them widening.
"His speed is inhuman," Yuichiro muttered, deflecting a falling stone as he pressed forward. "We need to slow him down, or we'll be too late."
Suddenly, the environment began to quake. The ruins seemed to shatter, as if the structure itself was rebelling against the intruders. The ground beneath them cracked open, and falling debris made the race even more perilous. Morvan laughed mockingly as he leaped through the destruction.
"You'll never make it!" he screamed, his voice laced with madness. "The Seal will fall, and Leviathan will devour everything!"
Suddenly, Ash burst out of a side corridor, landing directly in front of Morvan. "Surprise!" he shouted, throwing one of his daggers with incredible precision. The blade sank into the slime surrounding Morvan's arm, but instead of halting him, the slime simply let the dagger slide through harmlessly.
Morvan lashed out with a slimy claw, grabbing Ash and hurling him brutally to the side. Ash slammed into a wall with a groan of pain but quickly got back to his feet, a defiant grin on his face. "Okay, plan B," he muttered, drawing his second dagger.
"Aiden, take over!" Yuichiro shouted from above, leaping down to confront Morvan directly. With a powerful swing of his sword, he aimed for Morvan's head, but the slime formed into a barrier, blocking the strike.
Taking advantage of the opening, Aiden launched another bone attack. Spears erupted from the ground and walls, attempting to encircle Morvan. Yet Morvan moved like a shadow, weaving through the attacks and drawing ever closer to the Seal.
"He's almost there!" Yuichiro gasped as he charged back into the fray. "We have to stop him!"
Before they could act, another roar reverberated through the ruins. This one didn't come from Leviathan but from Tyran. Ryder was still outside, fiercely battling the dark Leviathan and keeping it at bay. The echo of the roar seemed to bolster their spirits.
"We're not giving up!" Aiden shouted, sprinting with all his might. He nearly reached Morvan, but Morvan spun around and unleashed a wave of black slime, forcing Aiden back.
Morvan cackled madly as he reached the massive doors leading to the heart of the Seal Ruins. With a single motion of his slimy hand, he shattered the barrier protecting the Seal and stepped through.
"It's over!" he declared triumphantly. "The Seal is mine!"
Aiden, Yuichiro, and Ash fought their way through the debris, their breaths heavy but their resolve unbroken. The race wasn't over yet—they would do whatever it took to stop Morvan before he could destroy the Seal.
The chamber of the Seal was shrouded in an oppressive darkness that swallowed even the faint light from the magical runes on the walls. The black slime surrounding Morvan oozed from his body, forming grotesque tentacles that snaked through the room like living serpents. Aiden, Ash, and Yuichiro found themselves ensnared in the dense, viscous mass, unable to move. The domain of slime bound them like chains, holding them in place.
"This is the end," Morvan taunted, his warped figure hovering in the center of the room above the Seal. His laughter echoed menacingly as he raised one of his slimy claws. "You cannot escape me, and the Seal will fall. With Leviathan by my side, I will bring this world to its knees!"
Aiden struggled against the slimy bonds holding him, but it was futile. The black slime seemed to sap his strength. "Morvan!" he shouted, his voice filled with fury. "You'll fail! We won't let you win!"
Ash, also trapped, snorted. "Easier said than done, Aiden. A little more freedom of movement would be nice, you know."
"Stop talking and focus!" Yuichiro growled, gripping his sword, though he couldn't swing it. "There must be a way to get rid of this slime."
Morvan laughed again, darker and more unhinged than before. "You don't understand, do you? In my domain, I am the master. You are nothing but flies in the web of darkness."
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed as the massive doors of the Seal chamber were thrown open. Two figures stepped through the smoke. The man was tall and imposing, his stance radiating confidence and unshakable resolve. The woman beside him was slender, her long, flowing hair glowing faintly in the dim light of the chamber. Both were clad in battle-worn armor.
"I thought I'd cleared out all the monsters in these ruins," the man said with a hint of surprise in his deep voice. His gaze fell on Morvan, and a grim smile spread across his face. "Looks like I missed one."
Aiden's eyes widened as he recognized the pair. "Mikko? Elara? You… you're alive?"
Mikko Karjalainen glanced briefly at him, his eyes warm but filled with unmistakable seriousness. "Aiden. Long time no see. Still as reckless as ever." He gave a slight nod. "We'll talk later. Right now, we've got to deal with this thing."
Elara Vale, standing beside Mikko, smiled softly but firmly. "Hold on, Aiden. We're here to help." She placed a hand on Mikko's shoulder, and a golden glow filled the room. "[Haste]!"
Mikko immediately felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. His movements became faster, his reflexes sharper. He clenched his fists, and a faint growl escaped his throat as his skill [Overwhelm] activated. A dark aura surrounded him, intensifying as his gaze locked onto Morvan.
"Morvan, or whatever you've become," Mikko said, stepping forward slowly. "Your games end here."
The chamber of the Seal echoed with the eerie sounds of the dark slime domain Morvan had created. The viscous mass crawled over walls and floors like a living organism, making the room feel tighter and more oppressive. Morvan stood at the center of his dark domain, his distorted laughter reverberating like an echo from hell.
"You're too late!" he taunted, his grotesque form surrounded by writhing slime tendrils. "The Seal is mine, and with its power, I will rule this world!"
Aiden, Ash, and Yuichiro were still struggling against the slimy bindings that restricted their movements. But before they could break free, heavy footsteps shattered the tension in the room. Mikko entered, his massive sword resting on his shoulder, followed by Elara, who walked calmly behind him.
Morvan's grotesque face twisted into a sinister grin as he laid eyes on Mikko. "What's this? You think you can stop me with that toy?" He laughed derisively, raising his claws to challenge Mikko.
Mikko was unfazed. With a stoic expression, he lowered the massive sword from his shoulder, gripping it firmly with both hands. The blade seemed almost larger than him, its broad surface glinting faintly in the dim light of the room. Yet Mikko stood firm, his gaze locked unwaveringly on Morvan.
"You've caused enough destruction," Mikko said quietly, his voice a low rumble. "It's time to end you."
Morvan sneered and lashed out with a massive slime tendril. With a loud cry, Mikko brought his sword forward to block the attack. The force sent him skidding several feet back, his boots carving deep grooves into the ground.
"Mikko, be careful!" Aiden called out. "The slime makes him stronger than he looks!"
Mikko didn't respond. Instead, he charged again, swinging his sword in a mighty arc toward Morvan. The blade cut into the slime, but it stuck as if striking steel. Morvan laughed triumphantly and unleashed another slime tendril, striking Mikko's arm and slamming him into the wall.
"That's all?" Morvan mocked, turning his attention back to the Seal. "You're weaker than I thought."
Slowly, Mikko rose to his feet, blood trickling down his forehead, but his eyes burned with determination. "I'm not done yet," he muttered, raising his sword once more. A low, ominous growl began to fill the room, and Mikko's movements became smoother, faster.
Elara, standing at the edge of the room, lifted her hands and murmured a quiet incantation. A golden light enveloped Mikko, accelerating his steps and sharpening his strikes. [Haste] amplified his abilities further, but something else seemed to awaken within Mikko.
He launched another attack, this time with a speed that caught Morvan off guard. His sword crashed against the slime-covered body with a thunderous impact, forcing Morvan to retreat with a furious hiss. Mikko struck again, each blow growing stronger, his attacks faster. With every swing, he seemed to gain strength.
"What…?" Morvan hissed, recoiling as Mikko relentlessly advanced. "How… are you getting stronger?"
Mikko didn't answer. His blade cut through the tendrils that tried to ensnare him, and he began to push Morvan back, inch by inch. A faint dark shimmer surrounded him, his aura growing more intense with every move. Each strike he landed was more powerful than the last, and with every hit, more of Morvan's substance dissolved.
"This is impossible!" Morvan screamed, realizing he was losing control of his domain. "No one is stronger than me in my domain!"
Mikko raised his sword, his voice calm but filled with unshakable resolve. "You don't understand. Your power is nothing special. You're just a monster. And monsters are meant to be hunted."
With a massive leap, Mikko brought his sword down with all his might. The impact shook the ground beneath them.
Morvan let out an agonized scream as his body collapsed inward. The black slime dissolved, disintegrating into a vile, steaming puddle on the ground. The oppressive domain surrounding the room flickered and vanished, and light returned to the chamber.
Mikko stood in the center of the room, his sword heavy in his hand as he panted, staring at the remains of what had once been Morvan. Elara approached him, her golden light slowly fading. "Well done," she said softly, her voice filled with relief. "You stopped him."
Aiden, Ash, and Yuichiro staggered forward, now freed from the sticky mass that had held them. Aiden looked at Mikko, his eyes filled with respect and amazement. "Mikko… you did it."
Mikko hefted his sword, resting it on his shoulder as he glanced briefly at Aiden, a faint, exhausted smile on his lips. "That was close," he said dryly. "But we're not done yet. The Seal… we need to restore it."
Elara nodded and approached the center of the room, where the massive Seal lay—a great circle of runes and magical symbols carved into the floor. "We must hurry," she said seriously. "The Seal is weakened and could break at any moment."
But Mikko hesitated, his gaze lingering on the black slime that was slowly seeping into the ground. His eyes narrowed, and his voice was quiet but grave. "I have a feeling… this isn't over yet."
The tension in the room didn't ease, even after Morvan had collapsed into a heap of slime. Mikko rested his massive sword on his shoulder, his gaze scanning the chamber. The oppressive atmosphere lingered, as though the danger hadn't yet passed.
Aiden stepped forward, inspecting the pile of slime. "Mikko, what was that? How did you become stronger than Morvan? It looked like you... surpassed his strength."
Mikko nodded slowly, wiping sweat from his brow as he met Aiden's gaze with a serious expression. "That's my skill. [Overwhelm]. It's something I can use only once per opponent. It allows me to gradually match my enemy's strength and eventually surpass it. But it's dangerous. If the fight lasts too long or my opponent is too powerful, I might not survive. That's why I only use it when I have no other choice."
"Only once?" Ash asked, brushing off the last remnants of black slime from his clothes. "Sounds risky. What do you do if you're up against multiple enemies?"
Mikko shrugged, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Then I fight without it. But [Overwhelm] is more than a last resort. It lets me respect my enemy's strength, understand it, and then surpass it. It's not just a technique. It's my way of fighting—as a warrior."
Elara stepped up beside Mikko, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And I make sure he lasts long enough to win his battles. With my support skills, I can strengthen, heal, and speed him up. Together, we've fought through so many dungeons that we've lost count."
Yuichiro raised an eyebrow. "Dungeons? So you're here because you thought this was just another dungeon?"
Elara nodded, glancing around. "We were bored. For months, there'd been nothing—no challenges, no monsters strong enough to test us. When we heard rumors about these ruins, we thought they might finally offer a worthy challenge. But… it seems there's more at stake here than we realized."
"So you're the last ones," Aiden said quietly, his voice filled with emotion. "The last friends I hadn't yet found."
Mikko's expression softened, and he nodded. "It's been a long time, Aiden. But it seems we've reunited at just the right moment."
Before they could say more, the heap of slime at the center of the room began to pulsate. A faint, sickening sound filled the chamber, and black tentacles shot out of the mass. The pile began to reshape itself, and Morvan's grotesque form rose once again.
"Impossible!" Yuichiro shouted, drawing his sword. "We defeated him!"
Morvan laughed, a vile, gurgling sound as his body fully regenerated. "You cannot stop me," he hissed. "This Seal will break, and I will unleash the darkness, even if it means my own end!"
"Not if we stop you first!" Mikko roared, charging forward with his sword raised. But Morvan was faster. With a single swipe of his slimy tentacles, he flung Mikko against the wall.
"None of you can defeat me!" Morvan shrieked, advancing toward the Seal. "I am ready to sacrifice everything to break this Seal!"
Elara raised her hands, her eyes glowing gold as she cast [Empowerment], doubling everyone's physical strength. "We have to stop him before he reaches the Seal!" she called out. Mikko staggered to his feet, Ash darted around Morvan with his daggers, and Yuichiro struck precisely at the tentacles. Aiden activated [Lifetime Legend - Restrictionless], summoning bone spears from the ground to block Morvan's path.
But Morvan was unstoppable. Every attack was absorbed or deflected by the slime. With a final leap, he landed directly on the Seal. His body trembled as the slime seeped into the magical symbols etched into the ground.
"No!" Aiden screamed, rushing forward, but it was too late. Morvan laughed triumphantly, his body beginning to glow. "I sacrifice myself for the darkness! The Seal will break, and the world will fall!"
A blinding pillar of light shot up from the Seal, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. Morvan's body disintegrated into nothing, and for a moment, silence fell. But within the pillar of light, a silhouette began to take shape—the outline of a figure standing in the center of the Seal.
Everyone stared at the figure, unable to speak. The atmosphere in the room grew heavier, as though something unimaginable had just begun.
It has begun… After so many years of confinement, he has returned. What happens next? Is the world doomed? Find out in Episode 16 - Temple Runner (Part 2)
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