The air within the ruined temple was heavy, thick with the weight of centuries-old magic. As Lin Xi and Xu Jian moved deeper into the shadows, the temperature dropped, and the faint hum of power vibrated through the walls. The only light came from the soft glow of Lin Xi's pendant, casting eerie shadows on the crumbling stone pillars around them.
Lin Xi could feel the pendant reacting more strongly now, as if drawn to something deep within the temple's heart. The sensation was both unsettling and reassuring—it was guiding her, though she didn't know where it would lead.
"This place..." Xu Jian whispered, his voice barely audible in the silence. "It's ancient. I've heard stories of temples like this, but I've never seen one in person."
Lin Xi glanced at him, curiosity piqued. "What kind of stories?"
Xu Jian kept his eyes ahead, scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. "Temples built by the Guardians, long before the realms were divided. They were said to be sanctuaries, places of immense power. But when the Guardians disappeared, the temples fell into ruin, their magic left to decay."
Lin Xi's pulse quickened. A temple built by the Guardians... could it really be tied to them?
The whispers from the forest were gone, but the sense of something watching them remained, lurking just beyond their sight. Every step they took felt heavier, as if they were walking into the very heart of the curse that had plagued the forest.
The passage ahead opened into a vast chamber, the ceiling so high that it disappeared into the darkness. At the center of the chamber stood an altar, made of the same black stone as the obelisk Lin Xi had touched earlier. Ancient symbols were carved into the walls, glowing faintly as they entered the room.
Lin Xi and Xu Jian approached the altar cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous space. The pendant around Lin Xi's neck pulsed again, this time more intensely, as if urging her toward the altar.
"What is this place?" Lin Xi asked, her voice hushed with awe.
Xu Jian shook his head. "I don't know. But I can feel the power here. It's ancient... and dangerous."
Lin Xi stepped closer to the altar, her eyes drawn to the symbols carved into the stone. They were unfamiliar, yet something about them felt strangely familiar, as if she had seen them before in another life. The pendant seemed to resonate with the symbols, its glow intensifying.
Without thinking, Lin Xi reached out and placed her hand on the altar. The moment her fingers touched the cold stone, a surge of energy shot through her, and the room came alive.
The symbols on the walls flared to life, glowing with an intense blue light. The ground beneath them trembled, and a low, rumbling sound echoed through the chamber. Xu Jian took a step back, his hand instinctively going to his sword.
"Lin Xi, what did you do?" he asked, his voice tense.
Lin Xi didn't respond. Her mind was overwhelmed by a flood of memories—flashes of images, voices, places she had never seen before, yet felt intimately connected to. She saw the Guardians, standing in a circle around the very altar she now touched, their faces hidden beneath hoods. She saw them performing a ritual, binding their power to the stone, locking something away deep within the temple.
And then she saw the darkness—a vast, consuming void that threatened to swallow everything.
Lin Xi gasped, pulling her hand back from the altar as the visions faded. Her heart raced, and she staggered, barely catching herself before she fell. Xu Jian was at her side in an instant, steadying her.
"What happened?" he demanded, concern etched on his face.
Lin Xi shook her head, struggling to make sense of the visions. "I saw... something. The Guardians. They used this place to lock something away—something dangerous."
Xu Jian's eyes darkened. "A curse?"
Lin Xi nodded, still trying to catch her breath. "Yes, but it's more than that. It's not just a curse. It's... a prison. They trapped something here, and the power of the temple is keeping it sealed."
Xu Jian's grip on his sword tightened. "And now we're standing on top of it."
Before Lin Xi could respond, the ground beneath the altar cracked, and a deep, guttural growl echoed through the chamber. The air around them grew colder, and the light from the pendant flickered.
"Something's coming," Xu Jian said, his voice low and tense. "Get ready."
Lin Xi stepped back from the altar, her hands glowing faintly as she summoned the power of the pendant. She could feel the energy in the room shifting, something stirring beneath the surface. Whatever the Guardians had sealed away was waking up.
The cracks in the floor widened, and from the darkness below, a massive figure began to rise. It was shrouded in shadow, its form barely visible, but Lin Xi could feel its power—a dark, oppressive force that made the air around them feel thick and heavy.
The creature's eyes glowed red, piercing through the darkness as it emerged fully from the ground. It was a massive, hulking beast, its body covered in jagged, black scales, and its claws as long as swords. The creature let out another bone-chilling growl, its eyes locking onto Lin Xi.
Xu Jian unsheathed his sword, stepping in front of Lin Xi protectively. "We need to destroy it before it fully awakens."
Lin Xi nodded, though her heart raced with fear. The power of the pendant flared to life in her chest, and she focused on the energy, channeling it through her hands. She wasn't sure if it would be enough, but she had no choice.
The creature roared, lunging toward them with surprising speed for something so large. Xu Jian met its charge head-on, his sword flashing as he struck at the beast's thick hide. Sparks flew as his blade connected, but the creature barely flinched, swiping at him with its massive claws.
Lin Xi raised her hand, sending a wave of light toward the creature. The energy struck its side, causing it to stagger, but it quickly recovered, turning its attention toward her.
The creature lunged again, and Lin Xi barely had time to react. She threw up a shield of light, the pendant's power forming a protective barrier around her. The creature's claws crashed against the shield, sending shockwaves through her body, but the barrier held.
Xu Jian took advantage of the creature's distraction, delivering a powerful strike to its exposed side. This time, the blow landed more solidly, and the creature let out a pained roar, stumbling back.
"We need to weaken it!" Xu Jian shouted over the creature's deafening growls. "The pendant's power—it's the key!"
Lin Xi focused again, drawing more energy from the pendant. She could feel its power growing, but it was draining her, sapping her strength with every use. She gritted her teeth and pushed forward, sending another wave of light at the creature.
The light struck the beast, and this time, it let out a deafening scream, its form flickering as if it was being torn apart from within. Lin Xi's heart pounded as she realized they were getting through to it.
Xu Jian pressed the attack, his movements quick and precise as he landed blow after blow. The creature, weakened by the pendant's power, began to falter, its movements slowing.
But just as Lin Xi thought they had the upper hand, the ground beneath them shook violently, and the creature let out one final, desperate roar. The air around them crackled with dark energy, and Lin Xi felt the pendant grow hot against her skin.
"Watch out!" Xu Jian shouted, diving toward Lin Xi as the creature exploded in a burst of shadowy energy.
The force of the blast knocked them both to the ground, and Lin Xi's vision blurred as the world around her spun. She could feel the dark energy swirling around them, but the pendant's light remained, a steady beacon amidst the chaos.
When the dust finally settled, Lin Xi struggled to sit up, her body aching from the impact. Xu Jian groaned beside her, but he was alive, his sword still clutched in his hand.
The creature was gone, its dark presence erased from the chamber. But the temple was collapsing around them, the walls crumbling and the floor splitting apart.
"We need to get out of here," Xu Jian said, pulling Lin Xi to her feet.
Together, they ran, the temple falling apart behind them as they raced toward the entrance. The ground shook beneath their feet, and chunks of stone crashed down around them, but they managed to reach the exit just as the temple collapsed entirely.
They stood in the clearing outside, breathless and covered in dust, watching as the ancient structure crumbled into rubble.
Lin Xi clutched the pendant tightly, its light dim but still present. She could feel the lingering power within her, but she knew the battle was far from over. The creature they had faced was just the beginning—a harbinger of something much darker lurking beneath the surface.
Xu Jian glanced at her, his expression grim. "That was close."
Lin Xi nodded, still catching her breath. "Too close."
As the last of the temple crumbled into dust, Lin Xi couldn't shake the feeling that whatever had been sealed within was only part of the danger. The curse that had plagued the forest was tied to something far greater—and it was only a matter of time before they faced