Shivay moved cautiously as he approached the entrance of the ruined temple. The faint glow emanating from within seemed to pulse with ancient energy. There was no telling what lay inside—treasures of unimaginable power, knowledge that could reshape his abilities, or something far more dangerous. The carvings on the walls grew more intricate as he walked deeper into the ruins, their magic faint but unmistakable.
"Shunaya, can you sense anything inside?" Shivay asked, his voice low.
"Yes, Master," Shunaya replied. "There's residual ether in the air, but it's unstable. And… something else. A presence. It feels like a guardian of some kind. I advise caution."
Shivay's hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his makeshift weapon—a sharp stone blade he had crafted earlier from his surroundings. He had no idea what kind of guardian was waiting for him, but if it was anything like the Morphis Lynx, it wouldn't be an easy fight.
As he stepped through the archway into the temple's main hall, the temperature dropped. The light filtering through cracks in the ceiling illuminated vast pillars adorned with ancient runes, many of them glowing faintly. The place was massive, but Shivay's attention was quickly drawn to the far side of the room where a large, shadowy figure lurked in the darkness.
It stepped forward into the dim light—a hulking, bear-like creature with shimmering fur, but its eyes gleamed with an unnatural intelligence. Its body seemed to be covered in ancient runes that pulsed with a blue glow, matching the light in the room.
[Unknown Guardian Detected]
Shivay's heart pounded as the creature locked eyes with him. Its low growl echoed through the chamber.
"This thing looks like it's part of the temple itself," Shivay muttered, his muscles tensing as the beast began to circle him.
"Master, this guardian was likely created by the ancients to protect their secrets. It's not just a physical opponent—its power is tied to the ether of the temple. Be careful," Shunaya warned.
Shivay steadied his breath. "Any weak points?"
"I'm analyzing it now, but its ether signature suggests it's drawing power from the runes on its body. Those might be its weak spots."
The beast lunged without warning, its massive claws aiming for Shivay's head. Shivay dodged to the side, rolling across the stone floor as the claws slammed into the ground, leaving deep gouges in the rock.
He sprang to his feet, his stone blade at the ready. He couldn't afford to let this thing overwhelm him with brute strength. He needed a strategy.
[Activate Shapeshifting: Morphis Lynx]
In an instant, Shivay shifted into the sleek form of the Morphis Lynx. His body became lighter, faster, more agile. The guardian charged again, and this time Shivay darted to the side with lightning speed, narrowly avoiding another deadly swipe.
He leaped onto a fallen pillar, his new enhanced agility allowing him to easily outmaneuver the beast. "Okay, so you're strong, but I can outrun you," Shivay muttered under his breath. "But how do I deal with those runes?"
The guardian roared, clearly frustrated by its inability to hit him. It slammed its massive paws into the ground, causing the runes on the floor to light up. The entire temple seemed to tremble as waves of etheric energy pulsed out from the runes, forcing Shivay to leap back just in time to avoid being caught in the blast.
"Master, I've finished the analysis," Shunaya's voice cut through the chaos. "You need to target the runes on its chest. They're maintaining its connection to the temple's power."
"Got it," Shivay replied, his mind racing. "How do I get close enough?"
He had to find an opening—some way to bypass the beast's overwhelming strength. As he dodged another swipe, Shivay noticed something: after each etheric pulse, the runes on the beast's body dimmed for a brief moment. That was his chance.
The guardian charged again, but this time Shivay stood his ground, waiting for the right moment. Just as the creature's claws were about to reach him, the runes on its body flickered, dimming for a split second.
Now.
Shivay leaped forward, shifting back into his Primal Ape form mid-air. With his enhanced strength, he brought his stone blade down hard on the beast's chest, aiming directly for the glowing runes. The blade struck with a crack, shattering the stone surface of the rune and sending a shockwave of energy through the guardian's body.
The beast let out a deafening roar of pain, stumbling back as the runes on its chest flickered and faded. Shivay landed in a crouch, breathing heavily. He could see the beast was weakened, but it wasn't finished yet.
The guardian shook itself off, its eyes burning with renewed fury. The runes on its arms flared to life, and it began to channel the temple's energy once again. It lunged at Shivay with even greater speed, forcing him to dodge frantically as the beast's claws scraped the ground.
Shivay realized that breaking the chest rune had disrupted its power, but he needed to destroy the others to finish the job.
"Shunaya, is there a way to overload the runes on its body?" he asked, dodging another powerful swipe.
"There is a way, Master," Shunaya said quickly. "The runes are tied to the temple's etheric flow. If you can channel enough energy into one of the remaining runes, it will cause the others to destabilize. But you'll need to use the Devour function to absorb the ether from the temple's surroundings."
Shivay nodded, his mind already calculating the risks. "Alright. Let's do it."
He darted to the side, positioning himself near one of the glowing pillars. As the guardian turned to face him, Shivay activated the Devour function, pulling ether from the runes etched into the stone walls and floor.
A surge of raw energy flowed through him, but he could feel the strain on his body. Ether was not something to be absorbed lightly. His muscles tightened, his skin tingled with power, and his vision sharpened as he felt the energy coursing through him.
The guardian lunged again, but this time, Shivay didn't dodge. Instead, he channeled the ether directly into the rune on the beast's right arm as its claws came down. The moment his hand connected with the glowing symbol, the rune flared brightly—too brightly—and then shattered in a burst of light and heat.
The creature howled in pain, its body convulsing as the remaining runes on its body crackled and faded. It staggered back, collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud. The runes on its body flickered one last time before finally dimming into nothingness.
Shivay stood over the fallen guardian, breathing heavily, the raw ether still pulsing in his veins. He had won, but the cost had been immense. His body ached, and his head throbbed from the sheer intensity of the energy he had absorbed.
"Master, the guardian is defeated. The temple's etheric flow has been disrupted. You should be able to explore safely now," Shunaya said, her voice calm but tinged with concern.
"Thanks, Shunaya," Shivay replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. "That was… more intense than I expected."
He looked down at the guardian's body, wondering just how many more challenges lay ahead in this ancient temple. Whatever the ancients had left behind, it was clear they had gone to great lengths to protect it.
"Alright," Shivay said, steeling himself as he turned toward the deeper chambers of the temple. "Let's see what else this place is hiding."