A deafening roar of energy surrounded the clearing as the Guardian of Light, Lysandra, floated above them, radiating power like a living sun. Jinwoo, Hyeri, and Donghyuk stood at the ready, feeling the immense pressure of her aura closing in on them. The swirling vortex behind her hummed with the power of the Sanctuary, but it was clear that they would have to fight for the right to claim it.
"Pure of spirit?" Donghyuk cracked his knuckles. "I don't think that's on my résumé, but hey, no time like the present!"
Jinwoo, though outwardly calm, was fully aware of the danger they were facing. Lysandra wasn't just any guardian; she was a being of pure light, an embodiment of the Sanctuary's ancient power. They couldn't just rely on brute strength to overcome her.
"Stay sharp," Jinwoo said, his eyes never leaving Lysandra. "We don't know what kind of abilities she has."
Without warning, Lysandra raised her hand, and beams of concentrated light shot toward them with blinding speed. Jinwoo barely had time to react, pushing Hyeri out of the way and diving to the side as the beam seared the ground where they had stood moments before.
"She's fast!" Hyeri gasped, quickly forming a barrier of light around them.
Lysandra's cold, radiant eyes narrowed as she surveyed them. "The light sees all. It reveals your flaws, your weaknesses. There is no hiding."
Jinwoo got to his feet, his sword glowing faintly with energy. "Then we'll just have to face it head-on."
With a burst of speed, Jinwoo dashed forward, sword raised. He swung at Lysandra, aiming for her center, but she moved like a flash of light, effortlessly dodging his attack. Before he could recover, she countered with a pulse of energy that sent him flying back across the clearing.
"Jinwoo!" Hyeri shouted, casting a quick healing spell on him as he hit the ground.
Donghyuk jumped in, fists blazing with his own energy. He charged straight at Lysandra, attempting to overwhelm her with his raw power. But as his fists connected, it was like hitting solid light itself. His blows passed through her radiant form, only for Lysandra to reform and send him crashing into a tree with a single flick of her wrist.
"This... this is ridiculous!" Donghyuk groaned, pulling himself up. "She's not even solid half the time!"
"She's not bound by the same physical rules we are," Hyeri said, her brow furrowing. "She's an embodiment of light. We'll need a different approach."
Jinwoo stood, wiping the blood from his lip. His mind raced as he analyzed Lysandra's movements. She was faster than anything they had faced before, and her light form made her almost untouchable. But something about her attacks felt deliberate, calculated.
"There has to be a weakness," Jinwoo muttered, gripping his sword tightly. "We just need to find it."
Lysandra floated above them, her gaze unrelenting. "The light reveals all truths. Your struggle is futile."
With a flick of her hand, the sky above darkened, and radiant beams of light shot down from the heavens, raining upon them like divine judgment. Hyeri's barriers strained under the force, cracking under the pressure.
"I can't hold this much longer!" Hyeri yelled, sweat pouring down her face as she poured more energy into the barrier.
Jinwoo's mind raced. There had to be a way to disrupt her control over the light. If she was an embodiment of the Sanctuary's power, maybe they could interfere with that connection.
"Hyeri!" Jinwoo called out, his eyes blazing with determination. "Can you use your magic to interfere with her control over the light?"
Hyeri blinked, caught off guard. "Interfere? I've never tried something like that before…"
"You're the only one who can!" Jinwoo urged. "If you can disrupt her connection to the Sanctuary's energy, it might weaken her."
Hyeri hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'll try."
She closed her eyes, focusing on the energy surrounding Lysandra. The light magic that emanated from the Guardian wasn't just powerful—it was ancient, tied directly to the Sanctuary itself. But Hyeri had trained in light magic, too. If anyone could disrupt it, it was her.
As the radiant beams continued to rain down, Hyeri extended her hands and reached out with her magic. She could feel the flow of energy, the intricate web of light that bound Lysandra to the Sanctuary. Carefully, she began to weave her own magic into the flow, attempting to unravel the Guardian's control.
Lysandra's eyes flashed with sudden recognition, and her serene expression turned to one of anger. "You dare to challenge the light?"
She raised her hand, preparing to strike Hyeri with a devastating beam of energy. But before she could release it, Donghyuk leaped in, slamming his fists into the ground with all his might. The impact sent shockwaves through the earth, disrupting Lysandra's focus just long enough for Hyeri to finish her spell.
There was a moment of stillness, and then the light around Lysandra flickered.
"I did it!" Hyeri gasped, her voice filled with disbelief.
Jinwoo didn't waste any time. "Now!"
He surged forward, his sword blazing with power as he closed the distance between himself and the weakened Guardian. Lysandra, momentarily destabilized by Hyeri's magic, couldn't react in time. Jinwoo's blade sliced through her radiant form, and for the first time, her light flickered, dimming as she recoiled.
Lysandra let out a sound that was half a scream, half a roar. Her form began to destabilize, shifting and flickering as if the light within her was struggling to hold itself together.
"You have... passed the first test," she said, her voice strained but still echoing with power. "But this is not the end."
Jinwoo stood his ground, his sword still at the ready. "What do you mean?"
Lysandra's glowing eyes softened slightly as she hovered above them, her form now less blinding and more humanlike. "The light reveals not only your strength, but your resolve. You have proven that you can see beyond the surface, that you can challenge even the forces that seek to control you. But there is more to the Primal Energy than just strength. It requires sacrifice. You must be prepared for the trials ahead."
With a final burst of light, Lysandra's form dissolved into pure energy, and the swirling vortex behind her stabilized, glowing with a warm, inviting light.
"The Sanctuary of Light is now open to you," Lysandra's voice echoed in the clearing. "Enter, and claim the power you seek."
Jinwoo lowered his sword, exhaling deeply. "We did it."
Donghyuk grinned, though he was clearly exhausted. "I gotta admit, that was tougher than I expected. But hey, I'm still standing!"
Hyeri smiled, though she still looked shaken by the intensity of the battle. "I can't believe that worked. I've never tried magic like that before."
Jinwoo nodded, giving her a reassuring look. "You did great, Hyeri. We couldn't have done it without you."
The group stood before the now-opened Sanctuary entrance, the vortex of light swirling calmly within. Beyond it lay the Primal Energy they had come for, the power that would set them on the path to defying the Watcher.
"This is it," Jinwoo said quietly. "Once we claim the Primal Energy, there's no turning back."
Donghyuk shrugged, his usual grin returning. "I wasn't planning on turning back anyway. Let's get that power and kick the Watcher's butt."
Hyeri took a deep breath, her resolve strengthening. "We're in this together."
Jinwoo nodded, stepping toward the light. "Then let's go."
With that, the three of them entered the vortex, disappearing into the radiant glow of the Sanctuary of Light.
End of Chapter 10