The next step in their journey took Hiro and Lina far from Graybrook, into the wilderness that stretched beyond the village, to a place shrouded in myth and mystery. The ancient texts Hiro had uncovered spoke of a hidden ruin deep in the mountains, an ancient temple that had once been the heart of the tamers' power.
The journey was long and difficult, the path winding through thick forests and steep cliffs. But Hiro was determined. He needed answers. The ancient order of tamers had vanished for a reason, and he suspected that the gods were behind it. If there were any remnants of their knowledge left, Hiro would find them.
Lina followed closely, her hawk circling above while the stag moved silently beside her. Hiro's wolf and bear remained ever vigilant, their senses tuned to the dangers that lurked in the wilds.
As they ascended into the mountains, the air grew colder, and the trees thinned, giving way to jagged rocks and steep cliffs. But finally, after days of travel, they reached their destination, a crumbling temple, hidden deep within a narrow valley, its stone walls weathered by centuries of neglect.
The entrance to the temple was marked by ancient carvings, symbols that Hiro recognized from the texts he had studied. They were the same marks that had once adorned the creatures of the lost tamers' order, signs of their bond with the beasts.
"We're here," Hiro said quietly, his breath visible in the cold air.
Lina's eyes widened as she took in the sight. "Do you think we'll find anything inside?"
Hiro nodded. "We have to."
They entered the temple cautiously, the air thick with the weight of centuries. The stone floors were cracked, and the walls were lined with faded carvings of beasts, creatures both familiar and foreign, some of them so ancient that they no longer existed in the world.
As they ventured deeper into the temple, the light grew dim, and a sense of unease settled over them. Hiro could feel something, an old power, buried beneath the ruins. It was faint, but it was there.
They came upon a central chamber, its walls lined with statues of ancient tamers, their hands outstretched toward the center of the room. At the heart of the chamber stood a pedestal, and on it, a small, glowing orb.
Lina gasped softly. "What is that?"
Hiro approached the pedestal cautiously, his wolf growling softly at his side, sensing the strange energy that filled the room. He reached out and touched the orb. The moment his fingers made contact, a surge of power shot through him, and his mind was flooded with images, flashes of a time long past.
He saw tamers standing in a circle, their beasts surrounding them, great and powerful. He saw them challenging the gods, their bonds with their creatures giving them the strength to rival even the divine. But then he saw the fall. The gods, fearing the tamers' growing strength, struck them down, one by one, erasing them from the world.
But the tamers hadn't gone without a fight. They had left something behind, a remnant of their power, a legacy hidden deep within the beasts themselves, waiting to be awakened.
Hiro gasped, pulling his hand back from the orb, his chest heaving as the visions faded.
"They were destroyed by the gods," Hiro said, his voice hoarse. "But they left something behind. A power… buried within the beasts."
Lina's eyes widened. "What does that mean?"
"It means that the beasts of this world can become more than we ever imagined," Hiro replied, his mind racing. "The tamers knew how to unlock that power. And now, so do I."