The forest gave way to a jagged expanse of rocky hills, barren and scarred as though some ancient battle had scorched the earth itself. The air was sharp and cold, carrying the scent of iron and decay. Nia tightened her cloak around her shoulders, her steps faltering as the oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily upon her.
The god-king, however, pressed forward, his pace unbroken. His exhaustion from the earlier battles seemed to linger, but his resolve remained unshaken.
"What happened here?" Nia finally asked, breaking the silence.
"A wound," he replied, his voice low. "This land once thrived with life and purpose. When the markers began to fall, the balance that sustained it was shattered. What you see now is the result of a power unchecked—chaos left to fester."
Nia shivered, not entirely from the cold. The landscape seemed to hum faintly, a discordant resonance that set her nerves on edge. "Are there more spirits here?"
"No spirits," he said, his tone grim. "What lies here is something far worse."
They continued their trek until they reached a plateau overlooking the hills. From this vantage point, Nia could see the remains of what might once have been a grand temple. Now, it was nothing more than a crumbled ruin, its massive stone walls broken and scattered. The center of the structure held the faint glimmer of another marker, its fractured surface barely visible beneath layers of debris.
"This is our destination," the god-king said, his gaze fixed on the marker.
"It looks abandoned," Nia said cautiously.
"Appearances deceive," he replied.
As they descended toward the ruins, the air grew heavier with each step, and Nia felt as though she were walking into the jaws of some great, unseen beast. By the time they reached the base of the temple, her breathing had grown shallow, her chest tight with unease.
The god-king stepped forward, his hand glowing faintly as he traced the sigils carved into the temple's broken pillars. "This place was a sanctuary for my people," he said. "A refuge where they could draw upon the power of the markers to protect themselves. When the corruption spread, it was among the first to fall."
Nia frowned. "Why didn't you stop it?"
He didn't answer immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy with regret. "I was not here when it began. My enemies knew they could not face me directly, so they struck while I was away. By the time I returned, it was already too late."
A deep, rumbling sound interrupted their conversation, and the ground beneath them began to tremble. Nia stumbled, her hand instinctively going to her knife. "What was that?"
The god-king's expression darkened. "The guardian of this marker. It has awakened."
From the shadows of the ruined temple, a massive form began to emerge. It was unlike the sentinel they had faced before—this creature was more solid, its body a grotesque amalgamation of stone and flesh. Its eyes burned with a fiery light, and its massive claws scraped against the ground as it advanced toward them.
The creature let out a deafening roar, its voice echoing across the desolate hills. Nia felt her knees weaken, but she forced herself to stand her ground.
"This one will not be as easily subdued," the god-king said, his hand glowing brighter as he prepared to face the beast.
The creature lunged with incredible speed, its massive claws slamming into the ground where the god-king had stood moments before. He dodged nimbly, countering with a blast of golden light that struck the creature's side. It roared in pain but didn't falter, turning its attention toward Nia.
Her breath caught in her throat as the beast charged, its glowing eyes fixed on her. She barely had time to throw herself to the side, the creature's claws tearing through the space where she had been standing.
"Nia, stay back!" the god-king shouted.
"I'm trying!" she snapped, scrambling to her feet.
The god-king unleashed another wave of light, this time aiming for the creature's legs. The blast struck true, and the beast staggered, its movements momentarily slowed. Taking advantage of the opening, the god-king charged forward, his hands glowing with a blinding brilliance.
With a roar of defiance, he struck the creature head-on, the light erupting in a dazzling explosion. The beast howled in agony, its massive form collapsing to the ground.
But even as it fell, the god-king's expression remained tense. "It is not defeated," he said.
The ground beneath them began to crack, and from the beast's fallen body, tendrils of dark energy began to rise. They twisted and writhed, coiling around the marker in the center of the ruins. The marker's glow grew dimmer, its light swallowed by the encroaching darkness.
"This is its true form," the god-king said, his voice grim. "The corruption itself, given life."
"How do we stop it?" Nia asked, her voice shaking.
"We sever its connection to the marker," he said. "But to do so, I will need time—and protection."
Nia hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Do what you need to. I'll handle the rest."
The god-king moved toward the marker, his hands glowing as he began to channel his power. The tendrils of darkness lashed out at him, but he held his ground, his light pushing them back.
Meanwhile, Nia turned her attention to the remnants of the beast. Though its physical form had been destroyed, fragments of it remained, animated by the dark energy. They slithered toward the god-king, their movements slow but relentless.
Gritting her teeth, Nia rushed forward, slashing at the nearest fragment with her knife. Though the blade did little damage, it disrupted the creature's movements, giving her enough time to kick it away.
"Come on," she muttered, her grip tightening on the hilt of her weapon. "You'll have to go through me first."
The fragments converged on her, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm her. She fought desperately, her movements driven by adrenaline and sheer willpower. Each time she struck, the fragments recoiled, but they kept coming, their forms endlessly reforming.
Behind her, the god-king's light grew brighter, pushing back the tendrils of darkness. The air crackled with energy as he poured everything he had into severing the corruption's hold on the marker.
Finally, with a triumphant shout, the god-king released a burst of light that engulfed the ruins. The darkness recoiled, its tendrils disintegrating into nothingness. The fragments of the beast crumbled, their forms dissolving into ash.
The marker's glow returned, stronger and steadier than before. The oppressive weight in the air lifted, replaced by a sense of calm.
The god-king staggered, his breathing heavy as he turned to Nia. "It is done," he said.
Nia nodded, wiping sweat and dirt from her face. "Two down," she said, trying to muster a smile. "How many more to go?"
"Enough," the god-king replied, his expression serious. "And each one will demand more than the last."
As they left the ruins, the weight of their journey pressed heavily on both of them. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but neither of them was willing to turn back. The markers had to be restored, no matter the cost.
And in the distance, unseen but ever-present, the true source of the corruption stirred, its attention slowly shifting toward them.