The chamber erupted into chaos as Arlen and Solan clashed. Solan's golden armor shimmered with radiant light, each movement a blur of divine precision. Arlen countered with his shadow blade, its dark energy pulsating like a heartbeat. The two forces collided, light and darkness battling for dominance.
Selene and the others spread out, their roles clear. They couldn't match Solan's divine power, but they could take out the reinforcements swarming into the room.
"Lyra, Calla—handle the soldiers!" Arlen barked, parrying a strike that sent sparks cascading like fireworks.
"You think you can challenge the gods?" Solan sneered, his golden sword crashing down on Arlen's. The impact reverberated through the chamber, cracking the marble floor beneath them.
"I don't just think it," Arlen shot back, his smirk intact. "I know it."
With a flourish, Arlen spun out of Solan's range, his shadow blade elongating into a whip that lashed toward the guardian. Solan deflected it with ease, but Arlen wasn't aiming to hit—he was buying time.
"Selene, now!" Arlen shouted.
From the shadows, Selene unleashed a swarm of spectral tendrils that enveloped Solan, momentarily slowing his movements.
"I've got him!" she called, her voice strained from the effort.
Arlen darted forward, his blade aimed at the gap in Solan's armor near his shoulder. But before the strike could land, Solan let out a roar, his body erupting in a burst of golden light that disintegrated the shadow tendrils and sent Arlen flying into a pillar.
"Arlen!" Lyra shouted, dispatching a guard with a well-placed dagger throw.
Arlen groaned, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth as he got to his feet. "Relax, Lyra. It'll take more than that to put me down."
But even as he said it, he could feel the weight of Solan's power pressing down on him. This wasn't going to be an easy fight.
Across the chamber, Lyra and Calla worked in tandem, cutting down the soldiers pouring in from the side corridors. Lyra's movements were a blur, her twin daggers slicing through enemies with deadly precision. Calla darted in and out of the fray, her rogue's agility allowing her to strike where the enemy was weakest.
Elenora stayed near the back, hurling potions into the chaos. One exploded in a cloud of corrosive mist, melting the armor of three soldiers at once. Another burst into flames, forcing a group of reinforcements to retreat.
"Keep them busy!" she shouted, uncorking another vial.
Meanwhile, Selene circled the battlefield, her hands glowing with dark energy. She muttered incantations under her breath, summoning shadowy creatures to harry the soldiers and keep them off Arlen's back.
"Don't get cocky," she called to him, her tone both amused and exasperated. "This isn't a game."
Arlen grinned, dodging another of Solan's devastating strikes. "Isn't it?"
As the battle raged on, Arlen began to notice something. Solan's movements, while powerful, were growing slower. His strikes, once precise and overwhelming, now left openings that Arlen could exploit.
"Getting tired, old man?" Arlen taunted, ducking under a swing and delivering a counterstrike that sent Solan staggering back.
"You're reckless," Solan growled, his golden eyes blazing. "You wield power you don't understand."
Arlen shrugged, twirling his shadow blade. "Maybe. But it's working, isn't it?"
Solan roared in frustration, unleashing another burst of light that forced everyone to shield their eyes. When the brilliance faded, the guardian stood in the center of the room, his armor cracked and his breathing heavy.
"You've sealed your fate," Solan said, raising his sword. "I'll purge you and your ilk in the name of the gods."
Before Arlen could respond, Selene's voice cut through the air. "Arlen, move!"
A surge of energy erupted from Solan, a massive wave of golden light that consumed everything in its path. Arlen dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast, but the force sent him skidding across the floor.
"Enough of this," he muttered, pushing himself up. His smirk was gone, replaced by a look of cold determination.
Arlen reached deep within himself, calling on the full extent of his power. The shadows around him thickened, twisting and writhing like living creatures. His blade shifted, growing larger and more menacing.
"Time to end this," he said, his voice low and deadly.
He charged at Solan, his movements a blur. The guardian raised his sword to block, but Arlen was faster. He feinted left, then spun around to the right, delivering a devastating slash that cleaved through Solan's armor and sent him crashing to the ground.
The room fell silent.
Solan lay motionless, his golden light dimming.
Arlen stood over him, his shadow blade dissipating as he caught his breath. "Guess the gods aren't so untouchable after all," he muttered.
The group regrouped, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and triumph.
"That… was insane," Lyra said, wiping sweat from her brow.
"Insane, but effective," Selene added, a small smile playing on her lips.
Elenora approached Arlen, her gaze stern. "You took a huge risk. If Selene hadn't warned you—"
"But she did," Arlen interrupted, his smirk returning. "And everything worked out, didn't it?"
Elenora sighed, shaking her head. "You're impossible."
"And you love it," Arlen replied with a wink.
Calla rolled her eyes. "So, what now? We've taken out their guardian, but the gods aren't going to let this slide."
Arlen's grin widened. "Good. Let them come. I'll take them all down, one by one, until there's no one left to challenge me."
The group exchanged glances, their leader's unshakable confidence both inspiring and infuriating.
As they left the ruins of the Celestial Spire behind, one thing was clear: this was only the beginning.