Chapter 37: The Temple of Frozen Secrets
---
Narration Mode Activated
"Remember that feeling when you find something ancient and powerful and your first thought is: 'This is definitely going to go wrong?' Yeah, I'm getting that vibe right now."
---
We stand at the base of the ancient temple, the snow swirling around us, making the already eerie scene even more ominous. The structure looms in front of us, half-covered by the snow, its stone surfaces worn by time and neglect. Vines crawl up its walls, twisting like something alive, giving it an almost organic feel.
Blobby, as usual, is the first to speak. "This place is giving me the creeps, Boss. What if it's cursed?"
"Oh, it's cursed," Kira mutters, eyes narrowed as she looks up at the towering, forgotten edifice. "And I'm not so sure we should be here."
"Too late for second thoughts," I say, stepping forward, my boots crunching in the snow. "We're already here, might as well go in."
Kael doesn't respond, just keeps walking toward the entrance, his movements as fluid and deliberate as always. I glance over at Kira.
"You're sure about this?" I ask.
She gives me a tight-lipped smile. "Sure enough to get us here. We either succeed, or we don't."
"Comforting," I mutter, adjusting the strap of my pack.
---
Narration Mode Activated
"So, here we are, on the edge of a possible disaster, following the brooding, silent guy with a cursed artifact under his cloak. You'd think someone would have learned to be more careful by now. I guess that someone is not me."
---
We reach the large stone doors of the temple. The carvings on them are intricate—symbols and runes that seem to shimmer faintly despite the lack of any obvious light source. Kira runs her fingers over them.
"They're ancient," she says. "These are protection wards, designed to keep intruders from entering."
"Protection from what?" I ask, feeling a twinge of unease.
"From whatever's inside," she replies grimly. "And whatever's inside is likely not happy to see us."
I turn to Kael. "You don't think we should, you know, back out now? I mean, these runes are giving me some serious bad vibes."
Kael finally speaks. "We're already too far in."
"Wonderful," I mutter. "I'll just be over here, pretending I'm not about to have a panic attack."
---
Kael pushes against the stone door, and with a groan, it begins to open. The air around us chills even further, and the whispers from the orb grow louder, gnawing at my thoughts.
Blobby clings to my leg, its usual bright color now dull. "Boss, this is bad! I can feel the bad magic coming from inside!"
"I know, Blobby," I say, swallowing hard. "I can feel it too."
Kira steps forward, her eyes scanning the interior. "Get ready for anything," she warns.
---
Narration Mode Activated
"If there's one thing I've learned in all my time doing this... it's that the moment someone tells you to get ready for anything, you're in deep trouble."
---
The interior of the temple is dimly lit, but not by fire or lanterns. The walls seem to glow faintly with an unnatural blue light, the source of which is impossible to identify. Ancient stone pillars rise around us, covered in more intricate symbols and patterns. There's a strange, cold stillness in the air—too still, like the calm before a storm.
I step inside, my heart pounding.
"I really don't like this," Blobby says, its voice barely a whisper.
"I'm starting to agree," I mutter.
Kira moves ahead, scanning the surroundings. Kael stays close behind, his eyes constantly flicking to the shadows, his sword drawn and ready.
"There's something off about this place," Kira says, voice low.
"No kidding," I reply. "It's like the walls are alive."
---
Narration Mode Activated
"And then it happens—the one thing I should've expected, but didn't: the first trap."
---
Before any of us can react, the floor beneath us shifts with a low rumble, and massive stone doors slam shut behind us, trapping us inside. The sound echoes through the halls, and I feel the temperature drop even further.
"Great," I mutter. "We're stuck."
Kael doesn't seem fazed. He's already moving toward a set of stairs leading down into a deeper part of the temple.
"This way," he says.
Kira glares at the now-closed entrance but follows him without question. I glance around. The walls seem to close in, and the whispers from the orb are growing louder.
Blobby bounces nervously at my side. "I don't like this, Boss. Not at all!"
"Neither do I," I admit, my hand resting on the hilt of my dagger. "But we're in this, and we need to finish it."
---
Narration Mode Activated
"So, there we are, stuck in an ancient, cursed temple, surrounded by traps, creepy whispers, and the knowledge that the moment we let our guard down, we're probably going to die."
---
We reach the bottom of the stairs, and the air grows even colder, if that's even possible. The light here is even dimmer, casting long, stretching shadows. At the far end of the room stands a large, ornate altar, covered in dust and cobwebs.
"The heart of the temple," Kael mutters. "The ritual site."
"Great," I say, rolling my eyes. "Another altar. This is going to end well."
Kira steps forward, inspecting the altar. Her hand brushes over the stone, and the whispers from the orb flare up, louder and more insistent.
"We need to be quick," she says. "There's no telling how much longer we have before it starts to react to our presence."
"Meaning?" I ask, though I already know the answer.
"Meaning," she says, glancing at me with narrowed eyes, "if we don't get the ritual going soon, the orb will either destroy us or bring something far worse to life."
---
Narration Mode Activated
"That's the kicker. Cursed artifact, trapped in an ancient temple, and the only way out is to perform a ritual that could either work... or get us all killed."
---
I look at Blobby, who's visibly trembling now. "Okay, let's get this over with."
Kira pulls out a small pouch from her belt, pulling out various ritual components. She arranges them carefully on the altar, murmuring under her breath.
Blobby lets out a nervous squeak. "I don't want to be a part of this. I really don't."
"Just stay close, Blobby," I say. "And don't touch anything."
---
Narration Mode Activated
"Yeah, that's totally going to be fine. Rituals always go according to plan, right?"
---
As Kira begins the incantation, the room's temperature drops even further, and the whispers from the orb crescendo into a deafening roar. The shadows around us seem to stretch and writhe, as though alive, the air growing thick with an oppressive, suffocating energy.
"I don't think this is a good idea!" Blobby squeals, trying to hide behind me.
The altar glows faintly as Kira continues, her voice unwavering despite the chaos building around us.
And then, everything goes black.
---
End of Chapter 37