"So, you're saying this thing was just a mutated scorpion?" Zami asked, his tone calm but edged with curiosity. "Not an offspring of the entities, like the Bone Monarch or most of the creatures I've faced?"
Karesh's voice reverberated in Zami's mind, steady as ever.
"Precisely. The meteorites' corruption has seeped into this land for centuries, warping even the simplest of creatures into horrors like this one. They are dangerous, but their strength lies only in their form, not in any divine influence. Much like the beasts in the village within the colony."
Zami nodded, his silver eyes narrowing in thought. "I see. It explains why it felt different. Still dangerous, but not... significant."
Turning to Kiyo, who clung to his cloak, Zami's voice softened. "Let's keep moving. This place might hold something useful."
They ventured deeper into the temple, its ancient walls bearing the scars of time. Symbols of a forgotten clan adorned the stone, faded and worn. The corridor ahead stretched long and ominous, its atmosphere heavy with the promise of peril. Zami stopped in his tracks, scanning the area with a sharp eye.
"This looks suspicious," he murmured, examining the walls and floor. The faint grooves along the stone betrayed hidden mechanisms. "Traps."
The walls were solid, reinforced with a material Zami couldn't easily destroy without risking the structure collapsing around them. He sighed, crouching down to Kiyo's level.
"Hold on," he said, turning his back to her. "Climb on. Grab tightly and don't let go."
Kiyo hesitated for a moment, her small hands gripping the back of his cloak. She climbed onto his back, her arms wrapping around his neck, and her legs hugging his sides.
"Don't worry," Zami said, his tone steady. "I won't let anything touch you."
With a deep breath, Zami dashed forward.
As his boots struck the ground, the temple roared to life. Poisoned arrows shot from the walls, their tips glinting with lethal green venom. Spiked pits opened in the floor, while massive spiked balls swung down from hidden recesses in the ceiling.
Zami moved like a shadow, his body a blur of motion. He ducked under the first volley of arrows, twisting his body to shield Kiyo from harm. With a flick of his katana, he parried the next wave, the poisoned tips deflecting harmlessly into the walls.
A spike shot out from the floor ahead of him. Zami leapt into the air, twisting mid-flight to avoid another volley of arrows. His boots landed briefly on the wall before he kicked off again, narrowly avoiding a spiked ball that smashed into the stone behind him.
The traps came faster, more erratic. A lesser warrior would have been overwhelmed, but Zami's evolved senses and instincts kept him ahead of the chaos. He slid under a falling panel of spikes, spun through a rain of darts, and darted past a collapsing section of the floor.
The corridor seemed endless, but Zami pushed forward, his muscles burning with effort. With Kiyo holding tightly, he kept his focus razor-sharp, navigating the deadly gauntlet with unmatched precision.
At last, they reached the end of the corridor. Zami skidded to a halt, his breathing steady despite the exertion. He set Kiyo down gently, her wide eyes reflecting both fear and awe.
"You're safe," Zami said, brushing a strand of white hair from his face. He glanced back at the corridor, now silent and still, its traps reset and waiting for their next victim. "Stay close. There's no telling what's ahead."
Kiyo nodded silently, her small hands clutching his cloak as they pressed on.
The temple grew darker as they ventured deeper, the air thick with an oppressive aura. Zami's grip on his katana tightened. Whatever lay ahead, he knew it wouldn't be ordinary.