The morning arrived heavy with an eerie stillness. Even the wind seemed reluctant to move, leaving the forest unnervingly quiet as Ikenna, Maria, and Marcus packed their belongings and prepared for the final stretch of their journey.
Ikenna felt a knot in his chest tighten with every step they took. The Oracle's temple was close now—he could feel it in the air, an electric charge that made his skin prickle. But the quiet bothered him. It was as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
"I don't like this," Marcus muttered, breaking the silence. His hammer rested in his hand, the weapon no longer slung over his back but ready at a moment's notice. "It's too quiet. Feels like we're walking into a trap."
Maria didn't respond immediately. She was a few paces ahead, her sharp gaze scanning the path ahead. "It's always a trap," she said finally, echoing her words from the previous night. "The question is, how bad of a trap are we talking about?"
"Maybe it's nothing," Ikenna offered, trying to sound optimistic. "Maybe the Shades and that water guardian were all they had."
Maria snorted. "Unlikely. Whoever wants to stop us knows how important the Oracle is. They wouldn't just send a few minions and call it a day."
Ikenna fell silent, the weight of her words pressing down on him.
By mid-morning, the forest gave way to a rocky hillside. The path was narrow and uneven, forcing them to slow their pace. As they climbed higher, the electric hum in the air grew stronger, setting Ikenna's nerves on edge.
"Do you feel that?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Maria glanced back at him. "Feel what?"
"The energy," Ikenna said. "It's like the air's buzzing. It's been getting stronger the closer we get to the temple."
Marcus frowned, his brow furrowing. "I feel it too. Like…something's watching us."
Maria's grip tightened on her sword. "Stay sharp. We're almost there."
They crested the ridge and stopped in their tracks. Below them lay a wide clearing, and in the center stood the Oracle's temple.
The structure was ancient, its stone walls weathered by time but still standing strong. Vines crept up its sides, and the pillars that lined the entrance were cracked and crumbling. A faint golden glow emanated from within, casting long shadows across the clearing.
"There it is," Maria said, her voice low.
"Finally," Marcus muttered, but his tone lacked enthusiasm.
Ikenna couldn't take his eyes off the temple. The hum of energy was almost deafening now, vibrating through his entire body. He felt drawn to it, as if the temple itself was calling to him.
"Alright," Maria said, snapping him out of his trance. "We need a plan. No way we're just walking in there without checking the area first."
They scanned the clearing from their vantage point. The surrounding forest was dense, and shadows danced between the trees, making it difficult to tell if they were alone.
"Marcus, you take the left," Maria ordered. "Ikenna, you're with me on the right. We'll circle around and make sure the area's clear before we approach the temple."
Marcus nodded and headed off, his hammer at the ready. Ikenna followed Maria down the ridge, the two of them moving cautiously through the underbrush.
"You think the Oracle's really in there?" Ikenna asked, keeping his voice low.
"If it's not, we're in serious trouble," Maria replied. "But yeah, I think it's in there. And if it is, we need to be ready for anything."
The forest around the clearing was eerily quiet, the only sound the crunch of leaves under their boots. Ikenna kept his dagger in hand, his senses on high alert.
"Maria," he whispered, "what if—"
A low growl cut him off.
Maria froze, her sword snapping up in an instant. "Did you hear that?"
Ikenna nodded, his grip tightening on his dagger. The growl came again, louder this time, and the shadows ahead of them seemed to shift.
"Get ready," Maria said, her voice tense.
The creature emerged from the trees, and Ikenna felt his breath catch. It was massive, its black fur matted and its glowing red eyes locked on them. Its teeth gleamed like jagged shards of glass, and its claws dug into the earth as it stalked toward them.
"What is that?" Ikenna whispered.
"A hellhound," Maria said grimly. "And not just any hellhound. That thing's huge—must be a guardian of some kind."
The hellhound snarled, and Ikenna felt a chill run down his spine.
"Stay behind me," Maria said, stepping forward.
"Like hell I will," Ikenna shot back.
The hellhound charged, and the forest exploded into chaos.
Maria met the creature head-on, her sword flashing in the sunlight as she struck at its massive form. Ikenna circled around, electricity crackling in his hands as he searched for an opening.
The hellhound was fast—faster than anything Ikenna had ever seen. It dodged Maria's strikes with terrifying ease, its claws slashing through the air as it lunged at her.
"Maria!" Ikenna shouted, sending a bolt of lightning at the beast. The energy struck its side, and it yelped, momentarily stunned.
Maria took the opportunity to drive her sword into its flank, but the hellhound twisted away, its red eyes blazing with fury.
"Ikenna, keep it distracted!" Maria called.
"Working on it!" Ikenna replied, throwing another bolt of lightning. This time, the hellhound dodged, its massive form blurring as it moved with unnatural speed.
The creature turned its attention to Ikenna, its lips curling back in a snarl. He barely had time to react before it lunged at him, its claws swiping dangerously close.
Ikenna dove to the side, rolling to his feet and summoning a burst of energy. The lightning surged through his body, and he released it in a blinding arc.
The hellhound howled as the electricity hit it, smoke rising from its fur.
Maria didn't waste the opening. She leapt onto the creature's back, driving her sword deep into its neck. The hellhound let out one final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing to the ground.
Maria rolled off its back, breathing hard.
"Nice work," she said, wiping sweat from her brow.
Ikenna nodded, his chest heaving. "That…was intense."
They regrouped with Marcus, who had heard the commotion and come running.
"What the Hades happened?" he asked, eyeing the massive hellhound carcass.
"Guardian," Maria said simply.
Marcus whistled low. "Guess they really don't want us reaching the Oracle."
"No kidding," Ikenna muttered.
They turned their attention back to the temple, its golden glow now seeming more ominous than inviting.
"This is it," Maria said. "No turning back now."
Ikenna took a deep breath, his fingers tingling with residual energy. He couldn't shake the feeling that whatever waited for them inside would change everything.
"Let's do this," he said, stepping forward.
Together, they approached the temple, the shadows of their past battles clinging to their heels like ghosts.