Chapter 9: The Great Temple
The flickering campfire cast eerie shadows across the walls of their cave hideout. The only sound was the crackling of the flames and the occasional gust of wind outside. The group's exhaustion weighed heavily on them, but even in the quiet, the tension was palpable.
Sakuchi leaned against the cold stone, arms crossed and eyes distant. His mind was still replaying the battle with Xalor, feeling the lingering rush of battle, the heat of the flames, and the quiet after the chaos. The memory wasn't comforting—it was a constant reminder of the strength they were up against.
Telemon stood just beyond the firelight, her posture stiff and commanding. Her eyes, sharp as ever, scanned the group, reading their expressions. She knew what they were all thinking, the same thing she had been contemplating all night. Their training had been rigorous, but it was nothing compared to what awaited them.
"We've trained hard," she said, her voice steady but carrying a weight of finality. "But our real test begins tomorrow. We're not ready to just fight to survive anymore. We're fighting for our way home."
Cynthia looked up, her fingers tracing the edges of her dagger as she listened. "The Great Temple… that's where we're heading?"
Telemon nodded, her gaze narrowing as she spoke. "It's rumored to hold clues, maybe even the key, to the Conqueror's Stone." She paused, the flames flickering in her eyes. "But don't let the rumors fool you. If something that powerful is hidden there, you can be sure it's guarded by something… strong."
Kyron cracked his knuckles, his signature grin spreading across his face. "Great. I've been itching for a real fight."
Celess gave him a sideways glance. "You're always itching for a fight. But if this place is really as dangerous as it sounds, we can't afford to rush in blind."
Telemon turned to face the group, her voice hard as iron. "Exactly. We leave at dawn. Rest up. Tomorrow, we move out."
Sakuchi's eyes flickered over to her. "We move at dawn. Got it," he muttered. He still wasn't entirely sure what awaited them, but one thing was clear: this wasn't just another mission.
The Journey Begins
The following morning, just as the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon, the group packed their gear and set off. The wind howled across the plains of the World of Wendigo, a land of vast emptiness and lurking dangers.
Their journey was exhausting. They trekked through rugged terrain, navigating dense forests where shadows seemed to move and cliffs that led into bottomless ravines. The landscape was unforgiving, and even more so when they encountered enemies.
On the second day, their first real fight came.
A swarm of Wraiths descended upon them as they made their way through a narrow pass. The creatures were spectral, with long, tattered cloaks and glowing red eyes that pierced the darkness.
Kyron smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Finally! Something to warm up with!"
Before anyone could stop him, he charged in, his heavy footsteps shaking the ground. His fists flew, powered by raw strength, as he tried to land the first blow. The Wraiths flitted around him, moving with unnatural speed, their bodies fading in and out of existence.
Sakuchi raised his arm, fire flaring from his palm. Flame Bullets shot out, lighting up the battlefield like tiny suns. The shots missed more often than not, but each time they connected, a Wraith screamed in agony and disappeared into ash.
Cynthia stood at the back, her eyes glowing with focus. She waved her hand, creating an illusion of multiple Kyron charging the Wraiths from different directions. The real Kyron, hidden within the illusion, swung his fists wildly, smashing through Wraiths like they were paper. His strength was overwhelming, but it was the confusion from Cynthia's illusions that really turned the tide.
"I'm getting them!" Kyron shouted, knocking a Wraith to the ground with a solid uppercut. His wild enthusiasm made the fight messier, but effective. The Wraiths didn't stand a chance against his brute force.
Celess, however, kept a cool head. He formed sharp, ice-covered spikes with a flick of his wrist and hurled them at the remaining Wraiths. The Wraiths screamed as the ice impaled them, freezing their ethereal forms before they shattered into millions of crystal fragments.
"They're getting weaker," Celess noted, his breath visible in the air as he surveyed the battlefield.
Kyron didn't hear him. He was too busy charging forward, delivering one last crushing blow to the final Wraith. The thing evaporated into a cloud of mist, and Kyron stood over its remains, panting heavily.
"Is it just me, or did they feel slower?" Kyron asked, his grin still wide.
"Or maybe you're just getting faster," Cynthia teased.
Telemon glanced at them, her eyes scanning the horizon. "It's only the beginning," she said, before motioning for them to continue. "Keep moving."
After four days of brutal travel, Sakuchi and his team finally arrived at the Great Temple.
The towering structure loomed before them, its ancient stone walls covered in vines, a remnant of an age long past.
But despite its ruinous state, an overwhelming pressure radiated from its entrance.
They weren't alone.
Emerging from the shadows of the temple's gateway was a colossal figure, its red eyes burning like embers in the darkness.
A Minotaur, clad in full medieval knight armor, stepped forward. Standing over eight feet tall, its towering frame radiated raw power.
In its hands, it wielded a massive greatsword, its blade thick and heavy enough to cleave through stone with a single strike.
It wasn't just big.
It was fast.
CLANG!
Kyron, always the first to throw himself into a fight, took the charge head-on. He blocked the greatsword with his forearms,
his muscles bulging from the impact. The ground cracked beneath him as he absorbed the force.
"That all you got?!" he roared, pushing back against the beast.
The Minotaur didn't respond. It simply lifted its blade and swung again.
Kyron dodged—but not fast enough.
Strike Two.
The greatsword grazed his ribs, slicing through his armor and drawing blood. But Kyron barely flinched, too focused on countering
with a brutal right hook to the Minotaur's jaw.
His fist connected, but the Minotaur barely reacted.
Instead, it twisted its sword and slashed upward, catching Kyron across his shoulder.
Strike Three.
"SLOW DOWN, DAMN IT!" Telemon shouted, rushing in to assist.
But Kyron wasn't listening. He was locked in, determined to overpower the Minotaur with brute force.
He raised his fists, ready for another punch—
And then it happened.
The Minotaur's blade moved faster than before, curving mid-swing—
SLASH!
Strike Four.
For a moment, Kyron felt nothing. Then—his body stiffened.
His muscles locked up. His breath hitched. His legs refused to move.
He was frozen.
"Kyron?!" Celess shouted.
Kyron's eyes widened in panic. His mind was screaming at his body to move—but it wouldn't.
"What… the hell?!"
The Minotaur stepped forward, towering over him.
It raised its sword for a finishing blow.
"Sakuchi! We have to stop it!" Cynthia yelled.
Sakuchi reacted instantly, his flames bursting to life as he aimed his hand forward.
BANG!
A Flame Bullet fired, striking the Minotaur's helmet with enough force to knock its head back.
The beast staggered, halting its attack for a brief second—just enough time for Celess to summon a wall of ice between Kyron and the monster.
"KYRON, MOVE!" Telemon shouted.
"I—CAN'T!" he growled, his voice laced with frustration. His entire body refused to listen.
Sakuchi's mind raced. It hit him four times. Something changed.
Then, realization dawned on him.
"Their ability…" he muttered. "It controls speed."
"What?!" Cynthia asked.
"If it hits someone four times, it gains complete control over their speed," Sakuchi explained, his expression darkening. "It just made Kyron completely immobile."
The team's blood ran cold.
"…So if we let it land four hits on any of us…" Celess trailed off.
"We're as good as dead," Telemon finished.
The ice barrier shattered as the Minotaur slashed through it. Kyron, still frozen in place, was completely defenseless.
"WE NEED TO MOVE!" Cynthia yelled.
Breaking the Ability
Sakuchi knew they had no choice. They had to free Kyron from the Minotaur's ability—now.
"Kyron!" he called. "Try to move your fingers! Anything!"
Kyron clenched his jaw, his veins bulging as he forced all his strength into moving even a single muscle. Nothing.
"Shit!"
The Minotaur swung its greatsword downward, aiming to split Kyron in two.
Sakuchi reacted instinctively—
Flame Dash!
His body burst forward in an explosion of fire, intercepting the Minotaur's attack at the last second.
He grabbed Kyron and dragged him away with the force of the explosion.
They crashed onto the ground, rolling to a stop. Kyron gasped as sensation suddenly returned to his limbs.
"I—I can move!"
Sakuchi exhaled in relief. The effect isn't permanent.
"It only lasts for a while," Sakuchi realized. "But if we don't stop it now, it'll take all of us down one by one."
Kyron clenched his fists. "Tch… I won't let that bastard get me again."
"We need a plan," Telemon said. "We can't afford to let anyone else get hit four times."
Sakuchi's eyes narrowed. "Then we'll use what we know against it."
The team tightened their grips on their weapons.
They knew the stakes now. They understood the enemy.
Sakuchi's heart raced as he helped Kyron regain his footing. The Minotaur was relentless, its red eyes glowing with a predatory hunger. The massive beast roared, its footsteps thundering like a storm approaching.
"Kyron, stay back for now!" Telemon shouted. She was already moving, her eyes darting between the Minotaur and her team. "We need to outsmart it."
"I can't just stay here, Telemon!" Kyron barked, his voice full of frustration as he clenched his fists. His body still ached, but his determination was unwavering. "I won't let it take me down again."
"We need a strategy, not just brute strength," Celess said, his voice calm despite the tension. He cast a glance at the Minotaur's towering form. "It's fast, and that sword… we can't afford to get hit again."
Sakuchi's mind raced. The Minotaur's ability to control speed was a deadly advantage. "We need to exploit its weaknesses," he muttered to himself. The answer was there—just out of reach, but it clicked when he remembered the beast's movement.
"I've got it," Sakuchi said, turning to his team. "The Minotaur's speed doesn't just come from its strength. It has to charge its swings. It's not as fast when it's recovering. We can use that."
"Good thinking," Telemon said. She moved to the side, her gaze sharpening. "Cynthia, Celess, be ready to create openings. Kyron, you'll be the distraction."
"Hell yeah, I'm ready!" Kyron shouted, his fists crackling with anticipation.
Cynthia, ever composed, waved her hand, conjuring multiple illusions of herself and Kyron. Each illusion mimicked their movements, confusing the Minotaur for a brief moment. The real Kyron dashed forward, closing the distance with surprising speed.
The Minotaur roared, swinging its greatsword at one of the illusions. The fake Kyron vanished in a blur of smoke, and the beast's sword embedded into the stone floor, leaving a deep gouge.
"Now!" Sakuchi shouted.
Celess raised his arm, his fingers forming intricate gestures. A wall of ice erupted from the ground, surrounding the Minotaur on three sides. The beast was momentarily trapped, its greatsword hitting the ice with a deafening crash.
Kyron didn't wait for the Minotaur to recover. He leapt, his massive fists coming down in a punishing blow aimed at the beast's head. But the Minotaur reacted faster than they anticipated.
It swung its sword again, shattering the ice barrier like glass. Kyron was forced to backpedal, narrowly dodging the blade. The air around them grew tense as the Minotaur's rage intensified.
"Damn it!" Kyron shouted, frustrated at the beast's speed. "This thing is impossible to deal with!"
"We need to time it perfectly," Telemon said, her voice calm amidst the chaos. "If we get caught in that swing again, we're finished."
Cynthia's voice rang out. "I have an idea. If we can make it focus on one target, we can hit it from all sides. But we have to time it just right."
Sakuchi nodded. "Then we'll make it focus on me."
He stepped forward, his flames flickering around his hands. "Everyone, get ready."
With a deep breath, Sakuchi aimed his hand at the Minotaur. Flame bullets shot out, ricocheting off the stone walls and forcing the Minotaur to turn its focus onto him.
It was perfect. The Minotaur, blinded by rage, focused solely on Sakuchi. He dodged to the side as the beast swung its sword, the blade carving through the air where he had just been standing.
Telemon gave the signal. "Now!"
Cynthia's illusions multiplied, forming a confusing web of Kyron, Sakuchi, and herself. While the Minotaur swung wildly at the mirages, Celess fired sharp ice spikes directly at its unprotected sides. The Minotaur roared as the ice pierced its armored hide, but it still fought back, swinging its sword to cleave through the illusions.
"Keep it distracted!" Telemon yelled as she dashed forward, her sword drawn. She aimed for the Minotaur's legs, hoping to weaken its stance.
The creature reacted with a brutal slash, aiming to sever her in half, but she was ready. With a swift maneuver, she rolled under the sword, her blade slashing at the Minotaur's exposed leg. It roared in pain, but the strike only seemed to enrage it further.
The Minotaur's greatsword swung down once more, but this time it was slow, staggered by the ice. Kyron saw his opening. He launched himself at the beast with a battle cry, smashing his fist into the Minotaur's chest. The impact sent it stumbling back.
Celess used the moment to launch another barrage of ice spikes, this time targeting the Minotaur's shoulders. Each spike found its mark, puncturing the armored body. The beast staggered, its red eyes flickering with pain and rage.
"We're getting closer," Sakuchi said through gritted teeth. He knew they couldn't hold back anymore.
Sakuchi gathered his strength. He was going to end this.
"Everyone, fall back!" Telemon ordered. She moved to the side, preparing her next move.
The Minotaur swung its sword one final time, but this time it was slower. It was exhausted, and they could sense it.
Sakuchi gathered his flames to a boil, then thrust both hands forward, unleashing a wave of fire more intense than anything he had ever summoned.
The flames washed over the Minotaur, scorching its armor and searing its skin. The beast let out a deafening roar as its body crumpled, flames licking at its broken form.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, the Minotaur collapsed to the ground with a deafening crash, its greatsword falling from its hand.
They had won.
Sakuchi dropped to his knees, exhausted, his flames flickering out. Kyron, panting and covered in sweat, approached the Minotaur's fallen form.
"We did it…" he breathed.
Telemon approached slowly, her eyes never leaving the Minotaur's corpse. "It was only the first floor guardian. But it's only going to get harder from here."
Cynthia nodded, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "The real test lies within."
Sakuchi stood, his body sore but alive. "Let's keep moving. We still need to find the clues to the Conqueror's Stone."
End of Chapter 9