The cavern pulsed with an eerie glow, the walls lined with ancient runes that shimmered faintly beneath the dust of centuries. Kael pushed himself up from the cold stone floor, his breath ragged, every muscle in his body aching from the fall. His fingers pressed against his ribs—tender but not broken. He had survived worse.
A groan echoed nearby.
"That was not the plan," Rion muttered, pulling himself up and shaking dust from his jacket. His usually sharp eyes were unfocused, still reeling from the drop.
Kael ignored him, scanning the cavern. The tunnel they had fallen through was now a gaping hole above them, too high to climb. The Dominion forces would realize soon enough that they hadn't died on impact. That meant one thing—they had to move.
Miya stood a few paces ahead, her gaze fixed on the markings along the walls. The faint crackling of electricity flickered around her fingertips, a sign of both caution and readiness.
"This place…" she murmured, voice unusually quiet. "It's older than anything I've seen."
Kael followed her line of sight. The markings weren't just glowing—they were moving, shifting, like they were alive.
"This is the undercity," Rion said, stepping closer. "Or what's left of it. The place was abandoned centuries ago. No one knows why."
A gust of cold air whistled through the chamber, and Kael tensed.
Something else was down here. Watching.
Miya turned slightly, her stance lowering. "We're not alone."
A deep, guttural sound rumbled through the cavern. Not human. Not anything natural.
Then came the first screech.
The Guardian Awakens.
The stone beneath them trembled as a figure uncoiled from the darkness—a towering, skeletal construct wrapped in shattered armor, its body pulsating with veins of corrupted energy. Its head was a rusted helm with no eyes, only a jagged maw that stretched open in a soundless snarl.
Kael barely had time to react before the creature lunged.
He shoved Rion aside and threw himself backward as a massive claw slammed into the ground where he had just stood, cracking the stone like brittle glass. Dust exploded into the air, momentarily blinding him.
Miya was already moving. Lightning surged around her as she dashed in, blade flashing. Her sword cut across the creature's armor, sending a sharp crack through the air.
The Guardian barely flinched.
It lashed out, and Miya twisted away just in time.
Kael gritted his teeth, feeling the shard pulse violently in his chest. The heat surged through his veins, begging to be released. He clenched his fists.
Not yet. Control it this time.
The Guardian roared, its maw splitting open wider than should be possible. A wave of energy exploded outward, slamming into Kael like a tidal force. He was thrown back, crashing into the cavern wall, pain exploding across his back.
"Kael!"
Rion's voice barely reached him before the Guardian was on him again.
Kael forced himself to roll away as the beast's claws dug into the stone where he had been seconds ago. He barely made it to his feet before the creature came again, relentless.
Miya darted past him, her lightning-infused blade striking the joints of the Guardian's armor. Sparks flew as she twisted mid-air, delivering a second, precise slash.
It stumbled. Just for a moment.
It was enough.
Kael pushed forward, summoning the flames deep within his core. Heat surged through his body, power gathering in his fists as fire coiled around his arms.
He struck.
His flames collided with the Guardian's chest, sending a shockwave through the cavern. The beast reeled back, its form flickering between solid and spectral, as if struggling to remain bound to this world.
But something was wrong.
Kael's vision blurred. His breath hitched. The shard inside him—it wasn't responding properly.
The flames in his hands flickered. Dying.
No… not now…
Pain shot through his body like a searing knife. His knees buckled. His heart pounded erratically, struggling against something unseen.
Miya noticed immediately. "Kael?"
The Guardian, sensing weakness, charged.
Kael tried to move, but his limbs felt heavy. His breath came in short, shallow bursts. The cavern itself felt like it was rejecting him.
Then a force slammed into the Guardian's side, sending it crashing into the far wall.
Rion stood there, one hand outstretched, his power humming in the air. "You good, or are you gonna die on us?"
Kael forced himself to stand. "Not yet."
His shard still resisted, but he wouldn't let it stop him. He had to end this.
He focused everything into one final attack.
His flames reignited, brighter than before. The heat grew unbearable, licking at his skin as he forced the energy to obey him.
Miya and Rion moved as one.
Miya struck first, her lightning carving through the Guardian's legs, forcing it to kneel.
Rion crushed the ground beneath it, sending it further off balance.
Kael leapt.
His flames pierced through the Guardian's core, shattering the gemstone embedded within its chest. A blinding light erupted from the wound, engulfing the cavern in a burst of energy.
The Guardian screamed as its form disintegrated, turning to nothing but ash.
Then, silence.
The Aftermath.
Kael staggered, barely catching himself. His head pounded. The shard inside him was still unstable, but he forced the pain down.
Rion exhaled, brushing dust from his jacket. "Well. That sucked."
Miya crouched near the remains of the Guardian, her expression unreadable. "This wasn't just some mindless beast."
Kael's fists clenched. "Then what was it?"
Miya's fingers traced the faintly glowing runes on the cavern floor. "A warning."
Kael frowned. "For what?"
She looked up, lightning crackling at her fingertips again. "For whatever's coming next."
Kael turned toward the depths of the ruins. His chest still ached, but he ignored it.
This place had secrets.
And he was going to find them all after learning from the altar of judgement,Kael wanted to find everything that happened and occurred.
Even if it killed him ,he won't stop until everything and all mysteries would be solved.