The air inside the temple was heavy, saturated with the scent of dampness and ancient incense. The dim lights flickering from scattered torches on the walls—engraved with mysterious inscriptions—cast dancing shadows, giving the place an aura of dread. A thin layer of dust covered the floor, a silent testament to how long this place had remained abandoned.
Arian stood in the center of the main hall, his heart pounding as he observed the stone statues lining both sides, their hollow eyes staring at him as if passing judgment. His breath was steady, but his mind was racing with thoughts… This place was no ordinary ruin; it held a secret yet to be uncovered.
On the other side, Mika was running his hand over one of the worn walls, trying to decipher the carved inscriptions. He muttered under his breath:
— "These engravings speak of… a sealed power, one that requires a key."
Arian turned to him, his eyes filled with questions, but he remained silent. He knew that everything in this place had to be approached with caution.
Before they could fully grasp the meaning of these words, slow footsteps echoed through the stone corridor leading into the hall.
From the darkness, a tall man emerged, clad in a tattered black robe, his face marked by the traces of old wounds. His black hair was streaked with white strands, and his eyes—like frozen blood—pierced through the dimness. He was no ordinary enemy; his very presence sent a chill down the spine.
Standing a few meters away, his deep voice shattered the silence:
— "I did not expect to see the heirs of ancient magic here… You tread a path lined with death."
Arian stepped forward, his gaze locked onto the man, unshaken but aware of the unseen pressure surrounding him. He immediately realized that this man was no mere warrior—he wielded a power just as dangerous as the book in his possession.
— "And who are you?" Arian asked, his voice steady but laced with caution.
The man gave a faint, eerie smile and replied:
— "My name is Xairos… Lord of Shadows, and the last guardian of this place."
At that moment, the entire atmosphere shifted.
The ground trembled slightly, and the torches flickered violently as if an invisible force toyed with them. Arian felt the air turn icy, and the shadows around them began to thicken.
Xairos was no mere guardian—he was a wielder of an ancient power… the power of pure darkness.
Raising his right hand, the shadows coiled and twisted around him, forming black tendrils that hovered in the air like living creatures. In the blink of an eye, one of them lashed toward Arian with terrifying speed!
The battle had begun!
The moment Arian saw the attack coming, he leaped back, swiftly opening his magic book. Flipping through its pages, the runes began to glow with golden light.
— "Flame Barrier!"
A wave of fire surged forth, colliding with the shadowy tendril, but the force behind it was overwhelming. The flames vanished almost instantly, consumed as if devoured by the darkness itself.
Xairos took another step forward, and with a single motion of his hand, dozens of black tendrils rose around him, writhing like independent, sentient beings, each poised to rip its target apart.
— "If you think the power of the book will grant you an advantage, you are mistaken."
In an instant, the shadows lunged again, but this time in varied forms—some like spears, others like monstrous hands, while others sharpened into deadly blades!
Arian moved swiftly, relying on the skills he had honed over the past days. He dodged with quick bends and rapid leaps, his eyes tracking every movement, analyzing his enemy's weaknesses.
— "He's not just using shadows… This energy feels like an extension of his very being."
From the sidelines, Mika was observing carefully.
Xairos was not using visible spells—every attack came directly from his presence, as if the darkness itself obeyed his will without the need for incantations.
— "He's a raw energy wielder… He doesn't need a medium like books or magical symbols. That means we need to change our strategy."
Arian wasn't foolish—he had reached the same conclusion. If direct combat wouldn't work, he had to change tactics.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a fraction of a second… Then opened them, now glowing with a faint golden radiance.
— "Alright then, let's see if darkness can swallow the light!"
In a sudden burst of motion, he spun and summoned a long spear of pure energy, radiating with magical brilliance, before hurling it directly at Xairos!
The result?
The spear tore through the air at supersonic speed, aimed straight for Xairos' heart, but… he smiled.
The spear collided with a dense shadow… and vanished.
Xairos hadn't even moved—he simply watched Arian with a look of quiet mockery.
— "A good attempt… But you are still unprepared to face true darkness."
In that instant, the shadowy tendrils surged once more, but this time they weren't aiming to attack… They engulfed the entire space, snuffing out every remaining light.
Darkness swallowed everything.
— "Welcome to the void, heir."