A chilling wind swept through the restricted archives as the spectral guardians surged forward, their hollow eyes gleaming with eerie blue light. Their forms, shifting between mist and shadow, moved with unnatural speed, their claws slicing through the air like blades.
Zayne barely had time to draw his sword before one of them slashed at him. Instinct kicked in, and he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the ghostly strike. His heart pounded as he tightened his grip on his weapon.
"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath.
Malo swung his blade at one of the spirits, but the attack passed right through. "Uh… guys? How the hell do you hit something that isn't solid?"
Seraphina's eyes darted between the creatures and her grimoire as she flipped through its pages. "They're magical constructs! That means—"
Before she could finish, one of the guardians lashed out at her. She barely dodged in time, falling backward into a shelf. Books tumbled around her as she hit the floor.
Kai flicked his wrist, sending a throwing knife wrapped in green energy at a guardian. The weapon struck true, piercing through its form and making it flicker, but the ghostly entity quickly reformed.
"Not the hard way," Seraphina snapped, pushing herself up. "The right way!"
Lightning crackled at her fingertips before she thrust her hand forward. A bolt of electricity shot out, striking the nearest guardian. The creature let out a distorted shriek before its form collapsed into mist.
Malo grinned. "Now we're talking!" His sword pulsed with dark energy as he slashed at another guardian. This time, his blade connected, carving a shadowy line through the specter's body.
Zayne didn't hesitate. He channeled his reinforcement magic, letting raw energy surge through his limbs. His sword glowed faintly as he dashed forward, slicing clean through another guardian. The creature burst apart like mist scattered by the wind.
Tallesia moved with lethal precision, her twin dagger-swords crackling with electricity. She spun mid-air, slicing through a guardian with a lightning-infused arc. Sparks erupted as the specter disintegrated.
More of them emerged.
The air grew colder, the library groaning under the weight of some unseen force.
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Something's wrong. They aren't just trying to stop us."
Seraphina's gaze darted toward the end of the aisle. "They're stalling."
Zayne frowned. "For what?"
A deep, guttural voice rumbled through the chamber.
"Intruders… unworthy… shall be judged."
A massive figure emerged from the shadows—a guardian twice the size of the others. Its skeletal face was frozen in a hollow grin, and runes pulsed along its translucent body, glowing with ancient power.
Seraphina paled. "That's a Sentinel. A high-level guardian. This isn't just a trap—this is a trial."
The Sentinel raised a massive spectral sword. With one swing, the air itself howled.
Zayne barely had time to react before the force of the attack sent him skidding backward.
Malo caught his footing, gritting his teeth. "Okay, now I get why this section was restricted."
Tallesia flipped her daggers in her hands. "Less talking. More fighting."
The battle had just begun.
The Trial of Worth
The Sentinel moved like a storm, each swing of its sword sending shockwaves through the library. Shelves splintered, books were flung into the air, and the stone floor cracked under its power.
Zayne dodged another strike, barely keeping up. Even with reinforcement magic enhancing his speed, he struggled to match the creature's overwhelming strength.
Seraphina was chanting under her breath, her grimoire floating in front of her, symbols glowing across its pages. "Buy me thirty seconds!"
Kai scoffed. "You act like that's easy!"
He flicked his wrist, sending three enchanted knives at the Sentinel. The weapons struck its chest, exploding into bursts of green energy. The guardian barely flinched.
Malo charged in, his sword coated in shadow magic. He swung down with all his strength—only for the Sentinel to catch his blade mid-air.
Malo's eyes widened. "Oh, come on!"
With inhuman strength, the Sentinel threw him across the room. Malo crashed into a bookcase, sending dust and paper flying.
Tallesia dashed in, her daggers spinning with lightning. She slashed at the Sentinel's leg, forcing it to stagger. "Zayne! Now!"
Zayne saw his opening. He poured every ounce of reinforcement magic into his body, his sword burning with energy. He dashed forward, slicing upward.
The blade connected. A deep wound split through the Sentinel's chest, and for the first time, its hollow eyes flickered.
But it wasn't enough.
The Sentinel raised its massive sword again, ready to strike down the intruders. The sheer pressure of its presence sent a shiver through the air, like a storm waiting to break.
Zayne gritted his teeth and braced himself. He could feel the raw power radiating from the creature—it was more than just a guardian. This thing had purpose. It wasn't just here to protect knowledge; it was here to judge.
The Sentinel's sword came down like a falling star, aiming straight for Zayne.
Before it could connect, Malo—still dazed from being thrown—growled and slammed his hand onto the ground. A surge of shadow magic erupted beneath him, forming a protective barrier just in time to absorb the impact.
The shockwave cracked the floor, sending ripples through the room.
Malo coughed. "Okay, that hurt."
Tallesia wasted no time, dashing in with her lightning-infused daggers. She slashed at the Sentinel's side, leaving crackling blue streaks across its form. The creature stumbled, its movements faltering for just a moment.
Zayne saw his chance. He clenched his fist, channeling every ounce of reinforcement magic into his legs, and launched himself forward. His sword burned with energy as he brought it down on the Sentinel's weakened form.
The blade struck true. A deep gash split through the guardian's chest, and for the first time, its hollow eyes flickered.
Seraphina, still chanting, suddenly shouted, "Now! Everyone, fall back!"
Without hesitation, the group leaped away.
Seraphina's grimoire flashed, and a powerful burst of arcane energy erupted from the pages. The force struck the Sentinel, engulfing it in a swirling vortex of golden light. The guardian let out a deafening wail before its form began to unravel, dissolving into nothingness.
For a long moment, silence filled the library.
Then, the eerie blue fire that had illuminated the restricted section flickered… and died.
Zayne exhaled, his heart still pounding. "Did… we win?"
Malo pushed himself up from the ground, wincing. "I don't feel like a winner."
Tallesia rolled her shoulders. "But we're still alive. That counts for something."
Seraphina closed her grimoire with a heavy sigh. "That was a Sentinel—a guardian meant to test those seeking forbidden knowledge. And we just barely passed."
Kai dusted off his coat. "So what now? Do we get some kind of prize for not dying?"
As if in response, the ground beneath them shimmered with faint golden runes. The air vibrated, and a section of the wall at the far end of the room began to shift.
A hidden doorway.
Zayne's eyes narrowed. "Looks like we just unlocked something."
Malo groaned. "I swear, if this leads to another ghost fight—"
Seraphina shook her head. "No. This is different. I think… I think this is what the Sentinel was guarding."
Tallesia took a cautious step forward. "Then let's find out if this was worth the risk."
The group exchanged glances, then moved toward the opening.
Whatever lay beyond that door held secrets that had been buried for decades.
And now, for better or worse, they were about to uncover them.