The entire temple trembled as dust and debris rained down from the ceiling. Kael stumbled back, his grip tightening around the glowing fragment of the Celestial Crown. The moment he had touched it, the entire ruin had come alive—and something beneath them had awakened.
Lyra grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the entrance. "Move! Now!"
Before they could escape, the stone floor cracked open, and from the abyss below, a colossal figure of molten rock and enchanted steel emerged. Its hollow eyes burned with golden fire, and its voice rumbled like thunder.
"Who dares disturb the vault of Eldermoor?"
Kael's breath caught in his throat. "What in the gods' name is that?"
Lyra's face was grim. "A Guardian of the Crown."
The Guardian raised a massive warhammer, inscribed with ancient runes that pulsed with raw energy.
"The unworthy shall be tested."
Then, it struck the ground, sending a shockwave that shattered the remaining pillars in the temple.
Kael and Lyra barely dodged in time.
Lyra cursed. "Why is it always the giant, ancient, magical things that want to kill us?"
Kael clenched the fragment in his fist. "It's protecting the crown pieces. It must think we're thieves."
The Guardian's molten eyes flared. It wasn't done.
With a roar, it charged.