Chapter 8 — Knight of Darkness
The air inside the temple shook, like the holy fire protecting the place was fading against something much darker.
The dark-armored knight walked forward slowly, each step making the ancient stone floor tremble. The torches along the walls dimmed, as if they were scared to shine.
From behind his black helmet, a heavy, cold voice echoed through the hall:
"I am Nyvarn, from the world you fear most!"
Aria, still trying to stand, felt crushed by the weight of his words. She was breathing hard, her hands shaking as she held her bow.
Solare, even though his flames were weakening, stood between Aria and Nyvarn. His body of fire shook but refused to fall.
Nyvarn lifted his giant black sword, pointing it at Solare.
"The Heart of Fire... it's a weak seal, stopping the demon kingdom from entering this world."
He stepped closer, his voice cutting sharper.
"But your time is over, Solare. Today, you will be destroyed."
Solare replied with a rough but strong voice:
"As long as there is still light, your darkness will never win, Nyvarn."
Nyvarn laughed low behind his helmet. His dark energy pulsed stronger.
"The portal to our kingdom will open. This world will fall. Time itself will break, and destruction will rain like a storm."
Aria swallowed hard. Her body screamed to move, but fear froze her.
Solare slowly spread his arms to shield Aria with his fiery body.
"I won't let you," he said firmly.
"And I won't give you a choice," Nyvarn answered coldly.
In a flash, without warning, Nyvarn charged.
Even though he looked heavy, he moved shockingly fast.
A storm of darkness raged behind him.
The first attack hit Solare directly — the impact shook the whole temple.
Solare flew backward, crashing onto the stone floor. His flames flickered wildly, almost going out.
Aria gasped, panicking.
She quickly grabbed her bow and pulled an arrow. Her eyes searched for a weak spot — between the knight's shoulder and arm armor — the only small gap.
She took a deep breath, aimed carefully —
Swish!
The arrow flashed through the air.
Thud!
It hit the armor joint, pushing Nyvarn slightly off balance.
Nyvarn turned his burning gaze from Solare to Aria.
A low growl came from behind his helmet.
With a giant step, he charged at Aria, his massive sword swinging high.
Aria rolled to the side, barely avoiding the deadly strike that could cut stone in half.
But Nyvarn was too fast.
Before she could stand up, a brutal kick hit her in the stomach.
She flew backward, slamming into a pillar with a heavy crash.
She groaned, trying to get up, but her body felt broken.
Across the hall, Solare gathered the last of his strength.
His flames glowed brighter, preparing for something big.
He pulled in all his remaining energy —
His orange flame turned white-gold, pulsing like a giant heartbeat.
Suddenly, Solare exploded into a huge vortex of fire, becoming a blazing giant.
With full force, Solare hurled himself at Nyvarn like a falling meteor.
The impact shook the whole temple again.
Nyvarn crashed into the wall, leaving a deep crack.
For the first time, the dark knight was pushed back.
But Solare dropped to one knee after the attack, his flames flickering weakly. His body was almost transparent, only small sparks still alive.
Aria, trembling, forced herself to stand.
Solare looked at her and whispered through the chaos:
"Aim your arrow between the helmet and chest armor... there's a small gap."
Aria nodded, despite the shaking in her body.
She grabbed another arrow, pulling it out with shaky hands.
In front of her, Nyvarn slowly rose from the ruins, his black armor cracked but still standing, his dark energy roaring even stronger.
Aria held her breath and aimed.
But before she could release the arrow, Solare called out with a rough but powerful voice:
"Let me join with you... merge my flame with your arrow!"
Aria, her heart full of courage, pulled her bowstring back as far as she could.
Solare raised his hands, and his fiery body flowed into the arrow.
Now the arrow burned bright, glowing with incredible power.
Nyvarn, now fully standing, stared at them with burning hatred behind his helmet.
Aria focused everything she had.
In a moment that felt frozen in time, she released the arrow.
The flaming arrow roared through the air.
The whole room lit up with red-orange light as it flew.
But at the last second, Nyvarn moved slightly.
The arrow didn't hit the vital spot.
Instead, it slammed into his shoulder, piercing his armor and burning the flesh underneath.
Nyvarn roared in anger, staggering, black smoke pouring from the wound.
He stepped back, his eyes filled with hatred for Aria.
With a heavy, vengeful voice, he shouted:
"I will remember this! I will return... and you will pay in blood!"
Using the last of his strength, Nyvarn leapt into the broken shadows of the temple —
and transformed into a black crow, flying away with his wounded body.
Suddenly, the temple fell silent.
Only Aria's heavy breathing and the faint crackling of fire could be heard.
Solare, now just a tiny flame, floated weakly toward Aria.
"My time... is over... stand beside me," he whispered.
Aria, still shaking, quickly walked to him.
"Take me... the Heart of Fire..."
With his last strength, Solare merged into Aria's body.
A red-orange flash burst from Aria, wrapping her in new strength.
Inside her, she felt a living fire —
warm, strong, and full of responsibility.
The Heart of Fire was now part of Aria.
And her journey... was just beginning.