The temple at the heart of the ruins had no doors, only a yawning mouth of darkness framed by ancient stone. Runes pulsed dimly on the walls, humming with power, as if the structure itself still breathed—still remembered.
Jiang Yan stared up at the carvings. "These... are older than any sect I've read about."
Moria traced one with a slender finger. "This temple predates most records. Even the demons don't speak of it."
Li Yuan's fox ears twitched. "I smell something… not quite dead. Not quite alive either."
"Guardian," Moria said softly.
Inside, the air shifted.
A low growl echoed from within the darkness, followed by dragging footsteps. Then a shape emerged—massive, cloaked in shadows, eyes glowing red like coals in a furnace.
It had the head of a lion, the wings of a raven, and a serpentine tail that coiled and hissed behind it. It was bound in spectral chains, and on its chest glowed a seal with the emblem of the god of fire—Arios.
"The last protector of the Flame Lotus," Moria whispered. "A divine beast. Corrupted."
Jiang Yan's throat tightened. "How do we fight that?"
Moria didn't answer immediately. Instead, she stepped forward, calm and regal, her hands folded.
The creature paused.
Its chains rattled as it stared at her. Then it… whimpered.
Moria's gaze softened. "You remember me, don't you?"
Li Yuan blinked. "Wait—you've seen this thing before?"
"I helped bind it, lifetimes ago," she said quietly. "It volunteered… to guard the Lotus. But over time, corruption seeped in."
Her system blinked inside her mind.
[Mission Update: Purify the Guardian or Defeat It. Reward: Unlock Memory Fragment II]
"I'll try the first option," she muttered.
She began chanting softly in an ancient dialect, her voice like wind on snow. The chains lit up, resisting her spell, but she didn't falter. Her eyes glowed faintly silver as she walked right up to the beast.
"Sleep, old friend," she whispered. "Your duty ends today."
The creature roared once—then fell still, collapsing into ash and wind.
From its remains rose a single glowing lotus—its petals flickered with blue fire. The Flame Lotus.
Jiang Yan took a cautious step forward, but Moria stopped him.
"Only one of pure intent can touch it without consequence," she said.
Li Yuan frowned. "Then it's definitely not me."
Jiang Yan looked uncertain. "Do you think I...?"
Moria nodded. "You were born in fire and rejection. You've survived without letting the darkness consume you. Try."
Jiang Yan stepped forward, palms trembling. He knelt and reached out—
The flame didn't burn. Instead, it curled around him, wrapping around his arms like ribbons. His eyes glowed for a brief moment, and he gasped.
"I… I feel stronger."
Suddenly, from outside the temple, a crash echoed—stone shattering, roars of beasts, and the clang of metal.
"They've found us," Li Yuan said, drawing his blade.
Moria turned to Jiang Yan. "Stay behind me. Your body's still adjusting."
Dozens of beast-men stormed in—led by a new villain: a seven-foot-tall brute clad in dragon scale armor, with two massive blades strapped to his back.
"I am Yanluo, commander of the Obsidian Teeth," he growled. "Surrender the Lotus, and I might let you live."
Li Yuan scoffed. "Nice armor. Shame it won't help your face."
The brute bared his teeth. "Fox demon. I killed your brother."
Silence fell. Li Yuan's grin disappeared.
"You what?"
Yanluo sneered. "Your brother died begging like a dog. I left his head on the border stone."
Moria took one step forward. The air chilled instantly.
"Bad idea," she whispered.
Before Yanluo could react, she flicked her hand—and black vines burst from the ground, wrapping around his legs, glowing with cursed runes.
He roared and slashed, but they kept reforming. Moria's eyes were dead calm.
"You insult my companion. You die."
Then, with a flick, she summoned a spectral fox—massive, made of crimson flames. It lunged at Yanluo, howling with fury.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yan covered the Flame Lotus in a protective sphere, focusing all his energy.
Li Yuan stood over him protectively. "Finish what you're doing, kid. I'll handle the rest."
Dozens of enemies rushed in. The air smelled of blood and burning.
In the chaos, one of the attackers—a demon with a flute—played a sharp, haunting melody.
Moria staggered slightly.
Her system buzzed.
[Caution: Memory Seal Disrupted. Hidden Emotion Detected.]
A flash—red strings, a warm smile, a silver fox laughing beside her in another life.
She gritted her teeth. "Not now."
But deep inside, her heart trembled.
Li Yuan noticed. "Are you alright?"
She didn't answer. Just pressed forward, eyes glowing, as the true battle began.
Outside, a few miles away, in the darker forests, a lone man in white robes stood watching the sky.
He smiled.
"So… the goddess wakes. And the fox burns again."
His eyes were red as blood. His name—forgotten by time.
But soon… they would all remember.
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