The Temple Raid and Eryvan's Secret
A thick fog blanketed the narrow path leading to the second Ruby Stone temple, ancient ruins with broken towers and cracked carvings faintly glowing with red light. Eryvan walked ahead, his staff emitting a thin line of light to guide the way, while Lesendra and Seira followed cautiously behind.
"This place... it feels different," Seira whispered, her eyes scanning the shifting shadows dancing on the crumbling walls. Eryvan nodded slowly. "This temple isn't just the guardian of the Ruby Stone. It's also a mirror for your sword's power, Lesendra. And the secret I've kept hidden until now."
Lesendra turned sharply, his eyes glinting. "A secret? About this sword?" Eryvan halted, turning to face them with his golden eyes glowing faintly. "Your obsidian diamond sword... it's no ordinary weapon. It's an ancient seal created by the highest deity of Mythra, designed to bind their own powers. The Ruby Stones aren't just sources of strength—they are fragments of the souls of the gods who once rebelled against the Dark Throne."
Seira gasped. "So... every Ruby Stone we collect isn't just a power source, but a piece of their souls?" Eryvan nodded. "And the more you gather, Lesendra, the stronger your sword becomes. But the greater the risk—your soul being consumed by the shadows of the gods trapped within."
Lesendra gripped his sword tightly, his eyes burning red. "So this sword isn't just a weapon... it's a prison for them?" Eryvan sighed. "Yes. And you are the key—either to set them free or destroy them forever."
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed from within the temple. A massive stone door slowly opened, revealing a dark crimson corridor adorned with carvings of dragons and staring eyes. From within, a towering winged creature with red lightning eyes emerged, as if beckoning them inside.
Seira drew her bow, her breath heavy. "We have no choice. The Ruby Stone is in there." Lesendra glanced at Eryvan. "If I must face this risk, I'll do it. I'll defeat them, unite the power of the Ruby Stones, and shatter the Dark Throne. No matter the cost."
Eryvan smiled faintly. "You won't be alone. We're with you."
The three of them entered the temple, their footsteps echoing along the stone corridors faintly illuminated by red light. Broken statues of gods stood along the walls, as if witnessing their passage. At the end of the corridor, a vast chamber bathed in blinding red light awaited, with the second Ruby Stone standing tall at its center, pulsing with life.
But before they could approach, the winged black guardian slammed into the ground, blocking their path. Lesendra raised his sword, which now shone with a deeper red-gold hue, Seira aimed her bow, and Eryvan lifted his red-glowing staff.
"This battle will determine our next steps," Eryvan murmured. Lesendra locked eyes on the pulsing Ruby Stone. "Let's finish this. And claim its power."
The guardian boomed, "Who dares challenge me for this Ruby Stone?" His voice echoed deep, as though from the depths of the earth.
Lesendra stepped forward, his sword radiating bright red-gold light, signaling the power of the first Ruby Stone had fused within. His eyes were sharp, filled with resolve. "I am Lesendra, the Golden Hand who will shatter the Dark Throne. I challenge you."
Seira held her breath. "Lesendra... be careful." Eryvan's eyes gleamed with quiet conviction. "This battle isn't just about strength. It's about controlling yourself."
The guardian raised his spear high, releasing a slash of black energy through the air. "Very well, human. One-on-one. You and me. If you lose, your soul will become part of this Ruby Stone. If you win... the Ruby Stone will be yours."
Lesendra tightened his grip on the sword, his body bathed in the red-gold light now perfectly fused with his right hand. "I accept your challenge."
The fight erupted with a blast of energy that shattered the stone floor. Lesendra leapt forward, slashing his sword in an arc of crimson light, but the guardian blocked it with his spear, creating a thunderous clash that cracked the temple pillars.
They moved swiftly, exchanging full-force strikes. Lesendra spun his sword, unleashing a vortex of red-gold light in all directions, but the guardian countered with a spinning spear, sending out waves of black energy that split the air and slammed into the ground.
Dust billowed, flashes of light filled the chamber. Seira could only watch with bated breath while Eryvan closed his eyes, sensing the clashing forces.
Lesendra was driven back, his breath ragged. The guardian lunged at him, slamming his spear down with massive force. Lesendra held up his sword, which radiated a fierce red-gold light, creating a shockwave that shook the room.
Neither side had won yet. Both stood amidst the rubble, bodies trembling from the unleashed energies. Lesendra glared at the guardian, his crimson eyes blazing, his breath ragged. "You're strong... but I won't fall here."
The guardian smiled faintly, his eyes glowing red. "This battle has just begun, little human. Show me... how far you're willing to fight."
Flashes of the sword and spear reflected among the crumbling ruins of the temple.
Lesendra stood, panting, his body covered in wounds, while the red-gold glow of his sword pulsed wildly, radiating an unfamiliar aura. Around him, dust and shattered stones swirled in the vortex of energy that continued to churn.
The black-winged guardian stood just ahead, his spear embedded in the ground, crackling with black energy that made the air tremble. Yet, in Lesendra's ears, another voice began to echo—a soft, piercing whisper, not from the guardian, not from Seira, not from Eryvan.
"You can be stronger... faster... deadlier... Let me help you..."
Lesendra staggered, his eyes glowing a sharper red, his breath turning ragged. His grip on the sword trembled, as if it was no longer just a weapon but a living entity, whispering directly into his mind.
"With my power, you can destroy them all... You can cut down the gods like grass... You will become more than human... more than a god..."
Lesendra clenched his eyes shut, but the whispers grew louder, filling his mind with promises of power and revenge. Images of his foster parents' faces, of Eryvan wounded, of Seira frightened, and of the slain gods flickered through his thoughts, interwoven with flashes of blood and fire.
His grip tightened around the sword, its red-gold light intensifying, now laced with a thin black aura that started to snake along the blade. His eyes blazed red, the pupils nearly disappearing.
In the distance, Seira shouted, "Lesendra! Don't let it control you!" But her voice felt distant, drowned out by the whispers flooding his mind.
"They will all bow before you... You just need... to let go of your doubt..."
Lesendra groaned, his body trembling, teetering on the brink of losing himself. But in a sudden moment of clarity, the image of his foster parents' faces appeared sharper, smiling gently as in his childhood. Their old words echoed in his mind: "True strength isn't just about destruction... it's about holding on to yourself."
Lesendra's eyes snapped open, his breath heavy, his gaze still glowing red but now mixed with a warm golden light. He gripped his sword tighter, rejecting the creeping black aura. "I... am not just power. I am human. I am Lesendra!"
The red-gold glow of his sword stabilized, the black aura vanishing, leaving a warm shimmer that melded perfectly with his golden hand. The whispers faded, drowned out by his own resolve.
The black-winged guardian regarded him, its red eyes flaring. "Interesting... little human. You fight not just me, but yourself as well."
Lesendra stood tall, though his body was battered. "I will win... not because of your power, but because I choose to remain myself."