The ruins rose before them like a broken temple, its stone pillars leaning, its walls cracked and covered in moss. The air was damp, heavy, and strangely alive.
The premises were empty. Not a single human was in sight.
"What kind of game is Yami playing?" Elena asked, looking around cautiously.
"I guess we'll have to find out," Dante replied.
It was pretty obvious they were walking into a trap, but this one was unavoidable.
Dante turned around to face his group.
"Stay outside and prepare for anything. Elena and I will head into the temple."
"It's dangerous! You can't go in there alone. What if they're all in there, waiting for the first person to come in?" Lena asked. Her voice was high-pitched and her eyes were wide.
"I highly doubt that, Lena. Nothing is going to happen to us. Dante and I will protect each other."
Lena looked unwilling but relented anyway.
Dante held Elena's hand as she took a deep breath.
Every step inside echoed like a warning.
Elena's chest tightened. Her pressure magic flickered the moment she crossed the threshold.
The ground trembled faintly beneath her boots, as if the temple itself recognized her.
She stopped.
Dante glanced at her.
"You feel it too."
She nodded, swallowing hard.
"It's... responding."
Dante's eyes narrowed as he looked around the ancient chamber.
"Stay close to me."
Elena nodded.
Neither of them noticed the faint cracks spreading beneath their feet.
Outside, Leo lingered near the entrance, his senses prickling. He could feel the cursed bird nearby, its whispers scratching faintly at the edge of his mind.
He had wanted to kill it earlier, but Dante had stopped him.
Now he understood why.
"If Yami thinks he has the upper hand," Dante had said, "he'll get careless. That's when we strike."
Leo clenched his fists.
He didn't like admitting it, but Dante's plan made sense.
---
The forest exploded with movement.
Yami's henchmen surged from the shadows, weapons gleaming and magic flaring.
Some fought for coin, others for loyalty, but all carried a dangerous confidence.
"They're surrounding us!" someone shouted.
"Where did they even come from? Everywhere was empty a few minutes ago!"
Leo's senses burned.
"The bird! It's guiding them! It must have helped them remain undetected!"
He clenched his fists, torn.
He could end it now.
He could silence the cursed creature before it caused any more trouble.
But Dante's words echoed in his mind.
Don't kill it. Let him think he's winning.
Leo forced himself to stay still.
Instead, he focused on the cursed animals circling the edges of the ruins.
His magic pulsed, warning him of danger.
He could feel Yami's grip on them. Two beasts at once, their eyes glowing faint red.
A wolf and a crow.
Both twisted, unnatural, bound to Yami's bloodlust.
The wolf lunged at one of the fighters, its jaws snapping.
The crow swooped low, its claws raking across another man's shoulder.
Chaos spread quickly.
"Hold the line!" one of the men yelled, his blade flashing.
Magic flared.
Fire, frost, and sparks of lightning filled the battlefield as Yami's men pressed harder.
The air was thick with dust, sweat, and the stench of blood.
Then one of the men reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial.
Leo's eyes widened.
"No..."
The man drank it.
His body twisted violently.
His muscles tensed as his aura surged brighter, spilling around him like flames.
His strikes grew faster and heavier, forcing two men backward.
Lena touched the ground.
The land underneath their feet instantly turned into ice.
She clenched her hand, and sharp spikes shot from the ground, stabbing one of the henchmen through the back.
The man staggered.
But instead of falling, he gripped one of the ice spikes and pulled himself free.
Blood pooled beneath his feet.
His eyes were unnatural, almost empty.
Leo gritted his teeth.
"They're using the potions!"
The clash outside grew desperate.
Steel rang against steel. Magic collided in bursts of light.
Every second, the battlefield became more chaotic.
Leo looked toward the temple.
Dante better know what he's doing.
---
Inside the old ruined temple, everything was quiet.
The echoes of their footsteps grew louder as they headed deeper into it.
Elena glanced over her shoulder.
"Are you sure they're alright?"
Dante didn't answer immediately.
Elena looked back toward the entrance.
"What if it's all part of Yami's plan? To lure us away from everyone while he ends them all?"
Dante sighed, tightening his grip on his sword.
"We just have to hope I'm right then."
They continued walking.
The deeper they went, the colder the air became.
Strange symbols covered the walls, worn away by time.
Elena reached out and touched one of them.
The moment her fingers brushed against the stone, a faint pulse travelled through the wall.
She immediately pulled her hand back.
"What was that?"
Dante looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She stared at the symbol again.
For a moment, she could have sworn she had seen something.
A battlefield.
A sword in her hand.
A voice calling her name.
Then it vanished.
Elena shook her head.
Why am I seeing these things?
Before she could think about it any further, a gust of wind swept through the chamber, scattering dust and loose stones.
Amber stepped into view.
Her hair whipped around her face, her eyes glowing faintly red.
"Elena," she said, her voice trembling with fury and grief.
Elena gasped at the sight of Amber.
It felt almost surreal seeing her in person after spending so much time chasing after her.
Amber looked different.
But beneath the red glow in her eyes, Elena could still see her friend.
"You don't have to fight me," Amber said.
She took a step forward.
"Help me find them. The ones who killed my father. Together, we can make them pay."
Elena's chest ached.
Amber's words pierced deep, stirring guilt and longing.
For a moment, she faltered.
She lowered her sword slightly.
"Amber..."
Dante's voice cut through the haze.
"She's not herself. Don't let her drag you down."
Amber's expression twisted.
"Not myself?"
She laughed bitterly.
"This is who I am now. And I won't stop until they're all dead."
Her wind magic surged, rattling the temple walls.
Elena shook her head.
"Yami is using you."
"You don't know anything!"
"I know he doesn't care about your father's death!"
Amber's eyes flashed.
"You chose wrong."
Elena's heart sank.
"I didn't!"
Her voice cracked.
"Yami is using you, Amber. He doesn't care about your father's death. You need to drop this act and listen to me. Please..."
Amber's expression darkened.
"I see you are not willing to help me."
A menacing aura spread steadily around her.
"There is no need for long talk."
Her wind magic surged.
A sharp gale sliced through the air.
Elena raised her sword, but her hands trembled.
She couldn't bring herself to strike Amber.
The bond between them was too strong.
Too painful.
Amber's blast roared forward, a slicing gale that would have cut Elena down.
"Elena!"
Dante tried to run toward her, but Yami suddenly appeared in his path.
His axe came crashing down.
Dante barely managed to block it.
Yami's evil laughter echoed through the temple, causing his chest to shake.
"You're not going anywhere."
Dante's eyes narrowed.
"Get out of my way."
Yami grinned.
"You first."
Their weapons collided again.
---
Lena burst into the chamber at the nick of time.
Her pale hair flashed white in the dim light.
Her eyes locked on Elena, fear and determination burning within them.
"Elena!"
The wind struck her full force.
Lena was thrown violently against the stone wall.
The sound was sickening.
Dust rained down from the ceiling.
"Lena!"
Elena screamed.
She rushed forward.
Her voice cracked, raw with panic.
"No... no, please..."
Her hands shook as she reached Lena.
Blood stained the stone beneath her.
Elena's heart pounded so hard it hurt.
For a moment, Lena didn't move.
Then her fingers twitched.
Elena's eyes widened.
"Lena?"
She quickly knelt beside her.
Lena's body seemed unnaturally still, but something about her felt different.
The wound looked terrible.
Yet the blood seemed to stop flowing almost too quickly.
Elena blinked.
"Lena..."
Lena slowly opened her eyes.
"I'm... okay."
Her voice was weak.
Elena stared at her in disbelief.
"You're not okay!"
She carefully helped Lena sit up.
Lena winced, but the pain seemed to disappear almost as quickly as it came.
Neither of them noticed the faint silver glow beneath Lena's skin before it vanished.
Amber's eyes widened.
A flicker of hesitation broke through her fury.
She stared at Lena.
Then at Elena.
Something in her expression changed.
For the briefest moment, the red glow in her eyes weakened and was replaced by confusion.
But Yami's voice pulled her attention away.
"Don't let them distract you."
Amber's face hardened again.
---
Dante's blade locked against Yami's axe.
Sparks flew as the two pressed against each other.
Yami's aura thickened, bloodlust spilling into the air.
His control over the wolf and crow faltered for a moment.
Their eyes flickered.
Outside, Leo noticed the change and smiled. It looks like their plan might work afterall.
Dante's jaw tightened.
He still hadn't used his shadow magic.
But he could feel the pressure building inside him.
Yami pushed harder.
Dante slid backward across the stone floor.
"You've got some skill," Yami said with a grin.
Dante steadied himself.
"So do you."
Yami laughed.
"Finally! A worthy opponent."
He swung his axe again.
Dante dodged.
"I wonder how long you can handle my axe. Most people don't last more than a minute."
Dante's eyes narrowed.
"You'll find out soon enough."
The two men circled each other.
Steel clashed again and again.
Yami's strikes were heavy and wild, fueled by rage.
Dante's movements were precise and fluid, every swing calculated.
Yami suddenly swung his axe through the air.
A sharp blade of wind tore toward Dante.
Dante twisted his body, barely avoiding it.
The attack sliced through a stone pillar behind him.
The pillar cracked.
Dante glanced at it.
Then back at Yami.
"Interesting weapon."
Yami grinned.
"You haven't seen anything yet."
---
Elena barely heard them.
Her world had narrowed to Amber and Lena.
She looked at Amber.
"Please, Amber."
Her voice was softer now.
"Come back to us."
Amber stared at her.
For a moment, Elena could see the old Amber again.
The girl who laughed with her.
The girl who trusted her.
The girl who had once called her family.
Then Amber's eyes glowed red again.
"You should have stayed out of this."
Her wind magic began gathering around her.
Elena slowly stood.
Her sword trembled in her hand.
"I won't fight you."
Amber's expression hardened.
"Then I'll make you."
The wind around her exploded outward.
Elena raised her sword.
Her pressure magic flickered wildly.
Something deep beneath the temple answered.
A low rumble shook the ground.
Both Elena and Amber froze.
Dante looked toward the floor.
Yami's grin faded slightly.
"What was that?"
Another tremor followed.
Stronger this time.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
The ancient walls groaned.
Elena stared at the ground beneath her.
Her pressure magic suddenly pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Then something beneath the ruins seemed to awaken.
A faint light travelled through the cracks in the stone.
Elena's eyes widened.
"What... is happening?"
The temple trembled violently.
And somewhere deep beneath them, something ancient began to stir.