Scene 1: A Desperate Plan
The forest was alive with night sounds—the chirping of insects, the distant hoot of an owl, and the rustle of leaves stirred by the wind. Kael and Lyran moved cautiously along a narrow path, their breaths visible in the cool air.
“We’re heading to the ruins,” Lyran said firmly, breaking the silence.
Kael frowned. “What ruins?”
Lyran stopped, turning to face him. “The Elder mentioned them before we left. An ancient temple once dedicated to the Guardians. If there’s anything that can explain the shard’s power, it’s there.”
“And you waited until now to tell me?”
She crossed her arms. “Would you have listened? You barely trust me as it is.”
Kael looked away, his jaw tightening. She wasn’t wrong.
“Fine,” he muttered. “Let’s go.”
---
Scene 2: The Ruins
The path eventually opened into a clearing, revealing the ruins of a temple bathed in moonlight. The crumbling structure was overgrown with vines, its once-proud walls scarred by time.
Kael felt a strange pull as they approached, the shard’s pulse quickening against his chest.
“This place…” he murmured.
Lyran glanced at him. “The shard recognizes it, doesn’t it?”
He nodded, his hand instinctively resting over the artifact.
They stepped inside, their footsteps echoing against the stone floor. The air was thick with an ancient, oppressive energy. Faded murals lined the walls, depicting scenes of battle and triumph—warriors wielding shards of light and shadow.
“This must be where the Guardians first found the shards,” Lyran whispered, her voice tinged with awe.
Kael moved closer to one mural, his fingers tracing the outline of a figure holding a shard. “They don’t look corrupted,” he said.
“Not yet,” Lyran replied grimly. “But look at the next panel.”
The mural shifted, the once-heroic figures now twisted and monstrous. Villages burned in the background, their faces lost to shadow.
---
Scene 3: The Shard’s Voice
Kael staggered back, clutching his head as the shard’s voice roared in his mind.
They failed because they were weak. You are not.
“Get out of my head,” Kael growled through gritted teeth.
Lyran rushed to his side. “Kael! What’s wrong?”
“It’s the shard,” he gasped. “It’s—”
The air around them darkened, the oppressive energy of the temple surging. Shadows coalesced into a humanoid form, its glowing eyes fixed on them.
“Interlopers,” it hissed, its voice like grinding stone. “You seek knowledge that is forbidden.”
Kael drew his sword, his grip steady despite the creature’s menacing presence. “I don’t care who you are. You’re not stopping us.”
The shadow laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “Your shard will consume you, as it did them.” It gestured toward the mural. “You cannot escape its fate.”
---
Scene 4: A Test of Will
The creature lunged, its form shifting like smoke. Kael swung his sword, the blade passing harmlessly through its body.
“Lyran, find something useful!” he shouted, dodging another attack.
She scanned the room, her eyes landing on an altar at the far end. A faint glow emanated from an object resting atop it.
“There’s something here!” she called, running toward it.
Kael kept the shadow’s attention, his strikes more calculated as he studied its movements.
“Your fear betrays you,” the creature taunted. “Your heart is already mine.”
Kael froze for a split second, the shard’s pulse intensifying. The shadow struck, sending him crashing into a pillar.
“Kael!” Lyran yelled, grabbing the glowing object—a small crystal inscribed with ancient runes.
She turned, holding it aloft. The crystal blazed with light, forcing the shadow to retreat.
“It worked!” Lyran exclaimed.
Kael struggled to his feet, his chest heaving. “Good. Now let’s finish this.”
Together, they advanced, the crystal’s light driving the shadow back until it dissolved into nothingness.
---
Scene 5: A Warning
As the light faded, the temple grew eerily quiet. Lyran examined the crystal, her expression thoughtful.
“This was meant to suppress the shards’ influence,” she said. “The Guardians must’ve used it to keep their power in check.”
Kael stared at the altar, his mind racing. “And they still fell.”
Lyran placed a hand on his shoulder. “Because they relied too much on the shards. That doesn’t mean you have to.”
He nodded, but her words did little to ease his doubt. The shard was a part of him now, and its whispers weren’t going away.
As they left the temple, Kael couldn’t shake the shadow’s final words.
You cannot escape
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