The final guardian attacked near the deepest chamber.

The corridor after the lake widened into a gigantic hollow hallway with broken statues and ancient chains hanging from the ceiling.

The moment they stepped forward, they seemed to have passed an invisible line. The chains moved, hitting against each other in loud clanging noises.

All four looked upward instantly. A colossal beast descended from the darkness above.

Its body resembled a lion forged from gold and silver, while enormous golden feathered wings unfolded slowly from its back. Multiple golden eyes opened across its skull before focusing directly on the intruders.

The pressure alone was overwhelming. The beast roared. The sound shattered part of the walls and nearby pillars.

Then it broke from the chains. The attack was fast enough to blur despite its massive size. The lion roared mid-charge again and crushed towards them like a falling boulder.

The ground exploded upwards instantly beneath Atheline’s control while Cassian’s shadow spread outwards to slow the loins’ descent.

The golden lion came down at an absolute speed.

The impact shattered the entire floor. Stone erupted through the chamber while shock waves cracked the surrounding walls.

Yander dashed through the destruction immediately, flames spiraling her sword as she leaped directly towards the monster’s neck.

Its wings moved before it. Razor-sharp feathers erupted outwards like tiny daggers.

"Careful!"

Caius intercepted them first. Golden light exploded around his sword while dozens of feathers shattered against the light element.

The lion’s claw descended swiping down with ferocity. Atheline moved instantly. Wind accelerated him through the battlefield while lightning cracked around his dagger.

The lion continued attacking, its claws slashing down in furious arcs but he slipped between them all narrowly before driving the dagger against the creature’s forelimb joint.

Lightning detonated violently through the creature’s body.

The lion roared and swung its body sideways its tail crushing towards him.

Cassian vanished in the shadows moments before the attack crushed several pillars apart. His hand lifted within the shadows. Darkness surged from the creature’s shadow splitting into massive chains and wrapping around one of the wings. It was dragging it downwards while the lion struggled violently.

An opening in its defense appeared immediately.

Yander’s flames compressed tighter than before, shifting the air around them. Then she slashed. A dark arc of flames rolled towards the creatures.

One of its wings exploded apart in the dark flames.

The scream that followed shook the corridor. Stones tumbled from the ceiling hitting the ground in loud thuds.

They were forced to split because of the rumble as skip aside and got rid of it.

Caius moved immediately afterwards despite the chaos. Light element erupted around him brighter than before, illuminating the entire corridor. His sword descended two-handed, and the strike split directly through the lion’s chest.

Golden light exploded from the wound while the gigantic beast crashed loudly across the corridor floors.

Unfortunately for them, it was still alive and moving.

Atheline raised his bow silently. Six elements gathered around the arrow forming between his fingers.

He pulled the nocked arrow and then released. The projectile pierced through the lion’s skull before it could steady itself. The combined explosion swallowed the lion completely.

Everyone held their breath in the silence that followed, expecting it to stand up somehow. The guardian finally stopped moving, with a massive gaping hole in its chest.

Heavy breathing echoed throughout the ruined chamber afterward.

"Well, this was climactic. "

Cassian broke the stalemate but before anyone could respond, massive doors ahead slowly opened by themselves.

Black roots crawled around the ancient stone while crimson lighting spilled outwards from the darkness beyond.

No one stepped forward. No monsters attacked, there seemed to be no other guardian beast only an open door that was clearly inviting them in.

With the frequency of attacks from different kinds of beasts they had suffered from, the silence made everything somehow worse and more uncomfortable even.

Cassian exhaled slowly.

"... Whatever’s inside there?"

Caius’ grip tightened around his sword.

"It’s awake."

Atheline said nothing since he could feel the pressure and Aether signature flowing from the room.

Cassian clapped his hands softly the sound echoing slightly in the corridor.

"How about we go back? We’ve gotten more than enough points," he gestured towards the open door," whatever is inside there could very well be a Mystic monster or even just an SSS-ranked, we’ll be crushed before we even know it."

Atheline glanced back meeting all their eyes.

"You guys can go back. I’m not going to force anyone in."

Silence settled over them, then he continued.

"What Cassian said is the truth, I’m not sure myself what might be in there, but I do not wish to burden anyone but I will be going inside. "

Yander stepped forward, her finger tapping the hilt of her sword. Caius followed right afterwards.

"I will follow your highness," she quietly said.

"Me too my lord," Caius responded joyfully.

Cassian has never felt so angry. While he did want to complete his mission and earn merit before the Protector, it didn’t mean he wanted to put his life on the risk over and over again.

He knew well enough that if he left now, it might be the end of a budding friendship. He was supposed to be friendly with the Queen’s husband at all costs.

But they failed to tell him that he was a suicidal maniac. Anyone with a brain could see that the monster’s strengths were increasing the further they walked into the temple but here they were, three lunatics going further and further into death.

He did not sign up for that. He sighed inwardly and stepped forward.

Cassian’s lips curved into a small resigned smile.

"How can I let you face danger alone," he said, his smile widening," let’s go and die together then."

Atheline didn’t show any outward reaction but he was glad they had remained. While he was determined to enter alone, it wouldn’t hurt to have help in this fight.

He was entering an unknown territory and wasn’t sure what was on the other side. It would have been a shame to separate when he had worked so hard to get everyone to be synergised.

Barking orders during fights wasn’t the most pleasant thing and he needed at least his reward. Plus he had come to enjoy the company. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He had been surrounded by Lilith too much that he had forgotten what normal interactions felt like, though he didn’t mind her fawning over him.