As morning broke, Elara and Astra shared a hearty breakfast, fueling up before venturing into the depths of the forest. Once they'd finished eating, she unfolded her map, muttering, "Map of the world, show me the way." Instantly, routes through the forest appeared, along with the faint outline of a structure at its center. She'd noticed this structure a week ago but hadn't prioritized it, preferring to gain more experience before tackling what might lie within. Elara knew that the deeper she ventured, the tougher the creatures she'd encounter. She hadn't yet faced any formidable foes, but the armored man's words echoed in her mind—there were bosses beyond just the floor guardians, adding layers of challenge and intrigue to the game.
She glanced down at Astra, mindful that while baby dragons were resilient, they weren't invincible. Astra would need to grow in battle capabilities and, if not match Elara's skills, at least develop a keen sense for strategy in encounters. The game's heightened realism also seemed to affect their bond, which she sensed would shape not only Astra's personality but also her growth potential.
With a final check of her gear, Elara decided it was time to move. The need to level up was pressing, and better equipment was always a priority. She set her sights on the forest path, ready to face whatever lay ahead. Due to the need to fight and the lack of space, she kept her summoning horse away for now.
As she traveled deeper into the forest, Elara kept a watchful eye out for enemies, but all she encountered were low-tier goblins and the occasional hobgoblin. This didn't align with the forest's description, which had hinted at stronger foes within. She couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed—was there a new presence in the forest, something powerful enough to scare off the higher-tier monsters? Or were these goblins simply the only ones left? She sighed, adjusting her pace as she continued toward the structure at the forest's center.
"Astra, if things get too dangerous for you, you can always leave," she told her companion.
Astra responded with a defiant puff of smoke, clearly reluctant to abandon her. Elara smiled, recognizing the determination in her young dragon's eyes.
"Fine, fine, but your safety comes first," she said, reaching down to give Astra a reassuring pat.
After another twenty minutes of trekking through the oddly empty forest, they finally arrived at its center, still unchallenged by any significant foes. She looked around the area and saw that it was a temple.
The temple was a massive, weathered structure that seemed to pulse faintly with an otherworldly energy. The stone walls were dark, as though crafted from volcanic rock, and covered in intricate carvings of swirling patterns and fierce creatures locked in eternal battle. Vines crept along its surface, though they avoided the glowing runes that lined the edges of the entrance. A pair of colossal stone statues flanked the gateway, each depicting a serpentine beast coiled around a sword. Their glowing eyes seemed to follow her as she approached.
The heavy iron doors bore deep grooves and claw marks, a testament to the countless adventurers—or monsters—that had sought to breach them. Despite the wear, the temple exuded an ominous strength, as if daring her to step inside.
Before she entered the temple to take on the challenge, she took a look at her equipment first.
She had her ten potions, the basic elemental spells (Fireball, Ice Shard, and Lightning Bolt), and the basic healing spell (Cure Wounds). She also had her armor, shield, and sword abilities. She would have to be more careful since she couldn't see her health and mana bar anymore, but hopefully, this would be enough to take on whatever lay within the temple.
Elara pushed open the temple doors with a grunt, the ancient hinges groaning in protest. A wave of stale, cold air swept out, carrying with it the scent of damp stone and decay. Astra perched on her shoulder, her purple eyes glowing faintly in the dim light as they surveyed the shadowy interior.
Inside, the temple was cavernous, the flickering light from a few ethereal torches barely illuminating the enormous chamber. Pillars lined the hall, their surfaces carved with spiraling depictions of battles between knights and monstrous beasts. In the center of the room, a faintly glowing circle of runes was etched into the floor.
The moment Elara set foot inside, the runes flared to life, casting the room in a harsh, green glow. The ground beneath her feet rumbled, and from the shadows, three figures began to form.
The first was a humanoid shape, skeletal yet massive, wielding a rusted greatsword with jagged edges. Its eye sockets burned with baleful green fire. The second was a grotesque amalgamation of stone and flesh, its hulking form covered in jagged cracks, as if the stone casing was barely holding in its pulsating innards. The third was the most unnerving—a figure shrouded in tattered black robes that seemed to writhe like living shadows, its skeletal hands clutching a staff adorned with a glowing crystal.
Elara immediately dropped into a defensive stance, gripping Stormrender tightly in one hand and bracing the Aegis of the Lone Knight with the other. Astra let out a low growl, her small claws digging into Elara's pauldron.
The skeletal warrior charged first, its greatsword raised high. Elara sidestepped the downward swing just in time, the blade slamming into the stone floor with a deafening crash that sent cracks radiating outward. She countered with a horizontal slash of Stormrender, the blade sparking with electricity as it connected with the skeleton's torso, sending a pulse of energy that staggered it momentarily.
Before she could capitalize, the stone-flesh monstrosity lumbered toward her, its massive fist swinging in a wide arc. Elara raised her shield just in time, the impact sending a shockwave up her arm and nearly knocking her off balance. The Aegis of the Lone Knight absorbed some of the elemental force imbued in the attack, but the sheer physical power still left her staggering.
The robed figure raised its staff, chanting in a guttural, otherworldly tongue. A bolt of sickly green energy shot toward Elara. She pivoted on her heel, the projectile narrowly missing her and striking one of the pillars behind her, which immediately began to crumble.
Astra sprang into action, leaping from Elara's shoulder and swooping toward the robed figure. The baby dragon unleashed a small but potent burst of fire at its face, causing the creature to reel back and interrupt its next spell.
"Good girl, Astra!" Elara called out, shifting her focus back to the immediate threats.
The skeleton was back on her, swinging its greatsword in rapid, heavy arcs. Elara ducked and weaved, her armor slowing her movements but providing enough protection to avoid the glancing blows. She retaliated with a quick series of slashes, each strike chipping away at the skeleton's frame.
The stone creature suddenly roared, its chest splitting open to reveal a pulsating core of crimson light. It began to glow brighter, and Elara's instincts screamed at her to retreat.
"Not good," she muttered, pulling back and raising her shield just as the creature unleashed a devastating shockwave of force. The Aegis of the Lone Knight absorbed most of the blast, but she was still forced back several steps, her boots skidding on the stone floor.
Astra swooped back to her side, landing on a nearby pillar and hissing at the enemies.
Elara took a deep breath, focusing on the flow of the battle. She needed to isolate them, break their synergy.
"Alright, you want to make this difficult? Fine." She raised her free hand and unleashed Fireball, targeting the robed figure. The spell struck true, engulfing the creature in a fiery explosion. Its robes burned away to reveal a gaunt, skeletal frame, though it remained standing, its staff glowing ominously.
The skeletal warrior pressed forward again, its relentless attacks forcing Elara to rely heavily on her shield. With each clash, she felt the strain in her arm grow, but she managed to parry a particularly heavy blow and riposte with Stormrender, the blade slicing through the skeleton's neck and sending its head clattering to the ground.
The stone monstrosity, undeterred by its companion's defeat, charged again, its movements slower but more deliberate. Elara baited it into swinging wide, then darted to the side and drove Stormrender into the exposed core in its chest. The blade's electrical enchantment discharged violently, causing the core to crack and the creature to collapse in a heap of rubble.
Only the robed figure remained, its glowing staff now pulsating with energy as it prepared a final spell. Astra launched herself at the creature again, her small claws raking across its skeletal face. The distraction gave Elara the opening she needed. She closed the distance in a single dash and brought Stormrender down in a powerful, two-handed strike.
The enchanted blade cleaved through the staff and into the creature's torso, the magical energy stored within the crystal exploding outward and disintegrating the robed figure in a flash of green light.
Elara stood in the center of the now-silent chamber, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. Astra landed lightly on her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek.
"Not bad, huh?" Elara said with a tired grin, patting the dragon. She looked around, noting the faint glow of another rune circle further ahead.
"And that's just the start," she muttered, tightening her grip on Stormrender as they prepared to venture deeper into the temple.
As Elara stepped into the glowing rune circle, a surge of energy enveloped her. The world blurred and shifted, the oppressive silence of the first chamber replaced by the faint sound of wind howling through narrow stone corridors. When her vision cleared, she found herself in a dimly lit hallway, the walls etched with faintly glowing symbols that pulsed in an unsettling rhythm.
Astra shifted nervously on her shoulder, her purple eyes scanning their surroundings. The air here felt heavier, charged with latent magic, and the faint scent of decay lingered.
The corridor stretched endlessly ahead, its walls closing in slightly, giving it a claustrophobic feel. Elara raised her shield, gripping Stormrender tightly as she took a cautious step forward.
The first trap sprang almost immediately. As her foot pressed down on an innocuous-looking tile, a sudden burst of flames erupted from both sides of the hallway. Elara instinctively dove forward, rolling across the stone floor and narrowly avoiding the searing heat. Astra, quick to react, flapped her wings and hovered just above the flames.
"Great, traps too," Elara muttered, dusting herself off and adjusting her grip on her sword. She looked back, noting that the flames had subsided.
They pressed on, Elara testing each step carefully with the edge of her boot. Despite her caution, the next trap was more insidious—a barely perceptible thread stretched across the floor, triggering a volley of darts from hidden slits in the walls. Her shield came up just in time to deflect most of them, though one grazed her shoulder, leaving a shallow scratch.
"Not even halfway in, and I'm already bleeding," she muttered, inspecting the wound. It wasn't deep, but the thought of the darts being poisoned crossed her mind. She'd have to keep an eye on it.
The corridor opened into a larger chamber, its ceiling lost in shadow. Pillars lined the room, each carved to resemble a grotesque humanoid figure, their faces twisted in expressions of agony. As Elara stepped inside, the air grew colder, and the faint sound of scraping stone echoed through the space.
Astra hissed, leaping from her shoulder to perch on one of the pillars.
From the shadows, figures began to emerge. These were different from the monsters in the first chamber. They resembled humanoid statues, their bodies composed of jagged stone and their eyes glowing with malevolent red light. Each wielded a stone weapon—clubs, axes, and spears.
There were five of them, and as they moved, their joints grated against each other, the sound grating in Elara's ears.
"No backing out now," she muttered, raising her shield and advancing slowly.
The first statue lunged, its stone axe swinging in a brutal arc. Elara sidestepped, her shield deflecting the blow as she countered with a slash of Stormrender. The blade bit into the creature's stony exterior, sending sparks flying but only chipping away at its thick armor.
The others closed in quickly, their movements unnervingly coordinated. Elara was forced to retreat, her shield absorbing a flurry of attacks as she looked for an opening.
"Astra, I need some help here!" she called out.
The dragon responded with a burst of fire, the flames licking across two of the statues and leaving their surfaces blackened and cracked. One staggered, its movements slowing, and Elara seized the opportunity. She lunged forward, driving Stormrender into the weakened spot. The blade discharged a pulse of electricity, shattering the creature into a pile of rubble.
The remaining statues didn't falter. One thrust its spear at her, the point glancing off her shoulder plate but knocking her off balance. Another brought its club down in a crushing blow, and she barely managed to roll away, the impact sending shards of stone flying.
Elara gritted her teeth, rising to her feet and focusing on her spells. With a quick incantation, she unleashed Lightning Bolt, the crackling energy arcing between two of the statues. One crumbled instantly, its form collapsing under the force, while the other was left severely damaged.
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The remaining two pressed their attack relentlessly. Astra dove at one, clawing at its glowing eyes and distracting it long enough for Elara to deliver a powerful Shield Bash, sending it sprawling. She followed up with a decisive slash, the enchanted blade cutting through its neck and severing its head.
The final statue, sensing its disadvantage, raised its weapon for a desperate strike. Elara charged, meeting its swing with her shield and locking its weapon in place. With a grunt of effort, she shoved it back and delivered a two-handed strike with Stormrender, the blade cleaving through its torso and reducing it to rubble.
Breathing heavily, she surveyed the chamber, the scattered remains of her foes littering the floor. Astra landed beside her, letting out a triumphant chirp.
"Good job, girl," Elara said, patting the dragon's head.
The sound of grinding stone caught her attention again, and she turned to see a section of the far wall sliding open, revealing another hallway.
"Guess we're not done yet," she muttered, adjusting her grip on her sword and shield as they prepared to move forward.
Elara took a deep breath, steeling herself as she stepped forward into the newly revealed hallway. Astra perched on her shoulder once again, her purple eyes alert as they moved further into the temple's depths. The corridor was narrow, almost touching her arms. The faint glow from the etchings along the walls cast eerie shadows, giving the impression of faces and figures lurking just out of sight.
Each step felt heavier as the corridor stretched on, and Elara's instincts told her to stay on guard. The previous traps had been brutal, but something about this place felt even more ominous.
About halfway down the hall, a faint sound echoed from behind. Elara's breath caught, and she turned quickly to find... nothing. Just the darkness stretching behind her, silent once more.
"Stay focused," she whispered, mostly to herself. But Astra, sensing the tension, gave a soft rumble as if to reassure her.
Ahead, the corridor widened into a larger space with stone platforms raised at varying levels. As Elara stepped forward, she noticed the floor covered in faintly glowing tiles. The tiles were in shades of red, green, and blue, forming a complex pattern that sprawled across the room.
"This looks... dangerous," she muttered. Her instincts screamed that these tiles were far from ordinary, likely some kind of trap. Testing her theory, she carefully tapped a blue tile with the edge of her boot.
Instantly, spikes shot up from the floor, missing her foot by mere inches. After she yanked her leg back and studied the tiles more closely.
"Alright... blue tiles are a no-go," she whispered to Astra, who was watching intently from her shoulder.
Elara carefully observed the layout, mapping a path to the far side of the room. She gingerly stepped onto a red tile, holding her breath, but nothing happened. Moving cautiously, she continued along a route of red and green tiles, avoiding the blue ones. Each step was tense, but as she neared the exit, her confidence grew.
Just as she was a few steps from safety, a shadowy figure emerged from one of the platforms—a cloaked wraith holding a spectral sword. It glided silently across the tiles, unaffected by the traps, and locked its hollow, glowing eyes on her.
"Perfect," Elara muttered, gripping her sword.
The wraith didn't hesitate. It swooped toward her, its blade slicing through the air with a faint, eerie hum. She managed to dodge to the side, but the tiles beneath her suddenly shifted color, a green tile turning blue just under her foot. The spikes shot up again, and she barely leapt away in time, stumbling forward.
The wraith took advantage, swinging its spectral blade toward her exposed back. She whipped around, raising her shield just in time. The impact sent a chilling shock through her arm, as though the wraith's weapon could drain the very warmth from her body.
Gritting her teeth, she retaliated with a quick Shield Bash, driving the wraith back. Astra darted forward, launching a burst of flame at the creature, the heat searing its dark robes. The wraith let out a hissing screech and recoiled, its form flickering.
"Good girl!" Elara said, encouraged by Astra's support. She followed up with a strike of Stormrender, the blade sparking as it connected with the wraith. The creature wavered, as if struggling to keep its shape, but it retaliated with another swift swipe of its spectral sword.
The force of the attack sent Elara stumbling onto another tile, this one red. The floor beneath her feet quaked, and stone arrows shot from the walls on both sides, narrowly missing her as she dropped to one knee.
"Alright, no red tiles either," she muttered.
Now pressed on all sides by traps and the relentless wraith, she knew she'd have to change tactics. Standing, she quickly chanted, casting Ice Shard and sending sharp, freezing shards hurtling toward the wraith. The spell struck it squarely, coating part of its form in frost, slowing it down as its cloak stiffened under the cold.
Elara took the chance to jump to a safe tile, gaining some distance. Astra flew above, unleashing a stream of flame that distracted the wraith further, weakening it. The wraith lunged toward Elara one final time, and she met it head-on, her shield deflecting its strike as she plunged Stormrender into its chest.
The wraith let out a hollow scream, its form dissolving into wisps of dark smoke that faded into the air. The room fell silent once more, leaving Elara panting, her body tense.
"Not a moment to relax in here," she said, wiping her brow. Astra flew back down to her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek, and Elara smiled despite the danger.
Moving forward, she reached the exit of the tiled room, only to find herself facing yet another long corridor, this one lined with statues. Each stone figure held a weapon—a sword, spear, or mace—and their eyes glowed faintly, as if waiting to come to life.
Elara sighed. "Of course. Why wouldn't there be more statues?"
She took a cautious step forward, and, as she expected, the statues began to animate, their weapons raised as they moved to block her path. One by one, they stepped off their pedestals, their movements slow but relentless.
"Alright, Astra," she whispered, "let's get through this."
With a determined grip on her sword, she plunged deeper into the corridor, ready to face whatever the temple threw at her next.
As Elara stepped forward into the corridor lined with statues, she could feel the tension thickening. The statues began to move slowly, each one stepping off its pedestal in a synchronized, almost eerie motion. Stone weapons raised, their glowing eyes locked on her, and there was no mistaking the deadly intent in their mechanical movements.
"Alright, guess we're doing this the hard way," she muttered, raising her shield and gripping Stormrender tightly.
The first statue, holding a massive stone sword, lunged at her with surprising speed. She barely had time to raise her shield, and the impact sent a brutal shock through her arm, forcing her to grit her teeth as she staggered back. She felt the blood on her knuckles as her grip slipped slightly, and she adjusted her hold, trying to keep her stance.
The other statues closed in, weapons ready, forcing her to keep moving. Elara swung Stormrender, the blade sparking against the stone chest of one of the statues, chipping it but barely slowing it down. The statues were clearly built to endure, each strike seeming to merely scratch their thick armor.
"Astra, fire!" she called out.
The baby dragon leapt from her shoulder, sending a small but intense burst of flames toward the closest statue. The fire seemed to disrupt the enchantment slightly, causing its movements to slow. Elara seized the opportunity to plunge her blade into a joint near the statue's neck, using the lightning pulse from Stormrender to deliver extra damage. The statue cracked but kept moving, retaliating with a swing that grazed her shoulder.
Elara stumbled back, the blow leaving her armor dented and her shoulder throbbing. She quickly pulled out a health potion, downing it with a wince as the metallic taste hit her tongue. The warmth spread through her shoulder, healing the worst of the pain but not completely restoring her strength.
The statues moved strategically, boxing her in, each one shifting to block any escape route she might have. Realizing she was cornered, she tried to think quickly. The glowing eyes... maybe there was a pattern here, something she could exploit.
As another statue lunged, she sidestepped, leading it to accidentally strike one of its stone allies. The impact left a small crack, and Elara noted the effect immediately. "Maybe if I can make them hit each other..."
Dodging another swing, she positioned herself between two statues, angling her shield just right. The next swing glanced off her shield and collided with another statue, the sound of shattering stone filling the air. It was a good strategy, but it cost her dearly each time, as the impacts and near-misses forced her to drink another potion to keep her strength up.
The third potion went down as she parried a blow, managing to deflect it just enough to keep her footing. Sweat trickled down her forehead, and her breathing grew heavier. The air was filled with dust, and Astra circled above, sending occasional bursts of fire that kept the statues somewhat slowed but far from defeated.
With her strength waning, Elara decided it was time to use magic more aggressively. She cast Fireball at close range, the explosion sending fragments of stone scattering and finally taking down one of the statues. But the spell had drained her mana further, and she felt a dizzying wave of fatigue settling in.
The remaining statues seemed to pick up on her weakened state, closing in faster. One of them swung a mace, and she barely managed to roll to the side, feeling the weapon graze her leg. Blood seeped through a tear in her armor, and she bit back a groan, pulling out her fourth potion.
As she drank it, she observed the pattern of the statues' movements more closely. She noticed that every few seconds, the glow in their eyes dimmed briefly before flaring up again. Maybe... just maybe, that was a vulnerability.
Timing her next move with the dimming of the statues' eyes, she lunged at the closest one and drove Stormrender directly into its face. The blade connected with the weakened glow, and the statue shuddered before crumbling into rubble. The tactic worked, but it cost her more energy than she anticipated. Her mana reserves were almost halfway gone, and she could feel her stamina slipping.
The remaining statues were now relentless, almost as if they'd sensed her success and wanted to close off any chance of escape. With one hand gripping her shield, she cast Ice Shard, sending freezing projectiles at the statues' eyes, hoping to temporarily blind them. The ice managed to cloud their vision, slowing their movements further. She took advantage, delivering a brutal slash to another statue, shattering its chest and leaving it immobilized.
One of the statues managed to land a glancing blow against her side, knocking the wind out of her and sending her stumbling against the wall. She gasped, pulling out her fifth potion, feeling the healing warmth spread through her, barely holding herself together.
With the statues weakened, Elara focused on the last two. Her mana was low, her body aching, but she pressed on, lunging at the closest statue with a final burst of energy. She drove Stormrender into its core, the blade's lightning enchantment crackling violently as it shattered the statue from within.
Only one statue remained. Bloodied, drained, and running on sheer determination, she faced it. With one last surge, she activated Shield Bash, ramming her shield into the statue, sending it stumbling. Astra swooped down, unleashing a concentrated stream of fire that softened its exterior, and Elara swung Stormrender in a powerful arc, cleaving through its weakened torso.
The statue collapsed, and the room finally fell silent. Elara leaned against a wall, breathing heavily, her hands shaking slightly from the strain. Astra landed beside her, nuzzling her cheek.
"We did it," she whispered, patting the dragon's head. She looked down, her armor scratched and dented, her body aching from the brutal fight. She checked her supplies—five potions gone, and her mana only halfway left.
The stone door at the end of the corridor slid open, revealing the next challenge within the temple.
As Elara stepped through the stone doorway into the next chamber, she found herself in a vast, dimly lit room. The walls were lined with elaborate, almost mesmerizing carvings that swirled and looped in intricate patterns. In the center of the room stood a massive stone pedestal, above which hovered a glowing crystal that cast a soft, pulsing light over the entire space.
She approached cautiously, taking in every detail, her eyes scanning for traps. The floor was divided into a large grid, each square etched with a different symbol. Some squares bore depictions of animals—wolves, hawks, and serpents. Others had elemental symbols—flames, waves, stones, and gusts of wind. And then there were squares marked with numbers, each one faintly glowing.
As she studied the grid, a low, mechanical voice echoed through the chamber, sending a chill down her spine.
"Welcome, challenger. To pass, you must step across the grid without faltering. Each incorrect step will reset your progress. Beware, for each failure shall sap your strength."
Elara took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing as she examined the grid more closely. This would require more than brute force or instinct—it was a test of observation, patience, and deduction.
As she looked around, Elara noticed faint inscriptions on the walls. Each one held cryptic phrases that seemed to correspond to the symbols on the floor:
"The hawk soars only over flames."
"The wolf follows the stone."
"The serpent winds through water alone."
"Three is safe; four brings ruin."
She furrowed her brow, considering each clue carefully. It seemed she would need to step on specific symbols based on these riddles. But the added complexity of the numbers—some in sets of threes, others in fours—suggested an added layer to the puzzle.
With the clues in mind, Elara took a cautious step onto a tile depicting flames, reasoning that this was where the hawk would "soar." The tile remained stable beneath her feet, and the crystal pulsed faintly as if encouraging her onward.
She stepped forward onto the next tile, a hawk, following the logic of the first clue. Again, the ground stayed firm beneath her. So far, so good.
For the third step, she looked around and chose a stone tile, remembering that "the wolf follows the stone." Her heartbeat quickened as she set her foot down—only to have the floor beneath her suddenly tremble. A wave of force pushed her back to the start, and a faint light drained from her body, as though her strength was literally being pulled away.
"Alright... so maybe it's not as straightforward as I thought," she muttered, glancing up at Astra, who watched anxiously from the sidelines.
Elara steadied herself, retracing her steps onto the flame and hawk tiles, and thought carefully about the wolf's clue. "The wolf follows the stone." But if she misinterpreted that... what if it meant she needed to step onto a wolf tile next to a stone one?
With a slow, measured step, she moved onto the wolf tile adjacent to a stone symbol. The floor remained solid, and the crystal above her pulsed brighter. A hint of a smile tugged at her lips.
As she continued across the grid, the clues became even trickier to apply. The next logical step was to find water for the serpent, but she saw only one water tile within reach—and it was adjacent to a three-tile sequence of numbers marked with "4." She remembered the clue: "Three is safe; four brings ruin."
Cautiously, she moved to a water tile that aligned with only a three-numbered sequence, avoiding the one paired with "4." The tile held firm, and she exhaled slowly, grateful her stamina hadn't taken another hit.
One by one, she began to piece together the pattern, but each successful step revealed more complex rules to the grid:
She realized that some tiles shifted in sequence, meaning a safe path could change if she lingered too long on any given tile.
Every few seconds, the colors on the numbers would shift subtly, making it essential to observe and move quickly before the symbols changed alignment.
The crystal above her would dim briefly before each shift, providing her a split-second warning. Missing this would mean resetting the puzzle.
Elara's pulse quickened as she neared the end. Only five tiles remained, but one misstep would send her back to the start, sapping even more of her energy. Each remaining tile seemed to hold conflicting symbols—a wolf on a water tile, a hawk surrounded by stones.
Recalling the final riddle, "Three is safe; four brings ruin," Elara stepped only on tiles with sequences involving three tiles. She carefully maneuvered around any combination of "4" tiles, stepping cautiously as Astra watched from the edge, tense with anticipation.
Only two steps to go. She had avoided every "4" tile sequence, maneuvering her way between hawk, flame, and stone tiles. A quick glance at the final pair of tiles showed a water-serpent tile next to a 4-stone tile, but she remembered the clue: "The serpent winds through water alone." She gingerly stepped onto the water-serpent tile, hearing the floor's faint rumble but seeing the crystal above brighten.
For the last step, she placed her foot firmly on a three-wolf tile adjacent to a 3-hawk tile, and suddenly, the room filled with a soft, warm glow. The crystal above spun slowly before emitting a beam of light that connected to the exit on the far wall. The doorway creaked open, revealing a narrow staircase descending further into the temple.
Elara let out a shaky breath, her limbs trembling from the tension and the drain of energy.
"That was... brutal," she muttered, casting a glance at Astra, who gave a relieved chirp.
Steeling herself, she moved toward the staircase, feeling both exhausted and exhilarated. She had passed this part of the temple's challenges, but the sense of foreboding remained as they ventured deeper.