The chamber rumbled as a new doorway appeared behind the altar, its frame lined with intricate carvings of ancient battles. Damien knew his journey was far from over, and the weight of the shard in his hand was a constant reminder of the power he was unlocking.

He pressed on, the new passage leading to an expansive cavern. The air here was different—thick with tension, as if the very ground trembled in anticipation. At the center of the cavern stood a colossal figure, far larger than anything Damien had faced before.

The Guardian.

It was a towering golem, its body composed of dark stone and glowing veins of energy. In its massive hands, it held a warhammer that crackled with raw power. The Guardian’s eyes flared as Damien stepped into the cavern, its presence commanding and unyielding.

“You are the Bladebearer,” the Guardian said, its voice a deep, resonating boom. “But to wield true power, you must conquer the might of the earth itself.”

Damien didn’t hesitate. He drew Ebonfang, its runes flaring brightly as the blade resonated with the Guardian’s energy. The golem raised its hammer and brought it down with earth-shattering force. Damien leapt aside, the ground where he had stood erupting in a shower of stone and dust.

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He activated Phase Step, reappearing on the Guardian’s flank. His strikes were precise, aiming for the glowing veins of energy that pulsed beneath the golem’s stone exterior. Blade Echo triggered, his spectral afterimages striking alongside him.

The Guardian roared, swinging its hammer in a wide arc. Damien ducked, narrowly avoiding the devastating blow, and countered with Astral Slash. The energy wave struck the Guardian’s chest, cracking its armor and exposing more of its core.

The battle raged on, each exchange pushing Damien to his limits. The Guardian’s strength was immense, but its size made it slow and predictable. Damien used this to his advantage, weaving between its attacks and striking with precision.

Finally, with a final surge of power, Damien plunged Ebonfang into the Guardian’s exposed core. The cavern trembled as the golem let out a deafening roar, its form crumbling into a cascade of stone and light.

As the dust settled, a third shard materialized in the air, its light brighter than any before. Damien took it, the energy surging through him like a tidal wave.

The Guardian had fallen, and with its defeat, Damien felt a new sense of mastery over his power.