The air in the chamber was thick with magic, the kind that seemed to crawl under Eryx’s skin and make his muscles tense. The three stone guardians towered over them, their massive bodies carved with ancient symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light. They stood motionless for the moment, but Eryx knew that wasn’t going to last long.

Finn, standing behind him, let out a low whistle. “I knew this was a bad idea. Do you see the size of those things? We’re supposed to fight them?”

Eryx gripped the hilt of his sword tighter, his heart pounding in his chest. “Stay focused. We’ve faced worse.”

“Yeah, remind me when,” Finn muttered, but his eyes were fixed on the guardians, and his voice held a nervous edge.

Kaelen stepped forward, her gaze locked on the sword across the chamber. “We don’t need to destroy them, just get past them. The sword is our goal, not them.”

Eryx nodded, though the sight of the massive stone figures didn’t exactly inspire confidence. “Easy enough to say.”

Finn sighed, rolling his shoulders. “I can’t believe I let you two drag me into this. I’m starting to think I should have stayed in that nice, cozy tavern.”

Eryx smirked, keeping his eyes on the guardians. “You’d be bored out of your mind by now.”

Finn snorted. “Bored, but alive.”

Suddenly, the guardians began to move. Slowly at first, their joints grinding as if awakening from centuries of slumber. Their glowing eyes fixed on the trio, and a low rumble filled the chamber as they took their first lumbering steps forward.

“Here we go,” Eryx muttered, drawing his sword and bracing himself. “Kaelen, what’s the plan?”

Kaelen’s gaze flicked between the guardians and the sword, calculating. “I’ll distract them. You two make for the sword. Once we have it, they’ll stop coming after us.”

Finn blinked at her. “Uh, did you just volunteer to be the bait?”

Kaelen didn’t answer. Instead, she raised her hand, and the glowing orb of magic that had been her constant companion brightened. With a sharp gesture, she sent the orb flying across the chamber, zipping past the guardians and smashing into the far wall with a brilliant flash of light.

The guardians turned toward the light, momentarily distracted by the explosion of magic.

“Now!” Kaelen hissed.

Without hesitation, Eryx darted forward, keeping low and moving fast. Finn followed, grumbling something under his breath but staying close behind.

The ground shook as the guardians began to move again, their massive feet pounding against the stone floor. One of them swung its arm, a heavy, sweeping motion that sent dust and debris flying through the air. Eryx ducked under the swing, narrowly avoiding getting crushed, and kept moving toward the pedestal where the sword rested.

“Go, go, go!” Finn urged, stumbling slightly as he tried to keep up.

Eryx’s heart was racing as they closed the distance to the sword. The energy in the air seemed to intensify the closer they got, a crackling, buzzing sensation that made his skin tingle. The sword, the Crimson Relic, was unlike anything he’d ever seen—its blade was forged from a metal that seemed to shimmer in the dim light, almost as if it was alive with power. The hilt was adorned with intricate runes, glowing faintly with the same red light as the carvings on the stone walls.

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Eryx could feel the pull of the sword, as though it was calling out to him. His hand reached out instinctively, fingers brushing the cool metal of the hilt.

Behind him, one of the guardians let out a low, thunderous growl. Eryx glanced back just in time to see it raise its massive arm, preparing to bring it crashing down on them.

“Uh, Eryx,” Finn said, his voice shaking. “I don’t want to rush you or anything, but we’re about to be squished into a fine paste.”

Eryx gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the sword. The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, a surge of energy shot through his arm, powerful and overwhelming. It felt like grabbing hold of a lightning bolt.

The guardian’s arm came down with terrifying speed, but just before it could crush them, the sword reacted. A brilliant flash of crimson light erupted from the blade, and Eryx swung it instinctively. The light expanded in a wide arc, slamming into the guardian’s arm and sending it recoiling with a deafening crash.

Finn’s eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open. “Whoa. Did… did you just do that?”

Eryx, still trying to process what had happened, gave a shaky nod. “I think so.”

Kaelen, who had been holding her own against the other two guardians, glanced back at them. Her eyes locked onto the sword in Eryx’s hand, and for the first time since they’d met, her expression shifted—something like awe, or perhaps recognition, flashed across her face.

“That sword,” she breathed. “It’s awakened.”

“No kidding!” Finn said, still staring at the fallen guardian, which was now struggling to rise again. “Let’s hope it stays awake, because we’re going to need it.”

The remaining guardians roared, their stone bodies grinding as they advanced toward them with renewed fury. Eryx tightened his grip on the sword, feeling its power thrumming through him. It was strange—almost like the sword wasn’t just a weapon, but a living force, guiding his movements.

“Get behind me!” Eryx shouted, positioning himself between Finn and the advancing guardians.

“Gladly,” Finn muttered, backing up quickly.

The guardians attacked in unison, their massive stone fists crashing down. Eryx raised the sword, and once again, the crimson light flared, creating a shimmering barrier that absorbed the impact with a thunderous explosion of sparks and debris.

Kaelen moved to Eryx’s side, her hands glowing with magic. “The sword’s power won’t last forever. We need to finish this quickly.”

“No pressure,” Finn muttered from behind them. “Just the fate of our lives and all that.”

Eryx focused, letting the sword’s energy flow through him. The guardians were relentless, their attacks coming faster and harder, but each time, the sword responded. It was as if the blade knew what to do, parrying the blows and striking back with bursts of crimson energy.

But Eryx could feel the strain building. The sword’s power was immense, but it was also draining. His muscles ached, and his vision blurred slightly with each swing.

“We need to finish this now,” Eryx said through gritted teeth, slashing at one of the guardians. The blow connected with its chest, sending cracks spider-webbing across its stone skin.

Kaelen nodded, her eyes glowing as she summoned a blast of magical energy. “Get ready.”

Eryx braced himself as Kaelen unleashed a powerful wave of magic, hitting the nearest guardian with full force. The stone creature staggered, its body crumbling under the impact.

“One down,” Finn said, sounding both relieved and terrified at the same time. “Two to go.”

The remaining guardians roared in unison, their eyes glowing brighter as they charged. Eryx raised the sword once more, but the light from the blade was dimming, flickering like a dying flame.

Kaelen’s magic was starting to wane too, and Finn—well, Finn was still Finn, doing his best to stay out of the way.

“Any bright ideas?” Finn asked, glancing nervously between the guardians and Eryx.

Eryx gripped the sword tighter, feeling the last of its power surging through him. “Just one. We take them down together. Now!”

With a final burst of energy, Eryx charged forward, the crimson light from the sword flaring to life one last time. Kaelen followed, her magic crackling in the air around them. The two remaining guardians raised their fists, but this time, Eryx was ready.

He swung the sword with all his strength, the blade cutting through the air with a sharp whistle. The light exploded outward, striking both guardians simultaneously. They froze, their bodies shuddering before crumbling into heaps of stone.

The chamber fell silent.

Eryx stood there, panting, the sword heavy in his hand. The glow had faded completely, leaving it looking like an ordinary blade.

Finn, still hiding behind a rock, peeked out. “Are they… are they gone?”

Eryx glanced at the piles of rubble where the guardians had once stood and let out a breath. “Yeah. They’re gone.”

Finn slowly stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes. “Well, that was… something.”

Kaelen stepped forward, her eyes on the sword in Eryx’s hand. “You did it.”

Eryx nodded, though his arms ached and his head was spinning. “We did it.”

Finn raised a hand. “I’m going to go on record saying this was absolutely not fun, but, uh, good job, team?”

Eryx chuckled, sliding the sword into its sheath.