The tunnel echoed with the clashing of steel as Quin, Sam, and Cal struggled to hold the line against the relentless Guardians. Quin parried a blow from one of the black-clad assailants, his arms straining under the weight of his broadsword. Each swing felt heavier, his strength slowly draining as the battle wore on. He caught the Guardian's wrist in a powerful grip, twisted it, and slashed across the man's chest, but not before another attacker lunged at his side.
Sam intercepted the attack, his mace connecting with the Guardian's shoulder in a bone-crunching strike. The force sent the man stumbling back, but not before Sam took a hit to the ribs. He winced as the Guardian’s blade bit into his side, and blood began to soak through his tunic. Gritting his teeth, Sam retaliated with a downward swing, smashing the Guardian to the ground, motionless.
Cal, fighting more defensively, was continuously launching arrows between blocks and parries. His arrows hit true, but the sheer number of enemies pressed them into a retreat. One of the Guardians advanced on him with a vicious overhead strike. Cal barely dodged the blow, rolling to the side and releasing another arrow mid-roll, catching the Guardian in the leg. The man let out a cry of pain but didn’t fall.
“We’re getting overwhelmed!” Sam grunted, blood dripping from his side as he deflected another attack with his mace. Quin was struggling to keep pace, and his muscles screamed with each movement.
“Just hold on!” Quin shouted, parrying another strike and delivering a brutal counter that cut deep into the Guardian's side. The man crumpled, but before Quin could regain his footing, another figure emerged from the tunnel ahead, charging at full speed.
It was Elisa.
The Guardians momentarily halted their assault, stepping aside to allow her through. She wielded a sword with deadly purpose, her eyes fixed on Quin, burning with a mixture of rage and sorrow. Quin’s breath caught in his throat as he braced himself.
“Quin!” Elisa shouted, her voice filled with a raw, emotional intensity. “You don’t understand—I loved Loma! I did this for her, for all of us! Surrender, and I promise I’ll spare you and the children.”
Quin’s jaw clenched, the grip on his broadsword tightening. His heart raced, but his mind was clear. “Loma wouldn’t want this,” he said, his voice low but filled with conviction. “She believed in peace, but not at the cost of innocent lives.”
Elisa’s face twisted in fury, her voice rising in a venomous snarl. “How would you know?” she spat. “You never even knew her! She died giving birth to you! You’re nothing but a reminder of her death, of the life she gave up. You don’t know anything about her!”
Quin’s expression darkened, a cold fury simmering beneath his calm exterior. He took a step forward, his voice lowering to a murderous tone. “I may not have known my mother, but I know she was kind and just,” he said, his gaze locked on Elisa. “And that’s because only someone like her could have been chosen by my father.”
Elisa blinked, caught off guard by his words. “Your father?” she scoffed, trying to regain her composure. “Who was he? Some farmer in the mountains? Some nobody?”
Quin’s eyes narrowed, his voice chilling. “You don’t deserve to know who my father is. It would only taint his name with the filth of your sins.”
Elisa’s lips curled into a sneer. “So high and mighty, just like your mother.” But she hesitated for a moment as if sensing the gravity of Quin’s words. She shook it off, her expression hardening once again. “No matter,” she hissed, raising her sword. “I’ll do what I must. I’m breaking my vow to Serenity for this, but I’ll spend decades in prayer, repenting for what I’m about to do. Capturing you and taking the children back will be worth it.”
With that, she surged forward, her remaining Guardians moving in alongside her, their eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
“Brace yourselves!” Quin shouted to Sam and Cal, raising his broadsword in defiance. His body screamed in protest, his wounds aching with every movement, but he refused to back down.
Sam and Cal exchanged quick glances, both of them bloodied and bruised but ready to fight to the last breath. “We hold here,” Cal muttered, gripping his bow tightly. “No matter what.”
Elisa closed the distance, her sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. Quin barely had time to parry her first strike, the impact reverberating through his arms. She was fast—far faster than the Guardians—and her attacks came with a relentless fury born of years of pent-up anger.
Sam swung his mace at one of the Guardians, blocking their advance on Quin. The clash of steel echoed through the tunnel as the battle for survival continued.
Quin quickly assessed the situation, his mind racing as he ordered Sam and Cal, "Take the Guardians. I’ll handle Elisa."
Sam and Cal gave sharp nods, immediately turning their focus to the approaching Guardians. The dark-clad warriors charged forward, their movements swift and precise, even as their comrades’ blood still soaked the tunnel floors. Sam raised his mace, Judgment Strike already glowing with the holy light of Justicar, and swung it down with ferocious strength. The first Guardian’s blade was shattered by the impact, but another struck out from his flank, forcing Sam to parry.
Cal loosed arrows from the backline, using his Strategic Grid to pinpoint weak spots in the Guardians' movements. His first few arrows hit their marks, embedding into the joints of their leather armor, but the Guardians pressed on. One ducked low, charging Cal with a blade aimed for his stomach. Cal stepped back just in time, his bow falling useless as he unsheathed a short sword to defend himself. The clash was fierce, and despite his skill with a sword, Cal struggled against the overwhelming pressure. He barely sidestepped a lethal slash, only for another Guardian to stab him from behind.
“Cal!” Sam shouted, rushing to his comrade's aid. He bashed one Guardian aside and positioned himself between Cal and the remaining foes. Blood dripped from Cal's side, and he stumbled, barely able to keep his sword raised.
Meanwhile, Quin’s focus was entirely on Elisa. She was strong—too strong. Quin’s broadsword clashed with her blade again and again, but each strike sent jolts of pain up his arms. Her Disciple Rank powers far surpassed his Acolyte abilities. Every time their swords met, Quin could feel the raw force behind Elisa's blows. She was faster, more experienced, and far more ruthless.
Elisa smirked as their blades locked, her face inches from his, filled with condescension. “Is this the extent of your power, Quin?” she sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. “You’re no better than the rest of the cattle.”
Quin growled in response, pushing more spirit into Luminary Empowerment. The light of Solarius flared around him, infusing his muscles with radiant strength. He lashed out with a renewed burst of energy, his broadsword crashing into Elisa’s defenses, forcing her back a step. But the momentary advantage was fleeting. Elisa countered with a brutal slash, her blade slamming into his side, the impact numbing his arm.
“Do you think persistence alone will save you?” Elisa taunted, slashing at him again. Quin barely managed to block the blow, but the force sent him stumbling backward.
Two Guardians broke away from the fight with Sam and Cal, advancing on Quin. He tried to parry their strikes, but with Elisa’s relentless assault, he was quickly overwhelmed. One Guardian’s sword caught his leg, another his shoulder. Pain surged through his body, but Quin fought on, every instinct in him screaming to survive.
Elisa watched him struggle with a twisted smile. “You’re nothing, Quin,” she spat, lunging forward and slashing at him with terrifying speed. Quin blocked, but her strength was too much. The blow sent him crashing against the stone wall, his broadsword slipping from his grasp.
He groaned, his body aching with every breath as he struggled to stand. Blood trickled from his wounds, his vision hazy. He managed to stagger to his feet, his eyes blazing with defiance, but Elisa remained calm, approaching him like a predator cornering its prey.
“This is the end for you,” she hissed, her voice sharp and cold. Her eyes gleamed with malice as she leveled her blade at his chest. “How could someone as pure as Loma give birth to such a brute? An untalented, worthless boy.”
Quin’s heart pounded in his chest, fury surging through him. Elisa’s words cut deeper than her blade ever could, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to show weakness. He locked eyes with her, his voice steady despite the pain wracking his body.
“You know nothing about my mother,” Quin growled, his grip tightening around his sword. “And you’ll never understand the true power of someone who fights to protect rather than destroy.”
Elisa's laughter echoed in the tunnel as she raised her blade for the final strike.
Quin’s entire body ached, blood seeping from the wounds inflicted by Elisa and the Guardians. His breathing was ragged, but his resolve had never been stronger. He looked at the injured Sam and Cal, barely holding on against their attackers. The tunnel was filled with the sounds of combat, but beyond it, down the dark passage, Quin could see the terrified faces of the children—innocent lives hanging in the balance. They had come too far to fail now.
As he steadied himself, Quin felt something shift inside him. The anger that had been burning in his chest cooled, hardening into a steely resolve. His fury wasn’t the wild, uncontrollable blaze it had been moments before—it was cold, focused, like a blade honed to perfection. He took three deep breaths, clearing his mind of the noise, the pain, the chaos. The world seemed to slow around him as he opened himself to the light.
It was time to use the power that Lief Stoneheart had drilled into him for months: the Rhythm of Light.
Quin closed his eyes for a moment, tuning into the subtle frequency that permeated the air around him. Every source of light had its own rhythm—whether it was the sun, a torch, or the eerie glow of the white stones that lined this cursed cavern. The light flickered and pulsed, and with it, so did the world. Quin let the rhythm fill him, his muscles relaxing, his movements becoming fluid as he fell into sync with the beat of the light. His body was no longer his own—it moved as the light moved, in perfect harmony.
When Quin opened his eyes, he wasn’t the same fighter he had been moments ago.
Elisa raised her sword, preparing to strike him down. The two Guardians charged alongside her, but Quin was no longer afraid. He could see their movements before they even made them, the rhythm of their attacks syncing with the pulse of light in the cavern.
Quin moved.
He sidestepped the first Guardian’s sword strike with ease, his body flowing like water. In one smooth motion, he brought his broadsword down in perfect time with the light. A brilliant burst of golden energy exploded from the blade as it cleaved through the Guardian’s armor and chest. The Guardian collapsed, dead before he hit the ground. The burst of light rippled outwards, staggering Elisa and the second Guardian.
"Impossible!" Elisa snarled, but Quin was already moving again.
The second Guardian lunged at him, but Quin flowed around the attack like a shadow, his movements impossibly fast. He struck again, his sword flashing in time with the light. Another burst of golden energy erupted from his blade, and the second Guardian fell, his body crumpling at Quin’s feet.
“Incredible! How are you doing that, Quin?” Sam shouted. Quin did not answer as he lost himself in the fight and the rhythm of light.
The light pulsed around Quin like a living thing, guiding his every step. Elisa’s eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening. Quin, a mere Acolyte, was pushing her back—her, a Disciple of Serenity, someone far above him in strength. But here he was, advancing with an otherworldly grace, each step in perfect rhythm with the light.
Sam and Cal, inspired by Quin’s sudden mastery, fought with renewed vigor. Sam smashed his mace into one of the remaining Guardians, sending him reeling. Cal, despite his injuries, reclaimed his bow and shot an arrow that pierced through the throat of another, felling him. The Guardians were crumbling.
Elisa, however, wasn’t done.
As Quin closed in, his sword gleaming with the radiant power of the light, Elisa’s face twisted in fury. She took a step back, her breathing ragged as she looked at Quin with disdain. “This... this wasn’t supposed to happen,” she hissed. “You’re no one. Just like Loma. Just another tool for peace.” Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. “But if I must break my vow to Serenity to kill you, so be it! Eloria’s commands be damned.”
She raised her sword high and shouted, her voice echoing with conviction. “I forsook Altruism for Serenity, but I will call upon that wretched Goddess one last time!”
Elisa’s body flared with a blinding white light, her spirit igniting with raw power. The air around her shimmered as her one and only combat ability, Sacrificial Might, took hold. Bestowed upon her by Altruism before Elisa abandoned her teachings, the power came with a devastating cost. In exchange for a portion of her own life force, she could unleash a destructive wave of force that would empower her strikes and decimate her foes. But it was forbidden by Serenity’s peaceful doctrines.
“I’ll kill you for this!” she shrieked, her voice cracking as her sword flared with violent energy.
Quin barely had time to react. Elisa lunged at him, her sword moving faster than he’d ever seen before. She struck with terrifying speed and strength, her blade crashing into his broadsword. The impact sent a shockwave through the tunnel, and Quin was thrown back, slamming into the wall with bone-crushing force. Pain exploded through his body as he struggled to stand.
Elisa advanced on him, her face twisted in rage and agony. Every strike from her sword was now charged with the destructive energy of her power, each blow leaving cracks in the ground and walls. Quin dodged as best as he could, but every time their blades clashed, he was pushed further back, his muscles screaming from the effort.
“I will finish what I started!” Elisa roared, her sword glowing with deadly power as she raised it for a final killing strike.
Quin, battered and bruised, pushed himself to his feet. His breath was ragged, and his vision blurred, but he could still feel the rhythm of the light. He wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.
Elisa swung down, aiming for his head.
Quin’s body screamed in agony as Elisa’s relentless onslaught pushed him to his limits. Each strike of her sword felt like it would break him, the raw power of her Sacrificial Might overwhelming him at every turn. The light he had synchronized with moments before seemed to flicker, his connection to the rhythm wavering under the strain. Quin’s breaths came in ragged gasps as he struggled to hold his ground. Blood trickled from the gash on his side, his arms trembling from the weight of his broadsword.
Elisa’s eyes burned with fury as she bore down on him, her strikes relentless. "You will not win this!" she shrieked, her sword blazing with lethal intent. "You are nothing, just like Loma! If I had had her power and her ability to advance, then the world would be at peace! She gave it up! Abandoned us!"
Quin’s vision blurred as he stumbled back, every fiber of his being screaming in protest. He couldn’t keep this up—not at this rate. But even as his strength faltered, the flicker of light within him refused to die. He knew there was only one way to stand against her—only one way to push back.
Without hesitation, Quin closed his eyes and reached deep into the well of power that connected him to Solarius. The warmth of his father’s light surged through him, and in that moment, he called upon his ultimate ability.
Solar Ascendance.
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Golden light burst from Quin’s body, his form igniting with the pure radiance of the sun. The pain momentarily receded as his strength returned tenfold. The world slowed around him, the rhythm of the light syncing perfectly with his heartbeat. He felt it pulsing through the cavern, through the glowing crystals, through his very soul.
Elisa paused, her eyes widening in shock as Quin’s entire body lit up like the dawn itself. For the briefest moment, fear flickered across her face. She had never seen anything like it in all her time in Cremoor. Acolytes should not possess such power. It was like Quin was channeling an aspect of Solarius himself.
Quin’s broadsword gleamed with molten brilliance as he swung, the air around him rippling with the force of his attack. The light exploded outward, crashing into Elisa with the power of a tidal wave. Her sword met his in a violent clash of power, but this time, Quin did not falter. They fought on equal footing, his blade moving in perfect sync with the rhythm of the light.
For a dozen heart-pounding seconds, they were locked in a battle of equals. Each swing of Elisa’s sword was met with an equally devastating strike from Quin. Their blades clanged together, sending sparks flying as golden light flared with every impact. The cavern shook from the sheer intensity of their clash, the crystals around them vibrating with the energy being unleashed.
Elisa, enraged by the sudden turn of events, pressed harder. "How are you doing this?!" she screamed, her sword glowing with the unnatural force of her borrowed power. Quin met her every blow, their movements a deadly dance of light and fury. For a moment, he thought he might have the upper hand.
But then, the golden light around Quin began to dim.
The energy from Solar Ascendance flickered, the power he had borrowed from Solarius draining faster than he could control. His muscles began to ache once more, the weight of his injuries returning with a vengeance. His spirit drastically drained to almost nothing. Quin gritted his teeth, pushing himself harder, but it was no use. With one final, devastating strike, Elisa knocked him back.
Quin was sent flying across the cavern, crashing hard against the stone wall. The light of Solar Ascendance flickered and died, leaving him breathless, weak, and battered. His broadsword clattered to the ground beside him, too heavy for him to lift anymore. The weight of exhaustion settled over him like a blanket, and despair began to creep in.
Elisa, her eyes wild with triumph, stalked toward him, her sword raised high. "It’s over, boy," she spat, her voice dripping with malice. "You were never a match for me or the will of Eternal Peace. We may be small, but we would never fall to just a handful of Acolytes."
Quin struggled to rise, his body failing him as he weakly lifted his broadsword to defend himself. But he knew—he knew—that it wouldn’t be enough. He was drained, completely spent from the exertion of Solar Ascendance. His strength had left him, and with it, his hope.
Just as Elisa raised her sword for the killing blow, a blur of motion rushed past Quin. Sam, having finished off the last of the Guardians, charged forward to defend his friend. "Get away from him!" Sam bellowed, but before he could land a strike, Elisa lashed out with her blade. Sam was thrown back, his body crashing into the tunnel wall, leaving Quin more vulnerable than ever.
Cal, seeing the dire situation, summoned all his remaining strength and sent up a series of barriers between Elisa and Quin. But Elisa shattered them with ease, her power far too great for Cal’s defenses. She continued her slow, menacing advance, the tip of her sword gleaming in the dim light.
Quin’s heart pounded in his chest. He was running out of time. The children… his friends… they were all depending on him.
Elisa raised her sword high above her head, ready to strike. "You should’ve stayed in Cremoor," she hissed, her voice venomous. "Loma’s legacy will not end with you, however. You can take solace in that."
Quin raised his broadsword, his arms trembling with the effort. But he knew—it was hopeless. He didn’t have the strength to block the attack. Elisa’s sword would cut through him like paper. He braced himself, knowing there was nothing more he could do. This was the end.
The moment Elisa’s sword was about to strike down on Quin, a voice thundered through the cavern, stopping her in her tracks.
“I, Zacharia Dencath, pledge to Valor that I will serve him, protect my comrades, and deliver the innocent children under my care to safety and out of the clutches of those who seek to do them harm. Hear my oath and conviction!” Zach’s voice rang with a fierce determination, and a red light surged around him as he charged down the tunnel, shield and sword raised high. “My friends do not fight alone!”
Elisa barely had time to react before Zach, moving with the force of Righteous Charge, barreled into her. The impact was devastating. She flew backward, skidding across the stone floor, her grip on her sword loosening for a moment before she scrambled back to her feet, fury blazing in her eyes. Zacharia Dencath stood in front of Quin, sword and shield raised high like the vanguard he was.
Before Elisa could fully rise, a volley of shimmering spells hit her. Westin, standing at the mouth of the tunnel, sent forth a barrage of Prismatic Bursts, each one a different color and element. A bolt of lightning zapped Elisa, followed by a burst of frost that slowed her movements. Another hit her shoulder, the acid burn of green magic sizzling through her robes. She staggered, clearly wounded but far from finished.
“You didn’t think we would not come back?” Westin called out as he advanced down the tunnel, smiling at something that no one else understood.
"Even when surrounded by despair, be the beacon of hope for others. Where there is hope, there is always a path forward. A warrior of light does not falter in the face of adversity but shines brighter in response to it." Sam’s voice echoed with conviction as he rose from where he had been thrown, his face a mask of righteous fury. The glow of Edict of Justice surrounded him. Additionally, for the first time in front of his comrades, Sam had fulfilled the criteria to activate an ability that he had not used yet. Sam unleashed his ability, Righteous Fury. Filled with anger at the Ideals of Justicar and his own being violated by this cult of Eternal Peace and by Elisa, Sam could temporarily sacrifice his composure and control for power filled with rage. Parchment brown spirit poured from Sam and whirled around him like a tempest of sand.
“I, Samuel Winston, invoke the power of Justicar,” Sam shouted, his voice booming with authority. “Elisa, for your actions against the Ideals of Justice, for the crimes against the Light Pantheon, I will punish you here, by my hand.”
With that proclamation, Sam charged forward, mace raised, his entire body radiating the light of Justicar’s justice. He swung his weapon, colliding with Elisa’s sword in a flurry of sparks. The two of them clashed, Sam’s righteous fury fueling his strikes, but even with the power coursing through him, Elisa’s strength as a Disciple of Serenity was immense. Her sword lashed out with the brutal strength of Sacrificial Might, and despite Sam displaying a strength that he had not ever showcased, he was being pushed back.
Quin, Zach, Cal, and Westin moved into action to assist him. Quin’s body ached, and his vision blurred from the previous fight, but he couldn’t let Sam fight this battle alone. He and Zach sprinted forward, weapons drawn, while Cal and Westin continued their barrage of spells and arrows from the rear.
Elisa’s blade, burning with violent energy, cut through the air, striking Sam across the chest. He staggered but didn’t fall, his will keeping him on his feet. Before she could land another blow, Zach charged in, slamming his shield into Elisa’s side with the force of Guardian’s Resolve. The blow knocked her back a step, but she swung her sword wildly, cutting deeply into Zach’s shoulder.
Quin leaped into the fray, broadsword blazing with the faint remnants of Rhythm of Light. He swung with precision, his strikes timed perfectly with the rhythm pulsing from the glowing crystals. His blade connected with Elisa’s side, sending a burst of golden light through her robes. She screamed in pain, but retaliated with a brutal slash that cut across Quin’s arm, leaving him gasping in pain.
"We’re doing it!" Westin shouted from the back, firing off another Prismatic Burst that struck Elisa squarely in the chest with a blast of fire. "Keep pushing!"
Cal, his body barely holding on, nocked an arrow and used Tactical Insight, aiming for Elisa’s exposed shoulder. The arrow flew true, embedding itself deep into her flesh. Elisa howled in rage, her eyes wild with fury and pain.
"Enough!" Elisa roared, her body flaring with a final burst of Sacrificial Might. She slashed at Zach, her blade cutting deep into his side, and then turned on Quin, her sword flashing in a deadly arc. Quin barely raised his broadsword in time to block, the impact sending shockwaves through his body.
Sam, bleeding and battered, lunged forward with his mace, landing a crushing blow on Elisa’s arm. Her sword faltered for just a moment, but it was enough. Quin seized the opportunity, drawing on the last vestiges of his strength and timing his strike perfectly with the rhythm of the light. His broadsword ignited with radiant energy as he brought it down on Elisa’s chest, cutting deep.
A burst of golden light erupted from the blade as it made contact, the power of the Rhythm of Light and Luminary Empowerment combining in a final, devastating strike. Elisa screamed, her body convulsing as the light consumed her. For a moment, it looked as though she might strike back, but then her body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The cavern fell silent.
Quin, breathing heavily, stood over Elisa’s body, his broadsword still glowing faintly with light. Blood dripped from his wounds, his muscles screaming in agony. Zach and Sam limped to his side, both injured but alive. Cal and Westin approached, their faces grim but relieved.
"Is she...?" Westin asked, his voice shaky.
"She’s dead," Quin replied, his voice hoarse. He looked down at Elisa’s body, a mix of relief and exhaustion washing over him. "It’s over."
But the battle had taken its toll on all of them. Bloodied, bruised, and barely standing, they had won—but asignificantreat cost. None of them could have imagined that fighting a single Disciple with a single combat-orientated power could have been so tricky and brought them so close to death. They knew from their training that they should not go against those who were higher Rank than themselves, but they never grasped it to be so utterly suicidal. If they had gone against someone who specialized in combat, they would have been ants in front of them. Even this had taken all they had.
“We need to move. I know everyone is injured, but we cannot afford to stay still. The Guardians we managed to shake off would have heard this battle like Westin, and I had and will come running,” Zach voiced.
“Zach is right; gather yourselves. We move now,” Cal agreed.
The group took a moment longer to catch their breath before turning and beginning to shuffle their way down the halfway. They met the children who ran towards them with wide-open eyes, a mixture of disbelief and reverence at the battle that had unfolded before them or horror at seeing gore and death unfold before them. The group quickly corralled them and directed them down the hallway. They needed to make the exit before it was blocked. Their only hope was that they would make it there before the Guardians ever thought to blockade it.
Several minutes of jogging and occasionally walking so that the more minor children could catch up led them through tunnel after tunnel. They did not encounter anyone, thankfully, as the Radiant Vanguard did not think they had enough strength or spirit for yet another battle. As each minute passed, their hopes rose that they would escape unimpeded, that they had succeeded. However, that hope was dashed as they rounded the corner to the only exit they knew of.
Standing at the exit were the Guardians that Zach and Westin had given the slip in the tunnels. Two dozen people clad in black clothing with their weapons drawn. Quin could make out several smiles in the crowd. The enemy knew that they had Quin and his friends cornered, and they would not be able to fight their way out.
Quin turned to his friends and met their eyes. Their eyes were filled with resolve and strength despite their bodies dripping blood and trembling with exhaustion. He glanced back at the children behind them, some of whom looked close to tears at the sight of Guardians. No words needed to be said. They raised their weapons. They would fight their way out or die trying. There was no surrender, no other option.
The Radiant Vanguard advanced in lockstep, falling into a formation to protect each other. Zach took the center, leading them forward. Quin and Sam flanked his sides while Cal and Westin brought up the rear. The Guardians begin to inch their way forward as well, their smiles growing.
Behind the Guardians, the exit lay in the wall, a pitch-black tunnel of darkness. Quin found it odd that he, the son of Solarius, thought of a dark tunnel devoid of light as his route to salvation.
Quin raised his sword and readied himself to charge but was stopped dead in his tracks as he heard an incredibly odd sound. It was a steady booming crash that repeated itself several times a second, and it came from the exit to the caverns, the Radiant Vanguard’s destination.
The rest of the Radiant Vanguard froze, their exhausted faces turning toward the sound of deep, resonant thuds reverberating from the exit tunnel. The Guardians, who had looked on with smug confidence moments ago, now turned confused, their grip tightening on their weapons as they stared into the dimly lit corridor.
A blinding burst of light erupted from the mouth of the tunnel, casting sharp shadows and illuminating the twisted expressions of the Guardians closest to it. There was a sickening crunch, and several of the Guardians were hurled backward, crashing against the walls in mangled heaps. In the aftermath of the blinding light stepped a figure as solid and unyielding as the mountains themselves. It was a giant of a man clad in full armor and wielding a warhammer.
It was Lief Stoneheart.
Covered head-to-toe in armor, every inch of his steel-plated form exuded power. His helm bore the crest of Solarius, shining with an otherworldly light, while his massive warhammer, held high, radiated a pulsing aura. Lief's gaze swept first to the terrified children huddled with the exhausted members of The Radiant Vanguard, then shifted toward the Guardians in black, their faces drained of color as they stared up at this incarnation of divine wrath.
With a booming voice, Lief raised his warhammer high, its light casting deep shadows that danced along the cavern walls. "You dare raise arms against the innocent, against the Light itself?" he bellowed, his voice a rumble that reverberated through the stone. "Then know that today, judgment finds you."
Without another word, Lief surged forward, his warhammer cutting through the air like a comet. The Guardians, snapping from their stupor, raised their weapons, but it was futile. Lief’s first strike obliterated four of them in a single sweep, their bodies shattered under the impact, light scorching their armor and skin alike. He spun, striking down two more with a backhanded swing, the power behind it sending them sprawling lifeless across the floor.
One by one, the Guardians attempted to attack, each lunging forward with daggers or swords. But Lief moved like a force of nature, unstoppable and immune to their feeble blows. Sword strikes and arrows pinged off his armor, leaving nothing but harmless sparks in their wake. With each swing of his warhammer, several more Guardians fell, their bodies crushed or torn apart by the sheer weight of Lief’s strength.
Then, out of the tunnel from which Lief had emerged, more warriors in full armor filed in, their armor also bearing the mark of Solarius. Each one, though smaller in stature than Lief, held their weapons aloft with the same conviction, and they leaped into the fray, flanking the Guardians. A dozen more Guardians fell almost instantly, the warriors’ blows landing with punishing force, ending the fight as quickly as it began.
The caverwas n filled witclangsng of steel ane cries odeathng, yet not a single warrior of Solarius was injured. The Guardians fought in desperation, but they were hopelessly outmatched, their formation crumbling as Lief’s warhammer struck down any who dared approach him. The final Guardian, his face twisted in terror, tried to flee. But Lief’s eyes found him, and with one final swing, the hammer crashed into the Guardian’s back, ending the fight with a resounding thud that echoed into silence.
The Radiant Vanguard, bruised, battered, and utterly spent, leaned on each other in exhausted relief. They lowered their weapons, their shoulders slackening as they watched the last of the Guardians fall to the cavern floor. They had been saved, their desperate struggle brought to an end by a force so powerful it was like witnessing the light of Solarius himself.
Lief Stoneheart turned to The Radiant Vanguard, his armor still shining, and inclined his head islightmall, approving nod.
Lauren rushed from the tunnel toward Quin and the others, her face pale as she took in their injuries. She knelt beside Quin, her hands already glowing with healing energy as she whispered a few words of comfort mixed with sharp reprimands. “Did you even think about backup?” she scolded, hovering her hands over his bruised arm. “You’re all lucky you ran into Felix. He’s the one who guided us to the town hall and the tunnel entrance. We would have never found you in time without him.”
Zach, leaning against the wall with a wince, managed a tired smile. “Waiting didn’t feel like an option, not after hearing about… the experiments on the children.”
Lauren’s eyes widened, her hands halting for a moment as she registered what Zach had said. “Experiments… on children?” She looked horrified. “How could anyone… that’s unspeakably cruel.”
Lief Stoneheart and his warriors approached, their presence like a calming anchor amidst the recent chaos. Lief looked over each of them, his eyes unreadable, and then spoke in a commanding tone. “Tell us what happened here.”
Cal, standing as straight as his exhaustion allowed, gave a concise report. “We discovered that this group, who calls themselves Eternal Peace, follows Serenity’s teachings, but they’ve twisted them. They’ve been experimenting on children for years in an attempt to bypass the Ascension Criteria by finding a way to cultivate spirit without slaying beasts. We believe we rescued most of the children, but there could be others hidden deeper in the tunnels.”
One of Lief’s warriors gasped, his face a mixture of shock and anger. “Such blasphemy! To claim Serenity would bless these acts...”
Cal nodded grimly. “We also know that the cult leader, Eloria, is still at large. She could be hiding with any number of researchers and villagers who’ve supported her efforts. And,” he added, looking to Lief, “they’re protected by black-clad enforcers called Guardians. They’re dangerous and trained, though many of them are only Acolyte Rank. Still, we haven’t accounted for them all.”
Quin added, his voice low, “They are fiercely loyal. We should assume they’ll fight to the death to protect the cult and whatever twisted vision Eloria’s feeding them.”
Lief clenched his gauntleted fist. “This is a desecration of Serenity’s name and a threat to the Pantheon itself. Eternal Peace ends here. We’ll search every inch of these caverns and root out every last one of these blasphemers.”
With a last reassuring look at the Radiant Vanguard, Lief nodded in approval. “You did well, all of you. Rest now. You’ve earned it.”
Lief’s voice rang with authority as he began organizing the search for survivors and any remaining cult members. “I’ll lead the main group,” he announced, his gaze steely, “and we will comb every tunnel and chamber in these caverns. We’ll capture whoever we can. Those who resist,” he glanced toward his warriors, “will face the consequences of their heresy.” Murmurs of agreement ran through the assembled warriors.
Turning to another armored figure beside him, Lief continued, “You’re to take the children and the Radiant Vanguard to the surface. Organize a request for aid from Cremoor to transport everyone back safely.” He looked back at the Vanguard, his gaze settling on Quin.
For a moment, his commanding demeanor softened. He placed a hand on Quin’s shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring. “You did a damn good job, Quin,” he said quietly, pride and warmth replacing his usual stern tone. “Uncovering this... saving these children… that takes strength beyond just the sword. Leave the rest to me.”
Quin nodded, a deep sense of accomplishment tempered by the weight of everything they’d seen. With a final nod, Lief turned back, leading his warriors further into the depths, his figure disappearing into the darkened corridor.
The assigned warriors gathered the children together, gently encouraging them to stay close. Under their watchful eyes, the Radiant Vanguard began the trek back to the surface, limping and leaning on each other as the last of their adrenaline faded. The flickering glow of the crystal-lit walls grew dimmer behind them as they ascended, leaving the caverns—and the horrors within—behind.