The forest east of Abriddge grew darker as Kira approached the temple. The path was overgrown, and the air was thick with an unnatural chill. As he climbed the crumbling stone steps, the temple loomed before him: a weathered structure, its once-grand archway now cracked and covered in moss.

Kira hesitated. “This place gives me the creeps.”

“Observation: The ruins exude a faint magical residue. Proceed with caution.”

"Yeah, thanks for the tip," Kira muttered, gripping his sword tightly.

As he stepped inside, the air grew colder. The faint sound of dripping water echoed through the dark corridors. Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the silence.

It was a girl’s voice.

Kira froze. "What the—?"

“Detected life signs in distress. Source is approximately 50 meters northeast.”

He didn’t wait for more information. Racing through the shadowy halls, Kira skidded to a stop at the edge of a large chamber.

The scene before him was chaos. A girl with long, dark hair and a curvaceous figure dressed in tight, revealing combat attire was fending off a monstrous zombie dog. Its rotting flesh clung to its skeletal frame, and its glowing red eyes were locked on her.

The girl’s movements were fast and fluid, her hands glowing with a faint golden light as she struck the beast. But she was tiring, her breath coming in short gasps.

“Damn it!” she growled, leaping back as the dog lunged again.

Kira didn’t think—he acted. “Ignis Arcana!”

A bolt of blue energy slammed into the zombie dog, knocking it off balance. The girl turned, her eyes wide with shock. “Who the hell—?”

“No time! Stay behind me!” Kira shouted, stepping forward.

The dog recovered quickly, snarling as it charged.

“User, use Arcane Bolt in rapid succession to weaken the target.”

"Yeah, I got it!" Kira cast spell after spell, each bolt burning away chunks of the dog’s decayed flesh. But the creature was relentless.

The girl suddenly darted past him. “You’re too slow, newbie!”

Her glowing fist struck the dog’s head with a thunderous crack, sending it sprawling. Before it could rise, she unleashed a flurry of punches, each strike glowing brighter until the creature dissolved into ash.

Panting, she turned to Kira. “Not bad, kid. For a mage.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Kira blinked. “You’re welcome?”

The girl brushed ash off her hands and crossed her arms. “Darumu. Martial artist. And you?”

“Kira,” he said, lowering his sword. “I’m... new here.”

Darumu raised an eyebrow. “No kidding. What are you doing in a place like this? This temple’s crawling with undead.”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Kira shot back.

Darumu smirked. “Fair. I was hired to clear this place out, but those zombie dogs weren’t in the job description. Guessing you’re here for the same reason?”

Kira hesitated, glancing at the System window. “Warning: Disclosure of external systems is not advised.”

"Something like that," he said vaguely.

Darumu studied him for a moment, then shrugged. “Well, you saved my ass, so I owe you one. What do you say we team up? This place is dangerous, and you look like you could use the help.”

“Recommendation: Accept partnership. Darumu’s combat proficiency complements your abilities.”

"Sure," Kira said. “But if we’re doing this together, you’d better not run off without warning.”

Darumu grinned. “Deal. Let’s clear this place and split the loot.”

The pair moved cautiously through the temple, encountering more undead—skeletons, ghouls, and even a swarm of ghostly apparitions.

Darumu’s fighting style was mesmerizing. She flowed like water, her movements precise and graceful, each strike glowing with golden energy.

“What is that light you’re using?” Kira asked after she dispatched a skeletal warrior.

“Chi,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “It’s the energy that flows through all living things. Takes years to master. You should try it sometime—oh wait, you’re a mage.”

Kira rolled his eyes. “Hey, I held my own back there.”

“Barely,” she teased, punching his arm lightly.

As they entered the temple’s deepest chamber, the air grew heavier. A massive altar stood at the center, surrounded by flickering black flames. Strange runes glowed on the walls, and a dark energy pulsed through the room.

“Something’s not right,” Darumu said, her playful demeanor gone.

“Warning: High-level corruption detected. Prepare for combat.”

The flames coalesced into a humanoid figure—a dark priest clad in tattered robes, his face obscured by a hood. In his hands, he held a staff crackling with malevolent energy.

“Who dares disturb my sanctum?” the priest hissed.

Darumu dropped into a fighting stance. “Guess we found the boss.”

Kira nodded, raising his sword. “Let’s take him down.”

The priest attacked without warning, summoning tendrils of dark energy that lashed out at them. Kira and Darumu dodged, splitting up to flank the enemy.

“Focus on his staff!” Darumu shouted, dodging another attack. “It’s the source of his power!”

Kira fired Arcane Bolts at the priest, but a barrier deflected them.

“User, target the runes on the walls. They are maintaining the barrier.”

"Got it!" Kira shifted his aim, blasting one of the glowing runes. It shattered, and the priest staggered.

Darumu took advantage, leaping forward and landing a powerful chi-infused kick to the priest’s chest. He howled in rage, summoning more tendrils.

The battle raged on, Kira and Darumu working in perfect sync. Finally, with a combined attack—Kira’s Arcane Bolt and Darumu’s chi punch—they shattered the priest’s staff, and his form disintegrated into ash.

As the dark energy faded, the altar crumbled, revealing a small, glowing orb.

“What is that?” Kira asked, picking it up.

Darumu peered over his shoulder. “Looks valuable. Maybe we can sell it in Abriddge.”

“Analysis: Artifact of unknown origin. Possible connection to summoning anomaly.”

Kira frowned. “I think I’ll hold onto it for now.”

Darumu shrugged. “Suit yourself. Let’s get out of here before more undead show up.”

As they left the temple, the sunlight felt brighter, and the air seemed lighter. Kira glanced at Darumu, a small smile on his face.

“Thanks for having my back in there.”

Darumu grinned. “Don’t get used to it, newbie. You still owe me for saving your life.”

Together, they headed back to Abriddge, the mysterious orb pulsing faintly in Kira’s pocket.