As they stepped through the door, the air shifted around Kaelen and Lyra. The cold, sterile silence of the portal''s magic gave way to the low hum of latent energy, and they found themselves back in the shard’s chamber. The oppressive weight of the place settled over them like a heavy cloak, the air thick with the scent of moss and stone warmed by ancient, undying magic.
The chamber was vast, its domed ceiling disappearing into shadow despite the faint blue light emanating from the walls. Glyphs, ancient and angular, glimmered faintly on every surface, pulsating in rhythmic patterns that seemed to echo the heartbeat of the world itself. The walls themselves seemed alive, their textures shifting subtly under the magical light, as though the chamber were breathing. The floor was a carpet of soft, glowing moss that rippled gently with each step, casting shifting pools of light that danced along the walls. At the center stood the pedestal, a structure of intricate stonework that appeared almost organic, as though grown rather than carved. Twisting vines of obsidian wrapped around it, their surfaces etched with glyphs that shimmered faintly in the chamber’s magical glow. Hovering above it, the Shard of Eterna, refracting light into a thousand colors, each shifting and shimmering like a living rainbow. It hummed faintly, the sound resonating in their bones, a subtle reminder of its immense power. Kaelen and Lyra gaze up at it, head tilted back as the refraction of light played over their faces.
Then suddenly there came a roar, a sound so deep and resonant it felt as if it shook the very foundations of the chamber. It echoed off the glyph-covered walls, reverberating through the glowing moss underfoot, sending ripples of light across the room as though the chamber itself had awakened.
Kaelen froze, his silver eyes narrowing as they scanned for the source of the disturbance. The soft blue glow of the chamber turned ominous, its light dancing nervously across the walls. A shadow unfurled near the pedestal, dark and menacing, twisting like smoke before condensing into a hulking form. The shadow solidified, revealing a massive creature seemingly hewn from jagged stone and swirling darkness. Its body was etched with intricate glyphs, each one glowing faintly with a crimson light that pulsed rhythmically, like the beat of an ancient heart.
“Well,” Kaelen muttered, his tone as dry as the cracked stone at his feet, “this isn’t exactly the warm welcome I was hoping for.”
Lyra’s ears flattened against her sleek head, her silver fur bristling as she crouched low to the ground. Her luminous eyes, sharper than the edge of Kaelen’s blade, flicked briefly to him as if to say, Do you have a plan, or are we winging it? The faint silver streaks along her tail caught the flickering light, lending her an otherworldly glow.
Kaelen’s lips quirked into a wry smile. “Not really,” he admitted under his breath. He loosened his stance, his blade glinting faintly in the chamber’s dim light. “Let’s just see how long we can keep it busy before it decides to squash us.”
“Bold strategy,” Lyra said, her voice a low, melodic growl that seemed to hum with suppressed energy. She flicked her tail and added with a sly grin, “I hope you’re quick on your feet. You’ll need to be.”
The Rock Guardian’s molten gold eyes flared as it stepped forward. Each movement was accompanied by the grinding scrape of stone on stone, the sound echoing through the chamber. Its massive limbs left gouges in the moss-covered floor as it moved with mechanical precision toward them. The air seemed to thrum with its presence, each step sending tiny vibrations through Kaelen’s boots.
<hr>
System Notification
Combat Encounter: Guardian of Eterna
<ul>
<li>Threat Level: Severe.</li>
<li>Attributes: Enhanced Durability, Glyph-Based Magic Defense.</li>
<li>Weakness: Glyph Core Points (shoulders, chest, and spine).</li>
<li>Special Ability Detected: Area Suppression (Nullifies Magic).</li>
</ul>
Combat Objectives:
<ol>
<li>Weaken the Guardian by striking its Glyph Core Points.</li>
<li>Avoid damage from Area Suppression Zones.</li>
<li>Prevent the Guardian from destabilizing the Shard of Eterna.</li>
</ol>
Kaelen sighed dramatically and tightened his grip on his blade, his silver eyes fixed on the towering creature. “Just once,” he said, “I’d like to finish one of these quests without fighting a giant glowing monster.”If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“It wouldn’t suit your reputation,” Lyra quipped, her tone as sharp as her claws. “You do seem to attract trouble like moths to a flame.” Her voice held an edge of amusement despite the tension in her stance.
"I''d really like to use my new fireballs" Kaelen said "but I''m guessing it won''t do much against rock."
Lyra’s body remained tense, poised to strike as she darted sideways, her movements a blur of fluid grace. The glow of the glyphs etched into the Guardian’s stony hide intensified as it tracked her movements. The nymphryn’s silver fur shimmered with a faint inner light, though Kaelen noticed the edges of her glow flicker nervously, like a candle fighting the wind.
The Guardian’s movements were deliberate, almost mechanical. Each step it took sent vibrations through the ground, the sound of stone grinding against stone filling the chamber. Its body was massive, towering over the pedestal at the chamber’s center, its jagged limbs gleaming faintly in the shifting light of the glyphs.
The nymphryn darted to the side, moving with the kind of speed and precision that only a creature born of magic could achieve. Her sleek form was a blur as it circled the Guardian, her sharp claws glinting faintly in the dim light.
Kaelen followed suit, keeping to the edges of the room, his silver eyes scanning the Guardian for any sign of weakness. The glyphs etched into its stone hide glowed brighter as it moved, their patterns shifting and pulsing in time with the magic that filled the chamber.
“This thing isn’t just big,” Kaelen said, his voice low but steady. “It’s smart. It knows we’re after the Shard, and it’s not going to let us take it without a fight.”
The nymphryn growled softly, her tail lashing as she lunged at the Guardian’s left leg. Her claws scraped against the stone, sparks flying as they connected, but the glyphs absorbed the blow, their glow intensifying briefly before dimming again.
<hr>
System Notification
Combat Update:
<ul>
<li>Target Area: Left Shoulder Glyph Core Point.</li>
<li>Resistance Level: Moderate (Glyph Shielding Active).</li>
</ul>
The Guardian turned with surprising speed, its massive arm swinging toward the nymphryn in a wide arc. Lyra leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the strike, her fur bristling as she landed lightly on the moss-covered floor.
Kaelen seized the opening, darting forward with his blade aimed at the Guardian’s right arm. The weapon struck true, the sharp silver edge slicing through one of the glowing glyphs. The glyph flared brightly, sparks flying as the Guardian let out a guttural roar.
“Got you,” Kaelen muttered, stepping back as the Guardian staggered slightly, its massive frame shuddering as the damaged glyph dimmed.
But the reprieve was brief. The Guardian’s remaining glyphs flared red, and the air around it seemed to ripple and distort.
A wave of force radiated outward from the Guardian, distorting the light of the glyphs on the walls and sending a pulse of energy through the room. Lyra stumbled, her glowing silver fur dimming as the magic in the air was disrupted.
Kaelen felt the force hit him like a wall, the suppression field crackling as it expanded, nullifying the faint magical enhancements that coursed through his body. He gritted his teeth, his silver eyes narrowing as he adjusted his grip on his blade.
System Notification:
Area Suppression Activated.
<ul>
<li>Effect: Magic nullified within a 10-meter radius of the Guardian.</li>
</ul>
“That,” Kaelen muttered, “was absolutely cheating.”
The nymphryn hissed in agreement—or perhaps annoyance—as she circled the Guardian, her sharp eyes searching for another weakness.
<hr>
A New Plan
Kaelen straightened, his silver eyes flicking to the remaining glyphs on the Guardian’s chest and spine. “It’s the glyphs,” he said, his voice calm despite the tension in the air. “They’re the key. We take out the Core Points, and we take it down.”
The nymphryn darted toward the Guardian’s chest, her movements a blur of speed and precision. She leapt onto the creature’s massive frame, her claws digging into the stone as she scrambled toward the glowing glyph at its center.
The Guardian roared, twisting violently as it tried to dislodge the nymphryn. Sparks flew as the Lyra’s claws struck the glyph, leaving faint cracks in its surface.
Kaelen moved in tandem, his blade flashing as he struck at the Guardian’s left shoulder. The blow landed, and the glyph cracked, sending another ripple of energy through the creature’s body.
<hr>
System Notification:
Combat Progress:
<ul>
<li>Left Shoulder Glyph Core Point: 75% Damaged.</li>
<li>Chest Glyph Core Point: 50% Damaged.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
The Guardian staggered, its suppression field flickering as its glyphs dimmed. But it wasn’t finished yet. The creature let out another roar, its molten eyes burning brighter as it swung both arms in a wide arc.
Kaelen ducked under the strike, the force of the attack sending shards of stone flying across the chamber. One of the shards grazed his arm, tearing through the fabric of his jacket and leaving a shallow cut.
“Lovely,” he said dryly, glancing at the torn sleeve. “Just what I needed. Now I’m going to look like I crawled through a rockslide. I suppose I should just be happy it matches the tear on the other side.”
Lyra hissed softly in response, her silver eyes locking onto the glowing glyph on the Guardian’s spine.