---

The undercity shook with the force of the guardian's movements. Its metallic limbs, too large and too swift for their bulk, sliced through the stale air as it launched itself at Lian once again. He barely had time to lift his sword, catching the creature’s massive claws on the edge of his blade with a resounding clang.

Lian’s arms buckled under the impact, but he didn’t back down. His feet slid across the stone floor as he twisted his body, deflecting the attack just enough to avoid being crushed. His heart pounded, the weight of the world pressing in from all sides.

“This thing is stronger than it looks!” Lian shouted, barely avoiding another swipe from the hulking guardian.

Aeris, now a few paces back, narrowed her eyes in concentration. She muttered under her breath, her fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air as threads of magic danced between them. Lian could feel the pressure building—she was preparing something big.

“Keep it distracted!” Aeris commanded.

Lian cursed under his breath but obeyed. He lunged forward, slashing at the guardian’s legs. His sword connected with its armored shell, but it barely left a mark. The creature turned, its glowing eyes fixed on him with a cold, calculating malice. It moved with terrifying precision, as if it had fought countless battles before and was not the least bit concerned with Lian’s attacks.

The guardian swung its arm again, this time with more force. Lian knew he couldn’t block it head-on—not without getting crushed. He ducked low, rolling under the creature’s arm as it swept past. In one fluid motion, he drove his blade upward, aiming for a gap in the armor along its side.

The sword struck true, piercing through the joint. The creature let out a metallic screech, its movements faltering for a moment as it staggered back. But it wasn’t enough to bring it down. The guardian swung wildly, catching Lian off guard with a backhanded strike that sent him flying across the room.

Lian crashed into the wall, his breath knocked out of him. Pain shot through his side, but he forced himself to stand. He couldn’t afford to stay down—not now.

“Aeris!” Lian gasped, “Any time now would be great!”

“I need another moment!” she shouted back, her voice strained with concentration.

Lian grit his teeth, glaring at the guardian as it recovered from his attack. He could see the damage he’d done—the armor at its side was cracked, leaking a faint glow from the strange energy that powered it. But it was far from defeated.

The creature charged again, its steps sending tremors through the floor. Lian had no choice but to retreat, his legs burning as he dashed out of the way. His mind raced, searching for any weakness he could exploit, but there was little time to think.

Just as the guardian closed the distance, ready to strike again, Aeris released her spell. A pulse of energy shot forward, striking the guardian in the chest. This time, the impact was immediate—the creature froze mid-step, its body convulsing as the magic spread through its core.

For a moment, everything was still. Then, with a deafening crash, the guardian collapsed to the ground, its armor shattering as it hit the floor. The glow in its eyes flickered once, then faded entirely. The undercity was silent once more.

Lian stood there, panting, his sword still raised in case the creature decided to move again. When it didn’t, he finally allowed himself to relax, lowering the blade with a sigh of relief.

“You took your time,” he muttered, glancing over at Aeris.

Aeris smiled faintly, wiping sweat from her brow. “I had to make sure it worked. These things aren’t easy to bring down.”

Lian shook his head, still trying to process what had just happened. “What *was* that thing?”

“An ancient guardian,” Aeris replied, walking over to inspect the remains. “They were created during the fall of the old world to protect its secrets. No one knows exactly how they work, but they’ve been wandering the undercity ever since, guarding whatever’s left down here.”

Lian stared at the broken shell of the guardian, feeling a chill run down his spine. “And how many more of them are there?”

“Too many,” Aeris said quietly. “But we won’t have to fight all of them. If we move quickly, we can avoid most of the patrols.”

Lian didn’t like the sound of that, but he knew they had no choice. This relic—whatever it was—was his only hope of controlling the shadows. And if it was hidden down here, they would have to face whatever stood in their way.

“Let’s move,” Aeris said, already heading deeper into the tunnel. “We’re not far now.”

Lian followed, his mind still buzzing with unanswered questions. What kind of power did this relic hold, to warrant such fierce protection? And what would happen once they found it? He had a sinking feeling that their journey was only going to get more dangerous from here.

---

They ventured deeper into the undercity, the air growing colder and more oppressive with every step. The walls seemed to close in around them, the faint light from the ancient technology flickering sporadically. Lian’s senses were on high alert, his hand never far from his sword.

As they walked, Aeris remained silent, her expression focused. Lian wondered what she was thinking—what kind of secrets she was keeping. He still didn’t fully trust her, but he knew he couldn’t do this alone. For now, he would have to rely on her knowledge and hope that she was leading him in the right direction.

After what felt like hours, they finally reached a large, open chamber. At the center of the room stood a massive stone pedestal, its surface engraved with strange symbols that glowed faintly in the darkness.

“This is it,” Aeris said, her voice barely above a whisper. “The heart of the undercity. The relic should be here.”

Lian approached the pedestal cautiously, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. The air was thick with tension, as if the very walls were watching them. He could feel something—some kind of energy pulsing through the space, like a heartbeat just beneath the surface.

But there was no relic in sight.

“Aeris,” Lian said, his voice tense. “Where is it?”

Aeris frowned, stepping closer to the pedestal. Her hand hovered over the symbols, tracing them lightly as if trying to decipher their meaning. “It should be here,” she muttered, frustration creeping into her voice.

Lian’s pulse quickened. They had come all this way, fought through the guardians, only to find…nothing?

Suddenly, the air around them shifted. A low, rumbling sound echoed through the chamber, and the ground began to tremble beneath their feet. Lian’s hand flew to his sword, but before he could react, the symbols on the pedestal flared to life, glowing brighter and brighter until they were blinding.

And then, with a deafening crack, the stone pedestal split open.

---

TO BE CONTINUED