Everglow: The Trials Of Agaron

41 - Zealot

"Oh crap, not again!" Spatch hissed as they looked around to try and figure out what was causing the tremor.

The sudden sound of rocks splitting apart shook the crew to their core.

"Look!" Fischer called out as he pointed up at the enormous statue of what he immediately recognised as a medieval knight.

The statue seemed to come to life, the dust all around it being shaken off as the entire thing broke away from the stone walls, its huge limbs groaning as it moved. The figure let out an audible moan as it began to shift, almost like it was metal bending after having too much stress put on it.

The being took one step forwards, its left foot impacting the ground with an enormous thud. It shortly followed by shifting its weight and kneeling down. Its right knee slammed into the ground, kicking up a giant cloud of dust as it did so.

The five all took a few steps back, gobsmacked by the size of the statue that had just come to life. It was at least ten metres tall and looked like it was made of pure sandstone. As the dust cleared and the tremors began to halt, the crew all got a good look at the statue as it knelt before them.

A few seconds of complete silence followed, the only sound being the slight crunching of rocks as they fell from the statue's enormous shoulders.

"What the?" Tonner stuttered, unable to properly form a cohesive sentence. Instinctually he raised his weapon at the statue despite knowing full well that bullets likely wouldn't do much to it. He had been under the impression that this whole trip was just a wild goose chase. That it was all for nothing and his allies were just a bit crazy. But now, well now he would be lying if he said he wasn't starting to suspect something a little more otherworldly was going on.

No-one moved as the dust settled, no-one was even sure what exactly was going on. Quin was about to open her mouth to speak when-

"The Phoenix arrives. Its presence fills these halls with life."

The statue boomed, its voice sounded like someone was banging on a gong. As it spoke, torches all over the room began to light up.

"What the hell is going on?" Spatch exclaimed.

"Uhh... h-hello?" Quin stuttered.

"Travellers. I must welcome you to the Hall of the Phoenix. I have awaited your arrival for many a century," it boomed.

The crew was silent, no-one quite sure what to say.

"With the lantern finally lit, the trial has begun."

"Trial? What trial?" Quin asked.

"The trial of Agaron. His will is that of the phoenix."

"Ok ok ok, first things first... who, or what, are you?" Spatch queried, still on edge.

"Of course. I beg your pardon. I am Cycle, the zealot of this temple. You are accomplices to that of the phoenix. I stand before you as but a messenger. A teacher of the road that you walk."

"Zealot? What zealot?" Fischer asked.

"Across this galaxy spans many ancient buried treasures. Each of these temples contains a zealot whose purpose is to guard and await."

"Wait... that temple we were at before didn't have one?" Quin stated.

"Your journey took you through the heart of a dead zealot. The sphinx you entered once served the Archangel as I now do."

Fischer's mind perked back to the statue of the creature that they had found in the previous temple they visited.

"Phoenix? I-I've heard that before. W-what's a phoenix?" Ko muttered, trying her best to speak up.