She couldn't run any more. The mouth of the cave opened into a giant drop into a ravine below. The enemies were hot on her heels.
"Why did I take this stupid mission? I thought Shira would protect me!" she cursed. She stared at the water below. There was only one option. Jump.
"Is this worth one thousand gold pieces?" She asked herself. But, the answer was yes. Of course it was. She was a first year adventurer with nothing to her name. She cursed again. She could hear the howling of the cave banshees.
"Here goes nothing!" she shouted. She jumped off the edge of the cliff just as the cave banshees arrived behind her. Her dagger clanked against her breastplate as she crossed her arms across herself, bracing for the water's inevitable impact.
"I better live! I'll be so pissed if I die!" she shouted to herself.
The river rushed up at her; it felt like being shoved in a sack. She heard the sound of her own flesh tearing and then the cool water came rushing past her. She felt weightless, floating. She looked down to see that she had floated over to the side of a river.
"Well, that wasn't too bad," she grunted. When she reached up, she found that her hair had been pulled free from her ponytail. She crawled into the bank to assess the damage.
Her left leg got the brunt of the impact. It had a long gash. Blood spilled and mixed with river water. No broken bones though, as far as she could tell. Her coin purse was still securely tucked inside her armor. However, she did lose her five gold-piece dagger. Her sword was still clinging to her back, though.
"Are you crazy?!" Shira's voice rang from above. Axo glanced up to see her fellow raider shaking the decapitated head of a cave banshees furiously. "Do you have a death wish?"
Axo grimaced. "Well, where the hell were you? I thought maybe you got killed! You abandoned me!"
Shira swung the banshee by its neck around. "You didn't think I'd let you face those things alone, did you?" he said. He pointed toward the other side of the river. "There's an island over there that we can use."
"It's probably crawling with monsters," she replied.
Shira grinned. "We won't need to worry about that. We'll go through the middle. That's where the temple is!" Axo squinted at him, unsure what he meant. "We'll swim across the river. It should be safe enough."
"Are you sure this is okay? I'm kind of bleeding out."
"And who's fault is that?"
"Yours, you no good mage!"
"You're lucky I came along when I did or else you'd be dead."
Axo sighed. She was not going to win an argument with a spoiled aristocrat.
"What are you waiting for?" Axo shouted impatiently.
Shira huffed and floated across the river to the rocky shore. Before Axo knew it, Shira had healed her banged up body and they were making their way through the forest. They crouched and stuck to the overgrown bank just in case. Banshees were slow swimmers.
As they moved through the forest, Axo couldn't help but feel grateful for Shira's healing magic. Her body still ached from the fall and the swim, but the pain was manageable now.
They moved cautiously through the trees, listening for any signs of danger. The forest was eerily quiet, except for the occasional rustling of leaves as small animals scurried by.
After what felt like hours of walking, they finally saw a clearing up ahead. Shira signaled for Axo to stop, and they crouched down behind a bush to observe.
In the center of the clearing stood an ancient stone temple, its walls covered in vines and moss. Axo felt a shiver run down her spine as she looked at the structure. Something about it felt ominous, like it was watching her.
"We need to get closer," Shira whispered. "But we need to be careful. There could be traps or guards."
Axo nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew they were getting closer to their goal, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. Something about the temple felt wrong.
They moved slowly and quietly, careful not to step on any twigs or rustle any leaves. As they got closer to the temple, Axo could see that there were no guards or traps, at least none that she could see.
They reached the entrance of the temple, a large stone archway covered in vines. Axo took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead. They stepped through the archway, into the darkness of the temple.
Axo's eyes struggled to adjust to the dim light. She could see the outline of pillars and walls, but not much else.
The air was thick with the scent of ancient dust and decay, and it clung to their throats with each breath they took. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the cavernous space, and the stone floor was slick with moisture, making each step treacherous.
As they moved deeper into the temple, shafts of light streamed in through cracks in the walls, illuminating the dust particles floating in the air. The light revealed intricate carvings etched into the walls, depicting scenes of battles and rituals long forgotten.
The walls themselves were made of massive stone blocks, each one hewn with precision and care. The air felt heavy with the weight of the temple's age, and the silence was broken only by the sound of their footsteps and the occasional drip of water.
As they continued to explore, they came across altars and statues, each one covered in a thick layer of dust. The altars were adorned with offerings of food and drink, long since decayed and rotted away. The statues were of strange, otherworldly creatures, each one more ominous than the last.
The air was like ice the further they progressed, sending shivers down their spines. The darkness felt oppressive, and each step forward felt like a step deeper into the unknown. Shira muttered a mantra before producing a flame from his hand for light.
"Remind me again why you're paying me a thousand gold to do this?" Axo whispered to Shira.
"For the treasure hunt, of course," Shira replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "The gold, the jewels, the artifacts. Think of all the riches we'll find."
Axo rolled her eyes. "You and your obsession with money."
"What can I say? I like to live a comfortable life."
"And I like to live a life without being chased by cave banshees."
They moved deeper into the temple, their footsteps echoing loudly in the empty space. Axo couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, but she pushed the thought aside.
After a few minutes of walking, they finally reached a large chamber, its walls covered in ancient runes and symbols. In the center of the room sat a large stone pedestal, on which sat a small wooden box.
"That's it," Shira whispered, pointing to the box. "The treasure."
Axo approached the pedestal cautiously, eying the box warily. She reached out to touch it, but before she could, a loud rumbling noise filled the chamber, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
"What the hell was that?" Axo shouted.
"I think we've triggered a trap," Shira replied.
Axo rolled her eyes. "No shit. Any ideas on how to get out of here?"
Shira looked around frantically, searching for an escape route. "We could try to find a way out through the other side of the temple."
"Great idea. Let's just wander blindly through an ancient temple filled with traps and monsters. What could go wrong?"
"Hey, at least we'll be rich," Shira said, grinning.
"You are rich." Axo sighed as she quickly scooped all the jewels and silver she could into her pack. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."
Shira laughed before clasping his hands together and muttering a protection mantra. Their world came to a rattling halt. After he was sure that he nullified the trap, he turned to Axo. "The treasure is all yours by the way."
"What?" Axo stopped in her tracks, dust fluttered around her boots. Her cheeks were hot all of the sudden. "Oh, aristocrat boy is running a charity now, huh?"
Axo knew her meager wage couldn't even hold a candle to what Shira made in a single day, and it stung somewhere deep. Was this mission some weird way to motivate her? Because it wasn't working.
Shira's expression softened. "You're the bravest adventurer I know from Navask, and you're my best friend. It had to be you. Nobody else believed in me."
Axo stifled an eye roll. She hissed through a whisper, "You can't backtrack now, Shira! I won't be buttered up!"
The mage put his hands up in defense and swallowed hard. "I'm being honest. I'm not here for treasure... I'm here for a tome."
"A tome?" Axo knitted her brows.
"Yes. Yelena is... not well," he took a shaky breath. "It's called the Tome of Vigora by arch mage Ophidiar. This temple was used for healing centuries ago. The magic is... thought to be obsolete. They say only the king's grand viziers could hope to achieve such magic."
It was Axo's turn to swallow down her nerves. "You... you think you can pull off its magic?"
Shira's lips thinned as his face hardened. He gave a slight nod. "Despite what the town is saying, yes. Yes I do. I would do anything for Yelena."
As they made their way through the temple, Axo couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt. She had assumed that Shira was obsessed with the treasure, but now she realized that there was something more important at stake.
"Shira, why didn't you tell me about your sister's condition?" Axo asked, as they navigated the dark corridors.
"I didn't want you to pity me," Shira replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to find the tome and cure her."
Axo felt a lump form in her throat. She had lost family members to illness before, and the thought of Shira's sister suffering broke her heart.
"We'll find the tome, Shira," Axo said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get out of here, and we'll find a way to cure her."
Shira nodded, a small smile forming on his face. "Thank you, Axo. You're a true friend."
They continued through the temple, avoiding traps and dodging monsters. Axo's armor clanged loudly in the silence, but she tried her best to move quietly.
Finally, they reached a small room at the end of a hallway. In the center of the room sat a small pedestal, on which sat a large, leather-bound tome.
"That's it," Shira whispered, his eyes lighting up. "The tome."
Axo approached the pedestal, her heart pounding in her chest. As she reached out to take the tome, a loud voice boomed through the room. It was like rocks cracking together.
"You dare to take what is not yours?" the voice reverberated. "You will pay the price for your greed."
Suddenly, the room began to shake, and the walls started closing in on them. Shira grabbed the tome and they ran for the exit, dodging falling debris and leaping over traps.
As they ran towards the exit, the sound of stone grinding against stone filled their ears, echoing through the temple's halls. The walls trembled, and dust rained down on them from the ceiling. The pressure in the air changed, and they knew that the temple was collapsing in on itself.
Shira clutched the giant tome tightly to his chest, feeling its weight slowing him down. Axo reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him along with her as they ran. They dodged falling debris and leaped over traps, their hearts pounding in their chests and their breath coming in ragged gasps.
The air was thick with dust, and it was getting harder to see where they were going. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the temple's halls, and the walls seemed to be closing in on them with each passing second.
Finally, they saw the entrance up ahead, a small circle of light in the darkness. They ran towards it, their legs burning with exertion. As they burst through the archway, they were greeted by blinding sunlight, and they collapsed onto the ground, panting and gasping for air.
They lay there for a few moments, listening to the sound of the temple crumbling behind them. The ground shook beneath them, and rocks tumbled down from the temple's walls. The air was thick with the sound of destruction, and they knew that they had barely made it out alive.
Slowly, they picked themselves up, their bodies aching with fatigue. They looked back at the temple, now a pile of rubble and dust, and they knew that they had narrowly escaped with their lives.
Shira clutched the tome to his chest, tears streaming down his face. "We did it," he said, his voice choked with emotion.
Axo smiled, glad to see her friend happy. "We did," she replied. "And now, we'll find a way to cure your sister."
As the temple crumbled to ash, the air was filled with the acrid smell of burning wood and stone. The ground shook violently beneath their feet, sending tremors through their bodies. A deep, ominous growl echoed through the ruins, causing their hearts to race with fear.
Axo and Shira looked up to see a monstrous Minotaur, standing tall and imposing amidst the rubble. Its body was massive and muscular, covered in thick, matted fur that was the color of rusted iron. Its eyes blazed with a fierce, unbridled anger, and its horns curved menacingly from its skull like deadly scimitars.
The Minotaur's breath was hot and heavy, filling the air with the stench of blood and decay. Its muscles rippled beneath its fur as it roared, shaking the very earth beneath them. Its hooves pounded against the ground, creating a deafening thunder that drowned out all other sound.
Axo and Shira could feel the heat emanating from the beast's body, and they could smell its sweat mixing with the smoldering ruins. The Minotaur's rage seemed to permeate the air, making it hard to breathe and causing their skin to prickle with fear.
As the Minotaur spoke, its voice was deep and guttural, like the rumble of an earthquake. Its words were laced with venom, and its eyes blazed with a fierce intensity.
"I am Ophidiar's guardian, you have taken what is his."
"Stay behind me, Shira," Axo said, unsheathing her sword. "I'll handle this."
Shira nodded, clutching the tome tightly to his chest. Axo charged forward, her sword raised high.
The Minotaur roared, swinging a massive axe at her. She dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. She swung her sword at its leg, but the Minotaur kicked her away with a powerful hoof.
Axo stumbled back, her armor dented and her breath ragged. She charged forward again, determined to defeat the beast.
Desperately, Shira began to chant, his hands glowing with magic. He closed his eyes, focusing his energy on the spell.
Axo continued to fight the Minotaur, dodging its massive blows and striking whenever she could. But the beast was too strong, too powerful.
Suddenly, Shira's spell took effect. A beam of azure light shot out from his hands, striking the Minotaur in the chest. The beast roared in pain, its body writhing in agony.
Axo saw her chance and charged forward, plunging her sword into the Minotaur's heart. The beast roared one final time before collapsing to the ground, dead.
Shira ran over to Axo, his eyes as wide as saucers. "How in the world—You did it," he said, hugging her tightly. Axo wasn't sure if it was a question or an exclamation.
Shira began to shake as he held her. "It's because of you that Yelena will have another chance at life."
Axo smiled, feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction. They had faced impossible odds and come out victorious.
"Oh, hush. Now let's get out of here," she said, grabbing Shira's hand. "We have a tome to read and a little sister to save."