Just as the last second fell I swiftly tumbled forward past the closing gates before perfectly standing back up again.
Just as it gate shut with a click.
I was in, and now standing I could finally get a good look at the so-called burnt temple.
Oh god oh mighty, what scene shocked me was one of black dust everywhere. Burnt areas of grass, rock, and the building, in general was horrific.
Rather than looking like a holy temple for the gods, it looked like a temple for the devil. What had happened here to change a piece of holy land into...this mess!
Rather than a sight that looked to be the result of a fire, it looked more like something you would see at a warzone.
I had seen so many places like this back in my life as an assassin, though every memory back then was dyed grey in my memory.
So, maybe it didn't look like this but doubt it.
Kicking a stone and some rubble away from the path, I headed over to the main building in the temple.
At this point in time, I had completely thrown Braylon and Rowan at the back of my mind. As for the thing that was following me earlier, I doubted that they could've made it in as teleportation was useless. So, guess it's just me and this big mess...great.
Seriously, you think that climbing upstairs like this would be quick and easy but nope. The stairs were broken and uneven with each step I took I had to move fast and precise as no longer than 3 seconds the step underneath would start crumbling.
This would be fine if there weren't many steps to climb but the thing is that temples love putting 100 steps for visitors to climb before being able to enter the main building, aka the worshipping/prayer room.
So, here I am climbing all 100 steps while trying not to fall through. This took some time as sometimes I would step in the wrong place and I would have to quickly flip back to a safe distance and so on and so forth.
Finally, after so many failures, I reached the top silently cursing the architect for their poor design choice.
Were their motives to torture the visitors who come to give their prays to the gods? Otherwise, why would they design this way!
Tsk, now that I'm finally at the top I can head over to the prayer room.
I wasn't expecting to be fancy as it was burnt down not long ago but oh damn I was wrong.
Not only was the room decorated in silk with hanging busted chandeliers from the ceiling while the floor was pure marble with a long red carpet extending to the altar. There was even a large open ceiling that let the moonlight aluminate the altar and statue.
Oh, and did I mention that altar just so conveniently was located right in front of a golden statue of the god Halos...
That's right people, THAT 15METRE STATUE WAS MADE OUT OF PURE GOLD!!!
There are so many people starving and in poverty yet they choose to spend money on building a pure gold statue!
That could feed and help multiple lives, tsk I never knew priests and priestess were so money hungry.
Isn't this a misuse of power?
Oh, well it's too late now.
Retribution hit them quite well, coming in the form of that fire.
Walking along the red carpet felt strangely weird, as an unknown energy filled me every step I took towards the altar.
Once I was less than a metre away I felt a powerful wave rush at me. Abruptly turning around I saw a dark slender figure charge towards me.
I noticed the shine of silver and instinctively blocked with Scarlett's katana form in hand, hearing the clash of metal I knew that this person was the same one who had tailed her earlier.
The moonlight shone revealing a dark-skinned beautiful female demon, her dark hair was tied back in a high ponytail which highlighted her long and slender neck. The woman's eyes were a shining amber mixed with brown, that were piercing yet at the same time bewitching.
I jumped back before launching myself at her with Scarlett in hand, it seemed that she had the same style of fighting as I did as we clashed again and again. Not removing our gaze from each other while slowly circling around the altar.
This must be the enemy's objective to capture the altar but why?
This altar doesn't do anything special I think, besides making illusions at a large scale...
My slight distraction left a small window and before I realised what I had done, it was already too late the woman sprang and aimed at my throat.
I could feel the light touch of metal against my skin before I jumped back holding my neck. Once I removed my hands I saw that it was all bloodied.
"Damn," I grumbled glaring at the smirking demon woman who was fiddling with the sharp dagger in her hand.
"Girl, your not bad but you're years too early to be dealing with me."
Such an arrogant attitude, that will bite her in the but someday...or maybe just after today she might not even make it out of here alive. I was calm and ready taking in a deep breath I watched her silently. Not forgetting to analyse every move she made with careful attention.
In life and deathmatch, the victor will always be the one who pays the most attention and acts on any openings the opponent gives.
Strangely, the woman's face falters as her smirking face breaks into confusion. What is she looking at? I felt my neck on reflex and what shocked me was that the cut was gone rather the wound had fully closed up as if it never existed in the first place.
What the?
How did it do that?
I look up to see the statue glowing faintly with white light as I noticed a small thread of the white light attaching to my wrist.
What was happening?
The woman only looked at me warily with confusion, slowly holding the dagger up ready to attack. It seems that now she's taking much more caution with me after witnessing that ordeal.
I change my stance while watching her, all was silent until a crumbling rock hit the ground not to far from us. And as the rock thudded on the floor, we sprang at each other clashing our weapons together. The blood from earlier dripped from my hand and left mini slats on the floor.
Just as she charged into another attack, she froze.
Seeing her shocked face I gave a helpless shrug with a smile, "what?"
"What did you do?"
"Oh, you haven't noticed yet?"
At my words, she looked around us and saw patches of blood on the floor and where she stood.
Seeing that her eyes grew nasty and a foul smirk covered her beautiful face, I knew she had figured it out.
"Let me guess you didn't think that I had the ability to control or utilise my blood did you? That's why you're caught in my trap."
Snarling the woman says furiously, "You're shameless to use magic while in a sword fight."
I just shrug my shoulders, "mm. You should know that in a fight where my life is a stake, I'll never play by the rules. It's either you or I die. So, in a sense, I don't really care if I'm called shameless or a coward as long as I'm not the one who dies. It's fine with me."
The woman seems to have given up trying to insult me as she stares furiously as I use my magic to make her move her hand to her own throat.
"Goodbye," I say smiling brightly as the dagger is pulled along her neck and blood comes flowing out.
The next moment I release my magic and she drops to the for wirelessly her blood spreading out into a pool around her.
"It's such a shame. You were really talented too. *sigh*"
As I walk closer to the Altar I reach out to touch it but the moment my hand grazes it a bright light flashes as I hear someone call out my name.