Chapter 16: Exploring the Ancient City and the Soul Awakening
I looked at the ancient city before me, exuding a mysterious aura, and my heart was filled with mixed emotions. The rift within the Alliance and Cassius's departure had just occurred, and the pain still lingered, but there was no time to indulge in sorrow now. The ancient city was like a great enigma, waiting for us to unravel it, and I knew that I bore the mission to find the truth and protect the Canyon.
We slowly approached the gates of the ancient city. The gates were built of huge black stone blocks, carved all over with twisted Runes that emitted a dark red glow, as if warning off intruders. I reached out to touch the gates, and a chill spread through my body along my arm. This power was ancient and evil. On either side of the gates stood two colossal statues. Their faces were blurred, but their postures indicated that they were once majestic guardians.
My teammates were also tense. Together, we searched for a way to open the gates. After some searching, we found clues on a stone tablet next to the gates. The inscriptions on the stone tablet were ancient and obscure, but with some deciphering methods Cassius had taught us before, we roughly understood the meaning. It turned out that to open the gates, we needed to find three mysterious keys scattered around the ancient city, each guarded by a powerful guardian.
We divided into several teams and began searching around the ancient city. I led a team towards the east, where a barren desert stretched out, swept by howling winds and shrouded in sand. Traveling through the desert was exceptionally difficult; every step required great effort. Suddenly, we saw a huge figure moving in the distance—it was a sand giant. It was massive, composed of flowing sand, and each movement caused the ground to tremble.
The sand giant spotted us and immediately charged. It swung its huge fists of sand, smashing towards us. I shouted, "Scatter!" My teammates quickly dodged in all directions. I concentrated, channeling the newly acquired power within me, and formed an ice shield in front of me. The sand giant's fist struck the ice shield, causing it to crack, but it successfully blocked the attack.
I knew that passively enduring was not a solution. I began observing the sand giant's attack patterns and discovered that it had a brief pause after attacking to gather sand. Seizing the opportunity during its next attack pause, I charged towards it. The weapon in my hand shone brightly as I thrust it forcefully towards the sand giant's leg. My attack caused its body to falter slightly, and sand began to scatter from it.
Seeing my actions, my teammates also joined the fray. We surrounded the sand giant, attacking it and continuously wearing it down by exploiting its slow movement. After a fierce battle, the sand giant finally collapsed with a roar, turning into a pile of loose sand. In the place where the sand giant had been, a key emitting a golden light appeared. I carefully picked up the key, feeling the powerful energy it contained.
Meanwhile, news also arrived from the other teams. The team to the west had encountered a demon skilled in fire magic and, after a tough fight, had also successfully obtained a key. The team to the north had found the last key in an ancient maze. We returned to the ancient city gates with the three keys.
As the three keys were inserted into the locks of the gates, the massive doors slowly opened, and a powerful gust of air surged out. We stepped into the ancient city. It was dead silent inside. Ruined buildings lined the streets, with ancient paintings and weapons hanging on the walls. We proceeded along the street, wary of any danger that might appear.
In the center of the ancient city stood a massive palace. Parts of its roof had collapsed, but its former glory was still evident. We walked towards the palace, and as we stepped through its entrance, the surroundings suddenly changed. We seemed to be in an illusory space, surrounded by scenes of battle. Warriors in those scenes were fighting against the dark power, but they fell one by one.
I saw some familiar figures—heroes who had once fought in the Canyon. They appeared so fragile before the dark power. A sense of grief and indignation welled up in my heart. I knew we had to stop this. Just then, a huge Dark Figure appeared before us, its body composed of black smoke, its eyes like two balls of burning flame.
The Dark Figure let out a low laugh, "You foolish mortals, do you think you can stop me? This is your burial place." With that, it launched an attack. The dark power surged like a tide, and we hurriedly resisted. I channeled the power within me again, forming ice shards and shooting them at the Dark Figure, but the ice shards melted rapidly upon contact with the dark power.
My teammates' attacks also had little effect on the Dark Figure. We were in a desperate struggle, and people were getting injured continuously. I was extremely anxious, and while dodging the Dark Figure's attacks, I desperately tried to think of a solution. Suddenly, I recalled what the golden figure had said in the Mysterious Ruins: the key to power lay within our hearts.
I closed my eyes, calmed my mind, and delved deep into my soul. I recalled every battle I had fought in the Canyon, from a weak Grunt/Minion to the present. Those experiences had become my Source of Power. I felt my soul burning, and a new power awakened within me. I opened my eyes, which now shone with a determined light.
I charged towards the Dark Figure, the weapon in my hand emitting an unprecedented glow. My attack pierced the dark power and struck the Dark Figure directly. The Dark Figure let out a pained roar, seemingly surprised by my sudden surge in power. Seeing my action, my teammates were also inspired. They rallied and attacked the Dark Figure together.
Under our concerted assault, the Dark Figure began to dissipate. But just as we thought victory was within reach, the Dark Figure suddenly unleashed a powerful burst of energy, sending us all flying. I fell to the ground, feeling like every bone in my body was breaking, but I stubbornly got back up.
The Dark Figure let out a cold sneer, "You think this can defeat me? Too naive." With that, it lunged at us again. I gritted my teeth, preparing for the final battle. I knew this was a battle for the fate of King's Canyon, and we could not fail. My soul and body fused completely, releasing all my power, and I charged towards the Dark Figure. A battle to the death began...