Chapter 24 – The Last Warden's Trial
The wind howled as we stood at the threshold of an unknown fate.
The Bastion of Orin lay ahead—a fortress as ancient as the Saiyan race itself, carved into the bones of a mountain that time had long forgotten. Once a sanctuary for the Wardens, it had become a tomb, its great doors sealed for centuries.
Now, the weight of prophecy had brought us here.
Taro exhaled, running a hand through his wild hair. "Well, this place has definitely seen better days."
I frowned, eyes scanning the towering structure. Cracks lined the obsidian stone, yet something about it felt… awake. Like the fortress itself was watching us.
Korr placed a hand on his sword hilt. "The War Scroll mentioned the Last Warden. If they're here, we need to be ready—for anything."
I took a step forward, the power of the fallen stirring in my blood. The closer we got, the more the spirits whispered.
"Beware the Trial."
"Only the worthy may pass."
"The Guardian still waits."
I tightened my fists. A trial? Fine. We've fought our way through worse.
Taro clapped his hands. "Well, no point standing around. Who wants to knock?"
Before anyone could answer, the doors opened on their own.
And then the darkness swallowed us whole.
---
The Forgotten Guardian
The moment we stepped inside, the air changed—thickened, charged with an unseen force. Torches along the walls ignited in eerie blue flame, casting flickering shadows across the cavernous hall.
And at the far end of the chamber, something moved.
A figure stood waiting.
Not alive.
Not entirely dead.
His body was worn armor fused with stone, like time itself had tried to erase him, but failed. His face was hidden beneath a battle-scarred helm, but his voice carried across the hall with a weight that made my chest tighten.
"You stand before the Last Bastion." His voice was low, ancient. "Who seeks the Trial?"
I stepped forward. "Akuma, Heir of the Fallen Flame."
The warrior lifted his head slightly. "And the others?"
Korr bowed his head. "Korr, Blade of the Crescent Warband."
Taro just grinned. "Taro. Just Taro. You might have heard of me—probably not."
The Guardian was silent for a long moment before speaking again.
"You are trespassing on sacred ground."
The torches flared. Shadows shifted unnaturally.
"If you wish to claim the Warden's Legacy, you must prove yourself. Not through words, but through battle."
---
The Warden's Trial
The air exploded.
A shockwave sent dust and debris flying as the Guardian moved—faster than his ancient form should have allowed.
I barely had time to block before his blade crashed into mine, the force sending me sliding back. My arms trembled from the impact.
He's fast.
Korr reacted next, drawing his sword in a swift arc, but the Guardian twisted, catching the blade with a gauntleted hand before driving a knee into Korr's ribs.
Taro launched forward, ki-infused fists striking like lightning. The Guardian deflected the first blow, dodged the second, then—without hesitation—grabbed Taro by the throat and hurled him into a stone pillar.
I surged forward, golden flames erupting around me. I feinted left, then spun to strike from behind—
The Guardian vanished—and suddenly I was the one being thrown.
I crashed into the ground, coughing. This wasn't just brute strength.
This was technique.
The Guardian didn't just fight like a Saiyan.
He fought like a tactician.
Korr wiped blood from his lip. "We need to change strategy."
Taro groaned, sitting up. "You think?"
I focused, tapping into the power of the fallen—not for raw strength, but for knowledge.
The spirits whispered. Patterns. Counters.
A battle we had fought before.
I saw it—the way the Guardian moved. Every strike, every block, every counter was part of an ancient Warden style:
The Phalanx Form.
It was designed for defense, forcing opponents into predictable attacks before punishing them with precision kills.
But every formation has a weak point.
---
Breaking the Phalanx
I called out. "He forces us into direct attacks! Don't give him a pattern to follow—split his focus!"
Korr didn't hesitate. He blurred left, striking from a high angle while I moved right, aiming low.
The Guardian shifted, blade rising to block Korr—
And that's when Taro hit him from behind.
A perfect opening.
Golden energy surged through me as I drove my fist into his chestplate with enough force to shake the entire chamber.
The Guardian staggered. For the first time, he seemed mortal.
But he didn't fall.
Instead, he straightened.
And for the first time, I saw his eyes.
Not golden.
Not red.
But violet—a shade I had never seen before.
And then he spoke.
"You have passed the Trial of Strength."
---
The True Purpose of the Wardens
The Guardian removed his helm, revealing an aged Saiyan face, scarred from centuries of war. But his eyes... they still burned with the fire of a warrior.
"My name is Eryx. I was the last to bear the Warden's title before the Abyssal Cycle began anew."
Taro exhaled. "So, you're the Last Warden?"
Eryx shook his head. "No. I am merely the keeper. The Last Warden has yet to rise." His gaze locked onto me.
I swallowed. "You think it's me."
Eryx nodded.
I didn't speak. I wasn't sure I could.
For so long, I thought I was just fighting to stop Xyros. But this… this was bigger.
The Wardens weren't just warriors.
They were protectors of reality itself.
Eryx stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder. "The Eclipse of Kings is coming. If the First Shadow awakens, the Abyss will consume all. There will be no Saiyans. No war. No victory. Only oblivion."
A chill ran through me.
"You are not just a warrior, Akuma."
"You are the last line of defense between existence and annihilation."
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Next Time on Ancient Legends…
What hidden secrets does Eryx hold?
What must Akuma sacrifice to become the Last Warden?
And how close is Xyros to awakening the First Shadow?
Find out next time on Ancient Legends!