Chapter 84: the infernal guardian

Chapter 84: The Infernal Guardians

Natasha and Alison crouched behind a jagged rock at the edge of the crater, the Emberstone's pulsating glow casting eerie shadows across the barren landscape. The Lava Sentinels, six in total, moved in a deliberate, synchronized pattern around the stone, their molten forms radiating an aura of intense heat.

"We can't fight them all head-on," Natasha whispered, wiping sweat from her brow. "They're made of molten rock. Blades won't do much against that."

Alison frowned, peeking out from behind the rock. "We need a plan. Maybe we can create a diversion to draw some of them away?"

Natasha thought for a moment, her mind racing. "That could work, but we'll need to be fast. Once they figure out what we're doing, we'll have the rest of them on us."

Alison nodded. "All right, I'll draw their attention. You focus on getting to the Emberstone."

"Wait," Natasha said, grabbing his arm. "We don't know what will happen when we touch it. The Magi said it's incredibly powerful—it could be trapped or cursed."

Alison's jaw tightened. "Then we'll figure it out as we go. We didn't come all this way to back down now."

Taking a deep breath, Alison stepped out from behind the rock, brandishing his sword. He banged the flat of the blade against a nearby boulder, the metallic clang echoing across the crater.

"Hey! Over here, you overcooked lumps of rock!" he shouted.

The Lava Sentinels turned in unison, their burning eyes locking onto him. With a guttural, almost mechanical roar, three of them broke away from the group, advancing toward Alison with their obsidian weapons raised.

"Come on, then!" Alison taunted, backing away and leading them toward a cluster of rocks at the crater's edge.

Natasha used the distraction to slip around the remaining Sentinels, her movements careful and deliberate. She kept her eyes on the Emberstone, its hypnotic glow pulling her closer. As she approached, the heat grew nearly unbearable, each step feeling like walking into an inferno.

When she was only a few feet away, one of the remaining Sentinels turned, sensing her presence. It let out a guttural roar, raising its jagged spear. Natasha darted to the side, narrowly avoiding a swipe that sent shards of molten rock flying.

"I don't have time for this," she muttered, drawing her dagger. She knew it wouldn't do much damage, but she needed to create an opening.

She feinted to the left, then lunged to the right, aiming for the Sentinel's knee joint. Her dagger struck true, and the creature stumbled, its molten form shifting and sputtering. Taking advantage of the moment, Natasha sprinted toward the Emberstone.

Behind her, she heard Alison shouting, his voice strained. "Natasha, hurry up!"

She reached the Emberstone and hesitated for only a moment. The Magi's warnings echoed in her mind, but there was no turning back now. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and touched the glowing stone.

The world exploded in light and heat.

---

Natasha was engulfed in a blinding, fiery energy that seemed to sear through her very soul. She felt as if she were standing at the center of a star, the power of the Emberstone surging through her veins. Images flashed before her eyes—visions of ancient battles, of the Emberstone being forged in the heart of a dying volcano, and of the Magi wielding its power to reshape the world.

"Natasha!" Alison's voice broke through the haze, pulling her back to the present.

She opened her eyes to find the Emberstone in her hands, its glow now subdued but still pulsing faintly. Around her, the Lava Sentinels froze in place, their molten forms hardening into lifeless stone.

"What... just happened?" Alison asked, his chest heaving as he approached her.

"I don't know," Natasha said, her voice trembling. She could feel the Emberstone's power coursing through her, a strange mixture of strength and vulnerability. "But we have it. Let's get out of here before something else shows up."

Alison nodded, and the two of them began making their way out of the crater. The Emberstone's glow lit their path, its faint warmth a constant reminder of the power they now carried.

---

They had barely made it halfway across the Burning Sands when the ground began to tremble. Natasha and Alison stopped, exchanging wary glances.

"Please tell me that's not what I think it is," Alison said.

A deep rumble answered him, followed by a fissure opening in the ground ahead of them. From the chasm emerged a massive, serpentine creature wreathed in flames. Its scales shimmered like molten metal, and its eyes burned with an intensity that rivaled the Emberstone itself.

"Of course there's a guardian," Natasha muttered, clutching the stone tightly.

The creature let out an earsplitting roar, its fiery body coiling around them like a living inferno.

Alison raised his sword, though the look on his face suggested he knew it would do little against such a foe. "Ideas?"

Natasha stared at the Emberstone, its glow seeming to respond to the creature's presence. She felt a strange pull, as if the stone itself were urging her to act.

"I think... I think I can control it," she said, her voice uncertain.

"What?" Alison asked, glancing at her.

"The Emberstone. It's connected to this thing somehow. If I can harness its power..."

Alison hesitated, then nodded. "Do it. I'll buy you some time."

He charged at the creature, dodging its fiery strikes and shouting taunts to keep its attention on him. Meanwhile, Natasha closed her eyes, focusing on the Emberstone.

She felt its power resonate within her, a fiery energy that seemed to respond to her thoughts. Concentrating, she directed that energy toward the serpent.

The creature paused mid-attack, its fiery form flickering. Slowly, it turned its gaze toward Natasha, its burning eyes meeting hers.

"You will let us pass," she said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her.

For a moment, the serpent hesitated. Then, with a low rumble, it lowered its head, its flames dimming.

Alison stared in disbelief. "You did it."

Natasha exhaled shakily, the Emberstone's glow fading slightly as the serpent slithered back into the fissure.

"Let's not stick around to see if it changes its mind," she said, turning to Alison.

They hurried away, the Emberstone's weight heavy in Natasha's hands. The Burning Sands stretched out before them, but for the first time, the path forward seemed clear.