Chapter 43: The First Encounter

Chapter 43: The First Encounter

The sun was high in the sky when the old man and the wizard arrived at a deep valley in the heart of the desert. Surrounded by jagged cliffs, the place seemed untouched by time, as if it had been forgotten for centuries. There, in the center of the valley, something caught their attention: an ancient stone building, worn by wind and sand, but still imposing, withstanding the forces of nature.

"This is the place," said the wizard, feeling the powerful energy emanating from the structure. "The energies here are strong... and ancient. We must be careful."

The old man looked at the building, a mixture of fascination and caution in his eyes. "Whatever is kept here, we had better be prepared to face it."

As they approached, they noticed symbols engraved on the stones around the entrance. They were ancient runes, almost illegible, but still pulsating with an invisible force. The wizard paused for a moment, studying the symbols carefully. "These runes were meant to keep something sealed," he said. "But time has weakened the seal... it is about to break." The old man placed his hand on the stone door, feeling the cold, rough surface beneath his fingers. "If something is about to escape, we must find out what it is and how to stop it." With a combined effort, they pushed the heavy door open, which slowly gave way, revealing a dark, silent interior. They entered, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls, until the sunlight was swallowed by total darkness. The mage, without hesitation, conjured a small, floating flame, which lit the path ahead. The corridor was narrow and winding, spiraling downwards, as if to draw the intruders deeper and deeper into the heart of the earth. The air was thick, thick with dust and an oppressive feeling that seemed to weigh heavily on their shoulders. Eventually, the corridor opened into a large underground chamber. In the center of the room, a massive statue dominated the space. The figure, carved in black stone, represented a creature half human, half beast, with eyes that seemed to follow their every move.

"This is what was sealed," the wizard muttered as he cautiously approached the statue. "This is an ancient guardian, placed here to protect something... or to prevent something from leaving."

Before they could examine it more closely, the ground began to shake beneath their feet. The statue, which had seemed inert for centuries, began to move. The old man immediately drew his sword, placing himself in a defensive position. The wizard took a few steps back, preparing a spell, knowing that they would face a formidable adversary.

The creature let out a deep roar that reverberated off the walls of the chamber, and its eyes, previously dim, now glowed with a sinister light. Wasting no time, it advanced towards the two, its sharp claws ready to tear apart anything in its path.

The old man dodged the first attack, rolling to the side and cutting the creature's leg with precision, trying to slow it down. The mage launched a blast of energy at the guardian, forcing it to retreat for a moment. But the monster was relentless, charging back with even more ferocity.

The battle was intense, the old man and the mage working in perfect harmony, each compensating for the other's weaknesses. But the guardian was powerful, and each blow he landed made the entire chamber shake.

Finally, in one swift movement, the old man managed to strike a weak point in the creature's stone armor, while the mage conjured a final wave of magic that enveloped the guardian in blue flames. The monster let out an agonized scream before shattering, the pieces of stone falling to the ground with a deafening crash.

When silence finally reigned in the chamber, the two stood, breathing heavily, looking at the remains of what had once been the mighty guardian. "We did it," the wizard said, almost in disbelief. "But that was just the beginning. Whatever he was guarding is closer to being unleashed." The old man wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around the chamber. At the back of the room, now visible after the guardian's destruction, was a smaller door, sealed with more runes. "We must continue," he said, determined. "We cannot stop now. Whatever lies beyond this door, we must face it before it is too late." And so, gathering their strength, they prepared for the next challenge, aware that the true danger still lurked, waiting for the right moment to strike.