Chapter 26: Ancestral Trial Part 1

The two ventured down the narrow corridor, the air growing colder and more stifling with every step. The walls were lined with ancient carvings, their meanings obscured by time. Strange whispers echoed faintly, but when they paused to listen, the sound would stop, only to resume as soon as they moved again.

"I don't like this," Jessica muttered, her blade at the ready. Frost coated her weapon, her Earth Rank aura flaring slightly as she prepared for an ambush.

"Neither do I," Xavier agreed, his senses on high alert. "But we keep moving."

As they pressed deeper into the uncharted section, the corridor opened into a vast chamber. The walls glowed faintly with blue runes, and in the center of the room stood a massive, ornate door. The carvings on the door depicted a fierce dragon, its eyes glowing red as if alive.

"Is this… the legacy?" Jessica asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before Xavier could respond, the dragon's eyes flared brighter, and the ground beneath them trembled. The runes on the walls began to shift, forming into humanoid figures made of stone and energy.

"Guardians," Xavier muttered, readying his spear.

"There's always guardians," Jessica said with a wry grin, ice coating her hands as she prepared to fight.

The first guardian lunged at Xavier with surprising speed, its stone fists glowing with energy. Xavier sidestepped, using his Soul Dash to evade the attack and counter with a precise thrust of his spear. The infernal weapon burned through the guardian's chest, shattering it into rubble.

Jessica faced two guardians at once, her movements fluid as she unleashed a flurry of ice attacks. Her blade danced through the air, freezing one guardian solid before shattering it with a powerful strike. The second guardian tried to overpower her, but she summoned an icy barrier to block its attack before delivering a devastating blow to its core.

More guardians emerged from the walls, their movements relentless and coordinated. Xavier and Jessica fought back-to-back, their attacks complementing each other perfectly. But the guardians seemed endless, and their energy strikes began to wear them down.

"Xavier!" Jessica called out, breathing heavily. "We need to end this!"

"I'm working on it!" he replied, his spear glowing with fiery energy as he activated its second form.

Summoning every ounce of his strength, Xavier unleashed a massive wave of fire, engulfing the remaining guardians. The heat was so intense that even the runes on the walls flickered and dimmed. When the flames subsided, the chamber was silent, and the guardians were nothing but ash and rubble.

Jessica leaned against her blade, catching her breath. "Remind me never to follow a mysterious voice again."

Xavier chuckled, wiping sweat from his brow. "No promises."

With the guardians defeated, the massive dragon-etched door slowly creaked open, revealing a staircase that descended into darkness. A faint golden glow emanated from the depths, calling to Xavier like a siren's song.

Jessica placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure about this?"

Xavier nodded. "Whatever's down there, it's tied to my bloodline. I have to see it through."

Jessica hesitated for a moment before stepping aside. "Just be careful. I'll hold the entrance."

Xavier gave her a grateful look before descending the staircase, the door closing behind him with a resounding thud.

Xavier tightened his grip on his infernal spear as the voice faded, leaving only an ominous silence. The staircase opened into a vast cavern, its icy walls glimmering faintly under the golden light emanating from an unseen source. In the center of the chamber, a swirl of frost and wind began to gather, coalescing into the towering form of an ice wyvern.

The creature's wings spanned nearly the entire cavern, each beat sending waves of frigid air through the room. Its crystalline scales shimmered like diamonds, and its piercing blue eyes locked onto Xavier with an intensity that made his blood run cold.

"First trial?" Xavier muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the cavern. "This feels more like a death sentence."

The wyvern let out a bone-chilling roar, the sound reverberating through the cavern and shaking the very ground beneath Xavier's feet. Frost began to creep along the floor, threatening to freeze everything in its path.

Xavier lunged forward, using his Soul Dash to close the distance between him and the wyvern in a blink. His infernal spear glowed with fiery energy as he struck at the creature's chest. The wyvern, however, was fast—faster than he anticipated. With a flick of its tail, it deflected his strike, sending him skidding backward.

Recovering quickly, Xavier dodged a blast of icy breath that froze a large portion of the ground. The temperature in the cavern plummeted, and frost began to cling to his armor and weapon.

"This thing's no joke," Xavier muttered, circling the wyvern as it watched him like a predator toying with its prey.

The wyvern struck again, this time with its massive claws. Xavier ducked under the swipe and retaliated with a powerful thrust, aiming for the creature's wing joint. The spear connected, fire searing through the icy scales, and the wyvern let out a pained roar. But before Xavier could press his advantage, the wyvern slammed him with its tail, sending him crashing into the cavern wall.

Gritting his teeth, Xavier pushed himself to his feet, his entire body aching from the impact. He realized that brute force wouldn't be enough to take down this opponent. The wyvern's icy aura was draining his stamina, and its speed made it difficult to land decisive blows.

"Alright," he said, narrowing his eyes. "Time to get creative."

He activated his Infernal Blade of Enlightenment: Second Form, channeling the fire element into his spear until it burned brightly, melting the frost around him. Then, drawing on his recently learned Spiritual Soul Energy, he focused his mind on the wyvern's movements, searching for a pattern or weakness.

The wyvern roared again, launching another blast of icy breath. This time, Xavier dashed to the side, using his speed to evade and flank the creature. He struck at its hind leg, and the spear's fiery tip pierced through the thick scales, eliciting another roar of pain.

But the wyvern wasn't done. It spread its massive wings, sending a shockwave of icy wind that forced Xavier to brace himself. The frostbite on his skin worsened, and his movements began to slow.

As Xavier struggled to keep up, an idea formed in his mind. The wyvern's power was its ice, but it was also its weakness. If he could push it to overexert its abilities, he might have a chance.

"Alright, big guy," Xavier said, twirling his spear. "Let's see if you can keep up."

He began darting around the cavern, attacking the wyvern from different angles. Each time it retaliated, it unleashed powerful bursts of icy energy, freezing more of the cavern and exhausting itself in the process.

Finally, the wyvern lunged at him, its jaws snapping shut inches from his head. Xavier leaped onto its back, driving his spear into the base of its neck. The creature thrashed violently, trying to shake him off, but he held on, channeling all his remaining spiritual energy into the weapon.

With one final surge of power, Xavier unleashed a devastating soul attack, overwhelming the wyvern's defenses. The energy coursed through its body, and the ice that made up its form began to crack and shatter.

The wyvern let out a final roar before collapsing, its body disintegrating into a flurry of snow and frost.

Xavier dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. The cavern grew quiet once more, the oppressive cold lifting slightly. In the center of the room, where the wyvern had fallen, a glowing crystal appeared, radiating a faint blue light.

"A reward?" Xavier murmured, reaching for the crystal.

As his hand touched it, the voice from before returned.

"Well done, dragon-blooded warrior. You've passed the first trial. But be warned—this is only the beginning."

The crystal's light enveloped Xavier, and he felt a surge of energy course through him, rejuvenating his body and mending his wounds. His strength felt renewed, but he knew the challenges ahead would only grow more perilous.

Straightening himself, Xavier tightened his grip on his spear and turned toward the next corridor. There was no turning back now.