Breaking the seal

The ground trembled beneath their feet as the stone guardian swung its colossal sword again. Jin-Won barely managed to roll out of the way before the blade crashed down, shattering the floor where he had stood just moments ago.

Hori groaned as he pulled himself up from the rubble. "Okay… I take it back. This thing is not fun."

Si-Yeon gritted her teeth, reinforcing her barrier as another shockwave struck them. "We can't keep this up forever!"

Lyria, still studying the glowing symbols, shouted, "I think I found something! The carvings on the wall—it's like a seal! If we activate them in the right order, we might be able to stop it!"

Jin-Won blocked another powerful strike, his arms shaking from the impact. "Then hurry!"

Hori wiped some dirt off his face and sighed. "Why is it always a puzzle?! Why can't we just smash things and move on?"

"Because smashing things gets us killed!" Lyria snapped as she traced the symbols, trying to decipher their meaning.

The guardian roared, its red eyes glowing brighter. The energy in the room intensified, the air crackling with raw power. It raised its sword for a final, devastating blow.

Si-Yeon's eyes widened. "Lyria, now would be a really good time!"

Lyria took a deep breath and pressed her hands against the carvings. The symbols flared to life one by one. The moment the last symbol lit up, the guardian froze in place, its red eyes flickering. Then, with a loud, grinding sound, it began to crumble.

Jin-Won exhaled heavily, lowering his sword. "That was… too close."

Hori collapsed onto the ground dramatically. "Please tell me there's no second phase. I'm so done with this temple."

Si-Yeon chuckled, exhausted but relieved. "Let's not wait around to find out."

As the dust settled, a hidden passage revealed itself behind where the guardian had stood. A faint blue light glowed from within, inviting them forward.

Jin-Won exchanged glances with the others. "Looks like our trial isn't over yet."

—To be continued…