Bab 21: Chapter 21: The First Trial
The clearing erupted into chaos as the shadowy figures emerged from the forest. Their forms twisted and unnatural, they moved with an eerie fluidity, their glowing red eyes fixed on Azarion. They carried crude weapons forged from blackened metal, their edges shimmering faintly with dark energy.
Sera loosed her first arrow before they could get too close. It flew true, piercing the nearest shadow's chest, but instead of falling, the creature merely staggered back, snarling as tendrils of darkness spread from the wound.
"They're not normal," Sera warned, quickly nocking another arrow.
"I noticed," Azarion replied, raising the shard. The crystal pulsed with light, and as he willed its energy to manifest, a barrier of shimmering gold formed around him and Sera. The first wave of shadows struck the barrier, their attacks rebounding in flashes of light, but the energy within the shard began to dim with each blow.
"We can't stay defensive forever," Sera said, loosing another arrow.
Azarion nodded. "Then we fight."
He stepped forward, dissolving the barrier and letting the shard's energy flow into his hands. A golden blade formed in his grip, humming with power. Without hesitation, he charged into the fray, the blade cutting through the shadows like a hot knife through butter.
The creatures screamed as they were struck, their forms dissipating into black mist, but for every one that fell, two more seemed to take its place.
Sera kept her distance, her arrows raining down with precision. Each shot aimed for a weak point—a joint, a glowing eye, or the core of their twisted forms. Still, the sheer number of enemies pressed them both.
"They're endless!" Sera shouted, backpedaling as one of the shadows lunged at her.
Azarion turned just in time to see it, hurling a bolt of golden light that disintegrated the creature mid-leap. "Stay close! We can't afford to get separated."
Despite their efforts, the shadows continued to close in. The clearing felt smaller with every passing moment, the ancient tree at its center casting long shadows that seemed to move of their own accord.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, and a deep, guttural roar echoed through the forest. The shadows halted, their heads snapping toward the sound as if in fear.
"What was that?" Sera asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Before Azarion could answer, the earth split open near the altar, and a massive figure began to rise. It was a creature unlike the others, its form towering and monstrous, with jagged armor-like scales and eyes that burned like twin suns. It carried a colossal, rune-inscribed blade that seemed to drink in the light around it.
"A warden," Azarion muttered, recognizing the type of guardian described in his grandfather's ancient texts.
The warden let out another roar, raising its blade and slamming it into the ground. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the clearing, knocking both Azarion and Sera off their feet.
Azarion scrambled to his knees, gripping the shard tightly. "This is the first trial," he realized aloud.
Sera groaned, pushing herself up. "A little warning next time would be nice."
The warden began its slow, deliberate march toward them, its blade dragging behind it and carving deep furrows into the ground.
Azarion stood, his golden blade reforming in his hand. "We take it down together. I'll keep its attention—you look for an opening."
"Got it," Sera replied, already drawing another arrow.
Azarion charged forward, meeting the warden head-on. The creature swung its massive blade in a wide arc, but Azarion ducked beneath it, countering with a slash of his own. The golden blade struck the warden's armored hide, sending sparks flying but leaving only a shallow cut.
"This thing's tough!" Azarion shouted, dodging another swing.
Sera circled around the warden, her keen eyes scanning for weaknesses. She spotted a faint glow at the base of its neck, just above the chest plate. Without hesitation, she fired an arrow, aiming for the glowing spot.
The arrow struck true, eliciting a roar of pain from the warden as it staggered back. Azarion seized the opportunity, leaping onto the creature's arm and driving his blade into the weak point.
The warden howled, flailing wildly as it tried to dislodge him. Azarion held on, the shard's energy surging through him as he drove the blade deeper.
"Now, Sera!" he shouted.
Sera unleashed a volley of arrows, each one finding its mark in the creature's exposed weak point. The warden's movements grew sluggish, its roars fading to a low rumble as its form began to dissolve into golden light.
As the warden collapsed, the light coalesced into a single point, hovering above the altar. Azarion jumped down, breathing heavily as he approached the glowing sphere.
"What is it?" Sera asked, joining him.
Azarion reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he touched the light. It flowed into him, filling him with warmth and energy. The shard in his hand flared brightly, its surface now inscribed with new runes.
"It's part of the Eternal Flame," Azarion said, his voice filled with awe. "We've taken the first step."
The forest grew silent once more, the shadows gone, and the air felt lighter. But as Azarion and Sera exchanged a glance, they both knew this was only the beginning. The trial had awakened something far greater, and their journey was about to become even more perilous.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone