The air inside the cave vibrated. Faintly, Raka and Moksa could feel a threatening aura from behind the darkness, but they continued forward without turning around. The pair of red eyes were still lurking, spying on their every move from behind the ruins of ancient pillars. Unmoving, unbreathing—just waiting for the right moment to pounce. They found a branching corridor. In the middle, a small altar stood, emitting a dim blue light.
Moksa crouched down to examine it. "This is where the direction of the search is determined," he murmured, pointing to the faintly glowing symbols.
> "The first key: Hidden at the Peak of Death, where the wind whispers the names of fallen kings."
Raka clenched his fists. "We're going there."
They rushed out of the underground library, through narrow corridors, and up to the surface. When the sunlight greeted them again, the desert sands seemed to scream in the wild wind. But behind them, something also slowly emerged from the darkness—a pair of red eyes were now clearly visible. The figure was tall, with cracked gray skin like stone, and long, gleaming claws. It smiled, showing rows of sharp teeth, and followed them silently.
---
The journey to Death Peak was not easy. They had to traverse stormy deserts, climb jagged cliffs, and pass through the ruins of dead cities. Each step took them deeper into long-abandoned lands. The wind around them whispered, as if telling tales of armies lost in an ancient war.
"This place... is not just a graveyard," Moksa said, examining the skulls half-buried in the sand. "This is the battlefield where the last kings fought Daksha."
Raka stared straight ahead. "We must hurry. Every second we waste, Daksha is getting closer to his resurrection." And little did they know, the red-eyed figure was now walking closer, his steps as quiet as the shadow of death. ---
ATTACK FROM THE SHADOWS:
As night fell and the stars shone pale in the sky, Raka and Moksa set up a small camp on a rocky hillside. They took turns guarding each other.
But when it was Moksa's turn to rest, something lunged out of the darkness!
WUUUUSSHH!!
Raka immediately drew his sword, blocking the large claws that nearly slashed his neck. The creature jumped back, growling ferociously. Its body was covered in some kind of natural black armor, and from its back, a pair of torn wings stretched out like a shield.
"I finally found you, the last heir..." the creature hissed in a cracking voice.
The fight broke out wildly under the starlight! Raka spun around, avoiding the slash of its sharp claws. He jumped to a high rock, then slid down while slashing his sword—
CLAAANGG!!
The sword slammed into the creature's armor, sending sparks flying!
The creature hissed in pain, then attacked back with terrifying speed. Its claws and fangs rained down on Raka without mercy! Raka held on with all his might. But a powerful blow hit his chest and sent him flying hard, crashing into a rock.
"You are weak..." the creature whispered. "You will never find the key before Daksha rises."
Blood dripped from the corner of Raka's lips, but his eyes burned with burning determination. He rose, tightening his grip on his heirloom sword.
"I don't care who you are... I will surpass my limits!"
With a roar of passion, Raka charged forward— jumping, spinning, and stabbing his sword straight into the creature's chest!
CRACK!!
The black armor cracked! The creature roared in pain and tried to grab Raka, but Moksa, who had woken up, immediately threw a glowing spear at the creature!
DOOOOOMM!!
A small explosion lit up the night, sending the creature crashing to the bottom of the valley! As the dust settled, they saw the creature crawling, disappearing into the shadows.
"This isn't over yet, Raka..." it said before disappearing.
---
Raka and Moksa, out of breath, continued their journey to the top. Each step felt heavier, as if there was an invisible weight pressing down on them. Dead trees and black rocks filled their path. The sound of the wind now sounded like the whispers of hundreds of lost souls.
Finally, they reached the top. There, stood a giant stone altar with carvings of a dragon and a sun. In the center of the altar, was embedded a silver spear that emitted a soft blue light.
"That's it... The first key."
But as Raka approached to pick it up, the ground around him shook. From within the altar, a stone guardian rose—a giant with a steel body and glowing red eyes!
GROOAAAAHHHHH!!
The stone guardian roared, his voice echoing loudly, sending small rocks falling from the cliffs around them. His body was as big as a small tower, his armor cracked and decorated with ancient carvings. In his right hand, a giant hammer made of stone that could destroy a small mountain in one swing. Raka drew his heirloom sword, his breath heavy, his eyes sharp. Moksa stood behind him, hands ready with ancient magic spells.
"My attacks won't be enough to defeat him," Moksa said quickly.
"You have to make him open his guard!" "I'll bait him," Raka replied, tightening the ties on his gloves.
WHAM!!
The guard swung his giant hammer. Raka rolled to the side, avoiding the impact that shattered the ground into a large crater!
Dust flew, the ground cracked. The hammer swept through the air with a roar, slashing dead trees like weeds. Raka moved quickly, stepping on a large rock, then jumped high— swinging his sword hard at the Guardian's shoulder!
CRAAANG!!
The sword bounced! The giant's body was as hard as steel! But Raka saw a small crack under the Guardian's armpit—his weak point!
"Moksa, get ready!!" he shouted.
The guard roared in anger and swung his hammer wildly. Raka ran, jumping from rock to rock, avoiding each deadly swing.
"Now!"
Moksa raised both his hands— sharp stone pillars protruded from the ground, holding the guard's feet in a tight grip!
Raka didn't waste the opportunity. With full speed, he shot like an arrow, jumping over the Guard's arm, and—
BRUUUTTT!!
Thrusting his sword deep into the weak point in the armpit! The guard roared in pain, trying to grab Raka, but his body began to shake wildly.
"You're not fast enough!!" Raka snapped as he stabbed even deeper.
Instantly, a blast of blue energy shot out from within the Guardian's body, slamming into the surroundings! The ground shook, rocks flew. Moksha protects himself with a magic shield. Raka fell to the ground, rolled hard for several meters, but he quickly got up. In front of them, the stone Guard finally collapsed slowly— Its giant body cracked, broke, then collapsed into fragments of ancient rock.
Silence.
Only the sound of the wind rustling softly on the peak. Raka walked unsteadily towards the altar, and with both hands, he pulled out the Silver Spear of the First Key. The spear pulsed, as if alive, flowing pure energy into his body.
"We have obtained one key," said Raka as he looked up at the red sky at dusk. "But this is just the beginning..."
---
But from afar, hidden behind the purple mist, the red eyes burned again. Now, another figure appeared beside him—larger, darker, with a cracked crown on its head.
> "Let them... The deeper they go, the more there is no way out for them."
Large, heavy footsteps slowly sounded away from the peak, toward where a darker world awaited.
To be continued...