After the battle at the Ancient Rock Peak and securing the First Key, Raka and Moksa head to the ruins of the Sky Library—the only place said to hold the original records of the First Guardians. It is hidden behind the eternal clouds above the Lost Mountains. Their steps feel heavy, not from fatigue, but from the ominous feeling that hangs in the air. The surrounding mist feels strange, as if alive and watching them.
After penetrating the dense fog and rocky passages that resembled the bowels of the earth, they found a large wall relief—showing a glowing human silhouette surrounded by black shadows. Underneath it was written an ancient sentence:
"The land that does not shine, is the land that hides the True Light."
Raka frowned. "So all this time the Shadowless Land was not a curse... but a protection?"
Moksa traced the carving. "The True Light... means there is a source of power locked within the land of your birth."
Raka turned to the small altar in the center of the room—atop it was a stone map, showing the way to the Second Temple: the Temple of Light in the Darkness hidden in the heart of a now-dried lake.
"The Second Key is there," Raka hissed. Before they could go any further, however—a soft clap echoed from the shadows of the hallway.
"Interesting… even the son of the last guardian figured it out."
From behind the dark pillar, a strange figure appeared, clad in a jet-black robe, with his face covered by a blood-red metal mask. His eyes blazed like embers, and on his back hung a double-bladed scythe.
"My name is... Vargan. I come from the Reverse Order. And that key—is mine."
SCREAM!!
Raka immediately drew his sword, but Vargan only smiled.
"Take your time. I have not come to fight... yet."
"But... a warning to you, Adventurer: The Second Key is protected by the Reversed Light. And only those who are prepared to burn their souls may touch it."
"What do you mean?!" Raka snapped.
But Vargan had already disappeared into the shadows, blending into the darkness like smoke.
Moksa trembled. "I've read about the Order of the Reversed… They are the guardians of the path of Darkness. Those who reject balance and want the Light sacrificed."
"And it seems we will be facing them for a long time…" Raka clenched his fists, staring at the map.
"I will go to that lake. And if I must burn my soul for the True Light… then I will determine the flame myself."
That night, before leaving, Raka sat outside the ruins. The starless sky hung low.
But as he closed his eyes, he heard a voice…
"Raka… your blood is not just a guardian. You are part of the Original Light."
He opened his eyes. A faint figure of a glowing woman appeared before him, sitting on a rock.
"My mother…?" Raka hissed. But the figure disappeared instantly.
Moksa came out and saw her, stunned. "You saw it too, didn't you? The light that still lives inside you… means we are too late to hide it."
"Then," Raka stood up and resheathed his sword.
"Let us seek our destiny. The Second Key... and the answer to who I really am."
---
A thick fog covered the gray sky as Raka and Moksa descended a steep cliff into a valley that was once an ancient lake. It was said that the lake dried up not because of the season, but because the "Original Light" was planted at its bottom, drawing all the life essence around it. Now, the valley was nothing but a barren, rocky depression, its ground cracked and full of holes as if the earth had once cried.
"This... is quieter than death," Moksa said, looking around with a wary gaze.
Raka just nodded, his sharp eyes scanning the shadows between the rocks. "The temple should be at the bottom. We have to get down there before night falls."
Their journey continued down the valley that was getting deeper. Raka unrolled the stone map and matched the carvings with the valley walls. Suddenly, his steps stopped in front of a monolith stone as tall as two humans. On top of it, there was a symbol of a glowing eye wrapped in chains.
"The gate is behind this stone," Raka muttered. He placed his palm in the middle of the symbol.
DORRKKHH!
The ground shook. The monolith slowly split, revealing a narrow gap that gaped like a giant mouth. The scent of wet earth and something... ancient, wafted out. "Shall we go in now?"
Moksa asked. "There's no time to wait. Vargan knows this place. We can't be left behind."
They stepped inside.
The underground passage was dark, damp, and narrow. The walls were decorated with ancient paintings depicting glowing figures battling black, winged, horned creatures. Raka touched one of the reliefs.
"This is... the legend of the war of Light and Shadow. But look at this," he pointed to a small carving—a child standing between two forces.
"As if he chose neither Light nor Shadow... but combined the two?" Moksa asked.
Raka nodded. "Maybe that's our key."
They reached a large, dome-shaped chamber. In the center, a stone altar emitted a faint glow. However, before they could approach, a large shadow appeared around the room.
"You are too late."
Vargan stood on the altar, his double scythes spinning slowly in his hands. Behind him, two masked figures stood tall.
"The Reverse Order..." Moksa murmured.
Raka took a step forward. "The Second Key is not yours."
Vargan laughed lowly. "Oh, Raka... Son of the Shadowless Guardian. Even your blood doesn't fully know who it is. But it doesn't matter. Here, you will die with the Light."
ZRRRAAAKKK!
Two masked figures shot out at the same time. Raka and Moksa immediately scattered. Raka's sword clashed with the black scythe. Sparks exploded from their collision.
"Come on!" Raka shouted as he jumped onto the wall and pushed his body back toward his opponent. He spun in the air, slashing from above. The masked figure dodged, but Raka's small scythe lashed out from below and wounded his shoulder.
Moksa fought his opponent with a double-edged spear. He danced quickly, utilizing agility. But his opponent used shadows to attack from behind.
"Watch out! The shadows are alive!" shouted Moksa.
Vargan just stood on the altar, watching the duel coldly. But his eyes were directed at the Light below the altar.
Raka saw his intention. "Moksa! Hold them back! I have to go to the altar!"
Without waiting for an answer, Raka jumped onto the pillar, climbed the wall, and darted towards the altar. Vargan grinned and finally moved.
Bang!!
Scythe and sword clashed. The bang shook the dome. Vargan pushed Raka back with great force, then slashed from above. Raka blocked, but was pushed back and hit the pillar.
"You are nothing without understanding who you are!"
Raka stood up slowly, his face bleeding. But he looked Vargan in the eye calmly.
"Maybe. But I know one thing—I am not afraid of the dark. I was born from it."
CAAAAAAAHH!!
Raka lit the symbol on his hand—blinding white light poured out from the pores of his skin. Vargan was thrown back, screaming in pain. The True Light responded.
The altar opened to reveal the Second Key—an elongated crystal, glowing softly with a mixture of white and black. Raka reached for the crystal. As he touched it, the entire room shook. The shadowy figures vanished instantly. Vargan screamed, his body starting to burn from the inside.
"NO! It's not yours!!"
"It's not about who it belongs to," Raka replied. "It's about who can guard it."
In a great explosion of light, the room shook. The walls cracked. Vargan fled down another hallway, his body burning.
Moksa grabbed Raka. "We have to get out now!"
They ran down the narrow hallway, just before a rockfall blocked the way out.
---
When they finally emerged onto the surface, the light of dawn was beginning to touch the sky. Raka stood staring at the crystal of the Second Key in his hand.
"Now I know... the Shadowless Land is not a place where light has been abandoned. But a place where the Light is hidden, protected."
Moksa nodded. "And perhaps you... are the only one who can fully awaken the True Light."
In the distance, the mist thickened again. A pair of red eyes watched from behind a crack in the rocks again. The adventure was not over. And their true enemy... had yet to show his face.
To be continued...