THE ONE WHO WE COULDN'T SAVE

The journey was smooth at first, the sandhawk gliding effortlessly through the sky. But as they flew deeper into the desert, dark clouds began to gather on the horizon. A sandstorm was brewing.

The guide shouted from below, his voice barely audible over the wind. "Hold on tight! It's going to get rough!"

The wind roared as the sandstorm closed in, swirling around them like a living beast. The sandhawk let out a sharp cry, its wings straining to push through the turbulent air. The sky darkened, and the once clear desert became a sea of blinding sand.

"Hang on!" June shouted, gripping the saddle tightly as the sand lashed against her cloak.

Axel shielded his face, shouting over the wind. "This is bad! We need to land before we get blown off!"

The sandhawk struggled for control, flapping its wings with all its strength as it began to descend. The ground came into view a jagged cliffside with a narrow path leading toward a series of ancient stone ruins partially buried beneath the sand.

The guide turned his head, his voice barely audible. "We're close to the ruins! Hold on a little longer!"

With a final surge of effort, the sandhawk landed hard, skidding to a stop just outside the entrance. The group quickly dismounted, bracing against the storm.

"Everyone okay?" Cauis asked, brushing sand off his cloak.

June nodded, her eyes on the crumbling stone archway ahead. "Looks like we made it in one piece. Let's get inside before the storm gets worse."

The group rushed toward the entrance, their footsteps sinking into the soft sand. The ancient stone doors of the dungeon stood partially open, revealing a dark passage that led deep underground. Strange symbols etched into the stone glowed faintly, pulsing with an eerie blue light.

Cauis glanced at the glowing symbols. "Well, that's not ominous at all."

Kareem stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "These markings are wards… ancient ones. They're meant to keep something inside."

Axel cracked his knuckles. "Good thing we're just passing through, right?"

As they entered the dungeon, the temperature dropped sharply. The howling wind outside faded into silence, replaced by the distant drip of water and the echo of their footsteps. The air smelled of damp stone and something else… something ancient.

June raised her hand, summoning a faint light to illuminate the path ahead. "Stay close. We don't know what's waiting for us down here."

The air grew heavier as they ventured deeper into the ruins. The ancient stone corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, with worn carvings along the walls depicting battles long forgotten. The glowing symbols pulsed faintly, as if reacting to their presence.

Cauis narrowed his eyes as they entered a larger chamber. "Stay alert. If this place was sealed to protect a relic, there's no way it'll let us waltz right through."

He barely finished his sentence when a sudden click echoed beneath his boot.

"Uh-oh..." Cauis muttered, stepping back.

The floor rumbled as arrows shot from hidden slits in the walls, narrowly missing Axel, who dove to the ground. A large stone block slid down from the ceiling, blocking the way back.

"Traps! Everyone move!" June shouted, her light flickering as the walls began shifting around them.

Stone tiles cracked, revealing pits below filled with jagged spikes. The corridor ahead was lined with pressure plates, glowing faintly. Each one seemed ready to unleash a new danger.

Axel rolled back onto his feet, panting. "Why is it always traps? Can't these ancient people just leave their stuff unguarded for once?"

June scanned the room quickly, her eyes sharp. "We need to find a path through without triggering more. Watch your step. One wrong move and"

A sudden burst of flame shot across the room, cutting her off. Cauis grinned despite the situation. "I think we found the 'wrong move.'"

June raised her hand, frost forming at her fingertips. "I'll try to disable some of the fire traps. Axel, see if you can spot a way across."

Axel nodded and moved swiftly, his eyes scanning the floor. "There! That path looks safe relatively."

Cauis followed close behind, his movements careful but quick. He glanced back at June. "You coming?"

June's frost magic froze one of the pressure plates, disabling the trap before she hurried after them. The group weaved through the maze of traps, dodging arrows, fire blasts, and collapsing tiles until they finally reached the far side of the chamber, breathing hard but unharmed.

"Well," Axel said, wiping sweat from his brow. "That was fun."

Cauis smirked. "Define fun."

June shook her head, her light illuminating the next passageway. "Let's keep moving. The deeper we go, the worse it's going to get."

The corridor opened into a vast, dimly lit chamber. At the center of the room stood a colossal stone gate, ancient symbols carved into its surface, glowing faintly with blue light. Massive chains crisscrossed the gate, sealing whatever lay beyond.

Cauis approached the gate cautiously, eyes scanning the carvings. "This must be it… the entrance to the relic chamber."

Axel placed his hand on the cold stone. "Looks like it hasn't been opened in centuries."

Kareem frowned, his gaze fixed on the glowing symbols. "It's protected by ancient magic. This seal is strong. We'll need to disable it somehow."

Before they could investigate further, a deep rumble echoed through the chamber. The ground trembled beneath their feet as cracks formed in the stone floor. Dust and debris rained down from above.

A massive figure emerged from the shadows a towering stone golem with glowing red eyes and runes carved into its body. It raised a giant arm, its movements slow but deliberate, each step shaking the ground.

Cauis drew his weapon, eyes narrowing. "Looks like we've got company."

The golem let out a guttural roar, its voice like grinding stone, and charged at them with surprising speed. Its fist came crashing down, narrowly missing Axel, who rolled out of the way.

"Guardian of the gate!" June yelled, summoning a blast of ice to slow it down. "It's here to protect the relic. It won't stop until we're dead or gone!"

Axel leaped onto a nearby pillar, fists clenched. "Guess we'll have to break it before it breaks us!"

Cauis dodged another strike, slashing at the golem's arm with his blade, sparks flying. "Easier said than done! Its body's tougher than steel!"

June's eyes glowed faintly as she conjured a storm of ice shards, aiming for the glowing runes on the golem's chest. "Aim for the symbols! They're the source of its power!"

The battle raged on, the guardian relentless in its assault. Each time they struck it, chunks of stone fell away, but it continued to regenerate, the runes glowing brighter with every hit.

Axel grinned, his eyes glinting with excitement.

Cauis smirked. "Just don't get crushed while you're having fun."

June gathered her magic for one final attack. "I'll freeze its core. You two take it down while it's slowed!"

The ground quaked again as the golem roared, its stone fist slamming into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling across the chamber. The group scattered, dodging falling debris and avoiding cracks in the floor. Dust filled the air, mingling with the glow of the ancient runes on the golem's body.

Axel skidded to a stop, his eyes locked onto the guardian. "Alright, big guy. Let's dance!" He darted forward, fists clenched, weaving between the golem's powerful strikes.

The golem raised both arms, slamming them down with tremendous force. Axel narrowly avoided the impact, leaping onto the creature's arm and running up its shoulder. "June, hit it now!"

June raised her hands, summoning a whirlwind of frost. Shards of ice spiraled through the air, slamming into the glowing symbols on the golem's chest. "Cauis, I've weakened the rune! Take it out!"

Cauis charged in, his blade gleaming in the dim light. He aimed for the rune on its chest, slashing it with all his strength. Sparks flew as his sword bit into stone, leaving a deep gash across the glowing symbol.

The golem let out a pained groan, stumbling back. But instead of collapsing, it grew more aggressive. The light from its runes flickered wildly, and cracks began to spread across its body, leaking fiery energy. Its eyes burned brighter, and its attacks became faster, more erratic.

"It's going berserk!" June shouted, ice forming beneath her feet as she retreated to a safe distance.

Cauis grit his teeth, narrowly dodging a swing that would've crushed him. "We've got to end this before it brings the whole place down on our heads!"

The golem swung wildly, its massive arm sweeping across the room like a battering ram. Axel was knocked off balance, tumbling to the ground. The guardian loomed over him, its fist raised to deliver a crushing blow.

June reacted instantly, freezing the floor beneath the golem's feet. Its footing slipped, causing it to falter for a brief moment. "Axel, move!"

Axel rolled to his feet just in time, breathing heavily. "Thanks for the save, June. But I've had enough of this thing!" His fists glowed faintly with energy as he charged at the guardian again. He leapt into the air, slamming his fist into the same weakened rune on its chest with all his strength.

The impact echoed through the chamber, and cracks spread like spiderwebs across the golem's body. It let out a final roar, the runes dimming as its body began to crumble.

Cauis watched carefully, sword still raised. "Is it… done?"

The golem's torso cracked in half, revealing a pulsing orb of light embedded in its core. The orb floated in place for a moment before it burst into fragments, scattering across the floor. With that, the guardian collapsed entirely, its remains nothing more than rubble.

The group stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath. Axel glanced at the pile of debris. "That was tougher than I expected."

June wiped sweat from her brow, her breath steadying. "At least it's over… for now."

Cauis sheathed his sword, looking back toward the massive gate. "One obstacle down. Let's hope the next one isn't worse."

The faint glow of the runes on the gate flickered, then faded completely, leaving the ancient door unlocked. The air grew still once again.

The group gathered in front of the massive gate, its ancient stone surface engraved with symbols long forgotten by time. Now that the runes had dimmed, it seemed almost lifeless, yet a strange energy still lingered in the air.

Cauis pressed a hand against the cool stone. "This is it. The relic must be beyond this door."

"Let's open it," Axel said, stepping beside him. He grabbed the edge of the gate with both hands. "Ready?"

June nodded, preparing a spell just in case. "Be careful. There might be something else waiting on the other side."

With a deep breath, Cauis and Axel pushed the gate with all their strength. The ancient mechanisms groaned, dust and small bits of stone falling as the doors slowly parted, revealing what lay beyond.

A long, dark corridor stretched before them, illuminated by faintly glowing crystals embedded in the walls. The air was thick and heavy with magic, carrying a scent of earth and something ancient something powerful.

"Stay close," Cauis said, stepping into the corridor. His voice echoed softly off the stone walls. The others followed, their footsteps barely audible on the smooth floor.

As they ventured deeper, the corridor opened into a vast chamber. In its center stood a pedestal, atop which rested the relic a shimmering artifact radiating a soft, golden light. The air around it seemed to hum with energy.

"There it is," June whispered, her eyes fixed on the relic. "We found it."

Axel grinned. "Finally."

But before they could approach, a low rumble echoed through the chamber. The ground beneath their feet trembled, and from the shadows, stone figures began to stir more guardians, each one smaller than the first but faster, their eyes glowing a deep crimson.

"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," Cauis muttered, drawing his sword. "Looks like we've got one more fight ahead of us."

The stone guardians moved with surprising speed, their footsteps pounding against the chamber floor as they charged. Each was armed with jagged stone blades and shields carved from the same ancient rock, their movements precise and relentless.

"Spread out!" Cauis shouted, raising his sword to deflect an incoming strike. The force of the guardian's blade sent him sliding back a few steps, his arms vibrating from the impact.

Alisan spun her staff in a wide arc, sending a wave of magical force that pushed several guardians back. "We can't just keep hitting them! Aim for the glowing cores in their chests that's their weak spot!"

June raised her hand, ice magic swirling around her fingers. "Got it!" With a flick of her wrist, she launched a barrage of sharp icicles at the nearest guardian. One pierced its core, shattering it into a cloud of stone and dust. "One down!"

The battle raged on. More guardians poured from the walls, each one more determined than the last. Axel leapt into the air, slamming his fist down into the ground and sending a shockwave that threw several guardians off balance. Cauis weaved through the fray, slicing through cores with swift, precise strikes. Alisan's magic kept the others protected, creating barriers of light to shield them from incoming attacks.

But the guardians didn't let up. One lunged at June, forcing her to backpedal, nearly losing her balance. Before it could strike, Axel appeared in a blur of speed, slamming his shoulder into the creature and knocking it aside. "Got your back, June!"

"Thanks!" she said, regaining her footing and freezing the guardian in place.

Meanwhile, Cauis locked eyes with the largest guardian at the center of the room. Its core glowed brighter than the others, pulsing with energy. "That's the leader," he muttered. "Take it down, and the rest should fall!"

"On it!" Axel and Alisan flanked the creature, while June unleashed a torrent of frost to slow it down. Cauis charged straight for the core, dodging its heavy strikes with practiced ease. With a final, powerful swing of his sword, he struck the core dead center.

The guardian froze, its glow fading as cracks spread across its body. The other guardians faltered and crumbled to dust. Silence fell over the chamber once more.

Cauis lowered his sword, catching his breath. "Everyone okay?"

Axel wiped sweat from his brow. "Yeah, but that was intense."

June looked at the now unguarded relic, her eyes shining with curiosity and relief. "We did it. The relic is ours."

Alisan nodded, her staff glowing softly as she scanned the chamber. "Let's grab it and get out of here before something else wakes up."

Cauis stepped toward the pedestal, his hand hovering over the relic. "Here we go," he said, his voice steady but filled with anticipation.

As he touched the relic, a golden light filled the chamber, and the ground began to tremble once more…