That voice scraped through the silence of the underground chamber like two stone slabs grinding against each other. Just four words, but bearing the weight of five buried centuries. The Guardian didn't move, its body of fused human and demon statue fragments merely standing to form an inharmonious silhouette beneath the pale blue crystal light. Its ruby eyes glowed a dim red, staring straight at Nyxaria—precisely, at the [Treaty Stone] she still held.
Legitimacy. It's asking for proof that I deserve to hold this. Not just power. But authority. Mara's thoughts raced, accessing her eight-thousand-hour memory bank. Usually, legitimacy tests in dungeons require quest items or keywords. But this isn't an ordinary dungeon—this is a pact guardian. Perhaps it needs a signature? Blood? Or... maybe just presenting the stone itself is enough?
Nyxaria didn't answer. She raised the [Treaty Stone] to chest height, letting the faint light from Aurelius and Nyxaria's signatures on its surface reflect into the Guardian's eyes. Her action was simple, calm, without threat. But inside, Mara clenched control on the [Veil of the Forgotten Queen]. If wrong move, battle. Level 120. Not a major problem, but we have Lumi here. Collateral damage risk.
The Guardian was silent for three seconds that felt like three hours. Lumi gripped Nyxaria's robe tighter, her small hands trembling faintly. Seris and Lazarus remained in ready positions, but did not attack—they were waiting for a signal.
Then, the Guardian's ruby eyes changed.
Their red light dimmed, replaced by a cold blue glow that radiated brighter, sharper. A low rumbling sound emanated from its body, not as words, but as vibrations that traveled through the stone floor. Fine cracks appeared on its arms and chest, and from within those cracks seeped the same blue light.
"Resonance... confirmed," the Guardian spoke again, its tone altered. From heavy and threatening to more... flat. Neutral. "Bearer of stone acknowledged. However, legitimacy must be tested through battle."
"What?" Seris hissed, her daggers still drawn. "You just confirmed!"
"Confirmation of ownership. Testing legitimacy through conflict is protocol." The Guardian raised one of its hands fashioned from winged statue fragments. That hand opened, and from its palm, a blue light pattern radiated to the cave ceiling, projecting a series of circular runes above them. "The Pact Guardian must ensure that the bearer possesses the power to defend the truth. If you lose, the stone will be reclaimed. If you win... knowledge shall be given."
Ah. Typical dungeon boss mechanic. "Prove your worth through combat." Mara sighed internally. But usually the test is level-appropriate. This is level 120, we should manage with a level 70-80 party. But... She glanced at Lumi still hiding behind her. Must be quick. Minimize exposure.
"We don't have a choice, do we?" Lazarus exclaimed, his hands already glowing dark green. "Alright! Let's give a performance worthy of an old stone guardian!"
"Seris, Lazarus, defensive formation. Protect Lumi," Nyxaria ordered, her voice remaining flat. "I'll handle this."
"My lord, it's level 120—" Lazarus protested.
"And I'm level 999. This isn't a fight. This is a formality." Nyxaria handed the [Treaty Stone] to Seris. "Hold this. Do not let it break."
Seris accepted the stone carefully, then pulled Lumi further back, near the exit stairs. Lazarus moved his hands, summoning three rotating bone shields that formed a triangular formation before them.
The Guardian didn't wait any longer. Its heavy body suddenly shot forward with speed unreasonable for its size—like a stone hurled from a giant catapult. The floor shook violently with each step. It swung its left hand, a mass of horned demon statue debris, striking toward Nyxaria.
Nyxaria didn't dodge.
She raised her right hand, palm open. The impact produced an ear-splitting shockwave, hurling dust and small fragments from the floor and walls. But Nyxaria remained standing in place, her hand halting that punch without swaying in the slightest. Even her robe barely fluttered. STR 9,999 versus... perhaps STR 2,000-3,000? This is like an adult stopping a toddler's punch. Mara's thoughts were sardonic. But she wasn't careless. In games, guardians usually have phase mechanics.
The Guardian pulled back its hand, then both its blue eyes glowed brightly. From the sun and moon symbol on its chest, two thin rays—one golden, one purplish—shot out, merging in the air into a spiral of energy spinning rapidly toward Nyxaria.
"Mixed light and darkness magic!" Lazarus shouted. "That can bypass mono-element defenses!"
Nyxaria understood. She couldn't rely on [Veil] or ordinary physical defense. But she possessed [Phase Shift]. That skill rendered her incorporeal for four seconds, immune to all damage. But its cooldown was one minute. Better save it for an emergency.
Instead, she extended her left hand, gathering her raw INT energy. She didn't use [World Edit] or major authority skills—too risky for something that was merely a test. Instead, she visualized a simple shield: a dense layer of pure power.
That energy spiral struck the shield. No dramatic explosion. Just a long hissing sound, like hot iron plunged into water, before both energies neutralized each other and vanished.
The Guardian paused for a moment, as if processing. "Pure power... without element. Not taking sides." Its voice echoed. "Suitable."
Then it entered phase two.
Its body shook violently, and from every crack in its form, that blue light radiated out like laser beams, slicing the air randomly in all directions. Those lasers weren't merely hot—they left static energy trails that made hair stand on end. One beam touched the floor near Lazarus's feet, and that stone immediately blackened, cracked, then crumbled to dust.
"Area denial skill!" Seris shouted. "Don't get touched!"
Lazarus quickly reinforced his bone shields, but one laser beam touched a shield and it instantly shattered into pieces. "Hey! That was expensive, you know!"
Nyxaria saw the attack pattern. Those lasers moved randomly, but their source was the Guardian's body. And they all issued from cracks—from points where human and demon statue fragments merged. Perhaps its weak point is at those joints. Must disable it without destroying it.
She decided not to use [Void Severance] or [Abyssal Chains]—too destructive. Instead, she activated [Sovereign's Barrier], a damage-absorbing shield equivalent to 150% of her HP. Lasers that struck that shield were absorbed without leaving a trace. Nyxaria walked forward, penetrating the laser rain, approaching the Guardian.
The Guardian ceased the lasers and raised both hands high, preparing to strike with full force. But before its hands descended, Nyxaria was already before it. She didn't attack. She merely placed her fingertip on the Guardian's chest, directly in the center of the sun and moon symbol.
"Enough," she said, her voice low but cutting through the rumble. She channeled a fraction of her INT energy—not to attack, but to disrupt the magic flow inside the Guardian's body. Like pressing the reset button on a jammed machine.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The Guardian froze. Its hands halted in the air. The blue light from its cracks dimmed, then extinguished. Its blue eyes blinked several times, then returned to a dim red light, but this time more stable, not threatening.
"Legitimacy test... complete," the Guardian spoke, quieter. It lowered its hands, then took a heavy step backward. "Your power is unquestioned. More than sufficient. Even... exceeding the original signatories."
Nyxaria withdrew her hand. Her barrier dimmed. She glanced back; Seris and Lazarus relaxed their vigilance, though remained ready. Lumi peeked from behind Seris's robe, her heterochromatic eyes full of curiosity.
"Now," the Guardian said, its voice returning to that grinding stone quality, but with a more... human tone. "You carry the pact's sign. That means you are the awaited heir."
It turned, its heavy steps echoing in the underground chamber, and walked toward the now-empty altar. There, it knelt—or at least, bent the part resembling a knee—and placed its large hand on the altar's surface. "I am the Guardian. Forged from the remains of those who swore in this place, granted consciousness to guard the truth until someone worthy claims it. It has been five hundred years."
Lazarus approached slowly, his intellectual curiosity overcoming caution. "You... are an eyewitness? You saw the pact being signed?"
"More than that," the Guardian answered, its stone head turning toward them. "I am a fusion of them. Soul fragments of human knights and demon lords who swore to no longer kill each other. They united the remnants of their consciousness into the stone and statues in this temple, creating me, so I would remember when they could no longer."
The air in that room grew heavier, not from threat, but from the weight of history that had suddenly become tangible. Seris carefully approached, still holding the [Treaty Stone].
"Tell us," Nyxaria requested. She stood upright, but inside, Mara felt her chest tighten. This is no longer lore in a book. This is a living witness.
The Guardian began to tell. Its voice echoed, monotone, but every word felt etched in painful memories.
"The war against the 'Seeds of Destruction' from the sky nearly destroyed the world. Two enemies—the Kingdom of Light and the Monarchy of Darkness—united to face the common threat. They won, but at a grievous cost. In this temple, upon the stone you now hold, King Aurelius and Queen Nyxaria clasped hands. They signed a peace pact. The fragrance of hope in that hour... even stones could perceive it."
It paused for a moment, the light in its eyes flickering. "But fear is stronger than hope. The Church leaders, who did not fight on the front lines, feared their demon allies had grown too powerful. They feared peace would diminish their influence. So they plotted betrayal."
"A victory feast was held in the human capital. They poisoned the wine meant for demon negotiators. Not a lethal poison—but a poison that weakens, clouds the mind. When the demon forces were off guard, the Church's special forces, The Winged Inquisitors, attacked. They massacred the demons who were feasting. And most vile..." The Guardian tilted its head, as if seeing something distant. "They also slaughtered their own human forces who refused the order. So there would be no witnesses who could challenge their narrative."
Seris covered her mouth with her hand. Lazarus hissed, his sound full of fury. Lumi just stared at the Guardian, her dead gray eyes seemingly processing every word.
"The original Queen Nyxaria," the Guardian continued, its voice growing heavier. "She tried to halt the massacre. She screamed for both sides to stop. But... her own demon forces no longer trusted her. Some demon lords had been bribed by the Church with promises of power. They stabbed her from behind, calling her a traitor who had sold them to humans. She was trapped. Betrayed by her human allies, betrayed by her own subordinates."
Mara felt something cold trace down her spine. Not anger. But a profound ache. She died trying to preserve peace. Not because she sought to destroy the world. They made her a scapegoat to conceal their own atrocities.
"She fell," the Guardian concluded, the light in its eyes dimming. "The world chose to believe the more comfortable lie. The Church rewrote history. The Monarchy of Darkness shattered into a collection of fragmented tribes. And this temple... was forgotten. I was tasked to wait. Wait for one who would bring that stone back, and possess the strength to hear the truth."
The silence that filled that room was denser than before. Even the whispers of the Whispering Forest above seemed to honor this moment.
Then, the system reacted.
[System Feedback]
Guardian Entity: Pacified.
Historical Record: Verified.
Threat Designation: Neutralized.
No dramatic announcement. Just a cold note that the threat had ended. But for Mara, that note was like an official seal upon the truth she had already suspected.
"My lord," Lazarus whispered, his voice hoarse. "This... is worse than we imagined."
"This is evil," Seris hissed, gripping the [Treaty Stone] tighter. "They didn't just kill. They assassinated a character. An entire race's honor."
Nyxaria nodded, slowly. She approached the still-kneeling Guardian. "You've waited long. What do you desire now?"
The Guardian raised its head. "My task is complete. The truth has been delivered. That stone is now yours. I... can rest. Or, if you permit, I can follow you. Protect that evidence. I still possess strength."
Mara considered quickly. Bring a level 120 golem to Sanctuary? A potent combat asset. But also attracts attention. And... there's something amiss. This Guardian is part of this temple. It is the memory keeper. Removing it from here is like tearing a page from a history book.
"No," Nyxaria answered finally. "Remain here. Guard this temple. Let this place stand as a silent witness. If someday the world requires proof beyond a mere stone, they will find you here."
The Guardian was silent for a moment, then nodded—a heavy motion that made its debris-constructed shoulders creak. "Wise. I shall remain. But know... taking that stone will not pass without consequence. The Church has eyes everywhere. They know this stone exists. They may have already sensed the disturbance in the temple's seal when you claimed it."
"They'll hunt us," Seris concluded.
"They'll dispatch Inquisitors," the Guardian said, its tone becoming a warning. "Not ordinary forces. They are hunters of forbidden truth—specialists in locating and destroying artifacts and witnesses that threaten the Church's narrative. Their levels are high. Their methods... without mercy."
Lazarus sighed dramatically. "Oh, splendid. So besides mafia guilds and holy armies, now we must also worry about fanatical artifact hunters? Life with my lord is never dull!"
Nyxaria ignored Lazarus's comment. She looked at the Guardian. "What is your counsel?"
"Leave swiftly. Leave no trail. That stone... safeguard it. It is more than a stone. It is a buried oath. If it cracks, its meaning could be lost." The Guardian stood, then took a step back, giving way. "I will seal the temple after you depart. None shall enter again for a long time."
Seris returned the [Treaty Stone] to Nyxaria. The stone felt warm now, as if responding to the unveiled truth. Nyxaria stored it carefully within the folds of her robe, near the Chronicle book copy.
"Thank you," Nyxaria said to the Guardian. Two simple words, but spoken in a tone that rarely emerged from her: genuine appreciation.
The Guardian nodded once more. "Do not let their sacrifice be in vain. And... be wary of your own allies. History repeats not because of evil, but because of fear. Fear can corrupt anyone."
That warning hung in the air like a suspended blade. Nyxaria didn't answer. She turned, signaling the others. "We depart."
They walked toward the stairs, leaving the Guardian standing alone amidst the temple ruins, the dim red light of its eyes watching them go. As they climbed, a low rumbling sounded behind—stones sealing the entrance, locking the temple once more.
The journey out of the Whispering Forest felt swifter. As if the forest honored those bearing the burden of truth, its paths did not shift, the whispers sounded like ordinary sighs of wind. They reached the forest's edge as the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple.
Camping that night, no one spoke much. The atmosphere was weighty. Lazarus tried to light the purple fire, but this time his flame was small and dim. Seris sat examining the map, but her gaze often fixed on the distance. Lumi fell asleep earlier, her head in Nyxaria's lap.
Mara stared at the fire, her thoughts churning. The original Nyxaria was betrayed by both sides. She tried to be a bridge, and was slain for it. Now I stand in her place. The difference is, I know the history. I possess evidence. But... is it sufficient?
She looked at the [Treaty Stone] resting beside her. That bluish-gray stone appeared ordinary in the firelight. But within it lay a broken promise, shattered hope.
The Guardian warned of Inquisitors. They must be elite. High level, with special skills to track artifacts. We must return to Sanctuary with all haste. But the journey still requires one more day.
She felt her palms grow damp. Not from fear of battle. But from fear of failure. This stone is their primary weapon now. If lost or destroyed...
"We'll arrive tomorrow afternoon," Seris said suddenly, cutting the silence. "If we walk fast and encounter no obstacles."
"With my lord's legendary luck, obstacles are guaranteed," Lazarus grumbled, but without his customary spirit.
Nyxaria didn't answer. She raised her head, gazing at the stars beginning to appear. The night sky in Aeternum was the same as in the game—beautiful, yet felt like an installed backdrop. Suddenly, Lumi stirred in her sleep. She hugged Nyxaria's waist tightly, and whispered softly, almost inaudibly.
"They're coming. From the sky."
Nyxaria froze. She looked in the direction Lumi pointed—north. The sky remained empty. But her level 999 senses began to detect a subtle disturbance in the air. Like pressure before a storm.
From the sky. The Inquisitors? So soon.