In the middle of a seemingly endless golden field, shards of light could be seen dancing on the raging storm of sand. A silhouette of a man stood still, unmoved by the continuous barrage of wind. He remained still as if waiting for sothing; surprisingly, the ground began to move; at first, it was just a faint rhythm, like a hum, until it beca strong, like roaring thunder, like a giant boulder rolling from high ground. The sand then moves according to the force beneath it, shaking as the sandstorm waves violently.
While a chaotic field of energy kept on smashing everywhere, the figure finally moved, he raised his hand, and the golden sparks of lights danced as it followed him, but then the shaking suddenly stopped, and in the next second, the man was gone. The rumbling noise disappeared while the violent storm was back to normal again. The shards of lights cannot be found either as if it never appeared a while ago.
The space is bent according to the command, and the sandy storm they were in a while ago disappeared as it was replaced with sothing else. The sound of the raging sandstorm was turning into a silent rustle of leaves as if they were transported inside a greenhouse. The scorching heat of the sun was no longer there, and above them, a powerful magic circle was blocking the massive sand from completely burying the temple down.
[Creator this is a very unexpected outco] Jeremiah said while his Creator Apollo was very curious about the current situation. The famous temple of Elias predicted to be plunged of corroded mana, was unexpectedly peaceful and looked like a normal, abandoned place.
"So the mages back then really did it, they cast a spell that lasted for over a thousand years. The spell they use to hold off the corrupting mana was able to cleanse this place even when many years had passed." Apollo's curiosity was soon replaced with amazent as he realized how brilliant the mages belonging to the temple of Elias were.
"I wonder if the tower can be capable of this feat" he added while walking around the ragged pavent of the floor. The temple of Elias was hailed to be the strongest magical organization a thousand years ago, and now a mage that represents the new generation has arrived.
Every nook and cranny was very unfamiliar yet strangely familiar at the sa ti; this feeling made him even more curious since he had never felt that way before. A deja vu, so might word it that way as if he is reminiscing a mory he had long forgotten; he enjoyed that feeling as he surveyed the area. Besides the variety of plants that grew in the area, Apollo noticed the weathered stone walls adorned with faded carvings of magical equations and ancient rituals. The sa for its floors, cracks, and wreck pillars had been overtaken by creeping vines and moss. This phenonon made Apollo amazed since even with the temple's situation, it could still sustain life. He continued walking around until he began to recognize the towering structure; though it had mostly collapsed, it still hinted at its forr magnificence, with leaning columns and broken spires rising above piles of rubble. Nature has claid the entire place, with giant tree roots snaking through the walls, vines cascading from above, and grass sprouting in every crack.
[Creator, I detected an area where the temple's structure is still intact. Do you want to head there?]
"Sure, show its location." Imdiately as he spoke those words a map erged from the corner of his eyes, prompting him to follow it. With a map as his guide, Apollo hurriedly walked across the dense, overgrown trees until his eyes saw a structure that was similar to his ho.
"A tower?" It still looked broken but compared to the others it is still better with more of its parts together
[Yes Creator I detected no anomalies inside however I recomnd being more cautious since this place is still unknown to us] Read new chapters at empire
"Okay I will rember that"
After paying attention to Jeremiah's warning, he switches his attention quickly to the building in front of him. With a bit of excitent, he went inside. The light that the magic circle provided from outside was limited, and so it was dim since the light only ca through the cracks in the roof and walls, casting shadows on the dusty, cobweb-laden interior.
The scent of damp earth and decay hangs in the air, mingled with the faint sounds of wind and distant sounds of insects. The central sanctum, once the heart of learning, holds a broken pillar or defaced statue, radiating a haunting sense of loss. Surrounding the temple are overgrown courtyards, ancient stone paths, and murky ponds, remnants of a once-thriving sanctuary now enveloped by ti and wilderness, standing alone in the quiet tower was Apollo, who felt dejected at the place.
"From what I heard the mages who used to train here are said to be even more powerful than the mages we have now, yet the reason they crumpled is due to a breakout"
[Speaking of breakout Creator I know you have noticed this as well but there is this energy]
"I know but I don't see it as a threat, so for now let's tour around the area first"
[Affirmative but I will still keep an eye on it]
"Then update later"
[I will Creator]
Apollo continued to explore the tower, his footsteps echoing faintly against the cracked stone floors. Despite its decaying state, the rooms and so docunts were still readable, and to Apollo's surprise, so of the photographs and sketches looked as if it was taken decades ago and not from a thousand years ago. There was also magical equipnt that undeniably had a strong aura of power lingering in it. So even have a heavy yet refined energy that seems to seep into every corner of the place. Apollo's eyes scanned the faded carvings on the walls, their anings elusive yet oddly familiar, as if a part of him rembered their purpose.
"Jeremiah," he spoke, his voice reverberating in the quiet tower, "Can you decipher these markings?"
The boy said that since he rembers the secret library where he made Jeremiah have records of it.
[Creator, those carvings are symbols used to make ancient mana circuits. They were likely used to regulate and amplify magical energy within the temple. However, parts of the inscriptions are missing. Without the complete patterns, I cannot determine their exact function.]
Apollo nodded and thoughtlessly reached out, his fingers grazing the cool stone. The carvings lit up faintly under his touch, sending a pulse of energy through his arm. He recoiled instinctively, but the light dissipated just as quickly as it had appeared.
"Strange…" he muttered, his brows furrowed. "It's almost like they're… alive."
[Creator, the energy I detected earlier is heading towards your location. It's faint but consistent]
Apollo's hand then moves as he is equipped with chanting bracelets. "Hmmn? It changes? It wasn't a threat a while ago"
[Indeed, at the ti. However, its behavior suggests it may be reacting to your presence.]
As if on cue, the faint hum of energy began to fill the air. Apollo turned towards the source, his gaze narrowing as a soft glow erged from outside the tower.
"I should take the fight outside, I can't add more damage to this already half-broken place." he then jumps from a broken window, landing perfectly on the ground.
With asured steps, he followed the energy, his curiosity outweighing his caution. The energy led him to an even larger broken area; though it was covered with vines, Apollo could tell that a battle transpired there. There were remnants of blast sites and collapsed structures, and a huge depression on the ground also attracted his attention.
"Even with all the plants here, I could still imagine the battle, seeing how deep this crater is," Apollo comnted until his attention was taken by a low and deep sound of growling. The direction of the wind suddenly shifted, and to Apollo's amazent, this creature coming for him looked interesting, finally a demon beast that could invoke excitent in him.
Feeling the impending danger, an imdiate recognition or instinctual response ca to the boy; his senses heightened—heartbeat quickening, breath shallowing as the adrenaline started to pump. Every muscle tenses slightly as if subconsciously preparing for a fight.
"It's coming?" he said to himself as he heard the faint sound of rustling.
User Comments
0 comments from readers