The stone chamber shook with each step of the guardians. Their massive feet struck the ground like war drums, shaking the air itself. Hunters screamed as their blades snapped uselessly against stone skin.
"Why… why aren't they breaking?!" a hunter shouted in terror.
"They're monsters! Everything has a weakness—keep fighting!" the guild master roared, though his own hands trembled around his sword.
But there was no weakness. Steel shattered, shields splintered, lives ended. The statues carved through hunters as though they were paper dolls, blood painting the ancient floor.
Kael's rusty blade slipped in his grip. His arms quivered, his knees weak. He wanted to run, but the stone doors behind them had sealed shut. They were caged animals waiting to die.
Then—everything stopped.
The guardians froze mid-swing. The silence was deafening, broken only by the dripping of blood and the ragged breaths of the survivors. Slowly, all glowing eyes turned toward the throne at the heart of the temple.
The colossal figure seated upon it stirred. Dust cascaded from its shoulders as it rose to full height. The giant statue's stone mouth creaked open, releasing a voice like thunder rolling through the earth.
> "Those who enter… must obey the Commandments."
Glowing letters appeared in the air, written in a script older than time itself. The hunters stared in horror, unable to understand—
But Kael could.
His eyes widened as the words burned into his mind:
1. Bow before the god.
2. Praise the god.
3. Prove your loyalty through sacrifice.
"W-what is this…?" Kael whispered.
A hunter remained standing, his face twisted in defiance. "Like hell I'm bowing to some rock—"
Swoosh!
A guardian's blade cut him in half before he could finish. His body hit the ground with a sickening thud.
"Bow! Everyone bow down!" the guild master shouted desperately.
One by one, hunters dropped to their knees, foreheads pressed against the cold stone floor. Kael followed, his chest heaving, sweat and blood dripping into the cracks between the tiles.
The statues stilled again.
Kael's mind raced. It's a trial. If we don't follow the commandments… we die.
But the glowing words above did not fade. Instead, they pulsed brighter, preparing for the next test.
Kael shivered, his lips dry as he whispered to himself:
"This isn't a dungeon… it's a temple. And we're not the challengers."
His eyes lifted, filled with dread.
"We're the sacrifices."
⚡ End of Chapter 2 ⚡