The Ice Temple's hallway stretched ahead, its walls made of smooth white stone covered in a thin layer of frost. The air was cold enough to make Lin Che's teeth chatter, even through his thick cloak, and the only sounds were their footsteps echoing and the faint hum of energy growing louder as they walked.
Xiao Ya walked beside Lin Che, her hands tucked into her sleeves, her breath fogging in front of her. "The plants here are frozen," she whispered, her voice soft. "But they can still feel it—the Mountain Core's energy. It's ahead, in the main chamber. But there are… tests. The Guardians' tests."
Su Qing nodded, flipping open her Arcane Manual to a page marked with temple sketches. "My grandmother's notes said Guardian temples have trials—tests of courage, wisdom, strength. To prove you're worthy of the relic. We need to pass them to get the Mountain Core."
They reached the end of the hallway, where three stone doors stood side by side. Each door was carved with a different symbol: a sword (strength), a book (wisdom), a heart (courage). Below each symbol, a small slot glowed faintly—exactly the size of the light shard.
"The light shard," Lin Che said, pulling it from his pocket. "It's the key to the trials."
Mo Ying stepped forward, eyeing the door with the sword symbol. "Strength first. I've got this."
Lin Che handed her the light shard. She slipped it into the slot, and the door rumbled open, revealing a small chamber. Inside, a stone statue of a warrior stood, its hands empty—but a stone pedestal beside it held a heavy iron axe.
"The trial of strength," Su Qing said, reading from her manual. "Lift the axe, defeat the statue. But be careful—the statue is enchanted with Guardian magic."
Mo Ying rolled up her sleeves, flexing her arms. She walked into the chamber, grabbed the axe—it was heavier than she expected, but she lifted it with a grunt. The statue's eyes lit up blue, and it stepped forward, swinging its fist at her.
Mo Ying dodged, swinging the axe at the statue's leg. It hit with a loud clang, but the statue didn't flinch. It grabbed her arm, pulling her forward, and she slammed the axe into its chest. The statue stumbled, its stone cracking, and she swung again—this time, hitting its head. The statue crumbled into dust, and the light shard popped out of the slot, glowing brighter.
Mo Ying walked out, grinning, and handed the light shard back to Lin Che. "Piece of cake."
Next was the trial of wisdom—Su Qing's turn. She slipped the light shard into the book symbol's slot, and the door opened to a chamber lined with bookshelves. In the center, a stone table held a scroll, and above it, a riddle was carved into the wall: "I am born in darkness, but die in light. I feed on fear, but vanish when brave. What am I?"
Su Qing unrolled the scroll—it was blank, except for a small quill. She thought for a moment, then smiled. "Shadow," she said, writing the word on the scroll with the quill.
The wall rumbled, and the riddle faded. The statue of a scholar appeared, nodding, and the light shard popped out—now glowing brighter than before.
"Wisdom's easy when you've read as many books as I have," Su Qing said, walking back to them.
Last was the trial of courage—Xiao Ya's turn. She hesitated, then took the light shard from Lin Che. "I can do this," she said, her voice small but steady.
She slipped the shard into the heart symbol's slot, and the door opened to a chamber filled with mirrors. Each mirror showed a different image: Xiao Ya alone in the forest, Xiao Ya facing a Shadow Shard, Xiao Ya watching the village burn. Her breath hitched, but she stepped inside.
"The trial of courage," Su Qing whispered. "Facing your fears."
Xiao Ya walked to the center of the chamber, where a large mirror stood. It showed her facing the void beast—its dark form towering over her, its eyes glowing red. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. "I'm not scared," she said, her hands glowing green. "I have my friends. I have the plants."
The mirror's image faded, and the mirrors around her shattered. The statue of a child appeared, smiling, and the light shard popped out—now glowing as bright as the sun.
Xiao Ya ran out, throwing her arms around Lin Che. "I did it!" she said, grinning.
The three doors behind them rumbled, merging into one large door. It opened, revealing the main chamber—a massive room with a high ceiling, its walls covered in glowing blue runes. In the center, a stone pedestal stood, and on top of it, the Mountain Core glowed: a large, bright blue crystal, pulsing with energy.
But as they stepped into the chamber, the air grew cold. A dark mist seeped from the walls, swirling into a shape—a figure made of shadows, its eyes glowing red.
"The Ancient Dark," Su Qing whispered, her hands glowing green.
The figure laughed—a cold, hollow sound. "You passed the trials. Impressive. But the Mountain Core is mine. With it, I'll break the other seals. Free the creatures. Cover the world in darkness."
It lunged at Xiao Ya, who was closest to the pedestal. Lin Che stepped in front of her, holding up the light shard. Its silver glow pushed the figure back, but it didn't vanish.
"The light shard won't stop me," the figure said. "I am older than the Guardians. Older than your precious relics."
Mo Ying swung her wrench at the figure, but it passed through. Su Qing sent flames at it, but the mist absorbed them. Xiao Ya's vines wrapped around it, but it tore through them, the vines turning to ice.
Lin Che looked at the Mountain Core. Its blue light was pulsing faster, as if responding to the Ancient Dark's presence. "The Mountain Core," he said. "It's the only thing that can stop it. We need to get it."
He ran toward the pedestal, the light shard in his hand. The Ancient Dark's figure lunged at him, but Su Qing sent a burst of Arcane magic at it, distracting it. Mo Ying grabbed its arm—her hands glowing with the light shard's energy she'd absorbed from the trial—and pulled it back.
Xiao Ya ran beside Lin Che, her hands glowing green. She touched the Mountain Core, and its light flared. "It wants to help," she said. "It wants to stop the darkness."
Lin Che grabbed the Mountain Core. Its blue light exploded, filling the chamber. The Ancient Dark's figure screamed, its mist dissolving, until it was gone. The runes on the walls glowed brighter, and the chamber warmed—frost melting from the walls.
They stood there, breathing heavily, the Mountain Core in Lin Che's hand. Its blue light was warm, not cold, and it pulsed in time with the Star Marrow on his wrist.
"We did it," Su Qing said, smiling.
Lin Che nodded. They'd passed the trials, defeated the Ancient Dark's avatar, and claimed the Mountain Core. But he knew—the Ancient Dark would be back. It wouldn't stop until it had all three relics.
They walked out of the Ice Temple, the Mountain Core glowing in Lin Che's hand. The Frost Pass was clear, the ice melting slightly in the core's light. The starship waited for them at the base of the mountains, its hull glinting in the afternoon sun.
"We need to get to the Western Sea," Lin Che said, as they climbed aboard. "The Sea Tear is the last relic. Once we have it, we can stop the Ancient Dark for good."
Mo Ying started the engine, and the starship lifted off. Below them, the Northern Mountains shrank, their snow-capped peaks fading into the distance. Ahead, the sky turned blue—toward the Western Sea, toward the last trial, toward the final battle.
Xiao Ya sat by the window, the Mountain Core in her lap. Its blue light reflected in her eyes. "The plants say the Sea Tear is in danger," she said. "The Ancient Dark is already there. We need to hurry."
Lin Che nodded. He looked at Su Qing, then at Mo Ying. They were tired, but their eyes were determined.
"Let's go," he said.
The starship flew west, toward the sea, toward the last relic, toward the future. The Star Marrow and the Mountain Core glowed together, a beacon of light in the darkness.
The Ancient Dark was waiting. But so were they.
And this time, they were ready to end it.