Gia placed her hand on Genia's head and blessed her, saying, "Go, Genia. Accept your identity. Give Alex my message: his mother is proud of him, and he should fulfil his responsibilities with complete devotion."
With this, Gia's form slowly began to dissolve into thin air. Her glowing golden energy was absorbed into the casket placed on the marble altar.
Genia took a deep breath. She reached out with trembling hands and touched the golden box. As her fingers touched the box, there was a loud bang. The box opened automatically, and a glowing, green crystal emerged from within, plunging straight into Genia's heart.
For a moment, Genia felt her eyes and mind fill with a transcendental consciousness. She could clearly sense every vine in the cave, every crystal, and even the heartbeats of Alex and Kevin, standing on the edge of the chasm above. Gia's message had sunk in deeply. Then, the remaining energy from the green crystal once again formed a protective circle around Genia.
The floor of the cave slowly began to descend, and a powerful gust of wind carried Genia upward. She pierced the darkness of the chasm, heading back toward the mouth from which she had fallen. A newfound confidence and determination had now filled Genia's heart.
Gia's magical crystal had fully absorbed her, making her senses more acute and alert than ever before. The protective circle of green and golden magical energy that had formed around her began to push her upward from the bottom of the chasm. Aided by the gentle gusts of wind, she slowly began to move toward the mouth of that dark and terrifying chasm.
Genia breathed a sigh of relief as she climbed up. She felt everything would be alright. Reaching the mouth of the chasm, she would dispel Kevin's confusion, calm his anger, and work with Alex on the next step to save their world. Gia's message had been with her, giving her a new direction. The edge of the chasm was now just a few feet away, and the yellow light of Alex's eyes burning above was clearly visible on the rocks. But fate's cruel game had only just begun.
Just as Genia was about to reach the very end of the ravine, a terrifying event occurred that none of them had imagined. Right near the mouth, hidden behind the rocks, a terrifying and mysterious enemy was already lurking. He was a shadow cloaked in black, his eyes glowing like a hungry wolf, and he held an ancient mace. He was no ordinary soldier, but the most loyal and dangerous magical assassin of the leader of the Black Tiger Clan, who had been secretly watching them for quite some time.
As Genia's body approached the mouth of the abyss, the dark shadow wasted no time in launching a powerful and violent attack. It hurled its magical mace into the air, striking Genia squarely in the chest.
"Ah!"
Genia let out a painful scream. The attack was so sudden and powerful that even Genia's newly acquired magical chakra couldn't withstand it fully. She tried desperately to regain her composure, reaching out to grab a corner of the rock, but the powerful impact of the attack pushed her back. She lost her balance completely, and just as she was about to touch the mud of the mouth, her body once again fell backwards into the terrifying, deep chasm.
"Genia!!!" From above, the simultaneous screams of Alex and Kevin, who had probably seen the dark shadow attack at the last moment, echoed, but by the time they moved, it was too late. This time, the experience of falling wasn't as pleasant or magical as the last time. The enemy's magical attack had temporarily deactivated the protective circle given by Gia.
Genia began falling uncontrollably through the air at full speed. She was writhing in panic and pain. The sharp walls of the ravine were passing very close to her. Just then, as she fell, her body collided with a very hard, sharp, and huge rock protruding from the ravine wall. There was a terrifying and loud sound.
Genia's head hit the hard rock. A sharp, unbearable pain ran through her mind like lightning, and in the next instant, her vision went completely dark. Her body stopped moving. Before losing consciousness, all she felt was that she was sinking lifelessly back into the endless darkness of the abyss. She was completely unconscious, and her fate was once again in the hands of darkness.
Up at the mouth of the abyss, Alex and Kevin saw the dark shadow fleeing, but Genia's life was more important to them than the enemy.
Kevin's face was drenched with tears. He looked at his own hands with which he had pushed Genia moments earlier, and now he saw her fall before his eyes, victim to a magical attack again.
"What have I done... Rakshit! This has all happened because of me!"
Kevin fell to his knees, his heart bursting with grief and regret.
Alex gripped his sword tightly, his eyes filled with a whirlwind of anger and worry he had never felt before. He stared into the dense darkness below the trench, from which no sound could now be heard.
"Kevin, the time for crying is over. That enemy wouldn't have come here alone. And Genia... she can't die like this. We have to go down, even if it means descending into the netherworld!"
Deep in the abyss, unconscious Genia's body was falling once again, but this time, the green crystal of Gia, embedded within her heart, was emitting a very faint green light to save her life. But Genia was completely unconscious; she had no idea where she was going or what new trouble or mystery she would find herself in when she opened her eyes.
Seeing Genia fall into the endless darkness of the abyss for the second time, Kevin's composure was completely shaken. All that flashed before his eyes was Genia's innocent face, which had vanished into the depths of the underworld due to his one mistake and then the murderous attack of that unknown enemy.
"No! Genia!" Kevin screamed like a madman. His sanity had completely vanished. Without thinking, he ran straight towards the mouth of the dangerous abyss and lunged forward to jump down. He thought he would jump into the air and catch Genia mid-air, even if it meant risking his own life.
But just as Kevin's leg was about to swing in the air, Alex showed lightning speed from behind.
Alex gathered all his strength, grabbed Kevin's waist tightly and pulled him back with all his might. Both of them fell on the heavy, rocky ground.
"Let me go, Alex! Let me go!" Kevin cried out, writhing on the ground. He struggled to break free from Alex's grip. "She fell there because of me! If something happens to her, I'll never be able to forgive myself. I have to go down, right now!"
Alex grabbed Kevin's shoulders with all his strength and shook him, saying in a very serious and stern voice, "Kevin! Come to your senses! Stop this madness! Jumping down means only death. You won't save Genia by jumping down there, but you'll lose your own life. And if you die too, who will protect Genia and her truth?"
Kevin's eyes were constantly filled with tears, and his breathing was fast. "But Alex... didn't you see? That black shadow attacked her so terribly. She hit a rock. She was unconscious. We can't just stand here and waste time."
Pushing Kevin away, Alex sheathed his sword. His own heart ached with worry for Genia, but as a skilled warrior, he knew that fear and haste only lead to destruction. He explained to Kevin, "This is not the time for us to rush like this. If she is truly the spirit of Guardian Andromeda, she won't die so easily. Gia mother's magic and that blue feather must be protecting her. But we must act wisely. This chasm is called 'Black Hole'. It isn't as steep and deep as it appears. Our ancestors created a secret passage to descend into it. Instead of jumping, we must find that passage so we can reach the bottom safely and help her."
Kevin wiped his tears and understood the logic behind Alex's words. He nodded, "Okay...Alex. I'm sorry, I lost my temper. Show me the way, we'll find it."
They both stood up immediately. The darkness of the night was at its peak, and only silence and the eerie winds echoed in this part of the forest. Rakshit raised his eyebrows and began to examine the rocks along the gorge. According to ancient legends, the path to the dungeon was hidden behind an ancient carved rock, known only to the royal guards. They both groped at the stones for a long time.
Kevin's anxiety was growing. Each passing moment seemed to threaten Genia's life. "Alex, there's nothing here. Just dry bushes and sharp stones. Are you sure the path is here?"
"Be patient, Kevin," Alex said, his eyes searching for a particular type of rock. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a heavy, triangular rock about twenty feet from the edge of the ravine. The rock was covered in moss from the ravine, but upon closer inspection, an ancient tiger figure was carved into it.
Alex quickly approached the rock. He struck the centre of the figure with the back of his sword. There was a loud rumble, and the massive rock slowly slid aside. Behind it, a narrow, dark, and steep path led downward, revealing a steep path. This path led directly into the abyss, into its depths.
"I've found the way!" A ray of hope appeared on Kevin's face.
"Be careful, Kevin. These stairs are centuries old and will be very slippery due to the moisture. Keep your torch handy," Alex warned.
Without delay, the two of them stepped into the secret passage. The stairs were extremely narrow, and the walls were covered with wet mud and ancient vines. As they descended, the air grew colder and heavier. The rustling of the wind from below created a strange tingle in their hearts.
Kevin was descending each step quickly, his entire focus solely on reaching the bottom of the ravine. After nearly half an hour of arduous and perilous descent, they finally reached the lowest point of the ravine, its bottom. The view was terrifying. What appeared to be a narrow pit from above, at the bottom, stretched out like a vast, endless plain. All around were mountains of tall black stones, interspersed with dry bones and the remains of old weapons.
"Genia! Genia!" Kevin shouted as soon as he reached the bottom. His voice echoed off the rocks, but only his own voice came back.
Alex held out his breath and began to examine the ground. "Kevin, stay calm. Shouting might awaken the predators here. We need to find traces on the ground. The soil or bushes must have broken where she fell."
They both began running frantically across the vast expanse of the ground. Kevin searched behind rocks, among tall bushes, and at the mouths of caves, trying to find Genia.