The temple at the heart of Hollow Vale stood silent — suspended across gravity-defying platforms, wrapped in an unnatural dusk that never shifted. Massive glyphs floated around its entrance, pulsing gently like the beat of an ancient heart.
Lucas took point, frost aura steady, Amaterasu's flame flickering at his back like a silent guardian.
As the Crown Class crossed the floating platforms, Elira whispered, "This place... it's older than anything we've studied. It predates the Spirit Era."
Seren walked just behind her, crystalline eyes watching everything — but lingering the longest on Lucas.
---
Inside, the temple was a cathedral of silence.
Stained glass windows showed a war between demigods — one wielding black fire and silver frost, battling a creature made of eyes and roots.
The group advanced slowly. Kael and Elayne checked for traps, while Lucas and Elira mapped spirit pressure fluctuations. Every step forward made the air heavier.
At the core chamber, a massive sealed gate awaited. It pulsed with nine ancient chains, each engraved with forgotten runes.
Seren stepped forward and touched one.
The gate responded.
> Nine-star soul resonance detected. Partial seal unlocked.
The chains shifted. The gate began to open — slowly, grinding like stone torn from the bones of the world.
From behind them, Drel Murn moved.
Fast. Too fast.
He thrust a dagger of corrupted spiritsteel toward Lucas's back.
But Elira was faster.
She stepped between them, catching the blade with her bare hand. Her aura flared — nine-star brilliance, concealed until now.
Drel froze.
Elira twisted, snapping the blade, and struck his chest with a palm wreathed in compressed gravity.
He flew across the chamber and slammed into a pillar.
The others turned, weapons raised.
"What the hell was that?!" Kael growled.
Lucas stepped forward. "Traitor. He marked the dungeon for someone else."
Drel coughed blood, eyes glazed. "You... weren't supposed to see it so soon..."
Seren's voice came coolly. "Dispose of him."
Elira narrowed her eyes. "He's your man."
Seren smiled faintly. "Not anymore."
Elayne stepped forward and restrained him with spirit cords. "We'll deal with him after we finish the mission."
Lucas walked to the now-open gate.
Inside was a void chamber — floating platforms of stone orbiting a pulsing sphere of light and darkness.
> The Dungeon Core.
It was fractured — leaking spirit energy like a bleeding wound.
A shape stirred behind it.
A guardian.
Once divine, now mutated — a hulking creature with wings of crystal and molten claws, its face split into four mirrored halves. Runes crawled across its body like chains.
> Rift Guardian: Spiritfallen Votari
Classification: Demi-corrupted Ancient
Strength: 9-Star+ (Peak before corruption)
Lucas activated his Domain.
Elira followed.
Kael, Elayne, and Seren took battle stances.
The air ignited.
The battle for the core — and the truth behind Hollow Vale — was about to begin.