The Guardián Of The Heart

The light that poured in when the gate opened blinded us for a moment. When our eyes adjusted, we discovered a gigantic hall, supported by pillars that seemed to reach the sky. The floor was covered in shining mosaics, forming symbols that pulsed as if they were breathing. In the center rested a colossal figure.
It was a knight of stone and metal, seated on a throne. His body was covered in runes that ignited the moment we entered. His eyes opened, revealing a golden glow that pierced through us like spears.
“Intruders,” a voice thundered—not from his mouth, but echoing in our minds—“You have endured the illusions of the soul, but the Heart of Aeterion does not yield to the weak. Only those who prove their valor before me may claim it.”
The colossus rose, and with each step, the ground shook. His sword, larger than a man, materialized in his hand.
“A guardian,” Lysbeth whispered, tightening her grip on her weapon. “This will be unlike anything we’ve faced.”
“Then we face him together,” I replied, placing Aria behind me.
The giant raised his sword and slammed it into the ground. A shockwave rippled through the hall, throwing us backward. I felt the air leave my lungs, but forced myself to stand.
“Attack from the flanks!” Lysbeth commanded, running to the left.
Rei raised her hands, channeling her dark magic into bolts that struck the guardian. The runes on his body flickered, but the colossus barely flinched. Nara summoned columns of fire that engulfed his right arm, forcing him to step back.
I advanced from the front, my sword vibrating with the energy I still had. I struck the guardian’s leg, and though my blade barely left a mark, it was enough to draw his attention. His golden eyes locked onto me, and the next moment his sword descended like lightning.
I rolled to the side, the steel grazing me enough to cut my shoulder. The pain burned, but I didn’t stop.
“Aria, find a weak point!” I shouted.
She nodded, closing her eyes to sense the guardian’s energy. “The runes,” she said suddenly. “If we destroy the ones on his chest, his power will weaken.”
“Understood!” Nara unleashed a burst of fire at that area, but the guardian raised his arm to block it.
Lysbeth took advantage of the distraction and leapt, her sword shining with the strength of her unyielding training. The strike hit the central rune directly, making the giant roar for the first time.
The ground cracked, and from those fissures sprang chains of light attempting to ensnare us. One wrapped around my leg, burning my skin. I fell to my knees, gritting my teeth to keep from screaming.
“Kaoru!” Aria ran to me, using her magic to break the chain.
The guardian didn’t give her a chance: he lifted his sword, ready to finish us.
“No!” I rose with all my strength, stepping in. I raised my sword and channeled everything I had. A dark energy enveloped me, mixed with a flicker of Piko’s light that still seemed to sleep inside me. The clash was brutal; my arm nearly shattered from the pressure, but I managed to hold the strike for a moment.
“Now!” I roared.
Rei, Nara, and Lysbeth coordinated their attack. A shadow spear, a burst of fire, and a precise slash combined against the chest rune. The impact was so strong that the guardian staggered, his eyes flickered, and his sword fell to the ground, shaking the entire hall.
“It worked!” Rei exclaimed. “We weakened his runes!”
The giant kneeled, but did not fall. From his body, new lines of energy spread along the walls. The ground began to collapse, revealing a bottomless chasm.
“He wants to drag us down with him!” Nara shouted.
Aria stepped forward, standing before the colossus. “Enough!” Her voice rang with strength. “We did not come to desecrate this place, but to heal! We do not seek power, we seek hope!”
For a moment, the guardian paused. His golden eyes fixed on Aria, and the light of his runes flickered.
I staggered closer, standing beside her. “She’s right. We do not fight to conquer or destroy. We only want to return what was taken. If Piko were here, she’d say the same: we seek no war, only redemption.”
The colossus remained silent. His runes slowly began to fade. Finally, he let out a roar—not of anger, but of recognition. He fully knelt, resting his sword on the ground.
“You have shown valor, but also purpose. The Heart of Aeterion recognizes the truth in your words.”
The ground stopped shaking. The chasm vanished as if it had never existed. Before us, the pedestal rose again, and atop it appeared a crystalline sphere, pulsing like a living heart.
Aria gazed at it, her eyes shining with contained emotion.
“The Heart…”
We approached slowly. I could feel the relic’s energy—warm and powerful, unlike any magic I had experienced before. It felt as if it wanted to embrace our scars.
The guardian bowed his head, his voice resonating one last time. “The Heart will only respond to sacrifice. You must be prepared to pay the price.”
No one dared to ask what that price was. We would soon find out.
Aria stepped forward, extending her right hand—the only one she had left. The sphere glowed brighter, as if responding to her will.
I watched her, a lump in my throat. We had made it this far, but something told me the hardest part was yet to come.
The guardian slowly faded, returning to his throne as if sinking into an eternal sleep. The hall fell silent, save for the heartbeat of the Heart.
Lysbeth exhaled deeply. “We did it… but this is only the beginning.”
Nara collapsed to the floor, exhausted. “If this was the welcome, I don’t want to imagine the finale.”
Rei crossed her arms, though a smile tugged at her lips. “At least we’re alive. And that’s already a miracle.”
Aria held the relic against her chest, and for the first time since we lost Piko, I saw real hope in her eyes.
I clenched my fists, silently vowing. Piko, we did it. And I promise I won’t rest until your sacrifice has meaning.