The Ruins Of Eltaris

The journey north was not easy. The roads grew more hostile as we neared the forgotten border. The trees lost their greenery, and the earth itself seemed sick, as if an invisible shadow had poisoned its roots.
The cold air bit at our faces as we advanced. None of us spoke much, each immersed in our own thoughts. But the silence was so heavy that even Nara, normally incapable of keeping quiet, wasn’t joking as much.
—“It feels like the world is pushing us to turn back,” —she finally said, looking at the twisted trees around us.
—“We can’t,” —Aria replied, her gaze fixed on the horizon—. “If the Veil Spear really is in Eltaris, we have no other choice.”
Lysbeth nodded, ever steady. —“Destiny rarely offers easy roads.”
I remained silent, but inside me the voice laughed.
"Reliquary of a forgotten hero? All of this is nothing but a distraction. The spear won’t be enough. But let them believe… until they realize only I can give you the strength you need."
I clenched my jaw. I couldn’t let that shadow break my resolve.

We camped on the edge of a canyon, where the wind whistled between the rocks. While the others slept, I stayed awake, remembering Piko. The place brought him to my mind with unbearable clarity.
—“I wish you were here, old friend,” —I murmured to the fire—. “I don’t know if I’m making the right choices.”
Silence answered me until a soft rustle made me look up. Aria was approaching, wrapped in her cloak.
—“I knew I’d find you here,” —she said, sitting beside me—. “You always run to the fire when you can’t sleep.”
I gave a weak smile. —“Am I that predictable?”
—“Only to me.” —Her tone was gentle, but her eyes carried a weight—. “You’re thinking of him, aren’t you?”
I nodded. —“I can’t help but feel I dragged him to his fate.”
She took my hand. —“Kaoru, everyone here chose this path. Even Piko. He wouldn’t be at peace if you remembered him only with guilt.”
The echo inside me hissed mockingly. “Your companion deceives herself. They all die because of you. And she’ll be next.”
I shuddered but squeezed Aria’s hand tighter, as if I could silence the voice that way.
Two days later, we finally reached the valley where the ruins of Eltaris rose. The sight was overwhelming: collapsed towers, temples swallowed by monstrous roots, and broken statues that had once represented forgotten heroes. Mist covered everything, giving it the air of an eternal graveyard.
—“Well…” —Nara broke the silence with a nervous laugh—. “Surely no one’s in there waiting for us with claws and teeth, right?”
Rei drew his sword. —“Stay alert. Something’s watching us.”
We moved through the ruins, feeling the echoes of lost glory. Ancient inscriptions covered the walls, and each step awakened a strange echo, as if the spirits of the past still walked with us.
Then they appeared. Black shadows emerged from the walls, faceless humanoids wielding weapons made of the same darkness I feared within myself.
—“Guardians,” —Lysbeth murmured—. “Protectors of the spear.”
There was no time for warnings. The shadows lunged at us with unnatural speed.
—“Back!” —I shouted, unleashing a slash of dark energy that destroyed two of them. But more arose, multiplying like a plague.
Rei positioned himself beside me, covering my back. —“Don’t let them surround us!”
Nara’s eyes flashed as she summoned fire that lit up the field, burning several enemies. —“Look, they don’t even need armor!”
Lysbeth, by contrast, fought with lethal precision. Each strike of her sword cut through the darkness with a glow I hadn’t seen before.
Aria fought near me, summoning bursts of light that kept the shadows at bay. But then it happened: one of them slipped through her defenses and knocked her to the ground.
—“Aria!” —I cried, rushing to her.
At that instant, the voice inside me roared. “Give me control. Only I can save her. Leave it all in my hands.”
The power within me stirred, eager, ready to be unleashed. I hesitated for just an instant, and that was enough for another shadow to strike my side, slamming me into a wall.
Pain tore a cry from me, but I refused to give in. I staggered to my feet and ran to Aria, cutting through enemies by force. With a roar, I released all my energy in a single burst that swept away the nearby shadows.
When the dust settled, Aria was standing again, breathing heavily but unharmed.
—“Don’t do that to me again,” —I said, my voice breaking.
She gave a faint smile, still panting. —“Then don’t hesitate again.”
The shadows slowly retreated, as if repelled by our resolve. Finally, they vanished into the mist, leaving the path clear to the heart of the ruins.
We entered the main temple. Great broken columns held up a cracked ceiling, and in the center, on a stone pedestal, rested the Veil Spear. It was an imposing weapon, forged from a metal that shone like silver and intertwined shadows.
The air grew dense as we approached. Every step toward the spear felt like lead.
—“There it is…” —Lysbeth murmured.
Rei watched it warily. —“Too easy.”
And he was right. As soon as I stepped toward the spear, the hall shook. From the cracks in the floor emerged a different guardian: a colossus of stone and shadows, with eyes burning like embers.
Nara clicked her tongue. —“I knew it was too simple.”
The colossus roared, and the whole temple vibrated. Its arm, as massive as a wall, came down on us. We rolled aside to avoid the impact, which opened a crater in the floor.
—“Kaoru, distract it!” —Rei shouted.
I nodded and charged the creature, unleashing dark slashes that barely tore its surface. The colossus roared, turning its attention to me.
Aria hurled bursts of light, Lysbeth aimed at weak points in the joints, and Nara scorched its back with intense flames. The monster staggered but did not fall.
The echo inside me spoke again. “It won’t be enough. Use my power, and you’ll destroy it in one blow. Let me flow.”
I gritted my teeth, hesitating. If I did, would I still be myself?
Then I saw Aria, fighting with all her strength, her determination shining in every move. I couldn’t fail her.
With a shout, I unleashed the dark energy without restraint. My sword glowed black and crimson, and the strike I launched pierced the colossus from side to side. The explosion shattered it into a thousand pieces, reducing it to dust.
Silence fell over the temple. The Veil Spear still stood, intact, shining on the pedestal.
Aria looked at me with a mixture of relief and fear. Lysbeth watched my sword with concern, and Rei frowned as if confirming his suspicions.
Nara broke the silence, as always. —“Well, at least we got the spear. Anyone else want to risk their life in a cursed temple, or can we go home now?”
I didn’t respond. My body trembled, exhausted. The voice inside me laughed softly, as if celebrating its victory.
"See? Without me, you’d never have done it. In the end, you’ll always need me."
And the worst part was that, deep down, I knew it was right.