"The shadows may try to consume the light, but even in the deepest darkness, a flicker of fire can change everything."
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The air crackled with tension, each heartbeat a reminder of the dangerous path Moria and her companions had chosen. The Keeper of the Flame stood poised, her dark aura emanating from her in waves, suffocating the room with the weight of her presence. Her eyes, glowing with a dangerous red light, never left Moria. The shadows in the room had become her allies, swirling around her like a living entity, responding to her every command.
Moria's grip on her sword tightened, her breath steady despite the rising chaos. She could feel the dark energy coursing through her veins, the shadows pulling at her, testing her resolve. But this time, she was ready. She had nothing left to lose.
With a quick motion, she summoned the shadows around her, twisting them into a whirlwind of black tendrils. The Keeper responded in kind, her hands weaving through the air as if she were conducting an orchestra of darkness. The shadows clashed with one another, crackling with raw power, creating an eerie, almost deafening sound.
"Do you truly think you can match me?" the Keeper's voice was cold, a venomous smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I am bound to the Flame, child. You cannot defeat me as easily as you think."
Moria's lips curled into a smile of her own. "I'm not trying to defeat you. I'm trying to take what's mine."
With a swift motion, Moria charged forward, her sword cutting through the air. The Keeper's shadowy tendrils lashed out, but Moria was faster, dodging and weaving between the dark strands as she closed the distance between them.
In a flash, Moria was upon her, her sword flashing in the dim light. But the Keeper was quick, her hand rising in defense, summoning a barrier of swirling shadows that deflected Moria's strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, causing the very stones beneath their feet to tremble.
Jiang and Tia were still engaged with the dark tendrils, fighting off the relentless onslaught of the Keeper's shadows. But Moria knew that this battle would be won by her, and only her. The Flame of Water was too important, and she would not allow it to fall into the wrong hands.
"Enough of this!" Moria shouted, her voice sharp with determination. She raised her sword high, drawing upon every ounce of her power. The darkness in the room seemed to answer her call, surging around her in a fierce, almost violent wave.
The Keeper's eyes widened, sensing the shift in the energy around them. For a moment, there was hesitation—a crack in her otherwise perfect control. That was all Moria needed.
She struck.
The sword cut through the air, slicing through the barrier of shadows the Keeper had erected. The force of the blow sent the Keeper stumbling back, her grip faltering as the shadows around her began to dissipate. Moria pressed forward, relentless in her pursuit of victory.
"You may control the shadows," Moria said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "But I am the darkness you cannot control."
The Keeper's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering in their depths. "You are a fool, child. You know nothing of the power you're wielding."
But Moria's resolve was unshakable. "I know exactly what I'm doing."
With a final, decisive strike, Moria brought her sword down, severing the last of the Keeper's defenses. The shadows that had once swirled around her like a cloak faltered, dissipating into nothingness. The Keeper staggered back, her form flickering as if she were fading from existence.
"You… will regret this," she hissed, her voice like a dying breath.
But before she could do anything further, Moria raised her hand, summoning the shadows to her side. They obeyed, curling around the Keeper's form, binding her in place.
"You are defeated," Moria said, her voice cold. "And you will not stand in my way."
The Keeper's gaze was filled with rage, but she said nothing more. The shadows that once obeyed her now turned against her, dragging her into the darkness from whence she came.
For a long moment, the chamber was silent.
Moria lowered her sword, her body tense with the aftermath of the battle. Jiang and Tia approached cautiously, both of them eyeing the empty space where the Keeper had once stood.
Jiang was the first to speak. "That was… too easy."
Moria shot him a sharp look. "Don't be fooled. This isn't over."
Tia nodded, her eyes scanning the chamber with a wariness Moria knew all too well. "The Keeper was only a fragment of what we face here. There's more to this temple—and to the Flame—than we know."
Moria turned her gaze toward the altar, where the Flame of Water still burned, its blue light flickering in the darkness. The Flame was closer now, within reach, but Moria could sense the weight of it—the power that lay within. It was more than just a simple artifact. It was a force, a living, breathing entity that could change the course of everything.
But she couldn't dwell on that now. Not with the Keeper gone, not with the temple's mysteries still waiting to be uncovered.
"We take the Flame and leave," Moria said, her voice resolute. "No more delays."
Jiang nodded, though his expression remained cautious. "Agreed. But we must be prepared for anything. The Flame will not give itself up easily."
Moria turned toward the altar, her eyes narrowing as she stepped forward. The closer she got, the more she could feel the energy radiating from the Flame, the power that seemed to hum with an ancient rhythm. It was both beautiful and terrifying.
But it was hers.
The moment her hand touched the base of the altar, the air shifted. A sudden gust of wind swept through the chamber, the blue light of the Flame flaring brightly for a moment before dimming again. The ground beneath them trembled, a low rumble filling the air.
"Get ready," Moria whispered, her eyes locked on the Flame. "This is just the beginning."
And as she reached out to claim what was rightfully hers, she couldn't shake the feeling that something far more dangerous than the Keeper was waiting for her in the shadows.
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End of Chapter 37