The two of them—Adrian and Selene—approached the pedestal cautiously, but the hourglass remained still, its glow dimming as if it had run out of energy. Behind the pedestal, a faint outline in the stone wall caught Adrian's attention.

He placed a hand on the surface, feeling for any hidden mechanisms. Selene joined him, her keen eyes scanning the carvings for clues.

"Here," he said, pointing to a barely visible inscription. Then he pressed it.

With a low rumble, the wall shifted, revealing a narrow passage that descended deeper into the earth. The faint glow of magical energy illuminated the path, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

"This is it," Adrian said, his voice heavy with anticipation.

Selene stepped forward, her dagger at the ready. "Let's finish this."

They descended into the passage, the air growing colder with each step. At the end of the tunnel, there was a big, ornate door in front of them. Its surface was covered in runes that glowed softly with light.

Behind the door, Adrian knew, lay the sarcophagus containing the goddess.

The air grew colder as Adrian and Selene stepped closer to the ornate door, the glowing runes casting flickering reflections across the stone walls. Selene ran her fingers over the hilt of her dagger, her silver eyes scanning the carvings for any signs of traps.

"This door is too inviting," she muttered. "It's never this easy."

Adrian grunted in agreement, his fiery chains coiling loosely around his arm. "Stay sharp. There's always one last challenge."

He pushed against the door, and it groaned open with an ear-piercing creak. A gust of icy wind rushed out, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of magic and decay.

Beyond the doorway was a cavernous chamber shrouded in darkness. The faint outline of another passage was visible on the far side.

Adrian stepped forward, the flickering light from his chains illuminating the area. The room was eerily quiet, save for the faint hum of energy that vibrated in the air.

"I don't like this," Selene said softly, stepping in beside him.

The moment her foot crossed the threshold, the room erupted into light. Massive stone figures emerged from the walls, their forms carved from jagged rock. They moved smoothly, their glowing eyes fixed on the intruders.

"Guardians," Adrian said grimly, raising his sword.

The nearest statue lunged, its massive arm swinging down with enough force to crush a human. Adrian rolled to the side, his chains lashing out and wrapping around the creature's arm.

He yanked hard, causing the arm to shatter into pieces, but the statue didn't stop. It swung its other arm, narrowly missing him as he ducked.

Selene moved like a shadow, her dagger slashing at the joints of another guardian. The blade cut deep into the enchanted stone, but the creature seemed unfazed.

It turned on her, its glowing eyes pulsing with power as it lashed out with both arms. Selene darted back.

"These things are tough!" she called, dodging another blow.

Adrian slashed at the second guardian, his fiery chains leaving scorched marks across its torso. "Focus on their joints! That's where they're weakest."

Selene nodded, her dagger flashing as she targeted the creature's knee. The joint cracked under the force of her strike, and the guardian stumbled, giving Adrian an opening to finish it with a devastating blow from his chains.

As they destroyed one guardian after another, the room trembled violently.

The last remaining statue, larger than the others, emerged from the far wall. It stood twice as tall as the others, its body radiating with golden light.

"That's new," Selene muttered, her grip tightening on her dagger.

The massive guardian let out a deafening roar, its glowing fists slamming into the ground. The shockwave sent both Adrian and Selene sprawling.

"Stay back!" Adrian shouted, scrambling to his feet. "This one's mine."

Selene hesitated, her glowing silver eyes narrowing. "You can't take that thing on alone."

"Trust me," Adrian said firmly, his fiery chains snapping to life. "You need to stay out of this one."

Selene clenched her fists, but she nodded reluctantly, stepping back to the edge of the chamber.

Adrian lunged at the massive guardian, his chains coiling around its legs. He pulled with all his strength, but the creature barely flinched.

It swung its glowing fist at him, the impact sending him skidding across the floor. He winced, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead, but he refused to back down.

The creature roared again, its glowing eyes focusing solely on Adrian. He used its size against it, darting between its legs and striking at the exposed joints. His chains burned bright, slicing through the enchanted stone with precision.

The guardian staggered as one of its legs crumbled beneath it. Adrian seized the opportunity, leaping onto its back and driving his sword into its shoulder. The blade sank deep, and with a final, guttural roar, the guardian collapsed, its massive body breaking into pieces.

Breathing heavily, Adrian turned to Selene, who watched him with an unreadable expression. "It's done," he said.

She stepped forward, her dagger still in her hand. "What now?"

Adrian pointed toward the far passage. "That should lead to the sarcophagus."

Selene frowned. "I'm coming with you."

"No," Adrian said firmly, holding up a hand. "I need you to watch my back."

For a moment, Selene's silver eyes flashed with frustration. But then she nodded, stepping back. "Be careful."

Adrian gave her a faint smile before stepping into the next passage. The air grew colder still as he moved deeper into the catacombs. The faint glow of magical energy intensified, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

*************

The passage opened into a massive chamber, the ceiling so high it was lost in darkness. At the center of the room stood a large sarcophagus, its surface etched with intricate runes that pulsed faintly with light.

Heavy, ancient chains wrapped around the sarcophagus, their metallic surface glowing with an otherworldly energy.

Adrian approached cautiously, his fiery chains illuminating the space. The magic in the room felt alive, pressing against his senses like a tangible force. He stopped a few feet from the sarcophagus, his eyes narrowing as he studied the chains.

"They're different," he muttered to himself. Unlike the other temples, these chains weren't just physical. They radiated a strange, pulsing energy that seemed to hum with sentience.

Drawing his sword, Adrian swung at one of the chains. The blade struck with a loud clang, but instead of cutting through, it rebounded violently. The force sent a shock up his arm, nearly making him drop his weapon.

He gritted his teeth, glaring at the unbroken chain. "What do we have here?"

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