Kain, a 20-year-old, rowed
against the deafening waves of the Tempest Ocean, remembering the days when his
life was all about stealing. The boat creaked under the water's assault. Salty
foam burned his eyes, and icy water soaked his torn tunic.
"Selya, you idiot...
dragging me to some ruins over rumors?" he muttered, sarcasm slicing through
the roar of the sea.
He pulled out the map
Selya swore was magical — a worn-out parchment pulsing with a blue glow. Runes
danced across the weathered leather, forming a glowing arrow like a compass,
pointing north.
"If this is a scam, I'm
burning it in your face," he thought, the mistrust of a seasoned thief clear in
his voice.
The glow flickered, almost
alive. A memory hit — Selya diving into dark waves months ago, her strong arms
yanking him to the surface, her raspy voice yelling:
"Don't you die, little
thief!"
"Damn debt... without her,
I'd be fish food," he admitted, chest tightening.
A current pulled the boat.
An island emerged from the mist. Rocks carved with red runes pulsed like living
veins. Kain jumped ashore, boots slipping, the map vibrating in his pocket.
Up ahead, the temple
loomed — a ruined giant. Twisted columns wrapped in mist, moss glowing with a
green shimmer.
"Where's the treasure,
Selya?" he muttered, when a shadow moved.
It was Selya. Torn tunic,
a cocky smile.
"Took you long enough,
Kain. Thought I sent you to drown?"
The silver bracelet on her
wrist gleamed. The runes carved into it sparked.
"If this is a trap, you're
getting torched," Kain replied, pointing at the map.
"Oceanic jewels hold
power, Kain. Don't you dare sell it." Her brown eyes flickered as she examined
the bleeding columns.
"If this is fake, I'm
selling you to the highest bidder," Kain shot back, noticing
the bracelet pulsing like it was mocking his greed.
"Really, thief? That
bracelet suits you," she teased, laughing. The sound echoed.
Kain opened his mouth, but
a chill sliced through the air. Shadows slid between columns. Lanterns of black
light blinked like evil eyes, scanning the mist. A deep chant echoed, words
scratching like claws:
"The King shall return,
and the world shall kneel!"
"Friends of yours, Selya?"
Kain thought, heart racing.
She pulled him behind a
column, cold moss against their skin.
"The Chain Order," she
whispered. "Fanatics hunting the King's key. The jewel is one of them."
"Of course. You forgot to
mention the murder cult. Great plan."
A beam of black light
exploded a column. Shards flew like knives. Selya drew a curved dagger.
"Run, Kain!"
He stuffed the map away.
Her bracelet blazed bright. Kain sprinted toward a moss-covered staircase,
chains clinking behind, darkness closing in like a living threat.
"If you die, Selya, I
swear I'll hand you over to them," he muttered as the temple shook with the
chants.
Kain slipped on the steps,
moss betraying his footing. Selya grabbed him.
"Don't die, Kain! Who's
got the map, huh?" she hissed, mocking and urgent.
"Stop attracting cults,
princess!" he thought, hearing chains rattle closer.
They reached a vast
chamber where red runes pulsed like a beating heart. A blood-red jewel glowed
on a pedestal.
"The Ruby!" Selya gasped.
Kain grabbed it. Burning
heat shot up his arm, ancient whispers flooding his mind. The jewel shifted
into a blood-colored sword.
"Great. Now it's just a
bigger knife."
He spun, blocking a flying
silver chain. Metal clashed. In a flash, he slashed an enemy's shoulder — the
robed figure dropped with a grunt.
Selya leapt at another,
stabbing his arm. Her bracelet flared violently. A chain whipped through the
air, slicing her side. Blood soaked her tunic. Kain flinched — guilt burning.
"She saved me. And I let
this happen?"
He gripped the Ruby,
imagining speed — and in a blink, appeared behind another attacker, driving the
dagger into their back.
"Okay, I'm really starting
to like this toy," he thought.
The body collapsed. Runes
burst into beams of light. A column exploded, dust choking the air.
"This Ruby's worth it,
Selya! I'm not selling it!" he yelled, dragging her behind a pillar, her blood
leaving a trail.
The Order closed in,
chains rattling. The temple pulsed, reacting to the Ruby.
A freezing wind swept the
chamber. The air turned icy. Yariv appeared — tattered cloak, scarred face, icy
eyes locked on a glowing blue sapphire. Frost crept across the ground.
"The key is mine!" he
roared, launching a spear of ice that shattered a pillar.
Kain dodged.
"Damn it, Selya... why do
you always attract maniacs?"
Selya lunged with her
dagger, but a blast of ice slammed her against the wall. Her scream was
muffled, her bracelet glowing in panic.
Kain shivered. Someone was
watching. Before he could be impaled, Lirien appeared. Blonde,
19, hair shining like fire, dagger pulsing with runes.
She spun, deflecting the
shards. They exploded behind her.
"Run, boy!" she shouted,
voice fierce.
"Who are you, blondie?"
Kain growled, trying to use the Ruby's speed. But the temple spun, vision
blurring — he landed right back where he started. Nausea surged.
"Damn Ruby... obey me!"
Kain shouted.
The map vibrated wildly in
his pocket. The Order screamed "The key!" as Lirien blocked chains like a
dancer. Selya's bracelet flashed, wall runes glowed wildly.
"This girl knows way more
than she's saying," Kain thought.
Yariv raised the sapphire.
A vortex of ice pulled Selya from the wall. Her body spun, blood dripping. The
bracelet flew from her wrist, clattering to the floor, pulsing silver light.
"Selya!" Kain yelled.
A wall of ice rose,
reflecting runes. Selya stabbed Yariv's arm.
"You'll regret this,
mage!"
Chains of ice wrapped
around her, tearing skin.
"More keys will come to
the seal!" Yariv roared.
Kain slashed the wall with
the Ruby. Shards flew. A rune blast knocked him into a column.
Gasping, he saw Selya
again in the waves:
"Don't die, little thief…"
"She saved me. And I
failed her…"
Lirien charged forward.
"Let her go — or die!" she
shouted.
The mist turned alive,
cold as death, swallowing Yariv and Selya.
Kain rose. The Ruby
returned to a hot jewel. Selya's bracelet pulsed on the floor.
"She's defenseless without
it. I'm not losing her."
Lirien approached. Her
green eyes gleamed with secrets.
"Who are you, boy? Yariv
won't stop once you carry a key."
"Kain, my hero," he
replied, sarcasm masking fear.
"We'll find this Yariv,
blondie. He's got Selya. I'm not letting her go."
Lirien hesitated, touching
the silver pendant on her neck.
"If the Faceless King
escapes, the world ends. Legends speak of eternal darkness... kingdoms
swallowed."
She pointed at the
bracelet on the floor.
"There are six keys to the
seal: three oceanic jewels… and three relics, like your gem and that bracelet."
Kain stared at the
bracelet, then pulled out the map — now glowing with runes pointing east. Like
a compass.
"You know what this is?"
he asked.
"No. It's a mystery,"
Lirien replied, brow furrowed.
"Selya with the bracelet.
Me with the Ruby. I hate this game," Kain thought, feeling the weight of debt,
the threat of the Faceless King, and the mystery of the map crashing inside
him.
The darkness of the temple
swallowed them both.