Chapter 9
The Door of Power
Ran and Mariya slowly walked toward the ancient temple.
The giant stone guardian stayed behind them, watching silently.
The temple was enormous.
Tall pillars stood on both sides of the stone stairs.
Ancient carvings covered every wall.
Some carvings showed warriors fighting monsters.
Others showed people protecting a glowing energy.
Mariya looked at the walls carefully.
"These carvings… they look like a story."
Ran nodded.
"I think they are telling the history of this underground city."
They continued climbing the long stone stairs.
Each step echoed in the silent cave.
When they finally reached the top, they stood in front of the massive temple door.
The door was made of dark stone.
At the center of the door was the same symbol they had seen everywhere—
A circle with a triangle inside it.
But this time the symbol was glowing faintly with blue light.
Ran slowly touched the symbol.
The moment his hand touched it—
The blue energy around his hands began to react.
The symbol on the door started glowing brighter.
The entire temple suddenly vibrated.
RUMMMMM…
Mariya stepped back in surprise.
"Ran… what did you do?"
Ran looked just as surprised.
"I think the temple recognizes this power."
The glowing symbol slowly began spinning.
Ancient lines across the stone door lit up like flowing light.
The giant door began opening slowly.
GRRRRR…
Cold ancient air came from inside the temple.
Ran and Mariya looked at each other.
"This must be the place where the energy source is hidden," Mariya whispered.
Ran nodded.
"Let's go."
They stepped inside the temple.
The inside was even more amazing.
A massive hall stretched deep into the darkness.
Ancient torches on the walls suddenly lit up one by one.
The entire temple glowed with golden light.
At the center of the hall stood a tall stone pedestal.
Floating above it was a small sphere of glowing blue energy.
It looked alive.
The energy moved slowly like a tiny star.
Mariya stared at it in amazement.
"That must be the ancient power."
Ran felt the same energy inside his body reacting again.
It was stronger than before.
But suddenly—
They heard another sound behind them.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the temple entrance.
Ran turned around slowly.
A familiar voice spoke from the shadows.
"So… you found it before me."
Victor stepped into the temple.
His hunters followed behind him.
Victor smiled coldly.
"Thank you for opening the door."
"Now the power will finally belong to me."
The Awakening Power
Victor slowly walked toward the glowing blue energy.
The hunters followed him carefully.
Ran quickly stepped forward.
"Stop, Victor."
Victor smiled coldly.
"Why should I?"
He looked at the floating energy sphere.
"For centuries this power was hidden."
"And today… it finally becomes mine."
Mariya stood beside Ran.
"You don't understand this power," she said.
Victor laughed.
"Oh, I understand it very well."
He raised his hand toward the glowing sphere.
The blue energy suddenly started reacting.
The temple began shaking again.
Ancient symbols on the walls started glowing.
Victor's hunters looked nervous.
"Boss… something is wrong."
But Victor ignored them.
He moved closer to the pedestal.
Just as his hand was about to touch the energy—
The glowing sphere suddenly burst with light.
A powerful wave of energy filled the temple.
BOOOOM!
Victor was thrown backward.
The hunters fell to the ground.
Ran and Mariya also struggled to stay on their feet.
The glowing energy in the air slowly split into two streams.
One stream of light moved toward Ran.
The other stream moved toward Mariya.
Mariya gasped.
"Ran… it's coming toward us!"
The energy surrounded both of them.
Ran felt incredible power flowing through his body.
Mariya felt the same energy inside her heart.
Her hands began glowing softly.
Victor slowly stood up.
His face was full of anger and disbelief.
"No… this power belongs to me!"
But something else was happening.
The ancient temple itself was awakening.
The stone floor began glowing with symbols.
And from outside the temple…
A deep rumbling sound echoed again.
The giant stone guardian was moving.
It had awakened once more.
And this time…
It was ready to protect the ancient power.
The First Battle
The ancient temple was filled with glowing blue light.
Ran and Mariya stood in the center of the hall.
The energy around them was still shining.
Victor slowly stood up from the ground.
His eyes were burning with anger.
"This power should be mine!" he shouted.
The hunters quickly stood behind him.
Victor looked at them and gave an order.
"Attack them!"
Two hunters ran toward Ran.
But this time Ran was not afraid.
The blue energy around his hands became brighter.
When the hunters came close—
Ran lifted his hand.
A strong wave of energy burst forward.
WHOOSH!
The hunters were thrown across the hall.
They crashed into the stone pillars.
Mariya looked shocked.
"Ran… your power is stronger now."
Ran nodded.
"I can feel it."
But Victor was not afraid.
He slowly walked forward.
"You think this power makes you strong?"
Victor suddenly pulled out a strange metal device.
The device started glowing with red light.
"I came prepared."
He pressed a button.
The device released a powerful red energy wave.
BOOOOM!
The wave hit Ran and Mariya.
Both of them were pushed backward.
The blue light around them flickered.
Victor smiled.
"You see?"
"Technology can control ancient power."
But at that moment—
The entire temple suddenly shook again.
Heavy footsteps echoed from outside.
BOOM… BOOM… BOOM…
The giant stone guardian entered the temple.
Its glowing eyes were brighter than before.
The guardian looked directly at Victor.
Victor stepped back slightly.
The giant guardian raised its massive arm.
It slammed the ground with incredible force.
CRAAASH!
The temple floor cracked.
Victor and his hunters struggled to keep balance.
Ran realized something.
"The guardian is protecting the power."
Mariya nodded.
"And it's protecting us too."
Victor looked at the giant creature with anger.
"This is not over!"
He pointed at Ran and Mariya.
"Take them!"
The hunters attacked again.
But now the battle inside the ancient temple had truly begun.