Forged in Flame

The Cursed Artefact

The air in the temple grew thick as Arin, Rethis, Thorne, and Lyria gathered around the ancient artefact. The dim light from their torches flickered against the polished surface of the strange object, casting eerie shadows on the walls. It was carved from dark stone, inscribed with runes that pulsed faintly, as if holding a life force of its own.

Arin reached out cautiously, her hand hovering over the artefact. But before she could touch it, the walls around them began to hum. A low, ominous sound that made the floor tremble beneath their feet.

Suddenly, glowing inscriptions flared to life on the walls, bathing the room in a sinister light. A barrier of shimmering magic snapped into place, cutting them off from the entrance. The stone door they had come through slammed shut with a deafening boom, trapping them inside.

"What's happening?" Lyria's voice was shaky, her wide eyes reflecting the glow of the magical barrier.

Rethis took a step closer to the artefact, studying the glowing runes on the walls. "It's a protective curse," he muttered, his brow furrowing. "Designed to keep anyone from leaving once the artefact is disturbed."

"Well, that's just fantastic," Thorne said, crossing his arms, unimpressed. "Got any bright ideas, wizard?"

Rethis ignored the comment, already engrossed in the inscriptions. He ran his fingers along the glowing symbols, murmuring to himself as he tried to decipher the ancient writing.

Arin, feeling the weight of the curse pressing down on her, stepped up beside him. "Can you figure it out?" she asked, her voice tense.

"I need time," Rethis said, glancing at her. "It's a riddle tied to the magic of the artefact. We have to solve it to break the curse."

"Great," Thorne scoffed from the back, leaning against the wall. "Let me know when your little word puzzle saves the day."

Arin shot him a glare. "If you've got nothing useful to contribute, keep your mouth shut."

Thorne smirked but said nothing, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Sure, Princess."

Rethis studied the glowing runes carefully, his mind racing to solve the riddle while Arin stood guard, watching the artefact for any signs of danger.

Without warning, the ground beneath their feet shook violently. From the walls, two massive stone statues of long-forgotten warriors came to life. Their stone bodies creaked and groaned as they broke free from their pedestals, their glowing eyes locking onto the intruders.

"Guardians," Rethis said, his voice tight. "They're protecting the artefact."

Before anyone could react, one of the stone warriors charged forward, its massive sword raised. Arin barely had time to draw her own blade and block the attack, the force of the impact nearly knocking her off her feet.

Thorne, springing into action, pulled his sword free and lunged at the other guardian, grunting as his blade clanged off the creature's stony exterior. "Not as easy as they look," he muttered.

"I'll keep working on the riddle," Rethis shouted over the clashing of steel and stone. "Just keep them busy!"

"Easy for you to say," Arin growled, dodging another strike from the guardian. She slashed at its legs, trying to find a weak spot, but the creature seemed impervious to her attacks.

Lyria, trembling behind them, desperately tried to cast a healing spell on Arin after the next hit, but the guardians were relentless, their attacks coming faster and harder with each second.

"This isn't working!" Arin shouted, frustration mounting.

Thorne, panting from exertion, threw a glance over his shoulder at Rethis. "Any day now, wizard."