The tension in the chamber was thicker than the mountain mist outside. Malric didn’t lower his staff; the blue crystal at its tip hummed with an aggressive, jagged light. He stood like a wall between his sister and the man in the shadows.
"I asked you a question, thief," Malric spat, his voice low and dangerous. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't pin you to that pillar with a kinetic bolt right now."
Robert Atten finally shifted his gaze to Malric, though the lazy smirk remained. "Because, Scholar, if you fire that bolt, the reverberation will wake up the Scaled Guardians in the next hall. And trust me, they haven't had a meal as substantial as a plate-clad knight in decades."
Robert pushed off the stone and stepped fully into the light. He was lithe, moving with a fluid, predatory grace that made Malric’s academic discipline feel stiff and clunky. Robert’s eyes flicked back to Marin, trailing over her armor with a slow, appreciative hum. "Though, if I’m going to be pinned, I’d prefer the lady do it."
"That's enough," Marin barked, her hand tight on her hilt. Her face was set in a mask of steel, but there was a flicker of something—curiosity or annoyance—in her eyes.
"We move," Malric commanded, grabbing the back of Marin’s shoulder to nudge her forward. "Jessica, watch our rear. If this 'resident' makes a move toward my sister, let him have it."
The Scaled Guardians
Robert led them through a series of narrow, rib-like passages. Malric stayed glued to Marin’s side, his eyes darting between the path ahead and the back of Robert’s head.
"Stop," Robert whispered, his hand going up.
From the dark recesses of a wide vaulted hall, two Scaled Guardians emerged. They were massive, reptilian beasts covered in iron-hard plates, their eyes burning with a hungry, crimson light.
"Malric, shields!" Marin ordered, drawing her broadsword.
Malric slammed the base of his staff into the ground. A shimmering dome of translucent blue energy erupted around the group just as one of the beasts lunged. The creature’s claws screeched against the mana-barrier like metal on glass.
"They're too fast for heavy strikes, Marin!" Malric shouted over the roar of the beast. "Stay inside the perimeter!"
The Thief’s Dance
Robert didn't stay inside. He vanished into the shadows and reappeared behind the first beast, his daggers flashing like silver needles. He didn't hack at the armor; he slid his blades into the joints of the creature’s knees.
As the beast toppled, Robert looked over his shoulder at Marin, winking. "See that, Knight? It's all about the soft spots. Care to join me?"
Before Malric could forbid it, Marin roared and charged out of the shield. She didn't use her usual blunt force; she mimicked the timing she had just seen, sidestepping a tail-swipe and driving her blade into the creature’s exposed neck.
"Marin, get back here!" Malric yelled, his face flushing with a mix of fear and fury. He channeled a blast of kinetic force to knock the second beast off balance, giving his sister a window to retreat.
The Growing Heat
The fight ended with the beasts slumped on the stone, dead. Marin stood over the carcass, her chest heaving, her armor splattered with dark ichor. Robert walked up to her, sheathing his daggers.
"You're a quick study," Robert murmured, leaning in close enough that Malric could see his sister's ears turn a faint pink. "Strength and brains. A dangerous combination."
Malric shoved himself between them, his staff vibrating with a threatening hum. "Move back, thief. You’ve guided us this far, but don't think for a second that makes you one of us."
Robert held up his hands in mock surrender, laughing softly. "So protective. Is he always this tightly wound, Marin?"
Marin cleared her throat, avoiding Malric’s eyes. "He’s my brother. It’s his job."
"It’s my job to keep you from being fooled by a low-life in leather," Malric snapped. He turned to the group, his eyes hard. "We move to the Heart. Now. And Robert? If you touch her again, I'll melt the soles of your boots to the floor."
Marley watched the exchange, leaning toward Jessica. "I don't think Malric’s magic can stop whatever's happening here," she whispered.
Jessica just shook her head, her hand on her own staff. "Let’s just hope we find the orb before Malric’s head explodes."
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