Chapter 9 — The Five Hunters
1842 Words
The third door inside Arin's Golden Core began to open.
But before it could fully unlock, the vision disappeared.
Arin opened his eyes.
He was standing in the middle of a forest.
The battlefield was gone.
The armies were gone.
Even the golden portal had vanished.
Only Kael stood nearby.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Kael looked around.
“Where are we?”
Arin looked at the trees.
“I don't know.”
Kael frowned.
“You don't know?”
Arin shook his head.
“One moment I was looking at the Golden Core. The next moment…”
He touched his chest.
“We were here.”
A strange sound came from the forest.
A branch broke.
Kael immediately drew his sword.
“Someone is watching us.”
Arin closed his eyes.
The second layer of his power activated.
Suddenly, the forest changed.
He could see energy flowing through everything.
The trees had green lines of energy.
The ground had faint golden veins.
Kael's body carried a blue-white aura.
But something else was moving between the trees.
Five different energies.
Red.
Blue.
Silver.
Brown.
Purple.
Arin opened his eyes.
“There are five of them.”
Kael looked toward the darkness.
“Five what?”
“Hunters.”
Five figures stepped out of the trees.
The first wore armor covered in red flames.
The second carried a crystal staff surrounded by floating water.
The third wore silver armor and had wings made of wind.
The fourth was enormous, with stone covering one side of his body.
The fifth was a woman dressed in dark purple robes.
Each carried one of the ancient symbols.
Kael whispered:
“The Five Hunters.”
Arin looked at them.
“You know them?”
“Everyone knows them.”
The woman in purple smiled.
“We are the executioners of the Seven Thrones.”
The fire warrior stepped forward.
“And you are the Heir.”
Arin didn't move.
“Who sent you?”
The woman answered.
“The Golden Throne.”
Arin remembered Seraphine.
The queen.
The throne.
The prophecy.
He clenched his fist.
“So they want me dead.”
“No,” the woman said.
“They want you captured.”
Kael laughed.
“That isn't going to happen.”
The wind warrior raised his hand.
A massive gust exploded through the forest.
Kael was thrown backward.
Arin remained standing.
His golden aura expanded.
The wind split around him.
The hunter's eyes widened.
“The second layer is already stable.”
Arin looked at his hand.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“You will.”
The fire warrior attacked.
A giant flaming blade appeared in his hands.
He swung it toward Arin.
Arin raised one hand.
The blade stopped inches from his palm.
Golden energy covered his fingers.
The flames disappeared.
The hunter stared at his weapon.
Arin pushed him backward.
The warrior crashed through three trees.
Kael stood up.
“Nice.”
The stone warrior charged.
The ground shook with every step.
He punched Arin.
Arin blocked the attack.
The impact created a crater beneath his feet.
For the first time, Arin struggled.
The stone warrior smiled.
“You may carry the Golden Core.”
He raised his fist again.
“But you are still human.”
Arin looked at him.
“Maybe.”
His eyes began glowing.
“But I'm learning.”
Golden lines spread across his arm.
He struck the ground.
A wave of energy exploded outward.
The stone warrior was lifted into the air and thrown into a cliff.
The water hunter immediately attacked.
A giant serpent made of water appeared behind her.
It opened its mouth.
Arin jumped aside.
The serpent destroyed the trees behind him.
Kael charged the woman.
She created a wall of water.
Kael's sword passed through it without causing damage.
“Arin!”
Arin understood.
He could see the energy inside the water.
Every spell had a center.
Every power had a weakness.
He reached toward the wall.
Golden energy entered the water.
The entire spell collapsed.
The hunter stepped backward.
“What are you?”
Arin answered quietly.
“I don't know yet.”
The fifth hunter finally moved.
The woman in purple.
Unlike the others, she didn't attack.
She simply stared at Arin.
“You really don't remember.”
Arin froze.
“What do you mean?”
“You don't remember me?”
She removed her hood.
She had silver eyes.
Arin's chest suddenly burned.
A memory appeared.
A young girl standing beside Queen Elara.
A girl holding a small Arin's hand.
“Don't be afraid.”
The memory disappeared.
Arin stared at her.
“Who are you?”
Her eyes became sad.
“My name is Lyra.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Lyra…”
She looked at him.
“You remember me too.”
Kael's face hardened.
“You died.”
Lyra smiled.
“So did your friends.”
She looked at Arin.
“But some of us were brought back.”
“By whom?”
“The Seven Thrones.”
Arin's expression changed.
“Why?”
“To hunt you.”
Lyra raised her hand.
Dark purple energy appeared around her fingers.
“But I didn't come here to kill you.”
The other hunters looked at her.
“What are you doing?”
Lyra ignored them.
She looked directly at Arin.
“You need to leave this forest.”
“Why?”
“Because the throne isn't your greatest enemy.”
Arin's eyes narrowed.
“Then who is?”
Lyra whispered:
“The First King.”
The forest suddenly became silent.
Even the wind stopped.
Kael's face turned pale.
“No…”
Arin looked at him.
“Who is the First King?”
Kael didn't answer.
Lyra did.
“He was the first person to control the seven powers.”
Arin looked at his chest.
“The First Heir?”
“No.”
Lyra shook her head.
“The First King.”
She stepped closer.
“He created the Seven Thrones.”
Arin felt a chill.
“Why would he want me dead?”
“Because you carry something he lost.”
“What?”
Lyra looked at the Golden Core.
“His soul.”
Arin's heart stopped.
“No.”
Lyra nodded.
“The Golden Core isn't only your power.”
She pointed toward his chest.
“It contains the soul of the First King.”
Arin stumbled backward.
“That isn't possible.”
“It is.”
The other hunters suddenly attacked Lyra.
The fire warrior shouted:
“She has betrayed the throne!”
A flaming spear flew toward her.
Arin moved instantly.
Golden energy exploded from his body.
The spear shattered.
Everyone froze.
Arin looked at Lyra.
“Tell me everything.”
Lyra shook her head.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
“The Temple of Seven Doors.”
Kael looked shocked.
“That temple was destroyed.”
“No,” Lyra replied.
“It was hidden.”
Arin looked toward the mountains.
“Where?”
Lyra pointed north.
“Beyond the Dead Valley.”
The stone warrior attacked again.
This time Arin was ready.
He raised both hands.
Seven symbols appeared around him.
The ground beneath the hunters began glowing.
The hunters suddenly couldn't move.
The fire warrior struggled.
“What is this?”
Arin stared at the symbols.
“I don't know.”
The Golden Core answered for him.
COMMAND.
Arin understood.
The power wasn't meant to destroy.
It was meant to control.
He lowered his hand.
“Sleep.”
All five hunters collapsed.
Except Lyra.
She remained standing.
Arin looked at her.
“Why aren't you affected?”
Lyra smiled.
“Because I was never your enemy.”
Then she disappeared into the shadows.
Kael stared after her.
“She could have killed us.”
“But she didn't.”
“That doesn't mean we can trust her.”
Arin looked at the sleeping hunters.
“I don't trust anyone.”
Kael smiled.
“Good.”
A distant roar echoed through the mountains.
Arin turned.
Dark clouds were gathering above the Dead Valley.
Something enormous was moving beyond them.
Kael tightened his grip on his sword.
“That doesn't sound good.”
Arin's Golden Core pulsed.
The third door opened slightly.
A voice whispered inside his mind.
REMEMBER.
Arin closed his eyes.
Another memory appeared.
Queen Elara stood before the First King.
The palace was burning.
“You cannot have him.”
The First King raised his hand.
“He belongs to me.”
Elara screamed:
“He is my son!”
The First King smiled.
“No.”
He looked toward the young Arin.
“He is my vessel.”
The memory ended.
Arin opened his eyes.
His face had changed.
Kael noticed immediately.
“What did you see?”
Arin looked toward the Dead Valley.
“My mother was fighting the First King.”
“And?”
“He wanted to use me.”
Kael's expression became serious.
“Then we need to find that temple before he does.”
Arin nodded.
But before they could move, the ground began shaking.
A gigantic black symbol appeared in the sky.
The same symbol that had appeared on the Golden Throne.
The Five Hunters slowly stood.
The fire warrior looked terrified.
“He's coming.”
Arin looked upward.
“Who?”
The hunter whispered:
“The First King.”
A deep voice echoed across the entire forest.
“Arin.”
The Golden Core inside Arin's chest answered.
One pulse.
Then another.
The third door opened another inch.
Golden light burst from his eyes.
The voice returned.
“You have my power.”
Arin looked toward the dark sky.
“And soon…”
The voice became louder.
“You will have my memories.”
Arin clenched his fists.
“Then I'll use them against you.”
The sky turned completely black.
A gigantic golden eye appeared among the clouds.
It stared directly at Arin.
Then the voice whispered:
“Come to the Temple of Seven Doors.”
Arin stared back.
“I will.”
The eye disappeared.
Kael looked at him.
“Was that a trap?”
Arin nodded.
“Definitely.”
“And you're still going?”
Arin began walking toward the mountains.
“Yes.”
Kael followed.
“Why?”
Arin looked back.
“Because if the First King wants me to come there…”
His golden eyes burned brighter.
“…then that's exactly where I need to be.”
Behind them, Lyra watched from the shadows.
She held a small golden crystal in her hand.
Inside the crystal was an image of Queen Elara.
Lyra whispered:
“Your son is ready.”
The crystal cracked.
And somewhere beneath the Dead Valley…
a massive ancient door opened.
Seven symbols appeared upon it.
The first was already glowing.
The second began to glow.
Then the third.
And behind the door, something awakened.
Something that had been waiting for Arin for twenty years.
To be continued…
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