Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: The Guardian Beast and the Tripartite Clash

Lin Yu, Alaric, Grumdar, the old man, and the Flame Beast fled from the collapsing realm of the Shadowborne, their hearts pounding with a mix of fear and determination. The corridor outside was in chaos, the walls shaking and large chunks of stone falling from the ceiling. The air was filled with the acrid smell of ancient magic gone awry.As they ran, Lin Yu's mind was racing. Alaric's revelation had shaken him to the core, but he knew he had to trust his friend. They had faced too many challenges together to let this tear them apart. "Alaric, are you okay?" he shouted over the din.Alaric, his face pale but resolute, nodded. "I'm fine. I'll find a way to control this power, Lin Yu. I promise."Just as they thought they had escaped the immediate danger, a loud, booming roar filled the air. The ground trembled violently, and a large, golden - hued light emerged from the end of the corridor. As the light cleared, a massive, lion - like creature stood before them. Its body was covered in shimmering, golden scales, and its eyes glowed with an otherworldly light."I am Grythos, the guardian of this ancient realm," the creature said, its voice like rolling thunder. "You have disrupted the balance with your intrusion. You must atone."Lin Yu stepped forward, his hand on the Blade of Light. "We mean no harm, Grythos. We're on a quest to save the universe. We need to find the remaining crystal fragments."Grythos let out a low growl. "The crystal fragments are a part of the ancient balance. You cannot simply take them. You must prove your worth."Before Lin Yu could respond, a dark, swirling portal opened behind them. From the portal, the leader of the Dark Sect emerged, followed by a group of his most powerful mages. "You thought you could escape us, Lin Yu? You are mine now."Grythos turned towards the Dark Sect, its hackles rising. "You dare enter my realm, Dark Ones? You will pay the price."The Dark Sect leader sneered. "You are but a simple beast. We will take what we want."With that, the Dark Sect launched their attack. A hail of dark - energy bolts shot towards Grythos. The guardian beast roared and lashed out with its massive claws. The energy bolts were deflected, but the Dark Sect mages continued their onslaught.Lin Yu and his companions were caught in the middle. "We can't let the Dark Sect get the upper hand," Lin Yu shouted. "We'll help Grythos, but we also can't let him stop us from finding the fragments."Alaric, his eyes focused, began to chant elven spells. Bolts of green - hued energy shot towards the Dark Sect mages. The old man joined in, launching a series of golden - hued magic attacks. Grumdar charged forward, his hammer swinging, while the Flame Beast let out a ferocious growl and attacked with its searing flames.The battle was intense. The Dark Sect mages were powerful, but Grythos was a formidable opponent. Its golden scales seemed to absorb the dark energy, and its attacks were devastating.In the midst of the chaos, Lin Yu noticed a strange, glowing pattern on the floor. It was a pattern that seemed to be related to the crystal fragments. He quickly focused the power of the ancient seal and the crystal fragments he already held. A powerful blast of energy shot towards the pattern, and the pattern began to glow even brighter.Suddenly, a large, glowing pedestal rose from the ground. On the pedestal was a crystal fragment, its light pulsating with a powerful energy.The Dark Sect leader, seeing the fragment, launched a powerful attack towards Lin Yu. A tendril of dark energy wrapped around Lin Yu's body, trying to pull him away from the pedestal.Alaric, his eyes filled with determination, launched a counter - attack. He used the power within him, the power that was both his and the Shadowborne's, to break the tendril and free Lin Yu.Lin Yu rushed towards the pedestal, but Grythos blocked his path. "You must prove your worth first, Lin Yu. You cannot simply take the fragment."Just then, the old man, his voice strained, shouted, "I think I know what to do. Grythos, we'll help you seal a powerful, ancient evil that has been threatening this realm. In return, you let us take the fragment."Grythos considered the offer. "Very well. But you must act quickly. The Dark Sect grows stronger."Lin Yu and his companions, along with Grythos, turned their attention to the Dark Sect. The battle raged on, the corridor filled with the sounds of clashing magic, the roars of Grythos, and the shouts of the combatants.Lin Yu, using the power of the ancient seal, the Blade of Light, and the crystal fragments, launched a series of powerful attacks towards the Dark Sect. The combined power was too much for the Dark Sect mages to handle. Their formation wavered, and they were pushed back towards the portal.The Dark Sect leader, his eyes filled with hatred, shouted, "This is not over, Lin Yu. We will return, and the power of the crystal fragments will be ours."With that, the Dark Sect disappeared into the portal. But they had no time to celebrate. A large, shadowy figure emerged from the depths of the ancient realm. It was a powerful, ancient evil that had been sealed away for centuries, but the chaos of the battle had weakened its prison.Grythos let out a fierce roar. "This is the evil you must help me seal. Are you ready?"Lin Yu nodded. "We're ready. Let's do this."The battle against the ancient evil was even more intense. The creature was massive, its body a swirling mass of darkness. Its attacks were powerful, and it seemed to be immune to some of their magic.But Lin Yu, Alaric, Grumdar, the old man, and the Flame Beast fought with all their might. Lin Yu used the power of the crystal fragments to create a powerful, energy - filled barrier around the creature. Alaric chanted elven spells to weaken its defenses, while the old man launched a series of powerful magic attacks.Grumdar charged forward, his hammer slamming into the creature's body. The Flame Beast attacked with its searing flames, trying to hold the creature in place.In the midst of the battle, Lin Yu noticed a strange, glowing symbol on the creature's forehead. It was a symbol that he had seen in one of the ancient texts he had studied. He focused the power of the ancient seal and the crystal fragments on the symbol.A powerful blast of energy shot out from the crystal fragments, hitting the symbol. The creature let out a scream of pain, and its body began to weaken. Lin Yu and his companions took advantage of the moment and launched a final, powerful attack.The combined power of their magic, the power of the crystal fragments, and the power of Grythos was enough to seal the ancient evil once again. The creature let out a final, agonizing screech and disappeared.Grythos, its body glowing with a soft, golden light, turned towards Lin Yu. "You have proven your worth, Lin Yu. Take the crystal fragment, and continue your quest. But beware, for the Dark Sect will not give up easily, and there are other dangers lurking in the shadows."Lin Yu reached out and took the crystal fragment. As soon as he touched it, a powerful, energy surge filled his body. He could feel the power of the fragment merging with the power of the other fragments he held.With the new crystal fragment in hand, Lin Yu, Alaric, Grumdar, the old man, and the Flame Beast made their way out of the ancient realm. The corridor outside was still filled with a strange, pulsating light, and the air was thick with the smell of ancient magic and danger.As they walked, Lin Yu couldn't help but wonder what other secrets and dangers awaited them. How many more crystal fragments were there? And would they be able to stop the Dark Sect and the other forces before it was too late? The only way to find out was to keep moving forward, to face the challenges ahead with courage and determination.The journey to save the universe was far from over, and the challenges ahead were greater than ever. But with the power of the crystal fragments, the ancient seal, and the Blade of Light, Lin Yu was ready to face whatever came his way. For he was the one with the blood of the ancients, and the fate of the world was in his hands.