"True strength doesn't come from anger, but from the resolve to never give up."
The faint vibration was the first thing we noticed as we made our way through the stone corridor toward the exit. At first it was subtle, but gradually, the tremors grew stronger. Dust fell from the high ceiling of the ancient library, dancing in the air that began to hum with energy. Around us, ancient symbols—once lifeless carvings—now glowed dimly, golden-red like embers awakening from a long slumber.
I turned to Elvira. "This place is becoming unstable. We have to go."
She nodded quickly, and we broke into a run, our hurried footsteps echoing on the cold stone floor. But before we could reach the exit, a deep rumble echoed from the corridor behind us. I held my breath.
From the shadows, a massive dark figure emerged. It nearly reached the ceiling. Its body was made of dark stone, each joint grinding with a harsh creak. Glowing red eyes fixed sharply on us.
"A golem... an ancient guardian," Elvira whispered.
I drew my sword. "We can't run from this."
The golem raised its arm—a heavy strike aimed at us. I pushed Elvira aside and leapt away. The floor where we had just stood shattered, sending shockwaves through the ground. I counterattacked, but my sword left only a shallow scratch on its stony skin. It wasn't enough.
Elvira tried magic. A blast of water surged from her staff, slamming into the golem's chest. It did nothing.
"My magic doesn't work...!" she cried in panic.
I stepped back, breathing heavily. My body was tiring. Then—that voice returned. Calm, yet powerful. In my mind.
"Speak my name… Archa Tempest."
I closed my eyes for a moment, then pulled a small book from my bag and flipped through it quickly. My left hand traced a symbol just as shown in the ancient text. Dark red and black aura began swirling around me.
"Archa… Tempest."
The incantation echoed in time with the pounding of my heart. A magic circle lit up beneath my feet. Wind and fire exploded from my palms, forming a vortex of energy that shot straight into the golem's chest.
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion shook the entire chamber. Chunks of stone fell from above. The golem staggered. A crack spread from its chest up to its head. Then... it shattered. Its body crumbled into rubble.
Silence fell over the room. Elvira stared at me, eyes wide. "That was... ancient magic..."
I looked down at my trembling hand. My breath was ragged. My legs felt weak.
"This power... it's too much," I muttered.
We retreated and rested behind a section of wall that hadn't collapsed. Elvira quickly pulled out a small potion and began tending to the scrapes on my arm. The silence around us was filled only with the sound of our breathing.
"If you could fully control that magic," she said while wrapping my wound, "no one would be able to defeat you."
I looked at the floor. "I don't want to be the strongest," I whispered. "I just want to be strong enough to stop all this corruption."
She smiled—soft, yet steadying. "Then let me come with you. At the very least… so you don't have to carry it alone."
I looked at her. Those words... stirred something inside me, something that had long been frozen. For the first time, the word friend felt real. And warm.
When we finally emerged from that cave, the evening sky welcomed us with hues of crimson and orange. Fresh air brushed against my face. The outside world felt different. Vaster, wilder. But my steps were steady.
Now, I carry ancient magic within me. Elvira walks beside me. The burdens of my past still cling to me, but I'm no longer alone. And one thing I know for sure—this journey isn't over.
There's still much I must face. Still so much injustice I need to burn away with resolve.
And that flame—it will never die.
In the darkness of the cave, Minato found a new flame. But beyond it lies a greater world—and not everyone will welcome the return of ancient power...