A huge black figure of a terrifying demon with red eyes stood in the center.
Four sections of the hall's ceiling opened, giving access to the grim starry sky. Streams of magical wind descended and surrounded the black demon. He rose upward and flew into the boundless space outside.
"Follow him. Do not lose him. He has the key to the door leading farther."
The Cursed sprang to his feet. Blood was flowing from his ears. There were other injuries on his face. But they were regenerating as he rushed toward the center of the hall. Entering the streams of wind, he also rose upward and flew after the black figure of the demon.
He found himself above the gloomy city at night. The lights of the palace and the magical laboratories were glowing below.
The massive black demon was speeding away in the magical currents toward the darkening northwest, where the impregnable mountain peaks rose. Mysterious ancient temples stood on the mountaintops. One ancient temple stood upon a dense cloud not far from the Cursed.
The All-Seeing was looking through the Cursed's eyes.
"Fly to the ancient temple on the cloud. You must put on the magical armor kept there. To fight the black demon and defeat him."
"What about magical weapons?"
"This is the Temple of Protection. I do not see the Temple of Weapons anywhere nearby."
He shifted to the side, and the current caught him and carried him toward the temple.
The temple, built of an unknown white material, rose before him. Its slender towers with long spires reached toward the night sky covered with stars. For a long time, legends about the temples had circulated throughout the Kingdom, but he himself had never seen them.
The windows were sealed with iron hatches. When he approached, one hatch split open into two sections.
Flying through it, the Cursed found himself in a vast hall where neither the ceiling nor the floor could be seen. White walls stretched upward and downward into infinity.
Two tall statues of female warriors stood on either side of each window. In total, there were eight statues at the four windows, two on each side of the temple. They were clad in high-tech armor. Their hands rested on the hilts of swords whose points touched the bases of the statues. Their armor resembled the technological armor worn by the Cursed. But his armor did not appear nearly as perfect. Something transcendent and unattainable was present in their appearance.
The Cursed's flight came to a stop in the center of the hall. The amulet on his chest flared with a bright light.
"Stop. Prepare to receive energy protection. Beginning countdown: ten, nine, eight..."
It was a woman's voice in his head. Not the All-Seeing's voice. Another one. Distant. Close. Possessing unimaginable power.
"...three, two, one. Beginning upgrade."
A bright light surrounded him. Multiple discharges of energy ran along his body, arms, and legs, forming an energy cocoon. It was transparent and even enhanced visibility. Several lights flew in from the edges of the hall and struck the cocoon, testing its effectiveness and durability. At first at low speed, then with increasing speed and force. They shattered into sparks. The protection was working and shimmering in different shades. Information about how to activate the protection was implanted into the Cursed.
After that, the supernatural effect disappeared. The protection deactivated. The current carried him outside.
"Where were you? I lost sight of you."
"In the temple. I received energy protection."
"It seems the temple hid you from my sight. It is excellent that you now have protection. It will shield you from the demon's attacks."