The Jade Dragon: Chapter 27

I finally arrived at Maze Canyon after a four day trip from Managon.  I got out the compass I had bought and entered the canyon.  I will admit I got lost several times.  At those points I checked the compass to head back north.  After a right turn I looked up and saw a group of Dark Soldiers guarding what looked like the exit.  They jumped at me and I fought back.  I quickly cast an Earth spell.

"Fall from eternity into the dark abyss!” I chanted.  “Gravity Well!”

A large brown sphere surrounded the Dark Soldiers and crushed them to the ground while I cast a Fire spell.

“O seething fire, be as a holy beast to devour the wicked!” I chanted.  “Flame Dragon!”

A dragon head, made of flames, then smashed into the Dark Soldiers, burning them to ashes.  I then walked out of the maze and was immediately blinded by a flash of light.  When the light weakened, I saw a Shrine surrounded by a barrier of light. I saw a pillar of stone and walked over to it.  I then heard the voice.

'If you are truly Ayren, place your hand on this stone.  Ayren's touch shall remove the barriers blocking the path to the Power of Light.'

I then placed my hand on the stone and it shone a pearly white light.  I then heard a bell-like sound.  I turned around, and the barrier of light was gone.  I then went into the Shrine.

When I got inside, I saw strange statues with mirrors on them inside the first room of the Shrine.  I then noticed four crystal prisms.  Then I saw a place of the wall  that had light shining through tiny cracks.

I walked down the stairs and heard the voice.

'The beams of Light must shine upon crystal.  Light bends upon the reflective surface.  Only when the Light shines on all crystal shall the path be revealed.'

I had to think about this.  I deduced that I needed to find a way to make light shine on all the four crystal prisms by using the mirror statues.  Otherwise I wouldn't get any farther.  But the problem was, where would I find a source of light?  I walked over to the place on the wall that had light shining through cracks.  Then, out of nowhere, five Dark Soldiers attacked.  I quickly channeled an Earth spell.

“Fall from eternity and into the darkness!” I chanted.  “Gravity Well!”

A large brown sphere surrounded the Dark Soldiers and crushed them to the ground while I channeled a Water spell.

"Forces of nature, pierce through the heavens!” I chanted.  “Diffusional Drive!”

A well of water appeared beneath the Dark Soldiers and impaled each of them with a large spout of water.  Once they all disintegrated, the wall shook and opened up to reveal a beam of light.  I hurried and positioned all the mirror statues to bend the beam of light to hit all the crystal prisms.  The door then opened to the next part of the Shrine.

When I went to the next room, I saw 3 crystal prisms, mirror statues, and an area that light shone through cracks.  I walked down the stairs and heard the voice.

'The beams of Light must shine upon crystal.  Dwell not on what lies below, for Light must shine upon all.  Look to the Heavens to see all that is.  Upon reflective surfaces, shine Light to all.'

I had to think about that for a moment.  I then looked at one of the mirror statues.  The one I was looking at would reflect light to the ceiling.  I looked up and saw a crystal prism on the ceiling.  I figured that I had to shine light on the one on the ceiling too.  So I went over to the area with the light and 4 Dark Soldiers dropped from the ceiling.  I fought them off with my sword Lightning artes.  Then, when they were all gone, the barrier opened and a beam of light shone through.  I then positioned the mirror statues to shine the light on the 4 crystal prisms.  The door then opened.  I then went through the door to the next part of the Shrine.

When I got there, I saw 3 crystal prisms on the ground, but this time, there were barriers that closed them off.  There were many mirror statues.  I looked up and saw a crystal prism on the ceiling.  I walked down the stairs.  I then heard the voice.

'The beams of Light must shine on crystal.  The guardians block the crystal from the Light.  Through all adversary, Light must shine.  Remove the barriers and let the Light shine on reflective surface and crystal.'

I thought about that and determined that I'd have to find a way to get the barriers out of the way.  I went over to where the beam of light was being blocked.  Then, 4 Dark Soldiers appeared.  I fought them off.  When they were all destroyed, the barrier blocking the light moved.  I moved a mirror statue to hit the first crystal, but it was blocked by the barriers.  I went over to the barriers and 4 Dark Soldiers appeared.  I quickly cast a Water spell.

"Majestic indigo ruler of all lands, let loose thy churning tempest to engorge on this; a misfortune...” I chanted.  “Maelstrom!”

A whirlpool of water surrounds the Dark Soldiers and disintegrated them.  Once they were all dead the barriers disappeared, allowing the light to shine.  I positioned the mirror statues to hit the last crystal prism on the ground and walked over to the barriers.  Then, 4 Dark Soldiers attacked.  I dodged them all and cast a Water spell.

“O mad and greedy waters, rise up and storm the very heavens!” I chanted.  “Tidal Wave!”

A whirl of water surrounded the Dark Soldiers, damaging them and then pushing them upwards and squeezed them to death with the water pressure.  The barriers then dropped and I arranged the mirror statues to hit the crystal prism on the ceiling. When all four of them were shining, the door opened.  I walked through the door.

When I got into the next room, I saw the Altar.  Hovering above it was a sphere of pearly white light.  I walked down the stairs when the room started to quake. Then, a black tiger with white stripes and a teardrop shaped gem in between its eyes, fell from the ceiling.

“I am the Hell Tiger, a Hell General of the Dark Soldiers of the Dark Army!” it shouted in Ancient Alternion.  “If you are here, you could only be Ayren!”

“That's right!” I yelled in Ancient Alternion.  “I am Ayren, the Warrior of White Light, and I am here to reclaim my Powers of Light!”

“I will kill you here and now Ayren!” the Hell Tiger yelled.

It then leaped at me.  I barely managed to avoid its claws.  It moved so fast I couldn't cast any spells.  I wanted to use my bow, but it would pounce at me before I could aim.  I was getting pretty slashed up.  Then, time stopped and I heard the voice.

'Destroy the hole in the left wall!  That will blind it!  Then the weak spot Gem is in-between its eyes!”

Time returned to normal.  I looked at the left wall and, sure enough, there was a place with cracks and light was shining from the cracks.  I cast a basic Fire spell that didn't require much chanting and was cast quickly.

“Blaze forth.” I quickly chanted.  “Fireball!”

It summoned three balls of flame above my head.  I aimed the three balls of flame at the biggest crack in the wall and it shattered, causing a large beam of light to shine on the Hell Tiger.  It screamed in agony and tried to cover its eyes.  I ran forward and used a Fire sword arte to destroy the Gem.  Immediately, the Hell Tiger disintegrated, leaving behind some pink silk, some light pink sheer silk, and a large mound of money.  I limped over, I was covered in claw marks, my clothes were hacked up and blood was staining what cloth was left.  I put the money in my new coin purse that I had bought at the festival in Managon and put the silk in my pack.  My pack, coin purse, and water skin were spelled against damage so they weren't torn.  I then limped over to the Altar.  I heard the voice.

'Reclaim the Powers of Light that you sent to slumber here.'

The sphere then shone a bright light.  When the light faded, the sphere had turned into a pearl.  It floated towards me and there was another flash of light.  When the light faded, the pearl was in the very middle of my necklace.  I was then surrounded by a sphere of pearly white light.  My clothes were fixed and my wounds disappeared.  At the same time, I remembered all the Light spells and weapon artes that I had sealed here.  Then, a circle of light appeared to the right of the Altar.  I stepped into it and I was then outside the Shrine.

The next Shrine is the last one I sealed one of my Powers in.  I will become the Warrior of White Light again after I regain the Power of Healing.  But something still feels off.  I took out my map.  I figured it would take me 5 days to get to Iyashi, I would have to buy something there to protect my body and clothes when I go to the Woods of Thorns, in order to get to the last Shrine, the Shrine of Mending.  According to the map, getting from Iyashi to the Woods of Thorns would take at least a week.  With that, I put my map away and headed down the path that would get me to Iyashi.  Little did I know that, once I got to Iyashi, a dangerous situation would befall me.  One that could endanger all the people of Alteran and jeopardize my shisetsu(mission)...