Love & Destiny

He abandoned his vantage point and headed for the temple.

His instincts screamed at him not to enter the desert, but he had to in order to reach the city.

With red sand beneath his feet, Zeno began his ascent.

His hands firmly gripped his weapon.

Even if there were no monsters on the horizon, it was better to be on his guard.

The desert was calm and empty.

It was the quietest place Zeno had ever been.

"It's strange, there's no life here, even the sun seems to avoid this desert."

One question troubled Zeno, what did this temple inhabit?

Zeno hesitated to continue. After many minutes, he decided to continue.

***

After an hour's walk, Zeno decided to take a short break, exhausted by the heat and the absolute silence. He could hear the blood coursing through his veins.

Just as Zeno decided to take a sip of water, he noticed a slight vibration in the ground.

BOOM!

Within 100 metres of Zeno, the ground collapsed and a massive figure appeared.

A submerged worm.

Its skin was scaly, rough and semi-metallic.

These scales overlapped and interlocked to form armour.

A strong smell of decay wafted from him.

A huge fang-shaped scar marked his right side.

Black blood poured from the wound.

"It looks like it's heading east. Let's stay hidden. Chances are he won't notice me."

The imposing creature moved across the area, trying to get closer to the temple.

Zeno made a strange discovery.

Through the giant wound, a magnificent golden crystal could be seen.

Its energy core is exposed.

Zeno exhaled.

After a few minutes, the monster arrived in front of the temple, then strangely bent its body.

SHHHSHH!

Zeno felt a shiver run down his back and forgot to breathe.

A monster came out of the temple.

The monster was a large, fanged beast with a morphology similar to that of an ursid. It has thick black and white fur, two short powerful hind legs and the ability to move bipedally or quadrupedally. 

Its face appears to have a hard epidermis, and its upper jaw is covered by a carapace with fang-like protrusions.

There are two "horns" above the eyebrows and two more behind the neck, half-hidden in the fur. Its yellow eyes shine brightly and have small horizontal pupils, giving it a supernatural look.

His four forearms are studded with black 'scales' and his hands have long, clawed fingers, contrasting with his bear-like legs.

Its torso appears to be made of shiny, polished metal. His body had become an impenetrable suit of armour.

The sun's rays reflected off the surface of his torso. The monster looked like a demon of steel.

It gave off a sinister aura.

Just looking at him, Zeno was intimidated.

"That monster...is scary."

Zeno watched the demon approach the worm and looked at it coldly.

The worm was terrified of the Demon.

1 second later, the worm was reduced to ashes. 

The Demon then picked up its energy core and returned to the interior of the temple.

Zeno was faced with a dilemma, he was extremely curious to see what was inside the temple.

He also had the option of ignoring it.

Making a hasty decision, Zeno approached the temple.

"Yami."

Zeno transformed into a tenebrous form, strangely enough, the presence of the fear demon was less present but still there.

Hiding in the shadows, Zeno entered the temple.

***

The metal demon stood in front of an altar made of obscidian.

7 energy cores were positioned on it. 

One blue, one red, one green, one white, one golden, one violet and... one black.

The seven energy cores were transformed into a chalice. 

A huge mouth materialised on it.

The metal demon tore off 3 of its arms and offered them to the bloody mouth.

A black liquid began to flow into the chalice, filling it to the brim.

The mouth disappeared.

The demon lowered his gaze and observed the chalice.

The demon approached the chalice and tried to touch it.

FISSSSSH!

He was engulfed in black flames, his armour melting. His shrill cries shook the walls, creating numerous cracks.

Zeno felt as if his timpans had been destroyed. 

Many drops of his blood fell to the ground. They gathered to form a large circle surrounding the monster.

For a second, it seemed as if time had stopped. Zeno watched the spectacle with wide eyes.

He had never imagined what would happen.

The Demon roared with fury, and tried to escape, but red chains caught him. His eyes shone through the blazing flames.

Zeno's face paled.

He felt a strange change in the world around him.

An invisible pressure was bearing down on the world, making everything heavier.

The air became colder.

Strange runes began to appear beneath the monster.

Thanks to his knowledge, he was able to read some of them and...

'No good no good no good....!'

Zeno drew his sword.

It's a ritual of resurrection!

Zeno infused his sword with the aura of celestial lightning.

His blade took on a violet-white hue.

Lightning flashed around him.

"Heavenly cannon!"

ZINNG

A ray of lightning exploded forward like a spear. Obliterating the dying monster.

At the same time, Zeno felt a chill seize him.

Zeno swallowed, his hair standing on end.

Zeno stood paralysed.

Everything stopped at once. Only that feminine voice echoed through the world.

The voice repeated:

"I've waited for you a long time."

A second passed, then another, then another. Each seemed like an eternity. Finally the voice returned. But this time it was further away.

"My love."

Zeno kept his eyes closed. 

The next moment, the whole desert shook. Something shattered in a deafening thunder.

***

Once more, Zeno opened his eyes.

Before him lay a naked girl.

The girl turned her head in his direction and stood up, carefully treading the ground with her right foot.

She had a pair of eyes of indescribable beauty, as if the essence of the world lay deep within her. 

Her two quiet pupils, clear as crystals, were like the glow of a flowing dream, her two black eyebrows, fine and curved, like a pair of crescent moons. 

Her jade skin and creamy face were as white as snow in the dim light of the room.

 Her lips were like the most delicate petals in the world and her nose was the finest white jade carved, high and proud with an innate nobility. 

Her soft, glossy dark violet hair fell softly behind her shoulders.

Her figure was wonderfully moving and delicate in the extreme. 

Before he could react, the girl was standing in front of Zeno.

Both remained silent for a moment. 

"Who are you, or rather what are you?"

"I'm yours."

Suddenly, a red flower-shaped symbol appeared simultaneously in both their right hands.

Their hearts raced.

Instantly, Zeno felt his mind connect with the other.

They each saw the other's life flash by.

An eternity later...