Page 11 of Shadows of the Lost Relic (Vanguard of the Ancients #1)

Chapter 11

Theo

T he mountains of northern Greece were as unforgiving as they were beautiful. Jagged peaks rose into the sky, their tops hidden by thick clouds, while dense forests blanketed the lower slopes. The temple we were headed to was hidden deep within the wilderness, protected by ancient wards and surrounded by a forest that held hundreds of creatures that had claimed the lives of countless treasure hunters over the centuries.

As we neared our destination, the tension in the air weighed down my shoulders. The unspoken anxiety that came with knowing we were walking into a place filled with unknown dangers. But we were prepared, each of us armed with the knowledge and skills we needed to navigate the challenges ahead.

The transport touched down in a small clearing at the base of the mountains; the engines powered down as we gathered our gear and prepared to disembark. The air was crisp and cold, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the transport, and my breath clouded before me as I stepped into the clearing, the sunlight illuminating the miniscule dancing crystals.

“Everyone ready?” I asked, looking at each of them.

Kane gave me a thumbs-up, his usual grin firmly in place. “Let’s do this.”

Caspian nodded, checking his equipment one last time. “Ready.”

Evan tightened the straps on his pack, his eyes scanning the surrounding forest with the practiced caution of someone who had spent his life in dangerous situations. “I’m good.”

Lyra fixed her gaze on the distant peaks as she took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

“Let’s move out.” I said as I led the way toward the narrow path that would take us up the mountain.

The climb was steep and treacherous. The path wound its way through dense underbrush and rocky outcroppings, but we pressed on, the weight of our mission driving us forward. We moved in silence, each of us focused on the task at hand, our senses attuned to the slightest sound or movement around us.

After what felt like hours, we reached one of the rear entrances to the temple. We’d had to change course three times to avoid Shadowborn patrols, and to steer clear of the pillars of smoke that signaled the fires of their camps. The entrance hid within a large cave, the mouth of which was partially obscured by thick vines and moss. The stone steps leading down into the darkness were worn with age, their surface slick with moisture from the surrounding rock.

I held up a hand, signaling for everyone to stop as I approached the entrance. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay, and dark energy radiated from within the temple. It was a palpable presence, a reminder of the power that lay within.

I turned to face the others, my expression as serious as the situation warranted it to be. “This is it. The Amulet is somewhere inside, but we’re not the only ones looking for it. Stay sharp, and watch each other’s backs. Lyra, you need to take the lead. We need you to find a way through the wards.”

Kane pulled out a small flashlight, the beam cutting through the darkness as he nodded. I noticed the way Lyra flinched back from it. Evan unsheathed his dagger, the blade glinting in the dim light as he prepared himself for whatever lay ahead. Caspian adjusted his pack, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the task at hand.

Lyra took a step forward, her expression resolute. “Let’s go.”

With a deep breath, I followed her down the stone steps, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the walls as we descended into the temple. The air grew colder as we moved deeper, the light from the entrance fading until the darkness enveloped us, the only light coming from Kane’s flashlight.

The only sound was the steady drip of water from the ceiling, a slow, rhythmic pattern that only added to the eerie atmosphere. Each of the walls was lined with ancient carvings, symbols of forgotten gods and long-dead civilizations that had once worshipped in this place. For every Greek god we knew about, there had been others that no one told stories of anymore. We came to a stairwell that led farther down, built of the same stone as everything else.

“This should be the entrance of the labyrinth. Everyone, keep your eyes open.” They knew what it was, but I couldn’t keep myself from voicing things aloud. It kept me calm, making me feel in control of the situation.

Lyra looked nervous, but this was the sort of thing she did all the time. Her abilities to enter places were unmatched by any other Scion I had heard of.

The air in the labyrinth was thick with an unsettling stillness, a silence so complete that it felt as though the walls themselves were holding their breath. Each step we took echoed faintly off the ancient stone, the sound swallowed quickly by the oppressive darkness that surrounded us. My senses were on high alert, every muscle in my body coiled tight with anticipation as we navigated the twisting corridors.

Lyra moved in small bursts, sometimes walking pressed up against the walls, sometimes in the middle of the corridors. It was like she was winding her way through a secondary maze that we couldn’t see. I followed in her footsteps as best I could, motioning for the others to do the same. If there were traps, she would know better than the rest of us. There were too many possibilities here for my visions to be of any use.

Kane walked behind me, his flashlight cutting through the gloom and casting eerie shadows on the walls. The beam flickered now and then, as if the labyrinth itself was interfering with our equipment. Ahead of us, Lyra moved slowly, her eyes sharp as she scanned the walls, looking for any sign of traps or hidden mechanisms. Caspian was in the middle, and Evan brought up the rear, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon, every instinct trained on the area around us.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Kane muttered, his voice low, as if speaking too loudly might wake a monster sleeping in the shadows.

“You’re not the only one,” Lyra replied, her tone tense. “But we need to keep moving. We don’t know how much time we have.”

She was right, of course. The Shadowborn could be closing in on the Amulet as we spoke. Every second counted. I was glad I didn’t need to tell the team to hurry.

We rounded a corner and found ourselves facing a fork in the path, the tunnel splitting into two equally dark and foreboding corridors. The oppressive weight of the labyrinth’s ancient magic pressed down on my shoulders, making me almost collapse with the pressure. A prickle over my nape made me wonder if the ancient magic was watching, waiting for us to make a mistake.

“Which way?” Lyra asked, turning to the rest of us.

I raised an eyebrow at her, confused about why she was asking the group. The labyrinth was designed to confuse, to mislead those who ventured into its depths, and there were hidden dangers, darker than just the stone and shadows. She was the only one who could get us through this. I didn’t know which way to go. I was used to the others looking to me for direction, but I wasn’t used to not knowing the answer.

I shook my head at Lyra, my hand moving to the small of her back, urging her to take a step forward. “Close your eyes for me. Focus. You can feel the wards, even if you don’t realize that’s what you’re doing. You are the only one who can get us through this. You know which way to go.”

She took a deep breath, but not before shooting me a look that said she didn’t believe me.

I didn’t need her to. I had enough belief for both of us.

She did as she was told and closed her eyes. We all held our breath as we waited for her to give us the answer. Both her hands rose into the air, pointing to the tunnels. After an agonizing moment, she dropped the right one. “Left. It’s colder that way, like the wards are trying to warn us away.”

I nodded, and without hesitation, we followed her lead down the left corridor. The temperature dropped noticeably as we moved deeper, the air growing colder and more oppressive. The walls were closing in around us, the tunnel narrowing as we descended farther into the heart of the labyrinth. We took turn after turn until we were hopelessly lost. I could only hope Caspian was keeping track. He had a better memory than the rest of us. Evan could be keeping track of the lines of fate, but they could also be trying to lead us astray.

The sound of Kane cursing behind me snapped me out of my thoughts. Before I had time to turn and look, the sound of scraping stone made my hair stand on edge. The world tilted, and I was sliding backwards.

Not sliding. Falling.

I didn’t have time to grab on to anything before I lost my footing entirely and fell through the air. The fall was mercifully short. It took me a moment to realize that I hadn’t fallen onto anything, but something had caught me mid-fall. Darkness was all around me, my eyes searching for Kane’s torch, only to see it tumbling away beneath me. Fear lanced through me as my brother’s name burst out of my mouth, a desperate call with no hope of arresting his own fall.

“I’m right here beside you. Good to know you’d be upset if I fell to my death, though.” His voice was just slightly below me, and I was so relieved to hear it I could barely breathe.

My hand scrabbled against my pocket until I pulled out my phone, turning on the torch. There, just below me, was my brother, a red string wrapped around his waist. Looking down at my body, there was one around me, too. I turned the phone upwards, and standing on the edge of the trap we had fallen into was the terrified face of Lyra, Evan standing beside her, straining as red cords cut deeply into his arms, blood running down his wrists.

“I can’t cut the fate line or they’ll fall. Cas… tell me you have something…” Evan’s voice was harsh, pained.

I looked around for anything I could use to help him, finding nothing but darkness.

Cas was silent, and I worried for a second that he had fallen with us, before he peered over the edge to assess the situation. He held something in his hand, and I caught the faint glint of metal as he threw it towards the ceiling. A deafening cracking made me flinch before my whole body tensed, worry lancing through me that the roof was going to come down on me and Kane.

There was no need to worry, though. It was only seconds later that a rope tumbled down between us, one end snaking above us and pointing the way to safety. Unsure of how much weight it could support, I turned my phone back down to look at Kane. “You first. Grab it and climb up.”

For once, there was no smartass comment. Kane grabbed the rope and hauled himself to safety. Next time he complained in the training room about having to do a climbing wall, or climb the ropes, I was going to remind him of this moment.

I followed him with the light of the phone, trying not to pay attention to the blood still dripping down the red cord that was holding me up.

As soon as Caspian and Lyra had helped Kane off of the rope and back into the corridor, it was my time to climb. A hiss of pain sounded from above me when I grabbed the rope, and the cord around my waist had some slack. Evan stumbled back, but the cord was still tied. The climb up was arduous, but I had never been gladder to have my feet on solid ground, Kane and Caspian helping to make sure I was steady.

Lyra kneeled over Evan, looking at the damage to his arms. As I peered over her shoulder, my eyes widened at the deep cuts, but they fluttered closed at the sight of his exposed bone. I grabbed the first aid kit from my pack, handing one of the trauma bandages to Lyra as I took the other. They were infused with healing magic, but it was still going to take them some time to fix the damage.

“Just wrap them as best you can.” I wasn’t sure how much first aid training Lyra had. That was something I would need to look into when we got back. For now, we both wrapped the wounds, Evan remaining stoic and silent while we did.

It wasn’t long before we were ready to move again. “This time, step exactly where Lyra does. There are traps everywhere.” I was stating the obvious. I knew it, but clearly, it needed to be said.

Kane grumbled something under his breath, but was smart enough not to let me hear it as we started walking again.

After what felt like an eternity, the passageway opened into a chamber, its walls lined with carvings of forgotten gods and ancient rituals. In the center of the back wall was a massive stone door, its surface covered in intricate patterns that pulsed with a faint, otherworldly light.

“The Amulet is behind that door,” Caspian said, his voice a soft whisper as he stepped forward to examine the door’s carvings, a device in his hand.

Lyra moved closer, her eyes tracing the patterns with a mix of awe and apprehension. “This is it. We made it. And they aren’t here yet.” Her voice was soft, her relief tangible.

Both relief and dread surged through me. Although we were nearing our goal, the hardest part was yet to come. The Amulet was within our grasp, but so was the danger that came with it.

“We have to solve this,” Caspian said, his fingers brushing over the carvings. “This door won’t open easily.”

“Then let’s get to work,” I said, determination steeling my voice. “We didn’t come this far to turn back now.”

As we gathered around the door, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the labyrinth was watching us, its dark magic coiling around us like a serpent, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Caspian kneeled before the door, his fingers carefully tracing the ancient symbols at the bottom. His brow furrowed in concentration, the dim light from the door casting deep shadows on his face. “There’s a pattern here,” he murmured, more to himself than to us. “The symbols are connected, like a puzzle.”

He pressed a sequence of symbols, each one glowing for a brief moment before fading. For a moment, nothing happened. The air grew thick with anticipation, the oppressive silence of the labyrinth pressing down on us.

Just when I thought Caspian had no hope of opening the door, a low rumble echoed within the chamber and the carvings shifted. The door’s surface rippled, the symbols rearranging themselves into a new configuration. Caspian’s hands moved deftly, following the changes with a precision that spoke to his deep understanding of ancient mechanisms.

“Almost there,” he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he made the final adjustments.

With a sharp click, the last symbol slid into place. The door shuddered, and slowly, with a groan of ancient stone, slid open. Cold air rushed out from the chamber beyond, carrying with it the faint scent of dust and something darker, more sinister.

Caspian stood up wordlessly, stepping back. The door had revealed a darkened chamber beyond, the faint glow of the amulet the only thing visible. Each of us looked to the other, holding our breath. Finally, Lyra took a step through the doorway, and not wanting her to face whatever was coming alone, the rest of us followed.

The floor was made of uneven stone, the surface slick and covered in a thin layer of moss. At the center of the chamber was a pedestal, and on that pedestal, bathed in a faint, otherworldly glow, was the Amulet of Erebus. It was smaller than I expected, a simple piece of jewelry made of blackened metal, the surface engraved with intricate patterns that shifted and changed as I looked at it. Despite its unassuming appearance, an immense power radiated from its core, a power that had the potential to reshape the world in ways we couldn’t even imagine.

“We found it,” Kane whispered, his voice filled with awe.

I nodded, my eyes never leaving the Amulet. “But we need to be careful. The Shadowborn could be close, and we don’t know what traps might be protecting this thing. I want to avoid a repeat of what happened with the cult and the Mirror.”

Caspian stepped forward again, his intense gray eyes taking in the pedestal rather than the Amulet, looking at something the rest of us couldn’t see. “There are wards here. Lyra and I should be able to get through them.”

I nodded, trusting his expertise. He had a way with ancient technology, a knack for understanding the intricacies of artifacts that the rest of us could only marvel at. As he set to work, with Lyra joining him, I kept my eyes on the entrance, my hand resting on the hilt of my weapon, ready for anything.

Seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity as we waited for them to disarm the wards. Lyra’s voice was soft as she spoke, her hand motioning to parts of the pedestal, Caspian’s nod following each observation. The air was thick with tension, the weight of the mission pressing down on us like a heavy cloak.

After several agonizing moments, Caspian straightened, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “It’s done,” he said, stepping back from the pedestal. “The Amulet is ours.”

A wave of relief washed over me as I nodded to him. “Good work, Caspian.”

Lyra moved forward, her gaze fixed on the Amulet as she reached out to take it. Before her fingers could touch the cold metal, a sudden surge of energy rippled through the chamber, a dark presence that made my skin crawl.

“Wait,” I said, my voice sharp. “This doesn’t feel right.”

Lyra froze, her hand hovering just inches above the Amulet as she looked at me, her eyes wide with confusion. “What is it?”

I wasn’t sure what had triggered the feeling, but every instinct told me we were in danger. The energy radiating from the Amulet had changed. It had grown more intense, more… malevolent. It was as if the artifact itself was aware of our presence, resisting our attempt to take it.

“There’s something we’re missing,” I said, my mind racing as I tried to piece together what was happening.

Caspian’s brow furrowed as he studied the Amulet, his eyes narrowing in concentration. “It could be a defensive mechanism. Some artifacts have built-in protections that activate when someone tries to take them.”

“Or it could be the Shadowborn,” Evan added, his voice tense. “They might have set a trap, knowing we’d come for the Amulet.”

I considered both possibilities, following the fates forward, my mind working overtime as I tried to figure out our next move. Everything was bathed in darkness, no matter where I looked. We couldn’t afford to leave the Amulet here, not with the Shadowborn so close, but taking it without fully understanding its power could be just as dangerous.

“We have to take the risk. We’ll bring the Amulet back to the Vanguard and study it there. We can’t leave it for the Shadowborn to find.” My voice was firm. It was a risk, but we didn’t have a choice.

Lyra nodded, her determination returning as she carefully lifted the Amulet from the pedestal. The moment her fingers closed around the cold metal, the chamber pulsed with energy, the dark presence growing stronger. But whatever defenses the Amulet had, they remained dormant, allowing her to take it without resistance.

“Let’s get out of here,” I said, my voice steady despite the unease gnawing at me.

The journey back through the temple was faster than our descent, the urgency of the mission driving us forward. We moved as a unit, each of us watching the others’ backs as we navigated the dark passageways and treacherous steps. Caspian led the way through the labyrinth, a machine in his hand beeping at each turn. Lyra’s attention was focused on the amulet, Evan having to nudge her forward more than once. My concern was growing, but we couldn’t afford to stop and see what was bothering her.

When we finally emerged from the temple into the frigid mountain air, a surge of relief threatened to bring me to my knees, but I held it together for the team. We had the Amulet, and we had made it out without encountering the Shadowborn. But the mission was far from over. We still had to get the artifact back to the Vanguard, and we still had to figure out what the prophecy meant for all of us.

As we made our way back down the mountain, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over. The Shadowborn were out there, and they wouldn’t stop until they had what they wanted. For now, we had the upper hand, and as long as we stuck together, I knew we could face whatever challenges lay ahead.

I shouldn’t have let my relief come so quickly, though.

Evan’s hand came down sharply on my shoulder, and he pushed me to the ground as a tendril of darkness swung through the air, right where my head had been. The surrounding wilderness exploded with people; spells and shadow tentacles flew in every direction.

My eyes darted to Lyra. Mud streaked across her face, as if she’d flung herself at the ground without thinking. Caspian knelt beside her, his scarred arm pressing her down. He withdrew a gun, firing off several shots when Shadowborn moved too close; he was determined to protect Lyra and the Amulet.

Evan leaped to his feet, daggers in hand, wielding fate like it was a shield, stopping harm from reaching us.

I pulled my own daggers, heading for the tree line to take out as many as I could.

Kane was in the trees as well, his hands moving through the air, red strings appearing and weaving as he changed probability and altered Fate, making spells hit the enemy rather than us.

I had taken out three of the Shadowborn attacking us when I heard a feral scream that turned my blood to ice. I was certain the tormented sound came from Lyra, from behind me.

Without hesitation, I turned on my heel and forced my way through the underbrush, back to the clearing, where I skidded to a halt. My eyes went wide, and my heart stuttered, as I dragged my eyes over Caspian lying motionless on the ground, blood coating his shirt and soaking the ground.

Lyra wasn’t beside him like she was when I tore through the underbrush. Instead of being safely by his side, she was ripping apart the three Shadowborn that must have snuck up on them. More shocking than her refusal to stay safe was the change in her appearance. Her teeth had become fangs, her ears sharp, and black, pulsing wings had sprouted from her back.

“Holy fuck!” Kane stopped beside me, the red stands between his hands woven together intricately, winding up his arms.

As Lyra finished off the last of her attackers with a violence that made my stomach turn, the forest went silent, the only sound filling it was our collective panting breaths, and Caspian’s quiet groaning as he slowly came to.

It took me a moment to snap out of my trance. I rushed over to Caspian, pressing down on his wound as Kane grabbed the kit from my bag.

Evan had gone to Lyra and was trying to talk her down. Blood dripped from her mouth. It stained her hands, which no longer held the Amulet. Instead, it rested around her neck, pulsing with the same rhythm as the wings on her back.

I finished bandaging Caspian’s wound, then sat back on my heels in stunned silence while Kane helped Cas to his feet.

Once standing, he didn’t pause; he made his way straight to Lyra, pressing his forehead to hers, ignoring the blood and her still feral state.

I looked away from them, not wanting to intrude on the private moment. I couldn’t let them dwell on it, though. We needed to move.

The journey back to the Vanguard was quiet, each of us lost in our own thoughts as we processed the events of the day. I couldn’t keep my eyes off Lyra, who sat across from me on the transport.

She held the amulet, but the chain remained around her neck. She had her eyes fixed on the dark metal, as if the thought of looking away caused her pain. Blood splattered her clothes and her skin, but all of her focus was on the shiny stone hanging from her neck.

When we finally arrived back at headquarters, the familiar sight of the Vanguard’s towering walls brought a sense of comfort. But the moment we stepped inside, I knew that comfort was fleeting. The researchers were quick to approach us, wanting to get started on their research.

When they approached Lyra, she scurried back a few steps while baring her teeth, and I wondered if we were going to get a repeat of the scene in the forest.

Evan and Caspian rushed to her side, but even with their encouragement, she refused to take the amulet off. The researchers reluctantly backed off when I waved my hand. She needed space right now more than they needed to do their work.

Unease settled over me. The prophecy, the Shadowborn, the Amulet, it was all connected, all leading us toward a future we couldn’t yet see. Whatever it was, I knew we had to be ready.

“Get some rest,” I told the others as I started to head to the Council chambers to make my report. “We’ll debrief in the morning and figure out our next steps. Lyra, if you don’t want to take that amulet off, you’re going to have to go with the researchers.” I couldn’t force her to take it off. I didn’t have the energy for that fight in me.

She reluctantly agreed, taking Caspian with her, who promised to go to the infirmary once Lyra was settled.

Kane clapped me on the shoulder, his usual grin back in place. “You got it, boss. But for now, I think we all need a drink.”

Evan chuckled, nodding in agreement. “I’ll second that.”

I shook my head at him, narrowing my eyes. “You’re going down to the infirmary as well. Don’t think I have forgotten about that stunt you pulled with the fate lines.”

Evan didn’t argue. It would have been a fight to get Kane to go down there. But Evan was reliable, sensible even. He nodded, following in the direction Lyra and Caspian had gone.

Maybe a drink wasn’t such a bad idea.