The Tomb Gate – The Final Barrier
The massive tomb gate stood like a stone giant before them. Its surface was carved with ancient battles, soaring dragons, and sorcerers controlling the forces of darkness. Unlike the other obstacles they had faced so far, this one was different—no traps activated, no blades shot out, not even a single tremor.
It was just… closed.
Alice stared at it and sighed.
"Alright… so how do we open this one?"
Luna ran her fingers along the surface.
"Feels kinda… alive."
Selena examined the carvings closely.
"It's a magic gate. It needs a specific kind of energy to open."
Ethan frowned.
"You mean… magic?"
Fyra nodded.
"Exactly. But not just any magic. This gate needs something that's the complete opposite of darkness."
Alice exhaled.
"Okay, so… light?"
Selena smiled.
"Exactly."
She reached out, and a golden spark flickered in her fingertips. A soft, warm light glowed from her hand and slowly drifted toward the gate. But the moment it touched the stone—it vanished.
Selena's eyes widened.
"What?! That didn't work?"
Luna stroked her chin.
"Maybe it wasn't enough?"
Fyra shook her head.
"No… I think this gate doesn't just accept light. It needs something real—a kind of sacrifice or commitment."
Ethan, still staring at the carvings, suddenly noticed something.
In the center of the gate, there was an image of a person with their hand on their chest—as if light was coming from within them.
His eyes narrowed. Slowly, he lifted his hand and copied the same gesture.
And suddenly—a strange warmth filled his body.
His eyes widened. He could feel something inside him… something flickering like a tiny flame.
Fyra, noticing his change in expression, asked,
"Ethan… what's going on?"
He looked at them, took a deep breath, and said,
"I think… I can open this gate."
Luna raised an eyebrow.
"What?! You don't even have magic!"
Ethan gave a small, knowing smirk.
"Maybe not… but something inside me is telling me I need to do this."
He stepped forward, placed his hand over his heart, and closed his eyes.
Silence.
Then—something no one expected happened.
Ethan's body began to glow.
But this wasn't just light—it was something stranger. A twisting, shifting fusion of light and darkness, curling around him like a serpent.
Fyra whispered in shock,
"That's… that's impossible!"
Selena narrowed her eyes.
"A dual force…?"
Alice stared with her mouth slightly open.
"Ethan… what are you?"
Before he could answer, the gate suddenly shook.
The glow from Ethan's hand spread across the stone, and in an instant, the carvings lit up. A deep voice echoed from within the tomb—
"The purest darkness… and the purest light… You are the key."
And with a thunderous rumble—the gate began to open.
But just as they were about to step inside…
Something leaped out from the shadows.
And this—was only the beginning.
The Secret of the Dark Tomb – Entering the Unknown
As the massive gate opened, dust rose from the cracks, revealing a dark and mysterious space. The tomb was dimly lit by faint blue lights glowing from strange crystals embedded in the walls. Ancient inscriptions covered the stone surfaces, and the air smelled of damp rock… and something else. Something indescribable that sent shivers down their spines.
Alice took a step back and muttered under her breath,
"I've got a really bad feeling about this…"
Selena studied the inscriptions closely and said,
"This place isn't just some ordinary tomb. It feels like… there's some kind of force flowing through it."
Luna glanced down at the ground and frowned.
"And it looks like we're not the first ones to set foot here."
She pointed at strange footprints scattered across the dusty floor. Footprints that didn't seem human. Whatever had entered this place long ago… might never have left.
Ethan took a deep breath. He could feel the weight of something pressing down on him, but this wasn't the first time he had faced the unknown. He stepped forward and said,
"There's no turning back. We have to finish this."
Fyra, Selena, and Luna, still in their dragon forms, shrank down slightly to move more easily through the narrow pathways. The others followed cautiously, but the deeper they went, the stronger the strange presence in the air became.
Something was waiting for them in the dark.
The First Trap – The Deceptive Bridge
After passing through several narrow corridors covered in ancient engravings, they finally reached an old bridge suspended over a bottomless pit. The bridge was made of dark stone, cracked and worn by time.
Alice frowned.
"Yeah… this doesn't look safe at all."
Luna nodded.
"You're right. If this is a trap, I wouldn't be surprised."
Ethan scanned the area. There were no other paths forward. They either crossed the bridge… or turned back—which wasn't an option.
Fyra spoke up firmly.
"Let us go first. If something happens, we can fly."
Selena and Luna nodded, carefully stepping onto the bridge. For a moment, everything seemed fine… but then—
The bridge started shaking.
Before Alice and Ethan could react, the stone beneath them cracked—and a section of the bridge collapsed!
They lost their balance, their bodies tilting toward the endless void below.
But just before they could fall—Fyra's powerful wings shot out, grabbing them both mid-air.
Holding them up, she yelled,
"I take my eyes off you for one second, and you're already falling?! Do you have a death wish?!"
Alice, still catching her breath, said with a shaky voice,
"Definitely not… but I think we almost did!"
Selena, her face serious, looked ahead.
"That was just a warning. We're heading into a place where survival isn't guaranteed."
Ethan glanced down—into the endless blackness of the pit. He had no idea what lay at the bottom.
But fear wasn't an option anymore.
There was only one way forward.
With caution, they flew across the broken bridge and continued deeper into the tomb.
Final Destination – Sealing the Darkness
After crossing the deadly bridge, navigating endless twisting hallways, and surviving multiple life-threatening traps, they finally reached the heart of the tomb—a vast and grand chamber. At its center, a swirling black lake lay motionless, radiating an eerie presence.
Dim blue lights glowed from the crystals embedded in the ceiling, casting an unsettling glow across the chamber. The stone walls were covered in ancient inscriptions, and at the far end of the hall stood a tall stone platform, with a magic circle etched onto its surface.
Selena studied the inscriptions closely.
"This is it. This is where we can seal the darkness."
Luna turned to Ethan, her tone serious.
"Are you ready? This might be the last time you ever see your crazy double."
Ethan glanced at the shadowy figure trapped inside a shimmering energy bubble. It had struggled the entire way here, desperately trying to escape. But now, it just sat still—almost like it had accepted its fate.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward.
"Let's do it. I don't want another insane version of me running around this world!"
Fyra smirked playfully.
"Yeah, one Ethan is already more than enough."
Ethan shot her a glare but didn't say anything.
Sealing the Darkness
Everyone gathered around the platform. Fyra, Luna, and Selena positioned themselves on the marked spots on the stone floor, channeling their energy into the magic circle. The surrounding crystals pulsed with light, and golden waves of energy rose from the ground.
Selena called out,
"Ethan, now! Take it to the center of the circle!"
Ethan hesitated for a brief moment, staring at the shadow. Its hollow eyes showed no emotion, but deep inside, there was something… almost like understanding—or maybe even a hint of regret.
But there was no turning back now.
He grabbed the shadow and placed it in the center of the magic circle.
Instantly, the engraved symbols on the ground lit up. Chains of light wrapped around the shadow, holding it in place as it twisted and writhed in silent agony. Dark energy began leaking from its body, getting pulled toward the black lake in the chamber.
The light grew stronger and stronger until—
BOOM!
A sudden burst of energy shook the room.
Then… silence.
The shadow was gone.
The magic circle faded.
The chamber was still once more.
Fyra, breathing heavily, muttered,
"Is… is it over?"
Luna nodded.
"Yeah. It's sealed—forever."
Alice sighed in relief and dropped to the floor.
"Thank god… I couldn't handle another crisis."
Ethan looked at the empty space where the shadow once stood. A faint smile appeared on his lips. At least now, he knew there wouldn't be another crazed version of himself roaming around.
Going Home – The End of a Hellish Day
Once they were sure the darkness was sealed for good, the group left the tomb and headed home. The way back felt way faster than before—probably because they didn't have to worry about dodging deadly traps or fighting a crazy shadow version of Ethan anymore.
When they finally got home, everyone collapsed onto the couches.
Alice, lying flat on the floor, groaned,
"So… we actually survived. Who would've thought?"
Selena glanced at her torn, dirt-covered clothes and sighed.
"Yeah, but definitely not without a ton of injuries and exhaustion."
Fyra, lighting up the fireplace, grinned.
"Still worth it. At least we don't have a lunatic Ethan running around anymore."
Ethan, still looking exhausted but satisfied, stretched and muttered,
"Yeah, but now that I think about it… having another crazy version of me might have been kinda fun."
Alice snapped her head toward him, looking horrified.
"Ethan! What is wrong with you?!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Another adventure was over. And for now—just for a little while—they could finally rest.