Beneath the towering pillars of the collapsed shrine, Elira and Lumi were no longer alone. The flickering light from the broken mirror seemed to pulse with life as they continued their exploration.
"Do you think it's safe?" Lumi's voice was hesitant, her dagger still gripped in her hand, though she hadn't yet drawn it.
Elira shook her head, her eyes focused on the pedestal. "I'm not sure. But I can feel something. Like it's waiting for us to make the next move."
Lumi's gaze darted between the broken relic and Elira. "What do you mean?"
Before Elira could answer, the ground beneath them trembled slightly, as if something ancient had awakened. The ivy around the pillars shifted, and a low rumble echoed from deep within the earth.
"Elira..."
"I feel it too. Something's coming."
Suddenly, the ground split apart, and from the depths of the shrine, a pair of glowing red eyes emerged. An enormous creature, its body wrapped in vines and covered in dark scales, emerged from the earth, its roar shaking the very foundation of the shrine.
Lumi cursed under her breath, readying herself for battle. "Is this what we were meant to face?"
"I don't know," Elira said, her voice steady. "But we'll find out."
The creature lunged at them with surprising speed, its massive claws slashing through the air. Lumi jumped into action, her blade flashing as she parried the first strike.
Elira's fingers twitched, the air around her growing cold as she cast an incantation, her voice soft but determined. "Lunar Void."
A shadowy vortex spiraled from her hands, sucking the creature's energy away and freezing it in place. Lumi seized the opportunity, darting forward with her sword raised high.
"Stellar Slash!" Lumi called out, her blade glowing with a blinding light as it cut through the air. The slash landed deep into the creature's side, causing it to roar in pain.
Elira quickly followed up with another spell. "Arcane Moonfire!" A sphere of crackling energy formed in her hands, launching toward the creature with deadly force.
The beast staggered back, momentarily stunned, giving the two women a brief respite.
"Not bad, witch," Lumi said, grinning through the tension.
Elira's lips curled into a smirk. "I'm just getting started."
The creature let out another roar, the ground beneath them shaking violently as it launched itself into the air. The battle had only just begun.