The Forgotten Temple
The Sun Kingdom’s archives led them deep into the desert, to a place long erased from the maps—the Temple of Sol Invictus.
The temple was ancient, its golden spires now half-buried beneath layers of shifting sand. Carvings of celestial beings lined the crumbling walls, their eyes hollow and empty. As Tranquility stepped forward, the Sun Peridot pulsed in response, sending a wave of warmth through his chest.
“This is it,” he murmured.
Reiko knelt beside an engraved pillar, brushing off the dust. “These symbols… They tell of a being sealed here. ‘A flame that cannot be extinguished. A shadow cast by the sun itself.’”
Endymion crossed his arms. “Does it say how to keep it sealed?”
Syaoran frowned. “No. But if the Sun Peridot awakened, the seal is probably weakening.”
A sudden shift in the air sent a ripple of tension through the group. The temple groaned, as if the very stones were waking up.
Kunzite unsheathed his sword. “We’re not alone.”
A blast of heat erupted from within the temple, sending them scrambling backward. The entrance split open, molten light seeping through the cracks.
From the shadows, a figure emerged—a being of pure fire and darkness, its body flickering like an eternal flame. It had no face, only the shape of a man wreathed in golden embers.
“Who dares disturb my slumber?” The voice was ancient, layered with echoes of the past.
Tranquility stood his ground, even as his heart pounded. “I am the heir of the Sun Kingdom.” His voice was unwavering. “Tell me who you are.”
The being’s fire flared. “I am what remains of Solarius.”
The name sent a chill through Tranquility, despite the heat.
Reiko whispered, “Solarius… The first wielder of the Sun Peridot.”
The being tilted its head, its embers flickering. “Then you carry my burden.”
Before Tranquility could respond, Solarius moved—a blur of light and fire. A strike aimed straight for him.
He barely had time to react before his Sun Peridot flared, a golden barrier forming just in time. The impact sent a shockwave through the temple, sand and stone crumbling around them.
Endymion summoned his Golden Crystal, its light clashing with Solarius’ fire. Syaoran and Reiko moved in unison, the Earth Gem resonating with power.
Solarius laughed, a sound like crackling flames. “Show me if you are worthy of my power.”
The battle had begun.