Chapter 94: Ghosts of Time!

Trial Five: Ghosts of Time

The group entered the next chamber with a growing unease. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily upon them, as if the very air was laden with the souls of the lost. It was a cavernous space, dimly lit by an eerie, pulsing light that seemed to flicker in and out of existence. The walls were lined with ancient clocks, each ticking away in disjointed rhythms. In the center of the room, ghostly figures shimmered—spectral beings that looked human but were distorted, their faces blurred as if time had worn them down.

The sound of soft whispers echoed, but these weren't the kind that could be ignored. They were the voices of the past, pulling the group deeper into the abyss of time. Adrian tightened his grip on Nymff's hand, feeling the danger.

Nymff glanced at him. "Promise me you won't be reckless this time," she whispered. Her eyes, normally filled with strength, now held a plea.

Adrian looked down at her, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "I promise," he said softly, but the tension in his voice betrayed his own uncertainty. He could sense the danger that lay ahead, but his smile returned, albeit strained. "I'm not going anywhere, not without you."

She leaned into him, pressing her forehead against his chest, and for a moment, the chaos around them seemed to fade. Adrian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close in a tender embrace. It was a rare moment of peace in the midst of the storm. His heart thudded against her ear, strong and steady.

Tessa, standing nearby, caught the exchange. She looked away quickly, a sharp pang of envy twisting inside her. She wanted that closeness with Adrian, but the words wouldn't come. She kept her face stoic, refusing to show the turmoil within.

Suddenly, a chilling wail filled the room. The ghosts of time began to move, gliding toward them with unnatural speed.

"They're coming!" Nyala shouted, her eyes wide with panic.

The first ghost passed through one of the group members, a man named Rhyne, a skilled warrior. He had barely raised his sword when the ghost touched him. There was no scream, no time to react. His body froze, his eyes wide in disbelief, before he collapsed into a heap, aging rapidly until he crumbled into dust. The room went silent for a heartbeat, then chaos erupted.

"Run!" Ikehara shouted, his limp forgotten as pure survival instinct kicked in. He moved with a surprising burst of speed, though a twisted satisfaction crept onto his face as he saw the numbers dwindle. The thinning group was a silver lining to his plans, though the unpredictability of these trials unnerved even him.

Adrian pulled Nymff along as they ran, his sharp eyes scanning for any sign of safety. But there was nowhere to hide. The ghosts moved with relentless precision, searching for their next victims. A second person, Lhamira, a gentle healer, stumbled over her own feet. One of the ghosts reached out, and in a flash, she too was gone, her body dissolving into the air as if time itself had consumed her.

"Keep moving!" Adrian yelled, his voice cutting through the madness. He turned, catching sight of another ghost heading straight for Nymff. Time slowed for him in that moment, and without thinking, he yanked her to the side, the ghost's hand grazing the air where she had just been.

Nymff gasped, clutching onto Adrian as they crashed to the ground. "Thank you," she breathed, her eyes wide with fear and gratitude. She leaned in, pressing a kiss to his lips, an act of desperation and love. Adrian kissed her back, his hands shaking as they clung to each other for what felt like eternity.

Tessa, witnessing the scene from afar, felt the sting again—this time sharper, like a dagger twisting in her heart. But there was no time for jealousy. A ghost had spotted them.

Tessa's eyes flashed with determination. She called upon her powers, feeling the pull of the moon as her body glowed with silvery light. The ghost reached for Adrian, its spectral hand inches away from his skin, when Tessa intervened. A beam of light shot from her hand, striking the ghost and forcing it to retreat.

"Not today," she whispered under her breath, her eyes locking with Adrian's. He nodded in thanks, his face a mixture of relief and something more—an emotion he couldn't quite place.

The group was thinning, fear gripping their hearts as the ghosts closed in. Nyala and Lhize huddled together, backing away from the advancing figures. Ecdy was frantically trying to distract one of the ghosts, his usual jokes falling flat in the face of such danger.

"Is this some sort of joke to you, mate?" Nyala hissed, her nerves fraying.

"Just trying to keep us from going mad," Ecdy muttered, but the fear in his voice was undeniable.

Ikehara, meanwhile, kept his distance from the ghosts but stayed close enough to the group to appear helpful. The deaths of Rhyne and Lhamira didn't bother him in the least; in fact, a part of him was relieved. Each lost life brought them closer to his goal. Yet, watching the ghosts glide toward his companions stirred a primal fear inside him. For once, he wasn't in control.

Tessa and Adrian worked together, their powers and instincts finely tuned to protect the others. When one of the ghosts lunged for Lhiza, Adrian was there, hurling a blast of energy that scattered the specter. Tessa covered their retreat, her glowing form cutting through the shadows like a beacon of hope.

But they couldn't save everyone. The room was thinning out, and by the time the last ghost faded, only thirty remained. The survivors were shaken, breathing hard from the ordeal. Tessa stood at the front, her face set in grim determination, but her heart heavy with the losses. She could protect them from physical enemies, but these trials were something else entirely.

Adrian placed a hand on her shoulder. "We did our best, Tessa," he said softly, his voice filled with warmth.

She nodded but didn't speak, her eyes filled with unspoken sorrow. They had survived, but at what cost?

Ikehara, standing in the back, smirked. Two more were gone, the numbers had reduced from 32 to 30, and though he'd been shaken by the unpredictability, the thinning of the numbers was working in his favor. But even he couldn't deny the growing tension in the air. Something darker was coming.

And the temple wasn't finished with them yet.