The party had been in a state of worry over Pharda, as he had acted strangely for the past few hours, but after returning to the group he assured them he was okay and ready to head off to the old castle.
The march was fairly quick, and they found themselves in front of the ancient historical castle. The castle had been in partial restoration for the past few months, so it seemed to look. Its silver towers were constructed like spires, perfectly matching the dawning sky that spanned before them.
“So this is where the shard of light is?” Andomiel asked.
“We enter...there.”
Strife pointed out a side gate of the castle that appeared to be only lightly sealed off.
“But isn’t that breaking and entering? What if we get caught?” Fenris said.
“Maybe YOU’LL get caught...”
At this the group ceased all complaints about the subject.
Taking his massive sword, Strife cleaved two diagonal slashes across the sealed door, no sound was made except for the whipping wind. The sealed gate door then fell in four pieces.
Unlike the outside of the castle, the interior was a different story entirely. Old red tapestry that had fallen into disrepair lined the walls, old rusted armor decorated the dark halls. In all indications, the place looked abandoned.
“We head where the light is dimmest.”
“Why, this is supposed to be the Temple of Light? Wouldn’t you go looking in the direction of the Light?” Pharda interjected.
“The whole purpose behind the temples is to expect the unexpected, each temple presents a test, and we are to pass it, do you understand now?”
“Y-yes.” Pharda said, in slight fear of incurring Strife’s anger.
Tempest seemed very thoughtful at that very moment, and so Fenris deliberately tapped her on the shoulder.
“Hmmm?”
“You seem…preoccupied…,”
“No…I’m just wondering how Strife knows so much about the temples…,”
“Oh…, so what do you think the tests will be?”
“Not sure, I guess we can only be prepared for whatever happens.”
As the hallways seemed to dim, Rose marched to the front of the group, to speak with Strife.
“I don’t know about you, but I need Light where I’m going, here: Let the presence of light spark within this flame, Fire.”
A tiny spark of fire, small, yet bright enough to light the path.
“NO! PUT IT OUT! YOU’LL ATTRACT--!”
“Fiends!” Andomiel yelled from the back.
A pack of hunger-crazy wolves raved behind them…and they were severely outnumbered.
“—But I thought wolves were scared of fire!” Rose said.
“This is a castle of darkness, they seek prey where there is light!”
Jaws snapped at Andomiel’s foot as he swiped his sword, while another wolf leapt at his arm biting it solidly.
“Aaargh!!” He backhanded the beast and slashed at it, slicing up the creature.
“I’m coming, brother!” Pharda said as he charged forward, cleaving through several dogs in the process.
Rose, with an expression of rage etched on her face said, “I’ll make you monsters afraid of Fire! Flames rise in fury, blaze these fiends, leave nothing to bury!!!”
A blast of flame seemed to erupt from her hands scalding all the nearby wolves, weakening them severely, but not enough to stop them.
“Rrrraaaaaaaagh!” Swinging his Legend Sword in a massive arc, Andomiel caught several beasts in the jaw with the blade.
“I’m not letting you guys have all the fun!” Tempest said as she leapt high, and using her blade, performed a massive slice down the middle of a large group of fiends.
“Wolf-ka-bobs, anyone?” Fenris said, skewering a group of them and kicking them off with his foot.
“I trained you kids better than that! Force them back! Don’t just attack!” An overly hungry wolf looked him over, he looked back with a glare, “Now, you don’t think I’ll let you live for looking at me like that do you? I think not, prepare for the next world! Cross--Slash!”
Needless to say, the wolf never looked at him again.
“There’s too many! We need to regroup! Fall back!”
Tempest saw the wisdom in Strife’s words, but ignored them, “Not while I’m here, Spirit of flaming flesh, I bid thee come, out of the very fires of hell be shown, IFRIT come forth!”
She formed a symbol with her fingers which caused a spark of flame to flash out to the ground, and a massive creature of pure flame erupted out of the ground beside her.
“Huh?” Pharda looked back at the massive creature of fire, “Th-that’s Ifrit! What’s he doing here!?”
Tempest continued, "Beast of blazing inferno, destroy these fiends of earth, HELLFIRE!”
The beast roared, its red mane flaring up like the hottest flame, as it charged up its attack. Two hot flames formed in each hand, balls of magma, and then to coalesce into one giant flame. The group’s eyes widened.
“Everyone duck!”
A flash of red light, and a roaring that sounded from the very throat of hell, and every fiend was gone.
“…n….n-No ashes!?!” Urd stuttered.
“…You!” Pharda pointed at Tempest, trying to even remember her name, “You’re a summoner!!?”
“It’s…a secret that has passed in my family for generations…but…ungh,” Tempest slumped down to one knee, “…it drains me…,”
“So…you’re more than you seem…,” Strife commented, then looked away, “I guess we all have a little something to hide…,”
Fenris quickly scooped up the now frail looking Tempest and said, “Good thing you don’t do this that often, we need a swordsman like you…,”
“…heh,..…s-sure…,” she smiled, weakly.
“Well, I guess we’ll be travelling in the dark…,” Pharda said, “To avoid fiends…and to test our senses…,”
The deeper into the old castle they traveled the more their senses seemed to deceive them.
“…W-what’s that….,” Rose asked, “I heard something…,”
“Ignore it…,” Strife said coldly, “We move…,”
“I can’t see…anything…not even my hand…,” Fenris said, a chill in the words.
