Beast Evolution Forge-Chapter 189: Desert Kings

The twin suns blazed overhead as Vell and his team trekked across the endless sands of Floor 4. The air shimmered with heat, and the faint hum of distant winds carried whispers of another storm brewing. They'd been walking for hours, guided by Regina's map and the clues they uncovered in the underground chamber. The promise of more medallions—and the power they might unlock—kept them moving forward.

"Master, are we close?" Ruby asked, her voice bright despite the sweat beading on her forehead. She adjusted her bracers, the blue metal glinting faintly in the harsh light.

Vell glanced at Regina, who was studying the map projected from her interface. "We're nearing another marked spot," Regina said, her tone steady. "The symbols from the ruin suggest a water source or another hidden entrance. Maybe both."

"Good," he replied, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Stay sharp. These floors don't give anything away for free."

The team nodded, their movements synchronized. They'd grown used to the desert's tricks—its shifting dunes, sudden ambushes, and the relentless heat. But Vell knew better than to relax. Every step forward meant new dangers, and he wasn't about to let his guard down.

After another half-hour of trudging through the sand, Wren's sharp eyes caught something unusual. "Over there," she said, pointing to a cluster of jagged rocks rising from the dunes like the bones of some long-dead giant. "That's not natural."

They approached cautiously, the air growing heavier as they neared. The rocks formed a rough circle, much like the last site, but these were taller and more weathered. Faint carvings peeked out from beneath layers of sand, barely visible in the sunlight.

"More symbols," Regina confirmed, brushing away the dust with her hand. "They match the medallion again."

He pulled the Medallion from his pocket, its blue surface cool against his palm despite the heat. "Let's see if it works here too."

Jia stepped forward, her daggers at the ready. "I'll check for traps first." She moved with precision, her eyes darting over every crack and crevice. After a moment, she nodded. "It's clear."

He handed her the medallion, and she placed it gently onto a small indentation in the central rock. The ground trembled, just like before. Sand shifted and fell away, revealing another spiral staircase descending into darkness.

"Another ruin," Jolly said, her voice tinged with excitement. "This is getting interesting."

"No rushing," he warned, his tone firm. "We do this carefully. Regina, light us up."

Regina summoned her glowing orb, its soft blue light pushing back the shadows as they descended. The air grew cooler underground, a welcome relief from the desert's heat. The stairs wound deeper than the last ruin, and the walls here were smoother, etched with detailed carvings of twin suns, flowing water, and strange, towering figures wielding staffs.

"This place feels different," Ruby whispered, her tail swishing nervously. "Older, maybe?"

"It is," Regina agreed, her fingers tracing the carvings. "These depict a civilization that thrived here long before the desert took over. They mastered water and magic—look at these staffs. They're channeling something powerful."

At the bottom of the stairs, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber. Unlike the last ruin, this one was dominated by a single feature: a massive stone statue of a robed figure holding a staff. Its face was worn away by time, but its hands clutched a second medallion, this one green and pulsing faintly with energy.

"There it is," Wren said, her voice eager. "Another piece."

Vell approached the statue, his steps slow and deliberate. The air around it hummed with mana, a sensation he could feel even without him using mana. "Be ready," he said. "This won't be as simple as picking it up."

As he reached for the green medallion, the statue's eyes snapped open, glowing with an eerie emerald light. The ground shook, and cracks spiderwebbed across the floor. The statue stepped forward, its stone limbs grinding as it raised its staff.

"Guardian!" Regina shouted. "It's protecting the artifact!"

"Spread out!" He ordered, drawing his Desert Fang dagger. "Don't let it pin us down!"

The team scattered as the statue swung its staff, sending a wave of green energy crashing toward them. Vell dodged to the side, the blast shattering a chunk of the wall behind him. Ruby raised her bracers and fired a water blast, but the energy wave absorbed it, growing brighter.

"Water's not working!" she called, ducking behind a pillar.

"It's feeding on mana," Regina realized, her voice tense. "We need to hit it with something physical!"

Wren grinned, her mana claws flaring to life. "My turn, then." She darted forward, weaving between the statue's slow but powerful strikes. Her claws raked across its leg, chipping away stone with each hit. The guardian roared—a deep, hollow sound—and slammed its staff into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling outward.

Wren leaped back just in time, but Jolly wasn't as quick. The wave caught her, knocking her against the wall with a grunt. "I'm fine!" she shouted, scrambling to her feet.

Vell circled behind the statue, searching for a weak point. Its back was covered in faint cracks, likely from centuries of decay. "Jia, with me!" he called. "Aim for the cracks!"

Jia nodded, her daggers flashing as she joined him. Together, they struck at the statue's back—Vell's dagger slicing deep into the stone, Jia's blades carving away chunks. The guardian turned, its staff glowing brighter, but Regina stepped in, casting a barrier to block its next attack.

"Keep going!" she yelled, her voice strained as the barrier cracked under the pressure.

Ruby and Wren joined the assault, hammering the statue from the front while Jolly recovered and attacked its legs. The combined effort began to take its toll—the guardian's movements slowed, and pieces of its body crumbled to the floor.

"Now!" Vell shouted, driving his dagger into the largest crack. Jia followed, her blades piercing the same spot. The statue froze, then shattered into a pile of rubble, the green medallion clattering to the ground.

[Guardian defeated. Ancient Artifact Found: Verdant Staff Medallion. 350 points earned.]

He picked up the green medallion, its faint pulse steady in his hand. "Two down," he said, catching his breath. "Good work, everyone."

Regina approached, wiping dust from her face. "This confirms it. These medallions are part of a set—probably to activate that machine we found earlier."

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"Then we keep hunting," he said, pocketing the artifact. "Let's head back to town and figure out our next move."

As they climbed the stairs back to the surface, the storm outside had passed, leaving the desert eerily quiet and the twin suns hung low. They made their way back to the settlement without trouble, though Vell couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched.

At the inn, they gathered around their usual table, the two medallions laid out before them. Regina scribbled notes from the chamber's carvings, piecing together the story of the desert's lost people.

"These medallions aren't just keys," she said, tapping her pen against the table. "They're tied to the twin suns somehow. The paintings suggest a ritual—or a weapon."

"A weapon?" Jolly asked, leaning forward. "Against what?"

"Maybe whatever turned this place into a desert," Vell mused. "Or something still lurking here."

Ruby's ears twitched. "Do you think the Desert Kings know about this?"

"They might," Ember said, appearing at their table with her usual rough smile. "You've been busy out there. Word's spreading about you finding hidden ruins."

Vell met her gaze. "What do you know about the medallions?"

"Not much," she admitted, pulling up a chair. "But the Desert Kings have been searching for artifacts too. They've got a camp deep in the desert—near that structure Regina mentioned. If you're collecting these, you'll run into them eventually."

"We're not looking for a fight," he said. "Just to clear the floor."

she shrugged. "They won't care. They see you as a threat. Be careful out there."

After she left, he turned to his team. "Tomorrow, we head for that structure. If the Desert Kings want trouble, we'll deal with it. But our focus is the medallions."

The girls nodded, determination in their eyes. They'd faced monsters, storms, and betrayal—and they weren't about to stop now. As night fell over the settlement, Vell stood on the balcony again, staring at the moons above. The desert held secrets, and he was ready to uncover them—one medallion at a time.

The next morning, they set out before the suns fully rose, hoping to beat the worst of the heat. The air was still cool, carrying the faint scent of dust and dry stone. They moved with purpose, guided by Regina's map and the coordinates of the mysterious structure deep in the desert.

"Master, how many medallions do you think there are?" Ruby asked, her tail swishing as she walked beside him. Her bracers gleamed faintly, a sign she was keeping her mana ready.

"Hard to say," he replied, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "The machine had multiple slots—maybe four or five."

Regina adjusted her grimoire under her arm, the leather cover worn from use. "The paintings suggest a connection to the twin suns' power. If we're right, collecting them all could unlock something big—maybe even control over this floor."

"Or wake something up," Wren added, her tone half-joking, half-serious. She flexed her fingers, mana claws flickering briefly before fading. "I'm ready either way."

They walked for hours, the desert stretching endlessly around them. The sand gave way to cracked, rocky ground, and strange, twisted plants began to appear—brittle things that looked dead but somehow thrived in the harsh conditions. The structure loomed closer now, its silhouette growing clearer against the orange sky. It was a tower, tall and jagged, made of blackened stone that seemed to drink in the light.

"That's it," Jolly said, shielding her eyes from the glare. "Doesn't look friendly."

"It's not supposed to," Vell replied. "Stay alert. If the Desert Kings are here, they'll see us coming."

As they approached, the air grew heavier, charged with a faint hum of mana. The tower's base was surrounded by a ring of broken statues, their features eroded by time. Some clutched staffs like the guardian they'd fought, others held what looked like orbs or shields. In the center of the ring, a wide staircase descended into the sand, flanked by two massive doors carved with twin sun symbols.

"Another ruin," Jia observed, her daggers already in hand. "Bigger than the others."

Before they could move closer, a voice cut through the silence. "That's far enough."

From behind the statues, a group of players emerged—six of them, clad in desert gear and armed to the teeth. Their leader was a broad-shouldered man with a scarred face and a curved sword slung across his back. His eyes locked onto Vell, cold and calculating.

"You're the ones stirring up trouble," he said, his voice rough as the sand. "I'm Korran, leader of the Desert Kings. This is our territory."