Leo and his team stepped out of the training facility, the massive doors closing behind them with a heavy sound. It felt like they were leaving behind safety and stepping into something far more dangerous.
Chen Wei's mother stood in front of them, holding a small box, her expression serious. "Listen carefully," she said, her voice calm but heavy, "where you're going… even a single mistake can destroy everything."
She slowly opened the box and revealed five ancient keys, each carved with a different symbol. She picked one up, showing the mark of earth.
"This is the key to the Temple of Earth. It lies at the far edge of the desert in China. Whoever controls it… controls the power of Earth itself."
Her eyes sharpened.
"And remember this—Earth users are monsters in close combat. If you try to fight them at close range… you will die."
A silence fell over the group.
Leo stepped forward and took the keys. He looked at each one carefully—Earth, Lightning, a strange weapon symbol, Water… and the last one still unclear. The weight of responsibility settled deep inside him.
Before they could leave, Lily suddenly grabbed Leo's hand. Her eyes were slightly teary, but her voice stayed firm.
"Leon… take care of yourself, okay?"
Leo gave a small smile, trying to reassure her. But before he could speak, Lily turned toward Chen Wei's mother, her expression turning fierce.
"And listen… if anything happens to my child…"
A faint aura leaked out from her body.
"…there won't be anyone worse than me."
For a moment, the air turned tense. But Chen Wei's mother only smiled faintly, as if she expected this.
Without wasting any more time, the group geared up in their combat suits and left.
Hours later, they reached the edge of a vast desert. The heat hit them instantly like a burning wall.
Leo pulled out the map and looked at it carefully.
"At this pace… it'll take us two days to reach the temple."
No one complained. They simply moved forward.
As time passed, the heat grew unbearable. The sun burned overhead, and the air itself felt dry and suffocating.
Slowly, Leo's vision started to blur. His steps became unsteady as he stared ahead.
"Water…" he muttered.
"Where is the water…?"
Suddenly, he started walking faster, almost like he was chasing something invisible.
"I see it… water!"
He stretched his hand forward like a zombie, completely lost in illusion.
Before he could go any further—
THAP!
Lily smacked him on the head.
"Oye! Snap out of it!"
Leo blinked rapidly, coming back to reality. "Huh…?"
Lily crossed her arms, annoyed. "This is the third time. And also…" she lifted an empty bottle, "…you already drank most of our water."
Leo froze. "…Wait, what?"
Yuna sighed, clearly tired. "At this rate, we'll die before even reaching the temple."
Chen Wei shook his head. "Control yourself, Leo. This is just the beginning."
The group continued walking, now more careful than before.
After hours of struggle, they finally reached halfway. The sun was starting to go down, and the temperature slowly dropped.
"We camp here," Leo said, his voice exhausted.
No one argued.
They quickly set up a tent, and without wasting a second, Leo went inside and collapsed on the ground, falling asleep instantly.
Outside, Chen Wei sat quietly, raising his hand. Water slowly began forming in the air, gathering into small streams before filling the empty bottles one by one.
His control was precise, calm… completely different from Leo's chaos.
Nearby, Lily and Yuna were training seriously, their movements sharp even after such a tiring journey.
"Don't lose focus," Yuna said.
"I won't," Lily replied, tightening her grip, her eyes determined.
The desert night grew colder, but their resolve only became stronger.
Far away, hidden deep within the endless sand… something ancient waited for them.
And soon… it would wake up. 🔥