Temple of Dawn

[Xan]

Xan flew over the plains of the East towards his next destination, the temple of the sun, The Temple of Dawn. Xan arrived at the temple at the only time it shows itself, exactly at Dawn. Xan landed on the temple, looking for the way to enter. He looked up a locking mechanism, consisting of a horn and several pipes. Xan looked over the door and looked to see if he could find an alternate way in. Only Fire and Light magic users were able to interact with the temple and it was warded from Fire and Light.

Xan looked at the door again and smiled as he figured it out. Xan shot a blast of cold air into the horn, which moved the air into the sides of the door. He then shot more air but heated it so it would go through the central pipe and into the door. The door clicked and opened just as Xan had predicted. Xan entered without hesitation but knew it wouldn't let him out until he reached the top.

[Xan]

Xan walked amongst the empty chambers of the Temple of Dawn. It looked on the inside and the outside like an collection of ancient temples, Japanese, Greek, Mayan, Egyptian, and every other civilization that worshiped the Sun. Xan looked through every nook and cranny, but couldn't find anything that could lead him to the next of the God Flames. He finally found a door, he looked up to read the symbols, it was a mix of Greek, Egyptian and Aztec.

"If you wish to pass this door, you must pass the test of knowledge" Xan recited "Answer this question: I am not usually touched, but often held, if you are smart, you may use me well. What am I? That's easy, it's a tongue"

The door clicked, revealing 3 cylinders in the middle, the one on top moved left. It seemed that Xan was required to answer two more questions. The symbols disappeared and a new one arrived.

"The smallest lark may carry it, but the strongest man may not. Of what do I speak?" Xan recited "The answer is a tune"

The door clicked again, the middle cylinder moved to the right. A new set of symbols replaced the old ones.

"Final question: No man has seen it, but all men know it. Lighter than air, sharper than any sword. Comes from nothing, but will fell the strongest armies. What am I?" Xan recited the symbols "The answer is Hunger"

The door clicked and the final cylinder snapped in two and moved apart, allowing the door to swing open. Xan walked through the doorway, the first part was easy, but it was only the beginning.

[Xan]

Xan walked through a long hallway with no doors. The hallway was endless, constant, no change whatsoever. Xan had walked through it and it felt as if days had gone by. Xan this was another test, but he didn't know what it was testing.

"Oh well" Xan laughed "No sense in worrying about it"

Xan continued to walk down the hallway, after a recorded 15 days of walking, he had finally reached the end. At the end of the hall was a light, guiding his way, but after taking a step forward, Xan felt something click in his mind, something was telling him not to go into the light.

Xan turned around and walked back into the darkness, he walked until the light disappeared. Then he noticed something to his right, it was a door. Xan reached for the handle and grabbed it, his instincts told him it was okay. Xan opened the door and closed it behind him. A set of symbols appeared through fire.

"You have passed the test of instinct" Xan recited "Well, that wasn't so bad, compared to what I've been through"

[Xan]

Xan walked through the halls to see more symbols written in the air by fire. The symbols were now English.

"Now it is the test of power" Xan read out loud "Face against the goddess of the Sun"

Suddenly a bright light enveloped the entire hall, blinding Xan leaving nothing for him to see. When the light receded Xan was at the very top of the Temple of Dawn. The light turned into a ball in front of him, he moved to grab onto it, but a giant wolf erupted from the ball and pounced onto Xan. The wolf was white with red markings on it's face, upper legs and tail. It also had wings of light on it's body. Xan recognized the beast right away.

"Shiranui" Xan smiled "What is the sacred wolf doing here?"

"I've come to test you for Amaterasu" The wolf replied

"I see" Xan smiled "Well then, let's get started shall we?"

Xan summoned his Sword of Exile, and began swing the right one in a circle above his head.

"Eat this!"

Xan launched the swinging sword at Shiranui, the large wolf dodging it with ease. The wolf retorted by attacking Xan with claws draped in black flames. Xan dodged but was nicked by the slash, leaving a mark of black flame on his chest.

"Damn bitch" Xan growled, but then looked to see the slow burning flame and smiled "Well this is fortunate, I was going to ask Amaterasu for this, but you saved me the time"

Xan sucked in the black flames and absorbed the hidden power. Xan felt his body begin to change. A light enveloped Xan and when it was gone another Shiranui appeared, but without the wings, or the large disk on it's back.

"Let's do this"

(Health + Full)

[Xan]

"So you take my form, but you are still unable to use the other abilities"

"I may not have your powers, but I have my own Shiranui" Xan said with a wolfish grin "Let's see which is better, your powers, or mine?"

"Impudence!!" Shiranui howled, unleashing a torrent of lightning, but it was stopped by several trees growing around Xan.

"Nice try, but I won't be beaten that easily"

"Feel the power of the frozen tundra!" Shiranui roared as she unleashed a powerful wind full of ice shards straight for Xan.

"That is nothing compared to the winds of Cocytus!!" Xan laughed as he launched his own powerful wind. "PHLEGETHON!!"

The two winds clashed, canceling each other out. The two wolves snarled at each other. At the same time the wolves pounced, attacking each other with claws wrapped in the black flames of Amaterasu. The wolves clawed and bit at each other, both attempting to gain the upper hand.

The flames of their claws thawed out the ice created, the top of the temple began to crack and from the extreme changes. Xan began to create trees to strike Shiranui, but the wolf reacted by slice them with wind. Xan created spears of fire, while Shiranui summoned her rosaries, both fired at the same time. The two were matched blow for blow, neither was willing to back down.

"Let's finish this!!!" Shiranui growled as she summoned a sword of lightning and grabbed it with her mouth.

"Now your talking!!" Xan howled as he summoned the Blade of Abyss into his mouth.

The two wolves took their powerful swords and charged at each other, one surrounded by lightning, the other surrounded by fire.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" The two roared in harmony

"THUNDER EDGE!!!!" Shiranui howled

"ABYSSAL REND!!!!" Xan howled

The two swords clashed, the collision created a massive release of energy. The entire top of the building crashed and fell apart under the force, leaving only a small circle where the two wolves were caught in a lock. The swords separated, the two twirled their blades and then locked blades again, unleashing another explosion of energy.

"ENOUGH!!!" A woman's voice erupted, coming from a bright light that shined brightly. Xan and Shiranui stopped clashing swords to look at the light. Within the light was a young woman.

"Amaterasu" Xan smiled "It is a pleasure to meet the Japanese Sun Goddess"

"Xan, you have proven yourself strong" Amaterasu said kindly "I grant you the power of the Sun, take this, the Light of Dawn"

Amaterasu summoned a ball of light and handed it over to Xan. Xan reverted to his original form and took the ball into his hand. Xan devoured the ball and felt the power course within him. He unleashed a blinding flash of light which shined through the fields.

"Eight down" Xan smiled

"Now Xan, I wish for you to take this chance to move to the next temple, the Temple of Dusk, that is where your next objective lies" Amaterasu explained

"How will I get there?" Xan asked

"You have to use the only way to enter the Temple of Dusk, The Sun Chariot, with the Light of Dawn you may call upon it whenever you wish"

"Interesting" Xan smiled, he raised his hand and unleashed the light, from the sky a fiery chariot was pulled by four flaming horses. The horses whinnied and calmed when Xan came close, who jumped into the chariot. "Take me to the Temple of Dusk"

The horses reared their bodies and pulled Xan's chariot, they circled around the Temple of Dawn, which reformed itself as if the battle between Xan and Shiranui never happened.

(Health - 300)

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