"Last chance," the voice whispered from behind me. "Choose wisely, Liam Knight."


    The two guardian corpses took another synchronized step toward us, their desated bodies moving with impossible fluidity. The dark energy radiating from them made the air heavy and suffocating.


    "Liam!" The Man with the Mustache hissed, eyes wide with terror. "For the love of all that''s sacred, return the painting!"


    I tightened my grip on the rolled canvas. Every instinct told me this painting might contain knowledge I needed to save Isabelle. But what use would it be if I died here?


    The guardians raised their arms, and the dark energy surrounding them intensified. The tomb''s whispers grew to a deafening crescendo.


    "Fine!" I shouted. "Take it!"


    I hurled the painting toward them. It spun through the air, unraveling slightly beforending at the feet of the nearest guardian. For a heartbeat, nothing happened.


    Then the guardian bent down with mechanical precision and picked up the painting. But instead of retreating, it straightened and took another step toward us.


    "Why aren''t they stopping?" I backed away, bumping into the stone coffin.


    The Man with the Mustache fumbled in his pouch, pulling out a small bronze mirror. "They want more than just the painting now!"


    He thrust the mirror forward. A blinding light erupted from its surface, momentarily illuminating the entire chamber. The guardians paused, their featureless masks reflecting the brilliant glow.


    "Run!" he shouted, pushing me toward a narrow side passage I hadn''t noticed before.


    We sprinted into the darkness, the mirror''s light fading behind us. I summoned my golden energy to light our way, but could only manage a dim flicker.


    "That won''t hold them for long," The Man with the Mustache panted. "My artifacts aren''t powerful enough against beings of their level."


    The passage curved sharply, leading us deeper into the tombplex. I could hear something moving behind us—a dry scraping sound like leather on stone.


    "What now?" I asked, fighting to keep the panic from my voice.


    "We find another exit or a ce to hide," he replied. "This tomb must have multiple entrances."


    The passage suddenly opened into another chamber, smaller than the first but no less ominous. Strange symbols covered the walls, pulsing with faint light. At the center stood a circr dais, empty except for a small pedestal.


    "Dead end," I said, spinning around.


    The scraping sound grew louder. The guardians were gaining on us.


    The Man with the Mustache rushed to examine the walls. "There must be a hidden door or mechanism."


    I approached the pedestal, noticing a small depression in its surface—a perfect circle about the size of a coin. "Maybe this triggers something?"


    "Don''t touch it!" he warned, but it was toote.


    I pressed my finger into the depression. The symbols on the walls red brightly, then dimmed. Nothing else happened.


    "Great," I muttered. "Now what?"


    The answer came in the form of the guardians, who suddenly appeared at the chamber entrance. They stood side by side, blocking our only escape route. One still held the painting; the other extended a withered hand toward us in silent demand.


    The Man with the Mustache reached into his pouch again, withdrawing a jade talisman. "Stand back!"


    He hurled the talisman at the guardians. It exploded in a burst of green fire, filling the passage with smoke and light. When it cleared, the guardians remained unmoved, not even singed. <cite ss="phantom-imprint">T+hi$s^ ch*ap#t%e.r is f+r$o&m the col!l.e*cti.on at *.</cite>


    "Impossible," he whispered, his face ashen. "That talisman could destroy a Martial King!"


    I drew my bronze sword, channeling what little golden energy I could muster into the de. It glowed weakly, a pale imitation of its usual brilliance.


    "We''re not dying here," I said, assuming a fighting stance.


    The Man with the Mustache pulled out artifact after artifact—talismans, beads, small figurines—tossing them desperately at the advancing guardians. Each one was destroyed with contemptuous ease, crumbling to dust before even making contact.


    Iunched myself forward, swinging my sword at the nearest guardian. The de connected with its armored chest—and shattered like ss. The impact sent me flying backward, crashing against the far wall. Pain exploded through my body as I felt several ribs crack.


    "Liam!" The Man with the Mustache cried out, rushing to my side.


    Blood trickled from my mouth. My vision swam in and out of focus. This was it. We were going to die in this forgotten tomb, and Isabelle would remain the Guild''s prisoner forever.


    The guardians advanced methodically toward us. The barrier behind them still blocked the exit, sealing our fate.


    In desperation, I reached into my robes and pulled out everything I had—the few artifacts I''d acquired, some medicinal pills, and finally, the items I''d taken from ra''s room before leaving. Among them was a small pouch containing the bracelet and clothes we''d found with the mask.


    "Wait," I gasped, a wild idea forming through the haze of pain. "The mask... these guardians wear the same mask as ra''s!"


    The Man with the Mustache''s eyes widened with understanding. "The voice asked about its sessor!"


    With trembling hands, I pulled out the folded clothes and bracelet from ra''s collection. The guardians were only steps away now, their dark aura pressing down on us like a physical weight.


    "Look!" I shouted, thrusting the items forward. "These belong to your master! To the one who spoke to us!"


    The guardians froze. Their masks turned toward the objects in my hands, and something like recognition seemed to pass between them.


    "The bracelet," the Man with the Mustache whispered urgently. "Show them the bracelet!"


    I held up the ck bracelet, its surface catching what little light remained in the chamber. The effect was immediate and dramatic.


    The guardians recoiled, taking several steps backward. The dark energy surrounding them fluctuated wildly, as if disturbed by a powerful force. Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, they turned and retreated down the passage, taking the painting with them.


    The barrier at the entrance shimmered and dissolved.


    "What just happened?" I asked, clutching my injured side.


    The Man with the Mustache sank to the floor, his legs giving out from sheer relief. "They recognized the artifacts. Or rather, they feared them."


    "Feared them? Why would these powerful guardians fear ra''s bracelet?"


    He wiped sweat from his forehead. "Because whatever being that bracelet belonged to—the masked woman from the legends—she must be far more powerful than even those guardians. Powerful enough that just her possessionsmand their respect... or their terror."


    I struggled to my feet, wincing at the pain from my broken ribs. "We need to get out of here. Now."


    "No argument from me," he said, helping me up. "Let''s go before they change their minds."


    We made our way back through the passages as quickly as my injuries would allow. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to have lightened somewhat, as if the tomb itself was no longer interested in hindering our departure.


    When we finally emerged into the main hall of the Immortal Bane Sect, I took a deep breath of the marginally fresher air.


    "We made it," I said, relief washing over me. "I thought we were dead for sure."


    "We very nearly were." The Man with the Mustache copsed against a pir. "I''ve explored hundreds of tombs, but never encountered guardians of that caliber. They weren''t just corpses with remnant energy—they were beings who had transcended death itself."


    I touched my injured side gingerly. "I need to find a safe ce to heal. Then I''m going after Isabelle."


    The Man with the Mustache gave me a strange look. "You''re still nning to leave? After everything we just witnessed?"


    "Of course. What else would I do?"


    He hesitated, as if weighing his words carefully. "Liam... there''s something you should know. While we were in the tomb, I received a message from one of my contacts in Veridia City."


    My heart rate quickened. "What is it? Is it about Isabelle?"


    "No, it''s about you." He sighed heavily. "The Veridia City Martial Guild... they believe you''re dead."


    I stared at him. "Dead? Why would they think that?"


    "There was an explosion at one of their facilities—the ce where you werest seen fighting. The entire building copsed. They found blood matching yours and dered you deceased." He paused. "It''s actually been beneficial for you. They''ve scaled back some of their search operations."


    "That''s good news, isn''t it? If they think I''m dead, they won''t be looking for me."


    The Man with the Mustache shook his head grimly. "You don''t understand. If you suddenly reappear, they''ll realize you''ve been hiding, possibly growing stronger. They''ll see you as an even greater threat than before."


    The implications hit me like a physical blow. "You''re saying I should stay ''dead''?"


    "I''m saying if you walk out of here and announce your presence to the world, the Guild will definitely spare no expense to kill you as quickly as possible, even if it means sending out a Martial Saint!"