Final Life Online-Chapter 242: Sun Island XII

Sophia walked closer and examined the metal shard.

"It looks important," she said. "Maybe it’s a key piece for the next area."

Aria nodded.

"Yeah. Dungeons usually hide parts of a bigger puzzle."

Caria grinned and slapped Rhys on the back.

"Hey! If it’s a key, that means you’re carrying it. Don’t lose it."

Rhys rolled his eyes.

"I won’t."

Puddle floated around the shard, poking it with her tiny hand.

"Hmmm... it feels warm. Maybe it openssomething shiny!"

Lyra crossed her arms.

"Or something dangerous."

Rhys put the shard into his inventory just as the platform began to hum again.

RUMBLE...

The ground glowed with bright lines, forming a long path ahead.

Everyone looked up as a giant stone gate slowly rose from the other side of the arena.

A golden beam pointed straight at it, as if telling them where to go.

Sophia whispered,

"That must be the entrance to the next trial."

Aria stepped forward, her face serious.

"The Sun Temple. We made it."

Caria stretched her arms.

"Great! I’m ready for whatever’s inside."

Lyra sighed softly.

"Just don’t start hitting things the moment we walk in."

Aqua held Rhys’s sleeve gently.

"It feels warm ahead... almost too warm."

Puddle nodded quickly.

"Fire place! Hot place! Maybe lava! Maybe treasure on lava!"

"Hopefully not lava," Rhys muttered.

He looked at his team—

tired, scratched up, but smiling.

They had cleared the Gauntlet.

They had worked together.

And they had survived.

"Alright," he said, stepping onto the glowing path.

"Let’s see what the Sun Temple has for us."

The others followed behind him as the giant gate opened wider—

revealing a bright, golden light waiting inside.

The bright golden light slowly faded as the team stepped inside.

The air changed immediately.

It was hot—not burning, but warm like standing near a giant bonfire. The walls were made of smooth white stone, glowing faintly with sunlight symbols. The ceiling was high and covered in carvings of suns, birds, and warriors.

Caria whistled.

"This place is huge."

Aria nodded, scanning the area.

"And quiet. Too quiet."

Sophia pointed toward the center of the hall.

"There’s something there."

A wide circular platform stood in the middle, with three pedestals. Each pedestal had a slot shaped like a triangle—exactly the shape of Rhys’s metal shard.

Lyra raised an eyebrow.

"So we need three pieces?"

"Looks like it," Rhys said.

He pulled out the shard and placed it on the first pedestal.

The moment it touched—

CLICK.

A sun-shaped rune lit up beneath their feet.

Puddle clapped excitedly.

"One down! Two more to find!"

Aqua stepped closer to Rhys.

"That means the rest of the trials are scattered deeper inside the temple."

Rhys nodded.

"Yeah. We’ll have to explore."

As they looked around, three hallways lit up—one to the left, one to the right, and one straight ahead. Each hallway had a different color glow:

Left hall: Red light

Right hall: Blue light

Middle hall: White-gold light

Caria grinned.

"Well... looks like we get to pick which one to clear first."

Sophia looked thoughtful.

"Probably fire, ice, and light trials. Classic temple stuff."

Lyra tapped her foot.

"So, what’s the plan?"

Rhys glanced at his team.

They were tired, but ready.

Beat up, but excited.

And stronger than before. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"We choose one hallway," he said. "We clear whatever waits inside. Then we come back with the next shard."

Puddle pointed toward the white-gold path.

"Shiny path looks nice!"

Caria pointed at the red path.

"Fire sounds fun."

Lyra pointed at the blue one.

"I prefer not burning alive."

Aria sighed.

"Let’s just let Rhys decide."

Rhys smiled a little.

"Alright," he said.

"Let’s start with..."

"...the blue hallway first."

Everyone looked at him.

Lyra nodded immediately.

"Good. I’m not ready to get roasted alive yet."

Caria shrugged.

"Fine. Ice room first. Then the fire room. Saving the shiny one for last."

Puddle floated up and down.

"Blue path! Cold path! Maybe snow monsters!"

Sophia adjusted her staff.

"Let’s hope it’s not too cold."

Aqua held onto Rhys’s sleeve again.

"The air feels calmer that way. It should be safer."

Rhys stepped forward, leading the group toward the glowing blue hallway.

As they entered, the warm air from the main chamber slowly faded away—replaced by a chilled breeze. The white stone walls turned pale blue, covered in frost-like patterns that shimmered when the light hit them.

Lyra rubbed her arms.

"Okay, yeah. Definitely colder."

Caria blew a puff of white breath.

"If I freeze in here, I’m blaming you, Rhys."

They continued walking until the hallway opened into a wide chamber.

The room looked like a frozen arena.

Snow covered the floor, ice pillars stood around the sides, and the ceiling was covered in giant spikes of ice.

Sophia tapped the ground with her staff.

"This place... it’s magically cold. Be careful."

Before anyone could reply—

CRACK.

The ice at the far end split apart.

A huge figure slowly emerged, formed entirely from glowing blue ice.

A golem.

It had two arms, heavy legs, and a glowing crystal core inside its chest.

Caria grinned.

"Oh good. Something to hit."

Lyra narrowed her eyes.

"It’s big. But not as big as the Colossus."

Puddle pointed at it with both hands.

"Ice monster! Ice monster!"

Rhys stepped forward and lifted his sword.

"Everyone stay sharp. This thing is guarding the next shard."

The ice golem roared, shaking loose snow from the ceiling.

Rhys tightened his grip.

"Alright," he said.

"Let’s take down the guardian of the blue trial."

The Ice Golem stomped forward, each step shaking the frozen floor.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Rhys raised his sword.

"Here it comes!"

The golem swung its giant arm at the group.

"Move!" Rhys shouted.

Everyone scattered as the icy fist smashed into the ground, sending snow flying.

Lyra dashed around the monster, blades glowing.

"I’ll go for the joints!"

Caria charged straight at it with a grin.

"Or we just break it!"

She punched the golem’s leg—

CRACK!

A small fracture formed, but the golem didn’t even flinch.

"Wow," she muttered. "Hard ice."

Sophia aimed her staff.

"I’ll weaken it!"

A blast of warm light hit the golem’s chest. Steam rose, and the glowing core flickered.

Puddle floated up beside Rhys.

"I help too! Water magic good for ice, right?"

"Just don’t freeze yourself," Rhys said.