The Fire Temple was up the hill from the tree-like Wood Temple, and it looked like it was made of volcanic rock, with a fire sigil carved into the double doors leading inside. Smoke rose from out of an opening in the roof, and as I stepped forward, the doors opened to make way for me.
As the doors closed behind me, I was left alone in the dark, sweating from the heat that seemed to come up from the floor. Suddenly, light dazzled my eyes, and I saw that I was in a hexagonal room, with braziers filled with glowing coals lit at every corner. The floor was made of volcanic rock, with red energy pulsing and giving off heat in the cracks.
In the center of the room stood the Fire Guardian, who looked like a shattered Elephant statue made of volcanic rock that had been glued back together with lava, except that his tusks were actual ivory, with the right one's tip made of metal, for some reason.
The Fire Guardian wore red armor on his arms and lower body, with spikes on the shoulders, and he wielded a sword that looked like it had come out of the blacksmith without being cooled down in water. As he saw me, he bellowed, "Do you have the power to attain the Earth Key? Then you must endure my flame!"
Drawing my two swords, I ran towards the Fire Guardian as he raised his blade, and just as he brought it down, I stepped to the side to dodge as I lunged forward with my left, grazing his ribs as I slipped underneath his arm. We both turned around at the same time, and the ground shook slightly as the Fire Guardian charged towards me with his trunk.
I was sent flying to my right as I was smacked with his thick trunk, and as I got up, the Fire Guardian was lumbering towards me. The heat wasn't helping me to regain my breath, and I clumsily ducked beneath the swipe of his sword. I lunged with my right into his thigh, and he roared in pain as he reared his sword high up into the air.
Gritting my teeth, I crossed my blades above my head to block the Fire Guardian's fierce downwards stroke, and the force of impact made my arms shudder dangerously as his sword began to slowly descend closer to my head. I gritted my teeth as I struggled to keep my swords locked together, and with a great effort, I dug my toes into the ground as I pushed away his blade, sending him stumbling backwards as I rushed forward.
I lost myself to the art of battle, and split seconds passed between each of my strikes as I spun, swirled, and twirled into each attack. Sensing a change, I leapt backwards just in time to avoid the Fire Guardian's left hook, and rushed in again as he drew his fist back, delivering even more strikes.
"Alright, this is it! The final blow!" I thought to myself, and I lunged forward with my right, but the Fire Guardian managed to grab the blade with his molten fist as he drew his sword back. The adrenaline coursing through my veins didn't give me any time to be afraid, and my left was brought forward into the Fire Guardian's chest.
The Fire Guardian's sword halted in its path, and he used his meaty right hand to pluck the sword from his chest like it was nothing. He then stepped backwards, and sheathing his sword, he bowed. "You fought with fierceness and speed. You may proceed to the Earth Temple."
The Fire Guardian then reached for his right tusk, and I saw something that I hadn't noticed before: hinges. He reached into the hollow of his ivory tusk to pull out a skeleton key that looked like it was carved from stone, and he put it into my hand.
"Thank you." I said as I bowed, and I turned towards the entrance to leave. The next stop was the Earth Temple up the shell of Maruzame, which was built from stone, and its doors towered impressively over me as I passed in between two clay soldiers. "Let's rock."