Thoren turned away from Ali and said, "What are you?"

  A massive flying eye, with wings and legs, hovered in the air, its presence dark and menacing.

  "Hmph… you must have quite the instinct to notice me. But enough. Let’s finish those two…" it hissed.

  Pimi, her eyes wide, quickly raised her hands. "IlZan ZanA! Please reach…"

  She cast a spell, a gust of wind howling near the large eye monster. But it flew away with surprising speed, avoiding the blast.

  "Am I… safe?" Ali asked, his voice full of tension.

  The remaining eye monsters hovered behind the large one, preparing for another assault.

  "I think they let us go…" Sufian said, looking around, his eyes scanning for danger.

  Snagglix’s voice echoed, "Oooof... that one was scare-scare MAX!!"

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  Pimi, slightly annoyed, said, "Hmph! That was nothing!" She was clearly frustrated that her spell didn’t reach the large creature.

  Malak, her focus still on the professor, said, "More importantly, the professor?"

  "Yeah! Professor, are you okay?" Ali called out, his voice full of concern.

  Sufian knelt beside the professor, examining him. "He’s injured, but it’s not critical. We need to get him somewhere safe!"

  Ali helped Sufian lift the professor, the weight of their task settling heavily on his shoulders. His heart raced as he thought of all the dangers that still awaited them, but there was no time to waste.

  "Let’s go!" Sufian urged, looking around the altar one last time before hurrying out of the room.

  As they made their way back through the shrine, Ali couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was still to come. The weight of the unknown pressed on him, but he couldn’t let that stop him now. The professor needed help, and his friends were counting on him.

  ?????