Grent was the first to move. Without a second thought, he pushed against the massive door, his strength forcing it open with a creak. The moment was upon them.

  They rushed in.

  The room was vast, stretching before them like a dark cathedral. The walls were lined with gears, massive cogs grinding endlessly in the background, their groaning, mechanical sounds filling the room like a symphony of industrial madness. The molten steel flowed in rivers, glowing a hot orange-red, casting twisted shadows on the walls.

  But at the center of the room, on a raised platform, was the throne.

  The throne made of blackened steel looming over the scene like a dark god watching over its kingdom.

  And sitting upon it was the target of their quest. The source of her anger.

  Avaris.

  The granite Master, the one-eyed leader of the battle of Highhaven. A single glowing eye fixed on the intruders with the intensity of a predator locked onto its prey.

  Lyanna’s breath was caught in her throat. She could feel it—the rage surging through her veins, threatening to consume her. Her eyes locked onto the Master, the embodiment of everything that had gone wrong in her world. Everything that had been taken from her.

  But Lyanna didn’t charge. She didn’t let the rage take hold. Not this time. Not when they were so close.

  “You’ve come far,” it said, its words vibrating through the room, “but this is where it ends.”

  The party took a single, synchronized step forward, their eyes locked on the granite Master, who remained seated on the towering throne before them. There was no movement at first, only the grinding noise of gears.

  And then they appeared.

  Four figures, emerging from the shadows, each one larger, more terrifying than the last.

  The first was a Titanus golem, the largest of the golems—a massive construct of metal and steel. It was the size of a small building, its body shaped like a hulking warrior, with thick, solid armor that was more like a fortress than a mere construct. In its hand, it carried a sword the length of a man while in the other, a shield the size of a wall.

  Beside it stood the second figure, a centipede-like golem. Its body was segmented, its many legs clattering against the floor like a swarm of insects, the joints of its limbs sharp and precise, each one ending in a deadly blade. The spindly, elongated body moved with unnerving speed, and its legs constantly gave out clicking sounds.

  The third figure was a dragonfly golem. Its long, segmented body was sleek and aerodynamic. Its sharp talons gleamed in the dim light, and its wings beat with a soft whirr, the sound of them unsettling and unnatural, unlike a real dragonfly.

  Finally, the fourth was a glowing golem, its form cloaked in an almost ethereal light, the thick armor it wore seeming to pulse with an inner energy.

  The glowing golem moved straight at the party, its chest opening with a hiss, revealing a black orb at its core.

  “An Antimagic field,” Strix shouted, his feathers bristling with realization. Sparks of electricity burst from his hands, only to fizzle and dissipate completely.

  And then, as if the golem had been waiting for its cue, the Titanus with the shield lunged forward. The massive shield it carried was raised in one crushing motion, sending Grent flying backward like a ragdoll. He crashed through the wall with a resounding boom, his form disappearing from sight as the dust settled.

  Lyanna’s eyes locked onto the golem with the orb, the source of the field. Her wings fluttered once, and then she was airborne, darting through the air. If she could strike it, they might have a chance.

  But before she could get close, the dragonfly golem appeared, blocking her path with a speed that defied its insectoid frame. Its wings fluttered like whips, the sharp talons on its feet raised. Lyanna barely had time to react before the dragonfly swooped in with a slashing blow aimed at her side.

  She spun instinctively, blocking the attack with her blade, the force of the golem’s strike rattling her arms. The dragonfly golem was fast, its wings creating a whirring sound as it lunged again, trying to overwhelm her with its speed.

  Strix rolled to the side, his eyes darting between the battle unfolding before him. "I’m outside the field!" he shouted.

  With a snap of his fingers, an Ice Storm erupted from his hands, a massive blast of freezing wind and shards of ice that rained down on the glowing golem. The ice began to build up around it, freezing the metal limbs, but the glowing golem seemed unaffected. It shattered the ice effortlessly, as if the cold had never bothered it.

  The golem’s gaze shifted, and then, without hesitation, it charged. The black orb seemed to pulse, the energy from it radiating outward as it fixed its sights on Strix.

  Meanwhile, the centipede golem battled Lagos, its many limbs slashing and stabbing at the Cheloran. Lagos’s hands moved like the wind, parrying and blocking with the speed and grace of a grandmaster.

  Lagos wasn’t just fighting the golem; he was fighting the clock, knowing that the others were engaged with the glowing titan and that they had to finish this fast. His shell took the brunt of the blows, but he couldn’t let the fight drag on. He needed to end it.

  The Titanus that threw Grent back followed the warrior, heading to the hole in the wall it created with its attack on Grent.

  Lyanna shot upwards, the dragonfly golem was on her tail, its wings whirring with a dangerous buzz. It followed her every move, its talons like razors. She could feel the golem’s presence just behind her, relentless.

  She twisted, soaring into a sharp loop, hoping to throw it off balance. But the dragonfly golem mimicked her every move, its head and tail swiveling to match her movements, its talons coming closer and closer.

  She had only a split second to act. Lightning crackled in her fingertips and she released a blast of lightning, aimed directly at the golem's head. The lightning was fast but the dragonfly was faster. With a smooth twist of its body, the golem dodged effortlessly, the lightning landing harmless behind it.

  Before Lyanna could adjust, the dragonfly’s claws came at her with ferocity, its talons slashing through the air. She reacted just in time, raising her blades to block the strike.

  But the dragonfly golem didn’t stop there. In a blink, its long body twisted around with incredible flexibility, attempting to slam into Lyanna its tail. She dodged, her body moving instinctively, the wind of its attack brushing against her face.

  Lyanna’s instincts screamed at her to keep moving, to stay ahead of the relentless creature, but the golem was impossible to shake. She had to find a way to finish it.

  She twisted midair, spinning quickly. With a flash, Lyanna threw her blade at the golem. She teleported, her body disappearing in a shimmer of light. She reappeared exactly where her sword was heading. Her twin blades slashed at the golem’s back. The perfect strike.

  Dreamveil Slash. The move she had practiced, honed, and perfected.

  But the dragonfly golem was quicker than she anticipated. With an uncanny shift, the golem’s talons moved to its back, blocking her strike with the precision of a master, the sound of metal scraping against metal filling the air.

  In her shock, the dragonfly’s back end slammed into her, its tail whipping around with the force of a battering ram. The impact was immediate, sending her flying backward, her body crashing into the steel wall with a sickening thud.

  As she recovered from the slam, Lagos was deep in a battle of his own---the centipede golem. The thing had a thousand legs, and each one was tipped with a razor-sharp blade.

  Way of the Storm, Thunder Fist.

  His foot struck the ground with a sound like thunder, and in the next instant, he was gone. He cut through the air with a deadly precision, his fist aimed directly at his opponent.

  But the golem was fast, too.

  The golem twisted and dodged, its many limbs unfurling like an unholy web of death. Each strike came from a different angle, and Lagos knew that this was not going to be an easy fight. But that only made him move faster, more determined.

  Lagos was already airborne by the time the golem struck. The Way of the Crane, Sky Leap was in full effect, his leap carrying him high above the golem’s reach.

  The golem’s legs sliced through the air, each bladed limb coming for Lagos. But Lagos was already descending. Bringing the full weight of his Cheloran shell down onto the enemy.

  Way of Lagos, Shell Smash.

  The centipede, anticipating the move, quickly shifted its body. The construct twisted its body into a circle, its many legs spiraling around it. Lagos crashed in the center of the circle, and immediately, the centipede closed in around him, its pointy legs converging on him from all angles.

  Lagos moved decisively, his body twisting and flexing unnaturally, his movements as fluid and flexible as a mannequin’s. With each strike from the centipede’s legs, he slipped out of their way, his body bending in ways that seemed impossible. He was like a puppet on strings.

  Way of the Puppet.

  The blades of the centipede’s legs whizzed past him, each one missing by mere inches as Lagos danced between them. He flowed between the attacks, his hands swiping through the air like marionette strings pulled by some invisible force.

  As Lagos dodged another of the centipede’s bladed leg, he realized something. The giant Titanus had left the hall bearing down on Grent who was thrown back to the hallway.

  Grent’s eyes were wild, his rage palpable as he rose to his feet. Titanus, with its giant shield raised high, advanced toward him, its massive form more like a wall than a mere fighter.

  Titanus slammed its shield into the ground with a deafening crash, shaking the very foundation of the square. The golem charged forward like a force of nature, its momentum enough to make the earth tremble beneath its massive form. Grent held his greatsword sideways, bracing himself, his feet planted firmly on the ground

  The clash of their weapons sounded like a thunderclap, a contest of strength between the man and the machine. Grent pushed back against the shield with all his might, a battle of will and strength.

  For a moment, it felt like a stalemate, the two behemoths locked in a standstill. Then, Grent heard it.

  “Titanus Prime, overclocked.”

  The gears inside the golem began to whir and spin, steam venting from its joints as the golem’s already massive frame grew even more powerful. With one brutal movement, the golem pushed forward, sending Grent crashing back into the wall.

  Grent’s vision blurred for a moment, but he didn’t care. His greatsword was still in his hand, and though he had been thrown, he was furious.

  Rising Blade.

  In a violent burst, Grent’s greatsword swung upward. But before he could fully land the strike, the Titanus Prime moved faster than he expected.

  The golem’s shield slammed down and Grent’s greatsword snapped under the crushing pressure, breaking clean in two. The blow sent shockwaves through Grent’s body, his hands vibrating with the force of the impact.

  “I’m not done yet,” Grent growled, his body shaking with unbridled fury. The golem loomed before him, but it didn’t know what was coming.

  "I WANT TO RAGEEEEEEE!" Grent screamed, his voice filled with the raw fury that had been simmering beneath the surface. The world around him seemed to fade, his focus narrowing to the golem.

  His fury only grew more uncontainable. His scream echoed through the walls, a primal cry for strength, for power, for the ability to push forward.

  Stolen story; please report.

  As Grent fought with his unbridled rage, Lyanna was forced to focus on her fight. The dragonfly golem circled around her, its talons razor sharp. Her body ached from the impact of her crash to the wall, but there was no time to stop.

  She couldn’t win this fight. At least not on her own. The dragonfly was designed for speed and agility, things Lyanna was good at. But this machine was faster, able to twist and manipulate itself in midair with an unpredictability that matched her own.

  Strix, too, had his hands tied with the glowing golem, its Antimagic field rendering his magics nearly useless. And Lagos, despite his skill, found the centipede golem just as unrelenting.

  She could feel it: the strategy behind Avaris’s creations. Each golem was designed to counter them. To exploit their weaknesses.

  The small eyeball-shaped golem that she noticed earlier had likely been watching, analyzing, learning their fighting styles and feeding that information to Avaris.

  The dragonfly golem dove toward her, talons flashing, bringing her attention back to the battle. Lyanna wasn’t ready to die in this corner. She had to adapt, and in that instant, her options were clear.

  She gripped her sword and threw it at the glowing golem, the blade flying with precision. A spark of lightning arced from her two fingers as she released a small bolt of energy. The lightning leapt through the air, striking the glowing golem’s back as her sword landed, embedding itself into the golem's armor.

  It wasn’t enough to destroy it. It wasn’t enough to make it fall.

  But it was enough to distract it.

  The golem turned, its glowing orb shifting toward Lyanna, the source of the Antimagic Field. That was all she needed. The golem was focused on her for just a heartbeat, and in that time, Strix made his move.

  Lyanna watched as Strix—who had been struggling against the Antimagic field—finally found his chance.

  Tornado.

  The wind picked up violently, howling around them as a whirling vortex began to form above. The dragonfly golem didn’t have time to react. The tornado sucked it into its spinning currents, its wings flailing helplessly as it was thrown into the air, its form twisting before it slammed into the wall.

  Lyanna’s focus remained on the glowing golem. It was facing her now and she needed to keep its focus on her.

  She dashed forward, her wings beating quickly, her twin sword gripped tightly. A small spark of lightning flickered on her single blade before it went away. The Antimagic field was upon her, but she didn’t need her magics.

  Lyanna’s sword crashed down at the glowing orb in the center of the golem’s chest, but in the last moment, the golem shifted.

  The strike had barely grazed its armor. Undeterred, Lyanna was already in motion as she flipped over the golem gracefully, her body twisting in the air. She retrieved her sword mid-flip, landing lightly just behind the golem.

  The glowing golem swung its arms in a vicious arc, but Lyanna had moved, staying just a step ahead of the golem’s reach. Her eyes never left the golem and the golem’s orb kept trained at her.

  Meanwhile, Strix's wings flapped, sending him soaring toward the dragonfly golem with the grace of an owl. He raised his hands, and in an instant, the air around him shimmered with purple energy.

  Prisma Beam.

  With a gesture, the purple energy swirled into three distinct beams and fired. Each one a flash of multi-colored energy, aimed directly at the dragonfly golem.

  Ever agile, the dragonfly golem darted to the side, the beams only grazing its form before exploding against the wall behind it. The resulting blast echoed through the chamber, the force of the explosion rattling the walls.

  The dragonfly golem didn’t wait long.

  It launched itself back toward Strix, its talons raised, its speed making it seem like a blur. But Strix was prepared. Before the golem could make contact, an invisible wall sprang up in front of him, a magical shield blocking the blow.

  As the battle in the air unfolded, Lagos was still fighting the centipede golem. Lagos dodged and danced between the attacks, his movements so fluid that the blades couldn’t touch him. But he could feel the pressure building, the centipede’s relentless assault threatening to overwhelm him.

  "Can we switch?" Lagos called out.

  With a quick, practiced motion, Strix lowered his hands, whitish energy swelling around him. He threw his hands down in a sharp gesture.

  Megaton Gravity.

  The gravity in the area around the dragonfly golem seemed to increase tenfold. The air itself grew heavier, pressing down on the golem’s body. It screeched as its wings began to lose lift, the ground rapidly approaching it.

  The dragonfly golem hit the ground with a heavy thud, its limbs sprawled awkwardly as it tried to lift itself.

  "That one’s all yours," Lagos called over his shoulder to Strix.

  Lagos dodged the strike of the centipede golem, leaping into the air, away from the center of the coiled up centipede.

  The dragonfly golem, still struggling to regain control of its movements, attempted to lift itself from the ground, its wings beating desperately.

  But Lagos was faster.

  He unleashed the full force of his Bear Palm—a crushing strike that slammed into the dragonfly’s midsection. The golem didn’t stand a chance. The force of the blow sent it crashing into the wall with a sickening crack, its wings bent at unnatural angles.

  “Oh no, you don’t,” Lagos said.

  The dragonfly golem wasn’t finished.

  It twisted its body in midair, its talons aiming at Lagos in an attempt to catch him off guard. But Lagos was already anticipating its next move. He cartwheeled sideways, dodging the golem’s strike. In the same fluid motion, he threw a back-kick that connected with the dragonfly's head.

  The golem’s head snapped back as the force of the strike sent it crashing on crashing once again into the steel wall.

  Lagos didn’t give it a chance to recover.

  With a grunt of exertion, Lagos dropped into a stance, his body low and his hands already moving. A sudden flurry of rapid strikes erupted from his body, his arms moving so fast they became a blur. His punches hit the golem’s body with unrelenting speed, each strike landing. The golem's body began to crack under the weight of Lagos's technique and skill, its metal limbs bending and breaking under the force.

  Crack. Another punch landed.

  Crack. The golem's head disintegrated under the barrage.

  Crack. The wings shattered, the golem’s body collapsing in on itself as Lagos’s fists hammered the last of its resistance away.

  Crack. The dragonfly golem was no more.

  Way of Lightning, A Thousand Punches.

  Meanwhile, Strix turned his focus on the centipede golem. It darted forward with speed and precision, its bladed limbs aimed at him. The golem was fast, but Strix was faster.

  With a flick of his wrist, Strix conjured a wall of magic, a shield that shimmered into existence just in time to block the centipede's strike. The blades of the golem clattered against the invisible barrier, unable to break through.

  The centipede golem hissed, its legs scrambling, trying to find a way around the magic wall. But Strix wasn’t finished.

  With another sharp gesture, he summoned more magic, the air around him buzzing with energy as walls of magic shot up from the ground, entrapping the golem in an impenetrable cage.

  The space started to close in on the trapped creature. The centipede golem struggled, its limbs slicing at the walls, but there was no escape. Strix watched as the golem's struggles grew more frantic, but it was no use. The cage was tightening, each wall constricting more and more, the golem’s body creaking and cracking under the pressure.

  With a final screech, the centipede golem was crushed, its body breaking apart as it was reduced to a pile of twisted metal and shattered limbs.

  Back on the other side of the battlefield, Lyanna was still facing down the glowing golem. The Antimagic field had been a brutal challenge for Strix, but Lyanna knew she didn’t need magic to defeat this foe.

  Her thoughts flickered to Uluru, her brother. He was a wizard first and foremost, but he taught her to trust her blades. And in that moment, Lyanna knew what she had to do.

  Oluru's Sacrifice.

  Her sword slashed through the air with a flurry. Each precise, calculated, a dozen slashes aimed with deadly accuracy at the orb at the heart of the golem. Her magic lightning was rendered impotent but that was hardly significant. Each slash felt like it carried the weight of a memory of Oluru, guiding her hand.

  With one final strike, her blade cracked against the orb, a flash of lightning that wasn’t magic but sheer will. The orb shattered under the weight of her attack and the golem’s form faltered. It dropped to the ground in pieces, its armor crumbling and falling apart like dust.

  Lyanna, Lagos, and Strix paused for a moment, gathering together after their respective opponents fell.

  Grent—where did he get thrown to?

  Back in the long hallway, Grent stood there, his broken greatsword still gripped tightly in his hands. Its edges were jagged as he struck again and again at the Titanus Prime’s shield. The shield shuddered with each blow, the dents deepening.

  Grent’s body was battered and bruised, sweat pouring down his face, mingling with his blood. His breathing was heavy, his chest rising and falling with the rhythm of a man who had given everything. But he had more to give.

  The golem raised its sword and swung, the blow coming down with a screech of metal. Grent barely had time to react, raising his broken sword to parry the strike. He could barely feel his hands anymore, but still, he continued to swing the broken sword.

  The broken blade clashed against the golem’s shield. The shield dented, the golem’s armor showing signs of damage, but not enough to bring it down. The behemoth didn’t seem to care. It only moved forward, relentless, unstoppable.

  Before Grent could react, the golem’s shield was slammed into his side, sending him crashing into the wall with a sickening thud. He groaned, his hands clutching the shield as it pressed against him, pinning him to the cold steel of the wall. The weight of it was crushing, and Grent gasped for breath, his lungs screaming for air.

  His mind flashed, a cascade of memories and emotions hitting him all at once. Lyanna, the reason he fought for more than just survival. Siron, that bitter, old fool. And then, this golem—stronger than him, a brute of metal cogs and steel pistons, a thing meant to end him.

  But Grent refused to die here. Not today.

  Grent’s breath came in ragged gasps, but he could feel it. He clenched his teeth, his bloodshot eyes staring defiantly at the golem before him.

  And then, with a snarl, he pushed back.

  Indomitable Rage.

  With all his rage-fueled strength, Grent gripped the golem’s shield, his fingers digging into the thick metal. His body, though battered, shook with raw power. The shield buckled beneath his hands, groaning under the pressure, but Grent didn’t stop. The shield twisted and bent, the sound of it cracking as it gave way.

  The golem muttered in a mechanical growl, almost as if surprised. “Impossible.”

  The shield fell away, crumpled and useless. The golem's sword was already raised, poised to thrust straight at Grent’s heart.

  Grent screamed as he reached out, his hands gripping the sword’s tip in the last moment before it could pierce his body. He had halted the strike, the tip of the sword grinding against his palms. His hands bled, the blood running down the hilt of the sword, but he held firm.

  He was not dying here.

  Not today.

  The main hall was still. Lyanna stood among her companions, her heart still beating with the adrenaline of the fight, looking around for any signs of Grent.

  Then, a loud crash.

  The decapitated Titanus Prime golem’s head was thrown into the chamber, landing to the ground with a resounding boom that shook the floor. It was followed by the sound of footsteps, uneven but unmistakable.

  Grent appeared, limping heavily, his body injured from the fight. His broken greatsword was slung over his shoulder, but he used the massive Titanus Prime sword like a crutch. His face was covered in blood and dirt, his breathing ragged, but his gaze was remained sharp.

  Lyanna’s heart skipped a beat as she saw him. Her instincts screamed at her to rush to his side, to help him, but the words were already spilling from her lips before she could think.

  “Mother Crystal, you’re hurt,” she said.

  Grent looked up at her, a tired smile tugging at his lips. “Just like old times, Ly,” he said.

  The way he looked at her—familiar, unspoken—but still there, like they had weathered so much together and yet, here they were, still standing.

  He glanced around at the rest of the party. “Where’s Avaris?” he asked.

  Lyanna hesitated for just a moment, sighing as she explained, "We were busy fighting the golems, and Avaris managed to hide."

  "I’ve got a spell for this," Strix said, raising his hands, glowing faintly with the remnants of arcane energy. But it fizzled out and his shoulders sagged. "I’m out of mana," he muttered.

  Grent, already battered and exhausted, shouted out, his voice filled with raw anger. “No! We did all that, and he managed to hide!”

  Lyanna watched him. He was right. Avaris was always one step ahead, hiding behind his walls and traps. But she couldn’t afford to give in to frustration. There had to be a way.

  She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to clear her mind. The image of Oluru flashed in her thoughts.

  "Lyanna, see him. See him with your eyes."

  Lyanna’s eyes fluttered open. Her Eyes of the Forest, once familiar green, now glowed in colors. Vibrant, shifting, a mix of greens, blues, and flickers of gold.

  Eyes of the Fae.

  She focused, her sight now clearer, sharper. The glowing outlines of everything came to life. The shadows, the light, the hidden truths beneath the surface.

  And that was when she saw it.

  Beneath the throne, hidden in the darkness, was a glowing red figure.

  Lyanna didn’t waste a second. She pointed toward the throne, her voice steady. “There,” she said.

  Grent’s eyes locked onto her direction, the golem’s sword in his hand. Despite his damage, he charged forward. He swung it down at the throne, and the sound of metal hitting metal filled the air. The throne cracked, the massive steel chair breaking apart under the force of Grent’s strike, revealing a small compartment beneath it.

  And there, huddled in the corner of the hidden compartment, was Avaris.

  The granite Master, once so imposing and grand, was now a cowering wreck, his one cyclopean eye wide with terror, his form trembling as he sat huddled in the shadows. Avaris, the mastermind of so much pain and suffering, was revealed for what he truly was: a coward, hiding from the very fate he had created.

  The walls around them seemed to breathe with the weight of finality.

  ******

  Outside, Eti and Shem waited.

  “So Shem, you’re a wizard. But why train your body then?” Eti asked, eyeing Shem’s large muscles.

  Shem was quiet, thinking of the answer. He finally spoke, “Well, I like physical fit—”

  Shem was interrupted when the red walls of the square shimmered, flickering once more before disappearing completely.

  Eti’s eyes widened as the last traces of the red walls dissolved, and he turned to Shem, his voice barely more than a whisper.

  “Does that mean…?”

  Shem looked around and his gaze rested on the victorious party.

  Lyanna stood in the open, her hand holding a head—Avaris’s head—the single eye still glowing faintly in the center of it. She felt the heaviness of the head, but not due to its weight. But the symbol of their success.

  Avaris had been reduced to nothing more than a broken thing, exposed and crushed beneath their will. She glanced at Grent, his chest rising and falling with exhaustion, his massive frame holding the orb, a faint glow of power still emanating from it. The orb that had once housed the power of Avaris, was theirs.

  Lyanna took a breath, her eyes steady as they turned to face Eti and Shem. She nodded once, the motion a simple acknowledgment.

  They were heading back. Back to Highhaven.

  There was no fanfare, no celebration as they turned from Avaris’s ruined square. There was only the quiet satisfaction of victory.

  It was done.

  They were victorious.

  And that was enough. For now.

  ******