The narrow corridors stretched endlessly before them. Dim blue light seeped from cracks in the walls, pulsating faintly like the rhythm of some unseen heart. The air was thick with dust and the faint metallic scent of old stone. Hakari and Nicolas pressed forward, their footsteps echoing softly, each step stirring dust motes that shimmered briefly before vanishing into the stale air.
Behind them, far away in a chamber, Kage and Weller had halted in front of the glowing cube. Their eyes fixed on the Code Crystal trapped inside—a crystalline mass radiating energy that danced along its edges like captive lightning. Weller's brow furrowed, his jaw tightening with frustration, while Kage reached out instinctively.
But no matter how much force they applied, the cube remained unmoved. It seemed to pulse with life, rejecting every attempt to breach it. The harder they pushed, the stronger it pushed back.
Weller let out a heavy breath.
"It's useless," he muttered, stepping away from the from the cube.
Kage clenched his fists, but his eyes remained locked on the shimmering prison.
"We can't touch it… no matter what we do…" he whispered.
For a moment, neither spoke. The silence in the chamber grew oppressive, broken only by the hum of the crystal's energy.
Finally, they gave up. Turning to leave, they passed through the arched entrance back into the dim corridor.
But just as Kage crossed the threshold, a strange wave of sensation swept over him.
His breath hitched.
His hands trembled.
His eyes widened, glassy as if staring into another world.
In an instant, he was no longer in the corridor. He was somewhere else—somewhere dark, suffocating, and drenched in grief.
He saw himself on the ground, clutching a limp body in his arms. Tears streamed down his face as he screamed silently into the void. The corpse's face was obscured, but its presence filled him with unbearable pain. A line echoed in his mind like the last breath of a dying soul:
"Now… there is no chance…"
The vision shattered like glass.
Kage's eyes snapped open. His breath was ragged, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" he barked, clutching his temples as if to hold the world together.
Weller's eyes narrowed, but he didn't press him.
"We move forward. We act as planned," Weller growled quietly, his fists clenching at his sides.
With grim determination, the two pressed on, leaving the chamber behind them.
-
The corridor widened, revealing an enormous hall bathed in muted gold and violet hues from ancient wall sconces. The ceiling vaulted high above, supported by ribbed arches carved with strange symbols. Dust hung suspended in the beams of light, giving the room a timeless, almost sacred feel.
At the far end of the hall stood a towering throne, massive and ornately carved with motifs of beasts and humans. Upon it sat Waren.
His eyes glittered like obsidian. A smile stretched across his face, slow and deliberate, growing wider with each step Kage and Weller took toward him. It wasn't a friendly expression—it was a predator's hunger.
Weller's fists clenched tightly. His knuckles turned white.
He leaned toward Kage and whispered through gritted teeth:
"We stick to the plan. No hesitation."
Kage swallowed, his eyes locked on Waren's unnerving grin. Despite the dread clawing at his gut, he nodded.
Waren rose from the throne, his movement languid, as if the hunt had only just begun. His eyes gleamed with anticipation. The air around him seemed to thicken, the silence stretching unbearably before the inevitable clash.
---
Elsewhere, Nicolas and hakari had reached a dead end. Before them, a featureless stone wall stood imposingly, smooth and silent.
"This isn't what I thought…" J
Hakari muttered, his frustration barely hidden.
"We've reached the end. Where do we go now?"
Nicolas scoffed, his lips curling in irritation.
"I told you! We went the wrong way!"
Hakari, still uncertain but determined, stepped closer.
"I'm sure this is it," he said quietly, almost to himself.
Without warning, he placed his palm against the cold stone.
For a heartbeat nothing happened.
Then, as if the wall had never been there, the surface rippled like water, and Hakari slid through effortlessly.
His eyes went wide in shock.
"Nicolas!" he called, turning back.
Nicolas hesitated—but seeing hakari vanish, he threw caution aside and followed.
---
The Hidden Chamber
The two stumbled into a vast chamber, dimly lit by an eerie light that seemed to radiate from nowhere and everywhere at once. In the center of the room stood a a cube, The same one Kage and Weller had seen before.
Inside it lay the Code Crystal, its facets alive with flickering light, shimmering with otherworldly energy.
Nicolas froze.
"It's the same crystal…" he whispered.
Hakari, following close behind, felt a jolt of recognition pulse through him. Together, the group took a cautious step toward it, drawn by an invisible force that seemed to pull their very souls closer.
---
Far away, Yushi's eyes narrowed as he glimpsed a soft, golden light far ahead. His breath quickened. His fingers twitched with restless energy as he pushed onward, stumbling over stones and roots.
His focus sharpened with each step.
Something was calling him.
---
The Battle Begins-
Back in the throne hall, tension exploded into action.
Weller charged forward like a storm, his speed breaking the stillness of the chamber. Waren's eyes sparkled with amusement as he rose, his lips curling into a smile that sent chills down the spine.
"So… you've come…" Waren whispered to himself.
With a fluid motion, he blocked Weller's incoming strike, his hands intercepting the blow like a master of combat. But before Waren could recover, Weller dropped low, pivoting swiftly to the side.
His foot shot out from the ground, striking upward with explosive force.
Waren's defense shattered like brittle glass.
"What?!" Waren growled, shocked.
---
Kage saw the opening. His eyes flared with battle fury. In a flash, he launched himself into the air.
"I'm fully prepared now, Waren!" he shouted, his kick blazing with energy.
He kicked Waren hard, sending him flying across the hall like a ragdoll, crashing into pillars and stonework.
Weller's voice thundered next:
"We are prepared!"
The two warriors stood side by side, their eyes locked in challenge.
Waren's lips stretched into a wide grin—a grotesque mask of pleasure.
"It's fun… so very fun…" he hissed.
He licked the blood trickling from his lip with relish.
"Yes… this… is pleasure…"
The walls seemed to pulse in time with his excitement, as if feeding off his bloodlust.
---
The Power Surge
But then something shifted.
In the hidden chamber, Nicolas and Hakari suddenly staggered. Their legs buckled, and their bodies were forced toward the ground as if invisible hands were pushing them down.
A force unlike anything they had ever known pressed against their chests, choking their breath and bending their knees.
"What the fucckkkkkkk…" Nicolas gasped, almost collapsing.
Hakari's eyes widened, sweat beading on his brow. He reached for the nearest support but found none.
Even Yushi, miles away, felt the crushing force ripple through the air.
"This is too powerful! What is this even?!" he cried out, clutching his chest.
The energy threatened to drag him down.
For a terrifying instant, it seemed unstoppable.
But then—like a beacon of hope—the butterfly appeared near Yushi's shoulder, its wings glowing with a soft, golden flame. The fire leapt like sparks and encircled him in a gentle aura.
The force dissolved instantly around him.
Yushi staggered but remained standing.
Back in the chamber, however, the power still gripped Nicolas and Hakari mercilessly. They struggled to breathe, their muscles screaming for relief, unable to escape its grip.
The light from the cube seemed to hum with dark amusement, feeding on their weakness.
---
The Fun Begins
The hall echoed with Waren's twisted laughter.
The chamber pulsed with unseen power, dragging heroes toward despair.
The stage was set.
The real fun had only just begun.