Chapter 70 - Lady of Ruin
How was Tave supposed to explain all the possible scenarios that could unfold inside the boss room? He had spent hours thinking through every detail, every angle. Long before they even arrived.
In truth, Tave had laid it all out for them beforehand. The conditions inside the chamber, the likely traps, the psychological games, and the threat disguised as a choice. He had told them everything. Except for the answer. He gave them just enough. Just enough to force them to think, to piece it together themselves. That was the only way they’d be ready.
Thankfully, Elias had picked up on it. And Oriana, sharp as ever, filled in the missing gaps. Surprisingly, even Orion, despite his usual reckless attitude, played his part perfectly.
During planning, Orion had scoffed at the whole strategy, waving it off with his usual bravado. "It’s only a monster. Just smash the damn thing. Who needs strategy when you’ve got a sword?"
But in the end... They all played their roles perfectly.
Each of them had acted terrified, confused, even hostile. They let the panic unfold naturally, let the group look fractured and vulnerable. They let the demon behind the voice believe it was winning. Believe it was in control.
Because the real objective wasn’t to survive the countdown. It was to make absolutely sure no one entered the glowing circle. No matter what.
Meanwhile, behind the chaos, they communicated with code. Subtle gestures, small signals they had rehearsed. Timed to the moment when the statues came in close. That was the window. When the statues broke formation and drew near, they entered their vulnerable state, exposed and unprotected.
But there was one rule: they had to destroy every statue at the exact same time. If even one remained, the power of the fallen would transfer to the survivor, making it nearly unstoppable.
And now, here they were.
All eight of them stood, spread across the chamber in perfect formation. The circle untouched. The statues were reduced to rubble.