On the floor of the Seventh Circle, the warriors below looked like distorted figures in a grotesque painting, their repetitive and desperate movements creating a hellish scene.
Heat emanated from the bloody ground, rising in waves that distorted the air and made it difficult to see. Kaizen could feel the weight of death and pain permeating every inch of that eternal battlefield.
Blood Lily, with her majestic wings, flew with agility, dodging attacks with supernatural grace. His every move was a declaration of strength and skill, a reminder that they still had a chance of getting through that hell without succumbing to violence.
Kaizen, concentrating on keeping the group in the air, felt the tension growing in his muscles and in his mind. Lifting so many into the air with psychokinesis required constant effort, and he knew he couldn't keep everyone afloat for long without exhausting their energy. Even so, he kept his eyes fixed on Bloody Lily, trusting in her leadership.
"Are you all right?" Kaizen asked, looking back.
"We're fine, Kaizen," Andrew replied, the tone of his voice calm but watchful. "Keep it up."
Adamanthi was silent with his eyes fixed on the horizon.
The landscape below them slowly began to change. The battlefield, once an endless sea of fighting warriors, began to give way to a vast, desolate plain. There were no signs of life, just dry, cracked soil, as if the earth itself was dying.
"We're getting close," said Bloody Lily, looking at the large door hundreds of meters away. "The exit isn't far."
Kaizen nodded, adjusting his position slightly to ensure that everyone kept floating safely. He felt tiredness beginning to weigh on him, but he couldn't give in now.
Suddenly, a distinct sound cut through the air - a high-pitched whistle followed by a cry of pain. Kaizen turned quickly to see Adamanthi clutching his arm, an arrow driven deep into his flesh.
"Adamanthi!" Xisrith exclaimed, feeling panic rising. "Hang in there!"
Blood Lily spun in the air, her eyes blazing with rage. "Where did that come from? I could hardly see!" she shouted, looking around frantically.
"I needed to create a distraction," Adamanthi confessed, quickly distancing himself from the group with multiple agile leaps. "I needed time for the others to complete a task without you noticing."
Blood Lily narrowed her eyes, her wings fluttering with restrained anger. "What task, Adamanthi?'' His voice was like thunder about to explode. "What did you put us in danger for?"
Adamanthi held up his hands, as if to calm them down. "Don't worry. I'm not here to betray you. I'm ready to fulfill my promise to take you to the eighth circle."
Kaizen stepped forward, the tension in his muscles almost unbearable. "And what exactly does eating our time mean to you? Isn't that treason?" he demanded to know.
Adamanthi let out a low laugh. "No, of course not."
"That's enough! Your help is useless anyway!" Andrew drew his sword from its scabbard and pointed it at Adamanthi. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you!"
Adamanthi snapped his fingers once more and that made the sword in Andrew's hand disappear.
"But what?!"
"Hehe! I'll give it back to you later! Anyway, you've found me out and now I won't be able to waste your time on crooked paths. Luckily, I think I've bought enough time for my boss not to get angry at you for moving too fast through the circles."
Adamanthi seemed to be enjoying his betrayal, but his smile disappeared when Og'tharoz, Kaizen and Bloody Lily began to look a little irritated. A bead of cold sweat ran down his forehead at the sight of their serious countenances, then he snapped his fingers once more and a door appeared on her right.
"So, if you don't mind, I'll go along for the ride..." He said and reached for the handle, but a voice stopped him.
"Where do you think you're going so fast?" Og'tharoz said, already behind Adamanthi's back, who quickly tried to open the door to escape, but when he tried to turn the handle, the door was locked.
"You didn't think we'd let you get away that easily, did you?" asked Kaizen, locking the door with <Psychokinesis>.