Chapter 101: Chapter 101: System's Sacred flame

Elio, alongside Lucien, Selene, and the others, gathered around the bodies of Raelar and Varick. The air was heavy with sorrow, the silence broken only by the occasional muffled sob.

"I never thought it would end like this," Lucien murmured, his voice cracking with emotion. "Raelar was always the most prudent among us. And my nephew..."

Selene nodded, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. The weight of their loss was palpable, hanging over them like a shroud.

Elio knelt beside Varick's body, remorse etched deep in his features. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his words barely audible. "Thank you for saving my family."

♢♢♢♢

Meanwhile, in the families' building...

Fathoran burst into the building, his breath ragged and eyes blazing with fury. The most loyal guards greeted him with looks of confusion and fear.

"Quickly!" Fathoran barked, his voice echoing off the walls. "Gather all the weapons, armor, mana, and cores you can find. Now!"

The guards scrambled to obey, their footsteps thundering through the hallways. Fathoran strode to the treasure chamber, where they put reserves of mana and cores for the families to manage the city and live in luxury.

As he surveyed his book's balance, his mind raced. 'I'm still far from 100,000 cores,' he thought, 'but if I could eliminate some of Elio's followers...'

The idea began to take shape in his mind. With the mana accumulated over decades in the city at his fingertips, Fathoran was almost certain that Elio couldn't easily obtain the million necessary to combine his armor. And if he armed all his loyal guards with maximum level armor and weapons...

'Perhaps,' he thought, a grim smile forming on his face, 'perhaps I can still win this.'

'I just need one day. One day to recover my mana, to prepare. My armor will recover more than 70 points, and that will be enough.I won't let him recover all his resistance.'

Fathoran headed to the main hall, where his most loyal guards had already gathered an impressive arsenal. The clinking of metal and the low murmur of anticipation filled the air.

Fathoran began distributing the highest level weapons and armor among his guards. 'With this, we'll be on equal footing. I just need to hit Elio one time, and the cores will be mine.'

'One day,' he repeated to himself. 'I just need one day.'

"Listen well," he began, his voice laden with authority...

♢♢♢♢

Elio looked around, overwhelmed by the number of expectant faces observing him.

Elio nodded, grateful for Lucien's initiative. "Thank you. I trust your judgment on this."

Selene, who had been observing silently, spoke with a firm voice. "We need a long-term plan. We can't just distribute power and hope everything turns out well."

"She's right," added Ren, his calculating eyes scanning the area. "I suggest we establish an operations center near the wall. It'll be easier to coordinate the soldiers from there."

Elio looked at Lucien, seeking his approval. When he nodded, Elio said, "Let's do it. Ren, can you handle the logistics?"

"If Von Lucien helps me... Count on it," Ren replied.

"Good," Elio continued, addressing everyone. "We're ten people who will distribute the cores to the soldiers. But we're missing something..."

♢♢♢♢

"Raelar and Varick..."

A heavy silence fell over the group. Lucien was the first to speak, his voice soft but firm. "Their bodies are still where they fell, Elio. With everything that's happened, we haven't had time to throw them..."

"No," Elio interrupted, his tone leaving no room for discussion. "We can't throw them there. They don't deserve that."

Zara approached, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Elio, I understand how you feel, but what can we do? We must throw them into the monster sea..."

"We'll burn them," Elio declared.

"But the oxygen..." Micah began, his voice tinged with concern.

"I'll pay for the oxygen used!" Elio replied firmly. "I'll pay more later if I have to! They don't deserve to be thrown into the sea of monsters like trash. They deserve a dignified end. If the sacred flame ritual was once a dance to entertain the families, mine will no longer be... it will be to honor our heroes!"

Lucien nodded slowly. "I agree. I'll arrange everything for a proper ceremony."

As Lucien walked away to make preparations, Zara remained by his side, her presence silent but comforting.

"Are you okay?" she finally asked.

Elio shook his head. "I don't know, Zara. I feel like I failed them. Both of them."

"You didn't fail them," Zara responded firmly. "They chose to sacrifice themselves. We'll honor their memory by continuing their fight."

Elio nodded, grateful for his friend's words. "You're right. And we'll start by giving them the respect they deserve."