When the last mana point recovered, Zara's team stood in front of the sixth level crystal.
The tension was palpable as they crossed through the portal, not knowing what awaited them.
The chamber that received them was radically different from the narrow tunnel they had grown accustomed to. It was a vast, open space, dominated by a colossal figure rising in the center: a single Locus, motionless as a statue.
They didn't know it, but by luck... or perhaps bad luck, it was the same final challenge that Elio's group had faced.
"It's like in the book!" Taron's voice resonated in the chamber. "No tunnel, it's a direct battle! Attack now, before it awakens!"
They needed no further motivation.
The team moved in unison, their training manifesting in perfect coordination. Magical attacks flew through the air, each targeting different critical points of the monster.
The Locus awoke with a roar that shook the chamber walls. Its massive body moved with an agility that defied its size, dodging most of the magical projectiles thrown at it.
But Zara noticed this.
If the monster was faster, she had something faster than magic too.
Her hands moved like lightning, throwing daggers in rapid succession. The weapons, propelled by her strength and enhanced by the emblem, cut through the air faster than magical projectiles.
"They're working!" Valeria shouted, noticing how the daggers, although doing less damage than magic, only 9 points, were affecting the monster's ability to dodge.
"Keep the pressure!" Zara ordered, continuing to throw.
It was an effective strategy.
While Zara's daggers forced the Locus into increasingly erratic movements, the magical attacks from the rest of the team found their targets more frequently. The monster's life began to decrease rapidly.
Micah observed the crystal above the Locus. "We're almost at half!"
And they even managed to reduce more than half...
That's when everything changed.
The Locus's body began to glow with intensity. Its movements, already fast, became twice as problematic, even difficult to follow with the eye.
The creature jumped.
"Zara..." Aria looked at her with admiration and concern. "Are you okay?"
"Better than okay," Zara responded, checking her status. "The eel's discharge hurt a little, but nothing serious, the armor already regenerated me."
"A little?" Micah shook his head in disbelief. "That was enough to paralyze the Locus. How...?"
"The emblems," Taron murmured, understanding. "They've turned her into something more resilient than the monster itself."
Valeria let out a laugh. "That was incredible! It didn't even have a chance to really counterattack."
While they caught their breath, a new emblem descended gently, along with a massive core equal to what Elio's group obtained.
The crystal above them began to glow, and another appeared below in the center of the chamber, revealing a message slightly different from Elio's group:
"Congratulations challengers, you have passed the second phase to recover key point number 3 'The Wind Deposit of the first ring, the wind ring'.
The 5 temporary emblems can be used in the final challenge within the next 24 hours and will then expire. For each one you will receive a permanent reward after the time limit."
"You have 24 hours to enter the final challenge. At least 2 members with emblems must enter the final challenge. The time limit of the first completed gate and its emblems will be reset to synchronize with this one."
"Two members with emblems?" Micah frowned. "Does that mean only Zara will be able to enter?"
"And the synchronization of times," Taron added, thoughtfully. "It seems Von Elio's group has already overcome the challenge and both challenges are more connected than we thought."
Zara observed the floating emblem, considering the implications. "This changes things. I shouldn't take this emblem, maybe we should have divided them more..."
"What ifs don't exist," Valeria commented with a smile. "Your suicidal tactic turned out to be quite effective."
"It wasn't suicidal," Zara protested, though a small smile formed on her lips. "I knew I could handle it... more or less."
"More or less?" Micah raised an eyebrow. "Did you know how much strength the monster had?"
"Not exactly," Zara admitted. "But I knew that with all the emblems I had a good chance."
The group began collecting their weapons and preparing to leave. The victory had been easier than expected, but the crystal's message suggested that the hardest part was yet to come.
"We should select the bearer of the last emblem," Taron suggested. "It will be better to have more people for the final challenge, we'll have to choose someone to accompany Zara."
Zara nodded, her mind already practically decided on who she would give it to.