Chapter 29 | The Sun Temple, Only Three Can Leave
The group stepped forward, nothing could stop them anymore, or at least that was until the sky above them began to twist and contort.
Fwoosh! BOOM!
The black sun in the sky began to condense as it released shockwaves of energy that shook the very mountain beneath their feet.
And after a few seconds, it transformed into the Sun Beast.
"QUICK," Leon shouted as they all rushed forward toward the temple entrance, their hearts pounding with desperate urgency.
The monster looked down at them, its massive form blotting out the sky, its white eyes flaring with cruel amusement.
Then it opened its mouth and let out a guttural, mocking laugh that echoed across the mountaintop, sending chills down their spines.
"...?" Alicar looked at it, his hands already crackling with mana as he prepared for battle, but for some strange reason, the Sun Beast didn’t lunge.
Instead it simply kept flapping its massive wings, looking down at them with an expression that seemed almost... entertained.
"Don’t waste time trying to understand that thing," Leon spoke with disdain in his voice, his eyes locked on the temple. "Let’s get out."
The group entered the Sun Temple through the shattered entrance, and they emerged into a massive chamber, its walls covered in ancient carvings that told a dark story.
One of them clearly depicted the Sun Beast feasting on human flesh, its massive jaws tearing through the bodies of countless sacrifices who had been offered to it.
The next one showed it transforming into the black sun that shone above them, its form merging with the sky to watch over the realm below.
But the last one... depicted a portal, probably the exit, with three figures standing in front of it, and many others remaining behind, their fates unclear.
"The hell does that mean?" William tilted his head, his brow furrowed with confusion.
"This craftsmanship," Darian mumbled to himself as he examined the carvings, his fingers tracing the intricate lines. "So weird."
"What’s wrong about it?" Alicar asked, his curiosity piqued by Darian’s reaction.
"I don’t know, it just... doesn’t feel like it was carved by a human, or even a humanoid being actually," Darian replied, his voice filled with unease. "The angles are wrong, the proportions are off. It’s like something else entirely made this."
BOOM!
It was only at that moment that the Sun Beast finally decided to act, as it lunged forward and smashed through the Sun Temple’s entrance with devastating force.
It let out an earth-shattering roar that shook the very foundations of the temple, then advanced forward with slow, deliberate steps.
"WHERE’S THE PORTAL?" William shouted at Leon, who already took his fighting stance, his body coiled and ready.
And at that moment, a notification appeared before all of them, its letters glowing with an ethereal light.
Ding!
[The Sacrifices have entered the Sun Temple, exit portal will now open.]
[0/3]
In the middle of the Sun Temple, a small circle of energy appeared, growing larger and larger until it had the shape of a shimmering portal.
They could leave, their freedom was finally within reach.
"SWEET FREEDOM!" Darian laughed as he dashed toward it, his face alight with desperate joy. "I’M OUT OF HERE!"
"WAIT!" Alicar shouted as he noticed the [0/3] right next to the panel, his eyes widening with horror. "We need to—"
Unfortunately, Darian didn’t listen, he was the weakest of the group and thus wanted to get out of here as soon as he could, his survival instincts overriding everything else.
And indeed, as Alicar feared, the number changed.
[1/3]
"Only three of us can leave, well two," Alicar explained to the others, his voice grim and heavy with realization.
That is why the Sun Beast simply laughed at them as they entered the Sun Temple, and why it didn’t even move at that moment.
It wanted to see... what they would do, in the face of such a terrible choice.
Would they kill each other for a chance at freedom? Would they rush forward to abandon their companions without a second thought like Darian?
To it, this entertainment was worth far more than the three meals it would have had by simply killing them all outright.
So now, the true test began.
"We need to choose who leaves," Leon groaned, his jaw clenched with frustration.
"But that means that those who are left are gonna to..." William eyed the Sun Beast, shivering in place as the realization dawned on him. "...Damn it!"
Alicar immediately channeled his mana around him in case anybody wanted to attack, his body tense and ready to defend himself.
He had absolutely no plans to take the portal, but if any of them felt greedy enough to want to take another’s life for a chance at escape, he’d react without hesitation.
Fortunately, it seemed such a situation didn’t happen.
Instead, Iris took the lead, her voice calm and resolute.
"I think I’ll stay, my advancement task orders me to kill a legendary-rank monster after all," she said, her eyes burning with determination.
"Same," Alicar replied right after, his voice steady and unwavering. "I’ll deal with that thing myself if I need to."
This meant that between Sera, William and Leon, two of them would be able to leave, and the other would have to remain here to face the Sun Beast.
"..." William’s expression darkened at that moment, and almost immediately, he dashed forward toward the portal with desperate speed, "Sorry guys, I can’t stay here."
"WAIT," Leon shouted, but he didn’t have enough time to stop him.
William passed through the portal, not wanting to stay behind no matter what, his form disappearing into the shimmering light.
[2/3]
’Selfish,’ Alicar thought, a bitter taste in his mouth. ’But I can’t blame him for wanting to survive.’
"Between you and me, heh?" Leon grinned as he gazed at Sera, his expression unreadable. "You’re injured, so even if we fight, I don’t think you’ll be able to win."
"...Yeah," she replied dryly, her voice flat and resigned. "Do what you want."
"Well, don’t mind if I do then," Leon grinned as he advanced toward her and the portal.
But before anyone could react, he lifted Sera with one hand and pushed her through the portal with surprising gentleness.
"WAIT—" her eyes widened as she disappeared into the light, her protests cut short.
[3/3]
Immediately, the portal disappeared, its light fading into nothingness, leaving Alicar, Iris and Leon alone in the Sun Temple to face the legendary-rank monster.
...
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