After Ryan started doing that and he shouted, the rest of the Invited started doing the same thing as he exemplified. Their minds are corrupted by fear and panic. Moreover, Ryan kept shouting orders.
"Hurry! Come on! If you want to survive from here you have to make a sacrifice!" Ryan said.
In front of him currently was a young girl with a face pale with fear. She saw Ryan's gaze fall on her.
The girl let out a gasp. She turned her body and was about to run. But then Ryan snatched her neck.
"No! Please!"
Without saying anything, Ryan threw her towards one of the creatures. Tentacles immediately embraced her body.
As the chaos intensified, shouts and cries echoed across the bridge. Some of the Invited pleaded for mercy, while others cursed and screamed in terror.
The creatures, unfazed by the commotion, continued their slow advance, their tentacles writhing menacingly as they approached. They just waited for their feast. Don't even bother to attack.
Amidst the pandemonium, Ethan and Irene stood their ground. Ethan's grip tightened on his Aetherbow. Beside him, Irene's daggers glinted in the dim light as she unleash the power of her shadows.
"Stay focused," Ethan said, his voice calm but determined. "You know what you need to do, right?"
Irene nodded, her expression resolute as she braced herself for the impending confrontation. Together, they formed a formidable duo while the chaos unfolding around them.
And then the moment came, Ethan and Irene found themselves targeted by the desperate Invited. Driven by fear and the instinct for suvival, the others surged forward, attempting to push them towards the looming black creatures beside the bridge.
Ethan and Irene stood firm and unwavering despite the frenzied attempts to overpower them.
With gritted teeth and steely resolve, they resisted the forceful shoves and pushes, refusing to be swept away by the tide of panic that surrounded them.
Ethan grinned then pushed a man who tried to lift him and pushed him toward the creature. Ethan is much stronger than the man so he clearly lost in that power struggle againts him.
With ease, Ethan pushes the man towards the creature and he is immediately swallowed by their black tentacles.
Despite being outnumbered and facing the combined efforts of their fellow Invited, Ethan and Irene hold their ground with ease.
They pushed back against the throng, thwarting the attempts to force them towards the waiting creatures.
Ethan frowned feeling the strangeness around him. His Soul Sense cannot sense this creature. But he wasn't too worried because the creatures didn't want to attack him and were just waiting to be fed.
He also didn't want to take the risk of using his Soul Manipulation on them. Knowing that his Soul Sense doesn't work on them.
The long minutes passed. They are exhausted and battered. The chaos eventually subsided because the creatures started to leave to under the bridge. Leaving behind a scene of desolation and despair.
Less than half of their number remained. About seventeen is gone. They have succumbed to the people beside them. Not because the onslaught of the creatures lurking beside the bridge.
Their heart feeling the grim reminder of the price paid in the desperate struggle for survival.
Ethan and Irene stood amidst the aftermath. Irene frowned, her heart feel uneasy. But Ethan still putting cold and calm expression.
The remaining Invited surveyed the scene with a mixture of relief and sorrow. Their hearts heavy with the weight of the losses suffered. Despite their survival, it came at a great cost, and the toll of the sacrifice weighed heavily upon them.
Around them, the surviving Invited gathered, their faces pale and their expressions haunted by the horrors they had witnessed.
Silent whispers of mourning filled the air as they mourned the loss of their fallen comrades that they had pushed. Their thoughts turning to the grim reality of their situation.
Ryan stepped forward, his voice cutting through the somber silence that hung in the air. "We have to move on," he said.
Around him, the surviving Invited nodded in silent agreement. Their expressions grim but determined as they prepared to continue their quest.
"We cannot afford to dwell on the losses we have suffered," Ryan continued, his gaze sweeping over the group with his sad expression. "We must honor the sacrifices of those who have fallen by pushing forward."
Ethan once again scoffed at his acting. Now that he seen it, Ryan could be a worse kind of person than himself.
When the surviving Invited reached the end of the bridge their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of more monsters. But suddenly, shimmering cascade of light erupted from the darkness, illuminating the sky in a dazzling display of color.
As they watched in awe, a shower of gleaming objects descended from above. Each one glinting brightly in the light.
When the light get closer, they realized that these were Gears.
With a sense of exhilaration, they reached out to catch the falling objects. Their hands closing around the precious Gears that flew toward them.
For a moment, they stood in stunned silence, marveling at the treasures they now held in their hands. These were no ordinary Gears.
Ethan, Irene, and Ryan reached out to catch the falling Gears. Ethan's fingers wrapped around a red cloak. Its surface shimmering with sinister red aura. As he held it, he could feel the power coursing through his veins.
[Gear Name: Blood Cloak.]
[Description: This is a cloak that comes from the blood of the people you sacrificed. With this, their blood will forever remain in your hands.]
[Effect: Energy +30]
Ethan smiled and immediately put it around his body. He felt the effect on his body immediately.
Irene's hands closed around a pair of daggers, their blades forged from red steel. As she gripped them, she felt a surge of dark energy coursing through her veins.
Ryan's fingers closed around a black and red shield, its surface etched with ancient runes of protection.
They stood, each holding their newfound treasures aloft, their hearts filled with determination and resolve. These were strong Gears. Gifts from the Tower itself, bestowed upon them after they killed their own comrades.
Then they know, this is the price of the power. This Tower is merciless. They could only expect something worse in the future.
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