As the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, the Invited stood at a place that looks like an ancient arena.
its vastness enveloped in the morning mist. The air was thick with anticipation as they stepped onto the ground. Each footfall echoing against the cold, grey stone that had borne witness to countless battles.
The arena was a colossal. Its stones weathered by time and turmoil.
The ground was a mosaic of slate and granite, arranged in intricate patterns that told tales of glory and defeat. At the center a raised dais stood as the focal point, where the mightiest of warriors once clashed for honor and triumph.
The nine, remaining Invited were now garbed in armor that gleamed like silver under the awakening sky – Gears that they got from the bridge.
As they fanned out across the arena, their eyes surveyed the towering walls that rose around them, lined with the silent sentinels of statues. The air was still, yet charged with an energy that seemed to pulse from the very stone beneath their feet.
In this moment, the Invited know they were not merely visitors to this relic of conflict. They knew they are here for something.
Here, in this place of stone and shadow, they would forge their destiny. They will fight something, or fighting each other.
The silence was broken by the sound of a horn, signaling the beginning of something.
With a final glance at their comrades, the Invited readied themselves.
Ethan trailed behind the group. With a calm expression he looked around.
'This is the place where Claudia would appear and we have to defeat her.' Ethan thought.
In the midst of the arena suddenly a portal appeared. Then a woman emmerged from it.
She was dressed in a black robe, standing alone on the central platform.
Her arrival was silent but drew the eyes of everyone present. As she looked around the stone ancient arema her expression was unreadable. A stark figure against the grey backdrop.
The Invited reacted with a mix of surprise and intrigue. They paused, then turned to face the woman in black.
Some of them narrowed their eyes, trying to discern her intentions. While others stood with a relaxed but attentive posture, ready for whatever might come next after what they have been through.
Ethan stared from behind with his usual calm face.
Next to her Irene was looking at Claudia. She already knew that it was time for them to fight against her. And Ethan told her how they will proceed to do it.
With a confident smile, the woman in black addressed the Invited, her voice resonating across the stone arena.
"To ascend to the Second Floor you must first prove your worth by defeating me," she declared.
Her challenge hung in the air. The atmosphere in the arena shifted palpably as the Invited processed the woman's challenge.
They finally see the Floor Guardian.
They exchanged quick, uncertain glances, their initial composure giving way to a collective nervousness.
But one by one, they began to ready themselves. Their movements hesitant but determined.
They checked their equipment, tightened straps on Gears, and gripped their weapons with trembling hands.
The air was filled with the soft clinking of metal and the rustle of fabric as they prepared for the fight.
Despite their nerves, there was a resolve that began to take hold among them.
Whispers of encouragement passed between them, bolstering their courage. Suddenly, a sense of camraderie and friendship developed among them after they went through hell together.
"We can do this," they murmured.
"Together."
"Yeah! Our Gear is strong now!"
They nodded to each other, a silent pact forming in the space between them.
The woman watched them with an amused smile, her confidence unshaken by their number. She stood still, waiting for them to make the first move, her demeanor calm and expectant.
As the seconds ticked by, the Invited's initial nervousness transformed into a focused intensity.
They knew the odds were against them, but they also knew that there is nothing they can do beside fighting.
With a collective inhale, they steadied their nerves, and with a nod from their Ryan they stepped forward as one, ready to face the woman.
Ethan prepares his bow. He already told Irene that they will be watched so they have to act natural. And Ethan is also planning not to use all of his power.
He will hide the Elemental Crest power for now and only use his bow.
The tension in the arena reached its peak as Claudia raised her hands. With a swift motion, Claudia's fingers traced an intricate pattern in the air, and the atmosphere crackled with energy.
The battle has begun. The Invited charged forward with battlecry.
"HYAAAA!!!"
Suddenly, from her palms erupted streams of black and purple magic.
The colors swirled together, forming orbs of pulsating energy that hovered ominously before her. Then she hurled the orb at the charging army.
*BOOM!*
The Invited scattered, dodging the first of Claudia's attacks, which exploded against the stone floor where they had just stood and leaving scorch marks.
The Invited to fight back. Ryan's light shone in their mids. Their attacks were varied, some attempting to strike with physical force, others countering with their own magic, albeit weaker than Claudia's.
Claudia moved with grace, her robe billowing around her as she deftly avoided their assaults.
Her smile never wavered, even as the intensity of the battle grew. She summoned more of her magic attacks.
The black and purple energies intertwining and reacting to her will with precision.
From afar, Ethan pulled the atring of his Aether bow. Creating an arrow, Ethan took aim, his eyes narrowing as he focused on his target.
The arrow blazed through the air as a streak of crimson.
It was not just one, but a volley, each arrow alight with a brilliant red hue, cutting through the air with deadly precision. They arced towards Claudia.
He needs to genuinely attack her. Because Claudia said that they don't need to worry about hurting her. So Ethan just attacking without holding back.
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