Following Talon's words, Leona and Emma raised their eyes to the sky, noticing a strange Tai Chi diagram identical to the one looming above Alia's head. The circular symbol seemed to spin ever so slowly, casting eerie shadows on the ground. Leona's expression grew dark with concern, her eyes flickering with unease.
Talon, ever attentive to her mood, asked gently, "Leona, is something wrong? Are you injured?"
Leona shook her head, her hair swaying softly with the motion. "No, I'm fine physically. But I'm worried about Alia. When I last saw her, she wasn't defending herself properly. She seemed distracted. And what worries me more is… I saw Howard near her. He's unpredictable."
Talon's brow furrowed, and a shadow of concern crossed his face. Howard's presence was always disconcerting, but they had no way to intervene now. Still, he tried to reassure her. "Don't worry too much. Alia is clever and resourceful. She knows how to handle Howard. He seems to hold a strange respect for her, though I can't figure out why. I don't think he'll harm her in the short term. For now, our priority should be finding a way out and reuniting with the others."
Leona sighed but nodded. Her resolve quickly returned, and she straightened up, determination flashing in her eyes. "You're right. This place may be intricate, but we can't let it hold us. Let's find a way out. I refuse to believe that this underground palace can trap us forever."
Talon smiled at her fiery spirit, relieved to see her back to her determined self. Together, they began examining their surroundings, trying to discern any potential escape routes from the maze-like space. Above them, the Tai Chi diagram continued to rotate, an enigmatic presence watching over them.
Emma, standing slightly apart, couldn't help but sigh inwardly as she watched their interaction. She admired Leona's resilience but couldn't shake the feeling that something far more sinister was at play here.
Meanwhile, in a different area, Peter and Charles found themselves trapped alongside the Dragon Squad. Unlike the smaller, circular area that Leona and Talon were confined in, their space was much larger, yet the same ominous Tai Chi symbol floated above them, casting an oppressive atmosphere over the group.
The Dragon Squad, sensing the isolation of Peter and Charles, began to close in, their expressions hard and unreadable. Charles, ever quick to stir the pot, smirked and said teasingly, "Well, Peter, it seems they want to deal with us first. Will you finally cooperate with me this time?"
Peter narrowed his eyes, sensing the growing tension. The Dragon Squad was clearly ready to make a move, but now wasn't the time for petty rivalries. "This isn't the moment for internal conflicts," Peter said, his voice firm. "We're all trapped here, and under this Tai Chi symbol, life and death are uncertain. If we work together, we might find a way out. After that, we can settle things according to our own abilities."
Brian, the leader of the Dragon Squad, hesitated. Peter's words rang true—taking out rivals now would weaken their collective strength. But on the other hand, working with Peter and Charles seemed unthinkable. His gaze flicked toward the Tai Chi symbol above them, as if it held the key to their fate.
Before Brian could respond, Charles, ever the provocateur, sneered, "What's the delay? Too scared to fight? Or are you worried about losing a few arms, like those unfortunate adventurers we left behind?"
The Dragon Squad members bristled at the taunt, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. The tension in the air grew thick, and it became clear that a battle was imminent.
In another area, Mike and Lindsay, along with the silent and eerie White Team, were similarly trapped. Mike and Lindsay exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to expect from the White Team. Though they stood together in silence, their presence felt heavy, their unreadable gazes locked on Mike and Lindsay.
The four groups were trapped, each in a different section of the strange Tai Chi diagram. None of them knew where the others were, and none knew how to escape the enigmatic palace.
In her own area, Alia stood with Howard, her mind working through the many layers of mystery surrounding them. She was still recovering from her earlier ordeal, but her strength was returning, and her instincts told her that time was of the essence. She turned to Howard and spoke softly, "I'm feeling better now. Thank you for helping me earlier."
Howard, ever stoic, didn't open his eyes, but a flicker of acknowledgment crossed his face. Alia noticed the subtle twitch of his eyelids, sensing that he wasn't completely indifferent to her gratitude.
Seeing his reaction, Alia pressed on. "I think the Moon Palace above was a mere illusion. The real one is underground, hidden beneath layers of deception. The symbols we saw earlier—the droplets with small circles inside—are part of this elaborate trap. We're in one of the four areas, and the others are trapped in the remaining sections. We need to regroup with them and find a way to break this confinement."
Howard finally stood up, his calm demeanor fading as he realized the gravity of their situation. "We fell a long way to get here," he mused. "I suspect we're deep beneath the surface. This might be the lowest level of the Moon Palace. Step aside, I'll try to break this diagram."
But before Howard could act, the Tai Chi diagram above them began to spin rapidly, its motion accelerating with a sudden intensity. The same phenomenon occurred in the other areas, each group watching as their respective symbols whirled faster and faster.
Without warning, the diagrams stopped abruptly, and a blinding light filled the chambers. As the light subsided, bones began to rain down from the ceiling, clattering together to form skeletal warriors armed with weapons. The skeletons moved with eerie precision, their hollow eyes fixed on Alia and Howard as they began to chant, "Fight, fight, fight!"
The battle for survival had begun.