The air hung thick with the smell of dust and the creature's frustrated bellows. A tense silence settled over the arena as Eren, Lucy, and L surveyed the situation. The beast thrashed and clawed at the smooth obsidian walls of its makeshift prison, its roars echoing with renewed fury.
"It won't stay trapped forever," Lucy stated, her voice laced with concern. "We need a more permanent solution, but without our powers…"
L tapped his chin thoughtfully, his gaze darting around the arena. "Perhaps there's another way to utilize these markings," he murmured, his eyes lingering on the glowing symbols where he'd triggered the pit trap.
Eren approached him, his gaze mirroring L's curiosity. "You think they're the key to defeating the beast?"
L shrugged. "They seem to be control points of some sort. If I can understand their function, maybe we can manipulate the arena to our advantage again."
Lucy knelt beside a section of the wall, tracing the intricate symbols with her finger. "They look familiar somehow," she mused. "Like ancient celestial script, but… distorted."
Eren frowned. "Celestial script? You think there might be a connection to your magic?"
Lucy's eyes widened. "Maybe! If these markings are a twisted version of celestial script, there might be a way to disrupt them, to throw off the creature's control."
A spark of hope ignited in Eren's chest. Lucy's celestial magic might be useless against the creature itself, but if it held the key to manipulating the arena…
"Let's see what you can do, then," Eren said, his voice filled with newfound determination. "We'll keep the beast distracted while you figure it out."
L nodded curtly. "Excellent. Eren, you can use your agility to draw its attention, keep it focused on one side of the pit. Lucy, observe the symbols and see if you can identify any patterns, any weaknesses in the distorted script."
Lucy scrambled to her feet, her golden eyes gleaming with newfound purpose. "On it!"
With a battle cry, Eren charged towards the edge of the pit closest to the creature. The beast, momentarily startled by his sudden movement, roared and lunged towards him, its enraged eyes burning red. Eren nimbly sidestepped its clawing swipe, the creature's frustrated bellow echoing through the arena.
Lucy, fueled by a desperate hope, traced the symbols on the wall with renewed fervor. She recognized some of the distorted glyphs – symbols of power, control, and… destruction. But they were twisted, corrupted, their meanings warped for a sinister purpose.
As Eren expertly dodged the creature's attacks, drawing its focus to one side of the pit, Lucy noticed a sequence of symbols repeated multiple times. It felt… ominous, a command for ultimate destruction.
An idea, bold and risky, began to form in her mind. If she could disrupt this specific sequence, rewrite the corrupted script…
Taking a deep breath, Lucy channeled all her remaining celestial energy, focusing it on her fingertips. With a whispered incantation from her celestial knowledge, she traced over the sequence of symbols, replacing them with a counter-command, a plea for restraint.
A surge of energy crackled through the air as Lucy finished her inscription. The symbols on the wall flared brightly, then dimmed, the distorted celestial script replaced by a sequence of glowing golden lines.
The effect was instantaneous. The creature in the pit let out a deafening screech, its thrashing movements becoming more erratic. Then, with a sickening thud, the section of the arena floor beneath it crumbled once more, this time dropping the beast significantly deeper into the bowels of the arena.
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A thick cloud of dust erupted, momentarily blinding them. When it settled, they could hear a series of frustrated roars echoing from the depths, but the creature was no longer visible.
Lucy, drained but triumphant, collapsed onto the cold stone floor. Eren rushed to her side, relief washing over his features. "You did it, Lucy! You actually freaking did it!"
L, a hint of surprise flickering in his dark eyes, approached them. "Remarkable," he said, a rare smile playing on his lips. "You managed to disrupt the creature's control with… celestial magic? Ingenious."
Lucy, regaining her breath, nodded weakly. "It was a gamble, but it seems to have paid off… for now."
They stood there for a moment, catching their breath, the silence broken only by the distant roars of the imprisoned creature. The threat wasn't over, but for the first time since they arrived in this twisted arena, a flicker of hope flickered within them.
"So, what's next, Sherlock?" Eren asked, a newfound respect evident in his voice. "Do we find a way out of this place, or do we explore th…”
A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, shattering the fragile moment of victory. Eren, Lucy, and L whipped their heads towards the source – the raised platform where Deus, the self-proclaimed God-King, resided within his metal cage.
From the corner of their eye, they glimpsed a shadowy figure materialize behind Deus. It was tall and humanoid, shrouded in darkness, its features obscured by a long, hooded cloak. A single crimson eye glowed malevolently from the depths of the hood, fixing them with a chilling stare.
"Foolish mortals," boomed a distorted voice, echoing from the hooded figure. "Do you truly believe you can defy the will of a god?"
Deus, trapped in his cage, let out a high-pitched, maniacal cackle. "Excellent entertainment! My dear Nyx, show them the true meaning of a challenge!"
The figure, revealed to be a female entity shrouded in darkness, raised a slender hand. Black energy crackled around her fingertips, then coalesced into a swirling vortex of shadows. From the vortex, tendrils of darkness writhed and lashed outwards, morphing into monstrous wolves with glowing red eyes.
"Impressive showmanship," L muttered, his usual nonchalance replaced by a flicker of concern. "But a little predictable."
Lucy, however, couldn't hide the tremor in her voice. "Wolves? Are you kidding me? We just got done fighting a giant monster, and now we have a pack of these… things?"
Eren, ever the warrior, squared his shoulders. "They may be numerous, but we're not exactly easy prey. We fight as a team, remember?"
L gave a curt nod. "Indeed. Lucy, focus on evading with your agility. Eren, use your strength and speed to draw their attention. As for myself…" he trailed off, a glint of strategy glinting in his dark eyes. "I believe these markings on the walls hold a few more surprises."
With a battle cry, Eren charged towards the approaching wolves, his fists clenched. Lucy, fueled by a renewed dose of determination, summoned the last dregs of her celestial energy, forming a shimmering shield around herself.
L, wasting no time, darted towards the nearest wall, his fingers trailing over the glowing symbols. The air crackled as he focused his energy, tracing specific sequences he'd observed earlier.
The wolves, a snarling, vicious pack, closed the distance with alarming speed. Eren met them head-on, his punches and kicks connecting with bone-jarring thuds. He danced through the pack, his Titan-honed agility proving an asset in this unexpected fight.
Lucy, utilizing her agility, weaved through the shadows cast by the wolves, her celestial shield deflecting snapping jaws and razor-sharp claws. However, her energy reserves dwindled with every near miss, her movements becoming slightly sluggish.
Suddenly, a section of the arena floor near the wolves shimmered. L, his face etched with concentration, had activated another sequence of symbols. The floor beneath the wolfs' feet pulsed with a soft, blue light, then… vanished.
With startled yelps, several wolves tumbled into the newly formed pit, their enraged howls echoing from below. The remaining wolves, momentarily thrown into disarray, hesitated before charging anew.
Lucy, fueled by a surge of relief, skidded to a stop beside Eren. "Nice one, L!" she exclaimed, catching her breath. "Looks like we can use the arena against them too!"
L gave a curt nod. "Indeed. But these markings are complex, and my energy is limited. We need to end this quickly."
As they prepared for another wave of attacks, the air crackled once more. This time, the shadows cast by the wolves lengthened and writhed, twisting and warping into grotesque, shadowy versions of themselves.
The hooded figure, Nyx, cackled with amusement. "Foolish mortals! You may exploit the arena, but these are my creations, born from pure darkness! They are beyond your understanding!"
Eren groaned. Even with the advantage of the collapsing floors, the shadowy wolves seemed unstoppable. Despair threatened to engulf him, but a determined glint in Lucy's eyes reignited his fighting spirit. They weren't done yet.