The group of enemies who had entered the sanctuary took a moment to assess their surroundings.
The aftermath of Raven's devastating ultimate attack had inflicted significant damage upon the entrance, creating a chaotic scene.
After a brief search, they located the path the holy maiden had taken when she fled deeper into the sanctuary.
With a shared sense of urgency, they wasted no time and set off in pursuit.
In the dimly lit expanse of a lengthy corridor, the echoing sounds of rapid footsteps pierced the silence. Suddenly, a fatigued yet enchanting figure emerged from the shadows.
It was Gaya, the holy maiden, her breath heavy from relentless flight and weariness etched across her features.
After several minutes of desperate running, Gaya came to an abrupt halt, gasping for air. Her respite, however, was short-lived, as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the direction she had just fled.
"What? How is this possible?" She muttered to herself in panicked disbelief, her heart racing. With renewed urgency, she resumed her flight down the corridor, disappearing into the darkness.
Moments later, a group of men appeared in the corridor, one of them clutching a peculiar blue feather in his hand.
In a hushed tone, he whispered something to the feather, which promptly began to emit a radiant golden glow.
Its vane pointed in a specific direction, and to their surprise, it indicated the very path Gaya had taken.and after that, the feather slowly vanishied to thin air.
"She's close," the man declared, determination in his voice. With that revelation, the group swiftly moved in the direction the feather had guided them.
A pained groan escaped from Raven's lips as his captors tightened their grip, rendering him immobile.
Every muscle in his body strained against their unyielding restraint, making even the simplest of movements agonizingly difficult.
"Let go of me, you undead freaks!" he roared in frustration, his cries falling on deaf ears as his enemies remained resolute in their hold.
The leader of the group taunted him with a sarcastic tone, his words dripping with mockery.
"Oh, does our little hero want to save the holy maiden, Gaya? Well, too bad, because there's no way you can escape from here."
A sinister grin played on the leader's lips as he continued, "But don't worry, I've sent some friends to take good care of her. They'll make sure she's safe and sound." His gaze bore into Raven, a chilling threat hanging in the air.
Raven's fury boiled over, and he bellowed, "I'll kill you,basterd!" But before he could launch another threat, the leader delivered a brutal kick to Raven's abdomen, causing him to gasp in pain, blood spilling from his mouth.
In that moment, Raven's anger turned inward, blaming himself for falling into such a cunning trap.
Inside the sanctuary, Gaya sprinted through the dimly lit passageways, her breath ragged and her fatigue evident.
She glanced behind her, searching for any signs of pursuit, but the corridors remained empty, offering a temporary respite.
Taking a moment to catch her breath, Gaya surveyed her surroundings. She had a general idea of her location and approached what appeared to be an unusual wall.
Carefully, she pressed her palm against it, and to her relief, the wall responded by shifting and retracting, revealing a hidden passage that only a select few, including herself, knew about.
Stepping into the concealed corridor, Gaya watched as the wall gradually closed behind her, leaving no trace of her passage.
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Inside the sanctuary's labyrinthine halls, it was easy for those unfamiliar with its intricate layout to become hopelessly lost.
Such was the fate of the individuals who had pursued Gaya. After an arduous chase through winding corridors, they eventually found themselves in an unfamiliar chamber, and in an instant, they lost all trace of the holy maiden.
Panic and confusion set in as they scoured the room for any sign of her, their frantic efforts proving futile.
Realization dawned upon them: not only had they failed to capture Gaya, but they had also become entangled in the sanctuary's intricate maze.
In the main hall of the sanctuary, where seven imposing statues stood in solemn watch, an unexpected event unfolded. One of the seemingly solid walls abruptly swung open, revealing the serene figure of Priestess Gaya.
Despite the relentless pursuit by her would-be captors, Gaya emerged with an air of composure, almost cheerful in her demeanor.
However, her momentary relief was soon shattered.
After countless twists and turns within the labyrinthine sanctuary, the group of individuals who had been following Gaya finally exited the heart of the sanctuary. What greeted them, though, was nothing short of astonishment.
They emerged into the same grand chamber adorned with the seven towering statues where Priestess Gaya had just reappeared. In a stunning twist of fate, their paths converged, and they found themselves standing face to face with the very person they had pursued relentlessly.
The unexpected encounter left them momentarily speechless, the tension in the room palpable as the priestess and her pursuers locked eyes in a tense standoff.
In that tense moment, as the group of pursuers closed in on Priestess Gaya, their intentions became increasingly sinister.
"Get her"
A man from the group let out a chilling command, urging his companions to seize her. With a sudden burst of aggression, one of them leaped towards Gaya, intent on capturing her.
Caught off guard, Gaya's instinctive response was to struggle and defend herself. She managed to kick the man, creating a brief opening that allowed her to scramble backward into a corner.
Fear gripped her, and her eyes reflected a profound sense of terror as she watched her assailants with trepidation.
"Well, it seems like we are in for a treat"
Among her captors, one man couldn't conceal his vile intentions. He leered at Gaya with lustful eyes, casting a pall of unease over the harrowing situation.
As the enemy leader's grip tightened around Raven's neck, the young warrior struggled for breath, his life hanging by a thread. Every gasp for air became more labored, and the world around him began to blur into darkness.
"Is that all you got?" the enemy leader taunted, savoring Raven's suffering like a sadistic predator toying with its prey.
Raising his sword high, the enemy leader prepared for the final, lethal strike. The blade gleamed with malevolent intent as he swung it through the air, building momentum for the devastating blow.
He then brought the sword's tip menacingly close to Raven's forehead, intending to deliver the coup de grâce.
The sanctuary's fate hung in the balance as this pivotal moment approached, and Raven's life teetered on the brink of extinction.
Swish!
A sudden obsidian arrow pierced through the enemy leader's heart, eliciting a gasp of surprise from him. Blood gushed from his mouth as he turned to see where the unexpected attack had originated.
Before him stood a formidable army of warriors, each adorned in high-grade armor and wielding powerful weapons that gleamed with divine radiance.
At their helm was a figure in black armor with striking white hair, a clear indication of his leadership.
"It seems we arrived just in time," the leader of the army remarked with a satisfied tone.
He then issued orders to his troops to deal with the remaining enemy forces.
Turning his attention back to the enemy leader, he continued, "I don't believe I need to intervene personally." A dark, web-like substance began to spread rapidly from the arrow wound, enveloping the enemy leader's entire body.
Before he could utter another word, the substance consumed him, leaving behind only a tar-like residue.
With their leader vanquished and reinforcements on the scene, the enemy forces faced a dire predicament, their fate sealed by the arrival of these unexpected allies.
"Let's get you some help, my friend" the ally leader commented as he picked up the unconscious Raven.
After ensuring Raven's immediate needs were attended to, he quickly made his way to the entrance of the sanctuary.
"Gaya doesn't seem to be in this place. Is she still inside?" he inquired.
With out a clue , the ally leader and a few of his soldiers entered the sanctuary, hoping to find Priestess Gaya.
With a lustful smile, the group of people closed in on Priestess Gaya. She had nowhere to run, and all she could do was pray to the deity she held dear in her heart.
"Stop struggling. Nobody came to save you. Even that Raven brat must have met his demise at the hands of the leader," one of the people from the group sneered with a wicked grin.
Crack!
Suddenly, a massive rock fell onto the person who had spoken.
The unexpected turn of events left everyone confused as they looked up to figure out what was happening.
From among the seven statues, one began to shed its outer layer of rock, causing a cascade of debris to fall to the ground.
Unfortunately, a few men stood directly beneath the falling rocks. Before they could react, they were buried beneath the rubble.
Emerging from inside the statue, a figure appeared. Witnessing the figure's emergence, Priestess Gaya was left speechless, unable to believe her eyes.
*****
"Is it this way?" The ally leader and his soldiers found themselves lost within the labyrinthine sanctuary, struggling to navigate its confusing passages.