Time was taken to make sure they had everything they could possibly want from the ship. Everything else would be gone in the near future.

The ship dropped them off some distance away from the entrance to the ‘Nighstar Sect’ building. Its stealth capabilities should have let it land among the various watchful eyes, but it was better not to risk it. They could spend a bit more time on their approach for safety.

Then the ship lifted off, its route programmed into it with some manual danger overrides acknowledged. In a few minutes, it should be safe and secure inside the sun. In that it would be molten slag drawn into the mass that nobody could get useful information from.

Velvet paid special attention to Lelka as they moved along. With her concealment techniques hiding the group, Lelka couldn’t really do much. Shouting would be completely neutralized. Intentionally kicking a rock would force Velvet to take more active steps to alter perception, potentially catching it with her energy and returning it to its position. Lelka might or might not realize the possibilities.

But she didn’t do anything as they slipped past the outer perimeter. Soon, they were left with their choice of three portals- always active, if the information they had was to be believed. Alva and Velvet noted a different sort of sun catching arrangement than before. Was this experimental, or was there a reason to have so many different sorts?

That wasn’t a question they could answer as they made their way inside. It didn’t take long to come across a dead ‘Nighstar Sect’ member. The woman’s corpse was already looted, but nobody had bothered to give it the dignity of cleaning it up or moving it out of the area. They wouldn’t either, but only because they couldn’t risk changing anything.

They spotted a number of traps, as expected. Some were already dealt with rather forcefully, while others had either been navigated around or nobody had been down particular hallways. Energy of several other groups exploring the area could be felt.

Nobody knew quite what they were looking for. Preferably, they would have some sort of entrance to a deeper dimensional level, as it would be more taxing to break through themselves. It would likely also draw unwanted attention, and if they couldn’t be quick enough there would be issues. It wasn’t as simple to slip into deeper dimensions beyond standard subspace, even partial ones.

Koralo gestured, seemingly having picked something out among the flow of energy. Velvet couldn’t pick out what was important for their particular task and what was not. They snuck their way into a cylindrical room, a tall pillar in the center surrounded by formation markings.

The group remained close as Koralo explored the area, since Velvet couldn’t hide them from too far away. Not completely. Alva might have been able to do a decent job for herself, but Durff would be pretty much useless at concealing himself.

“I can’t quite discern the method of activation,” Koralo explained, trying to create minimal disturbance as he did so. “It might be triggered by the presence of people?”

“So if we let it detect us…?” Velvet prompted.

“I wouldn’t risk it,” he said. “Maybe I can work around it. Though… these aren’t simple formations to circumvent. Especially given the skill of their creator.”

“Keep working on that,” Velvet said.

The rest of them looked around near him. Something was odd about the pillar, though Velvet couldn’t say quite why it filled her with trepidation. It wasn’t dangerous but it also was. In short, her instincts and understanding told her little of use. It wasn’t quite a trap, though.

“Enemies approaching,” Alva warned. The room they were in was an intersection of four corridors, so it wasn’t a surprise that one of the wandering groups might pass through. It was also notable, so they might be intentionally checking the area out if they hadn’t already.

“Remember we’re concealed,” Velvet laid a hand on Durff’s shoulder. He probably wouldn’t begin attacking recklessly, but it wouldn’t hurt. “We should just let them pass by.”

Velvet also paid close attention to Lelka. She couldn’t exactly do much with her restraints, but with more Citadel of Exalted Light cultivators coming she might try something. She wasn’t beyond suspicion yet.

Too bad they weren’t Hardened Crown. Those fellows probably wouldn’t even have a chance to notice them.

As the group approached, Velvet prepared the others to circle around in the opposite direction from them. Alternatively, if the enemy spread out they would retreat through one of two exit hallways.

The strategy was sound, but disrupted by unexpected circumstances. As the dozen or so individuals- including one Augmentation cultivator- stepped into the room, barriers suddenly formed over the doorways.

A strange voice spoke from within the pillar. “Proper balance achieved. Please initiate combat.”

It was then that a pulse of energy went throughout the room, and Velvet realized what the danger was. Not that she could have anticipated the precise results she got, as her stealth techniques were completely undone. Until that point, there had been no indication that the room had a way to sense them at all. In short, frustratingly advanced formations.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Alva was first to react, or at least in a relevant manner. Her bow snapped back, arrows instantly piercing the necks of two of their enemies- including through the spine. Remnants of her energy spiraled out, completing the process as their heads fell- though that appeared to be of secondary importance.

One of the Augmentation cultivators sprang into action, and he released a beam of light that Velvet narrowly avoided, feeling the intent. His attack followed her, but not before something else happened. Velvet had neglected to consider that Lelka had stood behind her. Without her energy defenses, she would be completely annihilated by the simple technique.

Except her read on the man’s energy was extraordinary, even for one of the same sect. She somehow brought her shackles in front of her without the speed that energy granted. The light cut through one shackle then the next. They might have resisted an attack from someone short of Augmentation, but their primary purpose was to constrain a prisoner. Completely negating energy from inside and out was nearly impossible.

Lelka’s energy flared, and in a flash of light her power covered her.

“Bellero.”

A single name from Lelka. Velvet tensed and tried to pull further away from between them, worried about withstanding attacks from both cultivators. Then Lelka launched an attack at Bellero.

Velvet seemed to find herself more surprised than the Exalted Light cultivator, as he redirected the beam of light. But that freed up Velvet to lunge forward, striking with her voidsteel blade. The man known as Bellero would likely come to regret having his face completely exposed as she took out an eye, her weapon slipping through his defensive energy.

Durff battered his way through a handful of the other Integration cultivators, and while they didn’t all die immediately they were stunned for long enough that the rest of the battle ended without their input. It only lasted a few moments, Lelka continuing to attack the one she called Bellero.

Koralo hardly even had a time to establish himself on the battlefield before all of their enemies fell. Except, perhaps, Lelka.

“Battle complete,” the room said. “Please prepare for transport in 5… 4…”

Then the whole room disappeared, and they were drawn into a different space.

“Please forgive the deception. You may now accept your battle rewards.”

The room they had been in was gone, though the same or an identical pillar was still visible. Only one exit existed on the rectangular room they now found themselves in.

Lelka held her hands up. “I don't intend to fight you. But I wasn’t going to let myself die, either.”

“She’ll need her energy,” Alva said. “This is… a partial dimensional space.”

As soon as she moved, Velvet confirmed Alva’s words. The shape and angles of the room shifted rapidly with each step. While a cultivator might deal with an overlap with objects, one without any energy and with standard body tempering would be torn to shreds.

“Right,” Velvet said. “What do you think about this prospect of rewards?”

Alva shrugged. “I imagine everything will be highly dangerous.”

They moved along as a group, finding only one path to move along. They came to a room with a great many pedestals- though the placement and content of the pedestals was constantly flickering. They had to be careful not to impale themselves on weapons that stuck beyond reasonable confines.

“You may each select one object as your reward. Be aware that further pilfering will result in solar annihilation.”

Velvet sighed. This place could probably do it, too. At least this area seemed more stable and was less devoured by giant distortion beasts. Though perhaps that might change, if they stayed too long. “Anyone see something they want?” Velvet asked.

“I do believe there is a set of formation flags,” Koralo said. “But… they’re spread between different pillars.”

“Will those help us right now?” Velvet asked. “Speaking of which, what do the two of you think of our ability to transport ourselves from here?”

Koralo frowned. “We’ll have to see what happens when we take our rewards. Or perhaps we should refuse.”

“Refusal is not allowed. The rewards are not harmful to their owners except in the case of extreme negligence.” The same voice, but from a different pillar that only partially existed in the corner of where Velvet could see.

“So there’s that,” Alva said. “I can feel this matches the dimensionality of our other destinations. So we just need to create a bridge…”

“How many formation flags are there?” Velvet asked. “Would they help with that task?”

“I’m seeing five,” Koralo explained. “With the full set it might-”

“Oh,” Durff drew attention to himself. “Should I… not have taken this helmet?”

Koralo shook his head. “Alright. I’m not even sure they match anyway.” He searched around the area, carefully navigating the maze of objects, some of which seemed to almost reach out and try to grab him. Even if they weren’t dangerous, knocking them off a pedestal probably counted as ‘taking’ one.

“Someone take…” Koralo shook his head. “I’m going to have to explain it in detail. And theoretically the surrounding objects.”

“I’ll do it first,” Lelka said, as he explained which specific thing he wanted. “What? I am still interested in gaining your good graces. It will make you more relaxed to know I can’t screw up your plans.”

“Except for the solar annihilation thing,” Durff said.

Lelka shook her head. “I’m not interested in dying. And that’s most likely on an individual basis.”

Velvet didn’t remind her who they thought made this place. She’d just keep a careful eye on her, along with Alva.

Eventually, Lelka snagged the formation flag Koralo wanted. Then he took another himself.

“I… don’t know if there’s a way to approach the last one,” Koralo said.

“Last one?” Alva asked. “I thought there were five?”

“I believe two of them are decoys,” he shrugged. “Or my insights are too minimal to make any use of them. The third of the trio… I can spot it from over here, but the pillars around it seem to make it impossible to approach,” he said, carefully moving around.

Alva nodded, then approached. She described the shape of the formation markings embedded in the cloth of the flag. “There’s not another one similar to that, right?”

Koralo confirmed her words.

“I think I can get it,” Alva said. “Just have to… shift a little bit of space…” she grimaced. She reached out, grabbing at something and pulling out the formation flag, one centimeter at a time. She slightly adjusted her position and the angle she was pulling. “There sure is a lot of stuff metaphysically in the way of this,” she grumbled. But eventually, it was held in her hand, secure.

“Anything else?” Velvet asked.

“Not that I can see,” Koralo said. “The other flags…” he shrugged.

“Then I would suggest we make our way to the perimeter of this place, and I pick something from there while you study potential departure solutions.”

Nobody quite knew what would happen when they all picked, so being as ready as possible was all they could do.