Jaeden realized that being in the thick of battle on the field was entirely different from the turn based reality of the players. Either time lasted much longer on the field, or there was just more of it.

He knew logically that they only had one turn left before the Ziggurat timer struck zero and it was game over. And yet, he flowed from battle to battle, each combat taking as much time as it needed to take in order for him to defeat one foe and move on to the next.

And still, as the battle raged on, Jaeden couldn’t shake the feeling of impending doom. The Mark of the Ziggurat had been ticking down relentlessly, a constant reminder that time was running out. Each clash, each spell cast, brought them closer to the inevitable devastation that would wipe the battlefield clean.

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“Bro, we’re running out of time!” Xander shouted; his voice laced with urgency.

Jaeden knew his brother was right as he fended off the relentless attacks of the Harlequin of Havoc. The Abomination continued to tear through their forces, and even with their resurrected army, the brothers were being pushed to their limits.

Jaeden risked a glance at the Ziggurat, its dark, ancient form pulsating with malevolent energy. The countdown hovered dangerously close to zero, and he knew that when it hit, everything -friend and foe alike- would be obliterated.

“One more turn,” Jaeden muttered to himself, gripping his sword tighter. They needed to survive just one more turn.