Avyay's eyes widened in shock as he asked Maya, "From which era did you enter this trial?"
Maya's expression turned puzzled, her brow furrowed in concern. "I came from the end of the Sovereignty Era. Why?"
Avyay's curiosity deepened, his eyes sparkling with intrigue. "Do you know how many years have passed since you entered this trial with your team?"
Maya's brow furrowed further, her voice laced with a mix of confusion and curiosity. "I think... almost 100 to 80 years have passed. Why?"
Avyay's tone turned taunting, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "You say that like 100 years are nothing to you."
Maya's eyes widened, her voice filled with wonder. "Really? Is that a long time?"
Avyay's expression turned solemn, his eyes clouding with concern. "I'll tell you which era I came from - the end of the Technological Revolution Era."
Maya's voice rose in surprise, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What does that mean?"
Avyay's words cut deep, his expression turning grave. "Almost 500 years have passed since you entered this place."
Maya's eyes widened further, her face contorted in a mix of shock, confusion, and curiosity. "500 years?! That's so many years! How is that possible?"
Avyay's voice turned concerning, his expression laced with empathy. "I know this is hard for you. That's why I thought you were saying Levia as a Goddess, but she's a machine."
Maya's eyes sparkled with curiosity, her brow furrowed in intrigue. "What do you mean she's a machine? How can a Goddess be a machine?"
Avyay's thoughts turned inward, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. She's so curious and naive, it's almost cute.
Maya's gaze locked onto Avyay's, her voice filled with questions and a hint of wonder. "You mean... Levia, the Goddess we worship... is a machine? What kind of machine? How does it work?"
Avyay's lips curled into a gentle smile, amused by Maya's curiosity. "Ah, yes. Levia is a machine, but not just any machine. She's a highly advanced artificial intelligence, possibly even more intelligent than us."
Maya's eyes widened in awe. "Really? That's amazing! But who could have created such a being?"
Avyay's expression turned thoughtful. "That's a good question. I think Levia was created by a human, or maybe even an ancient being with advanced knowledge and technology."
Maya's curiosity was piqued. "An ancient being? You mean like a god?"
Avyay's smile grew wider. "Maybe. Or perhaps someone who was thought to be a god. Whoever it was, they clearly had a deep understanding of the universe and the workings of the human mind."
Maya's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I want to know more about Levia and her creator! Can you tell me?"
Avyay's nod was solemn, his expression turning serious. "I'll tell you what I know. But first, let's get out of this trial. We have a lot to discuss, and I think we've had enough of this place for now."
As they journeyed on, they reached a massive tower, their final challenge before facing the Ancient Turtle. Avyay explained, "Maya, I think this tower generates electricity for almost a third of our continent!"
Maya asked, "How does that help us kill the Ancient Turtle?"
Avyay's plan was clear. "We need to fix the tower, harness the electricity, and build a machine to defeat the turtle. We only have 15 days left!"
Maya's determination was unwavering. "Let's do it! We can't give up now."
Together, they worked tirelessly to restore the tower, overcoming countless obstacles and challenges. Finally, the tower roared to life, and they knew they were one step closer to defeating the Ancient Turtle.
With the tower's electricity, they built a powerful machine, ready to face the Ancient Turtle in the final battle. Avyay and Maya stood strong, their bond and trust in each other unbreakable. They were ready to face whatever lay ahead, side by side.
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"...and if we lose this chance, it will be our end. We must attack now and eliminate every monster and the Ancient Turtle. This is our final chance to complete this trial."
Maya nodded, her eyes fixed on the gathering beasts. "You're right. We can't let them breed and multiply. We must strike now."
Avyay drew his sword, his eyes burning with determination. "Let's do this. We'll fight together and emerge victorious."
Maya drew her sword, her voice steady. "We'll complete this trial and move on to the next stage. We won't let these monsters stand in our way."
Together, they charged forward, their swords flashing in the sunlight. The beasts turned to face them, their eyes snarling with fury. The battle was intense, with both sides trading blows and neither gaining the upper hand.
But Avyay and Maya fought with all their might, their swords slicing through the beasts and striking true. Slowly, they began to gain ground, their movements becoming more synchronized and their attacks more precise.
The Ancient Turtle, sensing its minions falling, let out a deafening roar and began to stir. Avyay saw his chance and shouted, "Now, Maya! Release the electrical strike!"
Maya nodded and raised her hands, and a bolt of electricity shot out, striking the Ancient Turtle with incredible force. The turtle let out a deafening screech as its body convulsed, its shell cracking with the intensity of the electrical strike.
With a final, mighty blow, Avyay struck the turtle down, ending its reign of terror once and for all.
As Avyay stepped forward, he thought they had finally defeated the Ancient Turtle. But when he glanced back, he saw something that made his blood run cold. The turtle's eyes, once dim and lifeless, now glowed red with an otherworldly energy. Avyay realized, to his horror, that the turtle was still alive, and with its last breath, it was summoning all its strength to attack Maya.
Without hesitation, Avyay charged towards Maya, determined to save her from the turtle's deadly strike. He pushed her aside, but he wasn't lucky enough to avoid the attack himself. The turtle's strike hit him with incredible force, sending him flying across the ground.
Maya, who had been pushed to safety, rushed to Avyay's side, her eyes wide with fear. "Avyay, no! Oh, no!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.
As Maya held Avyay's limp body, tears streaming down her face, she felt a strange sensation wash over her. The world around her began to de-materialize, the trees, the rocks, the sky - everything was disappearing.
And then, a voice spoke to her, echoing in her mind. "Congratulations, Maya. Congratulations, Avyay. You have both completed the Trial of Time."
Levia's voice was warm and gentle. "Well done, Maya. You have proven your strength, your courage, and your heart. And Avyay... his sacrifice will not be forgotten."
As Levia released a warm, golden energy, Maya felt a surge of hope. The energy enveloped Avyay's body, and she saw his wounds begin to heal, his broken bones mending, and his skin regenerating.
Maya's tear-filled eyes widened in amazement as Avyay's body began to restore itself. She saw the color return to his cheeks, his chest rise and fall with steady breaths, and his eyes flicker open.
As Avyay's gaze met Maya's, a weak smile spread across his face. Maya's tears of sorrow turned to tears of joy, and she smiled back at him, her heart overflowing with happiness.
"Avyay..." she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Avyay's smile grew stronger, and he reached out a hand to Maya. She took it, her fingers intertwining with his, and she felt a surge of love and gratitude.
Levia's voice spoke again, "The bond between you two is strong. It is a bond of trust, of friendship. It will carry you through the trials ahead."