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Chapter 74

Vas's mind spun wildly, trying to make sense of what he was seeing, trying to form a plan. The pillars—those monstrous, towering things—seemed to be the center of the ritual. If he could disrupt the energy flow toward them, maybe he could ruin the Hekatonkheires' plans. But he had no idea how to do that yet.

He walked quickly through the decaying streets, Anya close at his side, both of them hyper-aware of their surroundings. The oppressive silence clung to the city like a fog, broken only by their soft footsteps. Every shadow seemed alive, and the air itself felt heavy with a strange, electric anticipation.

Vas's eyes darted to every corner, every crack in the stone. His mind worked on overdrive, desperately searching for clues. Then, he saw it—patterns, circuit-like engravings, barely visible on the ground and walls. His heart skipped a beat.

"Wait," he said, stopping abruptly.

Anya paused, her hand drifting toward her weapon. "What is it?"

"Look," Vas whispered, kneeling down to trace the faint lines with his finger. "These circuits. They're the same as the ones we saw at the temple ruins."

Anya crouched beside him, her eyes narrowing. "So they're connected."

Vas nodded, his thoughts racing. "The hybrid experiments—they're doing them outside for a reason. The energy from those experiments, it's feeding into these circuits. It's part of the ritual, fueling the pillars."

Anya's expression darkened as she stood back up, scanning the surroundings. "If that's true, we need to shut this down. Now."

Vas rose to his feet, his eyes darting between the circuits. "We can't just cut it off. The energy's too strong. It could backfire or even accelerate the ritual. But... we can divert it."

"Divert it?" Anya echoed, her voice edged with tension. "How?"

"We need to find where the circuits converge and redirect the flow," Vas explained. "It won't stop the ritual entirely, but it'll throw it off enough to give us time."

Anya frowned. "Do you even know where those convergence points are? We don't have time to run in circles."

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Vas clenched his jaw, scanning the area again. His mind worked furiously, piecing together the pattern. "We'll find them."

They pressed on, moving quickly through the empty streets, scouring every building, every alleyway. The tension between them built with every step. The longer they searched, the more the air seemed to hum with the energy of the ritual. Time was slipping away, and Vas could feel it like a knot tightening in his chest.

Finally, after what felt like hours, they came upon an abandoned building that resembled a house. It was far enough from the center to serve as a temporary base. Vas and Anya stepped inside, the air stale and suffocating.

"Here," Vas said, spreading a holographic projection of the city on a dusty table. The lines of the circuits glowed faintly on the projection. "This is what we've got."

Anya studied the projection, her eyes darting over the glowing lines. "There are four points where the circuits intersect," she said, tracing her finger over the map. "If we can cut them off here, here, and here, we can reroute the energy."

Vas nodded, but a frown tugged at his lips. "Cutting them won't work. The energy's too volatile. We have to redirect it to something that can absorb it."

"And where exactly do you plan to redirect it?" Anya asked, a note of skepticism creeping into her voice. "These circuits aren't exactly designed to be tampered with."

Vas stared at the map, his eyes narrowing in thought. "There's an old reservoir beneath the city," he said after a long pause. "If we can direct the energy there, it'll disperse harmlessly. Or at least... it won't fuel the ritual."

Anya folded her arms, eyeing him warily. "And how do you know that'll work?"

Vas smiled faintly, though the tension in his eyes betrayed him. "Just trust me."

"Trust you?" Anya's voice was sharp, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "We're standing on the edge of waking ancient giants, and you're asking me to trust a hunch?"

Vas turned to face her, his expression uncharacteristically calm. "Do we have a better option?"

Anya glared at him for a long moment, her jaw clenched tight. Finally, she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Fine. But if this goes wrong—"

"It won't," Vas cut in, his voice steady. "We don't have time to doubt."

Anya shook her head, muttering under her breath. "I swear, if this kills us..."

Vas chuckled softly, though there was no humor in it. "It won't. Let's move."

They split up, each heading toward one of the points where the circuits intersected. The tension in the air grew thicker with every passing second. Vas could feel the ritual building, a hum of energy vibrating beneath his feet. His heart raced as he cut through the stone, carefully redirecting the circuit lines. Sweat dripped down his face as the energy pulsed dangerously close.

"Vas," Anya's voice crackled through his earpiece, "I'm at the third point. How are you holding up?"

"Almost done," Vas replied, his voice tight with concentration. "Just a little more."

He could feel the pressure mounting. If they didn't finish soon, the ritual would reach its peak. The Hekatonkheires would rise, and nothing would stop them.

Finally, with a sharp snap, the last circuit line fell into place. Vas let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"I'm done," he said, his voice shaky with relief. "Meet me at the center."

Anya's voice came through, tense but determined. "On my way."

Vas stood up, his legs shaky from the effort. He glanced back at the glowing circuit lines, now diverted toward the reservoir. For a moment, he allowed himself to hope. They had done it. They had—

The ground beneath him rumbled, the low growl of ancient forces stirring.

"Vas," Anya's voice came through, urgent. "Something's happening."

He turned toward the center, his heart sinking. The ritual hadn't stopped. It was shifting, warping in ways he hadn't anticipated.

"Get to the center now!" Vas shouted, his mind racing for a new plan. "We're running out of time."

While Vas and Anya worked tirelessly in the ruins, the rest of the world kept moving, and the hunting dogs remained hot on the trail of Gerald's latest directive. Gerald had placed his confidence in their abilities to deliver, and they hadn't disappointed. Recently, Stray had contacted him with news—he had found the manufacturer of the mysterious object. It came from a company linked to Sigdra, a corporation known for creating alloys that shielded their contents from prying eyes.