"We need more information," she said, her voice steady, though her eyes betrayed the fear they were all feeling.

Anya took a deep breath before explaining. "The Hekhatonkheires were supposed to be the focal point of the ritual to bring those ancient beings back. But the body they used as an anchor... it's not stable. There are three Hekhatonkheires possessing one body, which is why it's falling apart. They don't have enough energy or strength to hold it together."

As the weight of that knowledge settled over the group, Carmilla spoke up, her voice trembling but determined. "How did you disrupt the energy of the ritual? How did you even manage to save us?"

Anya explained the circuit they had tampered with, how the energy had been redirected to destabilize the ritual. After listening intently, Beck frowned and asked the obvious question. "Why didn't you just destroy the circuit?"

Victor quickly nodded in agreement. "If it's the source of its power, why not take it out completely?"

The masked figure, Vas, spoke this time, his distorted voice drawing their attention. "We don't have the firepower to destroy it," he said simply, his tone blunt. It was the truth—they were in no position to dismantle a structure designed to channel god-like power.

Amy, looking around anxiously, asked, "What about using that... thing? Could it destroy the circuit for us?"

Anya hesitated. "It's possible... but we don't know for sure. It's as likely to ignore it as it is to obliterate us."

Aleara, who had been quietly thinking, finally proposed a bold idea. "What if we lure it to the circuit points? If we can stop the energy from flowing into the ritual, maybe that thing won't be able to stabilize itself. It's a long shot, but if we can make it destroy the circuit at the convergence points, we might have a chance."

It was a crazy plan, but in the face of certain death, it was also the best option they had.

Vas felt a surge of resolve. "I'll be the bait," he offered. His voice was firm, leaving little room for debate. "Anya is more experienced and can defend the group if things go wrong. I'm fast enough to keep it distracted. I'll need help pinpointing the circuit locations while dodging that thing's attacks."

Zola quickly jumped in, her voice steady. "I'll stay behind and guide you. We tried using the communication devices to contact the outside, but they don't work. However, the close-range comms between the bracelets do, so I'll give you directions."

A strategy began to form. Anya would follow the Hekhatonkheires, ready to intervene if anyone was in danger. The others—Victor, Carmilla, Amy, Aleara, Beck, Kairo, and Lily—would split into pairs and go to the circuit points. Three points to cover, and as each one was destroyed, the teams would rotate, filling in the gaps. The goal was simple: destroy the circuit before the creature fully stabilized. Once the third circuit was destroyed, Zola would lead the others to safety, while Vas would distract the beast, giving them time to escape.

The group exchanged tense glances. No one had any illusions about the danger they were about to face. The plan was thin, built on hope and desperation, but it was all they had.

As they prepared, the masked figure—Vas—could feel the weight of the mission pressing on him. He couldn't reveal who he truly was, not yet, but his priority was clear: make sure they all survived this nightmare.

Anya, meanwhile, caught Vas's eye for a brief moment. She knew the risks he was taking. She knew he was the only one fast enough and resilient enough to hold the creature off. But her heart ached with the unspoken understanding—they were placing their lives in his hands.

Lily, on the other hand, couldn't shake her suspicions. She glanced at the masked figure again, her mind racing. She had seen that gear before, hadn't she? But she kept silent. There wasn't time to dwell on that now.

"Alright," Anya said, her voice hard with determination. "We stick to the plan. Everyone get ready."

With that, they braced themselves, knowing the real battle was about to begin.

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The first pair, Victor and Beck, moved stealthily toward the first node. Their breaths were shallow, the weight of the situation pressing down on them as they exchanged glances, silently agreeing to keep their movements quiet. The ruins groaned ominously around them, as if the ancient stones themselves were trying to warn them of the danger ahead.

Behind them, Kairo and Carmilla made their way toward the second node, their footsteps lighter but filled with the same trepidation. Aleara and Lily, the third pair, moved at a slower pace, their eyes scanning every shadow as if the darkness itself could attack at any moment. Zola, back at their temporary base, studied the map Anya and Vas had made with a laser-like focus, while Amy—still lacking confidence in her abilities—stayed behind to assist with strategy.

"We start with the farthest node," Zola had said, her voice tight with determination. "If something goes wrong, we'll have time to recover and regroup." Vas had agreed, his usual confidence tempered by the reality of the situation. They had no margin for error.

Vas and Anya moved silently alongside each other toward the farthest node, the air between them heavy with unspoken understanding. Anya's hands gripped her dual Kamas, their blades gleaming faintly in the eerie half-light. Vas' chakrams hovered, silent but deadly, ready to strike at a moment's notice. They arrived first, positioning themselves in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to intervene.

"Kairo, Carmilla, ready your mediums," Zola's voice crackled through the comms, her tone urgent but steady.

Kairo slid his gloves on, feeling the power hum through them as Carmilla adjusted her rings. The air around them felt thick with energy, the pressure mounting as Vas launched his chakrams toward the Hekhatonkheires, drawing its attention.

The beast roared, a sound that reverberated through the entire ruin, shaking dust from the ceilings. Its massive form shifted, its grotesque limbs moving with unnerving speed as it turned its many eyes toward Vas. The air itself seemed to vibrate with the force of its rage as it lashed out with powerful, devastating strikes. Vas dodged with precision, his every move calculated. But he knew the strain would soon begin to wear on him. The Anima pulses he used to evade its attacks were draining him fast.

Vas leapt onto his chakrams, using them as temporary platforms to stay level with the creature's face—or what he assumed was its face. With each pulse of energy, he pushed himself further, higher, narrowly avoiding the monstrous blows. But Kairo and Carmilla's voices reached him, guiding him toward the node.

"Over here!" Kairo shouted, trying to get Vas' attention over the deafening roar of the creature.

The Hekhatonkheires lunged, slamming its massive fist down toward the node just as Kairo and Carmilla dashed away, Zola and Amy guiding them toward the next point. The impact was immediate—the node exploded, sending arcs of energy crackling through the air like lightning. The beast howled, its form destabilizing as the flow of power faltered.

"Second node, now!" Zola commanded. Aleara and Lily were already positioned at the second node, their eyes wide as they watched the creature lurch in their direction, drawn by the destruction of the first point.

"Here! Over here!" Lily called out, her voice shaking but determined. The creature's immense form was moving toward them, its eyes flashing with fury. Anya, recognizing the fear that gripped the two young women, darted forward, grabbing them before they could freeze entirely. She pulled them back to safety just as the Hekhatonkheires swung wildly, demolishing the second node in a shower of sparks and rubble.

The creature's rage was palpable now—each of its movements more frenzied and destructive than the last. Its hundred arms flailed, slamming into walls and columns, shaking the entire ruin. Only one node remained.

"Victor, Beck—get ready!" Vas barked into the comms, pushing through the pain from the earlier skirmish. His body ached from the relentless onslaught, but there was no time to stop. He had to keep moving.

Victor and Beck positioned themselves near the final node, their mediums at the ready. Victor adjusted his red sunglasses, the air around him beginning to crackle with power, while Beck drew his whip-sword, its sharp edges gleaming ominously. But instead of sticking to the plan and fleeing, they made a reckless choice.

"Let's take it down," Victor growled, his eyes narrowing as he gathered his Anima. Beck, equally determined, swung his whip-sword, launching himself at one of the creature's arms. The blade sliced into its flesh, but it barely seemed to notice. Enraged, the Hekhatonkheires lashed out with two more arms.

"Idiots!" Vas cursed under his breath, his chakrams slicing through one of the new arms while Anya, with lightning speed, severed the other. But it was too late. The beast's retaliatory strike was devastating. A massive fist slammed into Vas, sending him hurtling across the room. He crashed into the wall with bone-rattling force, the stone cracking from the impact.

"No!" Anya screamed, rushing toward him, but he was already pulling himself to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth. He shook off the pain, forcing himself to focus. There was no time to rest.

Zola's voice crackled through the comms, filled with fury. "Victor, Beck, you idiots! Stick to the plan or we're all dead!"

At the final node, Carmilla, Kairo, Lily, and Aleara waited tensely, knowing that the next few moments would determine their fate. Vas led the beast in a wide circle, making sure to give everyone enough time to prepare. His movements were slower now, every step agonizing, but he couldn't stop. Not yet.

The Hekhatonkheires was already losing control, its body barely holding together after the last few nodes were destroyed. If they could just get it to hit the final node, its energy would destabilize completely. But it wouldn't go down quietly—it was already thrashing wildly, its many eyes locked on the group.

"Here it comes!" Lily called, her voice high with fear but steady with resolve. Everyone scattered, giving the creature space as it barreled toward them.

Vas, using the last of his strength, guided the beast directly into the path of the node. With a final, desperate lunge, the Hekhatonkheires brought its fist down onto the node, and the resulting explosion of energy was cataclysmic. The ground trembled violently, chunks of the ceiling caving in as the node was obliterated.

The Hekhatonkheires screamed—a sound so inhuman, so filled with rage and agony that it sent a chill through everyone's bones. It was unraveling, its body coming apart piece by piece, but in its final moments of madness, it lashed out with all its remaining strength.

"Everyone, move! Now!" Zola screamed, directing them toward the exit.

Vas, battered and bloodied, took up the rear, his chakrams spinning defensively as the creature's hundred eyes locked onto him. He pushed through the pain, guiding the beast further away from the group as they made their escape.

With every second, the Hekhatonkheires grew more unhinged, tearing at everything in its path. But the nodes were gone. Its power was fading, its grip on the physical world slipping.

Zola directed the team out one by one, each of them narrowly avoiding the collapsing ruins and the beast's frenzied attacks. As the last of them fled into the night, Vas remained behind, still holding the beast's attention. He knew there was no turning back now.