As they stepped over the threshold, a haunting tableau of destruction greeted their eyes, each shattered fragment of the once-grand edifices a silent testament to the unfathomable depths of despair that engulfed this forsaken realm.
The skyline stood as a shattered mosaic of once-grand edifices, now reduced to jagged remnants that reached toward the heavens like accusing fingers, their broken forms a stark reminder of the relentless march of time and the inevitability of decay.
An oppressive odor of decay pervaded the air, enveloping them in a palpable cloak of despair, its foul stench a cruel reminder of the suffering that had once plagued this land.
[You have entered the Labyrinth of ruined world]
[There's only one floor]
[Quest is generating]
[Objective]
☆ Eliminate 'Ego of Lunancy'
[Time Limit]
☆ Before he exists through the portal
Leo's voice barely escaped a whisper, his breath catching in his throat as he beheld the devastation that lay before him.
"What kind of place is this?" he wondered aloud, his eyes canvassing the horizon, probing the wreckage for clues that might offer some semblance of understanding in the face of such overwhelming despair.
Mia recoiled, her hand clasped tightly over her nose in a futile attempt to ward off the noxious odor that assailed her senses.
"Ugh! What's this smell?" she exclaimed, her voice muffled and strained, her eyes watering from the acrid stench that hung heavy in the air like a suffocating blanket.
Mike's gaze drifted into the distance, his mind ensnared by the desolation surrounding them.
"What cataclysm would have befallen this place?" he murmured, his words almost lost in the eerie silence that pervaded the landscape, his heart heavy with the weight of the tragedy that had befallen this once-thriving civilization.
Ethan's command sliced through the uncertainty, firm and resolute, his voice a beacon of strength and guidance in the midst of chaos.
"Everyone, proceed with caution," he ordered, his words piercing the silence like a clarion call, his determination unwavering in the face of the unknown horrors that awaited them in the depths of the labyrinth.
And as they ventured forth into the heart of darkness, they knew that their journey would be fraught with danger and uncertainty.
With hesitant steps, they traversed the rubble, each movement a cautious exploration of the wreckage that stretched out before them like a graveyard of forgotten dreams and shattered hopes.
Then, amidst the debris, they stumbled upon a sight that seized their hearts and chilled their souls.
"How many lives were lost here?" Roark's voice faltered, the weight of the devastation pressing down upon him like a leaden cloak, his words tinged with horror and disbelief as he surveyed the scene of destruction that lay before him.
Emily's countenance was steely, her gaze unyielding as she took in the grim tableau of death and destruction.
"Sauron. It must be his doing, without a doubt," she proclaimed, her voice a solemn echo of the darkness that lurked within the depths of the labyrinth.
Ethan surveyed the scene with a calculated scrutiny, his mind racing with possibilities and strategies as he sought to unravel the mysteries that lay hidden within the rubble.
"Let's split into two groups," he proposed, his voice steady and determined, his thoughts already formulating their next steps in this desolate realm tainted by despair.
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Roark's agreement carried a sense of solemn duty, his voice resonating like a stalwart lighthouse amidst the chaos, a beacon of strength and resolve in the face of overwhelming odds.
"Understood, young master," he replied, his tone firm and unwavering as he prepared to lead his companions into the heart of darkness.
The group divided with calculated precision—Ethan leading his team, accompanied by Arther, while Roark helmed the other, comprising Lance, Lily, Aisel, Gwen, and their companions.
As Roark's contingent pressed forward, their eyes swept over the wasteland, every stride a somber acknowledgment of the catastrophe that had transpired, their hearts heavy with the weight of the suffering that had unfolded in this forsaken place.
Lily's voice quivered with a blend of intrigue and trepidation as she surveyed the remnants of erstwhile existence.
"What do you think would have happened at this place?" she inquired, her words tinged with a sense of sorrow and disbelief.
Lance's response carried a tone of unwavering conviction, his voice ringing out with a simmering anger that threatened to consume him.
"I guess Sauron is behind this as well," he asserted, the name uttered like a venomous curse that hung heavy in the air.
Lily's heart twisted with the agony of witnessing the devastation, her mind reeling with the enormity of the suffering that had unfolded in this desolate landscape.
"How could someone be so merciless?" she murmured, her words a whispered lament for the countless lives that had been lost to the darkness.
Lance's resolve solidified, his gaze ablaze with determination as he vowed to put an end to the madness that had brought such destruction upon the world.
"Indeed. That's precisely why we must prevent him from coming to our world," he proclaimed, his voice ringing out with a steely resolve that brooked no argument.
Roark's reassurance served as a steadfast anchor amidst the turbulent sea of uncertainty, his words a beacon of hope in the darkness that threatened to engulf them all.
"Don't worry. We will stop him," he declared, his hand instinctively gravitating towards his weapon as he prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Aisel's sharp alert pierced through the momentary calm, her voice ringing out with a sense of urgency.
"Hold on. There are people approaching," she warned, her eyes scanning the horizon for signs of danger.
Roark's directive was swift, snapping them back to the grim reality at hand as he prepared his companions for the inevitable confrontation that lay ahead.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves," he commanded, his tone resolute and commanding as they braced themselves for the battle that awaited them in the depths of the labyrinth.
At his command, they assumed strategic positions with the poise of seasoned warriors, their movements fluid yet deliberate, their senses attuned to the slightest hint of danger in the air.
Each member of the group stood ready to confront or evade, their resolve unyielding in the presence of an unknown foe that lurked in the shadows.
Lily's observation, though spoken softly, echoed with the shared apprehension of the group.
"They seem frightened," she remarked, her voice a soothing whisper amidst the atmosphere of fear that hung heavy around them like a suffocating blanket.
Roark's cautionary shout arrived too tardily, a sharp interruption in the tense atmosphere.
"Lily!" Yet she was already in motion, propelled forward by a heart too compassionate to stand idle in the face of suffering and fear.
Approaching the trembling group, Lily's inquiry radiated genuine concern, her voice a beacon of warmth and reassurance in the midst of uncertainty.
"Hey there! Are you all okay? What's got you so frightened?" Her words enveloped them like a comforting embrace, offering solace in the midst of chaos.
The response came in fragmented whispers, laden with foreboding and terror.
"Run! He... he's coming," the man stuttered, his voice trembling with sheer terror as he struggled to articulate the horror that lurked just beyond their sight.
"Who's coming?" Lily pressed, her brow furrowing with a mixture of confusion and deep concern, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the approaching menace.
"Sauron," he exhaled, the name hanging heavy in the air like a portent of doom, sending shivers down their spines and chilling them to the core with its whispered menace.
Roark's urgency snapped them back to reality, his voice cutting through the haze of fear and uncertainty with its commanding authority.
"What? Sauron? We must escape immediately," he declared, his tone resolute as he sought to rally his companions to action.
But Lily remained resolute in her compassion, her heart unwilling to abandon those in need, even in the face of overwhelming danger.
"No. We should help them," she insisted, her voice unwavering in its conviction as she stood firm in her belief that empathy and kindness could triumph over darkness.
Roark's inner turmoil was palpable, his mind torn between the call of duty and the pull of compassion, his heart heavy with the weight of the decision that lay before him.
"Remember President Hans' order? Sauron is beyond our strength," he reasoned, his voice tinged with regret as he sought to impart wisdom in the face of adversity, his words a reminder of the harsh realities they faced.
Lily's uncertainty spoke volumes, her eyes a silent plea for understanding amidst the chaos that threatened to consume them all.
Moved by her silent appeal and the depth of her compassion, Roark relented, his resolve giving way to empathy as he made the difficult decision to prioritize the lives of the innocent above all else.
"Alright. We'll help them," he conceded, his voice heavy with resignation yet tempered with determination as he prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Lily's appreciation was swift, her instructions clear and decisive as she took charge of the situation with a sense of purpose and resolve that belied her years.
"Thank you. Now, everyone, flee while we divert Sauron's attention," she implored, her voice a clarion call to action as she sought to lead her companions to safety amidst the chaos and confusion.
The man's gratitude reverberated amidst the chaos, his words a heartfelt expression of thanks that echoed through the tumultuous air, a small glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that threatened to engulf them all.
However, their brief respite was shattered by a malevolent taunt that sent a chill down their spines and filled them with a sense of dread. "Caught you!"
The horror unfolded in a heartbeat, a life snuffed out before their very eyes, the cruel gleam of a blade cutting through the air like a silent reaper, the chilling finality of death hanging heavy in the air like a suffocating fog.
Lily recoiled as her gaze locked with two piercing blue eyes that appeared human, yet radiated an unsettling aura of malevolence and madness that sent a shiver down her spine and filled her with a sense of dread unlike anything she had ever experienced before.
She staggered backward, her instincts shrieking warnings of imminent peril as she struggled to comprehend the darkness that loomed before them like a shadowy specter of their darkest fears made manifest.
Roark's group tensed, a chilling recognition settling over them like an icy shroud as they realized the true nature of the threat that stood before them, their hearts heavy with the weight of the knowledge that they were facing an enemy unlike any they had ever encountered before.
[Warning! Warning!]
[Warning! Warning!]
They knew him.
[Warning! Warning!]
[Ego of Lunancy is in front of you!]
[Warning! Warning!]
"Who are you all now?" A voice sliced through the tension, a serpentine hiss weaving its way through the air like a venomous serpent as they braced themselves for the inevitable confrontation that lay ahead.
[Warning! Warning!]
[Run away!]
The warning echoed in their minds like a distant cry for salvation, but they knew that there was no turning back now, no escaping the darkness that threatened to consume them all in its relentless grasp.