High above the battlefield, Researcher Wells stood on the edge of a cliff, his eyes cold as he surveyed the slaughter below. "War, war, war," he muttered, sounding bored. "Just brutes killing other brutes. Nothing interesting at all."
Suddenly, a flash caught his eye. He adjusted his focus on a group of Revolutionaries. "Now, what do we have here?" He watched them hoist a strange, metallic tube—the missile launcher. "Some kind of new bow? For shooting arrows?"
Then, the weapon roared.
The cliffside below exploded in a shower of fire and rock. Wells's eyes widened, and a look of genuine shock crossed his face. "Wait... what was that? A handheld weapon with that much destructive power?"
He continued to watch as Ben and the others used various gadgets—grenades, modified guns, and shields. Wells's boredom vanished, replaced by an intense, burning curiosity.
"Who made these?" he whispered. "Who is the maker of these works of art?"
He turned to one of his shadowed servants. "Find out who created those gadgets. Make sure he is protected at all costs."
"Yes, Master," the servant bowed.
"He needs to stay alive until my own projects are finished," Wells said, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "I want to see who the better creator truly is. the creator of creation or the creator of destruction." Without another word, he hurried to his cart and ordered the driver to head to the lab. He finally had a rival who could match his own intellect, and he intended to win.
Back in the depths of the dungeon, Daina and her team were running for their lives. Eugene was awake, but he was slumped against his friends, too drained to move his own legs.
Behind them, the heavy, rhythmic footsteps of the Paladin echoed. "You can run, but you can't hide!" his voice boomed through the tunnels.
"Ice Wall!" Ava shouted, slamming her wand down. A thick slab of ice blocked the path. They didn't even get five steps away before a thunderous crack echoed—the Paladin had shattered it with a single thrust of his spear.
"Holy Barrier!" Eugene gasped, trying to help. But the Paladin's spear began to glow, literally absorbing the holy energy of the barrier to fuel itself.
"I don't think we can get away," Bart grunted, his face pale.
"Yes, we can!" Daina leaped up, slashing at the support beams of the ceiling. The roof collapsed in a heap of boulders, burying the path. They sprinted away, but seconds later, the rocks exploded outward. The Paladin stepped through the dust, spinning his spear as if the rubble meant nothing.
"I can't believe it," Bart stammered. "He's way too strong."
The group finally burst out of the dungeon entrance into the open air of Astria, but their relief was short-lived. A squad of other Paladins was waiting for them outside. Moments later, the lead Paladin caught up from behind, trapping them in the middle.
Eugene slid to the ground, his eyes narrowing. "Don't think I'm going down without a fight."
Daina drew her sword, Ava readied her wand, and Bart encased his body in thick rock armor.
Daina moved first, diving toward the rank-and-file Paladins. She used the Northern Sword Style: Wind Form, focusing entirely on speed. She moved like a leaf in a gale, effortlessly dodging their spear thrusts and parrying their strikes.
Eugene used his remaining strength to cast a mass boost on his allies. Bart charged the lead Paladin, his stone fists flying. The Paladin countered with lightning, but Bart's armor was thick enough to soak up the shocks as he rained down a relentless assault. From the rear, Ava launched flame lances, keeping the enemies busy and preventing them from using their larger, channeled attacks.
"We can't win this!" Eugene shouted over the din of battle. "We have to go!"
"But how?" Ava cried.
"I have an idea!" Daina shouted. "Bart, take us underground!"
"On it! Everyone, get close!" Bart yelled.
The lead Paladin roared, "I won't let you run!" He charged at Bart and Eugene, but Ava stepped in his way.
"We'll see about that! Ice Wall!" She created a massive frozen dome around her team, cutting off the Paladins.
"It's... it's difficult..." Bart groaned, his hands pressed into the hard earth.
"I can't hold this for long!" Ava's voice strained as the Paladins began hammering on the ice.
Finally, the ground gave way. Bart shattered the earth beneath them, creating a steep, narrow tunnel. "The tunnel is ready! Jump in!"
Daina, Eugene, Ava, and Bart tumbled into the darkness. Bart worked frantically, shifting the earth behind them to keep the tunnel moving while sealing the entrance. The lead Paladin finally smashed through Ava's ice, saw the pit, and dove in without hesitation. The other Paladins followed suit.
Daina and her team reached a wide, hollow space deep underground that Bart had quickly carved out. Bart sat in the center of the room, sweat dripping from his brow. "I'll manipulate the tunnels. You guys just move when I tell you!"
Bart opened a new path. "Go, now!"
As Daina, Eugene, and Ava sprinted into the new tunnel, Bart began to play a deadly game of cat and mouse. He created dozens of branching paths for the pursuing Paladins. Every time a Paladin entered a branch, Bart would slam the earth shut, burying them alive one by one.
The lead Paladin, realizing he was being trapped, snarled. He raised his golden spear and channeled a massive amount of thunder. Instead of following the tunnels, he blasted upward. A pillar of lightning tore through the ceiling, pulverizing the earth and creating a jagged path back to the surface.
At the same time, Bart opened a final exit for his team and sealed their tracks behind them with a massive rock slide.
The lead Paladin climbed out of the smoking crater and looked around. He was standing in a quiet forest area, the sun filtering through the trees. There was no sign of the group. The ground beneath him was solid and silent.
He gripped his spear until his knuckles turned white, staring into the deep woods. "They escaped," he hissed.