The chamber shook as the beast's roar bled into the cold air.
The cloaked figures didn't flinch—if anything, their stances grew sharper, as though they had been expecting this.
Rondan shifted his footing, keeping the monolith at his back. He could feel its power thrumming through the stone floor, feeding into his veins like fire and ice.
Stay calm… he told himself. One wrong move here, and I'm dead before I touch the finals.
The leader of the cloaked ones lifted a hand, the gesture silent but absolute. His subordinates moved like shadows, splitting to flank Rondan. The blue glow of their blades painted the air in cold light.
Before anyone could strike, the tunnel behind Rondan burst open.
Stone shards rained down as the beast lunged into the chamber—a hulking mass of muscle and bone, its skin marked with jagged, glowing scars. Its eyes locked on the monolith… and then on Rondan.
"Perfect," Rondan muttered under his breath.
The first cloaked warrior rushed in, sword flashing. Rondan met the strike with a parry, the impact rattling his arm. Sparks flew. Another enemy came from behind, forcing him to twist away.
The beast roared again and slammed a claw into the floor, sending a shockwave that knocked one of the cloaked fighters into the wall. The leader remained unmoved, his attention fixed entirely on Rondan.
"You're interfering with a design far older than you can imagine," the man said coldly.
"Then maybe you should've kept it out of the tournament," Rondan shot back.
The leader's blade came in a precise arc. Rondan blocked, barely, and felt the force jolt through his bones.
The beast lunged at them both, claws outstretched.
In that instant, Rondan saw his chance.
He sidestepped, letting the monster's strike crash into the leader, sending both skidding across the chamber. The other cloaked warrior leapt at him, but Rondan's blade found an opening, slicing through the man's side.
Blood met stone.
The monolith's runes pulsed brighter.
The whisper returned—stronger now, almost desperate.
"Break it… set us free."
Rondan's heart pounded. The battle raged around him, but his eyes were locked on that black stone.
Somewhere deep inside, he knew—touching it again could change everything.
Or end everything.