The purple lotus bloomed fully in my palm, pulsating with deadly energy as I locked eyes with Julian. His ck Gold Armor gleamed ominously, but I detected a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze.


    "What''s wrong, Julian? Afraid your precious armor might not be enough?" I taunted.


    He sneered, quickly masking his concern. "Whatever trick you''re attempting won''t save you."


    The power in my palm had reached its peak. I could maintain it no longer. "Let''s test that theory. Spiritual Fire Seal!"


    I hurled the purple lotus toward him with everything I had. As it flew, the lotus transformed, its petals elongating into me-like tendrils that sought Julian like living things. The air crackled with energy, heavy with the scent of ozone.


    Julian raised his arms defensively, the ck Gold Armor pulsing as it prepared to absorb the impact. "Your parlor tricks are—"


    The lotus struck before he could finish, exploding into blinding purple mes that engulfed himpletely. His scream pierced the air, primal and raw. The mes clung to his armor, seeping through the smallest gaps, burning with supernatural intensity.


    "It burns!" Julian howled. "The armor—it''s not stopping it!"


    Around us, all fighting ceased. Everyone stared in disbelief as Julian Radford, the invincible Military Marquis, thrashed in agony within a cocoon of purple fire.


    Dominic Ashworth stepped back, his face pale. "Impossible. The ck Gold Stone is impervious to all attacks."


    "Not to divine-rank techniques," I replied, though the effort of maintaining the Spiritual Fire Seal was draining me rapidly. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I channeled more energy into the mes.


    Julian''s armor began to glow red-hot. With a roar of desperation, he wed at his right arm where the mes burned hottest. To everyone''s horror, he ripped the limb clean off at the shoulder, armor and all. The severed, burning arm crashed to the floor as Julian fell to his knees, blood pouring from the stump.


    His face contorted with pain and hatred. "You... you forced me to... I''ll kill you for this, Knight!"


    The remaining armor reformed, sealing the wound, but the damage was done. Julian Radford, the feared elder of the Veridia City Martial Guild, had been maimed.


    I swayed on my feet, utterly drained. The Spiritual Fire Seal was a technique far beyond my current level. Using it had cost me dearly.


    Frederick Cohen materialized at my side, supporting me as my knees threatened to buckle. "That was... remarkable," he whispered. "But I fear you''ve made an enemy who will never rest until you''re dead."


    Before I could respond, the ground beneath our feet began to tremble. Small stones skittered across the floor as the vibrations intensified.


    "What now?" someone shouted.


    A deep, rumbling sound filled the chamber, like the grinding of massive gears long unused. The walls themselves seemed to shift, ancient inscriptions lighting up one by one along their surface.


    Darnell Bradford, who''d been observing from the sidelines, paled visibly. "The sect... it''s awakening!"


    "What does that mean?" I demanded, but my question was answered by a violent quake that sent everyone staggering.


    The ceiling of the Great Hall cracked, then shattered, raining debris down upon us. I pulled Frederick aside as a massive chunk of stone crashed where we''d been standing. Through the newly formed opening above, I glimpsed a blood-red sky where there should have been stone.


    "The Immortal Bane Sect''s killing formation has activated," Darnell exined, his voice tight with fear. "Someone''s triggered the sect''s defenses."


    usatory nces shot toward Julian and me. Our battle had clearly disturbed something ancient and dangerous.


    "We need to leave," Frederick urged. "Now!"


    As if in response, a bone-chilling howl echoed through the hall. It wasn''t human—it wasn''t even alive. It was the sound of ancient mechanisms stirring to deadly purpose.


    "The exits!" someone screamed.


    I looked toward the massive doors we''d entered through. They were slowly grinding shut, the gap narrowing by the second. Beyond them, the corridors were already shifting, reconfiguring themselves into a deadly maze.


    "Run!" I shouted, shoving Frederick toward the doors. "Everyone, run!"


    Panic erupted. Martial artists who had been enemies moments before now fled side by side, united by the primal drive to survive. The rivalry between Veridia City Martial Guild and Jade Moon Vi meant nothing in the face of this ancient threat.


    Julian staggered to his feet, clutching his sealed shoulder. His face was a mask of hatred as our eyes met across the crumbling hall. With a final venomous re, he turned and rushed toward the narrowing exit, his remaining allies following close behind.


    I was about to do the same when I realized Frederick wasn''t with the fleeing crowd. Spinning around, I spotted him lying unconscious beneath a pile of debris.


    "Frederick!" I shouted, rushing back while everyone else ran for the doors.


    His legs were pinned under a fallen column, blood pooling beneath him. I heaved against the stone, muscles straining as I summoned what little energy remained after my battle with Julian. <em ss="frag-0d0318">This<i ss="node-sep"></i>version<i ss="node-sep"></i>was<i ss="node-sep"></i>sourced<i ss="node-sep"></i>from<i ss="node-sep"></i>*.</em>


    "Come on!" I growled, finally shifting the massive weight enough to pull Frederick free. His legs were crushed, bone showing through torn flesh.


    I lifted him onto my back just as another violent tremor shook the chamber. Deadly energy began to pulse from the walls, invisible but palpable—the killing formation activating in stages.


    The doors were nearly closed now, a mere sliver of escape remaining. Beyond them, I could see martial artists running for their lives through the shifting corridors. Some made it. Others were caught by moving walls or sudden pitfalls that opened beneath their feet.


    With Frederick on my back, I sprinted for the narrowing gap. My legs burned with exertion, my depleted energy reserves barely keeping me upright.


    "Leave me," Frederick mumbled weakly. "You won''t make it carrying me."


    "Shut up," I gasped, pushing harder. "I''m not leaving anyone behind."


    The gap was less than three feet wide now, the massive stone doors grinding inexorably toward each other. I pushed my body beyond its limits, blood pounding in my ears as I raced the closing trap.


    Twenty feet. Ten feet. Five.


    I was going to make it. We both were.


    Then a figure stepped into the gap, deliberately blocking the exit.


    Julian Radford stood there, his one remaining arm braced against the door. His face was twisted with malice as he watched me charging toward him, desperation in my eyes.


    "Liam Knight," he snarled over the grinding of stone and the howling of the killing formation. "Stay back!"


    I skidded to a halt, Frederick''s weight heavy on my back. Julian stood firmly in the only path to safety, his remaining arm extended to block my way. Behind me, the hall was copsing, deadly energy crackling along the walls. There was nowhere else to go.


    "Move, Julian!" I shouted. "This is madness!"


    His lips curled into a savage smile. "If I die here, I''m taking you with me."


    The doors continued to close. In seconds, they would crush anyone caught between them. Beyond Julian, I could see Dominic and the others watching, uncertain whether to help their leader or save themselves.


    Frederick stirred on my back. "We''re trapped," he whispered.


    I stared at Julian''s hate-filled eyes and the rapidly closing gap behind him, knowing I had seconds to make an impossible choice.