Alythia

As we progressed, and after taking some breaks, the lingering tension from the argument gradually lessened. Though it wasn’t completely gone, at least we weren’t strained to the point where Finn continued to carry his own torch. 

Eventually, we found a massive set of doors unlike anything else we have seen before, well it was the only set of doors we found. The aura of mana leaking from the cracks between doors were palpable, sending a chill down the spines of even those who couldn’t see it. At first we decided to ignore it, it was just too suspicious and dangerous looking. But with our supplies dwindling and having explored almost every other room and corridor, this was our last realistic option. I was fine, but I couldn’t just go ahead and not eat or drink anything, it would look way too suspicious. 

We, well Rurik, pushed open the doors. As it creaked open, a rush of mana poured out, momentarily stunning not just me, but everyone else too. But once we snapped out of it, we realized we were fine, it doesn’t appear to be a teleportation spell or another trap. The group cautiously stepped into a large open area, unlike any they had seen in the labyrinth. 

As we cautiously stepped in, I began sending wisps of light up our surroundings. Despite this, the dense mana in the air appeared to interfere with my magic, causing the lights to appear more dim. This combined with the ginormous size of the room meant we weren’t able to see from one end to the other. After scouting out the edges and finding nothing, we began inching closer towards the center.

At the center lay a pedestal with a magnificent sarcophagus, lavishly made of a metal even rarer than gold, adamantite. Surrounding the pedestal were a pile of treasures. From the darkness above, hanging upside down like a bat, was a colossal bird statue with two large dull orbs for eyes. A sense of foreboding washed over me. This was it – the final boss. 

From previous experience, the bird was likely another golem, and it wouldn’t trigger until we got close to the treasures in the center. Taking advantage of this, we sent the archaeologist out of the room before preparing for battle.

Once we were ready, we sent Elara, the quickest among us, to head to the center and trigger the golem. The moment her fingers made contact with the pedestal in the center, the dull lifeless orbs that served as the colossal bird's eyes ignited in a frightening red hue. It stirred, its huge form slowly animating as it stretched its wings. The earlier silence was now replaced by the guttural sound of grinding metal as the golem unfurled its massive wings, creating a gale that even seemed to affect the surrounding mana. 

Elara quickly retreated to our ranks as the golem swooped down, the air pushed by the wings creating a gust strong enough to nearly knock us off our feet. Its metallic body reflected the dim torchlight as it flew around the room. 

‘This is bad’ I thought, my heart hammering in my chest. ‘This one's made of metal.’

Rurik, in response to the bird's initial dive, leaped high in the air. His jump was almost unnatural in its height. His powerful figure silhouetted against the dim background as he brought both of his axes crashing down against the golem's right wing. Despite the heavy hit, the bird seemed unfazed and continued its glide, barely a scratch marring its metal hide.

Seeing Rurik's attack yield no results, Finn dashed forward with determination etched across his face. His sword sliced through the air, aiming for the joints connecting the wing to the body, but it too failed to have any effect as his sword simply bounced off. The bird, uncaring about our attacks, continued, bulldozing through everything in its glide path. Realizing the upcoming danger, Finn quickly ducked and laid out flat on the ground, just barely managing to escape being smashed to minced meat.

I launched an array of elemental attacks. Launching my elemental spells felt like second nature. Fire and ice, my first resorts, each spell unleashed was a plea for effectiveness. 'Come on... why won’t you go down?' I could feel the doubt creeping in, the frustration simmering below the surface. I pushed on, resorting to my wind magic and telekinesis. 'Let this work, let this work.' But it was futile, all my magic had no effect, either shattering against its metallic body or fizzling out into nothingness. I couldn’t alleviate the growing feeling of despair welling up within me. 

Out of desperation, I attempted to directly manipulate it with mana. Instead of flinging elemental magic at it, I would instead directly fling it downwards. I directed my magical force towards the golem, attempting to physically halt or redirect its path, but the creature was simply too large, too heavy. The interference created by the dense mana in our surroundings didn’t help either as it continued to move unimpeded, seemingly oblivious to my efforts.

In a desperate bid, I began enhancing my own physical capabilities with magic, preparing to confront the bird in the airI felt the familiar surge of strength flood my body, my senses sharpening as the magic coursed through me. I took off, propelling myself through the air, my wand clutched tightly in my hand. Maybe I could do something if I got closer. 

However, the bird simply ignored me, flying past and continued its devastating offensive, swooping down to crush or swipe at the others with its mighty frame. Its superior speed and my immature flying skills meant I had a hard time even getting near it. 

Each of its attacks sent tremors through the floor, shaking the room and filling the air with the echoing boom of its flight. 

During one of its deadly dives, the bird managed to corner Finn along its strike zone. 

When the golem swopped down, it felt like time slowed. I saw its intention, its trajectory, and I knew. I knew I had to act. But the argument, the harsh words, they all came rushing back. There was a moment, a brief moment of hesitation. But it passed, replaced by a surge of determination. Though I hate to admit it, Finn was indeed skilled, on par with Rurik and Elara. I guess it's to be expected as he survived the earlier encirclement of golems with only some light scratches, but it was still annoying to admit. And losing someone at this moment wasn’t something we could afford. 

Using my magic, I abruptly flung myself in his direction. ‘I can make it.’ Trading all my control for speed, I flew blazingly through the air, quickly reaching Finn. I could see Finn, whose face had held a trace of despair now staring speechlessly as my back smashed against the side of his body, flinging us away from the attack. However, my earlier moment of hesitation cost me dearly. Thinking back, I should’ve fortified my body a bit first. 

The golem's wings raked across my stomach. The resulting pain was searing and I let out a guttural scream. My mind screamed, my body buckled, and I was thrown back.