"Shi—!"

  Karteira's curse died in her throat as the pulsing energy slammed into both of them.

  Gritting her teeth, she used everything in her power to keep from being dragged downward.

  Her eyes locked onto the bar further ahead as the plates on her lower back opened wide.

  PSSSSSSSSSSH

  Steam of incredible density erupted from the vents, propelling her upward.

  Her power matched the shockwave's force, but the strain grew heavier as she fought to escape its grasp.

  Nia clenched her hands against her chest, hoping for the best.

  Light magic enveloped their bodies as Karteira healed the burns forming across her skin.

  Wings of steam manifested behind her, shaped purely by her determination to push forward.

  The steam surged upward with such force that, slowly, Karteira's head broke through the shockwave.

  She had only been forced down by a meter, but she still had to reclaim that distance and seize the next bar before the following pulse struck.

  Seeing her method was working, she drew even deeper on her strength.

  No sound escaped her throat, her voice swallowed by the roaring steam beneath her. Gradually, her chest crossed the barrier.

  Then Nia's body.

  Finally, Karteira's feet and tail.

  "We made it!" Nia exclaimed.

  "Not yet!" Karteira pushed onward, her steam wings driving her forward.

  She angled her body toward the sixth lateral bar.

  "Clench your teeth!" she shouted as the bar rushed toward them.

  The next shockwave was already upon them.

  Her left hand wrapped around the bar, her fingers nearly snapping from the impact.

  Her armor plates rattled violently as she and Nia spun once around the bar under the force of the blast.

  When the wave passed, it spun them once more before they finally settled, Karteira tightening her grip.

  Smoke curled from between her fingers.

  Nia lifted her head, seeing the charred strain etched across Karteira's face.

  Light magic surged through her body, working frantically to repair the damage—broken bones, deep burns, torn flesh.

  "Are you alright?!" Nia asked, her voice trembling.

  Karteira exhaled a cloud of white vapor, her eyes glowing with frantic white light.

  Tightening her arm around Nia's waist, she nodded.

  After letting several shockwaves pass, her body fully regenerated.

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  The bones in her fingers reformed, and the skin beneath her armor returned to a healthy pale tone.

  "..."

  Nia studied her face as the tension slowly faded.

  After confirming her recovery, Karteira gave a small nod to herself.

  "I'm good. We can continue."

  The steadiness of her voice reassured Nia, who let out a breath of relief.

  Before moving again, Karteira slightly opened the exhaust plates to check their function.

  Psssh. Psssh.

  Short bursts of steam confirmed they were working normally.

  "Do you think more of these will vanish?" Nia asked.

  "I don't think so. That looked like a one-time trap meant to catch overconfident intruders," Karteira replied.

  Then she frowned.

  "Actually... it might be more accurate to assume whoever built this structure knew exactly what we are."

  Nia raised an eyebrow.

  "It started by sealing your ability to fly. Then it forced me to synchronize with the environment. And finally, it removed the one lifeline we had."

  "Oh..." Realization dawned on Nia as she lowered her gaze. "We're being toyed with."

  As the sound and pressure around them faded into the background, they both looked upward, where the distortions were strongest.

  "Our enemy is a cunning one," Karteira said quietly. "It will try different tricks. That's why I doubt it will use the same trap twice."

  She began swinging again, building momentum with her legs.

  Once more she synchronized with the rhythm of the structure before launching forward.

  After several more jumps, they finally reached the next platform.

  Karteira released Nia.

  Both let out deep, exhausted breaths as the solid surface beneath their feet allowed them to rest.

  At the same moment—

  "It stopped." Nia lifted her gaze, noticing the sudden silence.

  "You're right." Karteira agreed. "That really was an indirect attack."

  They exchanged firm looks before turning toward the next obstacle.

  "I doubt those are normal stairs," Karteira said, scratching the exposed portion of her cheek beneath her helmet.

  Nia glanced behind her, her wings stretching instinctively.

  "Considering our abilities can be sealed at any moment, flying sounds like a terrible idea."

  Her wings drooped behind her back.

  "I'm not making the same mistake twice." She turned toward Karteira with a smug smile.

  Karteira inhaled slowly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She walked past Nia and placed a hand atop her head.

  "Don't pretend to be dense."

  Continuing toward the spiraling staircase, she added, "Come on. Let's finish this so we can return quickly."

  Nia's smile faded into a determined expression.

  Clenching her fist against her chest, she glanced upward for a moment.

  Then she followed Karteira.

  ...

  The pair climbed the entire staircase without incident.

  Remaining alert the entire way, they finally stepped onto the final platform after a grueling hour of cautious ascent.

  As soon as they arrived, both stifled a sigh when the narrow staircase behind them cracked.

  "—!"

  Turning back, they watched the glass pathway shatter into brittle shards.

  "Our way out just—" Nia began in shock.

  Before she could finish, the shards reversed direction.

  They lifted, spinning upward before assembling themselves around the platform.

  The small platform expanded into a massive arena stretching to the walls.

  "What a pleasant welcome..." Karteira muttered, a sharp smirk appearing on her face.

  Her fingers twitched with restrained anger.

  As the final shard locked into place, the floor shimmered briefly like a polished gem.

  Nia and Karteira turned back-to-back, covering each other's blind spots.

  A grey metallic substance formed at Nia's fingertips, spreading rapidly up her arms.

  Within seconds, a rugged, primitive armor of solid metal covered her body.

  She inhaled slowly before releasing the breath in a controlled exhale.

  Her eyes hardened, burning with determination.

  Energy erupted from her body as her demeanor shifted—from cheerful to cold and resolute.

  Karteira glanced over her shoulder as the metal encased Nia's head.

  She clenched her fists, feeling power surge through her veins.

  Closing her eyes, she allowed the energy to flood her muscles, white light engulfing her.

  Her heart pulsed with powerful magic, warmth spreading through her body.

  The cerulean plates of her armor began turning white, as though their color were being washed away.

  A blinding aura surrounded Karteira as she opened her eyes, her pupils shining with pure light.

  Both warriors were ready.

  Slowly, ash gathered along the curved walls of the arena.

  "Ashen soldiers?" Karteira wondered.

  But instead of the smaller monsters they expected, two massive figures began to form.

  Their red eyes locked immediately onto their prey.

  Claws extended.

  Large tusks curved from their mouths.

  Long arms hung like those of an octopus from thin, grotesque bodies.

  Their faces were empty voids.

  Only a twisted smile appeared within the darkness where their features should have been.

  The two warriors leaned forward.

  No words were needed.

  A sword of light blinked into existence in Karteira's hand.

  Two black blades extended from Nia's arms.

  With the hiss of steam and the thunder of wings—

  They vanished from the center of the arena.