The Abyssal Sentinels tightened their approach and their distorted shapes as if the universe itself had trouble containing them. Natasha slid backward, heart pounding. Every survival instinct wanted her to flee but there was no escape.
A bright red warning appeared in front of her sight.
System Alert:
Combat Ineffective. Seek an Alternate Solution.
Corruption Meter: 5%
Alison used his sword to attack one of the monsters. The sheath of his sword passed through the ghostly creature without causing any damage. No damage. Not even a reaction.
"Damn it!" he hissed. Running forever without solution is not an option.
The ground trembled beneath them. An unusual background sound appeared. Natasha whipped her head around. The giant stone buildings started to glow and show shifting signs as if they were writing across their surface.
Ira clutched her head, wincing. "Each stone structure links directly to Sentinels throughout the area." Our goal should be to attack these structures because they might lower the enemies' strength.
Dren wasted no time. Using all his strength he hit the nearest monolith with both hands. Electricity sparked through the air when the glowing signs dispersed into sparkling blue sparks. A Sentinel warrior started shaking uncontrollably like a failing computer game character.
System Alert:
Weakness Discovered. Destroy all Abyssal Monoliths to stop enemy control over the Sentinels.
Natasha's eyes widened. "Destroy the rest—NOW!"
The battle exploded into chaos.
___
Alison and Eldric rushed to attack different monoliths as Sentinels tried to stop them. Sentinel defense forces reacted by heading towards their targets. The creature attacked Alison by extending its mutated finger hands towards him. He barely escaped by rolling away from the attacker then delivered a hard kick to the monolith base. Small cracks showed up on the surface but failed to harm it.
"Not good enough!" he growled.
Eldric threw his dagger against another monolith. The dagger hit the symbols and damaged their lighting effect. One Sentinel began to lose its outline just like the truth was rejecting it.
"It's working," he called. "We need to hit them harder!"
She held her sword firmly. If sheer strength did not succeed we needed to try harder.
A faint voice entered her thoughts.
Would you like power?
She stiffened. Her Corruption Meter flickered—7% now.
"No," she murmured, shaking off the voice.
But the Abyss was patient.
___
The creature fell ahead while perspiration dripped from Ira's skin. "We need to move faster. The Corruption Meter climbs up too rapidly!
Natasha checked her HUD. 12%.
Too fast.
Dren destroyed another monolith which made another Sentinel experience violent spasms. The worsening condition of their environment happened because they kept fighting. The air grew thick, suffocating. The shadows took on strange forms to call out their victims. As she looked ahead Natasha spotted someone she knew but doubted.
Her mother.
She stopped cold. That wasn't possible. Her mother was—
A sudden pull pulled her back as a Sentinel tried to strike her location with its sharp claws.
Alison.
"Get a grip," he barked. The dark energy from the Abyss tries to corrupt you right now.
Natasha clenched her jaw. 15%.
She focused, tightening her resolve. The only way out was forward.
___
The last two monoliths remained. But the Sentinels had adapted. They transformed their physical structure and their strikes improved in accuracy. One Sentinel came close to catching her as Ira reacted with a surprise gasp. Eldric stepped into the path of the enemy to shield Jira from getting hit and was hit on his forearm as protection.
A system notification flashed.
Eldric suffers from Abyssal Wound (his health regeneration stops working) as a new status effect.
"Just great," he muttered through gritted teeth.
Natasha exhaled sharply. "Alison, Eldric, cover me."
She ran, sword vibrating in her hands. The energy from the Sigil Guardian was still lingering within it, waiting to be called upon.
Would you like power? The voice whispered again.
Her Corruption Meter surged to 20%.
This time, she didn't resist.
A pulse of dark energy erupted from her sword. For a brief moment, the Sentinels recoiled, their forms distorting wildly. Natasha lunged at the nearest monolith, driving her blade deep into its center.
A shockwave blasted outward.
The monolith shattered.
The last Sentinel let out an ear-piercing shriek, its form unraveling. Shadows dissolved. The air grew still.
System Alert:
Abyssal Sentinels Defeated. Pathway Unlocked.
Natasha swayed, her vision swimming. Her Corruption Meter had stopped at 25%.
But it wasn't dropping.
Ira stumbled to her side. "Natasha, your aura… it's changed."
Natasha looked at her hands. Faint, dark tendrils of energy coiled around her fingers before fading.
"What did I just do?"
Alison walked up beside her, his expression unreadable. "That wasn't normal, was it?"
Natasha wasn't sure.
A deep rumbling beneath their feet cut the conversation short. The ground split open, revealing a spiral staircase leading even deeper into the Abyss.
A final system message flashed.
System Alert:
The Abyss Watches You Now.
The team exchanged uneasy glances. There was no going back.
Natasha took a deep breath.
"Let's move."
And they descended into the darkness.