The five stone figures stood motionless, their smooth faces devoid of any kind of expression. AJ pulsed softly, his form rippling as he studied them.
What are they? Statues?
Ethan cracked his knuckles, already stepping forward. "Let's find out what these things are about."
Victor grabbed his arm. "Wait. Something's not right."
The air shifted, and the figures moved in unison. Stone grated against stone as they turned to face the team, their angular limbs extending, joints locking into place.
AJ's form shifted. "They're not statues."
The figures moved towards them, movements jerky yet swift. The team scattered, dodging the first attacks.
The vast chamber echoed with the clatter of weapons striking stone.
Lily kept her distance, her bow drawn taut as she fired off arrows. She moved gracefully, her steps light and quick, always positioning herself to have a clear line of sight.
Her arrows mostly flew true, but they bounced off of the stone figures.
Ethan charged in, his shield raised to block the figures' attacks. He was a whirlwind of motion, his axe swinging wildly as he got in close.
His strength was formidable, each strike powerful and relentless. He grunted with effort, his muscles straining as he blocked and countered the figures' attacks.
But despite his best efforts, his axe and shield met the same fate as Lily's arrows, barely leaving a scratch on the unyielding stone figures.
Victor moved like a shadow, sneaking around the figures to deliver powerful blows from unexpected directions. His knife gleamed in the light, his strikes swift and precise.
Once he locked onto a target he struck with lightning speed, his knife usually finding its mark, but the stone figures remained unphased.
Walter used his cane to maintain a safe distance, his movements deliberate and controlled. He tapped the ground, the sound echoing through the chamber as he observed the patterns in the figures' attacks.
AJ pulsed softly, his form shifting as he tried spreading his slippery slime to trip up the figures. His slime glistened, a shimmering blue that spread across the ground, but the figures remained steadfast.
Frustrated, AJ grew larger, his form expanding as he transformed his front into ravager scales. He used his body as a shield, his form blocking a figures' advances.
Their efforts seemed futile, the stone figures unyielding and relentless. The chamber filled with the sounds of battle, the clatter of weapons, the grunts of effort, and the echoes of their struggles.
Sam, meanwhile, was observing the statues as they moved about. The way they repeated similar movements and attacks stood out to him.
"Their movements... they're not random. There's a pattern," he said just loud enough for the others to hear him.
After a few more futile attempts, Lily paused, panting. "This isn't working. We need to try something else."
Sam spoke up. "I think I've got it!"
They watched the statues carefully as they listened. "They're on a loop, attacking every 3 seconds. Use the opening in between the attacks. Everyone focus on the same statue and attack at the same time, we might be able to overwhelm them."
Ethan grinned, already raising his axe. "Worth a shot. On three?"
They readied their weapons as they all counted together. "One... two... three!"
In unison, they attacked. Lily's arrow flew, striking one of the figures simultaneously with Ethan's axe, Walter's cane, and Victor's knife.
This time, the figures movements faltered, their stone body recoiling as it began to crumble under the combined assault. Having dealt with one of them the rest of the stone statues wouldn't be an issue.
They continued to coordinate their attacks as AJ held back the other statues, allowing them to quickly reduce them to a pile of rubble one by one.
The chamber fell silent, the dust settling around them. They looked at each other, panting and grinning.
"That wasn't so bad," Ethan said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Lily nodded, her gaze turning to the exit that was opening. "Too bad this is just the beginning."
Walking through the exit, they returned to the large open area, the three archways waiting for them on the centre platform.
Walter leaned on his cane, looking at the archways. "The serpent symbol does represent a fight like Ethan guessed."
Victor folded his arms. "Hard to believe he was right."
Ethan shrugged, smirking. "I'm always right, you know that."
Sam frowned as he stared at the symbol of an eye. "I still can't figure out what the eye is about."
Lily rolled her eyes at Ethan but smiled. "Let's check out the two-faced door. Maybe it'll make more sense in context."
AJ pulsed in agreement. "Might as well get this over with."
Together, they approached the archway with the two overlapping faces. As they stepped through they heard the same sound as before, the door had sealed shut behind them once again.
The team was separated from each other, they stood in their own little room when the blue screen reappeared before them.
"Save the stranger, or gain a powerful boon."
"Cast your vote now."
The screen then displayed the stranger, a lone figure fighting off a monstrous creature not far from the entrance of the cave that contained the hot springs.
The stranger was a man of average build, his clothes tattered and his face streaked with dirt and sweat.
He wielded a sword, its blade gleaming in the dim light as he fought with all his might. The monstrous creature was a towering beast, its eyes glowing with malice as it lunged at the man.
The man dodged an attack, his movements quick and agile. He countered with a swift strike, his sword slashing the creature's hide.
The beast roared, its claws swiping at the man, who tried to leap out of the way but was struck. He stumbled, clutched his stomach as his breath came in ragged gasps, but he got back up, his determination unwavering.
Ethan watched as the man struggled, his axe resting on his shoulder. He put himself in that man's position, would he be able to defend himself?
"A powerful boon could turn the tide in any fight," he mused. "I'm afraid that for our sake, we can't pass this up." He cast his vote: Gain the boon.
Lily's heart pounded as she read the words and saw his struggle. She thought of her family, her friends, and the various people they had met on their journey. "Saving a life is always worth it," she whispered to herself.
AJ pulsed, his form shifting slightly. He considered the potential boon, the power it could bring to them. "A powerful boon could help us protect more people in the future," he reasoned.
He thought of the trials ahead, the challenges they would face. "We need every advantage we can get." With a ripple, he made his choice: Gain the boon.
Walter's cane tapped softly against the stone floor as he pondered the dilemma. "Power is tempting, but it is not everything," he mused.
He thought of the long-term consequences, if they didn't save the man it could affect their mental state.
"We must set an example, show that we value life above all." He voted with a steady hand: Save the stranger.
Victor's knife twirled in his hand as he stared at the screen. He thought of the battles they had fought, the close calls they had survived.
"Power means survival," he muttered. He considered the stranger, but his mind was set. "We need to be stronger to face what's coming." He voted without hesitation: Gain the boon.
Sam's mind raced as he considered both options. He thought of the stranger, the potential boon, and the consequences of their choice.
"This is a tough one." He weighed the moral implications against the practical benefits for a moment. "But we need to think about our own survival." He voted with a sigh: Gain the boon.
---
The votes were cast, and the blue screen flickered once more. The majority had chosen to gain the boon.
It could have just as easily been them fighting off that beast, would they survive such an encounter?
They would naturally want to be saved in that situation, however, their own safety is a higher priority. They watched as the stranger's fate was sealed, their hearts heavy with the weight of their decision.
The walls separating them slowly disappeared, they looked at each other, a mix of determination and regret in their eyes.
The silence stretched between them, thick as the dust still settling. Lily was the first to speak, her voice tight.
"You all voted for the boon."
Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, I'm worried about our own situation at the moment."
Lily's fingers clenched around her bow. "That man was alone. He could've been like us—just trying to survive."
Walter sighed, leaning heavier on his cane. "It's a hard choice to make. You can't blame them for their decision."
Victor didn't look at her, his posture rigid. "Sentiment gets you killed. We need every edge we can get, we still need to get out of here and eliminate Richard."
"And if it were one of us out there?" AJ's voice rippled, he was already regretting his choice. "Would you still call it sentiment?"
Ethan's jaw worked. "That's different."
"How?" Lily pressed. "Because you know us? That man could've had people too. A family. A—"
Sam cut in, his tone measured. "We don't have the luxury of saving everyone. Not yet. When the time comes we can save more than just one life."
Lily shook her head. "That's just an excuse."
Walter stepped between them, his voice low. "Enough. What's done is done." His gaze swept over them, lingering on Ethan's clenched fists and Victor's averted eyes.
AJ pulsed once, his form contracting slightly. "The spire's testing more than our strength. Our morals and unity are being put to the test too."
Victor finally looked up, his expression unreadable. "Then it got its answer. We're not heroes. We're survivors."
The blue screen appeared in front of them, becoming a familiar sight by now.
"You have voted for the boon."
"Your reward is a boost to your overall abilities."
No one spoke up, they didn't even celebrate the boost they had just gained merely nodding and moving on.
A heavy silence lingered as they followed Lily back to the main area. The marble floor seemed colder beneath their feet now, each step echoing loudly in their minds.
Lily kept her gaze fixed ahead, unwilling to even look at the others right now.
The three familiar archways stood in the same spot, the eye that had put them through a maze, the coiled serpent they'd battled through, and the two faces that had tested their morals.