Dune took a slow step forward, raising his hands slightly. "Hey, listen," he started, forcing his voice to stay calm. "Maybe we don't have to do this. Let's just… talk this out."
The giant stopped dragging his weapon for a moment and tilted his head, his massive brow furrowing. Then, slowly, one of his thick eyebrows rose.
Dune exhaled. "Yeah? Maybe?"
The giant let out a low chuckle, deep and guttural. "You really think I'm in a talking mood right now?"
Dune sighed. "Yeah, figured."
Nely shot him a glare. "Great negotiation skills, genius."
The tension between them tightened, but Dune couldn't stop glancing at the guy with the basket, the one who had warned them earlier. There was something… off.
The kid was young. Way too young.
Maybe ten, at most. His small frame was hidden beneath the tattered battle attire, but now that Dune could see him up close, the truth was clear. The sharp features, the haunted, terrified eyes, the way his hands shook as he gripped the basket, this wasn't some hardened warrior.
This was a child. And he was scared out of his mind. Why is child in the trial? He probably doesn't even know how to properly use Neba…
Nely seemed to realize it at the same time, her gaze flickering to Dune in shock. Before either of them could react the giant moved.
With a sickening thud, he kicked the kid forward, sending him tumbling toward Dune and Nely. The boy hit the ground hard, his basket spilling open, fruits rolling across the stone floor.
"Good job," the giant rumbled, voice thick with amusement. "My bait, you worked perfectly."
Dune's stomach twisted. Bait. So kid was the bait. This had been using him, keeping him alive just long enough to lure in more victims.
The boy scrambled to his hands and knees, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. He looked up at them, eyes wide, pleading.
The giant stepped forward, dragging his spiked bat lazily behind him. His massive, grotesque form blocked the only visible exit.
"You can call me Helios, he said, a grin splitting his ugly face. "And I'm going to enjoy eating you."
Nely tensed. "Not again"
Helios lifted his bat, chains clinking as he adjusted his grip. "Now then…" The grin widened. "Which one of you should I start with?"
Dune unsheathed his sword, his grip tightening around the hilt. His eyes locked onto the massive giant before them. "Alright," he muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Let's kill this ugly bastard."
Meanwhile, Nely crouched beside the trembling child, inspecting him carefully. The boy's face was streaked with dirt and tears, but he was alive. That was all that mattered for now.
"Are you okay? What's your name?" she asked gently.
The child sniffled, wiping his eyes. "I'm… Lucas," he managed to say, his voice quivering.
Nely offered a reassuring smile, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Alright, Lucas. Stay right here. Dune and I will take care of this, okay?"
Lucas hesitated before nodding. "Okay."
As he shifted slightly, Nely's sharp gaze caught something, an unmistakable purple cross mark on his chest. Her breath hitched. Dune saw it too, his expression darkening.
Purple… that was rare. Too rare. This kid had potential.
Nely clenched her fists, rage bubbling inside her. *Unforgivable… The gods dragged children into this? Heartless bastards… They deserve worse than death.*
Steeling herself, she rose to her feet, her fingers tightening as a scythe materialized in her grip. She turned to face their opponent.
"Come here, i'll shred you into pieces," she snarled at Helios.
The monstrous figure smirked and hurled his massive spiked bat toward them.
Both Nely and Dune leaped aside, dodging with precision. The impact of the bat against the ground sent cracks spiderwebbing across the stone.
Helios retrieved his weapon, readying for another strike, when suddenly, an arrow shot through the air and struck him square in the shoulder. The impact staggered Helios, forcing him back. The arrow embedded itself into the ground before him, still quivering from the force of its descent.
Dune and Nely's eyes widened in recognition.
They knew who this was.
Dune's heart pounded. *The guy from before. The one who could turn himself into an arrow and fly at high speed. The one we barely survived against…*
A figure landed gracefully a few feet away. He had long, white hair, sharp eyes, and a strikingly attractive face. His grey battle attire bore the signs of wear, but he stood tall, exuding quiet confidence.
Before either of them could react, Lucas suddenly shouted, "Leon! Brother you came back!"
Dune and Nely turned to the boy, stunned.
*Brother?*
Lucas looked at them desperately. "That's my brother! Help him, please!"
Dune hesitated. The situation had just become more complicated, but they had no choice. Their priority was still Helios.
Dune exhaled sharply, gripping his sword. "Alright, whatever, let's do this."
Together, they charged. Leon, momentarily caught off guard, quickly refocused and lunged at Helios, striking him again. Helios snarled, spitting out a curse.
"You damn insects!"
Dune activated Neba Step, flashing behind Helios in an attempt to slash through the giant's thick hide, but his blade barely scratched the surface. His skin was too damn sturdy.
Suddenly, Helios's massive silver hand began to glow. A scream rang out,
"Don't let him touch you with that hand! It'll turn you to stone!"
Dune's instincts screamed at him to retreat. He barely managed to dodge, skidding backward, breath coming fast. "Would've been nice to know that sooner," he muttered.
Behind him, Lucas cowered behind a rock, trembling.
Helios's eyes locked onto the boy. "You damn brat… I should've eaten you first!"
Before he could lunge, Leon landed between Dune and Nely, his stance firm. "His ability is strong," Leon said, voice even. "Turning people into stone is an instant victory. That means he has a major weakness. We just have to find it. Help me, and when this is over, I'll let you both leave safely."
Dune met Leon's gaze, weighing his words. He and Nely weren't as strong as Leon. That was obvious. But right now, their only chance was to fight together.
Dune's mind raced as he weaved through Helios's attacks using Nebastep. Think, Dune… His ability turns anything he touches into a stone. His skin is nearly impenetrable. That's too strong for just a green Neba…*
There had to be something else.
*His clothing? His long ears? His mouth?*
Dune analyzed every movement, every attack. *I don't see a weakness…*
Before he could react, something grabbed him. He was flung through the air and smashed into the castle wall. Pain shot through his body as rubble collapsed around him.
"Dune!" Nely's voice rang out.
But before she could reach him, she was struck too, sent skidding across the stone floor. And then, the statues moved. One by one, the stone figures began to shift, their stiff bodies suddenly fluid.
Dune's stomach twisted. The statues, once frozen humans, now glowed from within. Their cores pulsed with eerie light, fueling their unnatural movements. And then, they attacked.
Dune's blood ran cold. *What the hell?*
"He can control them?" Nely panted, dodging a strike. "They're using abilities, how is that even possible?"
Dune gritted his teeth. "There's no way a green Neba should be this strong…" His mind spun with possibilities.
Unless…
*He's not just a green Neba.*
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut.
*Helios is also a Zeten.*
How didn't i think about this before? It was the only explanation. But even then… this ability combination was too perfect. Too refined. Most Zetens never had such flawless synergy between their abilities.
Unless… This place.
Dune's eyes darted around the battlefield. *Could this be an inheritance left behind by someone?* If Helios had found it, stolen its power, and absorbed the cores of fallen warriors…His stomach churned.
Dune staggered to his feet, shaking off the pain. "Nely, protect Lucas from the statues."
Nely nodded without hesitation, dashing toward the boy. Dune turned his attention back to Leon. Leon smirked. "Finally." Together, they charged back into the fight.