Tower of god:Skybender

The air was heavy as Kael and Ami stepped onto the 18th floor. The portal led them to a massive chamber dimly lit by faint orbs of shinsu, marking the locations of the other three teams spread across the four corners of a square-shaped map. The space was constructed of rectangular rooms connected by narrow hallways, and every shadow seemed to hold something dangerous. Four light bearers stood at the heart of their respective teams, their glowing shinsu devices the only sources of illumination in the oppressive darkness.

Kael glanced at his team. There were six of them: Kael himself, Ami with her sharp claws and quick reflexes, Gregor with his enormous war hammer, Tessa the shinsu-infused archer, Yuto the swordsman with his swift, precise strikes, and Lila, their light bearer, clutching her glowing orb of shinsu with trembling hands. Lila's nervousness was palpable, but her determination shone through as she adjusted the device. Without her, the team would be left in complete darkness, vulnerable to both enemy attacks and the creatures lurking in the shadows.

The test administrator, a tall, shadowy figure with glowing yellow eyes, stood in the center of the chamber. His voice boomed across the room, vibrating through the walls. "Welcome to the 18th-floor test: Battle for a Light. The rules are simple—protect your light bearer while eliminating the others. The light bearer cannot move. Should they leave their position, your team is disqualified. The test ends when only one light bearer remains."

Kael felt the weight of the challenge settle over him as the administrator continued. "This is not just a test of strength but of strategy. Beware: creatures will roam the square, attracted to your light. The fewer of you there are, the fewer creatures will come. But if your numbers dwindle too much, the beasts will swarm. The light of your bearer will dim every five minutes, leaving you in total darkness for thirty seconds. Survive, and you may proceed."

As soon as the administrator finished speaking, the faint lights flickered out, plunging the chamber into near-complete darkness. The only light came from the orbs of the light bearers, glowing faintly like beacons. The test had begun.

Kael wasted no time taking charge. "Gregor, Tessa, you're on defense. Stay close to Lila and protect her. Yuto, Ami, you're with me. We're going hunting." His tone was calm but firm, and the others nodded in agreement. Gregor hefted his war hammer onto his shoulder with a grunt, and Tessa checked her arrows, her sharp eyes scanning the dim surroundings.

Kael, Ami, and Yuto moved swiftly through the narrow hallways, careful to stay in the shadows. The faint glow from their own light bearer faded behind them as they ventured deeper into the maze-like structure. Every sound seemed amplified in the silence—the faint hum of shinsu, the skittering of claws against stone, and the occasional distant growl.

As they neared one of the other team's positions, Kael motioned for the group to stop. Ahead, through the faint glow of an enemy light bearer, he could make out their setup. Three guards surrounded the light bearer—a burly man with a spiked mace, a wiry girl with twin daggers, and a tall figure wielding a shinsu-infused staff. Kael leaned toward Ami and whispered, "We need a distraction. Can you draw them away while Yuto and I take out the light bearer?"

Ami grinned, her tails flicking with excitement. "Oh, I can handle that." She disappeared into the shadows, moving so silently it was as though she'd vanished entirely. Moments later, a loud crash echoed from a nearby hallway, followed by a startled shout.

The guards snapped to attention, their weapons raised. "What was that?" the man with the mace growled, stepping away from the light bearer. Kael seized the opportunity. With a quick signal to Yuto, they rushed forward. Kael's chains lashed out, wrapping around the legs of the staff-wielder and yanking him off his feet. Yuto darted past the remaining guard, his sword slicing through the enemy light orb with precision.

The glow vanished, plunging the area into darkness. Ami reappeared beside them, brushing her claws against her sleeve. "Too easy."

Their victory was short-lived. A guttural growl echoed from the darkness, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. Kael's wings rustled uneasily. "The creatures," Yuto muttered, tightening his grip on his sword.

"Back to Lila. Now," Kael ordered. They moved quickly, the sound of the creatures growing louder behind them.

When they reached their team, they found Gregor and Tessa fending off an attack. Three spider-like beasts with glowing eyes and razor-sharp legs circled Lila, their movements predatory. The young light bearer struggled to keep her orb steady, the light flickering as her hands shook.

Kael's chains lashed out, wrapping around one of the creatures and slamming it into a wall. Gregor swung his hammer in a brutal arc, crushing another with a sickening crunch. Tessa loosed an arrow, piercing the third creature's glowing eye. Lila let out a shaky breath as the last of the creatures fell. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I couldn't keep it steady."

Kael shook his head. "You're doing fine. Just focus on the light. We've taken out one team. Two more to go."

Before they could regroup, Lila's orb began to flicker again. Kael froze, his stomach sinking. "Thirty seconds," Ami said, her tone unusually serious. The light vanished completely, leaving them in total darkness.

Kael's heart pounded in his chest as he strained to hear any movement. A low growl rumbled from the shadows, followed by the sound of claws scraping against stone. "Form a circle around Lila," Kael ordered. "Hold your ground."

The creatures attacked almost immediately. Their glowing eyes, like malevolent embers in the pitch-black void, were the only indication of their presence as they darted toward the team with chilling speed. Kael's heart pounded, his wings tensing instinctively. He couldn't see much, only the faint shimmer of movement in the dark, but the feral growls and clicking claws echoed ominously around them.

Kael's chains lashed out, attempting to strike the beasts. Without the aid of light, his aim was imprecise, the metallic whips ricocheting off the walls and missing their targets more often than not. "Damn it," Kael hissed under his breath, frustration mounting. One creature came dangerously close to Lila, its razor-like legs clicking against the floor as it charged. Gregor stepped in with a roar, swinging his war hammer with the kind of power that reverberated through the chamber. The weapon connected with a sickening crunch, sending the beast skidding into the darkness, but Gregor's movements were sluggish, his stamina waning.

Tessa crouched low, her bowstring drawn taut as she fired arrows into the darkness. She relied purely on sound and instinct, her breathing measured and steady. One of her shots hit true, striking a creature mid-leap and pinning it against the wall. A guttural shriek erupted, but Tessa didn't falter, already nocking another arrow.

Kael gritted his teeth, realizing their defense couldn't hold for long.Closing his eyes, he reached deep within himself, connecting with the shinsu that infused his body. His wings shimmered faintly as he activated his telepathic link to the feathers. Slowly, they began to lift, detaching one by one from his wings and hovering around him like floating blades. He couldn't see the creatures, but he could feel the air shift as they moved, their predatory intent radiating like a signal.

One creature lunged for Yuto, who was standing guard near Lila. Without hesitation, Kael sent a feather streaking through the air, slicing cleanly through one of the beast's legs mid-flight. It collapsed with a pained howl, and Yuto finished it off with a precise downward slash from his sword. Another feather shot toward a second creature that had managed to slip past Gregor's hammer, embedding itself into the creature's side with deadly accuracy.

Kael began to move, weaving through the chaos with fluidity and purpose. His chains were no longer his primary weapon—they became a distraction, lashing out at walls and floors to create misleading echoes that disoriented the beasts. Meanwhile, his telepathically controlled feathers darted through the darkness like silent assassins, cutting through sinew and bone with ruthless precision. One feather circled back mid-flight to intercept a creature sneaking behind Gregor, skewering it through the eye before returning to hover near Kael like a loyal sentinel.

But even with their combined efforts, the creatures kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. Kael's wings drooped as the light began to flicker back into existence, revealing the aftermath of their desperate battle. Three more creatures lay dead, their twisted forms sprawled across the stone floor. Blood, both human and beast, stained the ground. Gregor leaned heavily on his hammer, sweat pouring down his face, while Tessa slumped against a wall, her quiver nearly empty. Lila sat trembling, her hands clutching the shinsu orb as though it were her lifeline.

Kael wiped sweat from his brow, his feathers returning to his wings as he assessed the scene. His team was battered, their energy drained, but they were still standing. "We can't keep this up," he muttered, his gaze fixed on Lila, whose light was already dimming again.

Determined to end the test quickly, Kael devised a bold plan. Gregor and Tessa would stay behind to guard Lila while Kael, Ami, and Yuto moved toward the final team's position. He didn't wait for objections—there was no time for hesitation. "Gregor, you're our wall. Tessa, cover him. Yuto, Ami, let's go."

The trio moved swiftly through the maze-like structure, their movements synchronized like a well-rehearsed dance. Ami led the way, her agility and heightened senses making her invaluable in the low light. Yuto followed closely, his sword drawn and ready, while Kael hovered slightly behind, his feathers drifting around him like a protective aura.

As they neared the final team's position, Kael noticed the glow of their light bearer's orb casting faint shadows against the walls. The enemy team had fortified their defenses well; three guards stood in a tight formation around the light bearer, their weapons glinting ominously in the dim light. Two others patrolled the nearby hallways, their footsteps echoing faintly.

Kael motioned for Ami to flank them. She disappeared into the shadows, her presence melting away like a ghost. Kael and Yuto pressed forward, their movements deliberate and silent. The first patrol guard rounded the corner, only to find Kael's chain wrapping around his ankle. With a sharp tug, the guard was yanked off his feet, and Yuto finished him with a clean strike to the back of the head.

The commotion drew the attention of the remaining guards. One lunged at Kael with a spear, but Kael's feathers moved faster. Three of them shot forward, slicing the spear into useless splinters before embedding themselves in the guard's shoulder. The man screamed, dropping his weapon as Yuto moved in for the knockout blow.

By the time the last defenders turned to face them, it was already too late. Ami reappeared behind the light bearer, her claws slicing through the glowing orb with one swift motion. The light bearer let out a cry of frustration as the room was plunged into darkness.

Kael could hear the final guards scrambling in the pitch-black chaos, but they were no longer a threat. The creatures would find them soon enough. "Fall back," Kael ordered, his team retreating as the sound of approaching beasts grew louder.

When they returned to their light bearer, the administrator's voice boomed through the chamber. "Congratulations, regulars. You have proven your worth on the 18th floor. Those who remain standing may proceed."

Kael and his team regrouped, battered but victorious. Ami clapped him on the shoulder, her grin mischievous despite the blood streaking her face. "Not bad, fearless leader. Not bad at all."

Kael allowed himself a small smile, though his exhaustion was evident. The battle for the light had pushed them to their limits, but they had survived. The challenges ahead would only grow harder, but for now, they could savor their hard-earned victory.