Spirit Game

Golly hurried to the circle's edge, his eyes scanning the intricate symbols. He understood that the key to reversing the ritual lay in the core runes that anchored the spell.

"By altering the sequence of these core runes and channeling a counter-spell through them, I could potentially neutralize the dark energy.

"It would be risky — Gorm's magic was powerful and unstable — but if I could isolate the critical runes and infuse them with pure energy, I might just sever the connection between the circle and the underworld, preventing the gate from opening."

Golly's hands moved swiftly, his mind racing to calculate the precise incantations needed to invert the spell. Every second counted as he fought against the dark forces threatening to engulf them all.

"What do you want us to do?" Rain asked, his voice tense with urgency. But before Golly could answer, Valera interjected.

"That'll take too long, Golly! We don't have that kind of time! Let's just destroy the magic circle!"

Golly shook his head, his expression grave. "The magic circle is too powerful! It would take an enormous amount of energy to destroy it, and if we unleash that energy, this entire cave will collapse and bury us alive!"

The weight of Golly's words hung heavy in the air, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.

Rain found himself caught in a dilemma. Trusting Golly to dismantle the circle would take time — time they might not have. If they waited too long, the gate would fully open, and closing it would be impossible.

On the other hand, they could destroy the magic circle now, but the resulting explosion would likely kill them all. Yet, it was the only option that guaranteed the magic would be destroyed, even if it meant their own demise.

Rain's mind raced, weighing the impossible choices before him. Either way, it seemed like a death sentence, but the second option offered a glimmer of hope — for their sacrifice to save others.

"If only the magic circle could teleport us to the surface," Valera muttered, her voice thick with frustration. "Then we could blow this place without worry."

"It's too late for that," Golly said, shaking his head. "Even configuring the circle to teleport us would take time — time we don't have."

"There's no time! We need to do something now!" Thorgar roared, his voice echoing through the cavern as the fissure grew bigger and with it came haunting sounds that crawled deep within the underworld.

"Wait . . . do you hear that?" Helliana said, adjusting her grip on the unconscious Santi, who had passed out from the shock of her father's demise.

Everyone fell silent, straining to hear what Helliana had noticed.

"I hear it too," Thraigar said, his ears twitching as he focused on the sound.

"Some kind of . . . clicking mechanism?" Golly added, frowning as he tried to pinpoint the noise.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them erupted, and everyone stumbled back, startled by the appearance of a massive, machine-like mole burrowing up from below.

"Diggy 2.0!" Golly exclaimed, his eyes widening in recognition.

~Chirp!~

"#4! Is that you?" Rain shouted, elated at the sight of the familiar companion. "You're alive, #4!"

#4 chirped frantically, its small mechanical form whirring with urgency. 'No time to explain! Get in!'

"We can finally escape, but what about the magic circle?" Helliana asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Go!" Valera commanded. "I'll stay behind and destroy the magic circle."

"Valera, no!" Thorgar reached out to her, realizing what she intended.

"There's no other way," Valera said, her eyes meeting Thorgar's and Thraigar's. "I'm the only one here with enough magical power to obliterate that circle."

"But Valera, you'll die!" Thraigar cried out, his voice filled with anguish.

At the mention of death, Rain froze mid-climb into Diggy 2.0, his heart lurching. "Die?"

"We'll die anyway if we stay here and do nothing!" Valera shouted, already channeling her mana into a concentrated, glowing sphere of energy. Her decision was already set in stone, the air around her crackling with raw power.

Thorgar looked at her one last time, his face shadowed with sorrow, before urging the others, "Everyone, get in the machine now. We don't have much time."

"Thorgar, we can't just leave Valera!" Thraigar argued, desperation edging his voice.

Thorgar clenched his jaw, placing a firm hand on Thraigar's shoulder. "We don't have a choice," he said, his voice heavy with pain. He knew better than anyone the weight of Valera's sacrifice, and it crushed him.

Thraigar's protests died in his throat as he looked into Thorgar's eyes, understanding the depth of the decision. It wasn't just a tactical move — it was the hardest choice Thorgar had ever had to make.

Valera glanced back at them one last time, a sad smile on her face. "Go," she whispered, her body already glowing with the power of her final attack. "I'll make sure this place goes up in flames."

With a heavy heart, the others clambered into Diggy 2.0, and the machine roared to life, digging its way toward the surface.

As they sped away, the cavern filled with the brilliant light of Valera's magic, a blinding beacon of sacrifice that would forever be etched into their memories. And then, the earth shook, as Valera's final spell unleashed its destructive force, sealing their escape with the ultimate price.

Inside the tight confines of the Diggy 2.0, Rain and his companions were crammed together, barely able to move as the machine clawed its way through the earth.

The air was thick with tension, each breath coming in shallow gasps as the walls of the machine pressed in on them. Every jolt and shudder of the machine as it dug through the earth sent a ripple of anxiety through the group.

The metallic grinding of the machine's gears was deafening in the confined space, drowning out the sound of their labored breathing.

Rain was wedged between Thorgar's massive frame and the cold, hard wall of the machine, his body aching from the awkward position.

The rough vibrations from Diggy's movements reverberated through his bones, making it nearly impossible to stay still.

Santi was still unconscious, and was draped across Helliana's lap, her face pale and her breathing shallow. Helliana's arms were wrapped protectively around her, her eyes darting nervously between the others, her own discomfort forgotten in her concern for their safety.