Chapter 72-A Moment of Peace

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the battlefield was behind them,

The warfields, the unending waves of warriors, the clash of divine power-it was all over.

Solmara had fallen. Elias had claimed her strength, pushing himself past his limits. Althea and Lyra had barely survived, their wounds severe but treatable. Now, days had passed, and for once, they weren't fighting to stay alive. They were resting.

The city above the Trial was a place of refuge, one of the few locations where challengers could find a momentary reprieve from the constant battles. Though it was not completely safe, as conflicts often erupted between warriors, it had inns, markets, and even entertainment-things that felt foreign after so much bloodshed.

Inside the Silvercrest Inn, a cozy establishment near the heart of the city, Elias sat in a quiet corner, absently tracing the rim of his cup. The smell of warm food and spiced ale filled the air, a stark contrast to the iron scent of blood he

had grown used to.

Across from him, Lyra stretched, her usual smirk returning to her lips.

"I almost forgot what it felt like to relax," she said, rolling her shoulders. "No screaming warlords trying to skewer us, no divine decrees threatening to erase our existence-just food, drink, and good company. I could get used to this."

Althea, seated beside her, chuckled softly. She

looked much better than she had days ago. The divine wounds she suffered had nearly taken her life, but with time and proper healing, she had recovered.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, Elias muttered, taking a sip from his drink.

"You're such a downer" Lyra leaned forward. "Come on, we survived! That's worth celebrating. You even got a fancy new dagger from the

system-

Elias placed the Divine Dagger on the table, letting its silvered edge catch the dim candlelight. The weapon was sleek, perfectly balanced, and unnaturally sharp. When he ran his finger along the blade, he could feel the power humming beneath its surface.

Althea tapped her fingers on the table. "The system granting you a weapon is rare. It usually just gives power, not physical artifacts. This means we're getting deeper. The stakes are increasing."

Elias nodded, lost in thought. The Trial was evolving. He had come this far, but how much longer could they push forward together?

Would they make it to the end?

The thought weighed on him, but for now, he pushed it aside.

"Alright," he said, leaning back. "Let's celebrate. Just for tonight"

Lyra grinned. "Now that's what I like to hear."

A Night of Celebration

The three of them spent the evening exploring the city.

First, they visited a marketplace filled with rare

goods scavenged from fallen challengers. Exotic weapons, enchanted relics, and ancient texts.

lined the stalls. Elias found himself drawn to an

old battle manual, detailing forgotten techniques of warlords long past. He bought it, wondering if any of it would be useful against the future

floors.

Next, they stopped by a street food vendor, where they tried roasted beast skewers, honeyed pastries, and strong, spiced wine. Lyra made a game out of guessing the ingredients, failing

every time.

"Alright, this one is definitely phoenix meat, she declared, pointing at a deep-red slice of cooked meat,

The vendor, an elderly man, laughed. "That's just regular boar."

Althea covered her mouth, laughing, while Elias shook his head.

Later, they stumbled upon a performance square, where a bard sang of past challengers-

heroes who had conquered the Trial and those who had fallen. The stories were grand, but they

all ended the same way.

No one knew what happened beyond the final floor.

Elias listened intently, his mind drifting. Would his story be different?

Conversations Under the Stars

By the time the night deepened, the three of them found themselves by a quiet overlook,

watching the city lights flicker beneath the vast, star-strewn sky.

Althea leaned on the stone railing, letting the cool breeze brush against her skin. "I almost forgot what peace felt like."

Lyra sat on the ground, sipping from a bottle of cheap wine they had bought earlier. "We deserve this, at least for tonight."

Elias stood a little apart, looking up at the stars. His mind wasn't on the present but on the future.

This can't last.

As much as he wanted to hold onto this

moment, he knew the deeper they went, the

worse it would get. The next layers wouldn't just test their strength-they would test their will to survive.

Althea seemed to notice his silence. "Elias?"

He tumed.

She hesitated before speaking. "What are you thinking?"

He considered lying. Saying he was just tired. But something about the way she asked made him answer honestly.

"I'm thinking about what comes next." His voice

was quiet. "The next floors, the next fights. The deeper we go, the more dangerous it gets. You both nearly died against Solmara. If we keep

going like this...

Lyra exhaled, placing her bottle down. "You're not about to say something stupid like I should go alone,' right?"

Silence.

Althea's eyes widened slightly. "Elias, you're not

"It's not about wanting to go alone, he cut in, "It's about whether I should

He tumed fully to face them. "I started this journey for revenge. To gain the power to kill the

gods. But you two... you don't have to be part of this. If you keep following me, you'll die. Maybe

not today, maybe not tomorrow-but eventually. And I don't want that."

Lyra sighed, rubbing her temples. "You're an idiot."

Elias frowned. "Lyra-"

"No, shut up for a second." She stood, walking toward him, jabbing a finger into his chest. "You think we followed you this far just because we had nothing better to do? We chose this. We chose to fight. And we'll keep choosing it, no matter how hard it gets."

Althea nodded. "She's right. If you think leaving us behind will protect us, you're wrong. We're not weak, Elias. We've fought just as hard as you."

Elias clenched his jaw, struggling with the emotions swirling inside him.

"Besides," Lyra smirked, "who else is gonna keep your dumb ass alive?"

He let out a slow breath. He wanted to argue. But deep down, he knew they were right.

He wasn't alone.

Not yet.

"...Fine," he muttered. "But if either of you dies, I'm bringing you back just so I can kill you myself."

Lyra laughed. "Now that's the spirit."

Althea smiled. "Then let's move forward together."

Elias looked at them both, then back at the vast sky above.

Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't doomed to walk this path alone.