Inverted Pyramid (1)

One of the parts of the elevator that had fallen to the left crashed between two floors, cushioning the impact. Inside it was Eduard, protecting all the kids. At the last moment, he moved everyone behind him and pulled out a pair of large gloves from the bag he carried, making him look imposing like a gorilla. He used these gloves to shield them.

"Is everyone alright?" Eduard asked. Those with him got up, somewhat disoriented from the impact, and nodded in approval. With him were Lidia, Maria, Billy, Elena, and Podbe. Ah, and Elena, who had been thrown by her father into this spot. She said nothing; she was in shock about what she had witnessed: the loss of her father. She couldn't believe it, could only stammer, and no words came out of her mouth. Tears began to run down her cheek to her chin, as if two rivers were connected.

Eduard approached the girl, looked at her, and said: "Don't feel bad, child. Losing someone is a process that takes time." She began to scream in pain and said: "Now I have no one. I lost my mother, and now my father, and it's all because of this stupid company," referring to Radar. She started cursing, shouting, and crying with rage. Lidia wanted to console her, but seeing her in that state, she didn't dare. Instead, Maria and Billy approached her and hugged her. "We don't know what it feels like to lose your parents or loved ones, but we do know what it's like to be an orphan," they both said.

Elena gradually began to calm down. Then, Podbe approached her and licked her face as a sign of forgiveness. In Reia's mind she also felt sorry for what had happened to the girl. At first, she thought Elena deserved it for what she had done to Aiden, but after talking with Podbe and witnessing the scene, she concluded to forgive her, just as the dog had. Everyone now had their eyes set on one goal: to save Aiden and put an end to this company once and for all. Additionally, Elena had the mission of apologizing to Aiden for what she had done.

As the situation calmed down a bit, they began to notice they were stuck between two floors, and what remained of the elevator was swaying; at any moment, it could fall. Eduard spotted a section of the floor ahead that seemed stable, like a platform. He instructed everyone to gather again, and with his gigantic gloves, he grabbed them all and, taking a little leap, jumped like a grasshopper to the other side. Once on the other side, they saw the piece of the machine they had been on begin to plummet into the depths.

Everyone sighed in relief for having escaped unharmed and just in time from that apparatus—or what was left of it. Once on solid ground, they began to walk and found a passageway. In the distance, they spotted a door and started walking faster. But before they reached the door, a claw shot out and sent Eduard flying through the air. The door also went flying, revealing a creature resembling a giant mole with large and razor-sharp claws. The kids didn't know what to do; they were paralyzed with fear and couldn't move. The creature began to approach them, but before it could swing another of its claws, the sound of clashing metal rang out. It was Eduard who had returned to protect the children. He signaled for them to retreat. "Let me handle this," he said. The creature launched another attack, this time even faster, destroying everything around it. Eduard tried to shield himself from the blows, but even for him, they were too quick; one nearly hit him. Despite its size, the creature was extremely agile. At that moment, more claws emerged from the wall, which shattered instantly. It was another creature, identical to the one he was already fighting. "Oh no, it's another one of those pesky moles," he thought. Facing one had been difficult enough; now there were two. Lidia, who was behind with the kids, thought the same thing. The second mole that had joined the fight charged directly at Eduard but only managed to scratch his back slightly, thanks to him twisting away at the last moment. Eduard winced in pain but forced himself to stay composed so as not to lose focus on the other enemy.

Both creatures attacked him at once; they were very fast, but he didn't fall behind and tried to defend himself, one hand for each mole. Eduard was beginning to tire; after all, he was only human. As he saw one of the animals heading toward the children, he ran back and positioned himself in front of them to protect them. The other mole, which had stayed behind, burrowed through the walls and emerged at the last moment to attack him. Blood trickled from Eduard's back and arms. "Damn it, I'm losing this battle. I'm not the same as I used to be, but I can't give up; these kids need me." With his last ounce of strength, he placed himself in front of everyone, trying to shield them as best he could. Just before both moles could finish him off, a flash appeared in front of him. It was Podbe the dog who had stepped forward. Inside Podbe, Reia said: "You've activated Hardness. Twenty mana points will be deducted per use, and the ability will last for five minutes."

Reia read a notification that appeared on the screen. The notification stated: "You have two formidable enemies ahead; demonstrate your talent. Defeat one, and you'll level up instantly. Defeat two, and you'll reach level six. Optional quest: Protect those around you; ensure nothing happens to them, and you'll earn an extra skill point." Podbe asked Reia: "And what happens if I fail?" To which she responded: "I don't know, and I don't want to find out."

Everyone present was astonished by the dog, as the creatures' claws caused no harm when they struck him. Maria noticed a strange upside-down pyramid symbol and pointed it out to Billy. Both wondered what it could mean.

"Are you ready, Podbe?" she said, and the dog barked in response. "Then let's charge."

And so begins the journey through the underground for our hero, in what appears to be an inverted pyramid.