Master Of Chains-Chapter 15: The Clash

Oliver raised a hand and one of his teammates, Bobby, the tall and lanky boy with wild hair stepped forward without hesitation.

He twitched his fingers and instantly, vines and roots erupted from the soil, snaking toward Louis's ankles.

Louis tried to leap away, but the plants coiled around his legs, pinning him to the ground.

"Get off me!" he snarled, thrashing against the tightening grip.

Connor lunged to help, but Desmond cut him off, firing a blast of searing energy that Connor deflected with his plasma shield.

"Stay out of this, tech boy. You're fighting me," Desmond warned.

"Let him go!" Natalia shouted at Bobby.

Bobby's eyes blazed with a supernatural glow as more roots slithered up Louis's torso.

The harder Louis struggled, the tighter they squeezed.

"Sorry," Bobby sneered, "but your hero isn't going anywhere."

Louis gritted his teeth as vines tightened around his neck, constricting his throat. He clawed at them, panic rising; he couldn't breathe.

Bobby was going to choke him to death.

Oliver stepped forward, grinning. "You always act like the main character, Louis. Let's see if that alien power can save you now."

He raised his fist for a strike.

But Natalia was already behind him. "Guess again!" Her psychic wave sent the team flying. Bobby staggered, loosening the vines just enough for Louis to breathe.

"Back off!" Bobby shouted. "Or you'll be next!" Suddenly, vines lashed toward Natalia, binding her arms and legs. She struggled, gasping,

"Oh no!"

Blood seeped from Louis's hands as Bobby tightened the vines, threatening to crush him.

The Core in his chest pulsed with energy.

[Warning: Vital signs critical.]

"Activate," Louis whispered. The Core exploded with green light, blasting through the vines and hurling Bobby back. Green flames erupted from Louis, incinerating the tendrils.

Bobby scrambled to his feet. "What the—?"

Chains of fire shot from Louis's palms, wrapping around Bobby and slamming him against the wall. The vines binding Natalia recoiled, and she dropped to her knees.

"Nice timing," she said, looking up at him.

Oliver became furious. "You want a real fight? You got it!"

He slapped a glowing card to the ground, summoning two hulking bear-like creatures with steel jaws and blazing eyes.

They roared and charged at Louis.

Louis chains blazed brighter as he spun, sending a flaming chain slicing the two beasts in half, their remains scattering on the ground.

Oliver's eyes widened. "No way... No one's that strong!"

Louis advanced, his eyes burning. "I'm just getting started."

Oliver stumbled back desperately, stepping on a crescent moon tile. A statue of a warrior sprang to life, aiming an arrow at Oliver's back.

"Oliver, move!" Louis lunged, tackling him just as the arrow struck.

Oliver stared, stunned. "You... saved me?"

Before Louis could respond, the chamber shook. Statues twisted, their faces melting into grotesque forms, arms lengthening into claws.

A horrific wail filled the chamber as they encircled both teams.

"What now?" Connor muttered.

"It's a trap," Desmond hissed.

Natalia's fists glowed. "We won't survive unless we work together."

All eyes turned to Oliver.

"Why the hell are you all looking at me?" he hesitated. "Fine, I'll help, but just for now."

Suddenly, the first alien statue lunged. The rival teams fought back-to-back.

Louis whipped a chain, severing an attacking claw. Natalia hurled psychic force, smashing three statues. Desmond's laser blasts shattered another. Bobby's vines crushed two into rubble.

But for every fallen statue, another appeared.

"Focus!" Louis shouted, dodging a swipe. "Oliver, use your cards!"

"Don't boss me!" Oliver retorted, then flung a glowing card. A shimmering barrier appeared, blocking a wave of alien statues.

"Cover me!" Connor charged, slamming his plasma shield into a cluster, energy rippling outward.

"There's a big one coming!" Natalia warned.

A massive statue, twice as tall with four arms, descended, roaring.

"Great," Bobby muttered. "Boss fight."

Louis stepped forward, chains blazing. "I've got it."

"Wait!" Natalia cried, but Louis moved.

The giant swung an arm but Louis ducked, lashing his chains around it's arm and yanking it out.

It retaliated, smashing the floor as Louis dodged. frёewebnoѵēl.com

"Hit it together!" he called.

Natalia unleashed a psychic blast at its head. Connor fired a plasma bolt at a glowing rune on its back. Bobby's vines wrapped its legs, while Desmond hammered its torso.

Oliver hesitated, then flung another card. Shards of light sliced into the statue's chest.

Louis summoned all his energy, driving the flaming chain into the statue's core.

The impact sent a shockwave through the chamber. The giant shuddered and exploded into shards of blue and green light.

Silence fell as the remaining statues crumbled.

Louis stumbled to one knee.

"You did it."Nathalia said as she rushed to his side.

"We did it," Louis corrected, glancing at Oliver.

Oliver looked away, blushing. "Whatever.Lets just get the scrolls and get out of here"

Oliver and his team rushed toward the stone pedestal, seizing one of the glowing scrolls.

In an instant, a swirling portal appeared.

Desmond glanced at Louis and his team. "See you on the other side. Or not."

With that, they stepped through the portal and disappeared.

Louis, Connor, and Natalia exchanged glances before moving forward to claim their own scroll. Another portal opened, pulling them in with a rush of wind.

They landed hard on a surface of white marble, the world spinning. Gradually, they stood and looked around.

They were in a vast, domed chamber, its walls and floor gleaming white as if craved from pure light.

Portals shimmered at intervals, and groups of cadets emerged, blinking and disoriented.

Some cheered, while others appeared broken or furious.

Connor quickly counted. "Hold on. Four teams? There should only be three."

Louis frowned, remembering the rules."Only three teams could achieve victory. Only three could return home."

Natalia clenched her fists, her gaze fixed on Oliver's team. "Some teams must have bypassed the rules."

As the last group arrived, the portals flickered out.

Silence. No exit appeared; the chamber remained sealed.

Suddenly, a screen above them flickered to life, displaying a message:

[Error: Four Qualified Teams Detected. Only Three May Proceed.]

[Please resolve. Portal will appear when only three teams remain.]

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some cadets looked fearfully at each other; others appeared predatory.

Oliver's team stepped forward, as if ready to address the room.

Nearby, another team moved too: Jason, the red-haired girl Louis remembered, and their leader, a scar-faced boy named Austin. His eyes were hard and calculated.

Connor leaned in "They're not just going to vote someone out?."

Louis shook his head. "No. They'll try to eliminate us."

Oliver's voice rang out, low and bitter. "Looks like the only way out is the hard way."

Austin stepped forward, his voice icy. "We all know the stakes. Three teams go home. One doesn't. I'm not losing my spot to any of you."