"Level 2 is also dismantled now," Fianna said between breaths.

The soft blue of deactivation runes pulsed behind them, fading out one by one — a clear sign the trap field above had been successfully disabled. The suffocating pressure of the maze-like entryway finally gave way to an open, downward passage.

"This should be the final stretch," Fianna added, her voice steadie.

Ahead, Lyrius and Calenthir led the way, their light orbs illuminating moss-covered stone as they descended into the third level.

Kairos, keeping close to Fianna, muttered quietly, "Everything's too quiet."

"Don't say that," Calenthir whispered sharply. She was gripping Lyrius's sleeve unconsciously. "It's already scary down here."

They emerged into a vaulted underground chamber — its ceiling arched with ancient sigils. In the center stood a great stone door with three glyph-locked circles glowing faintly red.

The Final Gate.

Unlike the two magical arrays they had disabled before — runes built to detect movement and elemental magic — this one was... different.

"This is it," Lyrius said, stepping forward. "Final layer."

He stopped. The glyphs began to pulse brighter.

"Only responds to one thing..."

"…Mana signature of the Bastion's bloodline," Fianna finished.

Everyone fell silent.

"The Lord of Bastion created this door himself," Lyrius said, gazing at the seal. "He feared the beasts. These gates were to protect his people when the red forest turned hostile."

He touched the stone, reverently. "But in the end… even he lost the castle."

A deep, weighted silence followed his words.

"Caspian said either oliver or Lyrius might be able to open it," Fianna said. "Your mana signature... it might be close enough."

"Let's do it," Oliver stepped forward, hands already glowing faintly with his own mana. "Fast. We don't have much time."

As he reached out—

WOOOOOOOHHHH!!!

The alarm sound ripped through the chamber like a scream.

High-pitched. Unnatural. Ancient.

It echoed through the stone like a voice calling the dead. The sound didn't come from underground — it came from above. From the top of the tower.

Everyone froze.

"What the hell was that?!" Calenthir backed up, summoning her blade reflexively.

Lyrius turned to Fianna. "We didn't trigger it. This level didn't even open."

"Then something — or someone — else did," Fianna said, heart pounding.

Suddenly, Oliver's communicator buzzed in his belt.

A sharp voice cut through the static.

"Unit 1, respond. Oliver — this is Caspian. Don't open the gate."

Static, then again.

"Retreat immediately. The Bastion's upper security was tripped. We have movement across the forest perimeter. I repeat——retreat to the main gate of the central fortress. Now. Over and out."

Fianna met Oliver's eyes.

"Let's move."

There was no hesitation now.

As one, the five of them turned, sprinting back through the twisting passage they had come from — lights flickering, the air now thrumming with tension.

...

The shrill sound of the ancient alarm pulsed through the cold forest air.

Caspian gritted his teeth as he ran — boots pounding through gravel and dried roots beneath the towering archway that marked the Main Gate of the Bastion.

He turned his head sharply, looking back over his shoulder.

"All of you — run toward the main gate of the castle! Now!" Caspian shouted through the sound transmitter, his voice sharp and unwavering.

The static in the radio crackled as multiple affirmations echoed back.

His team — Units 2 through 5 — broke from their respective positions across the outer ruins, all of them converging like trained streams toward a single point of steel and stone: the Bastion's Gate.

Behind him, the wind shifted.

The trees near the outer forest rustled — but not from breeze.

"It's begun," Caspian muttered to himself.

His fingers tightened around the transmitter again.

"Listen up. The second we get through that gate, everyone takes their assigned objective immediately. There's no time to regroup inside. We're splitting up on entry — just as we planned."

No one objected.

There wasn't time to.

The Bastion stood like a half-destroyed relic.

But it was never lifeless.

Not since they arrived.

Not since they stepped into enemy ground.

"These traps… they weren't designed for humans," Caspian thought. "They were built for monsters."

And that fact — oddly — gave him a sliver of relief.

"They'll react to size, to scent, to mana patterns different from humans. If we're fast and clean, they might not even activate."

Still, something clawed at the edge of his thoughts.

That alarm hadn't been accidentally triggered.

"Someone tripped it on purpose."

"Outlings…" he murmured under his breath, eyes scanning the Bastion walls.

Not beasts. because they do not roam here as reports says. they only come when somethings is triggered'

The outlings knew how the Bastion was built.They were drawing them in, just like Kismet warned.

"This place feeds on dark energy," he reminded himself, thinking of the briefing."All those corrupted beasts... they aren't just stationed here. They're drawn here to save this dark energy from threats as dark energy is there lifeline. ."

His gaze turned toward the central keep — a broken spire, shrouded in black fog.

"The Heart of the Bastion. It's still beating," he thought.

If they failed to destroy it, this mission wasn't just a loss — it was a massacre waiting to happen.

From the edge of the clearing, Vynesaa's unit came into view, sprinting across broken terrain.Darian's group wasn't far behind.

Fianna, Oliver, and the rest of Unit 1 emerged from the northern edge of the Bastion perimeter — slightly out of breath, but unharmed.

Good.

Caspian lifted the transmitter one last time.

"Everyone inside. No time to regroup. I'll close the gate behind us- once the last team's in."

And with that, he turned to face the main gate — eyes narrowed — and stepped inside the cast

...

The ancient metal groaned as Vera gave it one final shove.With a deep clang, the towering gate of the Bastion slammed shut — thick vines from Vynessa earlier magic crept up its sides, reinforcing it.

Caspian exhaled. "That should hold."

Vera dusted off his hands, nodding. "Gate's locked. We bought time. Let's move."

Caspian turned back toward the corridor, ready to head for the central chamber to regroup—But then—

BOOM! ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ ɴovᴇl(F)ɪre.ɴet

A violent, echoing explosion cracked through the very spine of the fortress.

Dust surged forward like a sandstorm. The ground beneath their boots shook. Bits of stone rained from the high ceiling.And as Caspian whipped around—

—the gate was gone.

Completely blasted open — twisted, charred metal hanging from one hinge like torn paper.

The smoke hadn't even cleared when shadows began to form beyond it. Shapes. Many. Dozens.

Dozens of eyes.

Dozens of limbs.

The smoke parted just enough for him to make out the unmistakable form of a hulking beast, cloaked in black mist, flanked by smaller—but no less twisted—creatures.

Caspian's body tensed.

"Shit."

Vera slowly stepped beside him, bow sliding into his palm.

"You said… these traps were made to keep beasts out, right?" Vera asked, low voice taut with disbelief.

"They were." Caspian replied.

"Then how are they here?"

Caspian didn't answer. His hand instinctively moved to the hilt of his sword, but his mind was already racing.

This isn't supposed to happen… The traps were for beasts. The gate was secure. How did they—

Bloodmoon's voice rang in his head.

"They didn't come from outside the forest, Caspian."

"They were always in here. Waiting."