Erend and Eccar sat cautiously in the wooden chairs that appeared as if they had been prepared just for them. The chairs were simple but sturdy, positioned near the edge of the water with a clear view of the tranquil oasis.
The warm breeze moved gently through the palm trees, making the setting feel almost too perfect. It was as if the place itself wanted them to relax. They also feel that their fatigue begin to dissapear slowly.
The woman moved with an elegant grace as she sat across from them on a large ornate stone that rose out of the sand. She watched them with a calm amused smile, her golden-brown hair cascading over her shoulders.
"I am Sahura," she finally introduced herself, her voice smooth and lodic. "And I am the guardian of this oasis... and the BOSS of the 30th floor."
Erend and Eccar's eyes widened in shock at her words and they imdiately tensed. Their hands instinctively ford into fists, adrenaline beginning to spike as the realization hit.
A BOSS. The thought sent their hearts racing. They had fought powerful enemies before and the bosses they had encountered were always the deadliest. The fact that she revealed herself so casually didn't sit right with them.
Sahura noticed their reactions and chuckled softly. "You don't need to worry," she said. "I will not attack you now. It is not ti for that."
Erend's mind raced as he tried to process the situation, but then a mory from long ago surfaced. He had encountered sothing similar before. Another BOSS, a man nad Haril, had once confronted him and ask him to sit with him because it wasn't ti for their final battle.
With a deep breath, Erend relaxed slightly, though his wariness didn't completely fade. He glanced at Eccar and gave him a subtle nod.
"It's true. I've seen this before," Erend said in a low voice. "She won't attack us. At least, not yet."
Eccar hesitated, still eyeing Sahura with suspicion, but he trusted Erend's judgnt. Slowly, he eased his stance, though he still remained vigilant.
Sahura leaned back, clearly satisfied with their reaction.
"I'm not here to kill you, yet," she continued, her eyes gleaming with intrigue. "There are rules, you see. This is a resting place, a sanctuary. I am bound by those rules just as you are. But when the ti cos, you will face in combat."
Her gaze swept between the two of them, the weight of her words settling in the air like a challenge. It was bound to be true. She didn't have any hostility toward them, its just simple fact.
Erend's muscles still buzzed with the tension of their previous fight, but he found himself intrigued. "So… what now?" he asked, his voice steady.
"For now you just need rest, recover, and prepare yourselves for whatever next challenge to co. I have no interest in attacking weak opponents. When we face each other, I want you at your strongest."
The weight of her words left an unsettling sense of inevitability hanging over them. But Erend and Eccar have the sa thought. At least they don't need to fight right now.
Sahura flicked her fingers, and in an instant, two glasses of fresh, sparkling drinks appeared beside Erend and Eccar. The liquid shimred in the sunlight. Without hesitation, both of them reached for the glasses. The mont the cool liquid touched their lips, a wave of refreshing sensation coursed through their bodies, unlike anything they had felt before.
It was as if every ounce of exhaustion, tension, and thirst was washed away in an instant.
Erend let out a soft sigh of relief, savoring the drink as the coolness spread through his limbs. Eccar simply nodded in approval, already downing the liquid greedily. He wiped his mouth, letting out a deep breath as the tension that had gripped him seed to dissipate.
Sahura watched them with an amused smile, her eyes gleaming with interest.
"I can feel the weight on your shoulders," she said, her voice smooth and gentle. "There is sothing you're carrying. A burden. What troubles you so deeply?"
Erend, still holding his drink, glanced at Eccar before finishing the last gulp. As he set the glass down, he was startled to see that it was full again, the liquid refilled without a single drop missing. He blinked in surprise before offering Sahura a nod of gratitude.
"Thank you," Erend said, his voice more relaxed now. "Whatever this drink is, it's... incredible."
Eccar simply gave a grunt of approval, lifting his glass again to drain it. The drink had a power of its own, leaving both of them feeling almost... peaceful.
Sahura rely nodded in response, her enigmatic smile never leaving her lips. She seed in no hurry, waiting patiently for them to gather their thoughts.
Erend set the glass down on the sand.
"It was sothing called The Great Calamity," he began slowly. "It's a force… sothing beyond anything I've ever faced before. It wants to devour the world I'm protecting. And it's growing stronger."
His gaze shifted toward the horizon, where the desert stretched out endlessly. "We've been fighting it trying to stop its advance. But… it's relentless. It doesn't stop. And if we fail, this world an the other world will be lost."
Eccar listened silently, his expression darkening as Erend spoke. The weight of the situation hung over both of them, and for the first ti since they'd sat down, the serene oasis seed almost too peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos they were preparing to face.
Sahura, still smiling, tilted her head slightly. "The Great Calamity," she repeated softly as if tasting the words. Her eyes glead with an ancient understanding. "A force of destruction, seeking to consu all in its path. I see now why you carry such heavy burdens."
She leaned forward, her gaze intense as she studied them both. "But tell , warriors... what makes you think you can stop it?"
Erend held her gaze, the weight of her question sinking deep into his chest. It was a question he had asked himself countless tis, but now, sitting here in the calm of the oasis, with Sahura's piercing eyes on him, he knew there was only one answer.
"We have to," he said, his voice firm. "Because if we don't... everything will be lost."
Sahura smiled wider. "And that is exactly why you will be succesful."
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