Justin stared at the Keeper Crystal for a few moments. It wasn’t exactly dark, but it had definitely dimmed. He wanted to command it to answer his questions, but he couldn’t risk his privileges being revoked.

  There was obviously something in its logic that prevented him from asking too much about the Creator. He wondered: was that the Keeper’s logic, or had the Creator Himself intervened, not liking the direction the conversation was going?

  If anyone had that kind of omnipresence and omnipotence to do that, it would be a being like the Creator.

  He turned to face the others. None, aside from Ignis, had even understood his questions, and the latter part of the conversation contained sensitive information he didn’t want Ignis or Emberlyn to have access to.

  Both would know he was hiding something. But they didn’t need to know anything beyond what his capabilities with the constructs were, as well as potential strategies to defeat the Sphinx, most of which they had already discussed.

  “I started asking some questions it didn’t like,” Justin said. “It doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that we have a starting point for taking on the Sphinx.”

  “So, we’re still fighting it, right?” Lila asked.

  Justin nodded. “Given everything we’ve learned, that’s what we should do.”

  “So that leaves coming up with an actual plan,” Emberlyn said. “My fire magic will prove practically useless against the monster. But that doesn’t mean I can’t use it to shield us from the Sphinx’s own fire spells. I doubt I can keep up, but maybe with the constructs distracting it, it will be enough.”

  It would have to be. “The main weakness, according to the Keeper, is the wings. Lila’s knives and Eldrin’s arrows will be key here. And since it’s weak to ice magic, my Drake’s Breath should be able to hit the wings from a distance, while my cane should do heavy damage as well.”

  “Especially with Sapphire Aegis,” Eldrin said.

  Ignis looked at Justin inquisitively. “Sapphire Aegis?”

  Justin resisted the urge to sigh. He definitely didn’t want this guy knowing he had an Ascendant artifact. Checking his interface, there were still another three hours for Gentleman’s Agreement to go off cooldown.

  He would reveal the bare minimum of information. “I have an ability that allows me to create an aegis that absorbs all damage for ten seconds. I also have a skill that deals double damage that I can use once per day, unless it kills the target, in which case it refreshes. And a boon that allows me to deal 100% more damage to enemies I use Poison Barb on.”

  Ignis’s fiery eyes seemed to be running calculations. “That’s...a lot of damage, potentially. So the key is baiting the sphinx into unleashing a powerful attack on you.”

  Justin nodded. “That’s what I’m thinking. The constructs should be a nice distraction. It’s everyone else I’m worried about. If the Sphinx has a powerful attack that happens to be an area of effect, others might not be able to survive it while I can.”

  “We could pull everyone back at a critical moment,” Eldrin said. “But that would mean you fighting alone.”

  “I don’t like that,” Lila said. “There are just too many things we don’t know. We know it has powerful physical attacks as well as access to fire magic. The Keeper mentioned that interrupting its most powerful fire spells was important.”

  “But given Justin’s abilities,” Ignis said, “maybe the key isn’t interrupting them, but allowing them to happen. Use the constructs and ranged attacks to soften it up, and perhaps enrage it. Then, as danger grows, Justin gains its attention and activates this Sapphire Aegis to absorb the brunt of the damage.”

  “None of this can happen before the wings are out of action,” Eldrin said. “Otherwise, the Sphinx can just flee.”

  Justin thought it through. “So, gather the constructs. Use them as a meat shield, or rather, a metal shield, and let Lila and Eldrin shoot the wings from a distance. Emberlyn casts protective spells as needed. I try to get close with my Drake’s Breath, if possible. And once the wings are knocked out, I bait it and activate Sapphire Aegis while taunting it with Poison Barb.”

  The plan actually sounded simple enough. Of course, Justin doubted it would go exactly like that. It never did.

  He also had Dazzling Display in his pocket. That would be useful if the Sphinx started focusing on other party members, and Dandy’s Swagger wasn’t cutting it.

  “I think we’re ready,” Ignis said. “However...what is my role, if any?”

  Emberlyn looked at him. “Hang back from a distance. You can use your Identify Weakness skill, if possible. There may be information we’re missing otherwise.”

  Ignis seemed a bit disappointed from his subdued flames, but Justin could read him like a book, thanks to his keen Socialite’s instincts. He was actually grateful to not have to get his hands dirty.

  Of course, that was for the best, given his past performance.

  “All right,” Justin said. “If everyone is clear on the plan, let’s gather up the constructs.”

  Time to see if his Founder privileges worked as advertised.

  He walked up to the nearest construct, which his monocle logged as a Level 22 Keeper Crawler, with a common rank. As Justin neared, the machine automatically whirred and oriented itself toward him, its ether crystal glowing.

  “Do you understand me?” Justin asked.

  It didn’t exactly speak back, but Justin felt a sort of affirmation, like a burst of understanding from the construct.

  “Are you able to relay orders to the rest of the network?”

  Again, that same burst of clarity.

  “Tell the constructs to meet outside the transit station by the library,” Justin said. “I want all of them there so that we can take stock of what we have.” Then, thinking, he added, “And if their paths happen to take them close to the Sphinx, have them find alternate paths that keep it well away.”

  The construct “chirped” in understanding as it bounded down the stairs and toward the entryway. The others only took a few seconds to come to life and follow a similar path.

  “Wow,” Lila said. “You’re a construct whisperer.”

  Justin had to admit that seeing such powerful machines at his beck and call was quite satisfying. It was a shame that they wouldn’t work outside of Zanthera. Taking one or two along as “pets” would provide nice insurance against the Baron. The thought of siccing his minions on Valdrik brought a smile to his face.

  But for now, a Pyrosphinx would have to suffice.

  “Let’s move,” he said.

  Within the hour, they had all gathered outside the elevator transit station.

  Along with several hundred constructs, all standing on eight spindly legs and of various sizes.

  Most were of the common variety, anywhere from Levels 20-24. These were about the size of a three-seater sofa; small and fast, likely effective with swarming tactics.

  Then there were elites, making up about one in four. These were about the size of a small car. Heavy, lumbering, support units that would come behind the smaller common ones.

  Then, there were three guardian-class ones, about the size of a work truck. These would be the main damage dealers, and losing them would suck, so Justin had to do what he could to force the Sphinx to focus on the smaller ones.

  It was hard to imagine, with such a force, even struggling with the Sphinx. But the Keeper’s explanation was enough to know that looks could be deceiving.

  Justin surveyed his army. It was hard not to have a bit of a power trip. The others watched the assembled force with widened eyes, filling the entirety of the plaza and even spilling beyond it.

  Justin turned to the others. “I know it looks impressive, but we have to remember. This is a Level 28 Vault. This Sphinx is going to be tough, given its Champion rank. But I think if we can bring down the wings, we have a very strong chance of taking it down.”

  The others nodded. The plan was set, as much as it could be. It was specific enough to give everyone a role, but not so specific that they couldn’t make adjustments on the fly.

  “If I need to call out orders in the chaos, and it’s too far or loud to hear, I’ll switch to Elea’s Whisper,” Justin said. “Otherwise, I’ll keep Lathalon’s Grace on for the healing, or use Vorthak’s Flame in case my Ashralok’s Flame is too weak. Remember your potions if you need more healing. Don’t be stingy; this is going to be a tough fight.”

  Everyone nodded, including Emberlyn and Ignis. They had already gone over each other’s abilities, so they knew how the fight was supposed to go down.

  “Good luck,” Justin said. “Let’s head toward that Gate.”

  It took about thirty minutes to set up their formation. Up close, the Sphinx was even more terrifying, the size of a small house, with wide, fiery wings, a lion-like body and head, and a long snout that was strangely reptilian. Its tail, too, was long and began swishing ominously as the constructs arranged themselves at a safe distance.

  Justin was grateful that the area was somewhat open, with only a few fallen pillars and crumbled ruins to break the space, possible shelters. The space on the floating island narrowed until at last, it reached the Sphinx and the Gate. It would allow him to create a concave and perhaps “zerg swarm” the Sphinx while the rest of them came in from behind.

  For the Sphinx’s part, it didn’t seem concerned at being outnumbered. It gave no reaction to the hundreds of metal machines standing a couple of hundred meters away. It merely stood before the massive World Gate. The plane swirled with cobalt energy, with no sign of Solanis beyond.

  “It’s hard to see how we can’t win this,” Lila said. “This seems like a strong setup.”

  “Its fire magic can probably blast half the constructs before they even get close,” Emberlyn said.

  “A scattered formation might be the right move,” Eldrin said. “But that means they’ll hit with less force.”

  Justin considered this. It could be the right move, but as Eldrin said, it would make the approach longer, and they would crash into the Sphinx with less momentum.

  “I think you’re right,” Justin said. “I know it’s tempting to hit it with everything at once, but we need to test its abilities first. Maybe we can sacrifice a few of the smaller commons first.”

  Ignis stood some distance away, analyzing the Sphinx. The Scholar’s eyes gave off a slight, blue glow.

  “The wings are definitely the weak point,” Ignis said. “The question is whether Eldrin and Lila can get close enough to land accurate hits.”

  “We should split up. That way each of us gets a clear view on one wing,” Lila said. She pointed toward a pile of rubble, what might have once been a house, maybe fifty feet away. “I can stand there. It’s a pretty long throw for knives, but if I boost Coordination, it should be doable. I’ll be using my Sunrot Knives instead. We might get the Sphinx poisoned, which will help a lot.”

  It was a good idea. The Keeper had mentioned that poison was a particular vulnerability.

  “That rubble is within range of its fire magic for sure,” Emberlyn said.

  “Maybe you can be stationed with Lila,” Justin said. He pointed to a pile of rubble on the Sphinx’s left, farther back than Lila’s. “Eldrin can shoot from a longer distance. He won’t have the protection of your magic, but if he’s farther from the Sphinx, he might not need it as much.”

  “And what about me?” Ignis asked.

  Justin considered this. “Stick with Eldrin. With luck, the fighting shouldn’t get that far. And if it does, well, we’ve got bigger problems.”

  Justin wondered if a boss like this had any “adds”—smaller creatures it could summon to help it fight. Justin supposed he had the constructs to deal with such things.

  But also, Lila. Her Harp of Nyriss might come in useful there. It seemed to work pretty well on lower-tier enemies, like commons.

  “If the Sphinx creates new enemies, like that demon did in Alaric’s tomb, Lila should use her harp,” Justin said. “Then, assuming that works, I’ll have the smaller constructs take them out as quickly as possible. Keep the pressure up on the wings until they’re down.”

  “Sounds good,” Eldrin said.

  “Which leaves me,” Justin said. “I’ll stand in front of the ruins. I’ll rely on Emberlyn’s magic to protect me. Failing that, I can switch to Vorthak’s Flame. It’s stronger than Ashralok’s Flame, and maybe doubling up on both can even grant me complete immunity.”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  It was a small hope, but it was the best he had. He could skip the healing of Lathalon’s Grace, if he needed to; he had his Ring of Regeneration, and for bigger stuff, some of Wolfram’s potion was still left over.

  There was a moment of silence as Justin considered his assembled army. It was tempting to order a mass charge and try to hang back, hoping for the best.

  But he knew he could not do so, especially given the power of the Sphinx’s fire magic.

  There was nothing left but to order the attack.

  “Okay,” Justin said. “I’m going to send forward a pod of constructs to cover the ground to see if there are any traps along the way.”

  “Good idea,” Eldrin said. “Assuming it’s safe, maybe you can have them get close to the Sphinx, see what it does.”

  It would give them information, and information was what they needed.

  He considered the three larger Guardians. Since their party was being split three ways, it made sense to assign one Guardian each for additional protection. If Eldrin and Ignis turned out not to need it, well, he had one in reserve in case his own went down.

  That was it for now; the best plans were the ones that could be changed. In a way, this reminded him of playing his Total War games.

  That said, he was certain he couldn’t expect things to play out like that.

  Justin turned to examine the guardian construct next to him more closely. Unlike the others, this one had a slight blue tint to its metal carapace and what looked like battle scars across its front plate. Something about it seemed different—more present, somehow.

  Justin needed a point of contact, a liaison of sorts, to speak to the rest of the constructs.

  This big boy would do.

  “You know,” Justin said to it, “if we’re going to be working together, I should probably call you something other than ‘Guardian Construct Number Whatever.’”

  The construct tilted its massive head slightly, almost like a curious dog, its two crystal eye pieces glowing with what Justin wanted to call curiosity.

  “How about Titan?” Justin asked. When the construct made no response, he tried again. “Sentinel? Bulwark?” Still nothing. “Atlas?”

  At that, the construct made a low, harmonious hum that vibrated pleasantly in Justin’s chest.

  “Atlas it is,” Justin said with a smile. “You’ll be my number two for this operation. If I give you an order, you tell the rest. Sound good?”

  Atlas’s ether crystal pulsed brighter for a moment, and it made a series of clicks that somehow managed to sound eager despite coming from a machine.

  Then, to Justin’s surprise, the massive construct gently wrapped its front appendages around him in what could only be described as a hug. The metal was warm, and despite its imposing size, Atlas was surprisingly gentle.

  “Okay, okay,” Justin laughed, patting its armored side as it released him. “Let’s save the sentimentality for after we win. All right, Atlas. Have three of the common constructs scout the land, covering all the ground, checking for traps. Then have them move close to the Sphinx, but not engage. I want to see how it reacts.”

  The guardian gave a series of clicks, what Justin understood as acknowledgement. At once, three constructs peeled off from the line and began to scout the future battlefield. It took about three minutes for them to investigate each area, including the five or so piles of debris that could be used for either cover or elevation from which to shoot the Sphinx. No traps triggered, an encouraging sight.

  At last, they scuttled up to the Sphinx, which gave no reaction to them, as if they were nothing but bugs.

  Justin didn’t want to order them to attack just yet. If the Sphinx suddenly turned hostile, they couldn’t set up Lila and Eldrin effectively.

  “Call them back,” he said.

  At once, the constructs came back to the main line, joining their fellows.

  “No obvious traps,” Eldrin said. “I think we’re safe to move into position.”

  Justin nodded. “All right. Advance slowly for now. Take over the space. And everyone get to their assigned spots. Emberlyn, don’t shield anyone until the Sphinx turns hostile. Prioritize me, Lila, and yourself. If I switch to Vorthak’s Flame, you can put me at the bottom of your priority list.”

  “Got it,” she said. “Let’s win back that Gate.”

  Justin turned to Atlas. “You stick with me. The other two guardians, one will guard Lila and Emberlyn; the other will guard Eldrin and Ignis. Until further orders are given.”

  Atlas beeped in agreement, then tapped its massive claw against Justin’s shoulder in what seemed like a protective gesture. The construct’s ether crystal pulsed in a pattern that almost resembled a heartbeat. Despite its mechanical nature, there was something endearing about the way it positioned itself slightly in front of Justin, as if it were already taking its protective duty seriously.

  “Don’t worry,” Justin said with a small smile. “We’ve got this.”

  He turned to face the future battlefield, adjusting the brim of his fedora.

  “Advance,” Justin ordered.

  As soon as the word left his lips, the constructs moved forward at a walking pace. For the first time, the Sphinx shifted on its massive paws, taking note of the advancing force. As the humans and Fyrspawn fell behind the line, Justin was certain its glowing red eyes shifted toward him. Somehow, it recognized him as the one giving orders.

  But for now, it was content to watch and wait. It didn’t seem nervous in the slightest.

  When they were about halfway, Justin gave another order: “Stop.”

  The line stopped.

  At last, the Sphinx reacted. It arched its neck, letting out a long spout of flame from its mouth. It differed from the thick, cloudy mist of an ice drake’s attack and instead seemed like something more solid, almost like a plume of lava. The fire spread and fell, burning on the ground before it, walling off a decent chunk of the battlefield. The Sphinx watched for Justin’s reaction.

  If Justin sent his constructs through that, the weaker ones would almost certainly melt. The larger ones might get through, but he didn’t have many of those, maybe sixty or seventy. It was merely a warning for Justin to show what would happen if he ordered a charge.

  But why not use the element of surprise?

  The answer came soon enough when the Sphinx stretched its fiery wings, its eyes glowing like embers.

  “A test of steel is tiresome.” Its voice rolled across the battlefield like distant thunder. “Shall we try something more...civilized?”

  The tone was almost playful, but the weight behind it was undeniable.

  Justin remained silent.

  The Sphinx’s eyes locked onto him. “A game of riddles. First to fail... loses. Do you accept my challenge, human? If you win, you get my gate key and I give up all claims to the World Gate. But if I win...” It gave a low, rumbling sound, almost like a tiger purring, but a hundred times worse. “I get your core.”

  A strange pull settled over Justin’s mind, a compulsion urging him to agree. His instincts screamed that this was no ordinary challenge. It was magic—some kind of charisma-based skill.

  But his own charisma was high enough to resist. He was as clear-headed as ever. He channeled his Intellect, calculating.

  And realized he had missed something.

  Justin waited, eyes locked on the battlefield. Would it work?

  It was unorthodox. But maybe that was just what they needed.

  Justin once again watched the Sphinx. Molten stone crackled beneath its paws. He waited for the fires of its initial attack to die down.

  Finally, the flames began to fade, leaving only the red-hot embers glowing in the cracks of the rock.

  That was the pattern—searing destruction, then a lull. He could use that. That spell likely couldn’t be cast with reckless abandon.

  Like him, the Sphinx was limited to cooldowns for its big abilities. The key lay in taking advantage of the lulls.

  It was safe enough now to advance.

  “Send in ten—no, twenty—common crawlers and two elites,” he ordered. “Right side.”

  Atlas “chirped,” and the constructs obeyed, skittering forward with enough speed to seem like a convincing attack. Their metal limbs clanked against the stone.

  Justin barely blinked as, once again, the Sphinx unleashed its wrath. A tidal wave of fire cascaded from its maw, rolling over the advancing machines. The crawlers disintegrated instantly, their metal shells liquefying into molten slag. The elites lasted only a second longer before they, too, crumbled.

  But Justin had counted on that. The fires burned hot, but only on the right side of the island before it fell into a sheer cliff.

  There was still plenty of space to take advantage of the left side.

  Justin issued the command, “All charge! Keep clear of that blast zone!”

  The remaining constructs surged forward, their paths weaving through the battlefield, avoiding the charred ground where their comrades had fallen.

  The Sphinx growled, its wings snapping wide in frustration. It had wasted its opening move on what had been a baiting force.

  Justin charged with them, along with the rest. Though he was playing the part of the general, he couldn’t afford to stay back.

  The Sphinx moved like a storm of muscle and fire, claws igniting as they raked across the battlefield. It swiped through the front line, shearing through two constructs with a single blow. The smaller ones fell easily, but the heavier elites absorbed the strikes, staggering only briefly before retaliating. One latched onto its foreleg, a massive pincer digging into flesh. The Sphinx let out a furious snarl, shaking it off, but deep crimson blood dripped onto the stone.

  Justin checked the right-hand rubble, finding that Lila was already crouching on top of a fallen pillar. Emberlyn’s fire shield flickered around her like a shimmering veil.

  Lila began her Coordination song, which edified not only the party but all the constructs, which seemed to fight with greater speed and agility. Justin hadn’t counted on that, but it made sense. If the sapient intelligence of the Keeper was controlling these constructs, then why wouldn’t they respond as if they were allies?

  Then, Lila hurled Sunrot Knives, each one leaving thin trails of golden light. The first few lay into the Sphinx’s hide, while the rest were aimed at its right wing. The Sphinx roared as it drew its wings back protectively. That would make them a harder target.

  Meanwhile, on the left side of the battlefield, Eldrin and Ignis were in position. The Ranger fired volley after volley at the left wing, most of his arrows finding their mark. The Sphinx twisted to evade, but its size and reluctance to abandon the Gate worked against it.

  As for Justin, he charged, intending to keep the pressure off his allies. The heat was unbearable, washing over him like a furnace. His Ashralok’s Flame absorbed much of it, but sweat still slicked his skin, and his lungs burned with every breath.

  The Sphinx spread its wings wide and unleashed a rain of fire arrows, creating a hellish downpour.

  Justin saw there was no way around it. He activated Vorthak’s Flame and Gentleman’s Sidestep at the same time. His body twisted unnaturally, the arrows slamming into the battlefield, shattering stone where he had stood only a moment before. With Vorthak’s Flame came relief from the intense heat.

  Atlas came barreling in from the side, letting out an unexpected battle cry—a harmonious mechanical roar that seemed to shake the very air. The massive construct met the Sphinx’s charge head-on, its reinforced plating holding firm as it actually tackled the beast backward a bit. Atlas’s ether crystal flashed brilliantly as one massive leg was raised in what almost looked like defiance. The other constructs swarmed in, metal limbs clawing and grappling, some even launching themselves onto the Sphinx’s sides, trying to weigh it down.

  Flames erupted from the Sphinx’s body, consuming everything near it. Constructs melted, torn apart by the sheer heat, but more pressed in, relentless. As for Atlas, well, he tanked the heat like a champ, but backed off a bit to get a breather, returning to Justin’s side.

  The Sphinx reared back, roaring as its major fire spell came off cooldown. It inhaled deeply, embers swirling into its maw.

  Justin’s gaze flicked to Lila—where her knives had landed, the Sphinx’s flesh had gone pale, the poison seeping into its veins. Its movements were slowing.

  The plan was working.

  “Now!” he bellowed.

  He leveled his Cane of the Drake, channeling his magic along the left wing, which happened to be closer. A torrent of frost erupted from its tip, engulfing the weakened wing. Ice crawled over the golden feathers, hardening into an unbreakable grip. Eldrin’s arrows struck true, piercing through the ice.

  With a deafening crack, the wing shattered.

  The Sphinx screamed in agony, staggering back as smoke and frost curled from its body.

  It was time.

  Justin popped off his Dandy’s Swagger, doing a mocking twirl as he let out a cackle. “I can see why you wanted a game of riddles, Sphinx. Because you’re getting your ass kicked!”

  The Sphinx’s eyes flared with unbridled fury. It reared back, inhaling, the air distorting around it as heat gathered once more. It was going to release everything in one last, devastating lava plume.

  Add Injury to Insult was active. Double damage.

  The Sphinx roared as the lava plume erupted from its mouth. Justin activated Sapphire Aegis, an aura of blue energy swirling around him just in the nick of time.

  It worked like a charm. It seemed to pull the lava plume with a magnet-like force, sparing his precious constructs, including the beefy Guardian faithfully fighting at his side.

  And now, for the grand finale.

  Then he turned to his constructs. “Log me as a Level 10 threat for the next five seconds!”

  Every construct turned toward him—Atlas included—and attacked.

  His once-loyal companions began wailing on Justin. His shield tanked it all, including the Sphinx’s continuing fire attack, glowing brighter and brighter until he was like a star about to go supernova. A surge of azure power coiled around Justin, his shield glowing brighter than the sun.

  Just a few seconds left.

  Time to go super Saiyan.

  He charged, cane in hand, just as the Sphinx’s attack petered out and his shield deactivated.

  Five seconds to land the hit.

  His entire body glowed blue with power, lending speed to his charge.

  The Sphinx snarled and tried to retreat, but with only one wing, it was trapped against the World Gate.

  Justin didn’t hesitate.

  With a shout, he gave a gravity-defying leap, unleashing his cane’s blade while driving it deep into the Sphinx’s chest.

  Just before striking, he activated A Proper Sendoff. Such was the power he had already gathered that he gave off a blinding burst of light.

  When the blade sank in, Justin felt the energy flow through him. He let out a ragged gasp as flesh disintegrated where he struck, as ice erupted outward, racing across the Sphinx’s body, locking its limbs in place, sealing it within a crystalline prison.

  Justin landed with a thud, cane in hand as he backed to a safe distance. He watched as the fire dimmed in its eyes.

  The battlefield stood still.

  For a moment, silence reigned.

  Then, the ice cracked.

  With a deafening roar, the Sphinx shattered its frozen prison in an explosion of heat and fury. Flames reignited along its body as it fought against the constructs anew. The now-loyal companions were falling in droves.

  “Burn it down!” Justin screamed. “We almost have it!”

  The constructs surged in one last-ditch attack, fire and steel colliding in a final, brutal assault. A fire shield bloomed around Justin courtesy of Emberlyn, and it definitely helped. Somehow, the Sphinx’s paw swatted him, knocking him back while cutting deep. His Ring of Regeneration activated, instantly healing the wound.

  Dodging the next swipe with Gentleman’s Sidestep, Justin struck again, his cane a blur as he drove blow after blow into the beast’s weakening form. His Elegance in Motion triggered, making him even more of a threat. He almost danced with the Sphinx, dodging this way or that to smoothly escape its clutches.

  And all the while, the constructs swarmed it, dealing steady damage.

  At last, the Sphinx went into an all-out attack, charging Justin even if it exposed its flanks to the constructs.

  Justin’s eyes widened. No Gentleman’s Sidestep. No way out.

  This thing wanted him dead, even if it went down, too.

  He tried to dodge, but the Sphinx was too fast.

  That was when Atlas slid into position with its forward claws extended, like a pikeman taking the charge of a war horse. Its ether crystal pulsed once, twice. For just a moment, Justin swore the construct’s gaze met his, a silent understanding passing between them.

  And then, Atlas was instantly destroyed in a shriek of metal and a blinding flash as its ether crystal shattered. Justin could swear he heard the big guy let out a final groan of pain.

  Justin’s heart lurched painfully, not just in fear, but genuine sorrow. “Atlas!”

  The construct that had stood faithfully at his side through the entire battle.

  No time to mourn. Time to avenge.

  He skirted to the side, continued to fight, his fury renewed not just for himself but for his fallen companion. Lila and Eldrin continued their relentless barrage, each strike landing true.

  Finally, the Sphinx’s movements started to grow sluggish; already so weak and poisoned. It began to accept inevitability as dozens of constructs continued to wail on it, whittling it down. It was a death by a thousand cuts.

  Its flames flickered, no longer the inferno they had been.

  Then, with a final shuddering yowl, it collapsed, its fire extinguishing.

  The battlefield went quiet.

  Justin breathed heavily, his grip still firm on his cane. He looked to the World Gate, now unguarded, the swirling energy within it calm, almost expectant.

  And he looked at his loyal construct minions. Perhaps fifty were left, including a few of the elites. His eyes drifted to the shattered remains of Atlas scattered across the battlefield, the once-bright ether crystal now dark and lifeless. Something tightened in his chest.

  He knelt down and picked up a fragment of Atlas’s carapace, running his thumb over the blue-tinted metal. “You did good, big guy.”

  Justin slipped the fragment into his pocket. One day, when all this was over and he had a place to call home, he would immortalize Atlas in some sort of shrine.

  He would have been dead without him.

  It was a much better outcome than he had thought, but the victory felt bittersweet. No casualties among the party, which was all he could ask for.

  They had done it. Against all odds, they had defeated a Champion-rank boss with minimal casualties, winning a Vault they had no right to win.

  And the World Gate stood before them, its cobalt energy beckoning them toward Solanis. Justin wasn’t sure if it was the next step of their journey, but it certainly was for Emberlyn and the Fyrspawn.

  He turned back to the others, who were already coming to join him, along with their own Guardians.

  It was time to accept their rewards and end this Vault for good.

  And maybe, just maybe, get enough experience to let him coast to Level 20.