The announcement chime faded out of the throne room, and nobody cheered.
Nine Challengers stood among eleven bodies. Maeve had not moved from Declan's side. Saoirse knelt over what was left of Orla with the spearwoman's cloak in her hands, working out how to use it. Marcus walked the outer lines alone, stopping at each fallen Challenger from the rear ranks, checking every one of them even though the golden light had already given its answer.
The System spoke again into the silence.
[WORLD-FIRST AMPLIFICATION REMOVED]
[FLOOR 20 BOSS ENCOUNTER WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED FROM RECORD FOR SUBSEQUENT RAIDS]
[RECONSTRUCTED FRAGMENT OUTPUT: REDUCED]
[RAID ENTRY REQUIREMENT UNCHANGED: 20 CHALLENGERS]
Finn read it from where he sat against a shattered pillar, flexing legs that finally worked again.
"So the next lot still fight her." His voice was flat. "Her, the Brides, the head games, all of it. Just a cheaper copy."
