Edrin knew immediately—
This was different.
No hesitation.
No analysis.
No waiting.
The armored figure charged like a falling mountain.
"…That's fast," Edrin said.
"That's heavy," Ronan added.
"That's dangerous," Lyra finished.
Kael didn't speak.
He moved.
The clash came instantly—
Steel against something denser than steel—
A shockwave burst outward as Kael intercepted the strike.
The ground cracked beneath them.
Edrin stumbled back.
"…Okay, that's a lot worse up close!"
Ronan laughed and charged in, meeting the figure head-on with brute force.
For a moment—
They held it.
Just a moment.
Then—
It pushed back.
Effortlessly.
Ronan slid across the ground, boots carving deep lines into the earth.
"…Yeah," he said, grinning wider. "I like this one."
"I don't!" Edrin replied.
The armored figure didn't stop.
It swung again—
Wide.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Lyra raised a barrier—
The blade struck—
The barrier shattered instantly—
Lyra was thrown backward.
Edrin's eyes widened.
"…Okay, no—no, I don't like this at all!"
Kael moved again—
Precise—
Trying to redirect the force—
But the figure adjusted mid-swing—
Not learning.
Not adapting.
Just… experienced.
The strike connected.
Kael was forced back.
Not defeated.
But pushed.
Edrin swallowed.
"…It's not getting better."
"No," Lyra said, recovering. "It's already good."
"That's worse!"
The figure turned.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Its glowing eyes locked onto Edrin.
"…Why is it me again?" he whispered.
"Because you're talking," Ronan said.
"That's not fair!"
The figure stepped forward—
Each step cracking the ground beneath it.
Edrin backed away instinctively.
"…Okay, new rule—"
Ronan interrupted. "You already said one!"
"I'm updating it!"
The figure lunged—
Faster than its size should allow—
Edrin reacted—
A step—
A stumble—
A twist—
The blade crashed into the ground where he had been.
The impact sent him rolling.
"…Okay, that's definitely deadly!"
"Yes!" Lyra shouted. "Stay focused!"
"I am focused! On not dying!"
The figure didn't pause.
Didn't wait.
It attacked again—
Relentless—
Unstoppable—
Edrin moved—
Barely—
Every step imperfect—
Every movement desperate—
But enough.
"…I can't read it!" he shouted.
Kael stepped in again—
Deflecting a strike—
"Then don't read it."
Edrin blinked mid-dodge.
"…That sounds familiar!"
"Because you've done it before."
Edrin swallowed.
"…Right."
The figure attacked again—
Edrin moved—
Not thinking—
Not predicting—
Just reacting—
The strike missed.
Barely.
But enough.
Ronan charged from the side—
A heavy blow—
The figure blocked—
Solid—
Unmoving—
Ronan grinned.
"Yeah, that's more like it."
Lyra unleashed magic—
Striking the figure directly—
This time—
It didn't ignore it.
But it didn't falter much either.
"…It's resisting everything," she said.
Edrin frowned.
"…No."
A pause.
"…It's enduring."
Kael nodded slightly.
"Then we break that."
Edrin shook his head.
"…No."
Ronan blinked. "No again?"
Edrin pointed at the figure.
"…That thing isn't about patterns."
"Or understanding."
"Or control."
A breath.
"…It's just strong."
Silence.
Lyra's expression sharpened.
"…So what do we do?"
Edrin swallowed.
"…We stop trying to outthink it."
Ronan grinned.
"Now that I understand."
Edrin nodded.
"…We just survive long enough to hit it."
Kael stepped forward again.
"Simple."
Edrin smiled nervously.
"…I like simple."
The armored figure raised its blade again—
Higher this time—
The air itself seemed to split around it.
Edrin's stomach dropped.
"…I don't like that."
"It's going to hit hard," Lyra warned.
"That's been the pattern!"
"No," Kael said.
"…Harder."
The blade came down.
Everything slowed.
Edrin saw it—
Felt it—
Knew—
He couldn't dodge it.
"…That's bad."
Kael stepped forward—
Bracing—
Ronan joined—
Lyra reinforced them with magic—
All three met the strike together.
The impact shook the entire plain.
The ground shattered outward.
The sky above cracked further.
Edrin was thrown back—
Rolling—
Breathing hard—
"…Okay," he gasped.
"…We can't take many of those."
The dust settled.
Kael, Ronan, and Lyra still stood—
Barely.
The armored figure remained unmoved.
Untouched.
Edrin stared.
"…We didn't even scratch it."
Silence.
Ronan wiped blood from his lip.
"…Now it's interesting."
Edrin shook his head.
"…No, now it's impossible."
Kael looked at the figure.
Calm.
Focused.
"…Nothing is impossible."
Edrin blinked.
"…You always say that at the worst times."
Lyra stepped beside him.
"We just haven't found the way yet."
Edrin looked at the towering figure.
At the cracks in the sky.
At the endless plain.
Then sighed.
"…Alright."
A pause.
"…New rule."
Ronan laughed. "There it is."
Edrin tightened his grip.
"…If it's stronger than us…"
Another breath.
"…We find something it can't handle."
The armored figure stepped forward again.
Unstoppable.
Unrelenting.
Edrin swallowed.
"…I just hope that exists."
And this time—
There was no answer.