Lyner still wasn't used being the one in need of protection, but he still found immense relief when he was encircled protectively by his companions. Their appearance and entrance could not have been better timed, York being the one who reacted by shooting the knife out of Sutekh's hands.

He would have to thank the redhead properly later.

With everyone focused upon their new enemy, Raze used his mana-infused weapon to carefully cut through the metal shackles latched to Lyner's wrists. He winced at the pressure but soon sighed with relief when the restraints fell away, hitting the ground with a satisfied clang.

"Thank you," he said as he rubbed his wrists, mildly noting that the delicate skin was red and bleeding in places. He definitely needed some bandages. Ah, clean, medical ones that was.

But first...

Dropping his arms to his sides, Sutekh stood at the centre of the altar and turned to face them. He was clearly displeased; his menacing presence was proof enough. "You...you reject my generous offer to leave?"

"Of course we did," York retorted sharply. "We've battled mummies, zombies, and pit traps to get here. We're sure as hell aren't leaving empty-handed!"

"And now that we're all together again, let's head on out of here, hm?" Lazarus added, as carefree as usual.

To Lyner, that sounded good. That God wouldn't be able to awaken without him, so it could stay in its eternal slumber for all he cared.

"No," Sutekh suddenly growled lowly, menacingly.

"We didn't ask you for permission!" York once again retorted, revealing some of his anger.

But Sutekh appeared as though he hadn't heard him. "No, he's mine," he uttered lowly once more. He then reached up with his hands and lifted off his mask, revealing a gaunt, pale face, with black markings around his eyes, and not a single hair on his head. He suddenly and very unexpectedly threw the mask aside, letting it crash to the chamber floor loudly.

"No!" he shrieked as the shattered pieces of his mask spread across the ground, turning to glare piercingly and directly at Lyner. "I've waited centuries for this moment! I won't allow you to deny this to me! I've waited too long! Too long! My Devourer will have his full power again! I will have him!"

His outburst startled Lyner greatly. Sutekh had been so composed, stoic and emotionless before. So a matter-a-fact and confident. But now, the completion of his desire, the one he spent centuries cultivating, was slipping away. And he wasn't willing to accept that.

"Devourer, huh?" York scoffed, not knowing the true extent of Sutekh's insanity. "How cliché."

Raze manifested his blade as he stepped forward. "You can criticize its name later."

Ayatane nodded his head in agreement with Raze as he revealed his own weapons, purposely standing in front of him in a protective stance. "We need to keep him away from Lyner at all cost."

"Why is this guy hell-bent on you, anyway?" York asked abruptly, turning his attention toward Lyner also.

"Long story. Something about lightning being the power of Gods."

York arched an eyebrow. "He wants your power?"

Lyner wished that was all he wanted. "No, he wants to give me to that thing behind him. To him, that's his God."

Turning his focus back to Sutekh, Lyner was startled by composed he appeared to be. Yet, there was obvious madness and hatred in his eyes. Eyes that were focused upon him once more. He stood in the centre of the altar, shoulders relaxed, but grip tightened on the golden knife in his hand.

"There is...still time." He raised the knife toward his own throat as he staggered toward the back of the altar, closer to his petrified god. "I will offer my life to my God. It will be enough."

Lyner felt his heart lodge in his throat. "But you said that thing would only awaken if you sacrificed me to it!"

A truly malicious grin spread across Sutekh's features as he raised the knife higher. "I will grant it the power long enough to devour you for all eternity!"

He then plunged the knife into his neck. Beads of blood spilled from his throat, splashing across the stone altar. Sutekh's body stood still as blood continued to flow. His eyes rolled back into his head as he suddenly crumbled listlessly to the ground.

Lyner winced at the sound and held his breath, his gaze flickering quickly toward the large stone monstrosity behind him.

Nothing. It didn't move.

Had they dodged a bullet?

The sound of stone breaking soon evaporated any relief Lyner may have felt.

Pieces of stone from the dark statue began to crumble away, revealing that the stone was just a façade. A prison. One that was now falling apart. Slowly, at first. Until the crumbling stones revealed its eyes – blood red, piercing eyes – and in an explosion of stone and debris, the statue turned into a snarling, roaring beast.

Lyner and his companions instinctively braced themselves from both the force of the roar and the flying debris.

That monster, or rather would-be God, appeared to be a hybrid between a wingless draconic entity and a large canine; sharp scales, piercing claws, twisted and snarling maul. It wasn't the largest enemy they had ever faced, but it was clear that it was formable.

"That...doesn't look like the mosaic," Lazarus murmured.

Mosaic? Oh, right! "That was painted centuries ago. This thing is the product of a single person's narrow-minded obsession." From what he could deduce at least.

As the lumbering beast took a step forward, the ground beneath their feet trembled, prompting everyone to become tense once more. It wasn't known whether the trembling was from the strength of the entity, or whether it was because of what Sutekh stated earlier, about it being the very thing that fuelled the existence of everything around them.

"Lyner, stay back," Ayatane immediately ordered. "We can't let this thing near you."

"We also can't let this thing escape this place. It'll devour everything."

Ayatane nodded his head sharply. "Understood. York, Raze, Zelos; we'll battle for now. Lazarus, I leave Lyner's safety to you."

"Roger that!"

Lyner smothered a sigh as four of his companions sprinted forward, rushing into battle, while Lazarus took a supportive, defensive stance close to him. He was being protected again. What had Sutekh done with his sword, his armour? There had to be something he could do!

"Hey. Is there anything you can tell us about this thing?" Lazarus asked.

"N-not much." He supposed offering any kind of information was the only thing he could do. "This thing is apparently fuelling this entire place. It's the reason why this temple, desert, and pyramid even exists. And apparently has done so for centuries."

"What did that guy mean about fuelling it himself?"

Lyner's eyes flickered toward Ayatane and companions setting themselves up for battle. "I'm not sure. He wanted to sacrifice it to me first, believing that I was the last ingredient or something. With me, it was going to return to the 'human world' and wreak havoc. I guess he was so invested in his dream, that he was willing to die for it to succeed."

Which shouldn't be that much of a surprise. He spent potentially hundreds of years set on exactly one goal. He would do anything to achieve it. Anything.

"How long do you think this guy can fuel this thing?"

"A guy this dedicated? As long as necessary."

"Yeah, thought so."

Lyner's gaze and attention was focused entirely on the battle before him, unable to tear his eyes away for even a moment, even as he conversed with Lazarus. The blond-haired gunner was also focused on the skirmish, watching carefully, ready to spring forward should anyone need assistance.

They worked together in well-practiced combos. Distracting the creature. Confusing it. Striking at all sides. Restricting its movements. Ayatane was amazing on the battlefield, as per usual. Calm, composed, knowing when to attack, how to unleash a deadly blow, and oh-so effortlessly dodging any blows toward him. He was mesmerising, in a way.

Lyner was well aware of what Ayatane and the others were capable of. Yet, he still had the overwhelming urge to join them on the front line. There were solid and sound reasons why he wasn't allowed on the battlefield, with the fact that he could be captured by said entity being the first and foremost reason.

Logically, he knew and accepted the reasons why he wasn't anticipating.

But that didn't mean he liked it!

Lazarus suddenly snared Lyner by the elbow, prompting him to finally tear his gaze from the participants of the battlefield. As Lazarus dragged him to the side a couple of steps, a large block of stone simply fell from the ceiling, and landed right where they had just stood.

"Is it me, or is this place starting to fall apart?" he asked, far too casually.

And as Lyner lifted his gaze toward their surroundings, he realised that Lazarus was right. Parts of the walls were littered in large cracks. Blocks of stone had fallen from the ceiling, leaving darken holes. Was the destruction of the chamber from the chaos of battle?

"We're in a tiny sub-world," Lyner began to explain. "It was likely drawn here because of all the souls."

Lazarus nodded his head in response, indicating that he had heard him, even as he continue to inspect their surroundings with suspicion. "So, that gate we ventured through brought us to this world, huh?"

"Yeah. This world hasn't integrated into the same world we were brought into. It's just...like a dungeon or something." He frowned. "At least, that's what I think."

Turning his attention back to the battle, he was able to witness Ayatane deliver a truly devastating blow upon their monstrous enemy. It wasn't enough to fell it, but enough to leave it staggering for a moment or two.

The monster's movements were becoming sluggish, but also frantic. Reflexes were near non-existent, but attacks were desperate. That could only mean one thing;

They were winning!

But...what was to happen when they do defeat the monster? It was supporting the entire place. That was what Sutekh said. He couldn't dismiss that. Defeating the monster was something that had to be done. They couldn't let it continue to exist.

...They needed to find a way to fuel this place's existence long enough to escape.

Lyner found his gaze moving past the battlefield, toward the back of the chamber, where a large sandstone podium stood. Relatively undamaged, despite the field of broken rock and stone.

That place...

"I need to get to that podium!"

Lazarus jolted, clearly startled by his outburst. "Come again?"

Lyner turned to face the blond gunner fully, giving him a hasty explanation. "That monster is this place's power source. Its purpose, after it got to me, was to reappear in the human world. This place's entire existence relies on its existence."

It took Lazarus a couple of seconds to comprehend what he was saying. "And after this thing is gone, so will this place?"

"Exactly."

"Noted. But why the podium? Why you?"

"I think I might be able to support this place with my lightning abilities long enough for us to escape."

If Sutekh believed he was able to grant his God the strength to emerge in the Human World, then it's possible that Lyner had the ability to support the place, too. After all, Sutekh had been carefully cultivating his goal for centuries; he wouldn't make the mistake of choosing the wrong person, would he?

Besides, no harm in trying!

Lazarus eyed him carefully. "What about you?"

"We'll find out, I guess," Lyner replied, granting him a casual shrug.

Lazarus frowned, a deep furrow of his brow that Lyner hadn't witnessed before. He looked torn and conflicted. "...Fine. But if Ayatane gets mad, it's on you."

Lyner couldn't help but smile. "I'll deal with him, I promise."

While still highly reluctantly, Lazarus spent a moment carefully inspecting their surroundings before he snared his weapon in one hand and then snared Lyner's elbow with another. He wasn't willing to let Lyner make the gauntlet himself. With the monster in the desperate throes of defeat, and the possibility of further pit traps or other falling debris, Lazarus was intent on fulfilling his bodyguard duties.

For the moment, Lyner was content to let Lazarus lead the way. He wanted to focus on how he was going to fuel and support the entire structure, preventing it from crumbling at the exact same time the monster eventually did. He hadn't done anything like it before in his life. He didn't know what to expect.

But he had to find a way. He would find a way.

And they had to hurry. From the steady progression of desperation from the monster, the battle was soon to be over.

Pooling his determination together, Lyner tugged his arm out of Lazarus' grip and immediately scrambled onto the stone altar. An engraved magical circle sat in the centre of the podium, with a strange sigil within the very centre. He deduced that by concentrating his energy into the sigil, it would allow for him to support their surroundings.

Dropping to his knees, Lyner pressed his palms against the centre sigil. The familiar crackle of his lightning abilities was oddly comforting as he allowed the energy to pulse into stone. Shimmers of blue light pulsated along the circle engravings, allowing him to believe that his energy was being accepted.

"Lazarus, is the structure stabilising?"

"...Yeah, ceiling has stopped collapsing."

Good.

He just had to wait for the battle to take its course. It would end soon...

While Lyner focused his attention on maintaining the flow of energy, he had heard the familiar sounds of one last final combo attack, the grunts of exertions, and the clashing of weapons.

Not much longer now...

As the monster gave its final death cry, Lyner felt the breath forced from his lungs in a strangled gasp. He had expected the need for power would increase upon the defeat of the entity previous sustaining the entire sub-world, he just wasn't ready for it to be so...harsh.

H-he should have, honestly.

"What's going on now?"

"Lyner!"

"D-don't," he muttered, knowing full well that Ayatane had tried to rush to his side. "I don't know what will happen if you step..."

Lyner winced, an eye slipping closed from the strain of having his energy drained. It...wasn't exactly painful, but it wasn't pleasant. He could handle it, though. He had too.

Was...supporting the place all he could do? What if...?

Closing both eyes, Lyner focused on the memory of the grassy fields that he and his companions were venturing through before this whole ordeal began. Before they entered the temple. Before they fell into an unexpected cave in. A place of safety and normality.

He had accidentally brought everyone here, so maybe he could find a way to allow them to escape, too.

"H-hey, I think an exit just opened up!" York exclaimed in surprise

Again, good. He was finally useful.

"Lyner!"

But he wasn't sure how much longer he could remain useful.

"Hurry!" Lyner managed to yell. "I don't know how much longer I can keep it open!"

"What about you, idiot?!" York was the one to shout over the crumbling stone walls and ceiling. "We didn't come all this way to leave you behind now!"

Y-yeah, he was sorry about that...

Despite the way Lyner has squeezed his eyes shut in concentration, he knew that Ayatane was still close by. Unwilling to leave him. "I'll grab Lyner; you four try to keep the doors from closing."

"What if we can't?"

"Then I will stay with Lyner, regardless of what happens."

Ayatane...

Hah, he had better get out of this place, too, then. There was no way he was going to drag Ayatane into possible oblivion with him.

He...just had to give one finally burst of his lightning abilities. Enough to sustain the structure, the dungeon for a few precious seconds. Long enough for Ayatane to grab Lyner. Long enough for him to slip through the fragile exit. Long enough for everyone to escape.

He could do it. He had to.

"Everyone get ready!"

Ok...one last burst of energy should do it!

"Now!"

As the tingling sensation flowed from Lyner's fingers and into the sand stone, he felt Ayatane's presence next to him. And he was soon swept up into his arms once more. One arm around his back, another under his knees. He was hoisted up easily, cradled carefully against a chest covered in armour.

He laid perfectly still, while his mind spun from all the sudden movements. He kept his head down and eyes shut. He knew that there was nothing more he could do. He had given all of his strength into that stone altar. Into that sigil.

Only when he felt Ayatane cease his movements, when he heard the hurried words of his companions did he finally force his eyes to open.

The grassy field. Ayatane. Everyone gathered together. All of them. Out in the bright light of the surface.

Good. He could finally rest for a moment...

... ... ... ... ...

Lyner's head was absolutely swimming, hazy and vague, as he tried to navigate moving into consciousness. He squeezed his eyes shut before forcing them open. Only to snap them shut again immediately from the bright light.

...Sunlight?

"Lyner?"

"A-Ayatane?" He didn't need clear vision to know that his friend was looking down at him with both relief and concern. "Wh-what happened? Did...everyone make it out?"

"Yes," Ayatane immediately replied, allowing for Lyner himself to sink down into...whatever he was lying on in relief. "Are you all right?"

"How are you feeling?" Another voice asked, startling Lyner for a moment. But it only lasted for a short moment as he immediately recognised Raze's voice. Even if the concern in his tone was somewhat surprising.

"I'm not entire sure." He was unable to form the words to describe his sheer exhausting in all honesty. "Turns out preventing a sub-world from collapsing is a lot harder than I thought."

Hah, to put it lightly.

"It's not something you will need to do all that often," Raze was the one to unexpectedly joked.

He certainly hoped so!

"Hey!" York's voice was distant, but still energetic. "We know where we are. We're close to basecamp. Let's get the hell out of here already!"

Basecamp...yeah, he looked forward to sleeping in a comfortable bed. Not to mention getting something to eat.

Wordlessly, Ayatane once again slipped his arms around Lyner. One around his shoulders, holding him close against his chest plate, and the other under his knees, to cradle him closer. As Ayatane pushed himself to his feet, carefully and effortlessly carrying him, Lyner rested his head under his chest. Content in allowing his treasured friend to fuss over him.

Oh, he would no doubt get a chewing out about taking better care of himself and such, but he could deal with that.

As long as everyone was safe, as long as Ayatane was safe, he'd take that as a victory.