Amarok and Lyra exchanged glances as they stood before the dark entrance. They stepped inside. Their surroundings instantly shifted. Amarok trembled, feeling the abrupt change in water temperature. He was barefoot, and the ground was cold—much colder than before. The area was slightly somber, but they could still see clearly at the horizon.

The water waved in a rhythmic way, causing sounds to echo like cries. Shiver ran down his spine. The bedrock here was abyss-dark.

The bright coral trees they had seen were dull and dry. At the top, worm-like hairs waved with the water. The smaller species here were nonexistent.

"What a sad place," Lyra commented. "We shouldn't linger here," Amarok urged. Their advancement was pretty smooth.

"If we team up, we might have a better chance to capture the luminous Silk," Amarok proposed. "Okay, but the first we capture is mine," she said, not giving him any leeway. "As you wish," Amarok didn't argue.

"Five more to go," Arcana elder voice sounded once more. Amarok tensed even more. "You've survived till now. What rank are you already?" she asked curiously.

"Well..." Amarok stumbled for words. How was he supposed to explain that despite the whole month that had gone by, he still had no rank? It was too shameful.

Suddenly, Amarok tightened his sword. A sword arc sliced forward, an ear-piercing metallic sound echoed. Sparkles bloomed, creating a short light in the dark area for a few seconds. "It's not time for that," he said.

Threats that looked like snakes floated all around them. Lyra jumped back and dodged another lightning-fast strike. The air whistled; she gritted her teeth, blood dripping from her arm. Her heart sank as it fell, dangling to the side.

At the same time, another Scharfsnake pounced forward. Amarok stepped in, his sword slicing down, but his precision was mediocre. The Scharfsnake swirled through the sword, going straight for his neck. He let go of the sword and flipped back, escaping the hissing sound by chance. He saw what happened with Lyra's arm and didn't dare to let it touch him.

"It's venomous. Careful," Lyra's soft voice echoed. Her face was turning pale. Her white hair made her an easy target in this dark environment.

Amarok's eyes fell on his sword, as if sensing his intention. They pounced all towards him. He dashed forward; his heart beat accelerated. He knew getting his sword was their only way out.

Amarok stepped to the side, sprang, and bent forward to avoid another snake. Then stepped to the side. The sword was a few meters away. His heart was pounding in his chest. He could hear the hissing sound, barely avoiding his body. A little more, he thought, when suddenly something burst out underneath. He flipped to the side, but as he landed, he felt a sharp pain course through his foot. He stumbled back, immediately dropping to one knee.

The Scharfsnake sparkled as blades sprang out all over its body, grinning as they all charged towards Amarok. His heart skipped a beat.

Lyra placed her bow on the ground, using her foot and still-able hand, she pulled the string. The Thunderquiver rune exploded with power, lightning coursing through. 

Whoosh, an arrow whistled through slightly above the ground. The Scharfsnakes were crushed upon impact. A blinding light illuminated the whole area.

Amarok seized his chance, snatching his sword and returning to her side. "Thank you," he said with a low voice. "It's not over yet," Lyra grinned. The bow fell to the ground; she simply couldn't stand straight anymore.

Amarok's mind raced as he stared around him. The Scharfsnakes had momentarily halted their restless charge. His mind was racing. With his broken arm, he couldn't count on his sword. The best thing now would be to flee.

The Scharfsnakes bolted once more. "I can do it, I can go on," he kept repeating to himself. His eyes fell on Lyra, her usual face full of vigor now pale. His arm broken, his foot bleeding. How could he escape with her? Should he let her be and go? He bit his lip, throwing his thoughts and logic to the side. He couldn't let her be.

"Please just work, for once," he implored, screaming with all his might. His voice echoed in the whole area.

The Scharfsnakes were sent flying backward. A blinding white energy armored his body. The familiar First Order rune was painted on his back palm. His eyes were bright and deep like the cosmos.

Amarok gripped Lyra in his arms. His body blitzed like lightning. In a flash, he evaded the Scharfsnakes that had crashed into the bedrock. His body was unstoppable, bolting through the dark plains.

The Scharfsnakes were grinding and attacking. With a loud explosion, the ground underneath his foot cracked, his body moving at lightning speed.

He went in a race of speed with the Scharfsnakes. Amarok quickly broke the encirclement, rushing away.

As he thought he was finally out of trouble, a CoralDoll burst underneath him once more. Amarok threw Mist in the air as they were pushed upward by the CoralDoll. He double-jumped in mid-air. The air cracked, a powerful windstorm blowing like a tsunami. Spinning in mid-air, his foot smashed the CoralDoll back to the ground.

Its body landed with a violent impact, sending the entire coral labyrinth trembling. Amarok landed with the shocked Lyra in his arms. The bedrock opened under the pressure, creating mini-craters.

He stepped out and vanished from sight before the other CoralDoll and Scharfsnake arrived.

Lyra was dumbfounded. She could feel the warm energy recovering his body. As a rune warrior, she wasn't ignorant of what it was. It was so pure and clear it felt unreal.

Amarok looked extremely handsome at the moment. His deep eyes never losing focus on his target. His dress was blowing, his barefoot moving nonstop.

Soon enough, he tripped down. The energy vanished in an instant. Their bodies rolled down deeper and deeper, disappearing from sight.

Unknown to them, they had reached the Center of the abyssal ring.