The group rushed back to the Wagon-Fortress, their footsteps echoing through the brass corridors as they made their way to the core chamber. The air was thick with tension, each of them knowing what was at stake.

  “Hale’s in the core chamber,” Victor said, his voice calm but urgent. “He’s trying to take control.”

  “We’re not letting him get away with this,” Aelin said, her voice sharp as she tightened her grip on her bow.

  Borin grunted, his hammer already in hand. “He’s got another thing coming if he thinks he can just waltz in and take over.”

  Pip was the first to reach the chamber door, her hands flying over the control panel. “I’m locking it down. He’s not getting out.”

  But as the door slid open, they realized they were too late. Hale stood in the center of the core chamber, a small, glowing device in his hand. His triumphant smirk sent a chill through the room.

  “Did you really think you could stop me?” Hale asked, his voice dripping with mockery. He held up the device, its faint hum growing louder as it charged. “This little beauty is a mana-charged explosive. One flick of the switch, and this whole place goes up in flames. You, me, the Wagon-Fortress—everything.”

  Victor’s core pulsed with alarm, his voice calm but urgent. “Hale, you don’t have to do this. There’s another way.”

  Hale laughed, though there was no humor in it. “Another way? Don’t make me laugh. This is the only way. Either I walk out of here with control of this core, or none of us walk out at all.”

  The group stepped into the chamber, their weapons drawn. Aelin’s bow was aimed directly at Hale’s chest, while Borin’s hammer was ready to strike. Pip stood slightly behind them, her hands clutching a small device.

  “It’s over, Hale,” Aelin said, her voice as sharp as the arrowhead pointed at him. “You’re outnumbered.”

  Hale’s smirk widened. “Outnumbered? Maybe. But I’ve got the upper hand here. One move, and it’s all over.”

  Pip leaned slightly toward Victor, her voice a barely audible whisper. “Victor, I can disable it. But I need to get closer.”

  Victor’s core pulsed faintly in acknowledgment, but before he could respond, Hale’s sharp eyes caught the movement.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Hale snapped, his voice cold and dangerous. He raised the explosive device higher, his thumb hovering over the activation switch. “One wrong move, and I’ll blow us all to pieces. Try to disable it, and I’ll trigger it early. You really want to test me?”

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  Pip froze, her hands tightening around her tools. Her eyes darted to Victor, silently pleading for a plan.

  Victor’s core pulsed with resolve. “Hale, you don’t have to do this. You can still walk away.”

  Hale laughed, though there was a hint of desperation in his voice. “Walk away? To what? A life on the run? No, Victor. This ends here, one way or another.”

  The tension in the room was palpable, the hum of the explosive device growing louder as it charged. Hale’s thumb twitched over the switch, his eyes darting between the group and Victor’s core.

  “You think you’re so clever,” Hale said, his voice bitter. “But you’re just like me. You’ll do whatever it takes to survive. The only difference is, I’m not afraid to pull the trigger.”

  Victor’s core pulsed with a mix of pity and resolve. “You’re wrong, Hale. Survival isn’t about sacrificing others. It’s about protecting what matters.”

  With a surge of energy, Victor activated the chamber’s defenses. A shimmering mana barrier flared to life, surrounding only himself and Hale. “Now the only ones in any danger are you and me”

  Hale’s smirk faltered as he realized what had happened. He slammed his fist against the barrier, his expression twisting into one of frustration. “You think this changes anything? I can still kill us both!”

  “Maybe,” Victor replied, his voice calm but firm. “But my friends will survive”

  Victor's glowing core intensified as it absorbed the energy from the device, its surface rippling like water. The light grew brighter and brighter, casting sharp shadows across the chamber as the mana barrier around him and Hale pulsed with raw power. But as the energy surged into Victor, the strain began to show. The faint cracks from before grew more pronounced with an ominous light as they spread.

  “Victor!” Pip screamed, her voice raw with panic. She pressed her hands against the barrier, her eyes wide with terror. “Stop! You’re going to destroy yourself!”

  Aelin’s sharp eyes narrowed, her voice cutting through the chaos. “Victor, you’re not just a tool to be used up! You’re one of us. Stop this now!”

  Borin slammed his hammer against the barrier, his gruff voice filled with desperation. “Don’t you dare give up on us, Victor! We’re not losing you to this lunatic!”

  Victor’s core pulsed weakly, his voice strained but calm. “I… have to. This is the only way to protect you.”

  The cracks deepened, glowing brighter as the energy from the explosive device overwhelmed Victor’s systems. The hum of his core grew erratic, flickering like a dying flame.

  Hale laughed, though his voice was tinged with desperation. “You’re a fool, Victor! You’ll die for nothing!”

  “Maybe,” Victor replied, his voice barely audible over the growing hum of energy. “But my friends… will live.”

  Pip dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. “No, no, no! Victor, please! There has to be another way!”

  Aelin’s voice was sharp, but there was a tremor of emotion beneath it. “Victor, listen to me. You don’t get to make this choice alone. We’re a team. We fight together, or we don’t fight at all.”

  Borin stepped closer, his gruff voice softening. “You’re not just protecting us, Victor. You’re part of us. And we’re not letting you go.”

  Victor’s core pulsed with warmth, but his resolve didn’t waver. “I’m sorry. But this is the only way to keep you safe.”