The ruined temple loomed like a half-forgotten god's molar, cracked, stained, and badly in need of flossing.

  Alistair ducked through the arched entry, brushing aside a curtain of dead vines. The inside was cooler, dim, and quiet, mercifully quiet. A collapsed altar lay to one side, buried under roots and ash. Broken pews leaned like drunks at closing hour.

  They settled in fast. Thess propped Brimma against a cracked column. Kael kept his bow near, always near. And Buddy, bless his oversized murder soul, padded to the entrance and flopped down with his jaw resting on crossed paws, eyes scanning the dark.

  A low growl rumbled in his throat. Not angry. Just... present. A warning to the world: we're home, try us.

  Alistair dusted off a shattered bench, sat down, and looked over the group.

  “We need to talk about what just happened.”

  Brimma grunted like someone had stepped on her staff. “What part? The divine fire, the obelisk, or the aneurysm I gave that golden prick?”

  Alistair ignored her sass, eyes sharp. “Start from the top. What exactly happened?”

  Brimma rubbed her face, smearing grime into new patterns. “I was scouting. Thought I’d stretch my legs, take a piss, maybe find something worth eating. That’s when I saw it, one of the minibosses. Big one. Bulky armor, glowing runes. Looked like a mage-knight hybrid.”

  “And?” Kael asked, leaning forward.

  Brimma shrugged. “System pinged me. Asked if I wanted to deactivate Arena Protection.”

  Alistair winced. Thessaly groaned softly. Kael buried his face in his hands.

  Brimma squinted. “What?”

  “You said yes?” Thess asked, pained.

  “I thought I could take him!” Brimma snapped, instantly defensive. “Didn’t expect a golden maniac to teleport out of nowhere and start throwing divine tantrums.”

  Alistair pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course you didn’t.”

  Brimma’s eyes narrowed. “You’re judging me.”

  “No,” he said calmly. “I’m pointing out that you technically cheated.”

  The temple went silent.

  Even Buddy tilted his head.

  Brimma blinked. “Excuse me?”

  Alistair turned to her, voice deceptively smooth. “You used our Arena Protection as a weapon. The system still thinks Kael, Thess, and I are civilians in there. Untouchable. You deactivated yours. But you lured the champion into our shields and then obliterated him with a siege-spell. That's not just ballsy, it’s exploitation.”

  Thessaly frowned. “Wait… I thought the Arena Protection was individual.”

  “It is,” Alistair said, grinning now. “But it doesn’t end when someone else fights. It stays up, and that means...”

  Kael’s eyes widened. “We can cheat.”

  Brimma cackled, then winced and clutched her ribs. “Now you’re speaking my language.”

  “We’re not really cheating,” Thess said carefully. “It’s just… strategic system abuse.”

  Kael looked at her. “Is that better?”

  “No,” she admitted. “But it feels slightly less immoral.”

  Alistair stood and began pacing, energized. “We have ten hours left on our protection. That’s ten hours of invincible teammates standing by while one of us takes down the minibosses. We rotate the shield drop. One at a time. While the others tank hits, distract enemies, maybe even trap them. We collect the Godkeys faster than anyone else. Get ahead. Survive the next Cleansing.”

  Brimma rubbed her hands together like a goblin haggling for a soul. “That’s deliciously dirty.”

  “Thank you,” Alistair said with a proud nod. “It is.”

  Thess looked at him, equal parts amused and concerned. “You realize the gods might punish us for this.”

  “Maybe,” Alistair said. “But we’re not breaking any laws. We’re just… adjusting the angle of the arena’s blessings.”

  “Tilting the game board until the other pieces slide off,” Kael muttered. “I like it.”

  Alistair turned to Brimma and offered a hand. “So. Care to show us where you saw our next victim?”

  Brimma cracked a grin, wicked and tired. “Follow me, vampire. Let’s go rob this arena blind.”

  “Tell me again why we’re trusting Brimma to lead us anywhere?” Kael muttered as they navigated through a crooked alley of collapsed pillars and toppled god-statues. “Last time she said ‘this way,’ I got hit by a sentient boulder.”

  “That boulder was tactical terrain,” Brimma grunted, stomping ahead with the pride of a cranky sherpa. “And you stepped into its path like a clueless deer sniffing honey traps.”

  “She’s not wrong,” Alistair said. “Your grace under pressure was... memorable.”

  “I hate all of you,” Kael muttered.

  Thess smiled faintly. “You say that, but you keep saving us.”

  “Unfortunately.”

  Buddy let out a deep boof from up ahead, where he’d taken point. His ears twitched once, and his hackles lifted, just slightly.

  Alistair’s eyes narrowed. “He’s got something.”

  They climbed the broken ridge slowly. The wind changed.

  And there it was.

  At the center of a sunken courtyard surrounded by shattered columns and a half-collapsed rotunda, a Warden of Stone stood like the arena had grown a tumor.

  Half-man, half-spire. A stone giant fused with ancient architecture, its armor cracked and runed with molten seams. Its left arm ended in a jagged slab shaped like a crude tower shield. The right held a rusted greatsword bigger than a horse. Moss clung to its hips. Its head was helm-shaped, hollow, glowing.

  And it was not idle.

  It patrolled the courtyard in slow, grinding arcs, dragging one foot like the weight of its body was cracking the world with every step.

  Alistair’s vision pulsed.

  [Miniboss Identified: Warden of Stone]

  Level: 25

  Class: Colossus Guardian – Siege Subtype

  Health: 1,800

  Abilities:

  ? Tectonic Cleave – Wide arc slash with terrain fracture

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  ? Sentinel's Slam – Targeted AoE knockdown

  ? Stone Shield Pulse – Emits a shockwave to repel enemies

  ? Siegebreaker Instinct (Passive): Prioritizes enemy spellcasters

  Reward: 1x Godkey Fragment, High-tier loot (Armor/Spell Components)

  Warning: Shielded targets are immune. Protection bypass requires consent.

  “Well, I hate it already,” Alistair muttered.

  Kael exhaled slowly. “One thousand eight hundred HP?”

  “He’s chunky,” Brimma admitted.

  “No. He’s a walking fortress.” Alistair turned to her. “Sure you’re up for this?”

  Brimma gave him a look like he’d just asked if she could still chew her own food.

  “Right,” he said. “Forgot who I was talking to.”

  Brimma stepped forward and the moment her foot left the ridge, the system chimed.

  [Arena Protection Deactivated – Brimma]

  Remaining Protection: 10:36:08

  “Right then,” she said. “Let’s see if this loophole actually works.”

  The Warden’s helm-head turned instantly. Magic flared in his chest. He began to move, grinding stone and rage. Brimma sprinted forward and slammed her staff down.

  [Spell Cast: Spire Bloom]

  The spire burst from the earth, jagged and blooming like a stony rose. Brimma ducked behind it, breathing hard. Thorns jutted from the stem, and green light pulsed between the petals.

  The Warden raised his sword and hurled a slab of stone from its shoulder with a mechanical lurch.

  It screamed through the air, aimed directly at Brimma.

  Kael stepped in without thinking.

  The boulder struck his shield with an echoing boom.

  [Arena Protection Absorbed Impact – Kaelren]

  No damage taken. Protection remains active.

  Kael blinked. “Okay. That felt like being hit by a runaway tower, but I’m fine.”

  Brimma peeked from behind the flower, eyebrows raised. “That supposed to happen?”

  Alistair grinned. “We’re abusing a system loophole to tank hits for each other. Of course it’s working.”

  Another tremor.

  The Warden charged.

  Brimma didn’t panic.

  She didn’t flinch.

  She raised her staff and held her ground.

  Then she ducked just in time for Thessaly to shoulder her behind another crumbled wall. The Warden’s sword came down with the sound of mountains dying.

  Brimma growled. “I hate being babysat.”

  Alistair winced, his eyes drifting toward his domain.

  [Ability Available: Tactical Flow – Target: Brimma]

  Effect: Next spell gains +50% power, zero cost, halved cooldown

  Warning: Using this ability will deactivate your Arena Protection. Proceed?

  Yes / No

  He hesitated.

  Kael's voice cut in low. “I can tell what you are about to do. Don’t. Not yet.”

  “I could tip the fight.”

  “Or you could tip into a crater. We’re not desperate. Yet.”

  Alistair canceled the prompt with a sigh.

  Brimma dove back into cover, face twisted in annoyance. “Remind me why I agreed to this again?”

  “Because you love us,” Thess said sweetly.

  “Like foot fungus,” Brimma growled.

  The Warden let out another grinding roar and raised both arms.

  “Here it comes!” Kael warned.

  The giant slammed both fists into the ground, stone erupted in a wave of shrapnel.

  Brimma shifted just before it hit.

  [Shapeshift: Badger Form Activated]

  Her form condensed and thickened. A snarling badger the size of a dog burst from the smoke, slammed claws into the earth, and burrowed under the wave of flying stone.

  “Gods damn,” Alistair whispered. “She actually badgered through a shockwave.”

  Kael exhaled. “She’ll resurface. Let’s keep its attention.”

  He and Thess stepped forward, taunting the miniboss with movement, both shielded, both impossible targets.

  The Warden hesitated, its targeting logic confused.

  Brimma erupted from the ground behind it with a savage snarl, stone and dust flying in her wake.

  She launched herself at the giant's exposed back leg, three feet of pissed-off gnome fury wrapped in fur and claws.

  [Badger Form – Basic Attack]

  Claw Swipe – 22 damage

  Bleed Applied (Minor)

  Warden of Stone – HP: 1800 → 1778

  Her claws raked across the enchanted armor with a high-pitched skreeeeee. Chips of stone flew. The Warden jerked, took a lumbering step, and nearly lost balance as its knee buckled.

  “Oh, gods,” Alistair muttered. “She’s actually badgering him to death.”

  “Is this working?” Kael called as he sprinted across the battlefield, flinging a piece of rubble to get the Warden’s attention.

  “Define ‘working,’” Thess shouted, flinching as a swing landed with a loud clang at her shield.

  Buddy barked and lunged, tail wagging, mouth open in a stupid grin, before stopping just short of the Warden's other leg, pissing a small arc of fire onto its boot and growling with deep satisfaction.

  “Great,” Alistair deadpanned. “The hellhound’s contributing.”

  The Warden turned, sluggish and confused, massive blade sweeping sideways toward Brimma. She was still latched to its calf like some kind of cursed climbing axe.

  Kael saw the incoming swing and dove without hesitation, interposing his shielded body between Brimma and the descending sword.

  [Impact Blocked – Kaelren (Arena Protection Active)]

  No Damage Taken. Miniboss staggered.

  The sword rebounded with a thunderclap off Kael’s shield and buried itself in the ground.

  “Still cheating,” Kael muttered, panting. “But it feels weirdly noble.”

  “You’re a noble cheese wheel,” Alistair shouted. “Keep soaking hits!”

  Brimma responded by snarling louder and biting into the Warden’s ankle with enough force to make its entire leg quake.

  [Bite Attack – 34 Damage]

  Warden of Stone – HP: 1778 → 1744

  “Gods damn,” Thess muttered. “She’s carving it down like a termite.”

  The Warden roared. Dust fell from the arches. It stomped, tried to shake her loose. Brimma held on. Dug in deeper.

  Thess darted past its swinging arm and slapped the giant on its stony shin, grinning.

  [Thessaly (Arena Protection Active)] – Taunt Successful]

  “Hey, overgrown chimney!” she shouted. “Your ankles are property of the Dryad Confederacy!”

  The Warden’s head swiveled toward her. Sword rising. Slow. Predictable.

  Alistair seized the moment.

  He ran full-speed behind it, slapped its other leg, and kept running.

  “Hey now!” he called. “I thought we were friends!”

  [Alistair (Arena Protection Active)] – Additional Target Acquired]

  The Warden started turning in place, sword swinging in slow, futile arcs at invulnerable targets while Brimma clung to its leg like a burr with vengeance issues.

  Buddy darted forward again, this time leaping up and snatching the Warden’s cape.

  It ripped off clean, burst into flame in his mouth, and he trotted away proudly to chew it like a prize kill.

  “Buddy, that’s not helping!” Alistair shouted.

  Buddy wagged his tail and incinerated the rest of the fabric by breathing on it.

  “Correction,” Kael said. “It’s extremely helpful. Morale is skyrocketing.”

  Brimma let out a wheezing HRRRFFF sound from her furry throat and slashed again.

  [Claw Combo – 38 Damage]

  Warden of Stone – HP: 1744 → 1706

  The Warden finally stomped hard enough to dislodge her, sending her tumbling through a pile of gravel and up against a ruined pillar. She skidded to a stop, snarled, then shook it off like a wet dog and charged again.

  Alistair watched her sprint back into battle, fur bristling, claws raised, eyes glowing with badger-rage.

  “I can’t believe this is real,” he muttered. “She’s soloing a miniboss as a badger.”

  Kael notched an arrow and gestured at the spectacle. “This is why the gods watch us.”

  Alistair looked down as another system message popped up.

  [Warden of Stone – Status: Confused]

  Targeting: Thessaly, Kaelren, Alistair, Buddy, Spire Bloom, and Unknown Aggressor

  Alistair blinked. “They’ve marked Brimma as ‘Unknown Aggressor.’”

  “She is hard to categorize right now,” Thess said, ducking another blow.

  Brimma leapt again, claws flashing, jaws wide.

  The Warden raised its shield for a massive [Stone Shield Pulse]....

  And Alistair’s eyes widened. “Everyone get ready! Shockwave incoming!”

  Brimma didn’t flinch. She ducked under the shield arm, bit the joint.

  The shockwave fired...

  ... and slammed into Thess, Kael, and Alistair.

  [Arena Protection Absorbed Damage – No HP Lost]

  The three of them were flung backwards, tumbling through rubble like kicked dolls, but laughing as they rolled.

  Alistair groaned and sat up. “This is the stupidest strategy I’ve ever seen.”

  Kael stumbled to his feet. “It’s also working.”

  Thess raised a hand from the dirt. “So much for subtlety.”

  Brimma didn’t let up.

  She tore into the exposed knee joint again. Another bite. Another gouge. Bits of stone armor crumbled.

  [Critical Hit – 54 Damage]

  Warden of Stone – HP: 1706 → 1652

  The Warden staggered.

  “Holy shit,” Alistair whispered. “She’s going to bring it down. Probably... Most likely... Sometime in the next decade...”

  The team fanned out, forming a ring of invincible distractions while the furry engine of destruction chewed her way toward victory.

  And above it all, Buddy barked once, sharp, victorious.

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