Leveling Up With My Dragon System

Kai felt a mix of anger and disappointment, but he knew he had to act fast. "Erik, you're not thinking straight. Put the artifact down and come with us."

Erik's response was a sneer. "I don't need you telling me what to do. I'm not weak like you all think."

With a swift motion, he sent another shockwave towards Kai, knocking him off his feet. The dragon node within Kai roared to life, and he could feel its power surging through his veins. He knew he had to put an end to this, but not without trying to reach out to his friend one last time.

"Erik, think about what you're doing," Kai called out, pushing himself up from the ice. "You're not alone here."

"Don't patronize me!" Erik yelled back, his eyes ablaze with power. He lifted the artifact, its icy weight seemingly inconsequential to him. "This is my path to greatness."

The room grew quiet as the recruits of Team 12 watched the unfolding scene in disbelief. The friendship they had built was now a battleground of power and ambition.

Kai took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Erik's. "You're wrong," he said firmly. "Greatness isn't about leaving others behind, it's about lifting them." He gestured to Annika, Ingrid, and Frode. "Look at us, we're strong because we stand together."

Erik's grip tightened on the artifact, the veins in his arms bulging. "I don't need you," he murmured, but there was a hint of doubt in his voice.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Kai could see the internal struggle in Erik's eyes.

"You don't have to do this alone," he continued, his voice steady. "We're your team, and we support you."

For a moment, Erik's stance wavered, his grip on the artifact loosening slightly. The doubt grew stronger, his eyes flickering between his friends and the prize he held.

"Erik, come on," Frode urged, his voice laced with tension. "We're in this together."

Erik's grip on the artifact tightened again, the yellow light of his node pulsing in time with his racing heart. The tension in the room was palpable, the fog thickening around them as if it too were a silent witness to the impending confrontation.

"We can still do this as a team," Kai offered, taking a cautious step forward. His dragon eyes never left Erik's, trying to convey the depth of his words. "We've come so far together."

Erik's expression was torn, the struggle within him visible. The yellow light of his node grew dimmer, and the ice around the artifact began to melt under the heat of his conflicting emotions.

"You're right," he murmured finally, dropping the artifact. It hit the ground with a thud, sending a spray of water and shards of ice in every direction. He took a step back, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Kai rushed over to him, his hand reaching out. "We're in this together, Erik. Let's get out of here and talk about it."

Erik looked down at the hand and then back up to Kai's eyes, his own filled with a storm of regret and anger. "Together?" he spat. "You think I'm going anywhere with you?"

Kai felt a pang of sadness in his chest but remained steadfast. "Erik, we can work this out."

But Erik stepped back, shaking his head. "I've made my choice," he said, his voice cold. "You're all just holding me back."

With that, he turned and stormed off, leaving the team stunned and the artifact untouched. The tension in the air was thick and heavy, a stark contrast to the cold and lifeless ice that surrounded them. Frode looked at Kai with a mix of shock and confusion.

"What the hell just happened?" Frode whispered, his voice barely audible over the crackling of the ice beneath their feet.

"He's lost," Ingrid said softly, her eyes downcast. "We need to get to the artifact before anyone else does."

Kai nodded, his mind racing. "Let's go."

They quickly approached the artifact, the weight of the moment pressing down on them like the thick ice above. Annika took the lead, her swift movements carrying her across the unsteady floor with surprising grace. Frode laid down a path of illusions behind them, ensuring no one could follow easily.

As they reached the artifact, Kai's thoughts remained with Erik. 'Could we have done more to prevent this?' he wondered. 'Could we have seen the signs?' The dragon node within him stirred, whispering of the betrayal it sensed in the air.

Ignoring the whispers, Kai focused on the task at hand. Annika managed to grab hold of the artifact with surprising ease, its weight no match for her newfound strength. The moment she touched it, the room began to shake violently, the ice cracking and groaning under the pressure.

Experience tales at empire

"We need to get out of here, now!" Frode's voice cut through the chaos as he realized the implications of their victory. The floor was giving way, and the simulation was about to collapse around them.

With the artifact secured, Kai nodded to Annika, and together they sprinted towards the exit, the others following closely behind. The ice walls shattered around them as the cavern mimicked the wrath of an angry dragon. Frode's illusions wavered under the tremendous pressure, but they managed to throw a few more up to confuse any pursuers.

Their hearts hammered in their chests as they approached the exit, the ground beneath them cracking and crumbling. Suddenly, the fog cleared, revealing a figure standing in their path—Erik, his eyes blazing with determination. "Move," Kai bellowed, pushing Annika aside and charging forward.

Frode and Ingrid exchanged a quick look, unsure if they should follow Kai or retreat. The air was charged with a tension that could crack the very ice around them.

"Erik," Kai panted, trying to keep his voice steady as the ground trembled. "Let us go. This isn't worth it."

But Erik's eyes were wild, his jaw set. "I can't," he said, his voice echoing through the collapsing cavern. "Not anymore."

The floor gave way underneath Kai, sending him plummeting into the icy abyss below. Frode's instincts took over, his magic flaring as he conjured a net of vines to catch Kai's fall. The dragon node bearer dangled in the freezing air, the artifact slipping from Annika's grasp.