False Hope

"Unlucky! The demons are walking closer and closer to us!"

"What should we do?! Are we going to die here?!"

Everyone looked panicked and frightened to see the creatures walking towards them. The sound of the scythe rubbing against the floor of the room roared and signaled that their lives were now approaching the end of their lives. Amid everyone's panic, around the altar suddenly appeared several bright blue flames. The blue flames just hovered around them, confining, and slowly, one by one, they extinguished themselves.

"Ah, what now?!"

"W-what should we do now?"

"Shut up you guys! What is this situation?!"

Everyone was getting more and more desperate as the creatures got closer and closer to the altar they were currently standing on. The people who still had their composure tried to look around to see if any clues could allow them to escape the tension. Galam with the remnants of his strength also tried to find a clue as the blue flames surrounding them were extinguished every second.

Galam tried to stare at one of the demons that was walking towards them. He was surprised when the demon's steps slowed as Galam stared at him. Then he tried again on another demon and it turned out to be the same as before. On the other hand, when Galam took his eyes off the demons, they would begin to walk normally, no longer slowing their pace.

He finally understood after seeing that coupled with the strangeness of their movement where the positions of the creatures were not the same, even though they appeared at the same time. Galam also realized this because when he stared at the creature he would slow down and the creature that managed to avoid the gaze would get closer to them faster. Galam who saw Sana scared while closing her eyes also told her to keep her eyes on the demons.

"Sana! Hey, don't close your eyes! Keep your eyes on those creatures!"

"B-but, I'm afraid, Galam. I am very scared."

Sana's body shook violently which indicated that she was currently really scared. Her voice was shaking and sobbing.

Galam tried to strengthen Sana by gently touching the girl's fragile shoulder. He tried to convince Sana that what he said now was the only way to get them out of that deadly place.

"Sana, you can hear me, right? You trust me, don't you? Trust me, you will survive if you listen to me. Now, open your eyes and brace yourself to stare at them, that's the only way we can get out of this place."

Hearing Galam's words, Sana slowly dared to open her eyes and stare at one of the demons in front of her. But for a moment he managed to stare at the creature, he quickly turned his gaze back and stared at Galam's face with puffy eyes. Galam smiled trying to convince and encourage Sana that she could believe his words.

Seeing Galam's sincere smile made Sana have the urge to strengthen her heart again. She closed her eyes for a moment, reassuring herself before finally opening her eyes and staring at the demons that were approaching them.

When she managed to stare at the demon, the demon's steps suddenly slowed down and made Sana look a little happy. He smiled and tried to say thank you while turning to Galam but immediately Galam held her head without looking at Sana.

"Didn't I tell you to keep your eyes on them? Don't take your eyes off the creature in front of you."

Galam, who had been standing with the help of Bellator's other colleagues, tried to share his findings with the others. He took a deep breath and tried to hold back the pain he felt in the hole-shaped wound on his body.

"All of you, listen to me! Cough cough."

Galam felt that his strength was almost exhausted, even he began to be unable to use his two legs to support his body. Even though he was assisted by another Bellator as a support, he still slowly began to lose consciousness.

"Galam! Are you okay?" asked Bellator's companion who was helping Galam.

"Well, if I say that I'm fine, maybe I'll die with the stamp of sin as a liar."

Galam again tried to get up and convey his thoughts before it was too late and died in vain in that place.

"Everyone, listen to my words! This is the only way to save us from this crisis. Those creatures, no, those demons, look at them and don't turn your eyes to anything else. Focus on looking at them, and they will slow their pace. That will give the ritual time to complete and we will most likely make it out of here alive!"

Galam gasped when he finished his sentence. Amid the extinguishing of the blue flames, everyone who heard Galam's words hesitated a little to believe it. The hesitation grew stronger as the scythe demons got closer to them. Until one of the female Bellators who couldn't do what Galam ordered, chose to avert her eyes and ran away from the altar towards the wide-open gate.

"Uhh, I don't care anymore. I will get out of here!"

"Wait, don't!"

Galam tries to stop her and warns the woman to leave the altar and head for the door. But too late, the woman had already stepped on her feet, running away from the altar and everyone else there.

When the woman exited the altar area, the magic circle that had been lit at the position she was in now died and the door slowly began to close. Paying no heed to this the woman continued to run and approached the wide-open door. Until finally when she arrived at the door, there were no traps or demons that killed her and the woman managed to get out safely. Everyone was shocked at what had just happened.

"What?!"

"That woman is still alive?!"

"Does that mean the traps here are completely inactive?"

Everyone increasingly doubted Galam's earlier words. That incident made everyone start to rethink their actions to get out of this place.

"Galam, how could she still be alive?!"

"Hey, hey, hey. Look, the door is slowly closing."

Everyone was excited about this fact. Meanwhile, Galam was still surprised at how well the woman was and managed to get out of the room. He re-analyzed all the events that had just happened.

The blue flames would slowly go out every second, the magic circle under the woman's feet was inactivated after her legs left the altar area. Galam then recalled the contents of the sentence on the stone artifact which stated that they should all worship, praise, and make sacrifices. From there, Galam thinks that they have passed two conditions and only one condition that they are currently carrying out, therefore he considers that the wide-open door is just a trap of "false hope" and a form of unfaithfulness where it is a failure of the third condition.

"What's this really about? Were all those sentences just manipulative words this room invented? No kidding!"

Galam does not accept the reality he is currently witnessing with his own eyes. Even so, his thinking power was decreasing as his body was also getting weaker due to the fatal wound he received.

With his dying condition, he witnessed the expressions of everyone who began to doubt their choice. It can be seen from their expressions that they are currently confused about choosing between continuing the conditions in this room, or getting out of there.

Galam, who was in his current condition, forced himself to find out what was going on. He thought that when everyone stood at the altar area, the magic circle below lit up and the door started to open. However, when one of the people left the altar, the magic circle would not activate and the door slowly closed. Galam also concluded that if everyone who was here left, then the door would be closed for good.

When Galam tried to tell him that, he was back one step too late. One of his other comrades finally decided to leave the altar and headed for the exit. Galam tried to prevent his departure but again he failed. In his current condition, Galam can't move freely.

Varos and Sana who witnessed that were again shocked when that person also managed to get out safely. Their expressions showed that they were currently witnessing something that was completely beyond their expectations.

"Damn it! What is the meaning of all this?!" Varos screamed in frustration when he saw what happened.

The frustrated Galam finally used all his strength to warn the remaining people not to leave their current position.

"Do not! Don't let anyone step foot off the altar anymore! We can't let more people out of here! If we don't have enough people to see the demons, then it's useless and we'll all die!"

Seeing how Galam insisted on keeping everyone together, Andras tried to brace himself without taking his eyes off the creatures. He then asked Galam about their current situation.

"Galam, what exactly happened? Why did everything turn out like this? Please explain to us!"

"I also do not know! What is certain is that all of us can only do this to survive. We have to be like this until all the blue flames are extinguished and disappear!"

Andras again asked Galam. "Then, what is the meaning of that blue flame? Why are you so sure that we will survive when the blue flames have all been extinguished?"

"That blue fire will go out every second, it's the same as indicating the remaining time we have until the conditions are met. If all the fires have been extinguished, we will all make it through all the conditions in this room and get out of this damned place alive."

Andras, who understood Galam's words, nodded then turned his attention back to the demons who were approaching. Likewise, with Sana, she tries to believe Galam's words and continues to fight her fears to stay afloat. However, in contrast to Varos, he lowered his head and a gloomy and hopeless expression appeared on his face. He then said something to Galam without even looking at him.

"Galam..."

Galam who heard it only glanced briefly, he tried to focus himself to listen to what the senior wanted to say. He just hoped that this time no one else decided to go and get out of that room.

"From the start of our conquest, I have always looked down on you and looked down on you. Treats you as a burden on the team. Even in between trips I always think about getting rid of a burden like you."

Galam was surprised to hear what Varos said to him. He didn't feel that those words were just gibberish to make him hate Varos. But those words sounded like someone honest with how he felt.

Galam realized that he was not a strong Bellator. He always came home in a state of wounds and many times almost died. But he did not give up and was willing to sacrifice his own life to help others. Hearing Varos's words made Galam's heart hurt a little. He didn't expect that such a great person and the one he admired would think that Galam was just a burden that deserved to die.

"I also never expected anything from you, your existence was always ignored by me. When you joined the party I never considered that you were part of my comrades," Varos continued.

Galam continued to listen to Varos's words even though it might hurt him.

"You saw it for yourself too, didn't you? Many of our comrades ended up dying when we carelessly tried to explore this room unprepared. But one thing that I can't deny is the fact that I and all those who are still alive until the last second today are because of your help and direction. All happened because you managed to solve all the mysteries in this room. You are a hero, Galam."

Varos fell silent after finishing his sentence. He then raised his head to look towards the exit without looking at Galam. For some reason, he felt that he did not dare to look at Galam's face. Varos then continued his sentence to Galam.

"I'm still alive because of you. Thank you. And, I'm sorry."

"Mr. Varos."

Right after saying that, Varos then ran away from the altar towards the exit. Galam is shocked to witness Varos' action and tries to scream out and prevent Varon from leaving.

"Mr. Varos, wait! Do not!"

Varos kept running even though he could hear Galam's screams and words preventing him from leaving. However, his life's beliefs were currently at stake. He still believed Galam's words, at the same time he also had his own belief in survival, and it was that belief that strengthened him to choose to leave.

After Varos left, the magic circle deactivated and the door closed again. Only a few people remained in that place. Galam's vision was getting blurry as the wound he received caused him to lose a lot of blood. He was no longer able to move, even if he managed to pass this challenge, whether he would still be alive or not.

"Varos! Bastard! Cursed you Varos!" Andras felt emotional seeing his partner who so easily gave up and left them through it all.

Even Sana who heard everything could only shed tears. She couldn't take her eyes off him even if she wanted to. Even when she heard a groan of pain emanating from Galam she was only able to give a few words of reinforcement.

"Hold on a little longer, Galam! After we get out of here… After all, this is over I'll treat you right away. I beg you, hold on a little longer."

Galam was still trying to maintain his consciousness even though his brain and body were no longer able to strengthen it. Amid that situation, Galam continued to ramble and say something. Andras and Sana did not even hear what Galam said, the only sound that could be heard was the heavy breathing of each of them racing against time and destiny.

"Mr. Varos, did you thank me earlier? Then just leave us alone? You make me laugh. Your departure will only bring disaster and death to those of us who are still surviving, Mr. Varos."