Realizing the futility of the battle, the allied armies finally broke. "Retreat! All vessels, full reverse! Abandon the perimeter!" the commanders screamed through the communication arrays.
Deep within the dark sanctuary, Ethan watched the chaotic retreat through his mental link. "They are attempting to break the encirclement. Do not let a single one of them escape," Ethan said, his voice flat and unyielding.
The Lich let out a harsh, bone-rattling cackle that echoed off the damp stone walls. "Do they truly believe fleeing my domain is that simple, Master? Since you laid out the blueprint for this trap, I have not wasted a single breath. Rise, Pillars of Despair!"
Outside, the earth groaned and violently ruptured. Massive, jagged pillars composed of compressed bones and screaming souls erupted around the entire five-kilometer perimeter. The structures acted like ancient siphons, frantically absorbing the fresh blood and mutilated corpses scattered across the valley.
