He thrust his hand inside and crushed the core with one decisive squeeze.
The light died instantly.
SQ-L88's body froze.
Its eyes dimmed.
The sentinel collapsed completely, limbs falling limp as all power shut down.
Silence filled the chamber.
Asher exhaled slowly and stepped back, wiping metal dust and blue residue from his hand.
The Knight stood beside him, sword lowered.
Asher looked at the broken machine and muttered, "Finally done."
Then he turned toward the deeper hall ahead.
"Next."
Asher stepped over the broken pieces of SQ-L88 and moved deeper into the hall. The Knight walked beside him, its steps heavy but steady.
The hallway ahead was darker. The lights on the ceiling flickered, and long shadows stretched across the floor. The air felt heavier too, like something further inside was watching them.
Asher wiped the last bit of blue residue from his hand and rolled his shoulder once.
"Alright," he muttered. "Whatever's next… better be worth the trouble."
