Continue onwards.

RF taps the ground with her staff. A few more times, you pass by a trap, from tripwire to pressure plates, but you manage to avoid them. The hall leads to a wooden door at the end, and with Niki controlling her impulses for now, you reach it with no additional conflict. What lies on the other side of the door, however, is unknown. There's no keyhole to peer through, which also means it may not be locked.

"Are you ready?" Rabbit's Foot says. She then grabs the knob and slowly pushes the door open.

It opens into a huge chamber, and on the right end is another door. Though something strange rests across the room. It looks to be a big steel cube with a clear crystal protruding from the front. It reminds you of a washing machine. The strangest part is that the only other thing in the room is an ordinary looking chair on the left side of the room. It makes you wonder what its purpose was.

RF steps forward and taps the ground yet again. Her ears then perk up as she looks forward. The crystal flashes with light.

You hear a humming sound as the crystal glows, and the cube comes to life. The door suddenly slams shut behind you, and it doesn't budge an inch. Four appendages burst out from the sides of the cube--two on the left, and two on the right--which extend out like springs. On the end of each is a three-pronged claw.

"Intruder alert!" a monotone voice emits from the cube. "Intruder alert!"

You draw your sword immediately. "What the hell is that?!"

"It's powered by magic," Eva says. "Whatever it is."

"It's dead is what it is!" Niki shouts as she springs forward with her mace in-hand.

One of the claws opens wide, and from its palm extends what looks like the nozzle of a hose. It sprays out a stream of purple liquid that strikes Niki's upper chest, though doesn't seem to push her back. She worries for a moment that she might dissolve, but looks down to see she's completely fine. A moment passes though, and colour starts to come to her cheeks.

"Wh--... No!" Niki cries. "Under my breastplate, it's gone!"

"What is the matter, Niki?" Amara calls out.

"It dissolved through my top, just like that slime!"

Thankfully, it doesn't seem to be working through any metal, though apparently she's completely bare now beneath her iron top. She then looks down to see the liquid dripping down her physique, and as droplets reach her shorts, holes start to melt straight through.

"No, no, no," Niki says as she tries to wipe the purple liquid off. "S-Stop!"

You don't have much time to think, as one of the other claws lunges out towards Rabbit's Foot. Then, the third goes for Eva, and finally, the last makes its way out to grab at Amara. You and Delphi stand back, trying to come up with a plan.