The ground trembled beneath Zane as the portal flickered like a broken neon sign, casting strange shadows on the battlefield. His heart raced, knowing full well what was coming through it. But that wasn't the only problem. Dex's laughter echoed across the comms—maniacal, unchecked, and thoroughly unhelpful.
"I swear, if you don't shut it down soon, I'm going to—" Zane gritted his teeth, narrowly dodging another massive blast of energy from the portal.
"Hold on, I'm—hold on! One second, ONE SECOND!" Dex's voice crackled with frustration. "I swear this button looks just like the other button! How do I—Oh, here we go—NO WAIT, THAT'S THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER!"
Zane didn't have time for this. Not with the gigantic, ominous figure stepping through the portal.
It was massive, dark, and cloaked in energy. Its armor was made of shifting shadows that seemed to devour the light. Red eyes glowed from within the darkness of its helm. Zane had seen his fair share of monstrous foes, but this one... this one was something else. Its gauntlets, which looked like they were forged in the bowels of some forgotten hell, crackled with untamed power.
The creature raised one of those gauntlets high, and Zane didn't need to be a genius to know what was coming next.
"Dex, SHUT IT DOWN!" Zane yelled, barely dodging the first crushing blow. He rolled away, kicking up dirt and debris, but it was too close. Another blast of energy surged toward him.
"I'M TRYING!" Dex shouted back, clearly sounding like he was having the time of his life. "I just... I pressed the wrong one again! This is harder than it looks!"
Zane cursed under his breath. He could feel the beast's eyes locking onto him, the heat from its gaze making his skin burn. He wasn't going to last much longer if this kept up.
The creature swung down again, its massive gauntlet barely missing Zane as he ducked at the last second, rolling to his feet and firing off a couple of energy blasts from his own gauntlet. It did nothing.
The creature's eyes glowed brighter, and Zane felt the ground shaking beneath him. He barely had time to react before a heavy kick sent him flying backward. He slammed into a wall of broken stone, his ribs creaking under the force of the impact. Pain bloomed across his chest as he struggled to breathe. He couldn't stay on the ground.
"I'm not gonna lie," Zane groaned, pulling himself up, "I thought I'd have more time to enjoy my last moments."
> "Zane, you need to get up!" Sera's voice pierced through the static. "You're running out of time."
"Gee, thanks for the pep talk, Sera," Zane grumbled, rubbing his aching ribs. He had to focus. If that portal didn't close soon, they were done for.
With a growl, Zane launched himself forward, charging the creature head-on. He wasn't about to let some shadow monster take him down. He swung his blade, but the monster blocked it with a single, effortless motion. Its other hand swung around, catching Zane in the side. He felt the shockwave travel up his spine as he was hurled backward. His head slammed into the ground, stars dancing in his vision.
> "Zane! It's about to get worse!" Sera's voice trembled with urgency.
Suddenly, the portal surged again, this time with an eerie, guttural growl. Something far worse was coming through. Zane could feel it, the weight of a hundred dangerous souls crawling toward them from the other side.
"No! Not now! NOT NOW!" Zane screamed.
Dex's voice came through again, but it was muffled by static. "I think I found it! Or I didn't! I don't—WAIT—NO! SHUTTING IT DOWN! PRESSING THE BUTTON!"
Another monstrous form began to crawl through the portal, something even bigger than the first creature, and its presence alone made the air grow thick with dread.
Zane's vision blurred, and he struggled to rise. The ground was shaking harder now. He could hear the cracking of stone and metal as the new monstrosity emerged fully, towering above him. Its claws scraped across the ground, sending sparks flying. A low, rumbling growl echoed from its throat, and Zane felt like he was about to collapse under the weight of its malice.
He staggered to his feet one last time, gasping for air, his hands shaking. The creature was ready to strike. Zane could already see the swing coming. His whole body screamed in protest, but he didn't have time to hesitate.
Then, just as the creature's claws came down toward him with a roar, there was a loud click over the comms.
"I DID IT!" Dex's voice shouted in triumph, the unmistakable sound of something being shut off came through loud and clear.
The portal flickered one last time and then collapsed into itself, sealing shut with a loud whoosh.
For a split second, everything went silent.
Zane, panting and bloodied, looked up, barely able to comprehend what just happened. The giant creature that was about to end him? Gone. The ominous presence? Vanished. The portal was no more.
"D—did you... did you actually shut it off?" Zane asked, still unsure if he should trust his own ears.
Dex's voice was practically beaming. "Of course! I'm brilliant! What kind of idiot do you think I am?"
Zane's heart was still pounding, but he couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips despite everything. He collapsed to the ground with a groan, taking a moment to catch his breath.
"Let's just... let's just never do that again," Zane muttered.
Dex, still grinning through the comms, responded with a chuckle. "Oh, come on, Zane! Where's your sense of adventure? That was a blast!"
Zane exhaled sharply. "Adventure? You almost got us all killed. This isn't a game."
"I'm not saying it's a game," Dex replied, "but it sure is a fun challenge."
Sera's voice finally cut in, and for once, it was calm. "We need to regroup. This isn't over."
Zane let out a long sigh, his exhaustion catching up to him. "Yeah, I figured. But for now, can we take a nap? Because that... was a little too intense."
Dex laughed, the sound echoing through the comms. "I'll make the coffee! It's going to be a long ride ahead."
As Zane lay back, his mind still buzzing with the chaotic aftermath, he knew that whatever came next, they were far from ready for it. But for now, they had a moment of relief—and some stupid, funny banter courtesy of Dex.
It wouldn't last long.