The air around the rift hums with energy, each step closer making my skin prickle. The portal pulses like a heartbeat, its edges swirling with hues of black and violet. I exchange a quick glance with Alyse, who nods resolutely, though the unease in her eyes betrays her.
Red steps through first, his posture firm as though daring whatever lies ahead to challenge him. Alyse follows, her hands sparking faintly with residual electricity, ready to unleash if necessary. I linger for a moment, my grip tightening on my sword of ice, my instincts screaming at me to stay on guard.
Dylan mutters under his breath as he approaches the rift. "This is probably a trap. Just saying. If anyone dies, I'm blaming Keegan."
Keegan, walking beside him, rolls his eyes. "You've been blaming me for everything today. It's not my fault, dude."
"Feels like your fault. Before this I was just trying to be a good friend and go listen to Rusty Bucket but now I gotta deal with some weird ass shit this author is writing about me. The fuck kinda last name is Emerson anyway, why couldn't I have gotten a cool last name like-" Dylan's voice cuts off as he and Keegan both step through without hesitation.
Kat follows with her bow at the ready, her eyes darting for any sign of danger. Claire moves in behind her, her usual calm replaced with a rare flicker of uncertainty. Kylen and I are the last to enter.
"Stay close," Kylen says, his plasma blade shimmering faintly in his hand.
I give him a nod and step through.
The sensation of crossing the threshold is disorienting. The world around us stretches and folds like a warped reflection in broken glass. Then, with a jarring lurch, we're standing in a vast, domed chamber, its walls gleaming with an otherworldly light. The floor beneath us is smooth and cold, a swirling blend of onyx and ivory that seems to shift underfoot.
At the center of the chamber is a raised dais, upon which sits a massive throne carved from gleaming white stone. Around it, figures in similarly pristine white robes stand in a circle, their faces obscured by shimmering masks. Their presence feels suffocating, each exuding a power that weighs on my chest like a physical force.
Jean steps forward, her voice echoing with unnatural clarity. "You stand before The Court, the arbiters of order and balance across all realities. We are Jean, Jacob, Jackson, Jennifer, and Jamie."
"Why the fuck are they all 'J' names?" Dylan asks but everyone ignores him.
"Order and balance?" Alyse scoffs, stepping forward. "You sent a monster to kill us. That's not justice—that's tyranny."
One of the masked figures steps forward, his voice deep and resonant. "The Wraith was not meant to kill, only to retrieve what you have stolen."
"We haven't stolen anything," Red says, his tone sharp. "We're not criminals."
Jean waves a hand, and an ethereal image materializes in the air—a series of scenes showing us battling the wraith, the portal between worlds, and glimpses of Red holding the Madium Claw. "Your very existence here is a theft. You have crossed boundaries meant to remain untouched, wielding power that does not belong to mortals."
Dylan groans. "Here we go with the whole 'mortals meddling in divine affairs' speech. Haven't we heard this before?"
"Dylan," Keegan hisses. "Shut up."
The masked figure raises a hand, and a pulse of energy silences the chamber. "You will answer for your transgressions."
Red steps forward, his fists clenched. "We're not going to just stand here and be judged by a group of faceless hypocrites. If you've got a problem with us, then let's settle it. But don't think we're going to bow down."
Jean's lips curl into a cold smile. "Then you have chosen trial by combat."
The air grows heavy, and the chamber shifts. The walls ripple and twist, transforming the space into a colossal arena. The masked figures vanish, leaving only Jean, standing above us on a raised platform.
"Face your judgment," she declares, her voice booming.
Suddenly, the ground trembles as a massive figure emerges from the shadows—a towering, armored beast with glowing eyes and a weapon that hums with dark energy.
Dylan glances at the monstrosity, then back at us. "This is why we can't have nice things."
------Red------
The arena floor rumbles beneath my boots as the armored beast steps forward. Its presence radiates a crushing pressure, each movement deliberate and menacing. The weapon in its hand—a jagged, obsidian blade that pulses with dark energy—hums like a storm waiting to unleash.
I glance over my shoulder at the others. "Stay sharp. This thing's not going down without a fight."
Dylan mutters, "Understatement of the century."
Alyse steps up beside me, her hands sparking with electricity. "What's the plan, Red?"
"We hit it hard and fast. Don't give it a chance to counter." My claw gleams as I ignite flames across my other hand. "Spread out, find its weak points."
The beast roars, a guttural sound that reverberates through the arena. Without warning, it charges, its blade carving through the air in a deadly arc. I dive to the side, the ground splitting where I stood moments before. The shockwave sends fragments of stone flying, but I barely notice as adrenaline kicks in.
Alyse hurls a bolt of lightning, the crackling energy slamming into the beast's chest. It staggers but doesn't falter, turning its glowing eyes toward her. "Alyse, move!" I shout.
She rolls out of the way as the beast swings again, its blade missing her by inches. Kat fires an arrow that explodes on impact, creating a burst of smoke. "It's armored up. We're gonna need more than arrows and sparks!" she calls out.
I growl in frustration. "Then let's strip it down."
Kylen steps forward, his plasma blade igniting with a sharp hiss. He slashes at the beast's side, the glowing edge of his weapon cutting through the armor. The beast roars again, spinning to backhand him with its massive fist. Kylen blocks, but the force sends him skidding across the arena.
"Kylen!" Claire rushes to his side, poison seeping from her fingertips as she readies to defend him.
Hail swoops down from above, wings of ice extending as he drives his frosted blade into the creature's shoulder. Ice spreads across the armor, slowing the beast's movements. "It's vulnerable—hit it now!" he shouts.
I charge in, flames roaring around me as I leap at the beast. My claw tears through the ice-covered armor, exposing the dark, pulsating flesh beneath. The creature screeches in pain, lashing out wildly. I twist away, flames scorching its exposed side.
Keegan steps forward, his void energy swirling around him. He thrusts his hands toward the creature, and a vortex of darkness erupts, dragging the beast back and pinning it against the far wall. "Can't hold it for long!" he grunts.
Dylan takes his chance, sprinting forward with blinding speed. His fists glow with golden light as he delivers a series of rapid punches to the exposed flesh. "Yeah, how's that feel, you big bastard?"
The beast roars, breaking free of the vortex and swatting Dylan aside like a rag doll. He crashes into the arena wall, groaning as he pulls himself up. "Okay, maybe I deserved that."
"Focus!" I yell, flames swirling around me. The creature's wounds are starting to close, the exposed flesh retreating beneath its armor again.
"We need to finish this now!" Alyse shouts, lightning crackling around her.
"Then let's hit it together!" I call back. "Alyse, Hail, Kylen—focus on one spot. Dylan, Keegan, Claire, Kat—keep it distracted."
The team moves into position. Flames, lightning, ice, and plasma converge in a brilliant burst of energy, slamming into the beast's chest. Its armor cracks and splinters under the combined force, revealing a core of pulsing, dark energy.
"This is it!" I roar, launching myself at the core. My claw plunges into the energy, and fire explodes outward, consuming the beast in a fiery inferno. Its screeches fade into silence as the light engulfs the arena.
When the flames die down, the beast is gone, and the arena is eerily quiet. I drop to one knee, panting, as the others gather around me.
Jean's voice cuts through the silence, cold and unyielding. "Impressive. But this was merely the first test."
I look up, my chest heaving. "You've got to be kidding me."
The arena trembles again, Jean's voice fading into the background as the floor splits open. Rising from the depths is another monstrous figure, even larger than the first. Its body glows with molten veins of energy, its eyes burning like twin suns. A low, guttural growl escapes its throat as it slams its fists together, sending out a shockwave that ripples through the air.
"Round two," I mutter under my breath, standing as straight as my exhaustion will let me.
Kylen steps forward, his plasma blade igniting. "We don't stop now."
The beast lunges forward with impossible speed, its molten claws slashing through the air. Kylen raises his blade to block, but the sheer force of the strike sends him flying into a nearby wall, where he collapses unconscious.
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
"Kylen!" Alyse screams, her lightning flaring to life as she unleashes a storm of bolts at the creature. The electricity strikes its molten skin, but it seems to absorb the energy, glowing even brighter. The beast retaliates with a sweep of its arm, and Alyse barely has time to shield herself before she's thrown to the ground, the impact knocking her out cold.
"No!" I roar, but the creature doesn't stop.
Dylan charges next, his golden fists glowing. "Let's see if you can handle this!" He delivers a series of rapid punches to its legs, each one creating a shockwave that echoes across the arena. For a moment, it seems to stagger, but then its molten claws slam into the ground, sending a geyser of lava erupting beneath him. Dylan is launched into the air and crashes down hard, groaning before his body goes still.
Keegan grits his teeth, his void energy swirling around him. "Not today, you bastard!" He creates a vortex beneath the beast, attempting to pull it into the darkness. The creature growls, slamming its fists into the ground and creating a quake that disrupts Keegan's concentration. The vortex collapses, and before Keegan can recover, the beast's molten claw strikes him, sending him sprawling across the arena.
Claire and Kat try to hold their ground, Kat firing explosive arrows while Claire's poison seeps into the creature's molten veins. For a brief moment, it slows, its movements becoming sluggish, but then it rears back and roars, unleashing a shockwave that shatters the ground beneath them. Kat and Claire fall hard, their bodies motionless.
"Hail!" I shout, desperate.
Hail's wings of ice propel him upward as he dives at the creature, his frosted blade aimed for its core. "Let's see you melt this!" His sword pierces its chest, ice spreading rapidly, but the molten energy flares brighter, consuming the frost in a surge of heat. The beast grabs Hail mid-flight and hurls him into the far wall. He slumps to the ground, unmoving.
It's just me now.
The beast turns, molten eyes locking onto mine. My breaths come hard and fast as I ignite the flames in my hands. "Come on, then," I snarl, stepping forward. "Let's finish this."
It charges, claws slamming into the ground where I was standing a second before. I dodge, flames searing its arm as I roll to the side. Each movement is a struggle—my body screams in protest, my muscles barely holding together—but I refuse to stop. I strike again and again, my claw tearing into its molten flesh, but the wounds heal as quickly as they form.
The creature roars, its molten veins pulsing as it gathers energy. The ground cracks beneath its feet, and I realize it's preparing for a final, devastating attack. I ready myself, knowing I won't survive the impact.
Then, the brace on my ankle flares to life.
A searing heat erupts from it, molten metal swirling around my leg and up my body. At first, I panic, thinking the creature's lava has reached me, but the metal moves with purpose, coiling around me like a living thing. It solidifies into a suit of gleaming Madium armor, intricate and radiant, with a fiery glow pulsing through its seams. My claw transforms, the Madium shaping itself into a weapon that radiates pure energy.
The beast hesitates, its molten eyes narrowing as if it recognizes the armor.
I take a step forward, the ground beneath me trembling with each movement. Power surges through my veins, unlike anything I've ever felt before. "You're done," I growl, my voice reverberating with an almost godlike echo.
The creature charges again, but this time, I'm ready. With a single swing of my enhanced claw, a wave of molten energy bursts from the weapon, striking the beast and slicing through its molten core. It roars in agony, its body crumbling as the light in its veins fades.
The arena goes silent as the creature disintegrates into ash, leaving me standing alone in the aftermath, my new armor still glowing. I look down at my hands, the Madium humming softly, and for the first time, I feel like I'm more than just a fighter.
I'm a force to be reckoned with.
I glance back and see the others slowly recovering, helping one another to their feet. Claire's hands glow faintly as she moves between them, tending to their wounds. Their faces are battered, their strength drained, but there's still defiance in their eyes.
From the shadows, Jean emerges, flanked by Jacob, Jackson, Jennifer, and Jamie. The air grows heavy with tension as their slow, mocking applause fills the arena.
"Well done," Jean says, her voice a venomous purr. "A spectacular show. But did you really think victory meant freedom? How quaint."
"What are you saying?" I ask.
Jean smirks. "You're all still guilty. Did you think slaying a beast absolves you of that?"
"So, what now?" Dylan mutters, his voice laced with frustration. "We getting thrown into this Nexus thing after all?"
Jacob steps forward, his voice cold and unyielding. "Precisely."
In perfect unison, the five members of the Court raise their hands. The far wall of the arena groans, then begins to part, revealing the abyss beyond. A bone-chilling wind surges through the room, and the air crackles with otherworldly energy.
Behind us lies the vast emptiness of space, punctuated by a swirling, luminous vortex: The Nexus. A dance of light and shadow spirals endlessly within its core—a collision of a white hole and a black hole, a force beyond comprehension. Its gravitational pull grows stronger, dragging us to our knees. The beauty of it is mesmerizing, but its danger is undeniable.
Jean steps forward, her voice a booming decree. "The Nexus will consume you. Xar and Pato will wipe you from existence. Your names will vanish from memory, your very essence erased from every corner of creation. This is your sentence for defying the natural order!"
The pull intensifies, and I feel the ground slipping beneath me. My mind races, searching for a way out. That's when I feel it—a deep, resonant hum emanating from the Madium armor encasing my body. A familiar presence stirs within me, a power long thought lost.
The DragonsBreath.
My hand moves instinctively to my back, and I feel the hilt of the legendary blade. It's been with me all along, concealed within the molten veins of my armor, waiting for this moment. Heat surges through me as I wrap my fingers around it. The hilt feels alive, pulsing with the fury of a dragon's heart.
The blade ignites as I draw it, fire erupting with a roar that drowns out the pull of the Nexus. The heat burns away my hesitation, filling me with raw determination. I step forward, the ground cracking beneath my feet as flames lick the edges of my armor.
"No," I growl, my voice carrying an unnatural resonance. "We're not done."
Before Jacob can react, I lunge, the DragonsBreath slicing through the air and burying itself into his chest. A burst of flames explodes outward, sending him staggering back as he screams in agony.
"Jacob!" the Court cries in unison, their composure breaking as they watch one of their own die.
I twist the blade, my voice a furious roar. "You will let us go!"
The fire from the DragonsBreath spreads, engulfing the arena in a blinding light.
"You think you hold power over us?" I snarl, flames flaring brighter. "Not anymore."
The Court recoils, their hands raised defensively, their smug confidence replaced by fear.
"Dylan!" Alyse shouts, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Dylan stumbles but plants his feet firmly on the ground. His eyes narrow with determination, and his hands rise, glowing with an intense blue light. The air around him vibrates as his gravity powers surge to life, the energy radiating outward like a pulse.
The pull of the Nexus begins to wane, its relentless drag countered by Dylan's sheer will. The debris swirling toward the vortex halts midair, trembling before falling harmlessly to the ground.
"I've got this!" Dylan grits through clenched teeth, sweat beading on his forehead as the effort takes its toll. "No more falling into space for us!"
The swirling winds that had threatened to consume us slow, then still. The Nexus flickers, its form destabilizing under the strain of Dylan's powers.
The Court stares, their expressions shifting from smug superiority to disbelief. Jean's eyes widen, her lips parting in a snarl. "Impossible! You cannot defy the Nexus!"
"Watch me dumb bitch!" Dylan snaps, his voice a triumphant roar. He plants his hands into the ground, sending a shockwave of blue energy rippling outward. The pull of the Nexus vanishes completely as if snuffed out by his power, but it's form still persists, looming in the background, waiting for Dylan to slip.
"Nice work!" I shout, gripping the DragonsBreath tightly, the flames still blazing around me.
Alyse rushes to Dylan's side, her hands crackling with lightning as she steadies him. "Dylan, are you okay?"
He sways slightly but manages a weak grin. "Just another day at the office."
The brief moment of relief is shattered by Jean's furious scream. "You dare defy the Court?!"
Her hands rise, glowing with a harsh white light, as the other members of the Court recover and prepare to strike back.
"Stay ready!" I bark, stepping forward and raising the DragonsBreath. Its fire burns brighter than ever. "This fight isn't over."
"Keegan, get us out of here!" Hail barks, his tone sharp and urgent.
Keegan's hands rise, void energy swirling at his fingertips as he strains to conjure a portal. His brow furrows, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as the energy falters. He lets out a frustrated grunt and lowers his hands. "I can't! Something's blocking me. There's void power here—strong, dense, and woven into this space. It's too powerful for me to break through. Maybe... if we can find the source, we can use it to escape."
Hail turns to me, his eyes blazing with intensity. "Red, you heard him! We don't have time to waste. We've got to go! We can't win this fight against them—they're not like the gods we've faced before. These are different. Stronger. Smarter."
The urgency in his voice cuts through the tension. I glance back at the others—Dylan still struggling to hold back the Nexus, Alyse tending to him, and Claire hovering protectively over Keegan as he tries to catch his breath. They're all counting on me to make the call.
I grip the DragonsBreath tighter, its heat pulsing in sync with my heartbeat. "Fine. But if we're going to find that source, we need to move now. No splitting up. Stay close and watch each other's backs."
Jean and the rest of the Court watch us with cold amusement, their power crackling in the air, ready to strike. Time's running out.
Kylen steps in front of me just as the Court's power strikes. His ward flares to life—a brilliant, translucent barrier of white energy that crackles with intensity, absorbing the impact. The ground shakes beneath us from the force of the attack, but Kylen stands firm, his jaw clenched.
"Move, now!" he shouts, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Keegan doesn't need to be told twice. He bolts down the corridor to our right, his void energy flickering faintly as he tries to sense a path forward. The rest of us follow, feet pounding against the cold stone floor, with Kylen tailing behind, deflecting every blast of energy hurled at us.
Alyse grabs my arm as we run, her lightning-charged hands sending jolts of energy into my veins, keeping me steady. "We need a plan!" she says, her voice urgent.
"We're making it up as we go!" I reply, glancing over my shoulder. Kylen's ward flickers under the relentless assault, his breaths coming faster.
Another strike hits, harder than the last. Kylen staggers but quickly throws up his ward again, his plasma blade flashing as he swipes away debris falling from the ceiling. "Keep going! Don't look back!"
The corridor twists and turns, dimly lit by flickering sconces that cast eerie shadows on the walls. Jean's voice echoes behind us, cold and mocking. "Run all you like—it won't change your fate. The Nexus hungers for you!"
Keegan skids to a halt at a fork in the path, his hands glowing as he scans the void energy ahead. "Left!" he shouts, veering down the narrower passage.
We follow without hesitation, the air growing colder and heavier as we descend deeper into the labyrinthine halls. The sound of the Court's pursuit grows louder, their attacks growing more violent as the walls around us begin to crack and crumble.
"Keegan, are you sure this is the right way?" Dylan pants, his gravity powers barely keeping the rubble from collapsing on us.
"It's here! The void trace—it's stronger this way!" Keegan shouts back, his eyes glowing faintly as he leads us into a vast chamber.
The room is massive, with high, vaulted ceilings and a strange, pulsating light emanating from the center. Floating above a black, swirling vortex is a crystalline structure, jagged and dark, radiating pure void energy.
"There!" Keegan says, pointing to the structure. "That's the source! If I can tap into it, I might be able to get us out!"
"You better hurry!" Hail growls, his ice sword forming in his hand as he turns to face the corridor behind us. The Court's silhouettes appear, their glowing forms menacing as they close in.
Kylen steps forward, his ward faltering but still holding. "We'll hold them off. Keegan, do what you need to do!"
Alyse and I take positions on either side of Kylen, her lightning crackling and my flames roaring to life as we brace for the next wave of attacks.
Keegan runs to the crystalline structure, his hands trembling as he channels his power. The room fills with the hum of void energy as he begins to work, the vortex swirling faster with every second.
The Court steps into the chamber, their power crackling in the air like a storm. Jean steps forward, her eyes glowing with fury. "You won't escape this time."
"Try and stop us," I growl, raising the DragonsBreath. Flames surge around me, and for a moment, I feel the weight of everyone's survival resting on my shoulders.
Then the battle begins.