---Red---

The lander shakes violently as it breaks through Earth's atmosphere, the roar of turbulence making it impossible to hear anything but my own thoughts. My body aches with every bump and jolt, a grim reminder that I'm barely hanging on.

I grip the seat tightly, keeping my breathing steady. Around me, the team is tense, each of them locked in their own thoughts. Alyse stares out the window, her brows furrowed, while Kat holds onto Keegan, who fiddles with the blade of one of his daggers, his leg bouncing restlessly. Claire's eyes are glued to her tablet, her fingers flying across its surface as she works. Hail, sitting closest to the cockpit, leans forward, watching Kylen pilot the ship with a surprising level of focus for someone who's only ever flown a helicopter. Maybe it's similar in a way?

The lander steadies as we descend. Ahead, I see the Bridge Lab-a massive, isolated structure surrounded by dense forest. But even from up here, I can see the Spawn. They swarm like ants, crawling over the building and spilling into the surrounding area.

"We've got company," Hail mutters.

"No kidding," Keegan says, already strapping on his weapons.

The moment we touch down, the hatch hisses open, and the chaos begins.

I stumble out of the lander, leaning heavily on Kylen for support. His ward shimmers around us, forming a protective barrier as the rest of the team charges forward. Claire's green poison flashes, cutting through the horde with precision, while Alyse sends arcs of lightning through the air, her strikes splitting the ground beneath the Spawn. Keegan moves like a shadow, his daggers slashing and spinning in a blur of motion.

Kat is a force of her own, her arrows striking true with every shot. But it's Hail who draws the most attention, his sword of ice carving through the monsters like they're nothing. His movements are relentless, fueled by a quiet rage that burns brighter with every swing.

"Stay close to me," Kylen says, his voice steady despite the chaos. He raises his arm, and the ward expands outward, pushing a group of Spawn back as they try to flank us.

I nod, gritting my teeth as another wave of pain shoots through my chest. I want to fight. Every fiber of my being screams to grab a weapon and help, but I know I'd only slow them down. For now, staying alive is the best I can do.

The battle rages on, each of them pushing closer to the lab's entrance. Finally, the last Spawn falls, dissolving into black smoke that dissipates into the air.

Inside the lab, it's eerily quiet. The sterile white walls and rows of equipment feel like a world away from the chaos we just escaped.

Claire doesn't waste a second, rushing to one of the consoles and plugging in her tablet. Data streams across the screen as she begins her search. "Give me a few minutes," she says, her voice sharp with focus.

Alyse paces near the door, her hands clenched into fists. "What if he's-"

"He's fine," Hail interrupts, his tone softer than usual. "We'll find him, Alyse."

She gives him a doubtful look but doesn't argue.

Kylen, meanwhile, wanders deeper into the lab. He stops suddenly, staring at a console covered in notes and blueprints. His eyes widen. "He actually did it."

"Did what?" I ask, moving to stand beside him.

Kylen's voice rises, filled with awe. "Dylan got the portal to full power. It's complete-it should work perfectly."

"That's great and all," Alyse says sarcastically, her arms crossed, "but how exactly is a portal supposed to help us find him?"

Claire looks up from her tablet, a triumphant smile on her face. "It'll help because we can use it to get to him."

We all exchange confused looks.

Claire taps her screen, projecting a map into the air. "Dylan's energy signature isn't on Earth. He's in a weird pocket dimension-a space where the line between Naurus and Earth is at its thinnest. Vermidia must've created it. That's where she's been hiding this whole time and it's where she's been keeping him."

A chill runs through me. "Can you pinpoint his exact location?"

"Already did," Claire says, uploading the coordinates to the portal frame. "Now we just need to activate it."

I step back, my mind spinning. A pocket dimension? Vermidia's power and ambition seem to know no bounds. But if this portal is our way in, then we've got our path forward.

"Let's go get him," I say, the fire of determination burning in my chest despite the pain.

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The others nod in agreement, and for the first time in what feels like forever, there's a glimmer of hope.

The glow of the portal pulses through the room, its energy vibrating in my chest like a heartbeat. For a moment, the chaos of the past few days fades, replaced by sheer awe. Dylan, you absolute madman. You really pulled it off.

"God damn, Dylan, you mad genius," Kylen says, breaking the silence. "You actually fucking did it."

Alyse smirks, the tension lifting from her face just a little. "Jealous my boyfriend figured it out before you, Kylen?"

Kylen nods without hesitation, his grin sheepish. "Yeah, a little bit. I won't lie."

I almost smile, but the moment doesn't last. A shadow moves at the edge of the room, and then the unmistakable hiss of Spawn fills the air.

The first wave spills in from the portal-twisted forms with sharp claws and glowing, hollow eyes. The sight snaps me back to reality, the ache in my body replaced by adrenaline.

"Here we go again," Hail mutters, drawing his sword of ice. He doesn't even wait for a plan, charging forward to meet the Spawn head-on.

The others spring into action, their movements sharp and efficient. Lightning crackles from Alyse's hands, and Keegan moves like a phantom, his daggers flashing in the dim light. Kylen's ward expands across the room, forcing the Spawn to recoil momentarily, and Claire's green blasts punch through their ranks with precision while Kat fires a volley of arrows.

I step forward, but Hail's voice stops me. "Stay back, Red. Hide while we deal with this."

I grit my teeth, frustration boiling in my chest. "There's no way I'm letting you fight Vermidia alone."

Hail spins to face me, his expression dark. "You're in no shape to fight-"

"I'm not asking for permission," I snap. Before he can argue, I summon the Madium armor. The metal crawls from the bracelet on my ankle, encasing me in its familiar weight. Strength courses through me as the armor locks into place, dulling the pain in my body.

"Get me to the DragonsBreath," I say, my voice steady. "Its power should be enough to keep me going."

Hail stares at me for a long moment before exhaling sharply. "Fuck it. I knew you wouldn't take no for an answer." He steps closer, gripping his sword tightly. "Just stay close. We make it through this together."

"Deal."

Hail raises his voice, cutting through the chaos. "We're going through that portal! Everyone, cut us a path!"

The others barely hesitate. Claire throws herself into the fray with renewed intensity, her green poison cleaving through the horde. Alyse and Kylen coordinate their attacks, her lightning weaving through his ward like a deadly dance. Keegan moves like a blur, his strikes silent and deadly, while Kat's arrows find their marks with pinpoint precision.

"Go!" Keegan shouts, slicing down a Spawn that lunges for him.

Hail and I push forward, his icy blade carving through the creatures while my fists, wrapped in Madium, smash through anything that gets too close. My legs ache with every step, but I force myself to keep moving. I can't stop now.

"Almost there!" Hail yells.

The portal's glow intensifies as we near it, but the Spawn don't let up. They're endless, pouring out like a living tide, determined to block our path.

"Cover them!" Claire orders, throwing up a barrier of golden light to hold the Spawn back for just a moment longer.

The opening is there-a narrow path leading straight to the portal. Hail doesn't hesitate, grabbing my arm and dragging me through as the team fights to keep the horde at bay.

I look back just once, catching a glimpse of Alyse and Kylen standing side by side, their powers tearing through the Spawn as they fight to protect us. Keegan is a shadow in the chaos, while Claire holds her ground, a pillar of light against the dark. Kat breaks into multiple versions of herself, drawing as much attention as possible. The team I created, all standing together at the end.

"Go!" Alyse screams, her voice cutting through the noise.

And then we're through.

The portal's energy wraps around us, pulling us into a swirling void of light and shadow. My stomach lurches, and for a moment, I feel like I'm falling.

But when my feet touch solid ground again, I know there's no turning back.

Hail tightens his grip on his sword, his expression grim. "Let's finish this."

I nod, my fists clenching. "For Dylan."

The air is heavy, oppressive, as my breath catches in my throat. An endless expanse of grass stretches out before us, bathed in an eerie purple glow. Above, the sky churns-a swirling mass of dark violet clouds with streaks of fiery orange-red light cutting through. My eyes lock on the castle in the distance, its jagged spires carved in a grotesque likeness of Vermidia. It's as if the whole dimension was built to reflect her nightmare.

Then I see him.

Dylan.

He floats in the air, his body writhing as a blinding orange-red light descends from the heavens and envelops him. The light burns around him, chaining down into a monstrous machine on the ground below, its gears and conduits glowing with unnatural energy. Dylan's screams pierce the silence, his eyes glowing a vivid, unnatural purple.

"By the gods," I mutter, my voice barely audible over the chaos. My heart sinks at the sight. Dylan-one of my best friends-reduced to this.

"They're using him as a conduit for the machine." Hail's voice is low and filled with fury. "Red, we have to stop this."

I clench my fists, my Madium armor tightening around me as if it shares my rage. "Agreed."

We take a step forward, but then he turns.

Dreadwind.

Domnik.

He stands between us and the machine, his back straight and his head high, as if he's proud of the horror unfolding before him. Slowly, he turns to face us, his face calm and calculating, the faintest hint of a smirk playing at his lips.

"I knew you two would be showing up sooner or later," he says, his voice smooth, almost amused. "Come to finish this, I assume?"

Hail steps forward, his ice blade gleaming in the dim light. "Red," he says, his voice steady and grim, "we have one shot at this. Let's make every blow count."

I nod, my muscles tensing. "Yeah." But even as I speak, doubt creeps into my mind. Can I do it? Can I really bring myself to end Domnik?

Because no matter what he's done, no matter how far he's fallen... he was my best friend. This isn't even him in control, it's his psychotic mother.

Domnik's smirk widens as he watches us, the Darkblade resting casually in his hand. "Come then," he says, gesturing for us to approach. "Show me the strength you think you have left."

Hail glances at me, his eyes blazing with determination. "Stay focused, Red."

I nod again, trying to shake the hesitation. Because this isn't about Domnik anymore. It's about Dylan. And I'll do whatever it takes to save him.

Even if it means facing the one person I never wanted to fight.