Ivory exhaled deeply, rolling his shoulders as he surveyed the area. “Took long enough.”

Ivonah dropped to one knee, slumping onto the grass. “If anyone tries to make me move right now, I’m shooting an arrow at them.”

Zach ignored her, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. The closer they got to the hill, the more they noticed movement. Shapes stood near the base—people. Three, maybe four, their figures partially obscured by the grass and scattered rocks.

“People are here,” Zach muttered, motioning toward the figures ahead.

Ivory straightened, his hand instinctively brushing the hilt of his weapon. “Friendly?”

“Doubt it,” Ivonah said, dragging herself upright. “Not when we're this close.’”

As they approached, the group near the hill came into focus. All of them bore signs of recent struggle—torn clothes, dirt-smeared faces, and fresh injuries. One man stood apart from the others, his broad shoulders and scarred chest unmistakable. Dark black hair hung loosely around his face.

“At least we weren't the only ones that struggled,” Ivory muttered under his breath.

Zach didn’t respond, his attention drawn to two other familiar figures resting under the shade of a large boulder further up the hill. Calder and Reina. They both looked rough—Calder’s usually neat hair was matted with sweat, and a fresh gash ran diagonally across Reina’s left arm, hastily bandaged. Their weapons rested nearby, though Calder’s hand lingered close to his spear.

Reina glanced up first, her eyes narrowing slightly as she recognized them. “Well, look who finally caught up,” she said, her voice raspy from exertion.

Calder followed her gaze. “Color me surprise.”

Zach stepped forward. “What’s the situation?”

The broad-shouldered man at the base of the hill answered before Calder could. His voice was low and gruff, and the faint rasp of pain underscored every word. “Waiting. And resting until it's time to act.”

Zach asked, "I see. I'm Zach. You?"

"Dern."

Reina leaned forward, her arms resting on her knees. “Nice, you two getting to know each other. Anyway you didn’t miss much. Nobody’s touched the cube yet.” She nodded toward the cube, still glowing faintly at the top of the hill. “Most of us figured it was better to wait and recover before trying anything stupid.”

Calder snorted softly. “Some of us still think this is all stupid.”

Zach’s gaze drifted to the cube. He assumed that they were waiting to quite literally backstab someone as soon as they run up the hill. They're also afraid of showing their back when they run up the hill.

“So what’s the plan?” Ivory asked, his voice low.

The broad-shouldered man tilted his head, his scarred face betraying no emotion His eyes locked onto Zach.

Zach didn’t answer immediately, his focus shifting between the cube, the battle-worn figures around him. Finally, he shook his head, his voice steady. “Not yet.”

Reina chuckled, settling back against the boulder. “Smart.”

“Ivonah,” he said quietly, glancing toward her. She was still catching her breath but nodded, sensing his meaning. Ivory, however, shifted uncomfortably as Zach’s gaze flicked his way.

“Whatever you’re planning,” Ivory muttered, “I hope it doesn’t involve me as bait.”

Zach smirked faintly "I'm consideri--.”

The air shifted. A faint whistling sound, so soft it could have been mistaken for the breeze, suddenly grew louder—sharper.

“Move!” Zach shouted.

Zach spotted Ivory diving for cover. Too slow. A spear struck him mid-dive, its obsidian shaft driving into his stomach and throwing him backward. Ivory hit the ground hard, blood spreading rapidly across his torn shirt.

“Ivory!” Ivonah’s scream cut through the chaos.

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She staggered toward him, but another spear crashed down nearby, the force throwing her and Zach to the ground. She rolled instinctively, slamming into the dirt with a pained gasp.

Zach forced himself to his feet, ignoring the burning pain in his injured arm. Blood dripped steadily from the gash on his forearm, but the sharp edges of his focus drowned out the pain. He sprinted to Ivonah’s side, crouching beside her as she struggled to rise.

Her leg was a mess—slick with blood, the gash deep enough to expose muscle. She tried to crawl toward Ivory, but her movements were jerky and weak.

Zach’s gaze darted to Ivory, sprawled motionless in a pool of blood. Another spear struck dangerously close to his body, kicking up dirt and debris. Zach clenched his jaw.

He had to make a call.

“We can’t save him,” Zach said, his voice low but firm.

“No!” Ivonah’s voice cracked. Tears streaked her dirt-streaked face. “We can’t leave him!”

“He’s gone,” Zach snapped. Another spear slammed down just feet away, and he grabbed her roughly, hoisting her onto his back. “If we stay here, you’re next. Hold on.”

Her weak arms wrapped around his shoulders, her trembling voice whispering against his neck, “Don’t—leave—me.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

Her weight was heavy, her injured leg dragging awkwardly against his side as he adjusted his grip. Zach’s low-level superhuman strength helped him carry her. His injured arm hung uselessly at his side, blood slicking his fingers.

Behind them, the barrage of spears intensified, the ground erupting in deadly bursts of shrapnel. Zach didn’t look back. Ivory was gone.

Ahead, a figure darted past them with unnerving speed. Dern. He leapt over craters and rocks, his focus locked on the glowing cube at the summit.

“Dern!” Zach growled, adjusting his grip on Ivonah and picking up the pace.

Dern didn’t even glance back, his movements fluid and confident.

He crouched briefly, his hand pressing firmly into the dirt beneath him. The churned-up ground was rich with plant fibers, minerals, and decayed organic matter—exactly what he needed.

He felt the materials flow into his skin, drawn into the furnace within his body.

“Hold tight,” Zach muttered to Ivonah, crouching briefly as he prepared to strike.

He exhaled sharply, releasing the mixture through his skin. Black particles burst from his palm in a directed stream, swirling together to form a volatile coating around a chunk of nearby dirt. With a grunt, he reached down, grabbed the charged clod, and hurled it at Dern.

The makeshift bomb struck Dern square in the back.

Boom.

The explosion wasn’t massive, but the corrosive, black cloud that erupted from it clung to Dern like oil. He stumbled, coughing violently as the decaying residue ate at his clothes and skin.

Zach didn’t wait to see how badly Dern was hurt. He readjusted Ivonah on his back and started moving again.

Ivonah clung to his back, her breathing uneven. He adjusted his grip on her legs, her dead weight dragging on him as his muscles burned with effort. He didn’t slow down. They were close—so close.

Then came the crackle of electricity behind him.

Zach turned his head just in time to see Reina and Calder sprinting up the hill, their weapons glowing with a brilliant, pulsing light. Reina’s spear glowed white-hot, arcs of electricity snapping around the head. Calder followed close behind, his weapon sparking with raw energy.

Reina narrowed her sharp eyes on Zach, her voice rising over the chaos. “You’re not beating us to the cube, Zach!”

“Stay out of our way,” Calder added, his usual smirk replaced with fierce determination. “You’re carrying dead weight. That’s going to slow you down.”

Zach muttered, "Really?"

He barely had time to prepare before Reina lunged, her spear slashing through the air in a wide arc. Zach twisted sharply, his soaked clothes making it easier to slip away from her strike. The spear crackled as it struck the ground, releasing a shockwave of white electricity that sent dirt and debris flying.

“I don’t have time for this!” Zach barked, his tone sharp with frustration.

“You don’t have a choice,” Reina shot back, darting to the side to cut off his path. “Only one of us gets to that cube. It’s not going to be you.”

Another spear shot down from the sky, slamming into the ground just feet away from Calder. He dove to the side, the raw force of the impact knocking him off balance, but he recovered quickly, electricity coursing through his spear.

“I don’t care who gets there first,” Calder shouted, pointing the spear toward Zach. “But if you think I’m letting you take it, think again!”

He thrust his spear forward, and a bolt of lightning exploded from the tip. It shot through the air like a serpent, fast and deadly. Zach shifted his weight, sidestepping just in time as the bolt seared past him, grazing the edge of his shirt.

“Damn it, Calder!” Zach shouted, his voice rough. “You’re going to hit her!”

“Then drop her!” Calder yelled back.

“I’m not letting her go!”

Another spear crashed down from above, this time narrowly missing Reina. She stumbled, but only for a moment, her momentum unbroken as she advanced on Zach again.

“You’re stubborn, I’ll give you that,” she said, her voice cold. “But it’s going to cost you.”

Zach’s mind raced. He couldn’t fight them directly with Ivonah on his back, and he didn’t have time to create another chemical reaction with the constant barrage of iron spears slamming into the hill around them. He wanted to try the new skill, but it was too risky to try something he had no experience with.

Reina lunged again, and this time her spear thrust was faster, aimed directly at his side. Zach ducked, pivoting sharply to avoid the strike, but the movement nearly threw him off balance. Ivonah let out a soft groan, her grip slipping slightly.

Behind her, Calder raised his spear, electricity coiling around its length. He fired another bolt, the crackling energy racing toward him.

Zach’s instincts kicked in. He twisted sharply, the bolt barely missing him, but the shockwave of its passage sent him staggering. Reina pressed the advantage, her spear crackling as she brought it down in a powerful overhead strike.

Zach reacted instinctively, releasing a burst of moisture from his skin that slicked the ground around him. Reina’s footing faltered as she slipped on the wet terrain, her spear missing its mark by inches.

“You’re getting in my way!” Zach growled, his voice harsh. “Get out of here, or I’ll make you!”