Outside the Portal
Xavier’s heart dropped as he noticed the glowing edges of the dungeon portal begin to dim and collapse inward. His eyes widened in shock, and he stumbled backward.
“What the hell is happening?” Karl asked, tightening his grip on his warhammer.
“It’s… closing?” Chase muttered in shock.
Ethan scrambled to his feet, panic written across his face. “That’s not supposed to happen! Portals don’t just close like that unless… unless something-or someone is forcing it shut!” Xavier clenched his fists, his mind racing. He fumbled for his communication device, his fingers trembling as he pulled it out. “We have to call the Union! They need to send reinforcements—maybe they can stabilize the portal!”
“But will they even get here in time?” Chase asked, his tone laced with doubt.
“We don’t have a choice!” Xavier snapped, dialing the emergency contact. His voice shook as he spoke into the device. “This is Xavier Frayne of the Berserkers Guild, reporting an emergency! A dungeon portal in Sector II is collapsing with a temporary member from the White Comets trapped inside… possible interference from a high-level entity. We need Union intervention immediately!”
Static crackled on the other end, followed by a curt voice. “Acknowledged. Dispatching a stabilization team. Estimated arrival: seven minutes.”
Xavier’s grip on the device tightened as he turned to the others. “They’re on their way.”
Ethan pointed at the portal, now reduced to a faint, flickering glow. “Seven minutes? Look at that thing; it’ll be gone in seven seconds!”
The group watched helplessly as the portal’s shimmering surface flickered one last time before folding in on itself. A sudden pulse of energy rippled outward, forcing them to shield their eyes. When the light faded, the portal was gone.
Chase stared at the empty space where the portal had been, his voice trembling. “Does this mean… Alister and his summons…?”
Xavier didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the void where the dungeon portal had vanished. He swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke. “We’re too late.”
Inside the Dungeon
Ju’Nero turned to face Alister and his dragon generals, a predatory grin spreading across his wolfish face. His crimson ether flared around him like a storm.
“Now,” he growled, his voice low and menacing, “you have nowhere to run.”
The air was tense as Ju’Nero took a step forward, his claws digging into the sand with each step. His crimson eyes locked onto Alister, filled with cruel amusement.
“You thought the portal was your salvation,” Ju’Nero said mockingly.
“But all it did was delay the inevitable. Now, you face me… with no escape.”
Alister’s jaw tightened, his scaled fists clenching at his sides. His wings twitched, and his tail swayed in agitation as he scanned the area, calculating their next move.
Through the telepathic link, Alister’s voice rang out to his generals. Stay calm. Don’t let him intimidate you. We may not have an escape route, but we still have each other. Focus on staying alive. Draven’s growl echoed in their minds. My lord, you need not worry. We have absolute faith in you.
Alister’s narrowed eyes locked onto Ju’Nero as he took a step forward, his voice calm as he spoke. “You speak of inevitability…”
“But if you think we’ll fall so easily, you’re sorely mistaken.”
Ju’Nero tilted his head, his grin widening. “Brave words,” he said, flexing his claws. “Let’s see how long that bravery lasts.”
With a deafening roar, Ju’Nero lunged forward.
With a deafening roar, Ju’Nero charged forward, moving faster than the eye could follow. His monstrous speed blurred the very air around him, and the ground beneath his feet cracked as his claws dug deep into the sand. He shot forward, eyes blazing with intent to kill.
“Foolish dragon,” Ju’Nero yelled, his voice dripping with malice. “You think you can stand against me?”
But Alister was ready. His eyes narrowed, and with a swift motion, he unfurled his wings, flapping them with incredible force. The air around him whipped into a violent vortex, dust and sand swirling in every direction.
“Stay focused, everyone,” Alister growled. “We fight together.”
Draven, the fastest of Alister’s generals, was the first to act. His Sword crackled with purple lightning as he launched himself toward Ju’Nero, his movements a blur of lighting. He swung his greatsword, Storm Cleaver, in a wide arc, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp, thunderous BOOM.
Ju’Nero didn’t even flinch as he sidestepped the strike with ridiculous speed. The shockwave from the sword’s passage sent ripples through the sand, sending particles flying in every
direction.
Draven didn’t stop there, he spun mid-motion, using his tail as an extra weapon. The lightning-infused tail crackled with lighting, and he launched a thunderous swing, sending arcs of electricity crackling through the air in all directions.
Ju’Nero ducked beneath the lightning, the very air around him distorting from the sheer force of his movements.
“Is that all you have, little knight?” he mocked. “Such a predictable attack.”
Cinder wasn’t far behind. She opened her mouth, unleashing a torrent of flames in the shape of a wide, scorching wave. The flames twisted and turned, the heat so intense the sand beneath her melted, creating glass-like shards that shot upward in the chaos.
“Burn, beast!” Cinder shouted, her voice full of fiery anger. The flames came at him, but Ju’Nero was already in motion, his body vanishing in a blur as he sidestepped the flames with
ease.
“Impressive,” Ju’Nero daid. “But not nearly fast enough to touch me.”
Alzuring, taking his humanoid form, dashed forward with incredible speed, using his wind abilities to propel himself.
He was a blur of motion as he shot out from the dust storm created by Cinder’s flames. From a distance, he loosed a concentrated wind arrow from his horn like bow, the projectile whistling as it raced toward Ju’Nero.
The arrow collided with Ju’Nero’s side, creating a burst of wind that sent sand flying in all directions, but Ju’Nero didn’t even stumble, Alzuring gritted his teeth then fired another wind arrow again. This time Ju’Nero swiped with the back of his claw, redirecting it to land in the distance behind him.
Casung a massive BOOM that caused a dust cloud to billow into the air.
“You thought wind could harm me? Is that supposed to be some sort of joke?” Ju’Nero’s asked, his voice was filled with disdain.