Merrik jogged up to Theros, his trident resting on his shoulder. "Boss, are we really just gonna leave like that?"
Theros, already urging the crew to rendezvous, barely glanced back. "We got what we came for, Merrik. What else do we need? Can't rob shadows, can we? What are we supposed to take—their silhouettes?" He smirked and gestured for the group to pick up the pace.
"That's so not like you, Boss," Durak grunted, scanning their surroundings with a wary eye. His battle-axe rested on his shoulder as Kassp landed beside him, handing over a rolled-up scroll. Even Vaelora and Cualen exchanged suspicious glances.
Theros halted and turned to them, clutching his chest with an exaggerated look of hurt. "Why are you all looking at me like that?" His grin betrayed his amusement at their disbelief. "What, can't a guy call it a day without being interrogated?"
As the tension eased, Theros's grin sharpened into something more mischievous. "Bargos! It's go time!" he called out.
A figure emerged from the shadows—a tall, eerie man with black skin, covered in scars, and wearing a tunic adorned with strange, cryptic symbols. An eyepatch obscured one eye, but it didn't diminish the unsettling aura he exuded. Bargos grinned, revealing sharp teeth, and without hesitation, plunged his hand into his own chest.
The crew flinched as blood spurted from the wound, and Bargos ripped out his own heart, holding the pulsating organ aloft. His chanting began low and guttural, growing louder and more fervent as he spat blood onto the heart. Vaelora and Rythen stared in a mix of shock and fascination, while Nyss deadpanned, "I always get the chills when he does that."
Durak grunted his agreement, glancing away. The rest of the goons didn't even flinch, their faces betraying only mild unease.
The runes on the heart glowed, snaking through the air in smoking, spectral patterns. As Bargos raised it higher, the glowing runes expanded, forming a luminous, arcane projection that surrounded them like a pulsating dome.
"Where do I aim, Boss?" Bargos rasped, his lips and chest dripping with black blood. His grin was manic, and his single eye gleamed with a fanatical light.
Theros pointed toward the Shadowborne constructs in the distance. "Over there. Aim at the bastards and their creepy contraptions. No mercy."
Bargos's grin widened as the runes surged, converging into a torrent of black flames. The fire roared with an unnatural, icy chill, racing toward its target and igniting the shadowy contraptions in an inferno of destruction.
Theros watched with satisfaction, then clapped his hands. "Alright, we're on the clock! Run!"
The crew took off at full speed, their urgency amplified by the growing roar behind them. Rythen glanced back, his brows furrowing in confusion. The flames had stopped expanding, and all seemed still. He opened his mouth to speak when—
BOOM!
The sound was deafening, a shockwave of unimaginable force ripping through the water. Rythen's eyes widened as he saw the explosion erupt in a chain reaction, stretching for miles and consuming everything in its path. It was catching up.
"Move, move, move!" Theros roared, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
The crew sprinted, each pushing their limits. Bargos, trailing behind yet strangely calm, chuckled to himself, his laughter drowned by the deafening detonation. Vaelora, Rythen, and Cualen exchanged grim looks, finally understanding the source of Theros's brazen confidence. With an arsonist like Bargos in his corner, he had little to fear in terms of firepower.
The veteran goons, well-versed in this chaos, ran even faster. They knew better than to underestimate what came next. It wasn't just the explosion.
It was the aftermath.
=========================================
The water around them churned violently, thick with debris and the encroaching heat of the black flames. Shadows danced in unnatural shapes, and the very currents seemed to twist under the pressure of the explosion's shockwave.
"Keep moving!" Theros shouted, his voice commanding despite the chaos. His golden eyes glinted with determination as he led the charge toward the shimmering threshold in the distance—a portal they'd activated before launching their attack.
Rythen's breath came in ragged gasps, his limbs burning from exertion. He glanced back again and froze momentarily. The explosion wasn't just a burst of fire; it was alive, writhing with spectral tendrils that lashed out, consuming everything in their path. He pushed himself harder, adrenaline surging as panic set in.
"Eyes forward, Rythen!" Vaelora barked, grabbing his arm and propelling him forward. Her voice was steady, but her expression was grim, her antlers faintly glowing with defensive energy.
Ahead, Nyss was already shifting into her sleek selkie form, her streamlined body cutting through the water like a knife. Durak and Merrik powered forward with synchronized strokes, their expressions grim but focused. Calista darted just ahead, her claws leaving faint trails of glowing silver as she moved with siren-like grace.
Bargos, somehow keeping pace despite his gory ritual, was laughing again, his deep, manic voice reverberating through the chaos. "Oh, they'll feel that one for centuries!" he howled, blood trailing from his chest like ink in water.
"Bargos!" Theros snapped without slowing. "Less gloating, more running!"
The threshold loomed closer, its swirling light flickering with instability as the explosion's shockwave reached it. Theros's instincts screamed at him to hurry, but his grin never wavered. "We're almost there! Don't look back, just push!"
The crew surged forward, the portal now only meters away. Vaelora cast one last glance over her shoulder, her glowing eyes narrowing at the sight of the encroaching destruction. "This thing doesn't just want to destroy," she muttered. "It wants to devour."
"Observations later!" Cualen snapped, his voice sharp despite his labored breaths. "Unless you want to be part of the menu!"
"YOU TREACHEROUS HEATHENS!" A deep voice cut through the abyss bringing with it a great pressure
One by one, the crew dove through the threshold, their movements fluid and precise despite the mounting pressure. Theros was the last to reach it, casting a glance at the roaring devastation behind them. His grin widened into something almost feral.
"Better luck next time," he muttered, leaping through the portal just as the explosion reached it.
The moment he passed through, the portal sealed itself with a thunderous crack, the sound reverberating through the water. Silence followed, heavy and deafening in its absence.
The crew tumbled onto the other side, sprawling across a shimmering reef bathed in faint golden light. For a moment, no one spoke, their breaths ragged and heavy. Rythen collapsed onto his back, staring at the glowing coral above him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "What...what the hell was that?"
"That," Theros said, dusting himself off and leaning casually against a jagged rock, "was a job well done."
Vaelora shot him a glare, her usually composed demeanor cracking. "You knew it would escalate like that, didn't you?"
"Define 'knew,'" Theros replied, his grin sharp and unapologetic.
Durak groaned, propping himself up with his axe. "Boss, one day, you're gonna get us killed."
"Not today, though," Theros quipped. "And isn't that what counts?" He turned to Bargos, who was still grinning despite his wounds. "Nice work, by the way. Creepy as hell, but effective."
Bargos bowed theatrically, black blood still dripping from his chest. "Always happy to oblige, Boss."
Calista shook her head, her silver hair floating around her like a halo. "You're all insane. Truly."
Theros's grin softened into something more genuine as he looked around at his crew. Despite the chaos and danger, they were all alive. That was all that mattered—for now. But the weight of the mission lingered, unspoken.
Vaelora stood, brushing off her armor. Her gaze settled on Theros, sharp and unwavering. "That wasn't just any explosion. Whatever it was, it's going to send ripples across the Abyss—and beyond."
Theros's grin faded slightly, and his golden eyes darkened. "Good," he said after a pause. "Let them know we're not afraid.
The crew exchanged glances, a mix of wariness and determination flickering across their faces. Whatever awaited them next, they would face it together.
For better or worse.