Hiro stood before the rusted metal door, its surface pitted and scarred. The air hung heavy with the smell of damp earth and stale metal.
"[Right on time. Tisha and Zara found the battery already.]" Nova's voice, crisp and clear, sliced through the silence, her words echoing in the cramped space.
Hiro nodded, his heads-up display flickering to life as the force field deactivated. The pulsating red ball vanished, replaced by a swarm of smaller red dots – Dhalad's men. A smirk played on his lips. "Great... let's do this."
The number of dots sent a thrill through him, a challenge accepted rather than feared. He had trained for this, for the adrenaline rush of combat, for the dance of life and death on a battlefield carved from forgotten corridors.
"That's quite a number," he murmured, his voice a low rumble. "Looks like Dhalad brought the whole party."
"[Ready when you are.]" Nova's reply was laced with anticipation, her eagerness mirroring his own.
