Zeb's eyes snapped open as he gasped for air, the cold concrete of the arena pressing against his back. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears like a drum. He bolted upright, frantically patting his body to check for injuries. His hands moved to his neck, the spot where he'd sliced himself with the glass shard. The skin was unbroken—no blood, no wound. Confusion clouded his mind.
He looked around. The underground fight club was in ruins. Walls were cracked or crumbled entirely, and the once-crowded stands were now littered with debris and the lifeless bodies of those who hadn't escaped. The metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air, mingling with smoke and dust. Fires flickered in scattered pockets, casting eerie shadows that danced across the devastation.
"How am I still here?" Zeb whispered to himself. The last thing he remembered was... dying? It felt real—the pain, the despair. But now he was back where the nightmare had begun.
A sharp pain jolted him from his thoughts. He winced, reaching up to the back of his neck. His fingers brushed against something warm and pulsating—a small creature latched onto his skin.
"What the—?" Zeb tried to pull it off, but it clung tightly, tiny tendrils digging into his flesh. Panic surged through him.
"Don't bother," a voice echoed in his mind, calm yet laced with annoyance.
Zeb froze. "Who's there?" he thought, unsure if he had spoken aloud.
"Who do you think?" the voice replied with a hint of exasperation. "It's me, Zax."
His eyes widened. "Zax? But you sound different. I thought you were a girl."
A mental sigh followed. "Humans and your need for physical forms. The girl was just a manifestation within your dream—a convenient shape to interact with you."
Zeb's mind raced. "You're... on my neck?"
"Brilliant deduction," Zax retorted. "And before you get any ideas about removing me, you should know that without my presence, those creatures out there will sense you're not one of them. They'll tear you apart."
As if on cue, guttural growls and the sound of shuffling footsteps echoed through the wreckage. Zeb glanced around nervously, spotting shadowy figures moving in the periphery—mutated beasts with elongated limbs and glowing eyes.
"What happened here?" Zeb asked, his throat dry.
"The Void Mites initiated their assimilation process," Zax explained. "Most humans couldn't handle it. Their bodies and minds succumbed, resulting in... well, this."
Scenes from earlier flashed in Zeb's memory: the swarming creatures, the horrific transformations, the sheer chaos.
"Why am I still me?" he pressed.
"Because I chose you," Zax stated matter-of-factly. "Your mental resilience is... intriguing. It allowed me to bond without erasing your consciousness."
Zeb stared into the dim, flickering darkness, his breath ragged and shallow. "So, does this mean we're stuck together forever?" he asked aloud, his voice echoing softly against the cold, damp walls of the collapsing arena.
"Do you ever listen?" Zax retorted, his tone edged with irritation. "You were supposed to die. Your little stunt might have saved your life, but it bound us together in a way that's... unprecedented."
Zeb furrowed his brow. "Unprecedented how?"
"Typically, when a Void Mite like myself attempts to bond with a host, either we take full control or the host overpowers us," Zax explained. "But with you, neither happened. I don't have control over your consciousness, yet we're connected. If you die, I die."
Zeb took a moment to process this, running a hand through his disheveled black hair. The blue streak in his bangs fell over his eyes, reminding him of the life he was desperately trying to cling to. "Why did you Void Mites come to Earth in the first place?" he pressed.
Zax hesitated. "There was a man..."
Before he could finish, the ground beneath them shuddered violently. Dust and debris rained down from the crumbling ceiling. The distant sounds of twisting metal and collapsing structures filled the air.
"We can discuss this later!" Zax's voice rang urgently in Zeb's mind. "We need to get out of here—now!"
A loud crack echoed behind them. "Behind you!" Zax shouted. Zeb spun around to see an emergency exit sign flickering weakly in the darkness.
"There!" Zax urged. "The exit!"
Zeb's relief was short-lived. His heart sank as he saw what lay between him and escape—a mound of lifeless bodies piled haphazardly against the door. The sight was gruesome. Some faces were frozen in terror, others were unrecognizable, their bodies twisted and broken.
He swallowed hard, a wave of nausea threatening to overtake him. "I have to get through," he whispered to himself, steeling his nerves.
"Move, Zeb! The whole place is coming down!" Zax's insistence jolted him into action.
Mustering every ounce of courage, Zeb dashed toward the exit. The stench of blood and decay assaulted his senses as he began to pull the bodies aside. His hands trembled, but he pushed the horror aside, focusing solely on survival.
Chunks of concrete fell around him, one narrowly missing his shoulder. The floor beneath his feet vibrated ominously. "Hurry!" Zax urged.
With a final heave, Zeb cleared enough space to grip the door handle. It was cold and slick, but it turned. The door creaked open, revealing a gaping tunnel swallowed by darkness.
"Great," Zeb muttered sarcastically. "An endless abyss."
"It's our only chance," Zax reminded him.
Taking a deep breath, Zeb stepped into the tunnel. The air was damp and cool, carrying the faint scent of earth and rusted metal. Sporadic lights flickered overhead, casting long, eerie shadows that danced along the walls. Each step echoed, amplifying the silence.
Debris continued to fall, small rocks pelting his back. The tremors were getting stronger. "Feels like the whole underground is collapsing," Zeb thought.
"You're not wrong," Zax replied grimly.
As he ventured deeper, a faint glow appeared ahead—a promise of escape. "I see light!" Zeb exclaimed, hope igniting within him.
"Don't get too excited," Zax cautioned.
Approaching the tunnel's end, Zeb's pace quickened. But as the exit drew near, his optimism vanished. Standing guard were two towering figures, their silhouettes distorted and menacing. The flickering light revealed their grotesque bodies—once human, now mutated beyond recognition. Their skin was pallid, stretched tight over bulging muscles. Eyes glowed with an unnatural luminescence, and their mouths hung open, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
Zeb's blood ran cold. "What are those?"
"Mutated humans," Zax answered. "Corrupted by Void Mites that failed to bond properly. They're mindless and extremely dangerous."
Suddenly one of the creatures lifted its head, nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air. Its head snapped in Zeb's direction with unnatural speed. A guttural growl emanated from deep within its chest, echoing ominously through the tunnel.
"I thought you said they wouldn't attack me," Zeb thought urgently.
"I said they wouldn't sense you," Zax corrected. "But if they see you, they can still attack. Their vision isn't based on the senses I can mask."
"Any ideas?" Zeb whispered, backing away slowly.
"We can't go back," Zax said. "Our only option is through them."
"Fantastic," Zeb replied sarcastically. "Do I at least get some superpowers out of this deal?"
"Actually, yes," Zax responded. "Our bond grants you enhanced abilities. Strength, speed, heightened senses. But you'll need to trust me."
Zeb hesitated. The idea of relying on the very creature that tried to consume him was unsettling. But the tunnel behind him was collapsing, and the mutants were advancing.
"Fine," he agreed. "What do I do?"
"Focus. Feel the energy within you. Let it flow."
"Close your eyes and focus inward," Zax instructed. "Feel the energy coursing through your veins. Let it flow freely."
Zeb closed his eyes, inhaling slowly. At first, there was nothing. Then, a warm sensation spread from the back of his neck where Zax was attached, radiating through his body like liquid fire. His senses sharpened—the distant dripping of water sounded like a drumbeat, the musty scent of the tunnel became more pronounced, and he could even taste the metallic tang of minerals in the air.
"Whoa," he whispered, eyes snapping open. The dim tunnel now appeared brighter, every detail crisp and clear.
"Here they come!" Zax alerted.
The first mutant lunged forward with a speed that belied its massive size, swinging a grotesquely enlarged arm toward Zeb. Instinct took over. Zeb ducked under the swing with newfound agility, feeling the rush of air as the creature's fist whooshed past his head and smashed into the wall, sending a shower of stone fragments flying.
"Not bad," Zeb thought, a hint of exhilaration bubbling up despite the danger.
"Don't get overconfident," Zax cautioned.
The second mutant circled around, attempting to flank him. It let out a spine-chilling screech before swiping at him with elongated claws. Zeb sprang backward, the tips of the claws narrowly missing his chest. Without thinking, he countered with a swift kick to the creature's knee. The impact was solid, but the mutant barely flinched.
"These things are tougher than they look," Zeb noted.
"Aim for vulnerable points—head, neck, spine," Zax advised. "They may be strong, but they're not invincible."
"Got it," Zeb replied, eyes darting between the two hulking figures.
The mutants regrouped, their growls harmonizing into a menacing chorus. They charged simultaneously, their heavy footsteps causing the ground to tremble.
"There's a loose pipe above you," Zax pointed out. "Use it to your advantage."
Zeb glanced upward to see a rusted metal pipe dangling precariously from the ceiling. An idea sparked. Timing his move, he waited until the mutants were almost upon him. Then, summoning his enhanced strength, he leaped higher than he ever thought possible, grabbing hold of the pipe. It groaned under his weight, but held.
Swinging his body forward, Zeb used the momentum to deliver a double kick to the mutants' faces. The force sent them stumbling backward, momentarily dazed. The pipe snapped under the strain, and Zeb landed gracefully on his feet, now wielding the broken length of metal like a staff.
"Impressive improvisation," Zax remarked.
"Thanks for the tip," Zeb replied, adrenaline coursing through him.
One mutant recovered quickly, its glowing eyes narrowing as it let out a roar of fury. It charged again, but this time Zeb was ready. He sidestepped the initial attack and struck out with the pipe, aiming for the base of the creature's skull. The impact resonated with a sickening crack. The mutant collapsed, its body twitching before going still.
"One down," Zeb muttered, turning to face the remaining threat.
The second mutant hesitated, a guttural snarl rumbling from its throat. It glanced between Zeb and its fallen companion, rage contorting its already grotesque features.
"Careful," Zax warned. "This one might be smarter."
"Great," Zeb sighed. "Just what I needed."
The tunnel suddenly shook violently, chunks of the ceiling beginning to crumble. Dust and debris rained down, obscuring visibility.
"The tunnel's collapsing!" Zax shouted. "We need to get out now!"
The mutant seemed unfazed by the chaos, its focus solely on Zeb. It charged once more, but the unstable ground caused it to stumble.
"Now's my chance," Zeb thought.
He dashed forward, using the falling debris as cover. The exit was just a few yards away. He could feel fresh air seeping into the tunnel, a stark contrast to the stifling atmosphere inside.
"Don't look back!" Zax urged.
Ignoring the mutant's enraged roars, Zeb sprinted toward the light. He leaped over a fallen beam, ducked under a cascade of rocks, and finally burst out of the tunnel just as the entrance caved in behind him. A cloud of dust billowed out, and the ground shook with the force of the collapse.
Panting heavily, Zeb took a moment to steady himself. The cool night air filled his lungs, a welcome relief from the suffocating tunnel. He looked up to see a sky dotted with stars, their light unmarred by the city's usual glare.
"That was way too close," he breathed.
"Agreed," Zax replied. "But we're not safe yet."
Zeb surveyed his surroundings. They were on the outskirts of the city, but the landscape was unrecognizable. Fires raged in the distance, painting the horizon with an ominous orange glow. Plumes of black smoke spiraled upward, and the distant wail of sirens mingled with sounds of chaos—screams, explosions, the unearthly cries of creatures like those he'd just faced.
"What happened up here?" Zeb whispered, a sense of dread settling in his stomach.
"The Void Mite invasion wasn't limited to the arena," Zax explained. "They're spreading across the whole world."