The world spun around Ethan as he stepped through the gate, his vision blurring with dark, swirling energy. A moment later, he stumbled out into the heart of downtown. Around him, the city had transformed into a battlefield, with overturned cars, shattered glass, and the sharp smell of smoke filling the air. Screams echoed in the distance, and flickers of movement hinted at creatures lurking in the shadows.
Beside him, Sarah steadied herself, her sword already drawn. She scanned the surroundings, eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. "Stay close and follow my lead. These kinds of gates attract higher-level creatures—they're dangerous and unpredictable."
Ethan took a steadying breath, summoning a shadow blade into his hand. The familiar weight grounded him, helping him push past his nerves. "Got it. What's our priority here?"
Sarah gestured toward a nearby building with broken windows and signs of heavy damage. "There's a group of civilians trapped in that office building. Our first objective is to get them out safely. Then we'll regroup and assess the stability of the gate."
Ethan nodded, his gaze focused. They moved quickly across the debris-strewn street, ducking behind cover whenever they heard the guttural growls and scurrying footsteps of the creatures. As they neared the building, he caught sight of the monsters—twisted, grotesque figures with elongated limbs and pale, mottled skin. Their eyes glowed a sickly yellow, filled with a predatory hunger that sent chills down his spine.
"Those are Wraith Crawlers," Sarah whispered, her voice barely audible. "They're fast, but they rely on sight and smell. Keep your distance, and don't let them catch your scent."
They slipped past the creatures, creeping toward the entrance of the office building. Inside, the air was thick with tension and fear. They found a group of people huddled behind an overturned desk, their faces pale and eyes wide with terror.
One of the civilians, a woman clutching a young child, looked up at Sarah with desperate eyes. "Please, you have to get us out of here. Those… things… they're everywhere!"
Sarah nodded, her tone calm but firm. "Stay close to us, and keep quiet. We'll get you out safely."
The group moved in silence, Sarah and Ethan leading them through the hallways. But just as they reached the lobby, a low, rumbling growl echoed from the corridor ahead. A Wraith Crawler had spotted them, its gaze fixed on the group with a predatory glint.
Ethan reacted on instinct, stepping forward and raising his shadow blade. The creature lunged at him, its claws outstretched, but he slashed upward, striking its shoulder and throwing it off balance. It screeched, staggering back, but quickly recovered, its eyes narrowing in rage.
Sarah was beside him in an instant, her sword flashing as she attacked the creature, driving it back with a series of precise, powerful strikes. But more Wraith Crawlers were already closing in, their growls filling the hallway.
"Ethan, use your shadows to hold them off!" Sarah shouted.
He concentrated, reaching deep within himself to summon the dark energy he'd been practicing with. Shadows coiled around his arms, forming tendrils that he lashed out toward the creatures, wrapping around their limbs and pinning them in place. The Crawlers struggled, their claws slashing at the shadowy restraints, but Ethan held firm, gritting his teeth against the effort.
"Everyone, move!" Sarah called to the civilians. She gestured for them to head toward a side exit, keeping her blade ready as she watched Ethan's struggle.
As the last of the civilians cleared the room, Sarah turned back to Ethan. "Let's go! We can't hold them here forever."
Ethan released his hold on the shadows, the creatures stumbling as they broke free. He and Sarah sprinted toward the exit, narrowly dodging the Crawlers as they lunged after them. They burst out of the building, leading the civilians to a safer location a few blocks away, where other Awakened were gathering the survivors.
Commander Kane was waiting for them, his expression tight. "Status?"
"We secured the civilians," Sarah replied, catching her breath. "But the gate is unstable. There are high-level creatures slipping through."
Kane nodded, glancing over at Ethan. "Good work, both of you. But this breach is more severe than we expected. We're going to need to take it down at the source."
Ethan's stomach twisted at the implication. "You mean… enter the gate itself?"
Kane nodded grimly. "The gate is leading directly to a high-level realm. If we don't close it from the other side, the creatures will keep spilling out. But be warned—crossing into a high-level realm is dangerous. Only experienced teams usually go on missions like this."
Sarah shot Kane a questioning look. "Are you sure Ethan's ready for something this intense?"
Kane held Ethan's gaze, his expression unreadable. "He's shown he can handle himself. And we need all the power we can muster if we're going to survive this. But it's your choice, Ethan. Are you ready to face what's on the other side?"
Ethan swallowed, feeling the weight of Kane's question. The idea of stepping into a high-level realm, a place crawling with deadly monsters, was terrifying. But he thought of the people they'd just saved, the lives that depended on their success. He couldn't turn back now.
He nodded, his resolve hardening. "I'm ready."
Kane gave a short nod of approval. "Good. Prepare yourselves. We leave in five."
---
A few minutes later, Ethan, Sarah, and a small team of elite Awakened gathered at the edge of the swirling gate, its dark energy pulsating ominously. Maya joined them, her gaze sharp and focused. "Remember, the goal is to reach the core of the gate and disrupt its energy flow. Once we do that, the gate will collapse. But we'll only have a short window to escape, so stay close."
The team nodded in silent understanding. With a final look back at the city, Ethan stepped forward, following Sarah and Maya through the swirling energy of the portal.
The sensation of crossing into the high-level realm was unlike anything he'd felt before. Cold, dark energy enveloped him, tugging at his senses. When he emerged on the other side, he felt disoriented, his surroundings coming into focus slowly.
They stood in a desolate wasteland, the sky above a sickly gray-green hue. Strange, twisted formations of rock jutted from the ground, and a thick fog obscured the horizon. The air was heavy with a sense of malevolence, as if the realm itself were alive and watching them.
Kane surveyed the area, his expression hard. "Stay alert. This realm will test you at every turn."
They began to move, keeping a tight formation as they made their way through the twisted landscape. Ethan's senses were on high alert, every shadow and movement setting his nerves on edge. The creatures here were stronger, darker, their twisted forms prowling in the distance.
As they approached the core of the gate, Maya held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. "Look there," she whispered, pointing to a massive, dark structure looming ahead. "That's the core. We'll need to get inside and disrupt its power source."
Ethan peered at the structure, a towering, jagged fortress surrounded by dense shadows. It radiated a dark energy that seemed to pulse in time with the beat of his own heart. He could feel the shadows within him reacting, stirring as though drawn to the fortress.
But before they could advance, a deep, rumbling growl echoed from behind them. Ethan turned, his blood running cold as he saw a hulking creature emerging from the mist—a Shadow Warden, a massive beast with armor-like scales and eyes that gleamed with a deadly intelligence.
Kane's voice was tense. "Get ready. This thing won't go down easily."
The team spread out, preparing for the fight. Sarah and Maya flanked the creature, their movements swift and coordinated, while Kane attacked from the front, his powerful strikes clashing against the creature's armored hide.
Ethan focused, summoning a dark spear, but the creature turned on him with terrifying speed, its massive claws swiping down. He barely dodged, rolling to the side as the claws gouged deep furrows in the ground where he'd just been standing.
Sarah's voice rang out. "Ethan, focus! Use the shadows like we practiced!"
He took a steadying breath, reaching deep within himself. He could feel the dark energy responding, stronger here in this realm. Summoning the shadows, he shaped them into chains, binding the creature's legs with a surge of determination. The Shadow Warden roared, struggling against the restraints, but Ethan held firm, pouring all his energy into keeping it immobilized.
Kane seized the opening, charging forward and delivering a powerful strike to the creature's exposed neck. With a final, deafening roar, the beast collapsed, dissolving into dark mist that faded into the air.
Ethan staggered, his energy nearly spent. But the fortress still loomed ahead, the core of the gate pulsing ominously.
Kane placed a hand on his shoulder, nodding in approval. "Good work, Ethan. But we're not done yet."