The shockwave from the Nexus's destruction roared through the collapsing chamber, throwing Amira, Alex, and Luis into the dirt just outside the Veil's edge. The ground shook violently beneath them as chunks of the ceiling rained down like meteors.
"Keep moving!" Alex shouted, coughing as he stumbled to his feet and pulled Amira upright. His face was smeared with dirt, but his focus was razor-sharp.
Amira's vision was blurred by tears and dust, but she forced herself to run. Her grip on the glowing staff was ironclad, though its light was dimmer now, flickering weakly like a dying ember. Her chest ached—not just from exertion, but from the memory of Jonah's bittersweet smile as he disappeared into the chaos.
Luis brought up the rear, half-limping, half-sprinting as the earth cracked beneath his feet. "I can't believe I'm saying this," he panted, "but I really hope this isn't one of those 'hero sacrifices himself, but we still all die' situations!"
Amira didn't answer. Her mind was still replaying the moment Jonah activated the disruptor, the look on his face before he vanished into the blinding light.
Why didn't he run?
The question gnawed at her as they reached the outer edge of the Veil, where the warped landscape flickered and pulsed like a dying heartbeat. The once-glowing skies were darkening, the unnatural hues bleeding into an ominous gray.
"We're almost out!" Alex yelled, glancing over his shoulder as the final remnants of the Nexus's collapse sent another shockwave through the ground.
Luis stumbled, nearly falling as the shockwave hit him. "Define 'out,' because I'm not seeing rainbows and sunshine yet!"
Alex grabbed his arm, steadying him as they crossed the threshold where the Veil met the real world.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the chaos stopped.
The three of them collapsed onto solid ground, gasping for breath. Behind them, the Veil shimmered faintly, its once-vivid colors now dull and muted. The oppressive hum that had filled the air was gone, replaced by an eerie silence.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Amira lay flat on her back, staring up at the sky, which was beginning to return to its natural shade of blue. Her chest rose and fell with labored breaths as she clutched the staff to her chest, its glow fading into near-darkness.
"Did… did we do it?" Luis asked, breaking the silence. He sat up slowly, wincing as he rubbed his bruised shoulder. "Is it over?"
Alex was still on his hands and knees, his head hanging low as he tried to catch his breath. Finally, he looked up, his expression unreadable. "The Nexus is gone. The Veil is collapsing."
"That's a yes, right?" Luis pressed, his tone wavering between relief and uncertainty.
Alex nodded, but his expression remained grim. "We stopped it. But…"
His voice trailed off as his gaze shifted to Amira, who was sitting up now, her eyes fixed on the Veil.
"But we lost Jonah," she said quietly, her voice hollow.
Luis fell silent, his usual humor abandoning him as he followed her gaze. The Veil was flickering now, its edges dissolving like smoke in the wind. Whatever energy had sustained it was gone, severed by the destruction of the Nexus.
"Maybe he…" Luis hesitated, his voice faltering. "Maybe he got out somehow."
Amira shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "You saw him. He knew he wasn't coming back."
The weight of her words settled over the group like a heavy cloud. For all their bickering and dysfunction, Jonah had been their anchor—the one who always seemed to have a plan, even in the face of impossible odds.
And now he was gone.
The silence stretched on until Luis, unable to bear it any longer, forced himself to his feet. "Okay, look," he said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "I know we're all feeling like the world just kicked us in the teeth. But we did it. We saved the planet. Jonah… Jonah would want us to focus on that."
Amira glanced at him, her eyes red but determined. "You're right," she said, her voice steady despite the tears streaming down her face. "We can't let his sacrifice be for nothing."
Alex stood as well, brushing dirt from his jacket. "The Veil's collapse will have ripple effects," he said. "We need to figure out what those effects are and make sure there aren't any loose ends."
"Ripple effects?" Luis asked, raising an eyebrow. "Dude, can't we have, like, five minutes to catch our breath before you start talking about loose ends?"
But before Alex could respond, the ground beneath them shuddered. The faint hum they had thought was gone returned, this time sharper and more insistent.
Amira's eyes widened as she turned back to the Veil. Its edges were no longer dissolving—instead, they were reforming.
"That's not possible," Alex said, his voice tinged with alarm.
Luis took a step back, his usual bravado faltering. "Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we just blow up the big bad Nexus? Shouldn't this thing be, you know, gone?"
The flickering intensified, and from within the Veil came a sound—a deep, resonating growl that sent chills down their spines.
Amira gripped the staff tighter, its light flaring briefly in response. "It's not over," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "Something's still in there."
Alex frowned, his analytical mind racing. "But the Nexus was the anchor. Without it, the Veil should—"
A deafening roar cut him off, and a massive shape began to emerge from the flickering remnants of the Veil. It was larger than the shadow creature they had faced before, its form shifting and twisting as though it were still taking shape.
Luis stared at it, his mouth agape. "Oh, come on!" he shouted, throwing his hands in the air. "We just dealt with one of you! Can't we get a break?"
The creature let out another roar, its eyes—if they could be called eyes—fixating on the group.
Amira raised the staff, its glow growing stronger as she stepped forward. "We stopped the Nexus," she said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her. "We can stop this too."
Luis and Alex exchanged a glance, then nodded.
"Guess we're doing this," Luis said, picking up a nearby rock and hefting it like a weapon.
Alex adjusted his stance, his gaze unwavering. "Together."
The creature lunged toward them, its massive form blotting out the fading light of the Veil.