The sound of Damian's ragged breathing filled his ears as he bolted upright. The monster loomed before him, its molten-metal skin reflecting flashes of blood-red lightning from the apocalyptic sky above.
It took another step forward, and the ground beneath its claws cracked and sizzled.
Damian scrambled backward, his heart pounding.
"Jonah! Olivia!" he shouted, his voice raw with desperation. Jonah tried to get up, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees, while Olivia lay still, her face pale and slack.
Jonah's wide eyes locked onto the beast. "What the hell is that thing?"
"No time to guess!" Damian snapped. He grabbed Olivia by the arm, hauling her to her feet. She stirred, dazed, but alive. "We have to move!"
The creature's growl deepened, a sound that resonated like thunder.
As if responding to its call, cracks began to form in the air itself, jagged black voids tearing through the fabric of reality.
From these voids, more creatures emerged monstrous shapes with too many limbs, burning eyes, and grotesque forms that defied comprehension.
Each one carried an aura of pure malice, and their presence warped the ground around them.
Jonah swore under his breath. "We're not equipped for this, Damian! Guns, explosives none of it's gonna work on… those things!"
Damian's mind raced. The creatures were drawn to the energy radiating from his chest, the Obsidian Heart's light pulsing through him like a beacon. He could feel its power—raw, unyielding, and hungry. He glanced at Jonah and Olivia. "We're leaving. Now."
"And go where?" Jonah shouted, swinging the crowbar in front of him as a smaller creature darted forward. Its leathery wings flapped noisily, but Jonah's blow sent it skittering back. "The whole world's gone to hell!"
Damian didn't answer. He grabbed Olivia and started running toward a jagged outcrop of rock in the distance, hoping to find some cover. Jonah followed, cursing under his breath.
As they ran, the world around them transformed. Skyscrapers that had once pierced the sky now lay in ruins, their steel frames twisted like paper.
Roads cracked open, revealing rivers of molten rock beneath. People screamed in the distance, their cries cut short by monstrous roars.
Damian's stomach twisted at the sight of a massive shadow in the horizon—a serpentine form slithering across what was left of the city, its scales glinting like obsidian.
"Keep moving!" Damian barked, dragging Olivia along as her steps faltered.
They reached the outcrop, ducking behind it just as another void tore open nearby.
A creature—a towering beast with a bull-like head and six muscular arms—emerged, sniffing the air.
Its gaze turned in their direction. Damian held his breath, his hand instinctively tightening around the dagger strapped to his belt. Jonah glanced at him, his face pale with fear.
"You better have a plan," Jonah whispered.
"We survive," Damian replied. "And we find out how to fix this."
Jonah scoffed, but before he could reply, the beast roared and charged.
Damian felt the power of the Obsidian Heart surge within him, instinctively raising his hand. A pulse of energy erupted from his palm, striking the creature square in the chest. It stumbled, momentarily stunned, but the strain of the attack left Damian gasping.
"You can fight them," Jonah said, eyes wide with realization. "You've got the power to stop this."
"Not enough," Damian muttered. "Not yet."
The creature recovered quickly, slamming its massive fists into the ground and shaking the earth beneath them. Olivia screamed as the outcrop began to crumble.
"Run!" Damian shouted, shoving Olivia forward. Jonah followed, but there was a hesitation in his movements—a glance back at Damian, something calculating in his eyes.
As they sprinted across the fractured terrain, Damian became aware of another presence. He turned his head just in time to see Jonah pull something from his jacket—a sleek, metallic device covered in glowing runes.
"Jonah, what are you doing?" Damian demanded.
Jonah's face twisted in a grimace. "Surviving."
Before Damian could react, Jonah pressed the device against his chest, directly over the light of the Obsidian Heart. A jolt of searing pain shot through Damian as the device activated, drawing energy from the relic embedded within him. He fell to his knees, gasping for air as his vision blurred.
"You… betrayed me," Damian choked out.
Jonah didn't answer. He turned and bolted, the device in hand, its glow intensifying as it absorbed the Heart's power. Olivia hesitated, torn between staying with Damian and following Jonah, but the roar of another approaching monster made the decision for her. She ran after Jonah, leaving Damian alone.
The ground trembled as the bull-headed beast reappeared, its fiery eyes fixed on Damian. He tried to rise, but his limbs felt like lead, his strength drained by Jonah's treachery. The creature roared, raising its massive fists for the killing blow.
Damian's vision dimmed, but the whisper returned, louder this time, filling his mind with cold, unrelenting fury.
"Rise, harbinger. You are not finished."