The tunnels stretched endlessly before them, their oppressive darkness broken only by the faint glow of their lanterns and the bioluminescent moss clinging to the damp walls. The sound of their footsteps echoed ominously, a constant reminder of how deep into the earth they had ventured.
Noah tightened his grip on his baton, his heart pounding. This wasn't like the rift they'd cleared earlier. There was an uneasy rhythm to this part of the network—each step forward felt like it was pulling them closer to something sinister.
They had already destroyed two more Rift Nodes. Each one had been guarded by Aberrations, their grotesque forms growing more varied and more dangerous the deeper they went. The fights had left the team worn but determined.
"Third node up ahead," Mira said quietly, pointing to a faint distortion in the air at the end of the passageway.
This one pulsed erratically, its energy radiating outward like a slow heartbeat. The rift it supported was larger than the others, a shimmering tear that showed glimpses of a nightmarish realm on the other side.
"This one's unstable," Alice said, drawing her sword. "We take it out quickly. Same formation."
Dante took the lead as usual, hammer in hand, while the others fanned out to cover the area. Noah stayed close to Alice, his gaze flickering between the Rift Node and the shadows around them.
As they approached, a low growl echoed from the darkness. Noah's HUD flared to life, highlighting two Aberrations creeping toward them from the side tunnels.
"Two incoming!" he shouted, raising his baton.
Ezra and Mira reacted instantly. Ezra's fireball lit up the tunnel, slamming into one of the Aberrations and igniting its misshapen body. Mira's crossbow bolt pierced the other, slowing it enough for Dante to finish it off with a bone-crushing swing of his hammer.
With the Aberrations down, Alice and Noah moved to the node. Alice signaled to Dante, who brought his hammer down with a powerful strike. The node shattered, its energy dispersing in a blinding flash that left them momentarily disoriented.
"That's three down," Alice said, catching her breath. "But something's not right. These Aberrations—they're not just defending the nodes. It's like they're herding us somewhere."
"I was thinking the same thing," Lila said, her voice tense. She had been quiet for most of the mission, her daggers coated in the black mist of dissolved Aberrations. "They're coordinated. Aberrations don't act like this on their own."
Ezra snorted. "Well, whoever's pulling the strings better hope we don't find them."
Alice's expression darkened. "We will. And when we do, we end this."
The fourth Rift Node was located in a larger chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. Rusted machinery and crumbled stone suggested the room had once been part of an old maintenance facility, long abandoned and reclaimed by the underground.
The node sat in the center, crackling with unstable energy. Surrounding it were three smaller Aberrations, their twisted forms writhing with anticipation.
"This is getting repetitive," Dante grumbled, stepping forward.
"Stay alert," Alice warned. "This feels off."
The team moved in, executing the same routine as before. Ezra and Mira distracted the Aberrations with coordinated attacks while Dante, Alice, and Noah focused on the node. Lila hung back, her sharp eyes scanning the room for any signs of a larger threat.
Just as Dante's hammer struck the node, the room trembled. The node shattered, and for a brief moment, all was silent.
Then the ground beneath them shifted.
"What's happening?!" Noah shouted, struggling to keep his balance as the floor split open. From the walls and hidden alcoves, Aberrations poured in—at least a dozen of them.
"It's a trap!" Alice yelled, raising her sword. "Formation tight! Don't let them separate us!"
The Aberrations were unlike any they had faced before. Their forms were larger, more grotesque, and their movements more aggressive. One lunged at Dante, its claws screeching against his hammer as he blocked the attack.
Ezra unleashed a barrage of fireballs, but the sheer number of enemies overwhelmed his spells. Mira's crossbow sang as she fired bolt after bolt, trying to keep the Aberrations at bay.
Noah swung his baton at an incoming Aberration, managing to strike its head and send it reeling. His Grindstone HUD was alive with notifications, but he had no time to process them.
"On your left!" Alice shouted, deflecting an Aberration's claw before it could reach Noah.
Despite their efforts, the group was being pushed back. The Aberrations moved with terrifying precision, cutting off escape routes and isolating members of the team.
It was then that Noah heard a scream.
He turned just in time to see Lila pinned beneath one of the larger Aberrations. Its jaws clamped down on her neck, tearing into her flesh with sickening force. Blood sprayed across the stone floor as Lila's body went limp.
"No!" Noah shouted, his voice breaking.
Alice's eyes widened in horror, but she didn't falter. "Focus! We can't save her now—stay alive!"
The team fought with renewed desperation, their movements frantic and chaotic. Dante roared as he smashed through two Aberrations with a single swing, but more took their place. Ezra's flames burned brighter, but his mana was running low.
Noah's arms ached as he swung his baton repeatedly, his strikes growing weaker with each attack. He could barely think over the sound of his own heartbeat and the shrieks of the Aberrations.
Finally, with a coordinated push, the team managed to thin the enemy ranks. Dante's hammer crushed the last Aberration, its body dissolving into black mist.
The room fell silent, save for the team's labored breathing.
Noah dropped to his knees beside Lila's body, his hands trembling. Her lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling, and the pool of blood beneath her was already beginning to darken.
Alice placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression grim. "We can't stay here. There might be more coming."
"We… we lost her," Noah whispered, his voice hollow.
"I know," Alice said quietly. "But if we don't finish this mission, her death will be for nothing."
Noah clenched his fists, forcing himself to stand. He looked at the remaining members of the team—Ezra, Mira, Dante, and Alice. Their faces were pale, their eyes heavy with grief, but they were still standing.
"Let's move," Alice said, her voice steely.
End of chapter 15.