The darkness was alive, pulsating, encroaching on every inch of the chamber as Alvarez and Rae braced for the onslaught. The creatures hissed and writhed, their grotesque forms shifting unpredictably, their glowing eyes locking onto their prey. The emergency beacon's light had faded, leaving behind only the faint, menacing glow of the sigil.
Rae's hands trembled as she raised her plasma cutter. "I can't… I can't do this," she whispered, her voice cracking.
"You don't have a choice!" Alvarez barked, firing another shot at the advancing horrors. The plasma bolt seared through a creature's chest, but two more emerged to take its place. "We fight, or we die. Keep moving and don't stop shooting!"
The creatures surged forward like a wave, their movements jerky and unnatural. Rae gritted her teeth and fired, the plasma cutter's beam cutting through one of the monstrosities. It shrieked as it disintegrated, its death echoing unnaturally in the chamber. But the victory was short-lived—more of them poured out of the cracks, their numbers seemingly endless.
"What's the plan, Alvarez?" Rae shouted, her voice barely audible over the deafening cacophony of growls and screeches. "Because I don't think we're walking out of here!"
Alvarez didn't answer immediately, his mind racing. The sigil at the center of the chamber pulsed rhythmically, the veins of light connecting it to the walls. Whatever power was keeping these creatures alive, it was coming from that sigil—and the figure standing in its center.
"We need to take out the sigil," Alvarez said, his voice firm. "It's the source of all this."
Rae glanced at the glowing pattern, then at the shadowy figure that loomed above it. "You're kidding, right? That thing will tear us apart before we get close."
"Do you have a better idea?" Alvarez snapped, shooting another creature that lunged at them. "We either destroy it, or we die here!"
Rae hesitated, then nodded grimly. "Fine. But if we make it out of this, you owe me a drink. A strong one."
The figure in the center of the sigil tilted its head, as if amused by their determination. The whispers grew louder, the words more distinct now.
"You cannot defy us. You cannot destroy what is eternal."
"We'll see about that," Alvarez muttered under his breath. He grabbed Rae's arm and pulled her toward the sigil, weaving through the mass of creatures that clawed and lunged at them. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur and decay, every breath burning their lungs.
As they approached the sigil, the figure raised its arm, and the ground beneath them trembled violently. Massive tendrils of shadow erupted from the floor, slamming into the walls and cutting off their path.
"Go left!" Alvarez shouted, skidding to a halt and changing direction. Rae followed, her plasma cutter firing wildly to keep the creatures at bay. The tendrils lashed out, narrowly missing them as they sprinted toward the glowing pattern.
The closer they got, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. The air felt heavy, pressing down on their chests, and the whispers turned into a deafening roar.
The figure spoke again, its voice reverberating through their minds.
"You are insignificant. You will join the others."
Alvarez ignored the voice, focusing on the sigil. He reached for the grenade strapped to his belt—a high-yield explosive designed for emergencies. "This should do it," he muttered, arming the device.
Rae's eyes widened. "You're not seriously planning to blow us up with it, are you?"
"Not if we're fast enough," Alvarez said, tossing the grenade toward the sigil. It landed in the center, the blinking red light casting an ominous glow.
The figure let out an ear-piercing shriek, its form flickering and distorting. The creatures around them froze momentarily, as if unsure whether to advance or retreat.
"Run!" Alvarez shouted, grabbing Rae's arm and pulling her back the way they came.
The grenade detonated with a deafening roar, the blast sending a shockwave through the chamber. The light from the sigil flared brilliantly, then extinguished, plunging the room into pitch-black darkness.
For a moment, there was silence. Then came the sound of crumbling rock as the chamber began to collapse.
"Go, go, go!" Alvarez yelled, dragging Rae forward. They stumbled through the darkness, their helmet lights barely illuminating the path ahead. The ground shifted beneath their feet, cracks opening and closing as the structure gave way.
Behind them, the figure's shriek grew louder, a mix of rage and pain. It wasn't dead—not yet—but it was weakened.
The exit loomed ahead, a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Alvarez and Rae sprinted toward it, their lungs burning and legs screaming in protest.
Just as they reached the opening, the ground gave way beneath them, and they fell once more, tumbling into another dark abyss.
When Alvarez opened his eyes, he was lying on cold, hard ground. His helmet light flickered weakly, illuminating the small, enclosed space they had landed in. Rae groaned nearby, slowly sitting up and clutching her head.
"Where… are we now?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
Alvarez didn't answer immediately. His eyes were fixed on the far end of the chamber, where a massive, ancient door stood. It was covered in the same glowing symbols as the monolith and the sigil, but these were intact and undisturbed.
"This isn't over," Alvarez said, his voice grim. "Not even close."