Realm of Darkness | Volume One

Mass Destruction: Warped Warfare

"I feel like this fits a badass action movie scene..." commented William.

"Oh yeah!" Affirmed Dave.

But before they could continue, a loud banging on one of the doors was heard, signaling them to move quickly.

As the infiltration squad activated their jetpacks, they turned right, where a large door stood before them. It was pitch black, unlike the others, surrounded by crimson stains and bones, it was larger and more imposing than the others. Despite the immense pressure and scary around around it, Qasim used the remote to unlock it, taking a deep breathe in the process.

The colossal door hissed open, revealing the Archbishop. The air itself seemed to crackle with an unseen energy, a malevolent pressure that slammed into the infiltration squad like a physical blow. It wasn't just the sight of the man; it was the aura. A wave of despair, thick and cloying, washed over them, stealing the oxygen from their lungs. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, each one a desperate fight for air in a rapidly thinning atmosphere.

The infiltration squad stumbled forward, legs shaky and uncoordinated. Their enhanced exosuits, once reliable companions, now felt like ill-fitting suits of armor. Internal calibrations flickered erratically on their visors, warning lights flashing a frantic red. Years of wear and tear, the constant push of their limits, seemed to be catching up with them all at once. Systems sputtered and overloaded, throwing their balance off and sending tremors through their augmented limbs.

Disarray. That was the word that best described them now. The finely honed machine of a team they once were had fractured under the Archbishop's oppressive aura. Fear, cold and clammy, had clawed its way into their minds, disrupting their carefully laid plans. Their eyes darted nervously around the room, searching for an escape hatch, a weakness, anything to break the Archbishop's gaze that seemed to pierce through their very souls. Their once coordinated movements devolved into a desperate scramble, their formation collapsing as they fought not just the enemy, but the overwhelming despair threatening to consume them from within.

"Join me, perhaps you shall be spared..." the Archbishop offered, his voice raspy and devoid of any warmth, his crimson red eyes piercing through their souls.

"Never..." Kai countered, drawing out his blade, a silver aura materializing around him, his eyes sharp beneath his shades.

Upon seeing this, the rest of the infiltration squad began to remember the cause they were fighting for, they wouldn't go down this easily, the death of their comrades wasn't in vain after all.

Daniel pulled out his flamethrower and readied it, Qasim got in a fighting position with his wrench, the rest following suit, the silence now punctuated by the soft whirring and clicking of their weapons.

"The silence shattered as the Archbishop's voice boomed. "So... you've chosen DEATH!" The floor trembled as a shadowy aura materialized around him, tendrils of pure darkness whipping out like malevolent serpents.

A desperate barrage erupted from the squad. Calvin and Dave unleashed a torrent of bullets and blasts, but they were met with futility. The bullets pinged harmlessly off the aura, the blasts fizzled out in the oppressive atmosphere. The Archbishop remained untouched.

Panic surged through the team, their labored breaths growing ragged. Yet, amidst the terror, a flicker of defiance refused to be extinguished. Kai, fueled by a desperate hope, launched himself towards the Archbishop, his blade a blur of steely resolve. He weaved through the tendrils with superhuman agility, every fiber of his being focused on finding an opening.

Just as Kai found a sliver of unguarded space, a tendril lashed out with unnatural speed. It slammed into him, sending a searing pain through his arm and leaving a deep, jagged gash in its wake. Kai stumbled back, his initial attack faltering.