The ground rumbled beneath their feet, sending loose vials clattering off shelves. Damien steadied himself against the lab table, his sharp eyes darting toward Dr. Kellan.
"You said this Shadow King was a myth," Damien snapped, his voice thick with accusation.
"I hoped he was," Kellan replied, his face ashen. "But these mutations… they aren't natural. Something—or someone—is controlling them."
Mira paced near the sealed doors, her blade gripped tightly in her hands. "So, what's the plan? We wait here and hope he knocks politely?"
A deafening roar tore through the fortress, louder than anything Damien had ever heard. Dust rained down from the ceiling as another tremor rippled through the walls.
"No time for sarcasm," Damien muttered. He turned to Kellan. "Do you have anything in this lab that can help us fight?"
Kellan hesitated, then hurried to a cabinet. He returned with two vials of glowing blue liquid. "This isn't a cure, but it's a combat enhancer. Temporary strength, speed, and heightened reflexes. Side effects... unclear."
Damien took a vial, examining the swirling contents. "Unclear side effects. Great. Exactly what I need right now." He downed it in one swift motion, grimacing at the bitter taste. Mira followed suit.
The effects were immediate. A surge of energy coursed through Damien's veins, his senses sharpening to an almost unbearable degree. He clenched his fists, feeling a strength he hadn't known in years.
"This better work," Mira murmured, flexing her fingers as the enhancements took hold.
The fortress trembled again, and then the Shadow King made his entrance. The wall across from them exploded inwards, revealing a towering figure cloaked in darkness. His glowing red eyes burned with intelligence, and his twisted, muscular frame was wreathed in an aura of unnatural power. Behind him, his mutated horde spilled into the room, snarling and snapping.
"Humans," the Shadow King hissed, his voice like grinding metal. "You've meddled long enough."
Damien stepped forward, shotgun raised. "Meddling's what I do best."
The Shadow King lunged, faster than Damien expected. He barely dodged the massive claw that gouged the floor where he'd been standing. Mira darted in from the side, her enhanced speed allowing her to slice across the creature's arm. The blade barely left a mark.
"Go for the head!" Damien barked, firing a shot that struck the Shadow King's shoulder. It staggered him, but only for a moment.
As they fought, Kellan worked frantically at the console. "There's a failsafe in the fortress! I can overload the core, but it'll destroy everything—including us!"
"Do it!" Damien shouted, his voice raw with desperation.
"No!" Mira interjected, slashing at an advancing mutant. "We can't die here!"
The Shadow King roared again, slamming Damien into the wall with bone-crushing force. Blood trickled from his mouth, but he stood, adrenaline and determination keeping him upright.
"We're out of time!" Kellan screamed, his hand hovering over the final button.
Damien locked eyes with Mira, a silent understanding passing between them. "Do it," he said.