Everything goes silent.
Not the normal kind of silence.
The terrifying kind.
The kind that feels like the world itself is holding its breath.
The creature behind Serafin slowly opens its eyes.
Two massive glowing shapes ignite inside the darkness.
FWWOOOM…
My heart stops.
Those eyes aren't just big.
They're wrong.
Too deep.
Too ancient.
Like staring into something that existed long before humanity even crawled out of the mud.
The Tactical Officer whispers hoarsely, "What the fuck… is that?"
No one answers.
Because no one knows.
The shadows around Serafin ripple violently as the thing pushes further through the tear in reality.
RRRRRRRRRRMMMMM…
The sound vibrates through my bones.
I stumble forward.
"Serafin!"
His body jerks violently like a puppet with its strings pulled too tight.
"C-Caoimhe…!"
His voice cracks, desperate and strained.
The Doctor shouts from behind me, "Stay back! If that entity fully anchors itself—"
CRACK!
The floor fractures again.
Chunks of concrete fall into the glowing void beneath Serafin.
The intruder steps closer to the rupture, their eyes cold and calculating.
"It's accelerating," they mutter.
I glare at them.
"You caused this!"
They glance at me briefly.
"No."
Their voice stays calm.
"He did."
My chest tightens.
"Bullshit."
Serafin screams again.
"AARRRGHHHH!"
The darkness tightens around him like chains.
Something huge shifts behind him.
A massive claw slowly begins to emerge from the rupture.
Its surface looks like fractured stone mixed with living flesh.
Black energy crackles across it.
SSSSSHHHHHK!
The Tactical Officer raises his rifle again.
"FIRE!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The bullets strike the claw.
TING! TING!
They bounce off like pebbles.
The Officer swears.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me!"
The creature continues pushing forward.
Unbothered.
Unstoppable.
The Doctor gasps.
"It's not physical matter… it's something else entirely."
I don't care about the science.
I look straight at Serafin.
"Listen to me!"
His head slowly tilts toward me again.
His glowing eyes flicker between two colors.
White.
Black.
"Caoimhe… I… I can't…"
"Yes you can!"
My voice cracks.
"Fight it!"
The creature behind him growls.
GRRRRRRRRRRMMMMM…
The sound makes the walls tremble.
The security guards panic.
"WE NEED TO EVACUATE!"
Medic 2 grabs the Doctor.
"Now!"
But the Doctor refuses to move.
"If that thing stabilizes inside our dimension, evacuation won't matter!"
The intruder folds their arms slightly.
"Correct."
I stare at them in disbelief.
"You're just standing there?!"
They shrug slightly.
"Observation is part of my mission."
My blood boils.
"You fucking psychopath!"
Another violent shockwave erupts.
BOOOOOM!
Everyone stumbles.
Lights explode overhead.
POP! POP!
Sparks rain down.
Serafin screams again.
"GET OUT OF HERE!"
The second voice inside him growls louder.
"NO."
The entity's claw grabs the edge of the rupture.
CRRRRRRKKK…
Reality itself seems to tear as it pulls forward.
The Tactical Officer backs away slowly.
"…That thing's coming through."
My legs feel weak.
But I step forward anyway.
"Serafin."
He looks at me again.
For a brief second…
His normal voice returns.
"…I'm sorry."
Tears blur my vision.
"Don't you dare say that."
The darkness surges violently.
The entity forces more of its body through the tear.
Now I can see part of its head.
Massive.
Horned.
Shaped like a nightmare carved from living shadow.
The Doctor whispers in horror.
"That's impossible…"
The intruder nods slowly.
"Yes."
My voice trembles.
"Serafin… please."
His body convulses again.
CRACK!
Bones shift under his skin.
He screams louder than before.
"MAKE IT STOP!"
The entity's voice overlaps his.
"LET ME OUT."
The Tactical Officer shouts, "WE ARE OUT OF OPTIONS!"
The Doctor looks around frantically.
"There might still be a way!"
"WHAT WAY?!"
The Doctor points at Serafin.
"If his consciousness is still active, he might be acting like an anchor!"
The intruder tilts their head.
"Interesting hypothesis."
I stare at the Doctor.
"What does that mean?"
They hesitate.
"…It means if Serafin loses control completely… the entity fully enters our world."
Cold dread spreads through me.
"So we stop it."
The Doctor shakes their head slowly.
"We can't stop it."
They look straight at Serafin.
"…but he might."
Serafin's breathing becomes erratic.
"Caoimhe…"
The creature behind him begins forcing its massive shoulders through the rupture.
Reality bends around it.
SHHHHHHHHHRRRRR…
The room begins collapsing faster.
Security yells again.
"THIS PLACE IS COMING DOWN!"
I ignore them.
I step closer.
The Tactical Officer grabs me again.
"You move one more step and you're dead!"
I stare him straight in the eyes.
"Let go."
"Are you insane?!"
"Yes."
He hesitates.
For one second.
That's enough.
I pull free.
And walk toward Serafin.
The Doctor gasps.
"Caoimhe don't!"
The heat from the rupture burns my skin.
The air vibrates violently.
Serafin stares at me in horror.
"Why… are you still here?"
I stop a few feet away.
Because of course I did.
"You idiot."
My voice shakes.
"You think I'd run?"
The entity growls louder behind him.
RRRRRRRRMMMMMM…
Serafin clenches his fists.
"I'm losing it…"
I reach my hand out toward him.
"Then hold on."
The shadows lash around his body.
The entity roars through his voice.
"ENOUGH."
Its massive head pushes fully through the rupture.
The room darkens as it looms behind Serafin.
Its glowing eyes lock onto me.
The Tactical Officer screams, "EVERYONE DOWN!"
But I don't move.
Serafin stares at my hand.
His fingers twitch.
For a moment—
The darkness weakens.
And he reaches back toward me.
Then the entity smiles.
To be continued...