The sky above Hellspire belonged to a monster. The Eradicator Mark 3 descended not as a machine, but as a walking fortress of jagged metal and rust. Its helmet was a nightmare of razor-sharp teeth, flanked by twin laser arrays that hummed with a predatory heat. Though its thick steel plates were bubbling with deep, ancient rust, the chassis was built like a mountain, designed to absorb the kind of punishment that would end worlds.
On its right arm, a dual machine gun whined at a high-velocity pitch, while a massive energy sword flickered at its wrist with unstable, violet power. Two "mountains" of heavy machine guns sat anchored to its shoulders, leaving no exposed core—no weak point to exploit. As it landed, its faceplate split open to reveal four nested, mouth-embedded flamethrowers.
The Mark 3 let out a mechanical roar that shook the very earth, then unleashed its dual guns. The staccato muzzle flashes were the only light in the carnage. When a hulking Executioner lunged, swinging its massive axe at the machine's leg, the Eradicator's surface erupted in a surge of high-voltage electricity, frying the creature into ash instantly.
A chorus of answering screams tore through the clouds. Multiple Curse Devourers dived from the heavens, drowning the Eradicator in waves of purple, corrupted fire. The Mark 3 didn't flinch. It opened all four of its "mouths," unleashing a torrent of counter-flame that incinerated two of the dragons in mid-air, their burning carcasses falling like meteors.
Suddenly, a massive BOOM echoed from the Citadel. The black stone structure shuddered, releasing a swarm of even more dragons that darkened the sun.
A voice bellowed over the frantic comms: "Firing the artillery in a 1...2...3... FIRE!"
The massive artillery piece recoiled with a force that cracked the ground, sending a shell of pure kinetic energy screaming into the Citadel. The impact sent a spiderweb of cracks across the black stone. Seeing the opening, the GDA armies surged forward with a desperate roar, clashing with the Awakened Army as the sky filled with a swarm of wings.
In the middle of this living hell, Victoria scrambled behind a jagged rock. Her armor was scorched, her breath coming in heavy, painful gasps. "Where the hell is John?" she hissed, her eyes darting through the smoke. "Why the hell is he not in the battle area?"
She spotted a discarded rifle and gripped it, her knuckles white. She aimed for a nearby Corrupted Juggernaut and pulled the trigger, but her hands were shaking with exhaustion; the shot went wide. The Juggernaut stopped, its head swiveling slowly toward her hiding spot. Its eyes ignited with a predatory purple glow.
Before she could reload, the beast was upon her. It slammed a massive, stone-like fist into her stomach. Victoria was launched through the air, her body skipping across the dirt like a stone on water. She skids to a halt, spitting a spray of blood onto the gray earth. Through a haze of pain, she watched the Juggernaut's heavy, rhythmic march toward her.
She forced herself up, a shaky, bloody breath leaving her lungs as she prepared for the end.
Far from the fire of Hellspire, Tenebris Marcam stood at the edge of the bottomless abyss with Loki, staring down at the chained prisoner. "How did you chain this powerful being?" Tenebris asked, his voice hushed.
Loki stood regal and slim, his green and white clothing flowing like water in the stale air of the cavern. He checked a golden watch that ticked with a strange, magical rhythm, his sharp jawline set in a grim expression. He adjusted a small, intricate golden backpack and smoothed his long, flowing green hair.
"I didn't chain him," Loki said, his voice devoid of his usual arrogance. "I believe that my father did."
Tenebris tilted his head, confused. "Who is your father?"
Loki looked into the deep dark of the pit. "He's dead, but his name is Odin."
Tenebris's eyes widened in pure shock. "Odin?"
"Yes," Loki nodded solemnly. "The All-Father."
Suddenly, a nearby rock began to tremble. It lifted off the ground, floating upward as if gravity had simply ceased to exist. Both Tenebris and Loki recoiled, their faces turning pale. "SHIT!"
In the air between them, a small, growing circle began to form—a hole in reality that was pitch black, bleeding corruption into the atmosphere like an open wound.
"No, no, no!" Tenebris yelled, his hands glowing with panicked, futile energy.
Loki's composure shattered. "Why do you have to die, Plague Doctor..." He stopped, his voice dropping to a terrified murmur as the darkness spread. "The Void is about to come back. Without the Plague Doctor... we're nothing."