The canyon shook from distant explosions. Dust and debris mixed with fire, creating a red, ominous twilight.
Kael pressed the group against the rocks.
"We need to find a way out of the canyon. That thing is chasing us."
Zara jumped over crevices, guns at the ready.
"It doesn't look stupid. But I'm not stupid either."
Rex watched the rear.
"We're not leaving anyone behind. No matter what it is."
Lira approached Taro's terminal.
"Do you have anything to jam the tracking?"
Taro connected the cables to a makeshift energy shield.
"For a few minutes. No more."
The shadow from the previous canyon moved slowly, watching them from a distance.
Kael nodded.
"Let's go. We're not waiting."
The passage led into denser rock, where the fiery reflections of the explosion were less visible. It gave them an advantage, but no certainty.
Zara ran ahead, taking out a mercenary who had appeared out of nowhere. Shots ricocheted off metal fragments, sparks flying through the air.
Rex followed her, covering the flank.
"It doesn't look human. Not even close."
Kael looked up.
"Check every shadow. This night isn't over."
Lira raised her hand toward the rocks.
"There. Something's shining. It has a metallic glint."
Taro leaned over the terminal.
"I don't know what it is, but it looks like... an artifact. Not human."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"And someone else is probably looking for it, too. That's why we're here. We have to secure it."
Zara aimed at the shadow between the rocks.
"I'm not going to wait for someone else to do it before me."
Rex raised his rifle.
"Let's do this quickly. That thing in the canyon isn't going to leave us alone."
Kael moved forward.
"One step at a time. We can't let panic take control."
A mist of dust and fire mingled with the shadow of the artifact. Kael felt tension throughout his body. This was only the first clue to something bigger.
Zara leaped forward, jumping over the crevice. The plasma from her guns illuminated the metallic object.
Kael sucked in his breath.
"It's him. We've found the first clue."
At that moment, the ground shook harder than ever before. The canyon began to collapse, and the shadow that had been chasing them moved faster.
Rex looked at Kael.
"Damn, this isn't fun."
Zara smiled coldly.
"I've always wanted to do things that could kill us."
Kael looked ahead.
"There's no turning back. Let's go."
The ground beneath them shook harder and harder. Rocks collapsed, throwing stones and dust into the air.
Kael grabbed Zara's arm.
"We're not stopping. Move!"
Zara leaped over the gap in the canyon, firing two quick shots. One of the mercenaries fell before he could return fire.
Rex aimed at a shadow that appeared between the rocks. Plasma bounced off metal fragments, reflecting into the dusty haze.
Lira ran after Kael, looking around carefully.
"The artifact is still here. We need to secure it."
Taro connected the terminal to a makeshift energy shield.
"I'll keep the signals going until we get out."
The shadow chasing them moved with inhuman speed. Kael felt a chill.
"It doesn't look human. Or like a regular mercenary."
Zara fired another burst, hitting the creature's metal part. Sparks flew around them.
Rex moved forward, covering the flank.
"We can't let him catch us off guard. We have to force him into making a mistake."
Kael pointed to a crevice in the canyon.
"There. The passage leads to lower rocks. Maybe we can hide there."
Zara ran in first, leaping over the crevice. The plasma from her guns bounced off the rocks, but the shadow was still fast and close.
Lira aimed at the creature's legs. The precise shot had an unexpected effect: the shadow arced briefly through the air and struck the stones, knocking some of them aside.
Kael held his breath.
"Okay, let's go."
Taro led the group, using his terminal to open makeshift passages in the collapsing rocks.
"Stay close. It's not stable."
Zara jumped over the gap, firing two more shots. Another mercenary fell.
"Don't stop!"
Rex ran after her, covering their rear.
"It doesn't look human. Not even close."
The dust fog mingled with plasma sparks.
Kael looked at the artifact, glinting metallically in the red light.
"We need to secure it before anything else shows up."
Zara jumped onto the rock next to the artifact.
"I'll take it. Don't move!"
Her movements were fluid, quick, without a moment's hesitation.
Kael took a deep breath.
"Keep formation. If anything moves, full fire."
The shadow stopped at the edge of the canyon. It seemed to be measuring their every move. Kael felt the air thicken.
Rex fired several bursts at the shadow, forcing it to move. Plasma bounced off the rocks, sparks flying through the air.
Lira moved toward Zara.
"I'll help you secure it. We have to be quick."
Zara aimed her guns.
"I'm not letting go."
Taro connected the terminal to the energy shield.
"I'm jamming the signals as much as I can. But it won't be for long."
The artifact was finally in Zara's hands. Metallic, cool, glistening in the last rays of the setting sun.
Kael nodded.
"Good. Let's go to the ship. The rest can wait."
The fog and dust in the canyon began to thicken, and the shadow that was chasing them moved faster.
Zara tripped over a rock, got up, and fired. One of the mercenaries fell. The shadow was getting closer and closer.
Kael sucked in his breath.
"Stay in formation. This isn't over."
Rex looked at the artifact.
"This is just the beginning of our problems."
The shadow leaped out of the fog directly toward them, and the canyon began to collapse around them.
Kael shouted,
"Jump!"
Zara jumped first, the artifact close to her body.
Rex, Lira, and Kael followed right behind her.
Rocks and dust swirled in the air, making every movement risky.
At the end of the crevice, their last jump awaited them—dangerous, but the only one possible.
Kael felt a rush of adrenaline.
The artifact in Zara's hands glowed with a cold light, and the shadow paused at the edge of the canyon. It seemed to be watching their every move.
Zara looked up.
"It doesn't look like it's going to let up. But I'm not going to either."
The dust settled slowly.
The canyon still trembled.
The group moved toward the safe passage.
But everyone knew it wasn't over.
Something bigger was waiting ahead.