The night sky stretched vast and endless above the island, a glittering dome of stars pierced by the faint silver glow of the moon, casting a shimmering veil over the ocean below. Alaric and I hovered high above, our bodies suspended in the cool night air, locked in a tense standoff that crackled with unspoken violence.
Below us, the open ceiling of the underground chamber gaped like a dark wound, its reddish-pink neon haze spilling out into the night. Lyra sat cross-legged on the concrete floor, her naked body bathed in moonlight, her blonde hair catching the glow as she raised both hands toward me, her eyes sparkling with fierce pride. "Hehe, my Hero Zero!" she shouted, her voice bright and full of fire, her grin wide as she pumped her fists in the air. "Kick that alien's ass!"
