I slowly made my way to the edge of the slope, limping and wincing with every step.
But I had to make it.
Everything depended on that portal.
My family.
My life.
...My revenge.
The faster I moved, the farther my destination seemed.
A low grumble came from behind me.
That beast was moving again.
Its scream from earlier must've done more damage than I thought. My vision blurred terribly, and my body felt heavier with every step.
I finally reached the edge of the slope.
I looked down.
The others were waiting below.
The portal was still open.
I just had to get there.
I took one step forward.
My injured foot gave out.
"Ah—!"
I tumbled down the slope.
Branches scraped against me as I rolled, my body bouncing against the uneven ground before I finally managed to grab onto a tree root.
I hung there for a moment, breathing heavily.
"Come on..."
I pulled myself up.
The portal was still there.
So close.
I forced myself to stand and started limping toward it.
"Hunter!"
Jace's voice echoed from below.
"Hurry!"
"I'm coming!"
I took another step.
Then another.
I could see them now.
Just a little farther.
I could make it.
I could—
BANG!
My body jerked.
For a second, I didn't understand what had happened.
Then the pain hit.
I looked down.
Blood was spreading across my side.
"Hunter!!!"
Everyone screamed.
My knees buckled.
I stumbled forward before collapsing against the ground.
Where...
Where did that come from?
I tried to look behind me.
Nothing.
Only the trees.
Then something moved between them.
The demon.
It was coming.
---
"Hunter!"
Jace's voice echoed from somewhere below the slope.
"Hurry!"
"Come on!"
Their voices blurred together, reaching Hunter through the ringing in his ears.
But he couldn't move.
---
Everyone stood close to the portal.
Above them, the countdown continued.
00:01:18
"What is taking him so long?!" Iris paced back and forth, barely able to stay still. "At this rate, he won't make it!"
"He will."
Katara kept her eyes fixed on the slope.
"And we're not leaving without him. That demon could be slowing him down, but Hunter knows what he's doing."
A faint explosion shook the ground.
Everyone looked up.
"Look!"
Annabeth pointed toward the top of the slope.
A figure appeared against the fading smoke.
"It's Amanda!"
Jace immediately ran toward her.
He caught her gently by the shoulders the moment she reached them.
"Where's Hunter?"
"Jace, let her breathe."
He barely seemed to hear Katara.
"Where is he?"
Amanda struggled to catch her breath.
"He told me to run toward the beacon. He was still fighting that thing."
The hope that had briefly appeared in Jace's eyes vanished.
"I'm going after him."
He barely took a step before Zayn grabbed his arm.
"Trying to play hero?"
Jace ripped himself free.
"What garbage are you talking about?"
"We've got less than a minute."
"And you want us to leave him?"
"I'm the fastest one here."
Zayn pointed toward the slope.
"I'll get to him first. And if that thing is still standing, my abilities are more useful in close combat."
"What the hell are you—"
A violent wave of destruction erupted over the hill.
Trees bent away from the force.
The ground shook.
Then everything went silent.
Jace stared at the smoke.
Hunter was still fighting.
"He's right."
Cody's voice came from beside the portal.
His arms remained stretched out, his entire focus locked on the portal.
"If anyone goes, it should be Zayn."
Jace clenched his fists.
He hated it.
But Cody was right.
The countdown continued.
00:00:40
"I'll bring him back."
Zayn turned toward the slope.
"Hunter!"
Amanda suddenly pointed upward.
Everyone looked.
Hunter stood at the very top of the hill.
He was barely standing.
"Why isn't he moving?!" Zayn shouted.
"Thirty seconds!"
Hunter looked down at them.
His vision was still blurred.
He could see the portal.
He could see everyone.
He could almost hear them.
Then—
BANG!
The gunshot shattered the silence.
Hunter's body jerked.
"HUNTER!"
He lost his balance.
Zayn moved before anyone else could react.
He raced up the slope as Hunter's body began rolling downward.
Behind him, something emerged from the trees.
The demon.
It was damaged, but still moving.
Zayn didn't notice.
He reached Hunter and caught him before he could tumble any farther.
"Come on!"
He pulled Hunter's arm over his shoulder.
Then he saw the blood.
His expression hardened.
"Zayn!"
A crimson fog suddenly swallowed the area.
For a moment, everything disappeared.
Then the fog vanished.
The demon stood completely still.
Its body trembled once.
Then it collapsed.
Jace lowered his hand.
"Thank God..."
"RUN!"
They ran.
00:00:10
Zayn didn't slow down.
He carried Hunter's weight and pushed himself harder, reaching the portal first.
He shoved Hunter toward the others.
"Take him!"
Then he turned around.
Jace was still coming.
"Jace!"
The distance between them seemed enormous.
9...
8...
Jace ran harder.
7...
6...
"COME ON!"
5...
Jace was almost there.
4...
Zayn stretched his hand out.
3...
Jace reached for it.
Their fingers brushed.
2...
Zayn grabbed his hand and pulled.
1...
They crossed.
The portal collapsed with a deafening roar.
The silver light vanished.
And just like that...
The forest fell silent.