“Seconds for you maybe. For him, well, let's just say he got what he deserved.”

“Chilling.” says Rush having just witnessed the whole thing. Kid agrees, nodding in awe.

Cole’s attention is quickly reoriented to Byson and Apeiro. They are still locked against each other, but it's more than that, it’s bizarre. Cole can’t detect any movement from them at all. Sure Byson’s muscles are flexed, under strain, but there’s no grunting or any sign of struggle between the two. They have become as imobile as a statue.

Arch steps next to Cole, “It seems they are in a battle of wits now.”

“What do you mean? Why are they stuck?”

“Byson’s ability is directly reliant on his opponent. If this creature really is a combination of Alpha and Omega then they are infinitely powerful. Meaning, Byson is a perfect inverse. This battle isn’t about who will overpower the other. This has come down to who will give up first. Who will keep pushing, who will give up? Who is willing to make the sacrifice? The forces being applied to each other is incomprehensible. The one to give up will be obliterated.”

Cole cries, “How long are they going to be like this though!?”

“I’m not sure. I guess until one gives up. Like I said, this is a battle of the mind now.”

“Can’t we try to separate them?”

“Sure, and potentially release that thing? We're not prepared for that type of battle right now. I suggest while Byson is keeping Apeiro in check, it would be wise to use the time we have and see who’s in that bunker.”

“I don’t like it, but I guess we’ll have to leave them for now. Hopefully he can buy us enough time.”

Once inside the bunker the group stops having reached the point where they can’t see enough to continue. They wait in silence, straining their ears waiting for any sign of danger. Cole was just about to whisper to Cinder to turn on her flame power when a loud clank abruptly echoed from behind them. A flood of buzzing lights switch on illuminating the massive bunker. They jump looking back to find Em awkwardly hunched next to a power switch. He’s enthralled, caressing it, perhaps even whispering sweet nothings to it.

“What?”

“What’s wrong with you?” says Brody in a condescending tone.

“Haven’t you guys seen a light switch before? Look, I've been in that forest for too long. I just missed technology ok?”

Justice and Brody roll their eyes where as the rest of the group simply walks away from the conversation. With the lights on vast hallways extending deep under the mountain present themselves. They discover a trail of smeared blood extending down through one of the halls.

Blazer speaks aloud, “This is as far as I got. Then the hunters came. There were so many of them, I just hid. I did the best I could Cole, you have to believe me.”

“I know you did. We all saw what we were up against.”

“Then Alpha and Omega showed up trying to fight the hunters. They actually put up a good fight but they couldn’t manage the sheer numbers of them. The hunters just piled and clawed surrounding them. They thought they were safe behind their forcefields, and they were, until some of the hunters dug underground taking them by surprise. It was overwhelming to watch. I watched as they got knocked unconscious then dragged in here. I tried to follow but once I turned the corner all I found was a dead end. Then I heard something coming so I hid again. That’s when I saw them. Thunder and Toxic. Changed and replaced into something else. It was terrifying!”