Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The Top Hunters raised their weapons in unison, their dark cores pulsating ominously with energy. With a cold, decisive shout, their leader commanded, "Now! Phase Four!"

The space crack above, still spilling black mist and threatening to engulf the battlefield, seemed to pulse in response as the weapons were aimed toward it. Then, with a deafening CRACKLE, the dark energy burst forth from their weapons like jagged lightning, arcing upward to strike the crack.

But instead of passing through the tear in reality, the energy struck it with a force that rippled through the surrounding space. The battlefield fell silent as the weapons were recalled with brutal swiftness, and the black mist recoiled violently.

Then it came.

A low, menacing grrrk... grkkk echoed, followed by the sharp, almost metallic sound of krrk-chrkkk-chkchk. The crackling intensified, filling the air with an eerie rhythm, and then—

SSHHHRIIIKKK!!

The space crack collapsed inward, like a shattered mirror being pulled into itself. The swirling black mist was sucked into the void, leaving behind a stark, cosmic expanse. It was a chillingly beautiful sight—a swirling darkness speckled with faint blue glimmers, like stars trapped in a suffocating abyss.

And then, the sound.

Skrrrrrrr... skrrrrrrrrshhhhh...

It was faint at first, like claws scraping against glass, then louder and closer, accompanied by a deep, guttural hrrrrgh that made the air vibrate.

Goosebumps prickled over the skin of every Elvin warrior, trainee, and even the Hunters themsselves.

The tension was unbearable.

From the fallen crack, something moved.

A bluish-black clawed appendage pushed through, its surface rippling like liquid obsidian under faint light. Then another. More followed, their monstrous forms slithering out of the void like predators emerging from shadows.

The creatures—void species—were unlike anything anyone had ever seen. Their bodies were both fluid and solid, moving with an unnatural grace. Their eyes glowed an eerie bluish hue, scanning the battlefield until they landed on the Queen.

For a moment, their gazes locked.

A glint of predatory hunger flickered in their unnatural eyes.

The Queen, her flames still glowing but flickering slightly, felt a shiver run down her spine.

Her instincts screamed of danger, not just from the creatures but from something far worse hiding deeper within the void. Despite her power, a shadow of doubt crept into her mind.

Could she fight that creature in her current form?

The leader of the Top Hunters stepped forward, his voice smug yet laced with unease. "Surrender willingly to our master, or..." He gestured toward the void creatures, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "We'll let them destroy what you hold dear—your people, your world. Every last one of them."

The other Top Hunters stood firm, their expressions strained. Even they weren't fully confident in their ability to hold the void creatures for long.

The Queen's hands tightened into fists. Her mind raced. Should she use her last resort after all? It would mean devastating consequences—but at least the destruction would be on her terms.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Adrian's words resurfaced in her mind: "Don't do something you'll regret."

"Just watch the show."

She sighed inwardly, her emerald flames flaring brighter. That boy... what exactly did he mean?

"I will never surrender," she declared, her voice ringing with defiance.

The leader of the Top Hunters scoffed, masking his unease. "You asked for it."

With a sharp motion, they released their hold on the barrier—the veil that had been holding the void creatures back.

The monsters lunged forward with terrifying speed, their claws outstretched and eyes glowing with malice.

The Queen closed her eyes, her spinning irises betraying the storm of emotions within her.

"I'm sorry, my children..." she whispered softly, bracing herself.

But then—

SSHRIEEEEEK!

The battlefield froze as an ear-piercing screech tore through the air. The void creatures writhed in pain, their monstrous forms twisting unnaturally. Brilliant beams of light pierced through them, leaving hollow, gaping wounds that glowed with radiant energy.

The beams didn't stop there—they shot upward, striking the crack and sealing it with an explosive burst of energy. The monstrous appendages attempting to claw through were severed and burned away, leaving behind only faint motes of light.

The battlefield fell silent once more, save for the faint whirr of dissipating energy.

The Queen's eyes snapped open, disbelief flickering across her face as she took in the sight. The void creatures had been decimated in mere moments, their remains disintegrating into nothingness.

Adrian smiled, his gaze fixed on the fading light. "Took them long enough," he murmured, his tone light but his eyes sharp.

Aurelius and Aurelia descended from above, their radiant forms dimming but their presence heroic.

Their combined powers had turned the tide.

The Top Hunters' expressions twisted in surprise and fury.

The Queen's lips curved into a faint smile. "So... that's the show he meant."

But her relief was short-lived.

A deep, rumbling growl echoed from within the crack, louder and more menacing than before.

The crack that had been sealed moments ago began to ripple again, pulsing with a dark, ominous energy. It groaned like a wounded beast, and then—

SSSHRIIIIIIIKK!

The crack expanded violently, but only by a fraction, as if something enormous was struggling to force its way through. From the fissure, an appendage emerged—a clawed hand with four monstrous fingers, each the size of a fully-grown man, dripping with black ichor that hissed and sizzled as it touched the ground.
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The Queen's flames flickered as her body instinctively swayed, narrowly avoiding the grasp of the monstrous hand. The appendage moved erratically, searching, clawing at the air. The sheer size of it was staggering—almost as large as the Queen's entire body, and it strained against the narrow dimensions of the crack, barely fitting through.

A deadly stillness engulfed the battlefield as the hand's movements became more desperate. It clawed and groped at the empty air, seeking something—someone.

The Queen's heart clenched.

The hand was searching for her.

She dodged again, her movements quick but strained because of the chains.

The appendage swiped inches away from her face, and she felt the icy chill of its aura, suffocating and oppressive. The air around the hand distorted as if reality itself was recoiling from its presence.