The first explosions since entry rattled the compacted group, tightly bunched together to avoid the rapid fluctuations outside the large protective bubble surrounding them. They prepared for so long to be ready for anything, but reality always proves surprising. Chaos seethed against the bubble’s surface, constantly warping it as if drumming out the pace for their march farther and farther inside the hostile domain.

  “Hold,” an authoritative member of the group repeatedly chanted. “Hold. Five count, then scout one go. All others hold steady.”

  The tightly packed bunch’s march continued, but a single figure squeezed out to ready himself for the command. Meanly scowling, he’s otherwise ready to jump straight into the fire.

  “Five. Four. Three,” the chanter declared loudly over the raging drums tapping on the bubble’s thin veneer. “Two. One. Go!”

  Obeying the signal, the free man shoots towards the bubble’s edge. Briefly before crossing the barrier, his skin glows a bright golden color. Just as it fades, he hits the wall and effortlessly slips through into the hostile, unknown exterior.

  Despite launching the living probe, everything else remains the same. The wildly fluctuating barrier fails to display anything reliably sensible from the outside. The brave one may as well be dead for all they know. The group can only hold faith in their compatriot and wait to confirm his success.

  Another unexpected explosion rocks the bubble, and the huddled mass almost falls together as one. Then another, and another. They’ve been growing more frequent over the last hour. Almost as if the domain itself is reacting negatively to their presence. When they first arrived, everything was fine. Almost calm. However, gradually the bubble’s ruse is failing to fool it. As if it’s slowly beginning to recognize them and their subtle act of rebellion.

  A new, narrow blast dents the protective shell, elongating it into a spear-like point aimed at the people inside. Gasping, protective shields of energy and iron reflexively turn to face it in a regimented fashion. At its zenith, the stretching surface snaps and an amorphous blob is vomited halfway towards the people’s feet with a hard, wet splat.

  “Medic team, break formation!” the chanter screamed.

  Two new figures squeezed from the mass and descended on the mess. The first removed his glove from his right hand before stabbing it deep into the bloody mess on the ground. The familiar golden glow reigniting the surface, skin returns. Then an eye opens, a tooth unshatters, a spine straightens. Human form recognizable again, the second medic carefully dictates the patient’s status to the rest.

  “He’s not dead,” he morosely diagnosed, bordering on tears. “But I don’t think we can save him. There are definitely signs of ethereal deterioration. It’s not yet fully detached, but he… he’s no longer in control."

  “Can he return?” the chanter questioned with barking urgency.

  “...Yes? I think–”

  “Cease all this guessing, the barrier is failing,” Linus shouted, teeth clenched tightly together due to the effort of maintaining the protections.

  The puncture left by their teammates reentry meticulously twists and folds, attempting to reseal the entry. However, the damage is done. Angry colors from the outer chaos eagerly clawed their way through the cracks and into the now poorly defended safe zone.

  “Can you get us back?” the chanter softly inquired, glistening eyes reflecting the fear from the rest of their pack.

  “I don’t know,” Linus confidently declared. “However, I do know that I can’t both maintain this barrier and break through to the tower.”

  “Carter, take over barrier,” the chanter curtly returned to barking loud orders. “Everyone else, continue holding anchor.”

  “I can’t hold the barrier by myself!”

  “And there’s no way we can hold anchor without Carter,” a new figure within the group spoke up, also peeking out towards the medic team with concern.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “How long can you?”

  “I– Thirty seconds, at best.”

  “And the rest of you? Can you all hold anchor for thirty?”

  Only groans and gripes answered with otherwise no negative objections.

  “Is that enough?”

  “Does it matter if it’s all we have?”

  “Everyone ready! Shift on my five,” the chanter shouted to those remaining in the center, everyone looking up at his raised hand to acknowledge the command.

  “Five! Four! Three!”

  Before the count finished, the slowly reshaping blob of humanity between the medics stirred. Two hands whipped straight out like harpoons, wrapping around the first helper’s arms and upper torso, incapacitating him with a loudly crunching squeeze. His pained screams arrest all other ongoing preparations for a moment. The other medic scrambles to intervene. Heart and hands glowing brightly, he grasps the blob’s appendages tightly, causing a swirling, sizzling smoke to snake its way into the fight. However, the now formless, former ally simply retains its hold, seemingly uncaring of any punishment.

  “Iron one on medic team! Two!”

  A large figure breaks from the tight group and barrels over towards the awkward melee. As he approaches, a giant axe quickly forms in his hands, already raised high above his head. Less than half a second later, the swing connects and cleanly severs the blob’s overextended arms. However, the remains of the man’s legs explode out in response, stabbing into the warrior’s sides like sharp spears wielded in a furious retaliation. With dispassionate discipline, the axe’s swing continues cleaving through to connect with the fresh attack, but fails to damage the transformed, hardened skin of the attacker.

  “One! Go!” the chanter shouted, finally completing the count down as the fight raged.

  The weak, protective barrier roughly warbled as the group transitioned to their new roles. His final duty completed, the chanter rushed out to join the warrior’s struggle against the surprise monstrosity.

  A screeching hiss loudly rattles the shelter in complaint, and the bubble suddenly shrank inwards. The shockwave haphazardly threw many of the group off their feet. Disrupted from their duties, the invading colors subtly grew more vibrant. More intense. More erratic.

  “Keep holding, you fools!” the chanter screamed, scrambling back back up and continuing the charge towards his imperilled wards.

  The bubble’s shrinking continued in jerking halts, threatening to crush everyone inside. As if a balloon bursting, the carefully twisted and folded puncture whipped back open, spraying the insides in brighter and brighter blooms of disorganized redefinition. Where once only a faint, dark shadow quietly held firm to mask the team, now a series of fingers, teeth, and eyes spontaneously birth themselves as static to fill the helpless void. On the other side, the hapless Carter’s eyes, ears, and nose spill copious red due to his now failing effort to maintain the struggle against the insisting pandemonium of the encroaching domain.

  Suddenly a counter bubble of space erupts from the middle towards the fast deteriorating barrier around them. It smoothly wraps around those still gathered at the center, and immediately they disappear. Their removal instantly ends all resistance against the domain’s relentless assault. Desperately, the counter bubble expands, racing to beat the chaos to the few remaining in battle.

  Barely edging out the competition, it indiscriminately wrapped all parties in its eloquent ripples before whisking them away to join the others. In a flash, perspective returned to the cold, stone walls of the tower. Linus scrunched his nose in disgust, disappointment, and shame, seeing the monstrous blob still flailing on the ground. In the short moments before their escape, it managed to grow more impromptu appendages. All the aiding team members were now aggressively wrapped in its tight, indiscriminate embrace.

  “Reserve medic team to me, now!” he loudly commanded towards the crowd waiting outside the giant stone circle where they returned.

  Before the fresh support could arrive, Linus quickly raised and clenched a fist directed towards the blob. Instantly it burst, crushed by a tumultuous disruption of space exploding out from its center but stopping before harming any of the others. With his other hand, he directed all the scattered pieces of the devolved creature to be gathered together into a fresh, protective pocket. Best keep the personnel safe from any unexpected, new growths. If control really has been lost, then there’s no hope for him. Can’t allow the others to take him with them.

  “Prefer skills. Potions will be ineffective for the next hour,” Linus continued commanding as the rushing medic team descended on their patients.

  “Sir,” a diminutive figure interrupted, casually injecting himself after quietly observing the anarchy of the sudden homecoming.

  Glaring at the man, Linus resisted the temptation to lash out, resolving to hold his anger and frustration for others better deserving it.

  “Who are you? What is it?”

  “There’s a message for you, sir,” the diminutive man droned, completely disconnected from the blood, yelling, and hard fought grime of the surrounding scene. “It’s from the guild. Very important. Came while you were away. Please receive it now.”

  Turning ashy at the man’s words, Linus loudly calls out to his team.

  “Protocol gamma now. No questions. All survivors.”