As Kara's team stepped out of the mist, the shimmer of the portal faded behind them. They were at the last portal station at the other end of the bridge. As the portal shimmered and disappeared, Kara took a deep breath, her hand instinctively tightening on the handle of her pistol. The air outside the shack felt different—colder, stiller, as though even the wind dared not disturb the silence. They had emerged at what seemed to be the final stretch of the Iron Horizon. Far in the distance, a shadow loomed, possibly marking the end of the bridge.

"We're close," Ryan murmured, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. He could see land off in the distance, a faint outline beyond the end of the massive structure.

Kara nodded, but something wasn’t right. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, a primal warning she had learned to trust.

Torik stepped forward, his rifle slung low but ready. "We should move—"

“INTRUDERS DETECTED,” the robot’s voice boomed, hollow and resonant, as though the bridge itself were speaking through it. Its joints whirred as it advanced, blocking the only path forward. “THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA. TURN BACK IMMEDIATELY, OR FACE TERMINATION.”

Kara’s heart raced as she drew her weapon. "That thing's not giving us a choice."

Zera, ever the archaeologist, stepped forward despite the danger, eyes wide in awe. “It’s Soomite technology… incredible! We can’t just destroy it.”

“We won’t have to,” Ryan said, stepping beside her. “We just need to outsmart it.”

The robot shifted, its massive arms raising with lethal precision. "FINAL WARNING: LEAVE NOW."

“We’re not turning back,” Kara muttered under her breath. “Ryan, any ideas?”

Ryan’s eyes darted to the control panel embedded in the robot’s chest. “Its power core’s exposed there—if I can overload it, we might disable it long enough to slip by.”

The robot’s eye flared brighter as it calculated their defiance. “ENGAGING DEFENSIVE PROTOCOLS.”

Without warning, the robot’s arm shot out, a blindingly fast swipe aimed directly at Kara. She barely ducked in time, the air hissing as the metal limb cut through where her head had been moments before.

“Torik, cover me!” Ryan shouted, already dashing toward the side of the shack, searching for anything that might help him reach the robot’s chest.

Torik didn’t hesitate. With a roar, he unleashed a barrage of shots from his rifle, aiming for the robot’s joints. The bullets pinged harmlessly off its reinforced armor, but it was enough to draw its attention. The robot pivoted, its arm shifting into a long, spear-like weapon, lunging at Torik with terrifying speed.

"Move!" Kara shouted, throwing herself into the fray. She aimed her pistol at the robot's legs, each shot ringing out with a sharp crack. The bullets struck with precision, but they did little to slow it down.

Zera, still fascinated by the machine, scanned its markings. “There’s something written on its frame—Soomite symbols. They’re… directions?”

Ryan darted toward the robot, using Torik and Kara’s attacks as cover. He spotted a low-hanging wire near the shack and yanked it free. “Keep it busy for just a second more!”

The robot, now fully focused on Kara and Torik, sent out a pulse of energy that knocked both of them back. Kara hit the ground hard, her vision swimming, as the robot prepared to deliver a crushing blow.

 

But Ryan had reached his target. With a sharp yank, he connected the wire to the control panel, sparks flying as he short-circuited the mechanism sending the robot to it's knees.

The robot froze for a moment, its eye flickering.

“Now!” Ryan shouted. Kara, still dazed, sprang to her feet, grabbing Torik by the arm and pulling him toward the edge of the bridge.

The robot’s systems sputtered, its voice a distorted growl. “SYSTEM MALFUNCTION… ESCAPE DETECTED… TERMINATION MODE INCOMPLETE…”

Zera was the last to rush past the robot, her eyes wide with the realization of how close they’d come to destruction. “That was... close.”

They sprinted forward, past the robot, until they finally reached a safe distance. The mist began to clear, revealing the final stretch of the Iron Horizon in all its daunting glory.

Kara glanced back, her heart still pounding. The robot was still sparking, struggling to reboot. “That thing’s going to recover soon.”

Ryan nodded, catching his breath. “We bought ourselves time, but it’s not down for good.”

Torik, still shaking from the close call, looked ahead, his eyes narrowing. “Then let’s make it count. We’re almost there.”

With that, they pressed forward, the end of the Iron Horizon now in sight—and whatever awaited them beyond the bridge’s final threshold.

 

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