The force hit like a sledgehammer. Trench barely had time to brace before he was flung backward, his body skidding across the shifting surface of the Astral Plane. Darling hit the ground hard beside him, the wind knocked out of his lungs. Only Emily remained standing, though barely, her fingers twitching as if something unseen was trying to pull her forward.
Trench gritted his teeth, rolling to his feet. He raised his Service Weapon, aiming squarely at the entity. "You want us gone? You'll have to do better than that."
The figure's head twitched at an unnatural angle, its form flickering. The whispers swelled, threading through the air like an invasive presence worming into their minds. Darling groaned, clutching his temple. He recognized the signs—this wasn't just an attack. It was an intrusion.
"They're trying to get in our heads," Darling managed, his voice tight with strain. "We can't let it."
Emily's breathing was uneven, her body swaying. "It's… inside me again," she gasped, her hands trembling.
Trench fired. The gunshot echoed in the unnatural stillness, the bullet hitting its mark—but instead of piercing the figure, the entity absorbed the impact, rippling like a stone hitting water. It reacted, though, its form distorting violently.
"Director," it whispered, this time directly into Trench's mind.
Trench snarled, shaking off the invasive voice. He motioned toward Emily. "Darling, get her out of here. Now."
"No," Emily protested, her voice raw. "It won't let me go. It—"
Before she could finish, the entity lunged. Not toward Trench, but toward Emily.
Darling acted on instinct. He grabbed Emily's wrist and pulled her back, just as the entity's form stretched unnaturally, reaching for her like liquid shadow. It missed—but barely.
Trench moved fast. He focused, channeling his connection to the Oldest House, and unleashed a telekinetic blast. The wave of force struck the entity, sending it staggering back. It hissed—a sound that was both a whisper and a scream.
For the first time, it seemed… unsettled.
Darling's grip on Emily tightened. "We need to move."
Trench nodded. "Get to the Control Point. I'll hold it off."
Emily hesitated, but Darling pulled her away, guiding her toward the pulsing Control Point in the distance. The entity flickered, its form distorting as if torn between realities. It didn't follow them. Instead, its unreadable face remained locked on Trench.
"You are not the Director," it whispered.
Trench's pulse pounded in his ears. He adjusted his stance, Service Weapon steady. "I didn't ask for the title. But I'll damn well fight to keep it."
The entity shifted, its form stretching into something larger, darker, its whispers intensifying.
Trench exhaled slowly, then pulled the trigger.