The facility was crumbling.

You could hear the steel walls groaning as the shadows crawled up the sides of the corridor—Void-born tendrils, black as ink, lashing wildly through the air.

“Bob—!” you cried out, ducking behind a reinforced pillar as debris rained down from the ceiling.

But he was already in front of you.

Golden light surged outward from his body, illuminating the chaos. His cape whipped violently in the wind of the collapse, shoulders squared, every muscle trembling—not from fear, but from restraint.

“I told you not to follow me,” Bob growled, voice low, eyes glowing white. He wasn’t fully the Sentry yet—but close. Too close.

“I wasn’t going to let you go alone,” you replied, crawling to his side. “You said this mission could break you—so I’m staying.”

The ground split open several yards away, and that familiar oily smoke began to pour from it.

The Void was waking up.

He looked over his shoulder at you, the golden light flickering. “I can’t protect you from this… from me.”

You grabbed his wrist—felt how it was shaking.

“I’m not afraid of you.”

He stared at you for a long beat, something desperate flickering across his face.

“You should be.”