27. Just Hang On: Alex

CHAPTER 27

JUST HANG ON

ALEX

C entral Station loomed before them, its usual bustling energy replaced by an eerie calm that set Alex's teeth on edge. As they approached, he could see Director Hernandez waiting for them, looking about as happy as a cat in a bathtub. Great. Just what they needed right now - bureaucratic bullshit.

"Director," Alex greeted, his voice clipped and professional. No need to antagonize the man. Yet. "What's the situation?"

Hernandez's face was a mask of barely contained frustration. "We're still in the process of evacuation. The station isn't fully cleared yet."

Alex felt a surge of irritation. "Wasn't that the whole point of giving you a heads up? To have this place emptied before we got here?"

"It's not that simple," Hernandez snapped back. "Do you have any idea how many people move through this station on a daily basis? We can't just snap our fingers and-"

"Actually," Alex cut him off, "that's exactly what you need to do. Time isn't a luxury we have right now."

He turned to Marcus and Emma, who were watching the exchange with thinly veiled interest. "Marcus, I need you on evacuation duty. Use that charm of yours to keep people calm and moving. Emma, see if you can speed things up with a little magical encouragement. Nothing too flashy, just enough to get people moving without panicking."

The pair nodded, immediately moving to carry out their tasks. Alex watched them go, a small part of him envying their clear-cut roles. His job was never that simple.

Turning back to Hernandez, Alex fixed him with a stare that had once made the denizens of the underworld quake in their boots. "Director, I need this station locked down. No one comes in until we're out. Understand?"

Hernandez's face flushed red. "Now wait just a minute. You can't just waltz in here and start giving orders. I demand to know what's going on!"

For a moment, Alex was tempted to tell the man exactly where he could shove his demands. But no, that wouldn't help Eryx. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to remain calm.

"The Order has one of my team," he said, his voice low and intense. "They're holding him somewhere in this station. We don't have time for a full briefing or a committee meeting. Every second we waste out here is another second they have to... to do whatever the fuck they're planning."

Something in Alex's tone must have gotten through to Hernandez. The man's expression shifted from anger to a grudging understanding. "Fine," he said after a moment. "But I want a full report when this is over."

"You'll get your report," Alex promised, already turning away. "Just keep everyone out and let us do our job."

With Hernandez dealt with, Alex turned his attention to the rest of his team. The Asgardians stood out like sore thumbs, their otherworldly presence a stark contrast to the mundane surroundings of the subway station. Alex's eyes landed on Fenrir, an idea forming in his mind.

"Hey," he said, careful not to use the wolf god's name. No need to add 'explaining the existence of Norse deities' to their to-do list. "That nose of yours any good underground?"

Fenrir's eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling in his chest. For a moment, Alex thought he might have overstepped. But then the wolf god's lips curled into what might have been a smile. Or a snarl. With Fenrir, it was hard to tell the difference.

"I could track my father's scent through the nine realms," Fenrir rumbled. "A mere mortal's stench in this metal cave? Child's play."

Alex nodded, choosing to ignore the 'mere mortal' comment. "Good. Because that's exactly what we need you to do. Can you pick up Eryx's scent from here?"

Fenrir closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he took in deep breaths. After a moment, his eyes snapped open, a predatory gleam in them. "Faint," he growled, "but present. He passed through here, not long ago. The scent leads deeper into the tunnels. I am going to have to shift to fully scent him better."

Tapping his earpiece, Alex opened a channel to Gabe and Lucas. "You two reading me?"

"Loud and clear, boss," came Lucas's voice, the faint sound of typing in the background.

"What's up?" Gabe chimed in.

"We're about to head in," Alex informed them. "I need you two to make sure the wards stay up after we pass through. Last thing we need is this shit show spilling out into the rest of the city."

"On it," Lucas confirmed. "We've got eyes on the magical grid. Any fluctuations, and we'll know about it."

"And I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to reinforce things if needed," Gabe added. "Just try not to blow up the entire subway system, okay? My commute's bad enough as it is."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Alex felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Trust Gabe to find humor even now. "No promises," he replied. "But we'll do our best to keep property damage to a minimum. "

Closing the channel, Alex took a moment to survey his team. They were an odd bunch, no doubt about it. Humans, demigods, and honest-to-god deities, all united in a single purpose. In any other circumstances, it would be laughable. But right now, they were Eryx's best hope.

The air around Fenrir shimmered, reality bending as the Asgardian shifted forms. Where a man had stood moments before, now a massive wolf towered over them, its fur a silvery gray that seemed to absorb the harsh fluorescent lighting of the station.

"What the- Who are these people, Knight?" Director Hernandez breathed, his eyes wide with a mixture of awe and terror.

Alex bit back a groan. He really didn't have time for this. "They're here to help," he said curtly, gesturing to the Asgardians in their otherworldly attire. "That's all you need to know right now."

Before Hernandez could press further, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. It started as a faint vibration, barely noticeable, but quickly grew into a violent shaking that had everyone struggling to keep their balance.

"What the fuck?" Alex growled, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon.

As if in answer to his question, the air around them began to darken. Shadows coalesced, taking on form and substance. Within seconds, they were surrounded by writhing, ethereal figures that seemed to drink in the light around them.

"Shadow wraiths," Alex spat, recognizing the creatures with a mixture of disgust and dread. "Because this day wasn't fun enough already."

The team sprang into action without needing orders. Olivia's hands ignited with flame, casting an eerie glow over the battle. Gabe's voice rose in a chant, weaving protective wards around them. Lucas, his tech rendered useless against these magical foes, brandished a wickedly sharp blade that glowed with runic inscriptions.

Alex threw himself into the fray, his own powers surging to the surface. Shadows bent to his will, forcing the wraiths back. But for every one they dispatched, two more seemed to take its place.

As he fought, Alex reached out with his senses, desperately seeking that familiar warmth of his soul bond with Eryx. Still nothing. Just an aching void where his mate's presence should be. The emptiness fueled his rage, lending strength to his attacks.

A flash of movement caught Alex's eye. A shadow wraith, larger than the others, was lunging towards an unsuspecting civilian who hadn't made it out of the station. Alex's heart leapt into his throat. He was too far away, he couldn't reach them in time-

Suddenly, a blast of pure energy slammed into the wraith, dissolving it into wisps of darkness. Alex's head whipped around, searching for the source of the attack.

There, striding through the chaos like he was walking through a park on a sunny day, was Brad, as Alex had recently learned. The Norse god of poetry looked nothing like the unassuming music manager he pretended to be. Power radiated off him in waves, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.

"About damn time you showed up," Alex called out, his voice a mixture of relief and frustration.

Brad flashed Alex a grin that was equal parts charming and dangerous. "What, and miss all the fun? I thought you knew me better than that, Hades."

Before Alex could retort, Thor's booming voice cut through the chaos. "Bragi! By the Allfather's beard, I was beginning to think you'd sit this one out!"

Brad merely shrugged, his casual demeanor at odds with the mayhem surrounding them. "And let you have all the glory? Not a chance. Now, if you're all done with the warm welcome, we have a situation to deal with. "

As if to emphasize his point, Brad raised his hand. A pulse of energy radiated outward, momentarily stunning the shadow wraiths around them.

"We don't have much time," Brad said, his jovial demeanor falling away to reveal a grim intensity. "I could feel it getting bad down there."

"How bad are we talking?" he demanded, even as he dispatched another wraith with a vicious slash of shadow-forged blade.

Brad's expression darkened. "Bad enough that I came out of my comfortable godly retirement to join this little rescue party. The magic I'm feeling? It's off the charts."

Alex's mind raced, processing this new information. There wasn't time for a full briefing, not with Eryx's life on the line.

"Alright," Alex growled, making a split-second decision. "Bragi, you're with us. Thor, Fenrir, you too. The rest of you, hold the line here. Don't let any of these shadow fuckers past you."

He turned back to Brad, his eyes narrowing. "I hope you're ready for this. Because if anything happens to Eryx because you were too slow or too rusty-"

Brad's eyes flashed, power crackling around him like barely contained lightning. "I may have grown fond of the mortal realm, Alex, but I am still a god."

Alex nodded, choosing to take the god at his word. It wasn't like they had many other options at this point. "Alright then. Let's move."

The group plunged into the depths of the subway system, the fluorescent lights giving way to an oppressive darkness that seemed to swallow sound as well as light. Alex's heart pounded in his ears, each beat a reminder of precious seconds ticking away. Eryx was down here somewhere, and by all the gods, he was going to find him.

Fenrir took point, his massive wolf form barely visible in the gloom. Alex watched as the Asgardian's eyes began to glow an eerie green, casting twin beams of light ahead of them. The sight would have been unsettling if Alex weren't so goddamn grateful for any advantage they could get.

"This way," Fenrir growled, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate in Alex's chest. "The scent grows stronger."

They followed the wolf god through a maze of tunnels, each turn bringing them deeper into the bowels of the city. The air grew thick and stale, heavy with the weight of centuries and forgotten magics. Alex could feel the power in this place, ancient and untamed, pressing against his skin like a physical force.

Suddenly, Fenrir came to an abrupt halt. They stood before a blank wall, unremarkable save for the faint shimmer of magic that danced across its surface, visible only to those who knew what to look for.

"They're on the other side," Fenrir announced, his hackles rising. "I can smell them."

Thor stepped forward, reaching out to touch the wall. His hand passed through as if it were nothing more than a mirage. "A glamour," he rumbled, his voice tinged with respect. "Clever."

Alex felt a surge of impatience. They were so close, he could almost taste it. "Stand back," he growled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, innocuous-looking sphere. "Let's see how this glamour holds up against a little hellfire."

Before anyone could object, Alex hurled the hellfire bomb at the wall. The resulting explosion was more impressive in its silence than any earthly bomb could have been. There was a flash of searing light, a wave of heat that made the air ripple, and then... nothing. The glamour dissolved like mist in the morning sun, revealing a hidden chamber beyond.

"Subtle as ever, Hades," Brad muttered, but Alex was already moving, pushing past the others to enter the newly revealed room.

The chamber was vast, far larger than should have been possible given their location. The ceiling stretched up into darkness, lost in shadows that seemed to move of their own accord. The air crackled with energy, making Alex's hair stand on end and his teeth ache with the intensity of it.

And then he heard it. A scream of pain that cut through the magical haze like a knife, a voice he would recognize anywhere. Eryx.

In that moment, something inside Alex snapped. The careful control he'd maintained, the balance between his mortal self and the god he once was, shattered like glass. Power surged through him, dark and ancient and terrible.

"Alex, wait!" Thor's voice barely registered, a distant rumble of thunder compared to the roaring in Alex's ears. "We need a plan-"

But Alex was beyond planning. Beyond reason. All he knew was that Eryx was in pain, and someone was going to pay for that. Dearly.

He had barely made it past the entrance when the world exploded.

One moment, they were creeping through the eerie silence of the abandoned station. The next, a wave of force slammed into them with all the subtlety of a freight train. Alex's instincts kicked in a split second before impact. Shadows erupted around them, forming a protective cocoon just as the explosion hit.

The force of it sent them all flying backward. Alex's back slammed into a pillar, driving the air from his lungs. Through the ringing in his ears, he could hear the others groaning and cursing.

"What the fuck was that?" Thor's voice boomed, somehow managing to sound both pissed off and impressed.

Alex pushed himself to his feet, wincing at the protest of his battered ribs. "Good question. Gabe?" He tapped his earpiece, praying the communications hadn't been fried in the blast. "Gabe, you there? What's the status on those wards?"

For a heart-stopping moment, there was nothing but static. Then, blessedly, Gabe's voice crackled through. "We're here, boss. But it's not good. Whatever that explosion was, it's putting serious strain on the wards. We're holding them for now, but..."

"But what?" Alex pressed, dread coiling in his gut.

Gabe's sigh was audible even through the garbled connection. "But if we don't contain whatever's causing this soon, the entire ward network for the underground is going to fail. And when that happens..."

"All hell breaks loose," Alex finished grimly. "Fantastic. Because this day wasn't fun enough already."

He turned to the others, ready to start formulating a plan. But Brad was already moving, his hands raised and his eyes closed in concentration.

"What are you-" Alex started, but Thor laid a hand on his arm, shaking his head.

"Watch," the thunder god said softly, an uncharacteristic note of reverence in his voice.

Brad's hands began to move in intricate patterns, as if he were conducting an invisible orchestra. And as Alex watched, the very air around them seemed to shimmer and dance.

"The explosion," Brad murmured, his voice taking on an otherworldly resonance. "Its echoes still linger. Can you feel them? The vibrations, the resonance of destruction..."

Alex was about to snap at him to speak plainly when he felt it. A subtle tremor in the air, barely perceptible but undeniably there. The aftershocks of the explosion, still reverberating through reality itself.

With a final, decisive gesture, Brad clenched his fist. The shimmering air condensed, compressing into a sphere of pure energy that pulsed with an impossible rhythm. Then, with a sound like reality hiccupping, it winked out of existence.

The change was immediate and profound. The oppressive weight that had been pressing down on them lifted, leaving behind a silence that felt almost holy in its perfection.

"There," Brad said, opening his eyes and flashing a smile that was equal parts smug and exhausted. "That should buy us some time."

Alex blinked, struggling to process what he'd just witnessed. "What the hell was that?"

Brad's smile widened. "Everything has a resonance, Hades. A unique vibrational signature. Once you understand that, manipulating it becomes, well, not simple, exactly. But possible."

"So you just what? Cancelled out the explosion's energy by reversing its vibrations?" Alex asked, his mind racing to keep up.

"Crude, but essentially correct," Brad nodded. "It won't last forever, mind you. But it should give your team upstairs enough time to reinforce the wards."

Alex stared at him for a long moment, torn between grudging respect and lingering suspicion. Finally, he settled on a curt nod. "Thanks. That was impressive."

Brad's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. "Was that actual gratitude I heard? Be careful, Hades. People might start to think you're going soft."

Before Alex could formulate a suitably scathing retort, Fenrir's growl cut through the air. The wolf god was standing at the entrance to one of the tunnels, his hackles raised and his eyes gleaming with an unnatural light.

"He's found something," Thor translated unnecessarily, hefting Mjolnir.

Alex felt his heart rate spike, a mixture of hope and dread coursing through him. "Eryx?"

Fenrir's answering bark was all the confirmation he needed.

"Right," Alex said, shadows gathering around him like a living cloak. "Everybody ready? Because I've got a feeling this is where the real fun begins."

As they moved deeper into the tunnels, following Fenrir's unerring nose, Alex sent out a silent promise to the universe. To Eryx. To himself.

Hold on, love. We're coming. And when I find the bastards who took you? They're going to learn why the ancient world feared the name of Hades.

He charged forward, shadows coalescing around him like a living cloak. The scene before him came into focus with horrifying clarity.

Eryx was suspended in mid-air, trapped within a complex spell circle that pulsed with sickly green light. His face was contorted in agony, body arched as if trying to escape the magic that was clearly tearing him apart.

Then the underground chamber erupted into chaos, a maelstrom of divine power and primal fury that threatened to tear reality apart at the seams. At the center of it all, looking like he'd been dragged through all nine realms and back, stood Odin. The Allfather's single eye blazed with otherworldly light as he faced off against Loki and Ares, his weathered hands gripping Gungnir with white-knuckled intensity.

"Father!" Thor's voice boomed, a mixture of relief and concern etched across his face.

Odin's gaze flickered to his son, his voice carrying an authority that cut through the chaos. "Thor! The spell circle – we must break it!"

Brad stepped forward, his usual smirk replaced by a grim determination. "My king," he said, inclining his head. "Looks like you could use a hand."

"Bragi," Odin acknowledged, parrying a strike from Loki with Gungnir. "Your timing is impeccable, as always. Guard the vessel – his power is key to their plans!"

A low growl rumbled through the chamber, and Alex turned to see Fenrir, massive and terrible in his true form. The wolf god's eyes locked with Odin's, decades – centuries – of pain and betrayal passing between them in an instant.

Odin's face softened for a moment, regret flashing across his features. "Fenrir," he said, his voice heavy with millennia of complicated history. "I know I have no right to ask, but we need your strength. Help us, and we can begin to make amends. "

For a heartbeat, Alex thought Fenrir might turn on them all. But then the wolf god gave a curt nod, and Odin's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank you, my grandson," he murmured.

The moment of reconciliation was shattered as Loki unleashed a blast of emerald energy that sent everyone staggering. The air crackled with ozone and something darker, more primordial. Alex's skin prickled, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as waves of conflicting magics washed over him.

"Loki!" Odin's voice thundered, raw power making the very air vibrate. "End this madness! You risk tearing apart the fabric of reality itself!"

Loki's laughter, high and manic, echoed through the chamber. "Oh, but that's precisely the point, dear Father! Out with the old, in with the new – isn't that how the mortals say it?"

Alex's focus narrowed to a single point, Eryx. His mate hung suspended in a vortex of sickly green energy, his face contorted in agony. Every fiber of Alex's being screamed to go to him, to tear apart whatever fucked-up spell they had him trapped in.

But before he could take a step, a figure materialized in front of him, blocking his path. Ares stood before him, a cruel smile playing on his lips. The air around him shimmered with barely contained violence, the promise of bloodshed made manifest.

"Hades," Ares drawled, as if they were meeting for drinks rather than a life-or-death confrontation. "So good of you to join us. I'm afraid you're a bit late to the party, though. The main event is already underway."

Alex snarled, shadows writhing around him like angry serpents. The temperature plummeted, frost crystallizing on the ground at his feet. "Get out of my way, Ares, or I swear by all that's unholy, I will send you on a one-way trip to Tartarus."

Ares' smile widened, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Oh, I do love it when you talk dirty. But I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, the spell has already been activated. There's no stopping it now."

Those words, spoken with such casual cruelty, sent a spike of fear through Alex's rage. No. It couldn't be too late. He refused to accept that.

"Lies!" Odin's voice cut through their exchange. "The spell can be broken, but only if we act quickly. Hades, you must reach the boy! Your bond is the key!"

The clash of divine powers intensified around them. Odin's spear met Loki's daggers in a shower of sparks that burned with all the colors of the rainbow. Where they touched, reality itself seemed to warp and bend. The very air tasted of metal and magic, a heady combination that made Alex's head spin.

"Thor, to me!" Odin commanded. "Bragi, lend your voice to our cause! We must buy Hades time!"

Thor and Brad sprang into action, lightning and golden energy intertwining as they fought back-to-back. Fenrir lunged at Ares, massive jaws snapping shut inches from the war god's throat. Ares laughed, a sound like steel on stone, as he danced away from the attack.

For a moment, it seemed like they might actually gain the upper hand. Odin, reinvigorated by the arrival of reinforcements, pressed his advantage. Gungnir blazed with power in his grasp, each strike sending shockwaves through the chamber that Alex could feel in his bones.

"Now, Hades!" Odin shouted. "While we have them distracted! Break the circle!"

But then, because the universe apparently hadn't shit on them enough today, a new player entered the game. The air behind Thor and Fenrir shimmered and tore, a portal of swirling darkness opening like a wound in reality. From its depths emerged a figure that made Alex's blood run cold.

Hel, Goddess of Death and Loki's daughter, had decided to crash the party.

"No!" Odin's anguished cry echoed through the chamber. "Hel, my granddaughter, do not do this! The consequences-"

"Are precisely what we're counting on, Grandfather," Hel interrupted, her voice a discordant melody. "The old order falls today. And with it, your reign."

With Hel's arrival, the underground chamber exploded into a maelstrom of chaotic energy. The very air crackled with conflicting magics, sending shivers down Alex's spine. He could taste ozone and something darker, more primordial, on his tongue. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to get as far away from this cosmic clusterfuck as possible. But Eryx was still trapped in that damned spell circle, and Alex would be damned if he left without him.

Loki, seizing the opportunity provided by his daughter's dramatic entrance, slipped free from Thor and Fenrir's grasp. The trickster god's laughter echoed through the chamber, a sound of pure malicious glee that set Alex's teeth on edge.

"Oops," Loki called out, his voice dripping with false innocence. "Did we forget to mention we had backup? So sorry about that."

"Loki!" Odin's voice boomed, rage and disappointment warring in his tone. "Return Gungnir at once! You know not the forces you tamper with!"

The Allfather lunged at his wayward son, but Loki danced away, Gungnir glowing ominously in his grasp. "Oh, but I do, dear father. I know exactly what I'm doing. The question is... do you?"

With a flick of his wrist, Loki sent a blast of energy from Gungnir towards the ceiling. The impact shook the entire chamber, dust and debris raining down on them. Alex threw up a hasty shield of shadows, protecting himself and those nearest to him from the falling rubble.

"We need to end this now!" Thor shouted, Mjolnir crackling with barely contained lightning. "Before they bring the entire city down on our heads!"

Odin nodded grimly. "Fenrir," he called out, locking eyes with his grandson. "I know I have no right to ask, but I need your help. Together, we can reclaim Gungnir."

For a moment, Fenrir's massive form went still, his eyes unreadable. Then, with a growl that Alex felt in his bones, the wolf god sprang into action. He lunged at Loki, massive jaws snapping shut inches from the trickster god's face. Loki stumbled back, momentarily thrown off balance.

It was all the opening Odin needed. The Allfather moved with a speed that belied his aged appearance, closing the distance between himself and Loki in the blink of an eye. His hand closed around Gungnir's shaft, and for a heartbeat, grandfather and grandson stood locked in a contest of wills, the spear crackling with conflicting energies between them.

"You cannot win this, Loki," Odin growled, his single eye blazing with power. "Let go, before you doom us all."

Loki's face contorted with a mixture of rage and desperation. "Never! I won't go back to being your shadow, your dirty little secret!"

The energy building between them reached a fever pitch. Alex could feel it pressing against his skin, making it hard to breathe. He knew, with a certainty that chilled him to his core, that when that power released, it would be catastrophic.

"Everybody down!" he roared, throwing up the strongest barrier of shadows he could muster.

The world exploded in a cacophony of light and sound. The shockwave hit like a freight train, slamming Alex back against the wall. His vision swam, ears ringing from the deafening boom. Through the haze of dust and magical fallout, he saw Odin standing tall, Gungnir clutched triumphantly in his hand. Loki lay sprawled on the ground, looking dazed and significantly less smug than he had moments ago.

But their victory was short-lived. The chamber groaned ominously, cracks spider-webbing across the ceiling and walls. Whatever Loki had done with that initial blast, it had destabilized the entire structure. They were out of time .

Ares, who had been locked in combat with Brad, seemed to come to the same conclusion. "This isn't over," he spat at Alex before turning to Loki. "We need to go. Now."

Loki struggled to his feet, his usual grace abandoning him. "This isn't over, father," he snarled at Odin. "You've won nothing but a temporary reprieve."

Before anyone could stop them, Loki grabbed Ares and Hel, and the three vanished in a swirl of green smoke. The portal Hel had arrived through pulsed once, twice, and then collapsed in on itself with a sound like reality hiccupping.

But Alex barely registered their retreat. His entire being was focused on Eryx, still trapped in that thrice-damned spell circle, his screams growing weaker by the second.

"Alex!" Odin's voice cut through the chaos, urgent and commanding. "The spell – it's a magical draining ritual. Use your soul bond! It's the only way to break it!"

Alex's mind raced. The soul bond. Of course. He reached out with his senses, searching for that familiar warmth that had been absent for so long. And there it was, faint but present, like a guttering candle in a storm.

Without hesitation, Alex threw himself towards Eryx, ignoring the searing pain as he pushed through the barrier of the spell circle. The moment he made contact with Eryx, it was like touching a live wire. Energy surged through him, wild and uncontrolled, threatening to tear him apart from the inside out.

But Alex held on, gritting his teeth against the pain. He focused on their bond, on every moment they'd shared, every laugh, every argument, every quiet night and chaotic battle. He poured everything he had into that connection, willing it to be strong enough to break through whatever dark magic was trying to rip Eryx away from him.

"Come on, you stubborn ass," Alex growled, his voice strained with effort. "Don't you dare give up on me now. We've got too much left to do, too many assholes left to piss off. You hear me, Eryx? You don't get to check out yet. "

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. The spell continued to pulse, Eryx's body growing more limp by the second. Alex felt despair threatening to overwhelm him. Had they come all this way, fought so hard, only to fail at the last moment?

And then, like a dam breaking, he felt it. Their bond flared to life, stronger than ever before. It was like seeing the world in color for the first time, like coming up for air after being underwater for too long. Alex could feel Eryx's presence, battered and weak but undeniably there.

The spell circle shattered with a sound like breaking glass, releasing a shockwave of energy that knocked everyone off their feet. Alex held onto Eryx tightly as they fell, using his own body to cushion the impact.

For a moment, all was silent save for the ragged sound of their breathing. Then, slowly, Eryx's eyes fluttered open. They were unfocused at first, clouded with pain and confusion. But as his gaze settled on Alex's face, a weak smile tugged at his lips.

"Took you long enough," Eryx rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

Alex let out a sound that was half laugh, half sob. "Yeah, well, traffic was a bitch. You know how it is in New York."

Eryx's smile widened slightly before a grimace of pain overtook it. "Did we win?" he asked, his eyes already starting to drift closed again.

Alex tightened his hold on Eryx, fear gripping his heart. "Hey, no sleeping on the job. We've still got to get out of here, remember?"

But Eryx was already slipping into unconsciousness, his body going limp in Alex's arms. Panic clawed at Alex's throat as he looked up, searching for help.

Odin was there, looking as weary as Alex felt but with a glimmer of hope in his one good eye. "The spell is broken," he said, his voice carrying the weight of ages. "But its effects linger. We must get him to safety, quickly. "

As if to emphasize the urgency of Odin's words, another explosion rocked the chamber. This one was deeper, more structural. The groaning of stressed metal and crumbling concrete filled the air, punctuated by the sharp cracks of breaking stone.

"The whole place is coming down!" Thor shouted, already moving towards the exit. "We need to leave, now!"

Alex nodded, struggling to his feet with Eryx cradled in his arms. He looked around at their ragtag group – gods and monsters and everything in between, all battered and bruised but still standing.

"Alright," he said, his voice rough with emotion and exhaustion. "Let's get the hell out of here before we all become a cautionary tale about messing with cosmic forces in subway tunnels."

They moved as quickly as they could through the crumbling tunnels, dodging falling debris and leaping over widening cracks in the floor. Alex's arms burned with the effort of carrying Eryx, but he'd be damned if he let anyone else take that burden from him. He'd just gotten Eryx back; he wasn't letting go for anything.

Fenrir took point, his massive form clearing a path through the chaos. Thor brought up the rear, Mjolnir deflecting the worst of the falling rubble. Odin and Brad flanked Alex, lending their considerable power to shielding Eryx from further harm.

"Almost there!" Brad called out as they rounded a corner and saw daylight streaming in from a collapsing entrance.

With a final burst of speed, they burst out onto the street just as the tunnel behind them collapsed with a thunderous roar. The ground shook beneath their feet, a cloud of dust and debris billowing out behind them.