GREEN RAGE AND RED RAGE

The passage narrowed as the group approached the Hive's conduit. Faint clicking noises echoed through the air, growing louder with each step. The Resistance leader halted abruptly, raising a hand to signal the group to stop.

"We're here," they whispered, their voice tense.

Jester peered ahead, squinting in the dim red light. "Doesn't look like much. Just another creepy tunnel full of bad vibes."

Luther's claws extended, his glowing green eyes fixed on the shifting shadows ahead. "Look closer."

Jester followed his gaze and frowned. Shapes moved silently along the walls and ceiling, their bodies blending seamlessly with the Hive's biomechanical structure.

"Oh, great," he muttered. "Camouflage bugs. Just what we needed."

---

The leader motioned for the smaller Resistance member, who crouched low and began calibrating a handheld device. "These are Hive Sentinels," the leader explained in a hushed tone. "They're more than guards—they're hunters. They'll stalk us the moment we're detected."

Jester rolled his eyes. "So, let me guess: stealthy approach?"

"Preferably," the leader replied.

"Boring," Jester said, spinning one of his blades in his hand.

Luther shot him a warning glance. "We don't have time for mistakes."

---

The Resistance member activated their device, sending out a faint pulse of blue light. The Sentinels reacted instantly, their heads turning toward the source. For a moment, the cavern was silent, save for the low hum of the Hive. Then, the Sentinels dissolved into the walls, their forms merging with the structure.

"They're moving," Luther growled, his claws twitching.

"Stay close," the leader whispered. "If we stay together, we might avoid them."

Jester smirked, his voice low. "Might. Love the confidence."

---

The group advanced carefully, each step deliberate and silent. The conduit came into view—a massive column of pulsating energy stretching from the floor to the ceiling. Tendrils of crimson light arced across its surface, feeding into the surrounding walls.

"That's it," the Resistance member whispered, pointing to the base of the conduit. "The core fragment is embedded there."

Luther's eyes narrowed. "How do we extract it?"

The Resistance member pulled out a small device resembling a metallic claw. "This will detach it, but it'll take time."

"Time we probably don't have," Jester muttered, scanning the shadows.

---

The group reached the conduit, and the Resistance member began their work, attaching the device to the glowing fragment. The moment it made contact, the entire chamber shuddered.

Jester groaned, drawing his blades. "Well, that didn't take long."

The Sentinels reappeared, their forms detaching from the walls like shadows breaking free. Their elongated limbs gleamed with sharp, metallic edges, and their eyes glowed with cold, mechanical precision.

Luther stepped forward, claws extended. "Defend the extractor."

"Wasn't planning on letting them hug me," Jester said, flipping his blades into a defensive stance.

---

The Sentinels moved with unnatural speed, their limbs slicing through the air. Luther intercepted the first one, his claws meeting its bladed arms in a shower of sparks.

Jester darted to the side, engaging two Sentinels at once. His blades danced through the air, deflecting their strikes and countering with precise slashes.

"Gotta admit," he said, narrowly avoiding a swipe, "these things are better dancers than most of my dates."

The Resistance members fired energy bolts from their weapons, but the Sentinels were relentless, dodging and weaving through the attacks.

---

Luther roared, slamming one Sentinel into the ground and tearing it apart with his claws. "Focus fire on the weak points!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Jester grinned. "Weak points? You mean the parts that explode when I stab them?"

He lunged at another Sentinel, driving his blade into its glowing core. The machine screeched and convulsed before collapsing in a heap.

Meanwhile, the Resistance member at the conduit worked frantically, the extractor device emitting a series of high-pitched beeps. "Almost there!" they called out.

---

The Sentinels adapted quickly, their movements becoming more coordinated. One leapt over Luther, aiming for the Resistance member at the conduit.

Jester intercepted it mid-air, tackling it to the ground. "Not so fast, tin can!"

The Sentinel retaliated, its bladed limbs slicing at Jester's armor. He gritted his teeth, driving his other blade into its head.

"Yeah, no," he muttered, shoving the deactivated machine aside.

---

Luther took down another Sentinel with a powerful swipe, his green energy burning through its armor. The remaining Sentinels hesitated, their mechanical minds recalibrating.

"The Hive's testing us," Luther growled. "It's holding back."

"Good," Jester said, panting. "Let them hold back all they want."

The extractor let out a loud chime, and the Resistance member detached it from the conduit, holding up the glowing core fragment. "Got it!"

---

The chamber trembled violently, and the conduit began to collapse.

"Move!" the leader shouted, leading the group toward the exit.

Jester sheathed his blades, sprinting alongside Luther. "Why does everything we touch explode?"

"It's your luck," Luther said flatly.

The group reached the tunnel just as the conduit imploded, the shockwave sending them sprawling.

---

Jester groaned, pushing himself up. "Is it too late to quit this job?"

The Resistance leader helped the smaller member to their feet, clutching the core fragment tightly. "We did it. But this will only make the Hive angrier."

Luther nodded, his glowing eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Good. Let them come."

Jester shook his head, smirking despite himself. "You're one scary dude, you know that?"

The group pressed on, their prize in hand and the Hive's wrath looming ever closer.

---

To be continued...