The tower shook again.
A massive roar came from beneath them.
Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling.
Mason: "Okay. Definitely time to focus."
Zack nodded.
Zack: "Agreed."
The creature raised its claws.
Creature: "Stay behind me."
Zack immediately stepped in front of Mason.
Zack: "No. He stays behind me."
The creature stared at him.
Creature: "You are doing this again."
Zack: "Doing what?"
Creature: "Competing with me."
Zack: "I'm not competing."
Inside Zack's head, his wolf growled.
Wolf: We're absolutely competing.
Zack: You're making this worse.
Wolf: *I have a reputation to maintain.
Mason sighed.
Mason: "Can you two stop arguing?"
Both of them answered at the same time.
Zack & Creature: "Yes."
They looked at each other.
Zack: "You copied me."
Creature: "You copied me."
Mason covered his face.
Mason: "Oh, this is going to be a nightmare."
Suddenly, the floor exploded.
A gigantic shadow burst through the stone.
Darius: "MOVE!"
Everyone scattered.
The creature grabbed Mason and pulled him away from the collapsing floor.
Zack's wolf immediately snarled.
Wolf: PUT HIM DOWN.
Zack: He just saved Mason.
Wolf: I DON'T CARE. PUT HIM DOWN.
Zack: You are impossible.
Wolf: I am loyal.
Zack: You're jealous.
Wolf: That too.
The creature gently set Mason down.
Creature: "Are you hurt?"
Mason shook his head.
Mason: "No. Thank you."
The creature smiled.
Creature: "Good."
Zack walked over.
Zack: "Thanks for saving him."
Creature: "You're welcome."
Zack paused.
Zack: "That doesn't mean I trust you."
Creature: "I know."
Zack: "And it definitely doesn't mean I like you."
Creature: "I know."
Zack: "And my wolf is still threatening you."
Creature: "I know."
Zack blinked.
Zack: "How?"
The creature looked directly at him.
Creature: "Your face tells me everything."
Zack: "Oh."
Mason laughed.
Mason: "He's got you there."
Zack: "I'm surrounded by traitors."
The creature suddenly turned serious.
Creature: "Enough."
Everyone stopped.
The creature stared into the darkness.
Creature: "It is coming."
A pair of enormous glowing eyes appeared beneath the broken floor.
Darius stepped backward.
Darius: "What is that?"
Creature: "The thing my prison was built to contain."
The creature's claws extended.
Creature: "And it has awakened."
The monster rose higher.
Stone and metal fell from its enormous body.
Mason looked at Zack.
Mason: "Any ideas?"
Zack shook his head.
Zack: "Nope."
His wolf growled.
Wolf: Finally. Something I can bite instead of the boyfriend.
Zack froze.
Zack: Boyfriend?!
Wolf: I said what I said.
Zack stared at the creature.
The creature stared back.
Creature: "What?"
Zack: "Nothing."
Mason: "Why are you blushing?"
Zack: "I'M NOT."
The ancient creature tilted its head.
Creature: "You are."
Zack: "Can we PLEASE fight the monster now?"
Mason laughed.
And then the ancient beast beneath the tower opened its massive jaws.
Creature: "Stay close."
Zack: "To Mason?"
Creature: "Yes."
Zack paused.
Zack: "Finally, something we agree on."
The creature nodded.
Creature: "Then let us fight."
The two stood side by side.
For the first time, Zack and the creature weren't rivals.
They were protecting the same person.
And somewhere inside Zack's mind, his wolf whispered:
Wolf: Temporary alliance.
Zack smiled.
Temporary.
Wolf: Very temporary.
Zack sighed.
Of course.