Jack felt as if he were weightless, floating in a sea of swirling lights and shadows. His body tingled as he passed through the portal, the very essence of time itself stretching and twisting around him. Then, suddenly, he was falling—gravity seized him, and he crashed onto solid ground.
Disoriented, Jack groaned and pushed himself up, blinking against the harsh light. He was no longer in the Ice Age. The air smelled different, tinged with metal and electricity. He was inside a massive, cavernous space, its walls lined with intricate machinery that hummed with unseen power. His eyes darted around, taking in the massive circular platform he now stood on.
A voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "He's here!" Jack turned to see a group of figures emerging from the shadows—humans, but clad in sleek, futuristic armor. Their weapons were unlike anything he had ever seen, glowing with an eerie blue light. His heart pounded. Was this his own time? Or somewhere even further ahead?
Before he could react, another force entered the chamber—a monstrous, hulking figure that looked like a nightmare from the Ice Age but more... evolved. Its fur was dark, its muscles rippling beneath its hide. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Jack with terrifying intelligence. This was the creature that had followed him through the portal.
The soldiers raised their weapons and fired. Blue energy bolts shot through the air, striking the beast with blinding force. It roared, unfazed, charging forward with alarming speed. Jack barely managed to dive out of the way as claws slashed through the air where he had stood moments ago. The battle had begun.
Jack scrambled to his feet, his instincts from the Ice Age kicking in. He grabbed a fallen metal rod from the floor and swung it at the creature, but it shattered like glass against its thick hide. He needed a real weapon—something stronger.
The soldiers fought valiantly, but the beast was relentless, shrugging off their attacks. Jack noticed a large control panel nearby, its screens flashing with complex symbols. If this place had the technology to open portals, maybe it had something that could stop this monster.
With no other choice, he sprinted toward the console, dodging debris and energy blasts. His fingers flew over the controls, pressing anything that looked remotely useful. The chamber trembled as machinery whirred to life. The massive platform beneath the beast began to glow, symbols forming a pattern around it.
The soldiers fell back, realizing what Jack had done. The portal was reopening—but this time, it was different. The air cracked with raw energy, and a swirling vortex erupted beneath the beast's feet. It roared in fury as the gravitational pull intensified, dragging it downward. Jack barely managed to cling to the control panel as the force threatened to pull him in as well.
With one final, deafening shriek, the beast was swallowed by the portal, vanishing into the unknown. The energy dissipated, the room falling into eerie silence.
Jack collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. The soldiers approached cautiously, their weapons still raised. One of them, a tall woman with piercing eyes, studied him for a long moment before lowering her weapon. "You're not supposed to be here," she said.
Jack managed a weak chuckle. "Tell me about it."
The battle was over, but his journey was far from finished.