The team trudged deeper into the canyon, their steps crunching against loose gravel. The air was cold and thin, carrying the faint smell of scorched metal from the wreckage behind them. Darkness surrounded them, with only the faint glow of their handheld lights guiding their way.Ethan led the group, his rifle gripped tightly as he scanned the jagged walls of the canyon. Every shadow seemed to move, every sound an echo of something sinister. His mind raced with possibilities—what else could the System send after them?“We should rest,” Lila said, her voice strained. She was limping slightly, favoring her left leg. “We’ve been going nonstop since the crash.”Ethan glanced back at her, then at the rest of the group. Mara was breathing heavily, her face pale. Trent clutched his side, wincing with every step. Even Quinn, usually stoic, looked worse for wear.“We’ll find a spot to stop soon,” Ethan said, though his gut told him stopping wasn’t a luxury they could afford.A sharp whistle fr

The team trudged through the darkness of the canyon, their breath visible in the cold air. The Resonator was tightly secured in Lila’s bag, but its weight felt like a curse rather than a blessing. Every step was filled with tension as if the shadows around them were watching, waiting for the right moment to strike.Ethan walked ahead, his jaw clenched. The vision from the pedestal haunted him. Those faces, those whispers—they felt too real to ignore. But he couldn’t let the team see his fear. He had to lead, even if doubt gnawed at his core.“Ethan,” Mara called from behind. “Do you even know where we’re going?”He stopped, turning to face her. “We keep heading north. Arlen said there’s a bunker hidden in the mountains. That’s our next stop.”Arlen, who had been silent for most of the journey, finally spoke. “If we make it that far. The System will be looking for us. And after the stunt you pulled with the Resonator, they’ll know exactly where we’re heading.”“Then we move faster,” Et

The darkness of the Core’s interior weighed heavily on Ethan, Lila, Trent, and Mara as they navigated the labyrinthine tunnels. The air grew colder, and the faint hum of the System's energy filled the silence, prickling the hairs on the back of their necks. Each step brought them closer to the Core’s heart, but also closer to danger.“Stay sharp,” Ethan whispered, gripping his weapon tightly. His gaze flickered toward Lila, who walked beside him with her usual calm determination.Mara glanced back at Trent, who was lagging slightly. “You okay back there, Doc?” she asked, her tone softer than usual.Trent nodded, but the exhaustion was clear in his eyes. “I’m fine. Just... keeping track of the paths. If we need to escape, we’ll need to know our way out.”Lila stopped suddenly, raising a hand to signal silence. Her sharp eyes scanned the tunnel ahead. “Something’s wrong,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.Ethan moved closer, his heart pounding. “What do you see?”“Not what I s

The temple walls continued to glow faintly, the eerie light pulsating like a heartbeat. The group stood in silence, catching their breath after the intense battle. The air was thick with the smell of ash, and the distant echoes of the defenders’ screams lingered in their ears.Ethan wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes fixed on the glowing carvings. “What exactly did you do, Trent?”Trent leaned against the wall, still panting from the effort. “The temple… it has some kind of mechanism. I think it was built to repel those creatures—or anything tied to the Core.”Lila stepped closer to the carvings, running her fingers lightly over the glowing lines. “This isn’t just a defense system. Look at the details. It’s like a story.”Ethan and Trent joined her, their eyes scanning the intricate carvings. The glowing lines shifted slightly, revealing a sequence of images. The first showed a massive gate, surrounded by people wearing robes, their hands raised in prayer.“The gate,” Ethan murmu

The wolf-like beast lunged with terrifying speed, its jagged claws slicing through the air. Ethan fired a shot, the bullet hitting its shoulder, but the creature barely flinched. Instead, it let out a guttural snarl, its glowing red eyes fixed on him."Spread out!" Ethan shouted, diving to the side to avoid the beast's charge.Lila and Mara moved quickly, circling the creature while Trent stayed back, clutching the orb protectively. The beast's movements were unpredictable, almost like it was phasing in and out of reality."Why isn't it going down?" Mara yelled, firing her weapon.The bullets struck the creature, but its shimmering form seemed to absorb the damage. It twisted its head toward Mara and pounced."Look out!" Lila screamed, shoving Mara out of the way.The beast's claws grazed Lila's arm, leaving a deep gash as she rolled to the ground. Blood seeped through her sleeve, but she bit back a cry of pain.Ethan cursed under his breath, his mind racing. This wasn’t an ordinary c