Echoes of the Red Planet

CHAPTER 13: THE SHATTERED CORE

The explosion sent shockwaves through the heart of Mars. Kiera’s body was ripped from the ground, flung across the room like a ragdoll. Her vision blurred as the deafening roar of collapsing metal and shattering rock filled the air. Everything around her crumbled—the once sturdy walls of the control center disintegrated into dust and rubble. Her breath came in sharp, gasping bursts, the overwhelming force of the blast still vibrating through her body.

Kiera tried to move, but pain shot through her limbs. She forced herself to her feet, her legs unsteady, her heart pounding. The core—the lifeblood of Mars itself—was destabilizing, and with it, the planet’s energy was dissipating. But the battle wasn’t over yet. The figure was still alive, and Mars itself was resisting them.

She looked to Jace, his body lying motionless against the broken debris. Panic gripped her chest as she scrambled over to him, her hands trembling as she checked for a pulse. A faint breath. He was alive, but barely.

“Jace, wake up!” Kiera whispered, shaking him gently.

His eyes fluttered open, his face pale but determined. “Kiera… is it over?”

She nodded, her voice hoarse. “It’s over. We did it. The core’s destroyed.”

But even as she spoke, the ground trembled again. The planet was not done fighting. The destruction of the core had caused a violent chain reaction that was tearing Mars apart from the inside. The facility groaned, the walls buckling under the immense pressure.

Jace gripped her arm, his face grim. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

Together, they staggered to their feet. Kiera could feel the remnants of the weapon’s energy still swirling inside her, a faint pulse that was fading with every step. But the figure—the embodiment of Mars—was still there, its form flickering in and out of existence. It was fighting to survive, to retain control, but it was weakening.

“It’s not over,” Kiera muttered, her voice barely audible. “It won’t be until we’re out of here.”

They stumbled through the wreckage, the tunnels around them crumbling as the planet’s core destabilized further. The structure was collapsing around them, and every step felt like a race against time. The escape route was ahead, but the tunnels were flooding with debris, and the air was thick with smoke and dust.

Kiera’s mind raced. They had to keep moving, had to survive. Mars was trying to crush them, to keep them from leaving. But they couldn’t afford to give in. Not now. Not after everything they had been through.

“Stay close,” Kiera said, her voice hoarse but determined. “We’re almost there.”

Jace nodded, his face twisted in pain as he pushed forward. They continued down the tunnel, the vibrations growing more intense with each step. The destruction of the core had triggered a violent chain reaction in the planet’s energy, and now the entire facility was coming down around them. The tremors were unbearable, the ground shaking as if the planet itself were fighting back.

Then, without warning, the floor beneath them cracked open, and Kiera and Jace were sent tumbling into the darkness below.

Several Hours Later

“

Kiera awoke to the sound of rushing water and the distant hum of machinery. Her head ached, her body bruised and battered, but she was alive. She opened her eyes, blinking against the dim light filtering in from above. The cavern she was in was unlike any place she had seen before. The walls were slick with moisture, and the air was damp and heavy with the smell of earth and metal.

“Jace?” Kiera called, her voice weak.

A groan answered her. Jace was lying a few feet away, his body bruised but alive. Slowly, he pushed himself to his knees, his face drawn with exhaustion.

“Kiera…” Jace muttered, rubbing his head. “Where are we?”

Kiera took a deep breath, pushing herself into a sitting position. She glanced around, her mind still foggy from the explosion, but slowly, the memory of their fall began to resurface. They had plunged into the lower depths of the facility—beneath the tunnels, beneath the core. The explosion must have sent them through the lower chambers, where Mars’ ancient systems were buried deep underground.

“I don’t know,” Kiera said, her voice tinged with fear. “But we need to get out. This place—it’s a dead end.”

The rumbling of the planet continued, the tremors still shaking the walls. Mars was dying, but in its death throes, it was fighting back harder than ever. They couldn’t afford to waste any more time. The way out had to be somewhere, but the paths were now blocked with rubble and debris. The weight of Mars’ collapsing structures was threatening to bury them alive.

“We can’t stay here,” Jace said, his voice determined. “We need to move.”

Kiera nodded, pushing through the pain in her body. They had no choice. They had to get back to the surface, back to the safety of their ship. If they didn’t, they would be trapped on Mars forever, buried beneath the planet’s collapsing surface.

They began to climb, slowly, carefully, using the remains of the broken walls and debris to pull themselves up. The air grew thicker, the tremors more intense, but they pushed forward, step by step, their resolve unshaken.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they broke through the last layer of rubble and emerged into an open space. The surface of Mars was just ahead, the skies above dark and violent with the storm of destruction that raged around them.

“We’re almost there,” Kiera whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.

But as they moved toward the exit, a voice echoed through the air, low and guttural, like the rumble of an earthquake. It was the figure, its form flickering once more, the last remnant of Mars’ will, still trying to pull them back.

“You cannot leave,” the figure hissed. “Mars is mine. You will never escape.”

Kiera and Jace turned, their weapons raised, ready to face the creature one last time. But this time, there was no hesitation. They had come too far, sacrificed too much. The figure was weak, its form flickering as it struggled to maintain its hold on the planet. The core was gone. Mars was dying.

Kiera fired first, her shot hitting the figure square in the chest. It howled in pain, its form shuddering violently. Jace fired next, his shots piercing through the creature’s flickering body.

The figure screamed one last time, a sound that echoed through the depths of the planet. And then, just like that, it was gone.

“We did it,” Kiera said, her voice trembling with relief.

Jace nodded, his face filled with exhaustion and triumph. “Let’s get out of here.”

They turned and ran, the surface of Mars stretching out before them. The storm was dying down, the planet’s power fading as the last remnants of its will disintegrated. The ship was waiting for them, their only means of escape.

As they reached the ship, the final tremors of Mars’ collapse shook the ground one last time. But this time, the sound was different. It wasn’t the rumble of an awakening planet, but the death knell of an ancient world that had once held power beyond imagination.

Kiera and Jace climbed into the ship, the doors sealing behind them. As they lifted off, the planet’s surface cracked and shattered beneath them, sending waves of debris into the void of space.

“Goodbye, Mars,” Kiera whispered, her voice soft as she gazed out the window. “We did it.”

And with that, they left the dying world behind, the storm of destruction fading into the distance, as they made their way back to the stars.