Helios hurtled through the air, leaving the collapsing structure far behind. The echo of Sullivan's monstrous roar still reverberated in Alex's mind, and he could feel his pulse hammering in his ears. The corrupted Sentinel they had just encountered—once their ally, now something beyond recognition—was a grim reminder of what they were up against.
Lena sat beside him in the cockpit, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched the control panel. She glanced at Alex, her face pale but determined. "He was too far gone," she said softly. "There was nothing we could do for him."
"I know," Alex muttered. "But it still feels like we failed."
For a while, the two of them sat in silence, watching as the infected land stretched beneath them. The Symbiote had spread so far, turning once-fertile lands into blackened wastelands. Yet, despite the devastation, there was still something about Sullivan's words that gnawed at Alex.
He had said that the Symbiote was in the air, in the earth... and inside them. Alex glanced down at his hands, his skin, wondering if it was already too late for them. Were they carrying the infection without even realizing it? How much longer until it consumed them too?
"We have to believe there's still a way to stop this," Alex said, though doubt weighed heavily on his words. "We just need to find out what Sullivan was protecting in that structure."
Lena nodded but remained silent. She was as scared as he was—maybe even more so—but she wasn't going to admit it. Not now. Not when the stakes were so high.
"We need a new plan," Alex said, breaking the silence. "Something Sullivan might've been working on before he was infected."
Lena leaned back in her seat, staring out at the dark horizon. "He said the Symbiote was ancient, didn't he? That it's been around longer than humanity. Maybe… maybe we're looking at this the wrong way. If the Symbiote has been here before, there might be something—someone—who knows how to deal with it."
Alex turned toward her, intrigued. "What are you thinking?"
Lena hesitated for a moment, then turned back to the control panel, pulling up a map of the infected region. "There's one place that's remained untouched by the infection. It's in the heart of the Symbiote's territory, though—completely isolated. If there's any hope of finding answers, it might be there."
Alex studied the map, his eyes narrowing. The location she was pointing to was deep within the most heavily infested part of the world, where the Symbiote's tendrils were thickest. It was a risk—one that could cost them everything—but Lena was right. If they were going to find any hope of defeating the Symbiote, it would be where the infection hadn't yet reached.
"What's that place?" Alex asked.
Lena's finger hovered over the glowing spot on the map. "It's called the Sanctum. Legends say it was once home to an ancient order that knew how to control forces like the Symbiote. If anyone still lives there, they might know what we're dealing with."
Alex frowned. "Legends? That's a long shot."
Lena shrugged. "Do we have any better options?"
Alex stared at the map for a long moment before nodding. "Set a course for the Sanctum."
Helios banked sharply as Lena adjusted their trajectory, the Sentinel heading straight toward the heart of Symbiote territory. The dark skies loomed ominously ahead, but Alex felt a renewed sense of purpose as they moved forward. The Sanctum might be their last hope, their only chance to find the answers they desperately needed.
Hours passed as they flew deeper into the infected lands. The sun had all but disappeared behind the black clouds, casting everything in a dim, eerie light. Below them, the infection spread like veins, creeping across the landscape in every direction. It was clear the Symbiote was alive, sentient in some way. It wasn't just a plague—it had a purpose, a goal.
But what that goal was, Alex still didn't know.
As they neared their destination, a strange phenomenon began to occur. The Symbiote tendrils that had covered the ground started to recede, pulling back as they approached the Sanctum. Alex and Lena exchanged a tense look—this wasn't natural. Something was forcing the Symbiote to retreat.
"There it is," Lena said, pointing to a massive structure in the distance.
The Sanctum rose from the ground like a fortress, its towering walls built from black stone that seemed to absorb the light. It was old—older than anything Alex had ever seen—and yet it stood untouched by the Symbiote, like a lone island in a sea of infection.
Helios landed at the base of the Sanctum, its wings folding as it settled. The air around them was still, unnaturally quiet. There were no signs of life, no movement—just the looming presence of the ancient structure.
Alex stepped out first, his hand resting on his weapon as he surveyed the area. "Keep your guard up," he said to Lena. "We don't know what's inside."
Lena nodded and followed him toward the entrance. The massive doors of the Sanctum were engraved with intricate symbols, much like the ones they had seen in Sullivan's bunker. But these symbols glowed with a soft blue light, pulsating gently as if alive.
"They're like the ones from before," Lena whispered, her eyes scanning the door.
"But different," Alex replied, running his fingers over the carvings. "They're… pure. Untainted by the Symbiote."
Before they could discuss further, the doors creaked open on their own, revealing a dark, yawning passageway leading into the heart of the Sanctum. Alex's instincts screamed for him to be cautious, but they had no other choice. This was what they had come for.
Without a word, they stepped inside.
The air within the Sanctum was cold and heavy, filled with a strange energy that seemed to hum beneath the surface. The walls were lined with more glowing symbols, casting faint light along the path. The further they went, the more the sense of something ancient—something powerful—settled over them.
As they ventured deeper, they entered a vast chamber, its ceiling lost in shadows. At the center stood a raised platform, surrounded by towering pillars of stone. And there, standing in the middle of the platform, was a figure—a man cloaked in dark robes, his face obscured by a hood.
"You've come seeking answers," the man said, his voice deep and resonant, echoing through the chamber. "But be warned—what you seek may be more than you can bear."
Alex and Lena exchanged a glance before Alex stepped forward, his voice steady. "We don't have a choice. The world is dying. The Symbiote is spreading, and if we don't stop it—"
The man raised a hand, silencing him. "I know of the Symbiote. It is not of this world, nor was it ever meant to be." He lowered his hood, revealing an aged face lined with wisdom and weariness. His eyes glowed faintly with the same blue light as the symbols on the walls. "But you are right to seek the Sanctum. The answers you seek lie here—if you are willing to face the cost."
Alex's jaw tightened. "What cost?"
The man's eyes bore into him, a knowing smile playing at his lips. "The truth."