Aria's emerald-green eyes blazed as she advanced into the lab, her guards fanning out to block the exits. The artifact's energy pulsed violently, casting jagged shadows on the walls as the resonance reached a fever pitch.
"Step away from the artifact, Caldara," Aria said, her voice low and dangerous.
Elaine didn't move. The control panel hummed beneath her fingers, the calibrated essence still flowing into the containment system. She glanced at Lira, who was desperately stabilizing the runes, her face slick with sweat.
"If we stop now, the artifact will detonate," Elaine said, her voice steady despite the chaos raging around her. "We're the only thing keeping it from destroying the entire compound."
Aria's lips curled into a cold smile. "A convenient excuse. But I'm not a fool. You're sabotaging my work."
The guards stepped closer, their weapons gleaming in the artifact's chaotic light.
Elaine's mind raced. If she told Aria the full truth, the overseer might execute them on the spot. But if she lied and the artifact destabilized further, there would be no saving anyone.
[Cognivore Ability Triggered.]
Observation: Aria is hyper-focused on retaining control of the artifact. Exploit her desire to protect her experiment. Suggested Tactic: Offer partial cooperation to delay confrontation.
Elaine raised her hands slowly, her tone calm. "You're right—I adjusted the resonance flow. But not to sabotage you. The artifact was already spiraling out of control, and if we hadn't acted, the cascade would've started by now."
Aria's gaze flicked to the artifact, her expression tightening as its glow pulsed violently.
"You're lying," she said, though doubt flickered in her eyes.
"Think about it," Elaine pressed. "If I wanted to destroy your work, I could've done it in the Sink. Instead, I risked my life to bring the artifact back. Let us stabilize it, and you can have it intact."
Aria's eyes narrowed, her calculating mind clearly weighing Elaine's words. The guards hesitated, awaiting their orders.
The Nexus flickered in Elaine's vision, its warnings sharper than ever:
CRITICAL DESTABILIZATION:
Artifact threshold exceeded. Catastrophic cascade imminent unless deactivation is achieved within 3 minutes.
Recommended Action: Force artifact shutdown through coordinated resonance disruption.
Elaine bit back a curse. The Nexus wasn't leaving her much time to act.
"Overseer," Lira said suddenly, her voice trembling but firm. "The containment field is holding for now, but the energy is too unstable. If you want the artifact intact, we need to shut it down and recalibrate."
Aria's gaze snapped to Lira, and for a moment, the overseer seemed to consider her words. Then she turned back to Elaine, her lips curling into a thin smile.
"Fine," she said, her voice like ice. "Stabilize it—but you're staying under my watch."
Elaine exhaled slowly, her relief tempered by the knowledge that Aria wouldn't give them a second chance.
The Shutdown Attempt
Elaine moved back to the control panel, her fingers flying over the controls as she adjusted the resonance flow. The artifact's glow dimmed slightly, but the pulses grew sharper, each one sending a jolt through the lab.
"Lira, adjust the stabilizer output," Elaine said. "We need to counteract the resonance spikes."
Lira nodded, her hands steady despite the sweat dripping from her brow.
The artifact's energy began to shift, its chaotic pulses slowing into a more rhythmic pattern. Elaine felt a faint flicker of hope—until a deafening crack split the air.
A jagged fissure appeared across the artifact's surface, and the containment field faltered, sparks flying as the runes began to disintegrate.
"No!" Aria shouted, stepping forward. "Fix it!"
"I'm trying!" Elaine snapped, her hands flying across the controls.
The Nexus chimed in her vision, its text flashing in rapid succession:
EMERGENCY OVERRIDE REQUIRED: Activate full resonance disruption to force shutdown. Risk: Substrate instability.
Activate Resonance Disruption?
(Y/N)
Elaine's breath caught. A full disruption would force the artifact into dormancy—but it could also shatter its structure entirely, rendering it useless.
She glanced at Lira, who met her gaze with a determined nod.
"Do it," Lira said.
Elaine clenched her jaw and whispered, "Yes."
The artifact's glow intensified as the disruption sequence activated. A low hum filled the lab, growing louder and louder until it was almost unbearable. The containment runes flared brightly, their energy coalescing into a single, blinding burst of light.
For a moment, everything went still.
Then the artifact let out a deafening roar, and the room was consumed by an explosion of energy.
The Aftermath
When the light faded, Elaine opened her eyes to find the lab in ruins. The containment field was shattered, the artifact lying inert in the center of the room. Its surface was cracked and dull, the once-vibrant glow extinguished.
Aria stood among the wreckage, her face pale with fury. "What have you done?"
Elaine forced herself to stand, her legs shaking. "I saved the compound. The artifact was seconds away from a cascade—if I hadn't acted, we'd all be dead."
Aria's expression darkened, but before she could respond, one of her guards approached, his face pale.
"Overseer," he said, his voice shaking. "There's… something outside. You need to see this."
Aria's eyes narrowed, but she followed the guard out of the lab. Elaine exchanged a tense glance with Lira and the others before trailing behind.
The group emerged into the courtyard to find the compound in chaos. The sky above was streaked with unnatural colors, the air thick with a faint, humming pressure.
Elaine's heart sank as she realized what they were seeing: the artifact's resonance had attracted something—something powerful and unknown.
The Nexus flickered violently, its text almost unreadable:
EXTERNAL ENTITY DETECTED. SYSTEM ALERT: NEXUS OVERSIGHT ACTIVATED.
Event Classification: High-Divergence Interference.
Aria stared at the sky, her expression unreadable. "It's here," she whispered, a strange glint in her eyes.
Elaine's blood ran cold. Whatever it was, the artifact had been a beacon—and now the game had changed entirely.