The lab was unnervingly silent, save for the faint hum of the powered-down systems. Maya sat motionless, her gaze fixed on the dark monitors. Adrian's final words hung in the air like a storm cloud:
"The Rift is only the beginning."
She clenched her fists, forcing herself to stand despite the exhaustion weighing her down. There was no time to dwell on fear or doubt. If the Rift was just the first threat, then the Threads—fractured as they were—might hold the key to what came next.
Maya walked back to the console, her fingers flying over the controls as she rebooted the system. The monitors flickered back to life, and the Threads reappeared on the screens, their patterns fractured but still alive.
"Show me the source of the anomaly," she commanded, her voice steady.
The Threads shimmered, reluctantly revealing a nexus point—a chaotic mass of intertwining strands glowing with a deep crimson hue. The sight sent a chill through her. This wasn't just a fracture; it was a scar, pulsating with malevolence.
The echoes whispered faintly, their voices layered with fear.
"Boundaries... breaking... beyond..."
Maya leaned closer, trying to parse the fragmented words. "What do you mean? What's beyond the Rift?"
The whispers faded, replaced by a sharp burst of static. Then, a single voice emerged, clearer than the others.
"Adrian?" Maya whispered, hope flaring in her chest.
The voice was distorted but familiar. "Maya... don't... follow it... too late..."
The screen flashed, and Maya stumbled backwards as the monitors displayed a horrifying sight: a vision of the Threads unravelling entirely, leaving only a vast, swirling void.
And from that void emerged something massive—a figure cloaked in darkness, its form barely distinguishable but undeniably alive. Its eyes burned with a cold, white fire, and its presence exuded a primal power that made the Rift seem insignificant.
The monitors crackled as the figure's voice reverberated through the lab, shaking its very foundations.
"You dared to rewrite what was written. Now, the Veil shall fall, and the Horizon shall shatter."
Maya's blood ran cold. "The Veil?" she murmured.
The figure tilted its head as if acknowledging her question. "The barrier between what is and what must never be. You weakened it. Now, the Forgotten awaken."
The Forgotten. The name sent a shiver down her spine, evoking a primal sense of dread.
Before she could respond, the monitors went dark again. The Threads flickered, their light dimming. Maya slammed her hands on the console.
"No! Don't you dare shut down on me now!" she yelled, frantically typing commands to bring the system back online.
But the lab remained dark. The only illumination came from the faint glow of the scar on the Threads, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Suddenly, the air grew heavier, and Maya felt a presence behind her. She spun around, her heart pounding.
The shadowy figure from earlier stood there, its form more distinct now. It was humanoid but distorted, its edges blurred like smoke caught in a breeze. Its eyes glowed faintly—golden like Adrian's had been before he disappeared.
"Adrian?" she asked, her voice trembling.
The figure tilted its head, but it didn't respond. Instead, it raised a hand, pointing toward the monitors.
Maya turned back to see the Threads flaring erratically, their patterns disrupted by the scar. Lines of data scrolled across the screen, faster than she could process.
"Help me understand!" she pleaded, looking back at the figure.
It stepped closer, its movements fluid and unnatural. When it spoke, its voice was layered, both Adrian's and something far darker.
"The Forgotten are coming. The Rift was their herald. I tried to stop them... but they are beyond me now."
Maya's eyes widened. "If they're beyond you, how can I stop them?"
The figure paused as if struggling to answer. Then, it reached out, its hand hovering just above hers.
"You must go deeper," it said, its voice softer now. "Beyond the Threads. Beyond the Veil. You'll find what they fear most."
"Deeper?" Maya repeated, shaking her head. "No, I've barely survived diving into the Threads as it is. If I go deeper, I might not come back!"
The figure's form flickered, its voice becoming urgent. "If you don't, there won't be anything left to come back to. The Horizon is already breaking."
Maya looked back at the monitors, where the scar on the Threads had grown larger, spreading like an infection.
"Fine," she said, her voice filled with determination. "But I'm not doing this blindly. If I go deeper, I need to know what I'm looking for."
The figure leaned closer, its golden eyes locking onto hers. "The Forgotten's greatest fear lies where they began. Find the First Thread. It will guide you."
"The First Thread?" Maya whispered, her mind racing. "What is it?"
But the figure didn't answer. Instead, it began to dissolve, its form scattering into golden particles that swirled around her before vanishing into the Threads.
The lab grew quiet again, save for the faint hum of the scarred Threads on the monitors.
Maya took a deep breath, her heart pounding. She knew what she had to do, but the thought of diving deeper into the Threads than ever before filled her with both dread and resolve.
"This isn't over," she said aloud, her voice steady. "I'll find the First Thread. I'll stop this."
But as she prepared to dive back into the Threads, a faint, mocking laugh echoed through the lab—a sound that wasn't Adrian's, nor the Rift's, but something far older and far more sinister.
It whispered one word, chilling and final:
"Run."
And the lights went out.