Zane kept his eyes low as he followed Kade through the labyrinthine streets of the undercity. Every corner, every shadow felt like it hid a dozen dangers, each one more terrifying than the last. The adrenaline from his confrontation with the drones had worn off, leaving behind a heavy exhaustion and a nagging sense of dread.
Kade led him to a derelict storage facility, its rusted walls leaning precariously as if one strong gust of wind might bring it all down. Inside, the faint hum of energy from scattered machinery provided a deceptive sense of life. Kade didn't stop moving until they reached a secured back room, where a makeshift table was cluttered with outdated tech and maps of Cipher City.
"This'll do," Kade said, locking the door behind them. He turned to Zane, his expression unreadable. "Start talking. What the hell was that back there?"
"I don't know," Zane admitted, setting the Cipher Core on the table. The device pulsed faintly, as though it were listening. "It… it told me to do something. Neural Resonance, I think it said."
Kade raised an eyebrow. "Neural Resonance? That's not exactly something you just stumble into. That's high-level tech—stuff most people think doesn't exist anymore."
"Well, it does now," Zane snapped, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't ask for this, Kade. Elias handed me this thing, and now it's turning my life upside down."
Kade studied him for a long moment before sighing. "Alright. Let's break this down. The Cipher Core isn't just some random piece of tech—it's connected to Eidolon. That much we know. And if it's giving you powers like that, then it's way more dangerous than we thought."
"You think?" Zane muttered, slumping into a chair. "What do we do now?"
"We figure out what it wants," Kade said, tapping the Cipher Core with a finger. "This thing doesn't just show up in the Dregs for no reason. Someone put it there, and I'm willing to bet they knew exactly what it would do to you."
The Cipher Core's glow intensified, and the now-familiar voice filled the room. "Directive updated. Seek the Vanguard Archive."
Kade frowned. "The Vanguard Archive? That's not a place."
Zane blinked. "What do you mean? Isn't the Vanguard your group?"
"Yeah, but we don't have something called an archive," Kade said, pacing. "At least, not officially. But… wait."
He turned to the maps scattered across the table, his eyes scanning the intricate lines and markings. He tapped a finger on one map in particular, which showed a section of the undercity marked with cryptic symbols.
"There's a place we've been tracking for a while," Kade said. "Some kind of abandoned lab deep in the old transit tunnels. We don't know who built it or why, but it's sealed tight. Could be what this thing is talking about."
Zane leaned over the map, a knot tightening in his stomach. "And you think it's safe to go there?"
"Safe?" Kade laughed humorlessly. "Nothing about this is safe, Kael. But if the Cipher Core wants us to go there, it's worth checking out."
Zane nodded reluctantly. "Alright. Let's do it."
They set out under the cover of night, the air was cool and heavy with the faint smell of oil and decay. Kade had armed himself with a sleek plasma rifle, while Zane carried nothing but the Cipher Core, its steady pulse a reminder of the chaos it had already brought into his life.
The journey to the old transit tunnels was slow and tense. The undercity's maze-like structure was dangerous enough on its own, but the presence of Obscura patrols made every step a calculated risk. Kade led the way with practiced precision, his movements silent and deliberate.
After what felt like hours, they reached a rusted gate that marked the entrance to the transit tunnels. The gate was locked with a biometric scanner, its surface caked with grime but still operational. Kade glanced at Zane.
"Think your new toy can get us in?" he asked.
Zane hesitated before holding the Cipher Core up to the scanner. The device pulsed, and the scanner beeped once before the gate creaked open. Kade whistled softly. "Handy little thing, isn't it?"
"Let's just get this over with," Zane muttered, stepping into the darkened tunnel.
The tunnels were eerily quiet, their walls lined with remnants of long-forgotten trains. The only light came from the faint glow of the Cipher Core, casting shadows that seemed to dance with every step.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Zane asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Some kind of terminal or control room," Kade replied. "If this place is the Vanguard Archive, there's gotta be a way to access it."
They moved deeper into the tunnels, the air growing colder with every step. Zane couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, though there were no signs.
Finally, they reached a massive steel door embedded in the tunnel wall. Unlike the gate above, this door was pristine, its surface gleaming in the dim light. A series of glowing symbols lined its edges, pulsing faintly in a pattern that matched the Cipher Core.
"This has to be it," Kade said, stepping back to let Zane approach.
Zane hesitated before holding the Cipher Core up to the door. The device pulsed once, and the symbols on the door began to shift and rearrange themselves. The ground trembled as the door slid open, revealing a room bathed in soft blue light.
Inside, the walls were lined with rows of holographic displays, each one filled with data that scrolled too quickly for Zane to read. At the center of the room was a pedestal, its surface etched with the same quadrant symbol as the Cipher Core.
"Looks like a terminal," Kade said, stepping inside cautiously. "Let's see what it can tell us."
Zane placed the Cipher Core on the pedestal, and the room came to life. The holographic displays shifted, forming a single image—a map of Cipher City, overlaid with a complex web of symbols and lines.
"Vanguard Archive accessed," the voice announced. "Directive: Decode. Phase One initiated."
"What does that mean?" Zane asked, his heart racing.
Before the voice could respond, an alarm blared. Red lights filled the room, and the map on the displays flickered.
"We've got company," Kade said, gripping his rifle. "Looks like the Obscura aren't far behind."
Zane grabbed the Cipher Core as the room's walls began to hum with energy. Whatever secrets the Vanguard Archive held, they were going to have to fight to keep them.
The hum of energy from the Vanguard Archive grew louder as Zane and Kade turned toward the door. The glowing symbols that had once marked its edges now pulsed with a warning red, flickering in unison with the blaring alarm. The ground beneath their feet vibrated as the mechanical sound of approaching drones filled the air.
Kade cursed under his breath. "We don't have much time. Whatever you just activated, it's got the Obscura on us like moths to a flame."
"I didn't activate anything!" Zane snapped, clutching the Cipher Core tighter. "It just… did something. The voice keeps saying 'decode.' I think it's still working."
"Well, let it work faster," Kade retorted, his eyes scanning the room. "We've got less than a minute before they're inside."
Zane turned his attention back to the pedestal. The holographic displays were alive with activity, streams of data flowing like a digital river. Among the chaos, he noticed fragments of text—words and phrases that seemed to flash deliberately, almost as if they were meant for him.
"Key to the City."
"Neural Nexus Detected."
"Project Eidolon: Origin Unveiled."
"Origin?" Zane muttered, his fingers brushing against the Cipher Core as its glow intensified. The room pulsed with light, and the displays began to align into a single cohesive image—a schematic of Cipher City, with a glowing red point at its center.
"Zane," Kade said, his voice sharper now. "They're here."
Zane barely had time to process the warning before the sound of metal on metal echoed through the corridor outside. A second later, a burst of energy slammed into the doorway, sending sparks and shards of metal flying into the room.
Three Obscura agents stormed in, their black armor gleaming under the Archive's blue light. Each one carried a weapon designed to disable rather than destroy, their purpose clear: retrieve the Cipher Core and neutralize any resistance.
Kade didn't wait for them to get their bearings. He fired a burst of plasma from his rifle, forcing the agents to scatter. "Get down!" he yelled, pulling Zane behind the pedestal as another volley of energy bolts tore through the air.
"What now?" Zane shouted over the chaos.
"Hold them off until that thing finishes whatever it's doing!" Kade replied, ducking behind a console and returning fire. His aim was precise, and one of the agents went down with a sharp crack as the plasma hit its mark.
The remaining two agents adjusted their tactics, splitting up to flank them. One launched a drone from their shoulder, the small machine buzzing into the air and locking onto Zane's position.
"Not again," Zane muttered, raising his hand instinctively. The Cipher Core pulsed, and a surge of energy coursed through him. He felt the now-familiar connection snap into place, a neural bridge that linked him to the drone. With a thought, he sent a pulse of interference through the connection.
The drone jerked mid-air before dropping to the ground in a smoldering heap. Zane blinked, his head pounding from the effort. "I can't keep doing this, Kade!"
"You don't have a choice!" Kade shouted back, firing another round at the advancing agent. "If you've got more tricks up your sleeve, now's the time to use them!"
Zane gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus. The Cipher Core glowed brighter, and the holographic displays shifted again. The map of Cipher City expanded, zooming in on the glowing red point at its center. Text appeared alongside it, clear and deliberate.
"Neural Nexus Access Point: Catalyst Tower."
"What's Catalyst Tower?" Zane asked, his voice tinged with desperation.
"It's the central hub of Cipher City," Kade replied without looking. "Top of the upper city. Eidolon's core systems run through it."
"Of course they do," Zane muttered, glancing at the advancing agents. "Because this couldn't get any worse."
Before he could say more, one of the agents hurled a device toward the pedestal. It landed with a metallic clink, emitting a high-pitched whine that grew louder with each second.
"That's a pulse grenade!" Kade yelled. "It'll fry everything in here—including you!"
Zane didn't think. He grabbed the Cipher Core and ran toward the grenade, every instinct in his body screaming at him to stop. The device pulsed in his hand, and the world seemed to slow. He reached out, the same surge of energy coursing through him as before.
The grenade froze mid-whine, its lights flickering as Zane forced the energy within it to dissipate. A second later, it fell silent, its casing smoking faintly. Zane stumbled back, his vision swimming.
The Obscura agents hesitated, their formation momentarily breaking as they registered what had happened. Kade didn't miss the opportunity. With a quick shot, he hit the closest agent, sending them sprawling to the ground. The final agent retreated, firing wildly as they disappeared into the corridor.
"Come on!" Kade shouted, grabbing Zane's arm. "We've got to move before they bring reinforcements."
"But the Archive—" Zane began.
"It's done," Kade said, jerking his head toward the holographic displays. The text remained fixed on the words "Catalyst Tower: Neural Nexus Access Point."
"That's where we're headed next," Kade said. "But if we don't leave now, we won't live to see it."
Zane nodded, the Cipher Core still warm in his hands. Together, they bolted from the room, leaving the Archive's fading glow behind them. This was only the beginning of something much bigger—and far more dangerous.