The sound of footsteps echoed through the narrow underground corridors. Ricky, Sophie, Kieran, and Keeper moved swiftly, their advanced weapons ready in hand. The ancient ventilation system creaked, as if sensing the tension in the air. They knew danger awaited ahead—and this time, Draven wasn't the only threat.
"We've gone too far in," Sophie whispered, eyeing the walls around them. "I feel like something's watching us."
"I feel it too," Keeper replied. "There's a strange energy here. It's different from the usual Remnants. Stay alert."
Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from behind them. A small explosion shook the corridor, and debris began to fall from the ceiling.
"Quick, we need to move!" Kieran shouted, glancing back.
They ran faster, but after only a few meters, a large shadowy figure appeared in front of them. Its form was humanoid, but its body was cloaked in thick, pulsating black smoke. Its eyes glowed blood-red, filled with hatred and a thirst for destruction.
"This isn't an ordinary Remnant," Ricky muttered, activating a device on his wrist that emitted a sonar wave to map the area. "They've turned Remnant energy into something more dangerous."
"We call them 'Wraiths'," said an unfamiliar voice over Kieran's radio. It was an intelligence agent working with them, providing information from afar. "Draven created these creatures to hunt down anyone approaching the Heart of the World."
"Great," Kieran hissed. "How do we take them down?"
"Attack their energy core—right in the center of their chest. It's the only way to destroy them."
The creature let out a deafening roar, its sound echoing through the corridor and causing the walls to vibrate. Moving at incredible speed, it lunged toward Ricky.
"Ricky, look out!" Sophie fired her weapon, a sharp blue laser striking the creature and forcing it to retreat a few steps.
But the attack wasn't enough to destroy it. The Wraith advanced again, faster this time. Ricky rolled to the side, narrowly dodging a deadly blow that nearly shattered the floor beneath him.
"We need to attack together!" Keeper shouted.
The three of them raised their weapons, targeting the glowing red point in the Wraith's chest. Within seconds, they fired energy rounds with precise aim. The attack hit its mark, causing the Wraith to explode in a burst of smoke and blinding light.
"We got it!" Kieran exhaled in relief. "But don't relax yet. They're never alone."
Sure enough, more rumbling echoed from the far end of the corridor. Dozens of Wraiths began emerging, filling the passage ahead.
"There's too many of them!" Sophie shouted.
"Keep moving!" Keeper ordered. "I'll activate a shield to hold them off for now."
Keeper raised his hands, generating a transparent energy barrier that separated them from the advancing Wraiths. Though strong, the barrier began to crack as the creatures struck it with overwhelming force.
"Hurry! We only have a few seconds before they break through!"
They sprinted toward a large door at the end of the corridor. The door appeared to be remnants of ancient technology from before the world's downfall. In its center was a glowing crystal panel.
"How do we open it?" Ricky asked, panic creeping into his voice.
"This lock can only be activated using energy from the Heart of the World," Keeper said, placing his hand on the panel. A bright blue light radiated from the crystal embedded in his palm, slowly syncing with the panel.
Behind them, the cracking sounds grew louder. The Wraiths were close to breaking through the shield.
"Come on, hurry up!" Kieran urged.
"Almost… just a little more…" Keeper gritted his teeth, focusing all his energy into the panel. Finally, a clicking sound echoed, and the large door began to open slowly.
"Go, go, go!"
They all leaped into the room just as the shield collapsed completely. Once inside, the door closed automatically, sealing off the furious Wraiths outside.
Silence fell over them, broken only by their heavy breathing.
"We made it… for now," Sophie whispered, trying to calm herself.
But as they looked around, a startling sight awaited them. At the center of the room stood a large altar, upon which rested a massive red crystal glowing faintly. Surrounding the altar were several transparent capsules containing human figures who appeared to be in a deep sleep.
"What… what is this place?" Ricky asked, his eyes wide with confusion.
Keeper stared grimly at the altar. "This is the core of Draven's experiments. He's trying to create new beings using energy from the Heart of the World."
"But why?" Sophie asked.
"To create a world according to his vision," Keeper replied darkly. "A world where only destruction and power exist. We can't let this continue."