The atmosphere in the Heart of the World's core room grew increasingly quiet, with only the faint hissing sounds of the slowly reactivating machinery breaking the silence. Ricky, Sophie, Kieran, and Keeper stood in the center of the room, catching their breath, surveying the damage left by the recent battle. Yet they knew this wasn't the end; it was merely the beginning of something far greater.
"We can't stay here much longer," Kieran said, checking the ammunition in his advanced rifle. "If Draven returns with reinforcements, we won't have enough time to escape."
Ricky nodded in agreement. "We need a new plan. Our mission isn't just to protect the Heart of the World—it's to find the Master Crystal before Draven gets to it."
Keeper turned toward the main monitor, which began displaying a map of the old world. "There's a location we must reach," he said. "An ancient city in the north that's believed to hold the Master Crystal. But the journey there will be extremely dangerous."
"As if our journey so far hasn't been dangerous enough," Sophie quipped, trying to lighten the mood, though the tension was still evident on her face.
"How long will it take to get there?" Ricky asked.
Keeper pressed a few buttons on the control panel. "By regular transport, it'll take three days. But if we can activate one of the old airborne vehicles, we could get there in one night."
Kieran glanced toward the hangar on the side of the room. "Then we don't have a choice. I'll check out the transports. Hopefully, we'll find something that still works."
Ricky and Sophie exchanged a look before following Kieran to the hangar, while Keeper remained behind to monitor and safeguard the now-stabilized Heart of the World.
Inside the hangar, they were greeted by the sight of old aircraft covered in dust and rust. Kieran quickly inspected a medium-sized aircraft that looked relatively intact. "It'll take a few hours to get this operational," he said. "But if it works, it'll cut down our travel time significantly."
"Alright, do what you need to do," Ricky said, signaling Sophie to stand guard at the entrance while he assisted Kieran with the aircraft systems.
Just as they were getting to work, heavy footsteps echoed from outside the hangar. Sophie immediately raised her rifle, preparing for a possible ambush.
"Kieran, hurry!" Sophie called out, her voice tense. "We've got company."
Ricky turned to see shadowy figures approaching the hangar entrance. Without hesitation, he grabbed his weapon and positioned himself to defend Kieran, who was still working on the aircraft.
"We need five more minutes!" Kieran shouted from the cockpit.
"Five minutes is too long!" Ricky replied sharply.
The tension escalated as the shadowy figures came into full view—humanoid soldiers equipped with advanced combat gear. They weren't Remnants; they were humans, likely working under Draven's orders.
"Surrender!" one of them shouted through a loudspeaker. "You're surrounded. Hand over the Heart of the World, and we'll let you live!"
"There's no negotiating with people like them," Sophie muttered, readying a smoke grenade. "We have to fight."
"Ricky, take position!" Kieran instructed from inside the aircraft. "As soon as I'm done, we'll take off!"
Without wasting time, Ricky positioned himself behind a large supply crate, while Sophie tossed the smoke grenade toward the entrance. Thick smoke quickly filled the hangar, obscuring the enemies' vision.
Gunfire erupted from both sides. Ricky and Sophie did their best to hold off the advancing soldiers, buying Kieran enough time to finish repairing the aircraft.
"Ricky, Sophie, get in now!" Kieran finally managed to start the engines. The aircraft's wings shook, but the engine seemed strong enough to lift them.
Ricky and Sophie sprinted toward the aircraft, sealing the rear hatch behind them. Kieran engaged the autopilot system as he took manual control, steering the aircraft out of the hangar.
The vehicle sped through the smoky hangar, evading small explosions and incoming fire. However, they weren't out of danger yet.
"They've deployed aerial drones!" Sophie pointed toward several combat drones closing in behind them.
"We can't climb to full altitude yet," Kieran
said, struggling to stabilize the aircraft. "Ricky, use the rear turret!"
Ricky rushed to the back of the aircraft, where an automated turret system could be operated manually. He began firing at the drones with precise shots.
"Two drones down, but three are still on us!" Ricky reported.
"We need to reach a safe altitude before they can shoot us down!" Kieran yelled.
The aircraft continued its frantic flight, dodging enemy fire as Ricky kept shooting down the pursuing drones. Sophie assisted Kieran in stabilizing the controls, ensuring they stayed on course.
After a tense few minutes, they finally gained enough altitude. The drones, unable to keep up, retreated.
"We made it," Kieran said, exhaling in relief.
Their moment of respite didn't last long. A message from Keeper appeared on the monitor.
"Ricky, Sophie, Kieran… bad news. Draven has found the location of the Master Crystal. He's heading there as we speak."
Ricky clenched his fists. "We can't let him reach it first."
Kieran adjusted their course toward the north. "Hold on tight. This journey is far from over."
In the distance, dark clouds began to gather, as if signaling that an even greater battle awaited them.