The storage facility was a labyrinth of steel and shadow, and the alarm blaring in Lira's ears only amplified her growing panic. She followed the Warden through rows of towering crates, her breath shallow as Syndicate guards closed in.
"This way," the Warden commanded, its mechanical voice cutting through the chaos.
Lira's grip on the Veil tightened. The artifact pulsed against her side, its whispers growing insistent. They seek what you carry. Do not let them take it.
Rounding a corner, they came to a locked vault door marked with Syndicate insignias. The Warden began interfacing with the keypad, its glowing fingers working quickly.
"Hurry!" Lira hissed, glancing back. The sound of boots pounding on the metal floor grew louder.
"Accessing… Complete." The door hissed open, revealing a stark room filled with terminals and glowing data drives.
The Warden stepped inside and began scanning the drives. "These contain Syndicate records. They may hold information on the Voidborn and its connection to the Veil."
Lira stood guard, her heart pounding as the whispers in her mind intensified. They are coming. You must act.
The first guard appeared in the doorway, weapon raised. Lira reacted instinctively, drawing on the Veil's power. A pulse of energy erupted from her hands, slamming the guard against the wall.
More guards followed, and Lira fought to keep them at bay. Each surge of power left her more drained, the Veil's whispers becoming a roar.
"Warden, how much longer?" she shouted, her voice strained.
"Extraction complete," it replied. "We must leave."
Lira stumbled toward the Warden as it activated a small device. A portal shimmered into existence, casting an eerie blue light over the room.
"Go!" the Warden commanded, stepping through first.
Lira hesitated, her gaze darting to the unconscious guards and the glowing data drives. You cannot save them all, the Veil whispered. But you can save yourself.
She stepped through the portal just as the guards recovered, their shouts echoing behind her.
At the auction, tension crackled like static in the air. Selene and Aelis watched from the shadows as bids climbed higher and higher for the black orb.
Arathor stood near the stage, his eyes locked on the artifact. His calm demeanor betrayed nothing, but Selene knew better.
"That's not just an artifact to him," she whispered to Aelis. "It's leverage."
"Then we need to outbid him or steal it before he does," Aelis said with a grin.
Selene glared at her. "Let's try not to cause a scene."
The auctioneer raised his gavel. "Final bid—500,000 credits!"
Selene clenched her fists. They didn't have that kind of money, and time was running out.
"We need a distraction," she said.
"Leave it to me." Aelis winked and slipped into the crowd.
Moments later, the room descended into chaos. Aelis had triggered a fire alarm, sending panicked bidders scrambling for the exits.
Selene darted toward the stage, her eyes on the orb. She reached it just as Arathor did, their hands colliding.
"Step aside," he said coldly, his grip tightening on her wrist.
"Not a chance," Selene shot back.
Before he could respond, a pulse of energy erupted from the orb, sending them both flying. The artifact floated into the air, glowing brighter with each passing second.
"What did you do?" Arathor demanded, rising to his feet.
"I didn't do anything!" Selene snapped, shielding her eyes from the light.
The orb cracked, releasing a shockwave that rippled through the room. When the light faded, the artifact was gone, and Selene was left holding a strange, metallic shard.
Arathor's expression darkened. "You have no idea what you've just unleashed."
By the time Lira and the Warden returned to the safe house, Selene and Aelis were already there. The tension in the room was palpable.
"What happened at the Spire?" Lira asked, noting the bruises on Selene's arms and the grim look in her eyes.
Selene held up the shard. "The artifact we were after… it shattered. This is all that's left."
The Warden examined the shard, its glowing eyes flickering. "This material is unlike anything in this realm. It may be a fragment of the Voidborn's prison."
Lira's stomach churned. "And Arathor?"
"He knows we have it," Selene said. "He won't stop until he gets it."
Aelis crossed her arms, her usual smirk replaced with a serious expression. "What about you two? Did you find anything at the facility?"
The Warden placed a data drive on the table. "Syndicate records. They may contain information on the Voidborn and its connection to the Veil."
Selene wasted no time plugging the drive into her terminal. As the files loaded, a series of blueprints and encrypted documents appeared on the screen.
"What is this?" Lira asked, leaning closer.
"Plans," Selene said, her voice low. "The Syndicate's been building something. A containment device—or maybe a weapon."
Lira felt a chill run down her spine. "To control the Voidborn?"
"Or release it," Selene said grimly
As the team pored over the files, Lira felt the Veil grow heavier at her side. The whispers in her mind became deafening, drowning out everything else.
She staggered back, clutching her head. The room spun, and the others turned toward her in alarm.
"Lira, what's wrong?" Aelis asked, rushing to her side.
Before Lira could respond, a vision overtook her—a swirling vortex of light and shadow, the Voidborn's presence suffocating and inescapable.
She saw the Syndicate's plans come to fruition, the Voidborn unleashed upon Vertis. And she saw herself at the center of it all, her hands glowing with the Veil's power.
But in the vision, she wasn't fighting the Voidborn. She was leading it.
The vision shattered, leaving her gasping for air.
"What did you see?" Selene demanded.
Lira looked up, her eyes wide with fear. "The Voidborn… it's not just trying to escape. It's trying to control me."
The room fell silent, the weight of her words sinking in.
And in the shadows, the Veil pulsed, its intentions more mysterious—and dangerous—than ever.