The settlement was alive with activity as Kael oversaw the distribution of supplies from the recent scavenging run. The extra steel and wire coils were already being welded into the walls, and the ammunition stockpile had been replenished enough to last through another large-scale battle.
Yet, despite the temporary stability, Kael couldn't shake the growing unease settling in his chest.
The fight against the Elite Variant had been brutal, but what concerned him most was the fact that it had been organized. Something was controlling these creatures. The message about Gridfall still lingered in his mind, its ominous warning refusing to fade.
And then there was the Energy Relay Tower. The only site they had yet to scavenge. If there were any answers about what was happening to the world, Kael suspected they were buried in that facility.
He had made his decision.
The next mission wouldn't be just another supply run. It would be about finding the truth.
Kael called the group together at the workshop. The fire pit crackled in the background, casting flickering shadows across their weary faces.
"This time, we're not just looking for resources," Kael began, his tone grave. "We're heading to the Energy Relay Tower to find out what's really happening with these anomalies."
Jonas fidgeted with his pistol. "You think it's connected to the message about Gridfall?"
Kael nodded. "The way the last swarm moved—it wasn't random. If something out there is controlling these mutations, we need to know how."
Elara crossed her arms. "And if whatever's at that tower is worse than what we just fought?"
Kael smirked faintly. "Then we shoot it until it stops moving."
Bren snorted. "That's the plan?"
"That's the backup plan," Kael corrected. "First, we gather data. If the relay is still operational, we might be able to pull system logs or even boost our own comms network."
Dane leaned forward. "And if we run into more of those Elite Variants?"
Kael exhaled. "Then we use the Plasma Forge to gear up before we go."
Kael opened the [Plasma Forge] interface, scanning the new crafting options. If they were heading into unknown territory, they needed to be better equipped.
[Newly Available Crafting Options:
Plasma Shotgun: High-impact close-range energy weapon.
Enhanced Energy Shield (Gauntlet Upgrade): Increases shield duration and resistance.
Anomaly Sensor: Detects unstable energy fields and hidden threats.]
Kael crafted the [Plasma Shotgun] first, its compact design featuring an integrated energy core. He handed it to Elara, who smirked as she tested the weight in her hands.
"Now this," she said, cocking the weapon, "I like."
Next, he upgraded his [Gauntlet of Ascension] with the [Enhanced Energy Shield], syncing it to his HUD. The runes on the gauntlet pulsed softly as the system adjusted to the modifications.
Lastly, he crafted the [Anomaly Sensor], a handheld device that would allow them to detect unstable energy fluctuations.
Bren, Dane, and Jonas each received upgraded firearms—modified with extended battery packs for sustained fire.
By the time they were fully geared, the settlement's defenses had also been reinforced. The [Electrified Wall Plates] had been repaired, and the damaged turrets had been replaced with [Advanced Turret (Level 2) Units.]
Kael took one final look at the system's status report.
[Settlement Status: Stable.
Defenses: 85% Operational.
Expedition Readiness: High.]
They were ready.
The Mobile Operations Unit rumbled across the wasteland, its reinforced frame cutting through the uneven terrain. Kael sat in the driver's seat, eyes fixed on the horizon as the towering silhouette of the Energy Relay Tower came into view.
Elara rode shotgun, her newly upgraded Plasma Shotgun resting in her lap. Jonas, Dane, and Bren sat in the back, checking their weapons and gear.
The closer they got, the more the air seemed to shift.
The system flagged unusual atmospheric readings, highlighting faint distortions in the environment.
[Detected Anomaly Activity: High.]
[Radiation Levels: Fluctuating.]
"Feels different out here," Jonas muttered, glancing out the window. "Like the air's… thicker."
"That's because we're sitting on top of something we don't understand," Kael said, tightening his grip on the wheel.
The Energy Relay Tower was massive, its steel framework standing defiantly against the ruins of the old world. But it wasn't intact. The entire right side of the structure had partially collapsed, and the system detected faint power fluctuations emanating from deep inside.
More troubling, however, were the bodies.
A scattering of corpses lay near the base of the tower—half-buried in dust and twisted in unnatural angles. Some were human. Others were something else entirely.
Jonas swallowed hard. "This is a bad idea."
Elara exhaled sharply. "Yeah, well, bad ideas seem to be our specialty."
Kael slowed the vehicle, scanning the area. "No movement yet. Let's go in quietly."
The team disembarked, weapons ready as they approached the entrance. The air crackled with latent energy, and the Anomaly Sensor in Kael's hand pulsed faintly.
Something was wrong here.
The interior of the facility was a graveyard of broken machinery and flickering lights. The system mapped the structure, highlighting key locations:
[Main Control Room: Possible data retrieval.]
[Backup Power Core: Secondary energy source detected.]
[Unknown Signal Source: Deep within the lower levels.]
"We split up," Kael said. "Dane and Bren, check the power core. Jonas, you stay near the entrance and watch for movement. Elara, you're with me—we're going to the control room."
Jonas hesitated. "And if something's still alive down there?"
Kael activated his [Energy Shield], the gauntlet glowing. "Then we introduce it to modern firepower."
Kael and Elara navigated the debris-strewn halls, the flickering lights casting eerie shadows against the walls. When they reached the control room, the door was already partially open—its frame warped by an energy surge.
Inside, the monitors were shattered, and the air smelled of burnt electronics. But the main console was still active, glowing with a faint blue light.
Kael connected his gauntlet to the interface. The system took a moment to decrypt the old files before displaying a final, chilling message.
RESEARCH LOG 872:
"GRIDFALL PROTOCOL ACTIVATED. PROJECT OMEGA HAS BREACHED CONTAINMENT."
"THIS IS NOT A NATURAL EVENT. SOMETHING WOKE IT UP."
Kael's blood ran cold.
Something had been locked away here. And now it was free.
Elara's voice was quiet but firm. "Kael… what the hell does that mean?"
Before he could respond, the system chimed with a new alert:
[HOSTILE SIGNATURE DETECTED.]
[UNKNOWN ENTITY APPROACHING.]
The lights flickered violently as a deep, guttural sound reverberated through the facility.
Kael unholstered his rifle. "I think we just found out."