The air beyond the doors was suffocating, heavy with an unnatural chill that seemed to seep into their bones. The passage ahead was unlike the ones they had traversed before. Instead of jagged stone walls, the corridor was smooth, almost metallic, and faintly reflective. The light from Alvarez's fragment barely penetrated the oppressive darkness, casting warped, distorted reflections that made the space feel alive.
"I don't like this," Rae muttered, her voice echoing faintly. Her hand hovered over her weapon, her knuckles white from the tension.
"You don't have to like it," Alvarez replied, his tone hard. "You just have to survive it."
They moved cautiously, each step reverberating in the silent corridor. The faint hum of the fragment had returned, its glow dim but steady, as though guiding them forward. Rae's scanner emitted occasional beeps, though the readings were erratic, fluctuating wildly as though the environment itself was scrambling its signals.
"This place doesn't make sense," she said, frustration lacing her words. "One second, the scanner picks up nothing. The next, it's like we're standing in the middle of a reactor."
"Stay focused," Alvarez ordered. His eyes scanned the corridor, every muscle in his body taut. "We'll figure it out once we're through."
The corridor twisted and turned, leading them deeper into the moon's core. Strange markings began to appear on the walls—symbols that pulsed faintly in the darkness, their shapes shifting as though alive. Rae paused to examine one, her fingers tracing its edges.
"These are different from the carvings in the cavern," she observed. "They're not just etched—they're… embedded, like they're part of the material."
"Leave them alone," Alvarez warned, not slowing his pace. "We don't need more surprises."
Rae reluctantly pulled back and followed, her eyes darting nervously to the shifting symbols. The air grew colder as they descended, their breaths now visible in faint clouds.
Then, the corridor opened into a vast, circular chamber, its ceiling lost in darkness. In the center stood a towering obelisk, its surface covered in the same glowing symbols. The obelisk pulsed rhythmically, its light casting long, flickering shadows across the room. Surrounding it were several smaller monoliths, arranged in a precise pattern.
Alvarez stopped at the edge of the chamber, his instincts screaming that this was a trap. "Stay alert," he said, scanning the room. "We're not alone."
As if in response, the ground trembled beneath their feet. The obelisk's pulsing grew faster, and the symbols on the smaller monoliths began to glow. A low, resonant hum filled the air, building in intensity until it was almost deafening.
"Alvarez," Rae said, her voice shaking. "Something's happening."
Before he could respond, the shadows on the walls began to ripple, detaching and coalescing into forms more solid than before. These shadows were larger, more defined, their humanoid shapes twisted and menacing. Their eyes—glowing pinpricks of light—seemed to pierce through the darkness, locking onto the intruders.
"Here we go," Alvarez muttered, raising his weapon.
The first shadow lunged, moving with inhuman speed. Alvarez fired, the shot illuminating the chamber for a brief moment. The shadow recoiled, its form splintering before reforming instantly. Rae fired as well, her plasma shots creating bursts of light that momentarily drove the shadows back.
"They're stronger!" Rae shouted, panic creeping into her voice.
Alvarez gritted his teeth, firing methodically. "Aim for the core! They're more unstable there!"
Following his lead, Rae focused her shots on the shadows' centers. The tactic worked—one shadow exploded into a cloud of darkness, its remnants dissipating into the air. But for every shadow they destroyed, another seemed to rise from the walls.
"There's too many!" Rae cried, backing toward the obelisk.
Alvarez's gaze darted to the obelisk, its pulsing light now almost blinding. The fragment in his hand burned hot, its glow syncing with the obelisk's rhythm.
"The fragment," he realized aloud. "It's connected to this!"
"What are you saying?" Rae demanded, firing another shot.
"We need to activate it," Alvarez said, his voice firm. "It's the only way to stop this!"
Rae hesitated, glancing between him and the advancing shadows. "And what if it makes things worse?"
"We don't have a choice!" Alvarez snapped. "Cover me!"
Rae nodded reluctantly, her resolve hardening. "Go. I'll hold them off."
Alvarez sprinted toward the obelisk, weaving between the smaller monoliths. The shadows seemed to sense his intent, their movements growing more frantic. Several lunged toward him, but Rae's shots intercepted them, her accuracy unwavering despite the chaos.
Reaching the obelisk, Alvarez pressed the fragment against its surface. The reaction was immediate. The obelisk flared with light, the symbols on its surface spinning and shifting. A deep, resonant tone filled the chamber, causing the shadows to wail in agony.
The light from the obelisk spread outward, connecting with the smaller monoliths. A wave of energy pulsed through the room, disintegrating the shadows upon contact. Rae shielded her eyes as the light grew brighter, the force of the pulse shaking the ground.
When the light finally dimmed, the chamber was silent. The shadows were gone, and the obelisk stood dormant once more. Alvarez slumped to his knees, the fragment now dull and cool in his hand.
"Is it over?" Rae asked, her voice trembling as she approached.
"For now," Alvarez replied, his tone grim. He forced himself to stand, his gaze fixed on the obelisk. "But this isn't the end. It's just the beginning."
Rae looked at him, her expression a mix of fear and determination. "Then let's make sure we're ready for whatever comes next."
They left the chamber together, the fragment's faint glow their only guide as they descended further into the unknown.