The darkness pressed in on them from all sides.
Cain's heartbeat pounded in his ears as he crouched beside the skeletal remains of Captain Adrian Voss, his father. The faint green glow of the artifact pulsed rhythmically, casting eerie shadows across the cavern walls. A fine mist hung in the air, cold and heavy, swirling around their feet like restless spirits.
He swallowed hard, staring at the decayed remnants of the flight suit. The name tag was unmistakable. VOSS. His father. A man who had vanished more than thirty years ago on a mission that, as far as Cain knew, never existed.
"This... this isn't possible," Cain muttered under his breath.
Sasha knelt beside him, scanning the skeleton with narrowed eyes. "Voss, you knew him?" Her voice was low but steady.
Cain didn't answer. He couldn't. His thoughts raced, struggling to piece together the impossible truth in front of him. If his father had been here, then everything they'd been told about Exo-9 was a lie.
"Cain..."
The whisper slithered through his comms again, and this time, it was unmistakably clear. His name, spoken in a voice that didn't belong to anyone on the team. His blood ran cold.
He shot to his feet, rifle snapping up to scan the shadows beyond the artifact.
Sasha followed his gaze. "What?"
Cain's eyes darted across the cavern. "We're being watched."
Reyes, still hunched over his scanner, scoffed. "Come on, man. The only thing watching us is a bunch of rocks and a dead guy."
Cain ignored him. His instincts screamed at him—something was there, just beyond their lights, hiding in the gloom. The weight of an unseen presence prickled against his skin, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Form up," Ryker's voice came through the comms, low and commanding. "We're not alone down here. Eyes sharp."
Cain adjusted his grip on his rifle, his visor flickering with interference as the artifact pulsed again, stronger this time. A strange, rhythmic hum vibrated through the cavern floor, setting his teeth on edge. The glow seemed to seep into the walls, making them pulse in time with it.
Elara's voice crackled through the comms. "This structure... it's resonating with an external force."
Ryker snapped his head toward her. "Explain."
She shook her head, scrolling through her scanner. "I don't— I don't know exactly, but it's responding to something. Something alive."
Cain's muscles tensed. The whispering was louder now, layered beneath the hum. He spun in place, scanning the cavern walls, his visor locking onto subtle shifts in the shadows. Shapes that moved when they shouldn't.
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "Something's in here with us."
"Jesus, Voss, quit creeping yourself out," Reyes muttered. But his hands were shaking as he packed up his equipment.
Cain's voice was sharper now. "No. Look at the walls."
The team turned their attention to the cavern walls. Faint etchings were revealed beneath layers of dust and decay—intricate patterns, spirals, and symbols that looked too deliberate to be natural.
Sasha moved closer, running a gloved hand over them. "These markings... they weren't made by accident."
Cain exhaled, his gut churning. "They're warnings."
Ryker stepped forward, his voice tight. "Enough. We're leaving."
Elara hesitated. "But—"
Ryker cut her off with a glare. "Now."
Cain didn't argue. He took one last look at his father's remains, a bitter taste settling in his mouth. He needed answers, but right now, survival came first.
The team began moving back toward the cavern entrance, their boots crunching over the dry, brittle soil. But Cain's nerves stayed on edge. That creeping sensation of being watched refused to fade. If anything, it grew stronger with every step.
Then—
A soft click echoed through the cavern.
Everyone froze.
Cain's eyes widened as his HUD highlighted movement in the darkness—a shadow slipping behind one of the towering rock formations ahead. It was fast, too fast to be human.
"Contact!" Cain shouted, his rifle snapping up.
Sasha was already moving, positioning herself to cover their flank. "Where?"
Cain's pulse hammered in his chest. "Ten meters, moving left."
Ryker's voice came through like steel. "Weapons hot. We move together."
The team advanced cautiously, sweeping their lights across the cavern. The hum of the artifact grew louder, vibrating through their bones. Shadows danced against the rock, twisting and flickering unnaturally.
Then something moved again—closer this time.
Cain's finger hovered over the trigger. "I've got movement!"
Before anyone could respond, a deep, resonant growl echoed through the cavern, sending chills down their spines. It wasn't mechanical. It was organic.
"Shit, shit," Reyes hissed, his voice shaky. "Tell me that was one of you."
Cain's gut clenched. "Negative."
The growl turned into a low, guttural clicking sound, like bone scraping against stone. Cain scanned the area frantically, his visor struggling to lock onto the shifting shapes.
Suddenly—
A shadow lunged.
Cain fired. A burst of gunfire illuminated the cavern, flashing against the jagged rock formations. The bullets struck something, but whatever it was moved impossibly fast, disappearing deeper into the tunnel.
"Fall back!" Ryker bellowed.
The team scrambled toward the entrance, their boots pounding against the ground. Cain stole a glance over his shoulder and saw it—just for a second. A figure, hunched and angular, with too-long limbs and eyes that glowed faintly in the dark. Watching.
Waiting.
Cain's heart pounded. "Go, go!"
They burst out into the open canyon, the oppressive weight of the cavern lifting as the storm outside whipped around them.
Cain doubled over, catching his breath. Sasha scanned their surroundings, her rifle still raised.
"Everyone accounted for?" Ryker demanded.
Reyes was panting, his face pale. "Yeah. But what the hell was that?"
Cain didn't answer. He turned to Elara, who was staring at the artifact readouts, her face pale with realization.
"This place isn't just abandoned," she whispered. "Something's still here. And it's been watching us the whole time."
Cain exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. His father's remains, the artifact, the whispers—none of this made sense.
But one thing was clear.
They were not alone on Exo-9.
And whatever was down there in the dark... it wasn't done with them yet.