The hover cars hummed softly as they descended a few hundred meters from the factory.
The location was a desolate expanse on the edge of Sector II, lit by dim, flickering street lights that struggled to push back the oppressive darkness.
A faint haze hung in the air, distorting the outlines of the towering factory that loomed in the distance. Its broken windows and rusted exterior radiated an unsettling aura, as though the building itself rejected any notion of trespass.
Claus’s car came to a smooth halt first, its doors sliding open with a soft hiss. Claus stepped out, adjusting his coat as his blue eyes swept the area with a calculated gaze.
Kira followed close behind, her arms crossed and her jaw tight, her discomfort palpable as she shifted uneasily on her feet.
A moment later, Donnel’s black hover car descended nearby, its undercarriage glowing faintly.
The sleek vehicle made no noise as it came to rest. The doors slid open, and Donnel emerged. His pale gray eyes locked onto Claus and Kira before settling on the ominous factory in the distance.
The trio gathered under the faint glow of a nearby streetlight. Kira pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders, her unease showing in the way she kept glancing toward the factory.
“Looks worse up close,” she said.
Claus ignored her comment, unfolding a small holographic device from his pocket. He tapped a button, and a blurred, translucent map of the factory and its surrounding area appeared, floating in the air between them.
“This is where we’ll enter,” Claus said, pointing to a section of the factory’s perimeter.
“There’s an old loading dock here that should give us relatively discrete access. It’ll keep us off the main roads and out of sight.”
Donnel crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he studied the hologram. “No surveillance in this area?”
“Perhaps you could look through the footage and confirm what’s in there.”
Claus shook his head. “None. The entire factory has been off the grid for months, likely since the disappearances started. Either someone disabled the systems, or the monster destroyed them. We won’t know until we get inside.”
Donnel’s gaze lingered on the map before he turned his head toward the factory. “If this creature is using the factory as a feeding ground, it’s going to know we’re coming the moment we set foot inside.”
“Which is why we’re sticking to the plan,” Claus said, his voice firm. “Kira and I will confirm what’s inside and gather intel. You handle any threats.”
Donnel grunted, flexing his fingers as ash-colored, rune-like symbols appeared on his hands, spreading to his forearms and becoming visible as he slowly pulled back his sleeves. As the glow intensified, a spectral ash-colored hammer materialized in his right hand… a manifestation of his blessing.
“Just don’t slow me down,” Donnel said, glancing at them before proceeding to make his way inside.
Kira shot Donnel a glare but bit back whatever retort she had, instead shifting her focus back to the factory.
The trio of Claus, Kira, and Donnel moved cautiously toward the factory, their footsteps crunching softly against the gravel-strewn ground.
Unbeknownst to them, another hover car descended from the sky a few meters behind their parked vehicles. This one was a deep metallic green, its surface reflecting faint glimmers of the dim streetlights.
The car landed before settling onto the ground. Its sleek doors slid open, and three figures stepped out.
Seth emerged first, brushing back his messy dark hair as his hazel eyes looked around the eerie surroundings. He shuddered dramatically and stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets.
“This place is all sorts of spooky,” he remarked.
Zane stepped out next, adjusting the cuffs of his rugged combat jacket. His sharp red eyes lingered on the factory in the distance, narrowing slightly.
“You’re not wrong,” he muttered. “Just looking at it gives me the creeps.”
The final passenger, Brielle, stepped out of the hover car with a confident stride as she adjusted the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder.
Her piercing blue eyes darted between her companions before settling on the ominous structure ahead.
“Well, if it’s that creepy, I’d say it’s best we gear up and arm ourselves properly, don’t you think?” she said pointedly, arching an eyebrow.
Seth let out a low chuckle as he opened the trunk of the hover car, revealing an arsenal of weapons and tactical gear neatly arranged inside.
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he said with a grin, reaching for his signature pair of energy pistols. He inspected them briefly, giving them a spin before holstering them at his hips.
Zane grabbed a lightweight energy rifle, running a quick diagnostic on its display screen before slinging it across his back.
“Better safe than sorry,” he agreed, checking the ammo gauge.
Brielle selected a compact plasma bow and a quiver of specialized energy arrows. The weapon folded neatly into her grip as she tested its tension, her movements smooth and deliberate. “Let’s hope we don’t need to use these, but if we do, let’s make it count,” she said.
The three of them exchanged a final glance before turning their attention toward the factory. Seth let out a low whistle. “Here’s hoping we haven’t bitten off more than we can chew already,” he muttered, falling into step beside Brielle and Zane as they moved cautiously toward the looming structure.
Back to Kira, Claus, and Donnel…
As they approached the factory, the oppressive air grew heavier, and a faint metallic smell filled their nostrils.
The building seemed alive, its broken windows and warped walls watching their every move. Somewhere in the distance, a faint, rhythmic thrum echoed—too faint to be machinery but too regular to be natural.
Donnel stopped abruptly, his sharp gaze scanning the area. “We’re being watched,” he said, his voice low.
Kira froze, her hand instinctively moving to her sidearm. “By what?”
Donnel’s pale gray eyes shifted, scanning the shadows. “Not sure. But it’s not human.”
Claus stepped forward, his holographic map shifting to display a heat signature overlay of the factory. A single, faintly glowing red dot appeared near their chosen entry point.
“It’s moving,” Claus said, his voice hushed but tense. “Looks like our welcome party’s already here.”
Donnel cracked his knuckles, his smirk cold and humorless. “Good. Saves me the trouble of finding it.”
Without waiting for a response, he strode toward the factory, his boots crunching softly against the cracked pavement. Claus and Kira exchanged a brief glance before following.
As they passed the entrance, the shadows seemed to deepen, and the faint thrum grew louder, resonating through the air like a heartbeat. Whatever awaited them inside, it was watching… and it was waiting.
—
Meanwhile…
As Alister, Cinder, and Terra soared ahead, they left the battlefield beneath them in a hushed state of uneasy calm. The remaining wyverns and dragons methodically spread across the sands, scanning for any stragglers among the retreating sandworms.
They continuously immobilised then devoured them as Mar’Garet continued altering space laws, causing the fleeing sandworms to be teleported to the surface, where the other dragons easily ended them.
Their precision and coordination made it clear they had done this many times before… an impressive demonstration of Alister’s command over his summons.
Back on the ground, Xavier turned his attention to his team, snapping them back to reality. “Alright, stop gawking and get moving,” he yelled. “The monsters may be scattering, but we’ve got cleanup to do.”
Karl hefted his warhammer onto his shoulder, exhaling heavily. “Yeah, cleanup. If there’s anything left to clean up, the dragons are eating most of what they kill,” he muttered, earning a chuckle from Ethan, who sheathed his daggers.
“Let’s just be grateful we’re not the ones fighting those dragons,” Ethan quipped. His lighthearted tone failed to mask the respect in his words.
Chase, still clutching his icy spear, seemed reluctant to move. His gaze remained fixed on the direction Alister had gone, his thoughts a whirlwind. He couldn’t shake the image of his former comrade ascending into the skies, now a man of unmatched power and authority. But within that awe, his determination reignited. ‘One day… I’ll stand as his equal again.’
“Chase!” Xavier’s voice snapped him back to reality. “We need you here, not daydreaming.”
Chase nodded quickly, adjusting his grip on his spear. “Understood, Team Leader.” He moved to join the others, his focus sharpening. Whatever his personal feelings, there was still a mission to complete.
—
High above the sands, Alister rode atop Cinder, her wings carving a path through the air. Terra flew alongside them, her massive form gliding with an almost serene grace despite her size. The oppressive heat of the desert seemed not to affect them one bit.
Ahead, the sandcastle loomed larger with every passing second. Its jagged, crystalline spires shimmered unnaturally in the sunlight. Alister’s golden eyes narrowed as he gazed at the strange fortress, his mind racing through possibilities.
“This place is alive,” Terra said, her voice resonating deeply as she glanced at Alister. “I can feel it, my lord.”
“Yes… I can feel it too. A strange aura is coming from the castle.”