The corridor widened into a vast, sloping descent. The walls were no longer stone or alloy—they were lined with smooth black plating engraved with golden halo sigils, all glowing faintly in synchronized pulses.
The deeper they went, the heavier the air became. Not just heavier in a physical sense—there was a pressure, like an unseen weight pressing on their minds.
Jack gritted his teeth, cracking his neck as they walked.
Jack: "This place is starting to feel like a tomb."
Lenny glanced at his scanner—it was glitching, the readings jumping erratically.
Lenny: "…The energy down here is off the charts. I can't even stabilize a reading."
Ichiro kept his grip on his weapon tighter than usual.
Ichiro: "Feels like we're being watched."
Emilia's eyes scanned ahead, her voice calm but laced with quiet tension.
Emilia: "Not watched. Judged."
Henry didn't reply. He just kept moving forward, focused.
They reached a massive platform overlooking an enormous underground expanse.
And there it was.
The Ascendant Grid.
It stretched across the cavern like a giant halo network: massive golden rings suspended in midair by gravitational anchors. Between the rings were floating constructs, humming with energy that rippled and distorted the space around them.
At the very center was a monolithic black spire reaching toward the cavern ceiling. Around it, dozens of Halo Disciples and Guardians moved in eerie silence, maintaining the structures like worker bees in a hive.
Jack's eyes widened slightly.
Jack: "… You've got to be kidding me."
Lenny whispered, his voice tight with disbelief.
Lenny: "…This isn't just a base. It's a machine. The whole cavern… it's part of the network."
Emilia narrowed her eyes.
Henry stared at the Grid for a long moment.
Henry: "…This is how they'll control Neoterra Prime."
Near the base of the black spire, they saw something worse: containment pods similar to the ones in the earlier chamber.
But these were active.
Through the faintly glowing glass, they could see human figures suspended inside, their bodies partially covered in metallic halo implants. Their faces were obscured, but the faint outline of implants fusing directly with their nervous systems was visible.
Ichiro clenched his fists.
Ichiro: "…They're turning them into more than disciples."
Lenny scanned the pods, his voice shaking slightly.
Lenny: "…These aren't just soldiers. They're… sacrifices. Their life force is being used to power the Grid."
Emilia's gaze darkened.
Emilia: "… Then we're looking at something worse than we thought."
Henry said nothing, but his jaw tightened.
Suddenly, the air shifted.
A low, deep hum resonated through the cavern.
And then they felt it.
A presence—not physical, but overwhelming. Heavy. Oppressive. Like the gravity itself was alive and staring back at them.
It wasn't Zorath Veil himself—but it was a fragment of his power, echoing through the Grid.
Jack staggered slightly, clenching his teeth.
Jack: "What… the hell is this feeling?"
Ichiro gritted his teeth, struggling to stay steady.
Ichiro: "… It's… crushing."
Lenny's scanner went completely dark.
Emilia stood firm, but her eyes sharpened, her voice calm yet edged.
Emilia: "It's him. Not fully, but… part of him. This whole Grid is a conduit for Zorath's power."
Henry's expression remained composed, but his thoughts raced.
And then… faintly, almost like a whisper carried through the distortion, they heard a voice.
Not loud. Not clear. But there.
"…The Halo ascends… all will kneel…"
The disciples below didn't react.
Only the group heard it.
Jack looked at Henry; his tone became very serious.
Jack: "So? What's the plan now? 'Because I'm not liking how close we're getting to whatever's in the middle of that thing."
Lenny swallowed hard.
Lenny: "We've seen enough. We know what they're building. We can get out and warn Ronnie."
Emilia's eyes met Henry's again.
Emilia: "… If we go any closer, there's no turning back. You know that."
Ichiro stayed quiet, waiting for Henry's call.
Henry looked back at the Grid one last time, the faint gravitational hum still crawling along his skin.
Henry: "… We're done for now. We pull back."
Emilia exhaled softly, relieved but still tense.
Emilia: "…Good."
Jack smirked faintly, turning toward the way they came.
Jack: "Finally, some sense."
As they turned to leave, faint movement stirred in the cavern below.
One of the Guardians stopped what it was doing.
It slowly raised its head.
And then another voice—deeper, more deliberate than the whisper—echoed faintly from the spire itself.
"…Let them go. They've seen enough."
Henry froze for a brief second.
That voice wasn't Zorath's. It was someone else—someone higher.
But they didn't stay. They moved quickly back through the tunnel, leaving the Grid behind.
Far below the Ascendant Grid, in a hidden chamber lit only by faint golden light, Ravenous Halo knelt.
In front of him hovered a distorted holographic projection—not fully clear, but enough to show the faint outline of a man cloaked in golden fractal patterns, a faint crown-like shimmer behind his head.
His voice was calm, yet every syllable carried weight.
Mysterious Voice: "So… the intruders reached the threshold."
Ravenous Halo bowed his head deeper.
Ravenous Halo: "Yes. They were strong but unrefined. I measured them as you requested. They will not threaten the Ascendant Grid."
The voice gave a soft, almost amused hum.
Mysterious Voice: "Good. Let them leave. Their fear will spread more than their blades."
Ravenous tilted his head slightly.
Ravenous Halo: "Shall I alert Zorath Veil to their presence?"
A faint chuckle.
Mysterious Voice: "No. Zorath serves his purpose well, but this… is beyond him. The Halo has larger designs than him or an Ascendant."
The voice paused, then spoke again, quieter.
Mysterious Voice: "Continue preparations for the Offering. Elion Vaydrin must be preserved until the final phase. He is the key… But the one marked by heaven is quite the interesting one; maybe he can be an even better offering than the young Elion."
Ravenous Halo lowered his head further.
Ravenous Halo: "As you command."
The projection flickered once before fading completely.
Ravenous Halo rose, his halo implant spinning faintly.
Ravenous Halo (quietly): "…The Halo ascends. All will kneel."