Elena didn't stop to rest. After the confusing and intense transmission from the light entity in the glowing pool, a sense of urgency had swallowed her physical exhaustion. Her legs still felt heavy, but her mind was now filled with flashes of vision—images of destruction, promises of hope, and the faint shadow of Lysandra. She knew she had to reach the Technological Oasis, the place where the seeds of civilization awaited, the place where her destiny as the Guardian would be tested.
The passage Unit-X projected as the fastest route to the surface was no longer as pristine as the one she had traversed earlier. This was an older, less maintained path, a labyrinth winding through the planet's interior. Its walls were made of rough, natural rock, interspersed with strange, rusted metal plates, clinging there like giant scales. The faint glow of the luminous moss occasionally lit her way, but darkness was more dominant, forcing Unit-X to activate its integrated light projector. A holographic torch beam swept through the gloom, revealing hidden details.
"The calling signal has faded. However, other energy patterns are detected along this route," Unit-X reported, its voice calm, an anchor amidst Elena's unease. "Analysis shows traces of very old residual energy. Consistent with Architect construction. However, some anomalous patterns are also detected, organic and unknown."
Elena walked cautiously, wary of every shadow and sound. The air began to feel colder and damper in some sections, and the smell of wet earth mixed with a strong mineral scent. She knew she was outside the area directly guarded by the light entity, entering a part of Xylos-7 that might have been untouched for thousands of years.
Ancient Ruins
Suddenly, the passage ended in a large fissure in the rock wall, an entrance to another complex. The fissure wasn't neatly carved; rather, it looked like it had split naturally, yet there were remnants of intricate carvings along its edges. As Elena stepped inside, Unit-X's projector swept the area within, revealing a sight that made her heart pound.
This was a ruin. Not a common ruin left to time, but a complex built with extraordinary precision, now destroyed by unimaginable power. Giant pillars made of glittering obsidian-like material soared towards the collapsed ceiling, some broken in half, revealing faintly glowing crystal cores. Circular structures that must have once stood tall were now scattered across the floor like giant teeth. Thick dust covered everything, shimmering mineral particles under Unit-X's light.
"This is... incredible," Elena whispered, staring in awe and horror. This was concrete proof of the Architects' existence, a civilization capable of building something of this scale. But what could have destroyed it?
"Signs of massive destruction. Fracture patterns are consistent with planetary-scale kinetic energy release," Unit-X analyzed. "However, there is no evidence of meteor impact or major geological events. This damage was... intentional."
Intentional. The word hung in the air, cold and terrifying. The Architects, or their enemies, had destroyed this place. A sign that their history was far darker than she had imagined.
Elena began to walk through the ruins, each of her footsteps raising clouds of shimmering dust. She tried to find clues, something that could tell her more about what happened here. Among the debris, she saw large slabs made of the same material as the corridor walls, carved with intricate hieroglyphs. These hieroglyphs were unlike any writing she had ever seen; they appeared more like moving images, telling a narrative in successive flashes.
"Scan hieroglyphs," she commanded.
Unit-X projected some of the hieroglyphs onto the transparent screen on Elena's arm, which had now partially recovered its functions. "Complex visual patterns. No correlation with known human languages. Requires more context."
Elena touched one of the slabs. Its surface felt smooth and cold; in some parts, there were deep cracks. The images told a story of tall, slender beings, like the light entity she had seen before, but these were in a more solid form. They built, they created, and then... they fought. A schism emerged among them, two distinct factions, one with an upward-pointing spiral symbol, the other with a downward-pointing spiral. The battle was epic, involving immense energy, reshaping landscapes, destroying stars. And then, there were images of them vanishing, escaping, or perhaps just... leaving. An unclear ending.
"Could this be the history of an internal Architect conflict?" Elena asked, a premonition filling her voice.
"Logical hypothesis. Patterns of internal conflict are common in advanced civilizations," Unit-X agreed. "The damage here may be a side effect of that conflict. Or, its legacy."
The Cosmic Map and a New Threat
As they walked deeper, the ruins became even stranger. They found a large statue made of transparent crystal, shaped like an energy vortex, emitting a very faint light. As Elena approached, she felt a gentle pull towards the statue. Her hand extended automatically, touching its cold surface.
Instantly, the statue reacted. Its light grew brighter, and a holographic map of stars appeared in the air above it. There were many flickering points of light. Some points of light were extinguished, others flickered dimly, and only a few shone brightly. In the center of the map, a larger point glowed steadily. Xylos-7.
"Cosmic map," Unit-X identified. "The extinguished points of light are likely collapsed civilizations or planets. The dim points are those struggling. The bright points... are successful seeds."
Successful seeds. That was the core of it. The Technological Oasis held those seeds. But this map also showed how widespread the destruction was. She saw countless points that had been extinguished, a terrifying reminder of the fate that had almost befallen Earth.
Elena traced the map with her finger, searching for the location of the Technological Oasis. The map was vast, showing an immense galaxy. The Technological Oasis was one of the few bright points, very far from their current location. This journey would be much longer than she had anticipated.
Suddenly, a buzzing sound echoed in the distance, breaking the cavern's silence. The sound wasn't environmental; it was mechanical, repetitive, like a machine operating. The sound grew closer.
"New energy signature detected," Unit-X warned. "Not organic. Not Architect. Similar to traces previously found near the Technological Oasis, but with significant variations. Likely... ancient defense system. Or, a threat."
A threat. The word tensed Elena. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her surging heartbeat. She had been through so much alone. She couldn't give up now.
The buzzing grew closer, and a silhouette emerged from behind a pile of debris. It was a Sentinel. Not the Sentinel Elena had imagined, but a much larger and more primitive metal construct, with several arms protruding from its cylindrical body. Its eyes emitted a cold, unfriendly red light. It moved with surprising speed, gliding over the debris, heading straight for Elena.
"Target identified. Threat detected," Unit-X announced. "Survival protocol activated."
The Sentinel's arms extended, revealing energy weapons at their ends. A red energy sphere began to form within its grasp.
Elena knew she had no time to think. She lunged sideways, rolling behind a fallen crystal pillar just as the energy sphere hit where she had been standing. A loud boom echoed throughout the ruins, sending shards of rock and dust flying. The air was filled with a pungent ozone smell.
"Plasma energy weapon. High damage potential," Unit-X warned. "Recommend avoiding direct confrontation."
"I know!" Elena snapped back, scrambling to her feet. Her body ached, but she had to move. If she couldn't fight it, she had to escape.
The Sentinel glided closer, its light scanning behind the pillar. Elena could feel the heat from the energy weapon filling the air. She saw a narrow crevice among the debris on the other side of the cavern, which she might be able to use to escape.
"Escape route identified. That crevice leads to an ancient service tunnel. Most likely unguarded," Unit-X informed her.
Elena didn't wait any longer. She ran, using her remaining strength. Every step was a struggle, but adrenaline surged through her veins, pushing her forward. She could hear the Sentinel's buzzing behind her, getting closer. It fired again, and Elena felt a wave of heat on her back as she narrowly avoided being hit.
She darted into the crevice, barely fitting. The walls were narrow, forcing Elena to crawl. Behind her, she heard the sound of grinding metal and breaking rock as the Sentinel tried to follow, but its size was too great.
"Sentinel unable to enter. Energy signature beginning to weaken," Unit-X reported.
Elena continued to crawl, gasping for breath, until the crevice finally widened into a dark, cold passage. She paused, panting, feeling her heart pound in her ears. She was safe, for now.
She didn't know what else awaited her in the depths of Xylos-7. These ruins were a terrifying reminder of the Architects' power and destruction, and the Sentinel's presence was proof that she wasn't alone on this planet, and that danger was everywhere. She could only hope that the Technological Oasis, and all the secrets it held, were worth the risk. With that, she continued her journey, through the unknown darkness, towards humanity's last hope.