Night deepened within the underground sanctuary.
Where once silence and fear reigned, laughter now echoed through the steel corridors. The expedition had returned whole. Relief painted every face, joy spilled in warm embraces, and for the first time in their despair, the air carried the spark of hope.
But amidst celebration, Tian's voice cut through—firm, unyielding.
"Do not be careless. We were exposed for hours. Suits or not, the miasma lingers. The tragedy of the drivers taught us that much. Everyone will undergo medical checks. No excuses."
The reminder sobered them. Victory or not, survival demanded vigilance.
At 10:05 PM, the expedition groups gathered in the grand conference hall. The shift was immediate—festive chatter gave way to sharp focus. Seated row by row, they answered Tian's questions: dizziness, nausea, strange dreams? Each detail mattered. Subtle symptoms could mean the difference between life and death.
Then—
The doors opened.
Amara entered.
The hall erupted with applause, cheers, even tears. She had become more than a comrade—she was their guiding star, the fragile flame against an eternal night. Still pale from exhaustion, she smiled faintly, taking her seat as hands reached out to greet her.
The meeting shifted. Strategy, logistics, survival.
Improved equipment.Fallback routes.Every possibility dissected, every threat prepared for.
Then Amara rose. Her voice, though soft, commanded attention.
"The ruins I touched with my spirit… they were vast, like a broken shelter. But there was more. I felt it—a presence. Something alive."
The words rippled through the hall like a stone cast into still water.
Tian's expression hardened.
"We'll investigate tomorrow."
By 11:30 PM, the gathering dispersed. The community returned to their quarters, heavy with fatigue, yet carrying the fragile thread of anticipation for what awaited at dawn.
Day 2
7:20 AM.
The vehicle bay buzzed with motion. Suits sealed. Weapons checked. Beacons packed. The convoy stood ready.
Tian's order rang clear.
"Move out."
Engines roared. They advanced, returning to the final checkpoint from Day One, then pressed further east—Amara at the lead once more.
At the ruins she had described, the team halted.
Amara drifted from her body, her glowing spirit weaving through crumbled walls and collapsed towers. Six minutes. She combed every corner, every beam, every shadow.
But in the end—Nothing.No energy. No sentience. Only ruins.
Exhaustion crushed her as she collapsed back into her body, unconscious. An hour later, she awoke with her verdict.
"It could serve as shelter. But there is no life here—not anymore."
So they pressed onward.
Step by step. Beacon by beacon.
Eight hours later, checkpoint two was reached—eleven kilometers from the sanctuary. No incidents. No attacks. Their confidence grew, though the weight of fatigue was ever-present.
At 7:34 PM, the expedition returned. This time, their report carried not just relief, but a seed of debate.
Kai's voice rose in the conference chamber.
"We drain too many resources on these expeditions. Fuel, power, manpower—most stand idle while Amara and a handful of us push forward. We need smaller, leaner teams."
Murmurs followed. His logic was sound. Fewer people meant less risk… less waste.
But Tian's reply was iron.
"No. If we split too thin, one threat could wipe us out. Numbers give us strength. Only Amara can see the path—if she falters, the rest must hold the line."
The room fell silent.
Amara spoke last. Her words carried weight enough to still the air.
"I have felt it—something alive, near our path. Whether friend or foe, I cannot say. But we must be ready."
No one spoke after that.
Because they all knew—The abyss was not empty.
And tomorrow, it might finally reach for them.