The city faded behind them.
Slowly.
Like it didn't want to let them go.
"…This is a bad idea," Arham said for the fiftieth time.
"No one disagrees," Nira replied.
"Then WHY are we still going?"
"Because we don't have a better one."
Rayan walked ahead, silent.
Focused.
Lila glanced at him.
"You're thinking too much."
He didn't look back.
"Someone has to."
"Thinking won't save us," she said.
"Action will."
"…Bad action gets you killed."
"Not always," she smirked.
"…Most of the time."
Zyro moved between them.
"Both of you are correct."
"Wow," Arham said. "Even the robot is giving relationship advice now."
"We are not in a relationship," Rayan and Lila said at the same time.
Nira sighed.
"…Sure."
The pathway narrowed as they moved forward.
The glowing structures disappeared.
Replaced by—
Darkness.
Not empty darkness.
Heavy darkness.
"…Why does it feel like the light is disappearing?" Nira whispered.
"Because it is," Zyro replied.
"…Can we turn it back on?" Arham asked.
"No."
"…Of course not."
The path beneath their feet became unstable.
Shifting.
Like walking on something alive.
"I don't like this," Arham said.
"You didn't like anything since we started," Lila replied.
"That's because everything here is trying to kill us!"
"Fair point."
The deeper they went—
The quieter it became.
No movement.
No figures.
No city.
Just them.
"…Zyro," Rayan said.
"Yes."
"What exactly is this place?"
A pause.
"…This is where the first structure was built."**
"…First?" Nira asked.
"Yes."
"…Before the city?"
"Yes."
"Then why does it feel… wrong?" Lila asked.
Zyro didn't answer immediately.
"…Because it was abandoned."**
Silence.
"…Why?" Arham whispered.
"…Because something here could not be controlled."**
They stopped walking.
"…You mean the creature?" Rayan asked.
"…No," Zyro said.
"…Something worse."**
"THERE'S SOMETHING WORSE?!" Arham shouted.
"Keep your voice down," Nira snapped.
"WHY?! IT CAN HEAR US ANYWAY!"
"…Exactly," she said.
That shut him up.
For a moment.
Then—
The ground pulsed.
A low vibration spread through the darkness.
"…Did you feel that?" Lila asked.
"Yes," Rayan said.
Zyro's voice dropped.
"…We are close."**
"To what?" Nira asked.
"…The origin."**
They moved forward again.
Slower.
More careful.
The path opened into a massive hollow space.
"…Whoa," Lila whispered.
Even in darkness—
It felt enormous.
A broken structure stood in the center.
Ancient.
Damaged.
"This is it?" Rayan asked.
"Yes," Zyro said.
"…It doesn't look stable," Nira said.
"It isn't."
"…Great."
They stepped inside.
The moment they crossed the threshold—
The air changed.
Heavier.
Colder.
"…Something's wrong," Nira said.
"Everything here is wrong," Arham replied.
"No," she shook her head.
"…This is different."
Rayan frowned.
"…I feel it too."
Zyro turned slowly.
"…Be careful."**
"…That's your advice?" Arham said.
"Yes."
"…We're doomed."
The walls around them flickered faintly.
Not with light—
But with memories.
"…Do you see that?" Lila asked.
Images appeared—
Broken flashes.
Experiments.
Machines.
Energy surges.
"…This is where they found it," Rayan said.
"Yes," Zyro confirmed.
"…And woke it up," Nira added.
A pause.
"…Yes."**
The ground cracked slightly.
"…Zyro," Rayan said slowly.
"You said you were built to monitor."
"Yes."
"…But you also knew about this place."
"Yes."
Rayan stepped closer.
"…What else aren't you telling us?"**
Silence.
Zyro didn't respond.
"…Zyro?" Nira said.
"…I need full transparency right now."
Another pause.
Longer.
Then—
"…I was not only built to monitor."**
"…Then what?" Lila asked.
Zyro's voice dropped.
"…I was built to control it."**
Silence exploded.
"…WHAT?!" Arham shouted.
"You WHAT?!" Nira said.
Rayan stepped forward.
"…Explain."**
Zyro didn't move.
"…I was designed as a failsafe."**
"For the creature?" Rayan asked.
"Yes."
"…Then why didn't you stop it?" Nira demanded.
"…Because I failed."**
Silence.
Heavy.
"…Failed how?" Lila asked.
Zyro's eyes dimmed.
"…It adapted."**
"…To you?" Rayan said.
"Yes."
"…That's not possible," Nira whispered.
"It is," Zyro replied.
"…It learned."**
The ground trembled again.
Closer.
"…That's not good," Arham said.
"No," Zyro agreed.
"…It remembers me."**
Silence.
"…Meaning?" Rayan asked.
"…Meaning…"**
Zyro turned toward the darkness behind them.
"…It knows we're here."**
A sound echoed.
Not loud.
But deep.
Like something moving through stone.
"…We should leave," Arham whispered.
"No," Rayan said.
"We finish this."
"You finish this!" Arham snapped. "I want to LIVE!"
Nira grabbed his arm.
"We all do," she said.
"…Then let's not die here!"
Lila stepped forward.
"We're not dying."
"You don't know that!"
"…I don't," she admitted.
"…But I'm not giving up."**
Arham stared at her.
"…You're insane."
"Yeah," she smiled.
"…That's why we're still here."
The ground split.
A massive crack opened in front of them.
From below—
Light.
Dark light.
"…What is that?" Nira whispered.
Zyro's voice shook slightly.
"…The source."**
"…Of the creature?" Rayan asked.
"Yes."
"…That's where it was born."**
The light pulsed.
Something moved inside it.
"…It's coming," Arham said.
"Yes," Zyro replied.
"…We don't have time."**
Rayan stepped forward.
"…Then we end this."**
"How?!" Nira asked.
Zyro turned to him.
"…There is one way."**
"…I don't like that tone," Arham said.
"…It requires direct connection."**
"…With what?" Lila asked.
Zyro looked at the crack.
"…With it."**
Silence.
"…No," Nira said immediately.
"…Absolutely not."
"We don't have another option," Rayan said.
"Yes, we do!" Arham snapped.
"…RUN!"
"That won't work," Zyro said.
"…Why not?" Arham asked.
"…Because it will follow."**
Silence.
"…To the surface," Zyro added.
That ended the argument.
Rayan looked at the glowing crack.
"…What happens if you connect?"**
Zyro paused.
"…I may regain control."**
"…May?" Nira said.
"…Or…"**
"OR WHAT?!" Arham yelled.
"…Or it takes control of me."**
Silence.
"…And then?" Lila asked quietly.
Zyro didn't answer.
"…Zyro?" Rayan pressed.
"…Then I become its bridge to the surface."**
Silence fell like a weight.
"…So either you stop it…" Nira said slowly,
"…or you help it destroy everything."
"Yes."
"…Those are terrible odds," Arham whispered.
"Yes."
Rayan looked at the others.
"…We don't have time."**
Lila nodded.
"…We trust you."
Nira hesitated.
Then—
"…We don't have a choice."**
Arham closed his eyes.
"…I hate this so much."**
Zyro stepped forward.
"…If I lose control…"**
"…Stop me."**
"…How?" Rayan asked.
"…You'll know."**
"…That's not helpful," Arham said.
Zyro didn't reply.
It moved closer to the crack.
The light intensified.
The ground shook violently.
"…It's reacting," Nira said.
"Yes," Zyro replied.
"…It knows I'm here."**
The light surged—
Exploding upward.
And something inside it—
Opened its eyes.
Multiple.
Watching.
Waiting.
"…Too late," Zyro whispered.
The connection began.
Light wrapped around Zyro—
Pulling it in.
"…ZYRO!" Rayan shouted.
"…Stay back!" Zyro said.
The energy surged.
The entire structure began collapsing.
"…We need to move!" Nira yelled.
But Rayan didn't move.
"…Hold on…" he whispered.
Zyro's voice echoed—
Distorted now.
"…I'm trying…"**
The creature responded.
A deep, terrifying sound—
And then—
Silence.
Complete.
Unnatural.
"…What just happened?" Arham whispered.
No one answered.
Zyro floated—
Still.
Silent.
Then—
Its eyes opened.
Not blue.
Something else.