[06: 18: 47: 44]
...
“Hey, kid—what’s your name? And where exactly are we going?” Cassian asked, his voice kept low as they crawled through the narrow metal vents.
“The name’s Lian,” the boy whispered sharply, glancing back with a scowl. “And keep it down, will you? Those monsters might not be in this section, but we never know about them. They crawl through places like rats.”
Cassian exchanged a glance with Dorian, who remained quiet, his expression unreadable.
“We’re almost there,” Lian continued, his voice hushed as they rounded another corner. “We are almost there, big Sis said she wanted to talk to the one causing so much havoc and chaos in the facility”
Cassian raised an eyebrow. “Chaos?”
Lian snorted. “Mara and I haven’t even been able to get to the storage wing, thanks to you. The whole place is swarming with Kalrach now.”
“Umm… I don’t know how that’s my fault,” Cassian muttered defensively, his shoulders bumping against the metal as he kept crawling. Behind him, Dorian remained silent, offering no opinion—just a low exhale through his nose.
Eventually, the narrow tunnel gave way to a vertical shaft, and Lian came to a halt. He turned back.
“We’re here,” he whispered. “Jump down quietly okay”
Cassian and Dorian peered past him. The shaft opened into a dimly lit chamber below. Lian stared at them expectantly, and after an awkward pause, they both nodded in agreement. Satisfied, Lian dropped down with surprising grace for someone so small.
Cassian shrugged and looked at Dorian. “Well he seems to be experienced… after you.”
Dorian rolled his eyes and dropped down, landing with a soft thud. Cassian followed, landing beside them a moment later.
Lian was already on the move, heading for a reinforced door embedded in the far wall. He pulled out an ID card similar to the one Cassian carried and tapped it against the scanner. A soft beep echoed through the quiet space.
The blast doors hissed as they unlocked, thick steel panels slowly sliding open with a muted groan.
Lian gestured casually over his shoulder. “Let’s go Big Sis is waiting.”
They stepped into a wide chamber, hastily converted into a makeshift shelter. Desks and overturned cabinets had been arranged into crude barricades, while one corner of the room served as a sleeping area, laid out with four or five worn mattresses. Scattered among them were cans of food, blankets, and other miscellaneous supplies.
Cassian's eyes lingered on the beds. After everything they'd just been through, the thought of collapsing into one and sleeping for a week was almost too tempting to resist. He took a single step forward before Dorian elbowed him, sharp and silent, a stern glare reminding him they weren’t here to rest.
“Lian! You’re back, I was so worried!” A small voice cried out.
A little girl, even younger than Lian, rushed across the room and threw her arms around him.
“Of course, I’m back,” Lian said, puffing out his chest proudly. “Your big brother’s crazy strong. I even saved these two from big bad monsters.” He gave her head a confident pat as she giggled into his shoulder.
Peeking from the embrace, the girl—Mara, apparently—looked curiously at the two newcomers.
“Indeed, little miss,” Dorian said gently. “Your brother saved us from some nasty monsters. He was very brave.” He reached into one of the side pouches of his gear and produced a protein bar, holding it out to her.
Mara hesitated for a moment, then took it shyly with both hands.
Cassian stared at Dorian. This grim, silent man—who had barely said more than two words since they met—was apparently a softie around kids.
Clearing his throat, Cassian leaned forward and added with a grin, “Right Uncle Dorian really needs help and your brother helped him, it's a pity we younglings must help the poor old man”
Mara burst out laughing, the sound bright and infectious. Even Dorian cracked the faintest hint of a smile.
“We’ll talk later, Mara,” Lian said, ruffling her hair. “Right now, I’ve got to bring them to Big Sis.”
Cassian and Dorian exchanged a glance, then nodded. They followed Lian toward the back of the chamber where a row of monitors lined the wall, flickering with grainy black-and-white footage from across the facility—hallways, stairwells, broken labs, and dark corridors.
Cassian’s humor vanished in an instant, his posture straightening. If the cameras had been working this whole time, then someone had seen what he’d done—the way he fought, the monsters he took down.
His mind raced. But Lian hadn’t mentioned anything about it. Maybe he hadn’t watched the footage. Kids didn’t usually miss the chance to ask a hundred questions if they had.
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And then Cassian gaze landed on her.
Sitting at a console beneath the screens was a blonde woman in a white lab coat, her posture composed and alert, a pair of sharp, brilliant green eyes locked onto them as they entered. Her hair was cut in a clean bob, and she had the person of cold type like someone used to giving orders and being obeyed.
But Cassian could tell immediately something was wrong. His enhanced senses picked up the subtle signs: the uneven rhythm of her breathing, how pale she was, the faint redness in her eyes. She was hurt.
Putting up a brave front, for the kids maybe.
Before he could say anything, Dorian shifted beside him. Something in his stance changed—tense, coiled.
“YOU!” Dorian’s voice exploded.
Cassian turned sharply, Dorian had drawn his handgun, arm extended, the barrel aimed directly at the woman in the lab coat.
“Whoa—Dorian, what the hell?!” Cassian shouted, instinctively moving toward him. But Dorian’s cold, piercing glare stopped him in his tracks. He was serious.
“Don’t, Cassian,” Dorian growled. “This woman is one of the heads of the facility. She’s responsible for all of this! She killed my men! my family”
Goddamnit… what now and why now of all times. I have to defuse this situation fast.
Cassian clenched his jaw, stepping directly in front of the weapon’s line of fire.
“Shut the fuck up and calm down!” he barked, his voice sharp. “There are kids here, for god’s sake”
That landed. Dorian flinched, just barely. Cassian pressed on, “Whatever happened here—whatever she’s done—she doesn’t have power anymore. Not over me. And not over you. I’m here, Dorian. She can’t touch us.”
“So calm down for a moment and hear her out! We have our goal”
There was a moment of silence. Then, finally, Dorian’s arm lowered, though his eyes never left the woman. The hate in his expression was unmistakable.
Cassian let out a slow breath, glancing over his shoulder. Lian had already pulled Mara out of the room the second Dorian went hostile.
Good kid, Cassian thought with silent approval. The situations have taught him well.
He turned back to the woman still seated at the console. She hadn’t flinched once. Her cold, unreadable gaze remained fixed on them like none of it had fazed her in the slightest. Cassian narrowed his eyes. Either she was incredibly stupid… or she was prepared for this.
This is going to be annoying…haa
She was the one to break the silence, her voice low and unnervingly calm. “It’s good to see you too, Captain. We met several years ago at one of the military conferences. I’m glad to see you remember me.”
Dorian tensed immediately. Cassian, anticipating another escalation, stepped between them again, casting him a warning glance. But Dorian ignored him.
“Shut your mouth,” He spat. “You don’t get to talk to me like we’re old colleagues. You don’t get familiar anymore.”
“Then let me speak as a stranger,” The woman said coldly “I’m Dr. Elira Kaine, your partner already said I used to be one of the head researchers here”
“I’m Cassian and this is my partner Dorian” Cassian exhaled slowly, looking at the monitors, “I’m assuming you already have seen us fighting and are aware of me”
“Yes,” Elira said, turning her gaze to him. “The child of prophecy.” Her eyes, once icy, seemed drained now—more tired than cold. A dry laugh slipped from her lips. “If you had shown up a few years ago, I’m sure you’d already be strapped to a research table.”
Cassian’s voice was sharp. “Is that what you did to her? To what now has become the Mother of Kalrachs?”
Dr. Kaine sighed, her gaze dropping to her lap. Her voice came soft, almost weary. “I won’t say I’m sorry for what we did. It was necessary. We were trying to evolve—to prosper.”
Dorian’s voice cut in, bitter and razor-edged. “Prosper? Humanity is on the brink of extinction because of people like you. You brought the calamity.”
“It wasn’t supposed to turn out like this,” she snapped, the thin veneer of calm cracking under the strain. Her voice trembled with barely contained rage. “We were on the verge of something extraordinary. A glorious future—until your illiterate, short-sighted president intervened. That motherfucking cunt disregarded every protocol and research report the moment he read a single line about lifespan enhancement.”
Dorian stiffened at her words.
Dr. Kaine’s eyes found Dorian again. Her voice turned cold, hollow. “That bastard you praise? He’s the one who caused all this. He siphoned funding from every vital sector and funneled it into his obsession with immortality. He fired half the research community—blacklisted or exiled anyone who dared oppose him.”
Her voice dropped to a hiss. “He was the one who sanctioned orphans for human trials.”
A heavy silence followed.
Cassian sighed, breaking the moment. “Let’s move past this, okay? What happened… happened. We can’t undo it. So for now, you listen to me.”
Dr. Kaine looked at him, then at Dorian. After a long breath, she nodded. Dorian gritted his teeth but followed suit.
Cassian called up his interface, eyes narrowing as the hidden scenario window opened before him.
[Hidden Scenario: Kalrach’s Nest | Time to maturity: 27 HOURS 15 MINUTES 06 SECONDS)]
“Good. Now pay attention, Dr. Kaine. I have no idea how I got these powers, but I’ve been receiving guidance—missions, tasks… whatever you want to call them.” He waited until she nodded before continuing. “What I do know for certain is this: we have twenty-seven hours to kill the Mother of Kalrach. If we fail, she evolves—and we’re dead. No chance.”
He looked between them.
“For now, I need you both to cooperate. You can kill each other after this if you still feel like it—but until then, focus.”
Both nodded, albeit reluctantly.
Cassian’s eyes settled on the scientist. “You’re injured, aren’t you?”
She blinked. “How did you—?”
“Not the time,” Cassian cut her off, raising a hand. “Let me heal you first.”
He flicked his wrist, drawing the infinity symbol mid-air to summon the Soulkeep. A subtle shimmer surrounded him as he switched to Preset 2, which had his healing card slotted. A few seconds later, the card activated.
[DING! RUN CARD [HEAL] (CREATION INCANTATION) → {12/25}]
A warm golden glow flowed from his hand and into Dr. Kaine’s body. Her eyes widened as the energy passed through her, easing her labored breathing, and restoring color to her skin. When it faded, she let out a quiet, fascinated sigh.
But before she could speak, Cassian raised a finger. “Nope. Not telling you anything right now. You’ve yet to earn our trust.”
Dr. Kaine met his gaze and gave a faint, understanding nod.
“Good,” Cassian continued. “I need some time to meditate and rest. While I do, I want you and Dorian to figure out how we’re going to kill the Mother of Kalrachs.”
He turned away, leaving the two former enemies in the same room, the weight of survival pressing down on them both.
…
Cassian sighed as he handed two protein bars to Lian and Mara, giving them a slight nod of reassurance. Then, without another word, he collapsed onto one of the mattresses they had gathered earlier. The soft fabric welcomed his weight, and as he stared up at the ceiling, his limbs finally loosened. The comfort lulled his senses, his eyes growing drowsy despite himself.
But he shook his head. There were still things to take care of.
System, assign the Card Slot +1 token to increase Deck Cards.
[DING! CARD SLOT +1 TOKEN USED, DECK CARDS SLOTS +1 ]
"Nice," he muttered under his breath.
System, how many Wish Fragments do I have? And show me all the currently available banners.
[DING! 210 WISH FRAGMENTS AVAILABLE]
The interface flickered to life in front of him. Cassian’s tired eyes moved to see 3 total available banners.
[STANDARD BANNER | 10 WISH FRAGMENTS → 1 WISH | 60% CHANCE TO GET COMMON CARD, 30% CHANCE TO GET UNCOMMON CARD, 10% CHANCE TO GET RARE CARD, 1% CHANCE TO GET EPIC CARD]
[DESTRUCTION BANNER (1 STAR) (ONLY DESTRUCTION CARDS) | 20 WISH FRAGMENTS → 1 WISH | 60% CHANCE TO GET COMMON CARD, 30% CHANCE TO GET UNCOMMON CARD, 10% CHANCE TO GET RARE CARD, 1% CHANCE TO GET EPIC CARD]
[HIDDEN SCENARIO BANNER (1ST ASCENSION) | 50 WISH FRAGMENTS → 1 WISH | 40% CHANCE TO GET UNCOMMON CARD, 45% CHANCE TO GET RARE CARD, 15% CHANCE TO GET EPIC CARD, 0.1% CHANCE TO GET LEGENDARY CARD]
...
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