Chapter 16: Shadows of the Deep
The emergency tunnels stretched endlessly beneath the Martian crust, their reinforced steel walls humming with residual energy from the relocation process. The team moved in near silence, their breaths heavy from exhaustion, minds reeling from the nightmarish encounter with the Xa'Rath.
Ethan led the way, his pulse steady but his thoughts racing. The Xa'Rath weren't just hostile—they were organized, relentless, and capable of evolving mid-battle. This wasn't a simple territorial dispute.
It was a war for survival.
The Hidden Bunker
After nearly an hour of traversing the dimly lit corridors, the tunnel finally opened into a vast underground bunker. This facility had been a contingency plan, built with advanced shielding to remain invisible to any surface scans.
The heavy blast doors slid open with a hiss, revealing a sprawling operations center. Screens flickered to life, updating with security feeds from what remained of the upper base. Most of it was lost. The Xa'Rath had completely overrun the area.
Michael let out a low whistle. "They move fast. Too fast."
Laura checked a side monitor, frowning. "No sign of Titan. He must still be fighting up there."
Ethan clenched his jaw. The war mech had bought them precious time, but he couldn't afford to let it be destroyed. Titan was one of their most advanced weapons, and if the Xa'Rath got their hands on its systems, they might reverse-engineer it.
That couldn't happen.
EPS's voice echoed through the chamber.
[WARNING: ENERGY SIGNATURE DETECTED. UNKNOWN OBJECT APPROACHING.]
Ethan spun toward the main screen. A single heat signature—small, fast, and heading straight for their hidden entrance.
Laura narrowed her eyes. "Could be a survivor?"
Michael checked the biometric scans. "Negative. It's not human."
Silence filled the room.
Then, the security doors shuddered—something was trying to force its way in.
The Messenger
Ethan motioned for silence. He signaled Laura to take cover near the entrance while Michael powered up the defensive turrets. The steel doors rattled again, a sharp metallic scraping sound echoing through the chamber.
Then, the noise stopped.
A single high-pitched tone emitted from the other side of the door—not an attack. A signal.
EPS ran an immediate analysis.
[DECODING… TRANSMISSION IDENTIFIED: NON-THREATENING MESSAGE.]
Michael shot Ethan a bewildered glance. "Wait. The Xa'Rath don't talk. They attack."
Ethan exhaled, stepping cautiously toward the screen. "Then it's not a Xa'Rath."
The bunker's external cameras flickered, revealing the entity standing just outside.
It wasn't one of the nightmare creatures from before.
It was smaller, humanoid in shape, clad in intricate silver armor that pulsed with faint blue bioluminescent veins. Its helmet concealed its face, but its body language was clear: it was waiting.
Watching.
Then, it raised its hand and held up a device.
A holographic projection flickered to life—revealing a star map.
At its center was Mars.
And surrounding it were thousands of Xa'Rath warships.
An Ancient Warning
The entity tilted its head slightly, then touched its armor, activating a vocal translator.
A distorted, almost musical voice echoed through the bunker's speakers.
"You have awakened the enemy. You do not understand what is coming."
Ethan took a step forward, his muscles tensed. "Who are you?"
The figure hesitated, then responded.
"The last of a fallen world. And if you do not listen… Earth will be next."
Laura's breath caught. Michael muttered a curse.
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
The Xa'Rath invasion of Mars wasn't just a battle.
It was a prelude to something far worse.