Opening – The Plan Unfolds
The Awakened camp is eerily quiet after the heated Council debate. Tensions remain high, but the group has found a fragile consensus: they need to strike at the heart of Zarxes' operation. The key is an Isu facility deep in The Obsidian Forest, an area marked on old maps as a zone of relics and tech believed to have been abandoned after the First Collapse.
The information Kaelen recovered from the data spike points to this facility as a primary nexus for Zarxes' operations. It houses a covert Isu network of research on genetic augmentation, as well as a relay station capable of controlling the Hounds and their programming.
Kaelen stands before his team at the dawn of the planning session. The map of the Obsidian Forest spreads across the table, with red marks on key strategic locations. Seren, Taryn, Rhoan, and the others are gathered around, waiting for the plan to unfold.
"This isn't just a raid," Kaelen begins, his voice low and calculated. "This is a strike to cripple Zarxes at the source. If we do this right, we'll have the leverage to dismantle his army, but it has to be clean. Stealth. Precision."
Seren's eyes gleam with focus as she reviews the map. Her voice is firm.
"I'll lead the infiltration team. We'll enter from the east—through the ancient aqueducts that run beneath the facility. It's hidden, and Zarxes wouldn't expect us to approach from the old waterways."
Kaelen nods in agreement.
"Taryn, you'll handle tech support. We'll need to disable the perimeter defenses once we're inside. And Rhoan… you'll be our extraction point. If this goes south, you'll get us out."
Rhoan grins, a flash of teeth.
"Not the first time I've had to haul you out of trouble."
Kaelen's gaze sharpens.
"If we're caught, there will be no 'trouble.' We'll be dead."
A brief silence falls over the group as they take in the weight of the plan.
The Infiltration – Into the Shadows
As the sun sets, the team moves out. The journey is long and silent, each step taking them deeper into hostile territory. The dense forest eventually gives way to the sight of the Obsidian Facility—its towering spires blackened by time, half-concealed in the growing dusk. The air crackles with the faint hum of energy, an indication that the facility is still very much operational.
Seren leads the way, slipping through the underbrush like a shadow. Kaelen follows, his senses sharp, every nerve aligned with the mission. The infiltration is methodical—silent. Taryn hacks into the facility's outer system, bypassing old firewalls that have long since been compromised by Zarxes' forces.
"We're in," Taryn murmurs through the comms. "Control systems are online. Moving to phase two."
Kaelen's eyes scan the darkness around them, mind racing.
"Check the perimeter for any patrols. We can't afford to be seen."
Seren crouches, her instincts as honed as ever. The team fans out, making their way through the darkened corridors of the old aqueduct tunnels. The faint scent of decay lingers in the air, mingling with the metallic tang of ancient Isu machinery.
The Heart of the Facility – Unearthed Secrets
They reach the core of the facility: a sprawling chamber filled with massive tanks, tubes, and Isu terminals. Biometric research data flows across the walls in cascading patterns. Screens flash with unsettling imagery: human and Isu hybrids, suspended in various stages of augmentation, their faces frozen in agony or surrender.
One of the screens catches Kaelen's eye—a memory feed from an early test subject. The face looks eerily familiar.
"What is this?" he mutters.
Seren kneels beside him, eyes scanning the data.
"This is him… the original test subject. Before Zarxes ever started his Hound program."
Kaelen clenches his fists.
"So, Zarxes has been replicating us from the beginning. Not just creating soldiers, but us—trying to make his own Awakened."
Taryn, from a distance, taps into the facility's central relay.
"I've got control over the comms and security systems. We're good for now."
Kaelen stands, scanning the chamber with renewed focus.
"We shut this down. Now."
They move toward the central relay terminal, where a cascade of ancient Isu tech hums with low, pulsating energy. Seren draws her blades, ready for any hostile surprises.
But as Taryn begins to hack the core system, the air shifts.
"Something's wrong," Taryn warns.
Before Kaelen can react, the facility's alarms scream to life—loud and urgent.
"Trap. We've been detected!"
The Escape – Running Out of Time
The team springs into action, but the facility's security measures kick into high gear. Hounds, now fully activated, emerge from hidden compartments. Massive drones, heavily armored, take flight.
"We've got company!" Seren shouts, slashing through the nearest Hound.
Kaelen spins, pushing forward as the rest of the team fights their way to the exit.
Taryn works fast, inputting a series of commands into the facility's core terminal.
"Shutting it down—now!"
The entire facility shakes. The lights flicker. For a moment, the team thinks they've succeeded—but then the ground trembles violently, and a deep hum fills the air.
"Not enough time! We've triggered a self-destruct sequence!" Taryn calls out.
Closing – A Costly Victory
The team retreats through the aqueduct tunnels, sprinting as fast as they can, the facility collapsing behind them in a massive explosion. The shockwave knocks them off their feet, sending debris tumbling through the corridors.
Seren leads the charge, cutting through any obstacles in their path, her breathing ragged but steady. Kaelen's heart pounds in his chest as he fights to maintain the pace.
They emerge into the open air, just as the Obsidian Facility crumbles into dust—a final, violent breath that echoes across the forest.
Kaelen looks back once, catching a glimpse of the destruction they've wrought.
"This isn't over," he says, his voice grim.