The facility's interior was a stark contrast to the wild, rugged terrain outside. Inside, everything was sterile, clinical—cold.
Kael and the others crept through the darkened hallways, the hum of the compound's generators pulsing through the air. Each step was calculated, deliberate. They couldn't afford to make a sound.
"Stay low. Stay quiet," Edith instructed, her voice barely a whisper. "We don't know what's down here."
They passed through several checkpoints, bypassing security with Edith's expertise. Her karambit was always within reach, a silent reminder that if anything went wrong, she'd handle it.
The deeper they moved into the facility, the more unsettling the atmosphere became. The walls weren't just cold—there was something else beneath the surface. A heavy, suffocating air that clung to everything.
It wasn't long before they reached the central core—a massive, circular chamber surrounded by reinforced glass. Inside, rows upon rows of vials sat within glass containers, each one marked with strange symbols and numbers.
"What the hell is all this?" James muttered.
Kael felt his stomach twist. The air smelled faintly of chemicals, but underneath that was something far darker.
"These are Arcana samples," Edith said, examining one of the vials. "Crimson Sickle's operations are far bigger than we thought. They've been collecting Arcana… and experimenting."
The floor beneath them groaned, and a low hum filled the air. The ground shook, slightly at first, then more violently.
"Earthquake?" Luna asked, her eyes narrowing.
"No," Edith replied quickly. "It's the facility. It's shifting."
Then the lights flickered.
A voice boomed from unseen speakers.
"Intruders detected. Initiating lockdown."
The entire facility began to hum louder, alarms blaring as steel doors slammed shut in every direction.
"Get ready," Edith snapped. "We've got company."
The Ambush – The Heart of the Facility
The lockdown activated, but it wasn't just the facility locking down.
Figures began to pour into the room—more of the masked Crimson Sickle operatives. They emerged from hidden doors, emerging from the shadows like the ghosts of the island itself.
Kael didn't hesitate. Flames ignited on his hands, brighter than before, but tempered. He couldn't afford to burn everything down. Not here. Not yet.
The first attacker lunged at him, a blade drawn. Kael blocked with an eruption of fire, forcing the man back. The heat of his flames pressed against the cold, sterile air of the facility.
James opened fire, twin revolvers cracking in the silence. Bullets found their marks with deadly precision, but the operatives weren't just well-trained—they were too fast. Too sharp.
Luna was in the middle of it all, her spear flashing in the air, striking down one opponent after another. She moved like water—fluid, flowing, never giving them a chance to catch their breath.
Edith was at the heart of the chaos, carving through the enemies with terrifying grace. Her karambit was a blur of motion, each strike lethal, each movement a perfect execution.
But this time, there was something else.
A low rumble echoed through the ground.
The walls began to crack, lines of red light glowing within them. In the center of the room, the floor split open, revealing a massive, glowing red core. It pulsed with energy, like a heartbeat.
Kael stared at it, his breath caught in his chest.
"What the hell is that?" Kael asked.
"The heart of the facility," Edith replied, her voice tight. "It's where they're storing their true experiments."
Before Kael could respond, the room exploded into chaos. More operatives flooded in, some wielding weapons, others using Arcana in ways that Kael had never seen before. Sand, metal, even gravity bent in their hands, manipulated like puppets on strings.
Kael had no choice. He let the flames burn.
His fire lashed out in waves, engulfing his enemies, but as he did, he felt something… different. Something pulling at him. A familiar sense of dread.
The red core pulsed again.
And something answered.
The Heart Awakens
The world seemed to slow. For a split second, everything stopped. The fighters froze. The red core thrummed louder, and Kael could feel it in his chest—like his heart was syncing with it.
Then, a figure stepped forward from the shadows.
It was taller than the others, wearing dark robes and a mask that covered most of their face. They moved with eerie calm, unaffected by the chaos around them.
Kael's fire flickered as he turned toward the figure, feeling a deep sense of foreboding.
The figure spoke, their voice cold and smooth.
"You shouldn't have come."
The air seemed to bend around them as the figure raised a hand.
Kael felt a strange pressure, like something was pushing him back, holding him in place. His flames sputtered.
"The Crimson Sickle doesn't take kindly to trespassers," the figure continued, taking a step closer. "And you are far from the first."
Luna stepped forward, raising her spear in a defensive stance.
"We've already killed your men. What makes you think you stand a chance?"
The figure laughed, a soft, mocking sound.
"Because I am not just a man."
The core beneath them began to pulse faster. The walls cracked open fully, revealing tubes of black liquid rising from the depths. Figures, human-shaped but distorted, began to rise from the vats.
Kael's heart sank.
This wasn't just an Arcana facility.
This was a breeding ground.