The heavy steel door thudded shut behind them, plunging the narrow, upward-sloping corridor into near-total darkness save for Axel's Maglite and a couple of weaker phone flashlights held by trembling students.
The air here was different – still stale, but with less of the deep-earth dampness and more of a dry, dusty quality. The distant, furious sounds of the Juggernaut were now significantly muffled, almost lost.
A collective sigh of relief, fragile but palpable, went through the small group.
"Everyone… accounted for?" Professor Armitage asked, his voice calm despite the sheen of sweat on his brow. He did a quick headcount. Eight. All present, if a bit worse for wear.
Axel, while outwardly projecting a calm he didn't entirely feel, was internally geeking out. 'Chancellor's Cohort' (Level 1)? Show me what you got, System.
He discreetly focused on the new interface that had superimposed itself in his vision. It was a simple list at first:
[CHANCELLOR'S COHORT – ATHERIA UNIVERSITY DOMAIN (PROVISIONAL)]
* MIA (REBEL TELEKINETIC):
* Status: Fatigued, Minor Abrasions
* Awakened Abilities: Kinetic Intuition (Tier 1 – Active), Telekinetic Impulse (Tier 1 – Stabilizing)
* Notable Skills: Urban Exploration (Expert), Stealth (Adept), Improvised Weaponry (Competent)
* Loyalty (to Chancellor): Provisional (72/100 – Rapidly Increasing)
* KAI (KINETIC DEFENDER):
* Status: Exhausted (Power Depletion), Minor Bruising
* Awakened Abilities: Kinetic Field Manipulation (Tier 1 – Unstable/Raw)
* Notable Skills: Physics (Advanced Theoretical), Optimism (Pathological – Potential Morale Buff?), Tinkering (Adept)
* Loyalty (to Chancellor): Provisional (65/100 – Curious/Hopeful)
Interesting, Axel thought. Loyalty scores? Pathological optimism? System, you're a riot. He also noted the "Provisional" status of his Domain. He hadn't officially claimed anything beyond Sub-Station B7 yet.
This group was an alliance of convenience, for now. His System was clearly thinking several steps ahead, though.
"Alright team," Axel said, shaking off the System-induced reverie. "Professor Armitage, Dr. Hanson – Mia mentioned this tunnel should lead to the observatory's sub-basement. Any idea what we'll find when we get there?"
Dr. Hanson spoke first, her voice practical. "The sub-basement housed geological survey equipment, some older archival storage distinct from Special Collections, and direct access to the observatory's primary support pillar and utility conduits. If Mia's other friends made it to the observatory proper, they almost certainly would have tried to secure this level first."
Kai, who had been leaning against the wall trying to catch his breath, pushed himself upright. He gave Axel a wide, earnest look that was almost boyish, despite the grime on his face. "Chancellor – uh, Axel – thank you. And Mia. We… we thought we were goners when that thing started tearing the place apart." He looked towards Mia, and his expression softened into something that Axel's internal monologue immediately flagged as 'Grade A puppy-dog adoration.' Ah, the 'lover boy' aspect in action. Subtle as a Blighted in a library.
"We're not out of the woods yet, Kai," Mia said, though a small, appreciative smile touched her lips. "But yeah, Axel's… surprisingly good at not getting us all killed."
"High praise indeed," Axel deadpanned. "I'll add it to my LinkedIn profile, once society rebuilds and Wi-Fi is a thing again." He looked up the sloping corridor. "Let's keep moving. The Juggernaut might be stumped for now, but I doubt it's given up on its new favorite chew toys."
The ascent was tense. The corridor was narrow, forcing them into single file. It was clearly old, with patches of crumbling brick and rusted pipes running along the walls.
Every skittering sound made them jump, but thankfully, it was only rats – the normal, non-Awakened, non-Skitterling kind. A welcome, if still slightly disgusting, change.
Mia took the lead, her "Kinetic Intuition" seeming to guide her around loose flagstones and sections where the ceiling sagged ominously. Axel followed, then Kai, then the other students, with the professors bringing up the rear, their calm demeanor helping to keep the students from panicking.
Axel found himself observing Kai.
The kid was clearly smitten with Mia, but there was a genuine eagerness about him, a desire to help that went beyond just romantic interest. He kept offering to carry things, asking questions about Axel's "plan," and generally trying to be useful. His earlier display of power, though raw, had been impressive.
A sidekick with potential, indeed, Axel thought. Maybe the System's 'Chancellor Nurturing Protocol' can refine that raw talent into something truly formidable.
After what felt like an hour of claustrophobic climbing, the air began to change. It grew fresher, less stale, and a faint, almost imperceptible draft could be felt.
"We're close," Mia whispered, her voice echoing slightly. Ahead, the tunnel opened into what looked like a heavy, reinforced door, similar to the one leading to the Special Collections archives, but this one had a more modern look, with a heavy steel handle instead of a wheel. Faint light was visible from under it.
Axel held up a hand, halting the group. He approached the door cautiously, Mia at his side. He listened intently. No roars. No crashing. Just… a faint, almost inaudible hum.
"System, any readings?" he subvocalized.
[SYSTEM SCAN: Door Composition: Reinforced Steel. Lock Mechanism: Heavy Duty Mechanical (Internal Bar). Ambient Energy Signature Beyond Door: Stable. Bio-signatures: Indeterminate due to shielding. Minimal airborne particulate consistent with Blighted presence detected in immediate vicinity beyond door.]
"Minimal Blighted particulate," Axel murmured to Mia. "But something's humming. Could be a generator. Could be… well, anything."
Kai edged closer. "The observatory's backup generator? I told them I could get it working if we found fuel!"
"Quiet," Axel cautioned. He looked at Mia. "Your friends. Would they have barricaded this from the inside?"
Mia nodded. "Definitely. If they made it."
Axel took a deep breath. This was it. He knocked, a solid, deliberate series of three raps. "Hello?" he called out, his voice steady.
"Mia's here! We're survivors from the lower levels!"
Silence. The hum continued. Then, the distinct sound of a heavy bar being lifted from the other side. The door creaked open a few inches, revealing a sliver of a brightly lit, clean-looking corridor and a wary eye peering out.
A new voice, female, older, and laced with suspicion, cut through the quiet. "Mia? Is that truly you? And who… or what… is with you?"
Behind the speaker, Axel could just make out other figures moving, the glint of more makeshift weapons, and the unmistakable, organized look of a place that was actively being defended and maintained.
The observatory sub-basement. And hopefully, Mia's friends. But the welcome, it seemed, was still pending.