Three days later, the ash winds screamed as Kiel and Merren stood before the rusted gates of Vault 13-X.
It was buried into the side of a mountain like a steel tomb, sealed shut by layers of ancient tech — predating the Riftfall by decades, maybe centuries. Most of the markings were faded, but one symbol stood out: an eye with wires instead of veins.
Merren tapped the side of the control panel with a frown. "Military-grade lock. Might be pre-Rift AI-protected. This won't be easy."
Kiel didn't flinch. "Then we break in the hard way."
She gave him a look. "It's reinforced steel layered with quantum alloy."
"So?" he replied, flexing his clawed fingers.
[TRAIT UNLOCKED: "Ironbone Claws" - Penetration Boost Active]
[Instability: 18% — Symptoms: Occasional Voice Echo, Sensory Drift]
Kiel stepped forward, buried his claws into the reinforced seal, and ripped.
Metal shrieked. Sparks flew. The wall trembled.
Merren stared. "You're not human anymore."
Kiel didn't respond.
With a final heave, the vault door snapped open, revealing darkness and decay.
Inside, Vault 13-X was a maze of shattered corridors, flickering lights, and half-dead systems running on backup energy. Dried blood smeared the walls. Some of the corpses looked human. Others... didn't.
[WARNING: Residual system energy detected.]
[Hostile AI presence: Dormant but partially active.]
[Proceed with caution.]
As they crept through the vault, Kiel felt it — a low hum in the air, like the place was alive and watching him.
Then the voice returned.
Not his system.
Something else.
"Unauthorized biomatter detected...
DNA match: 47%... 59%... Error. Hybrid anomaly confirmed.
Apex protocol engaging."
Kiel's body tensed. "It knows I'm here."
Merren raised her rifle. "What the hell was that?"
Before he could answer, the lights snapped to full power.
And the security drones woke up.
Metal limbs skittered down from the ceiling. Bladed drones floated into the hallway like silent ghosts, glowing red eyes scanning for prey.
[ENEMY DETECTED: Vault-Class Sentinel Drones – Tier 1 Mechanical]
[Note: Organic systems not absorbable. Damage potential high.]
Five drones.
Blades, guns, and cold programming.
Kiel didn't wait.
He activated Alpha Roar.
[ALPHA ROAR ENGAGED – INTIMIDATION HAS NO EFFECT ON MACHINES]
"Worth a try," he muttered.
The first drone lunged. He ducked, claws ripping through its underbelly. Sparks flew, and it collapsed.
The others opened fire.
Kiel dodged sideways, leaping up the wall and flinging himself down with a roar. His claws tore through two more, but a bullet grazed his shoulder — a direct hit.
Pain bloomed, and for a second, his vision split.
[INSTABILITY SPIKE – 24%]
[WARNING: Temporary Overdrive Triggered]
[Primal Surge Unlocked]
Kiel screamed.
The remaining drones slowed — or maybe he sped up.
He was everywhere at once, claws dancing, blood and wires flying.
When it was over, he stood alone, panting.
Merren emerged from behind a broken panel, eyes wide. "That wasn't you. That was... something else wearing your skin."
He didn't answer.
Because he wasn't sure she was wrong.
At the heart of the vault, they found a sealed containment chamber.
Inside it: a cryo-pod, cracked open. Dried blood on the floor. Chains snapped.
On the wall, a log played on loop:
> "Subject Delta-13 breached containment. Mutation stable at first… but began rewriting neural firmware. Hybrid became untraceable. Project Apex terminated."
[DNA RESIDUE DETECTED: MATCH – 81%]
[Note: Subject Delta-13 likely shares origin with host.]
Kiel stared at the screen.
He wasn't the first.
Someone — something — came before him. Another apex. One they couldn't control.
And now, he had a choice.
Follow that path.
Or surpass it.