The morning air in the dome was quiet, almost too quiet. Tyrin felt the hum beneath his feet, the faint vibration of machines working unseen. He glanced around at his team, trying to memorize faces. Kuzoki stood at his side, grin too wide, confidence spilling out of him. Rann leaned against the wall, tall, arms crossed, looking like he was daring someone to challenge him. Mira's short hair and sharp eyes made Tyrin feel exposed, like she could see straight through him. Tessa moved quietly among the supplies, neat and steady. And then there was Kreo. Silent. Big. Watching everything. Watching everyone.
At the front of the room, SGM Victor Scarr waited. Tyrin shivered at the sight. The man was scarred, towering, and his armor made a faint clanging sound as he shifted. Tyrin could feel the weight of authority in the air, heavy and uncompromising.
"Welcome, Branch Delta," Scarr said. His voice was rough, low, and it made Tyrin straighten up. "You have a mission. Pay attention. Some of you may not make it back. That is the LRT. That is the world you are entering."
Tyrin's stomach tightened. He wanted to show he belonged. He wanted to be brave, to prove himself.
"Our target is a lab," Scarr continued, pointing to a flickering map. "Forty minutes from here. It holds an energy pod. Retrieve it. Return it. Simple."
Kuzoki whispered, "Forty minutes? That's nothing." Tyrin looked at him. Something in his friend's tone didn't sit right.
Scarr's eyes scanned the group, cold and unyielding. "The labs were abandoned before you were born, after the events that took the sun. They are dangerous. Unstable. Full of Blinded. Some weak, some clever. All lethal. Expect anything. Trust training. Trust each other. Survive."
Mira raised her hand. "What types of Blinded?"
Scarr didn't smile. "Mostly cave types. Long limbs, bone spikes. Fast. Winged types may appear near shafts. Water types if reservoirs are connected. Radiation types are rare, but do not assume safety. Keep your wits. That is all."
Tyrin swallowed. He tried to picture the tunnel, the dark, the cold, the silence. He shivered, telling himself it was nerves.
Rann asked, loud, "The pod itself? Just sitting there?"
"Nothing in a lab is just sitting there," Scarr replied. "Expect traps. Expect hazards. Except Blinded. That is all you need."
Tessa muttered quietly, "Sounds like fun." Her voice had no sarcasm, just grim understanding.
Mira's eyes flicked toward Tyrin. He felt the weight of her glance, but looked away quickly. He didn't understand why it mattered.
"Move out," Scarr said, clapping his hands. "Form up. Stick together. Eyes open. Listen to teammates. Watch your surroundings. Move carefully."
The corridors swallowed them. The dome outside seemed distant, a memory fading. The hum of machinery pressed against his ears. Tyrin could hear every footstep. Every echo. Every whisper of air.
The northern access tunnel yawned ahead. Broken cables dangled from the ceiling. Shallow water covered parts of the floor. Faint noises drifted from the darkness. Tyrin's fingers itched. Something pulsed beneath his skin. He tried to ignore it. He told himself it was nerves.
"Looks like hell," Rann muttered.
"Probably worse," Kuzoki said. Tension in his voice.
The tunnel was black, heavy, swallowing the team. Tyrin's stomach twisted. Drips echoed, bouncing off walls like whispers. Every sound felt closer. Every shadow seemed alive.
Scarr stopped and held a hand up. "Here is where it begins. Stick together. Watch the shadows. One wrong step, and you will regret it."
Tyrin's chest tightened. Something beneath his skin pulsed again. He shook his hands, trying to ignore it. Focus. Breathe. Trust.
Mira whispered, just loud enough for him, "Stay focused. We're counting on you."
He nodded, though he didn't know why her words helped.
The team moved deeper. Darkness stretched and bent in ways that made no sense. Drips became splashes. Shadows twisted. Tyrin's heartbeat grew faster. The pulse beneath his skin was sharper now.
The tunnel opened into a chamber. Broken machinery littered the floor. Water dripped from the ceiling. Faint glows reflected off metal, but barely lit the space. Tyrin felt heat under his skin. Tingling crawled into his arms.
Scarr stepped forward. "Eyes up. Form a line. This is the lab. Watch your step. Watch the shadows. Move carefully."
Tyrin's eyes darted. Every shadow seemed to twitch. Every sound seemed to grow. He felt something watching, aware.
And then he knew. The lab knew they were here. And whatever was in the darkness was waiting.
Tyrin's fingers tingled. His arms ached. He swallowed. The pulse was no longer subtle. It was alive. It made him hesitate.
He took the first step into the lab, the darkness closing around them, unaware of what was soon to come.