Youri opened his eyes to pain and light.
Blinding white flared directly above him, forcing a sharp groan from his throat as his vision swam. A cold instrument pressed against his face, and instinctively he raised his hand, fingers trembling as he shielded his eyes.
"Reduce intensity," a voice ordered.
The light dimmed slightly, though the ache behind Youri's eyes remained, he realized then that he was no longer alone.
Medical personnel surrounded him—three technicians hovering over the open cockpit, cables trailing from his neck, spine, and temples. Diagnostic screens floated in the air beside them, streams of data scrolling faster than he could read. His body felt heavy, as if gravity itself had doubled.
"Neural activity stabilizing," one medic said. "Vitals within survivable range," another replied, sounding almost surprised.
Survivable.
Youri let out a slow breath and lowered his hand.
Then Halvek spoke.
"You seem remarkably well," the commander said, his voice carrying easily over the low hum of machinery, "for someone who just stared into the mouth of the devil."
Youri turned his head slightly. Halvek stood just beyond the medical crew, arms folded behind his back, expression unreadable. The scar along his face caught the chamber's pale light, making it look deeper than ever.
Youri swallowed. His throat was dry. "I don't feel… well," he admitted.
Halvek allowed a faint smirk. "That means you're still human."
The medics began disconnecting the cables one by one. Each removal sent a brief sting through Youri's body, but compared to what he had just experienced, it barely registered. As the last connector disengaged from the base of his neck, the crew stepped back, securing their equipment before descending from the cockpit via the suspended platforms.
Halvek stepped forward now, joined by Kess and Adin. The three stood over the cockpit rim, looking down at him.
"While you were linked to Altopereh," Halvek said, activating his datapad, "we recorded multiple anomalous surges across every measurable parameter. Neural resonance, cognitive expansion, spatial perception—none of it followed known patterns."
He paused, glancing at the data.
"At several points, your synchronization rate peaked at ninety percent."
Kess sucked in a sharp breath. Adin's eyes widened slightly.
"Ninety?" Kess repeated. "That's—"
"Functionally impossible," Halvek finished. "For anyone else."
His gaze lifted to Youri. "It would seem the Altopereh… likes you."
Youri didn't answer.
He slowly pushed himself upright, muscles protesting as dizziness washed over him. The world tilted, and before he could fall, a hand gripped his arm.
Kess.
"Easy," Kess said quietly, bracing him. "I've got you."
Youri nodded in thanks, leaning on him as they carefully moved toward the cockpit's edge. The suspension line re-engaged, lowering them steadily to the chamber floor. By the time they reached the ground, a large portion of the research team had arrived—scientists, engineers, analysts—all watching with barely concealed fascination.
Some of them stared at Youri.
Others stared at the Altopereh.
And a few looked afraid.
"Alright," Halvek called out. "Begin secondary testing. Helios first."
Kess straightened, though Youri could feel the tension in him. He glanced once at Helios—the radiant titan standing restrained but alive with quiet energy.
"If I start screaming," Kess muttered, "knock me out."
Youri managed a weak smile. "I'll do better than that."
Kess climbed into Helios's cockpit without further hesitation. The hatch sealed behind him, and moments later, the neural link dive initiated.
Ten minutes passed.
To the observers, it was a short span of time.
To Kess, it was eternity.
When the cockpit finally opened and the suspension platform lowered him down, Kess looked pale—his confident posture replaced by exhaustion. His movements were sluggish, eyes unfocused.
"Seventy percent peak linkage," a researcher announced, awe creeping into their voice. "That's… among the highest ever recorded for Helios."
Youri stepped forward quickly as Kess stumbled. He caught him before he could fall.
"Hey," Youri said softly. "Talk to me."
Kess blinked several times before focusing on him. His voice was hoarse when he spoke.
"I never believed in monsters," Kess said. "Not really. Thought it was just propaganda. Fear tactics."
He swallowed.
"But what I saw in there…" His grip tightened briefly on Youri's sleeve. "Calling them monsters would be an insult."
His legs gave out then, and the medics were on him instantly.
"He needs the infirmary," one of them said. "Neural fatigue and cognitive drain."
Kess didn't resist as they led him away. Before disappearing through the corridor doors, he glanced back once—at Helios, then at Youri.
There was fear in his eyes.
Now only Adin remained.
Adin stood silently before Montern, fists clenched at his sides. Unlike Kess, he didn't joke. He didn't hesitate.
He simply climbed.
The Montern cockpit closed around him, and the neural link dive commenced.
At first, the data looked promising.
"Linkage rising… twenty percent… thirty…"
Then—
A sudden alarm blared.
"Spike detected!" someone shouted.
The screens flared red as Montern's linkage percentage plummeted.
"Dropping—fifteen percent—ten!"
Inside the cockpit, Adin convulsed.
Blood spilled from his nose, then his ears. His body jerked violently against the restraints as his nervous system overloaded.
"Sever the link!" Halvek barked. "Now!"
The emergency ejection sequence activated. The cockpit blew open, forcibly expelling Adin onto the retrieval platform. He lay motionless, blood streaking down the side of his face.
The medical crew rushed in, lifting him onto a stretcher.
"Core rejection," a medic reported grimly. "Severe internal damage."
They rushed him toward the medical wing without delay.
Silence followed.
Heavy. Unforgiving.
Halvek turned slowly toward Youri.
"This," he said coldly, "is what happens when a core does not accept you."
Youri clenched his jaw.
"It eats you," Halvek continued. "From the inside out. Organs vanish. Memories fragment. Pieces of a person are stripped away."
He stepped closer.
"No one knows where the missing parts go," Halvek said. "But we know they fuel the machines. Somehow. Somewhere."
Youri thought of Altopereh's voice.
I will be taking some of them.
Halvek turned toward the massive chamber doors.
"Pilot D7," he said. "You will be completing the assigned mission alone."
Youri stiffened.
"You will be escorted to Valor by the mission's commanding officer," Halvek added. "General Aurelion Kaelthorn."