Darkness.
Silence.
Then—pain.
Ethan Cross woke up gasping for air, lungs burning as dust and the metallic scent of blood filled his nose. His ears rang, a high-pitched whistle underlined by distant groans of structural metal. The cold concrete beneath him was cracked. Above, the world had collapsed.
He blinked.
It was a miracle he had survived.
Bits of memory returned. The sky turning red. An explosion tearing through the city skyline. And then, the underground trembled.
He remembered dragging himself through a tunnel.
Then—nothing.
Now, he lay inside some kind of sealed chamber. Dusty, industrial, reinforced. Heavy vault-like doors curved behind him like a crescent tomb.
And then...
[DING!]Fortress Omega Core Reboot – Phase 3 Complete
Vital Signs Detected: Ethan CrossAccess Rank: Commander – Authorized
System Interface Synchronizing…Initialization Successful.
Ethan flinched as a series of blue notifications floated into view like holograms overlaid on reality.
Welcome, Commander. You are now bound to: Fortress Omega.
Access Level: Tier 1Core Systems: 24% FunctionalPower Grid: Emergency ReserveSecurity Systems: OfflineMedical Support: Unavailable
[Mandatory Objective Generated]
Quest: Reclaim the Fortress• Activate Reactor Core• Access Command Center• Reinitialize Security Protocols
Reward:• +500 System Credits• Tier 2 Clearance• 1x Core Repair Nanite Injector
Time Limit: None
"...A system?" Ethan whispered.
He tried to stand. Agony lit up his ribs, but he endured it. His military conditioning surged to the surface. He took stock of his injuries—nothing fatal, just bruised and battered. The adrenaline was enough to get him moving.
The bunker was deeper than it looked. Emergency lights flickered along steel walls. The place had been built for war.
Ethan's footsteps echoed as he limped down a corridor. An elevator—dead. He climbed the maintenance ladder instead. Every breath scraped his throat raw.
Eventually, he reached a massive bulkhead sealed with reinforced alloy. The moment he approached, a scanner whirred and blue light pulsed.
Commander ID confirmed. Access granted.
With a hydraulic hiss, the door opened.
What lay beyond took his breath away.
A vast command hall spread out before him—dozens of consoles, holo-tables, dormant mechs lining maintenance rails, resource lockers, and corridors stretching to unknown chambers. Fortress Omega wasn't a shelter. It was a warbase.
And it was his.
[Fortress Interface Online]
Power Substation Access: GrantedReactor Activation: In Progress...
[Emergency Systems Enabled]
Rebooting Command Core…
The lights flared to full power. The fortress shook slightly, stabilizing on deep anchors.
The system chimed again.
[Quest Completed: Reclaim the Fortress]
Rewards Granted:• +500 System Credits• Tier 2 Clearance Unlocked• 1x Core Repair Nanite Injector
Core Control Level: 47%Shielding Systems: PartialInfrastructure: Stable
New Features Unlocked:• Blueprint Visualization• Shelter Management Console• Resource Tracker• Survivor Log (Empty)
Accessing New Protocol...
[NEW ETERNAL QUEST – GLOBAL OBJECTIVE]
Quest: "Protect the Last Light"(Class: Infinite-Time)
Humanity is on the brink of extinction. You are tasked with preserving what remains.
Primary Objective:• Rescue and Shelter Survivors
Reward per Civilian: +10 System Credits
Reward per Skilled Professional:• Medic: +100 Credits• Engineer: +150 Credits• Scientist: +200 Credits• Builder: +120 Credits• Specialist Classes: [Variable/Hidden Bonuses]
Bonus: Unlock hidden Tech Trees and Systems based on rescued professionals.
Time Limit: None
Note: The fate of civilization depends on your decisions.
Ethan stared at the prompt, a weight settling in his chest.
Save them...?
He hadn't seen another living soul since the impact. But if even a few were alive out there, he would find them. Shelter them. Protect them.
He had failed too many times in the old world.
Not again.
Command Authorization Received. Fortress Omega is now fully bound to Commander Ethan Cross.
May your leadership shape the new world.
Ethan clenched his fists. He turned toward the console, a new fire in his eyes.
The world was dead.
But he was alive—and Fortress Omega had just reawakened.
It was time to begin.