The skyship had arrived at its destination: Antarctica.
Outside the reinforced windows, the wind howled like a living monster. The sun hung at its highest point in the pale sky, though it was clear it wouldn't stay there for long.
Endless desert plains of ice stretched for kilometers in every direction, broken only by frozen ravines. Far in the distance, a massive mountain chain rose from the white wasteland, its peaks swallowed by rolling storm clouds.
Xavier glanced around the office he had been brought into, unease written plainly across his face.
"Why am I here?" he asked, raising one eyebrow as he looked at Drako.
Drako exhaled slowly and sat atop the white quartz desk. "Listen, Xavier... we want to make you an offer." He gestured toward the window.
"A few kilometers outside this ship is Blackbridge, the biggest, and only, institution capable of helping you control your powers."
Xavier's eyes narrowed.
"All you have to do is"
"Join the Empire?" Xavier cut in sharply. "I'll pass." He stood and strode toward the door.
It didn't open.
"Xavier," Drako said calmly, "you don't have a choice. If you don't get your energy under control, you could die."
"You already gave me the thing that suppresses my powers, didn't you?"
Xavier pulled his vest aside, revealing the reactor embedded in his chest-- a metallic circular device fused to his body. Faint white light pulsed along its edges, the number 1 flickering on a small screen. "That should be enough."
"It's not that simple."
Xavier let his hand drop.
"Listen, I really appreciate what you've done for me. You saved my life--and I'll always be grateful for that. But joining the Empire?"
He shook his head.
"I can't do it. I can't ignore people who need saving just because you want me focused on zones that are more profitable."
Drako reached for a folder and slid it across the desk.
"We looked into your record. You were an Imperial soldier--before you deserted to join the Revolution."
Xavier stared down at the folder, disgust and guilt twisting across his face.
Drako opened it and began reading.
"Top soldier. Promoted to General of Team Beta within five months of enlistment. Exceptional physical condition. High combat proficiency."
"Stop it," Xavier muttered.
"170-kilogram bench press. 240 kilogram squat.."
"I said stop it."
Drako continued anyway. "Deserted on January 10th, 2028. After ten months of service."
"I SAID STOP!" Xavier slammed his fist onto the desk. The room shook. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to breathe before continuing.
"December 29th, 2027. A new breach appeared in Geysir, Iceland."
Drako's eyes narrowed. He already knew where this was going--but he listened.
"I was the General," Xavier said, fists trembling.
"That day, everyone was celebrating. They were praising me for saving District A3.. We were all at the tower. Then we got the report--the breach had opened in the middle of the city."
His hands curled tighter. "I asked to deploy immediately."
"And he refused," Drako said quietly.
"That bastard Lectricus didn't even give me a reason,"
Xavier snapped. "Just told me to enjoy the party."
"We helped Iceland," Drako replied.
"FIVE DAYS LATER!" Xavier shouted. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE?!"
"It wasn't your fault, Xavier."
"It wasn't mine," Xavier said bitterly. "It was the Empire's."
He looked down, voice lowering. "But... I should've disobeyed orders. Maybe then.."
"LISTEN." Drako raised his voice, cutting him off.
"You were fighting lurkers with basic Nexus weaponry up until now. What we're offering you now is the chance to defeat monsters like the lightning user you fought yesterday."
He leaned forward. "Think about how many lives you could save with that kind of power."
Xavier went silent, his gaze locking onto Drako's.
"When my training is over," he said finally, "I'll rejoin the Resistance."
Drako nodded. "I won't stop you." He signed a paper and slid it across the desk.
Xavier picked it up and read aloud.
"I, Xavier Constantine,
hereby swear loyalty and allegiance to King Spark, and promise to serve and fight for him until my last breath.
If I were to desert--"
He paused, eyes lifting to meet Drako's. "I'd be killed."
"Simple formalities" Drako said with a shrug.
"You're trying to trap me," Xavier said flatly. "You'll kill me if I leave."
"If you master your powers to perfection," Drako replied, leaning over the desk, "I don't think there's anyone on this planet who could kill you."
Xavier didn't know whether to believe him.
But the moment he picked up the paper, his fate was already sealed and he knew it.
He was going to sign it.
And he did.
Moments later, Xavier exited the room, hands buried in his pockets.
Malek was waiting outside, slumped in a chair, half asleep.
"Yo." Xavier flicked his forehead. "Wake up. We're going."
Malek jolted upright. "It's time for the admission trials already?" he asked.
"I'm coming with you."
Malek's eyes widened. "You're joining the Empire...?"
Xavier nodded. "Temporarily." He smiled. "Come on ! You really think I'd leave you here alone?"
Malek grinned back. "I knew you wouldn't !'
"So," Xavier asked as they walked, "what's this thing you mentioned... trials?"
"Did he tell you about Blackbridge?"
"Barely. But why would you go? You don't even have-- uhh..what's it called again?"
"Nexus," Malek said. "Not yet! but they said they'll awaken it once I'm there."
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Alright then. He said it's only a few kilometers away--couldn't they just drop us off?"
Malek hesitated. "About that..."
Xavier stopped walking and exhaled.
"The first trial," Malek said, "is walking there."
"Walking?" Xavier stared at him. "It's minus twenty-two degrees out there."
Malek pointed toward the window.
"See that mountain over there?"
Xavier followed Malek's gaze.
The mountain loomed in the distance--an immense black spine rising from the white wasteland, its slopes carved sharp by centuries of wind and ice. Storm clouds coiled around its peak like a crown, lightning flashing faintly within them.
"Oh my goddd bruhhhh I'm going to lose.."
Malek jumped. "NAH WORD !"
The skyship's hangar doors groaned open moments later.
A wall of cold slammed into them instantly--razor-sharp wind tearing through the bay, snow spiraling sideways so violently it was hard to tell where the ground ended and the sky began.
The temperature display near the exit blinked –22°C, then flickered lower.
A tall woman in dark suit of armor stepped forward, her cloak snapping violently in the wind. A silver emblem rested on her chest-- two intersecting bridges over a fractured circle.
"Listen up," she called out, her voice somehow cutting through the storm. "From here on, you walk. No vehicles. No shortcuts. Blackbridge does not accept those who need to be carried."
Her eyes settled briefly on Xavier.. lingering just a second too long.
"The path is 14 kilometers," she continued. "If you collapse, you fail. If you turn back, you fail."
She smiled coldly.
The hangar doors fully opened.
White nothingness stretched out before them.
Malek shifted nervously. "Fourteen kilometers... that's doable, right?"
Xavier didn't answer immediately. His reactor pulsed faintly beneath his coat, the numbers ticking in a slow, steady rhythm.
He stared into the storm, jaw tight.
"Yeah,"he said finally. "Doable."
Malek instinctively pulled his coat tighter, teeth chattering already. "I knew It'd be hard but.. making us walk 14 kilometers in this weather sure is something."
Xavier stepped forward.
The moment his boots touched the ice, steam hissed off his body, rising in pale coils from his shoulders, his arms, even his breathless skin. The snow that struck him melted on contact, sliding away as water before freezing again behind him.
Malek froze. "X?"
Xavier looked down at himself, confused. "I don't feel it," he said slowly.
Another gust tore past them. Malek staggered, boots slipping, while Xavier didn't even flinch. He could feel the wind but not the cold..
Malek's breath came out in harsh white clouds. "I can't feel my fingers already."
Xavier turned toward him, reactor pulsing faintly beneath his jacket.
"Well I sure as hell won't complain." he said quietly.
He stepped closer to Malek and took off his own jacket without thinking, even doing that he was still warm.
"Here take mine! I don't think I'll need it" He smiled, standing in the storm with just an tank top.
Malek smiled and put the coat on for another layer of protection. "Thank you man.. you sure you're gonna be okay?"
"I think it has something to do with the flames?" He looked down at the reactor and saw the number was now at 5% "Yeah, i'm using more of my nexus."
The heat radiating from him was real enough that Malek felt it immediately, like standing near a really hot plane engine.
"You know what? Maybe this won't be too hard.."
Xavier smirked. "Not planning on letting you freeze out here don't worry !"
They began walking.
Each step crunched against the ice, the wind howling so loudly it drowned out everything else. The sun glared down for now, reflecting off the plains in blinding white, but the stronger storm creeping in from behind promised darkness soon.
Malek struggled against the wind, leaning forward just to keep moving. Xavier walked steadily beside him, steam continuing to rise from his body, his presence carving a narrow pocket of warmth in the frozen hellscape.
After several minutes, Malek gasped, "What kind of powers do you think I'll get?"
Xavier didn't answer right away , he thought. "I don't know actually , maybe fire like me? or Lightning like that guy Atlas."
"That would be really useful.." Malek let out a dreamy sigh.
After what felt like hours they finally reached the base of the mountain.
Blackbridge was behind that mountain.
The slope rose almost vertically, a wall of jagged rock and ice fused together, its surface slick with frozen wind-sculpted layers. Lightning flashed above, briefly outlining possible paths...and just as quickly erasing them.
Malek stopped dead.
He tilted his head back, following the mountain all the way up until it vanished into storm clouds.
"Okay.. do you think we have to climb that?" he asked flatly.
Xavier rested his hands on his hips, steam still rolling off him as the wind screamed around them. "Looks like it."
Malek laughed once in disbelief. "Okay. Cool cool cool cool cool.."
Xavier glanced at the rock face, eyes narrowing, assessing angles and distances like he was back on a battlefield. "There are a few routes. None of them are good."
Malek squinted. "I'm seeing some as well , but define 'good'"
"Stairs." Xavier giggled "Lets count our options !"
Malek sighed and rubbed his face through his gloves. "Alright... options. Option one: we try climbing straight and fall.. then we die.."
Xavier pointed slightly to the left. "That slope's too smooth and there's no handholds. Even I'd have trouble there and i'm REAL great climber."
Malek shook his head.
"Option two," He continued, pointing toward a narrow zig-zag ridge, "This could be a path?"
Xavier studied it. "Way too exposed. Wind'll try to throw us off the mountain."
Malek glanced down, "Third option is we can go back to the ship.."
Xavier snorted. "Pretty sure that's an instant fail."
Malek exhaled slowly. "Figures."
He hesitated, then looked at Xavier. "Do you think you could do it?"
Xavier didn't answer right away.
He flexed his fingers, white sparks faintly crackling under his skin before fading, the reactor on his chest ticking steadily.
"With this energy.. maybe."
"How does it even work?"
"I don't know yet , its like there's energy flowing inside my entire body just waiting to be released."
"And.. what happens when you release it?"
"I don't know yet."
"Wanna try it right now? There's no one around so might aswell."
Xavier contemplated the offer and nodded "Right.. what should i do then?"
"Uhh.." Malek thought for a second "OH YEAH ! Maybe try focusing on one part of your body like in Hunted Y Hunted !"
Xavier smiled at the idea and extended his fist forward , he focused the energy inside his entire arm. "Woah.. it feels like holding a loaded gun." a faint light emanated from his skin , invisible to Malek's eyes.
"I'm gonna try punching the mountain." He said with a smile on his face. "Get back in case anything happens !" He looked back and his friend was already a few meters away with his thumbs up
"ROGER THAT !" Malek laughed.
Xavier exhaled, he looked at the mountain wall. His mind flashed back to a few days before where he felt powerless against Atlas, the motion appeared on its own , he did the same punch.
This time though , something happened.
The wall exploded , stone and ice burst fourth in every direction , Xavier had caved a hole in the moutain. It shook.
Xavier's heart dropped "OH SHIT !!" He ran towards Malek and both of them held their breath , ready for the mountain to collapse at any moment.
After a few second, nothing happened.. "Okay.. i really thought-"
"YEAH ME TOO!" Malek finished the sentence "But coast seems to be clear.."
"So.. Nexus seems to make me way stronger." He looked at the hole he made , it was about twice his size and width.
"Geez, you could basically jump over the mountain at that point..." Malek mumbled, not taking himself seriously.
Xavier froze, then slowly turned his head toward him.
"No." Malek shook his head without even looking back. "It's a BAD idea, and it's way too much unnecessary risk. You don't even know how it works."
A smile spread across Xavier's face.
"Xavier, you better not"" Malek's face went pale. "SERIOUSLY, YOU'RE GONNA DIE, DUDE!"
Xavier looked ahead. His reactor still read 5%.
"ALRIGHT! FOURTH OPTION!"
He sprinted forward and launched himself headfirst toward the mountain, focusing his Nexus into his legs at the last second. He leapt.
The ground beneath him exploded into massive chunks of ice and snow, debris trailing behind him through the air.
"WOOHOOOOOO!"
He flailed his arms, unable to control his ascent. As he neared the peak, his momentum slowed, a wide smile spreading across his face.
That smile vanished the moment his eyes locked onto the snowy summit.
A black mass stood there, staring back at him--glowing red eyes he'd seen before, but this one was bulkier than the ones he'd fought previously , his heart dropped as he felt the energy.
"FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!! GRADE-A LURKER!!"
The creature roared and leapt at him while he was still in the air.
The lurker was far bigger than him--its fist alone was the size of Xavier. It connected with his body and sent the boy crashing into the ground just a few meters away from Malek.
"X!"
Malek was swallowed by the snowstorm the impact kicked up. Another crash echoed nearby. He grabbed something from his back and sprinted toward the first impact site.
"XAVIER! YOU GOOD?! WHAT HAPPENED?!"
The snowstorm thinned just enough for Malek to see Xavier's arm reaching out in distress.
"MALEK! GRADE A INCOMING YOU GOTTA R-"
A beam of energy sliced through the air, cutting off the sentence and swallowing Xavier's arm whole.
"AAAAAHHH! FUCKING BASTARD!"
Xavier tripped on the ground again, eyes glowing white.
His blood stained the snow beneath him.
He barely had time to turn before the bulky monster brought its fist crashing down.
Instinct took over.
Xavier forced all his energy into his remaining arm and caught the blow. The impact detonated outward, completely clearing the snow around them. For the first time, Malek saw the scene clearly.
He didn't scream Xavier's name this time. He studied the monster for a second.
"This one's strong... Xavier's right. It's a GRADE A."
His gaze shifted to Xavier, straining against the lurker's strength.
"Alright then," Malek muttered. "Time to use what the Empire gave me."
In his hand was a small handle with no blade. A white container on its side glowed with Nexus energy.
"LET'S DO THIS!"
With a click, a sharp, glowing white blade ignited.
The lurker felt the surge of energy from the side and turned, its attention pulled away from Xavier.
"Oh HELL yeah!" Xavier grinned.
"This is my first time fighting a Grade A! I'm gonna need backup, Xavier!" Malek's voice trembled
"YOU GOT IT!"
Xavier closed his eyes and focused inward. The pain was gone—replaced by a strange tingle, like an itch.
"What if.."
Energy exploded from his arm in roaring white flames.
Malek charged forward as the lurker opened its massive mouth, Nexus energy condensing into a glowing sphere.
He swallowed, his hand trembling. "Shit... I'm scared."
His eyes flicked to Xavier. Even like this, battered and bleeding, his friend trusted him completely.
"I got expectations to live up to!" He ran straight at the attack.
The lurker fired , a beam of Nexus tore across the battlefield.
Malek dropped low, sliding across the ice and barely dodging it. The monster yanked its fist away from Xavier, shifting its full focus onto Malek.
"XAVIER! HE'S BUILT LIKE A GORILLA! I'LL TAKE OUT THE BACK LEGS AND IMMOBILIZE HIM!"
Xavier smiled. His reactor still read 5%, but his energy felt stronger than ever.
He flipped up into three clean backflips, landing smoothly.
He stared at his arm,whole again.
"I FIGURED OUT HOW TO REGROW LIMBS, MALEK!" He waved it proudly.
"FOCUS UP!" Malek yelled.
The gorilla-like monster turned back to Xavier, His energy burning like a fire in a winter storm.
It rose onto two legs and lifted both fists, ready to crush him.
Xavier leapt before they could land.
He locked eyes with Malek midair.
In one fluid motion, Xavier slammed his fist down into the lurker's skull with everything he had.
The creature groaned and collapsed.
Malek slid across the ice once more, then jumped, reaching the lurker's back legs and slicing through them in a single sweeping slash.
The monster tried to rise-- then tripped and crashed back down.
"THINK YOU CAN FINISH IT?!" Malek shouted.
"HOW?!"
"IF YOUR ENERGYIS ANYTHING LIKE WHAT'S IN THE GUNS, THEN YOU NEED TO SHOOT IT WITH IT!" Xavier smiled and gave him a thumbs up before putting both of his palms under himself, he closed his eyes for a few second and.
FWOOOSH!
A wave of small flames exploded from his hands , slowly eating at the monster.
It thrashed and screamed in pain as the flames agonized him.
"Oh.. i thought it'd be stronger.." Malek scratched the back of his head as he looked at the almost pathetic scene.
"Yeah.. me too.." Xavier leapt and landed next to him he was panting "Yeah.. i think this is all my body can manage."
His eyes turned back to brown.
"I.. i'm tired.."
His vision was dizzy.
Malek slapped him lightly on the cheek "Aye ! We have a trial to finish , lock in."
"How are we even gonna climb this mountain.." Xavier fell on his ass.
"Same way you got up." Malek smirked "Come on , one last leap bro."
Xavier had his eyes closed but smiled weakly "Bet."
A few minutes later the two of them were soaring above the mountain , Malek holding tight onto Xavier "NEVERMINDDDDD THIS WAS A BAD IDEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
"Hey Malek.. how do i stop the fall.." Xavier yawned , eyes barely opened.
"WHAT?!"
"Oh.. I guess we're just gonna crash.. then.. its okay.. i'm just gonna.. nap before we do.."
"NO NO NO YOU WON'T!" Malek took off and opened his jacket as much as he could , the wind engulfed inside , acting as a makeshift parachute.. obviously it didn't work as well.. But it slowed the fall enough for it to be non-lethal.
The wind tore through Malek's jacket like a living thing, fabric snapping and screaming as it ballooned out behind them.
"IT'S KINDA-" Malek coughed as snow and air slammed into his face, "--WORKING"
Xavier mumbled something incoherent against his shoulder, his grip loosening.
"HEY--HEY!" Malek barked, shifting his hold and wrapping one arm around Xavier's torso. "GET UP NIGGA!"
They slammed into the mountainside.
The impact knocked the air clean out of Malek's lungs as they skidded across ice and rock, spinning, bouncing, scraping. Xavier's body took the brunt of it, steam bursting violently from his back as heat met frozen stone.
They slid for several terrifying seconds.
Then stopped.
Silence followed. Broken only by the storm.
Malek lay there, face pressed into snow, heart hammering like it was trying to escape his chest.
"We did it.." he wheezed. Then louder, hysterical laughter bubbled up. "WE DID ITTTT!!"
He rolled onto his back and looked at Xavier.
Xavier was sprawled beside him, half-buried in snow, chest rising and falling slowly. Steam curled lazily from his shoulders, melting a shallow crater around him.
Malek crawled closer and slapped him hard. "NIGGA WAKE UP! WE'RE HALFWAY THERE."
Xavier cracked one eye open, brown again, unfocused. He tried to sit up and immediately failed, dropping back into the snow with a dull thump. "I'm so tired all of a sudden.."
"Aw come on ! Do I have to carry you all the way.." Malek groaned and looked around , the snow was thick but he knew it was only gonna be a straight path.
"No.. okay let me.." Xavier tried getting up again , his body trembled but he got up anyways. "Okay, lets do this." he stumbled as he walked.
His friend shook his head and helped him walk , putting his arm around his shoulder "Its cool , we're almost there."
Each step felt heavier than the last.
The wind eased slightly here, blocked by the mountain's curve, leaving an eerie quiet broken only by Xavier's uneven breathing.
Then Malek stopped.
"X.. you seeing this?" he said slowly.
Ahead of them, half-buried in snow, was a massive metallic plate embedded into the ground smooth, angular, unmistakably artificial.
Its surface was jet black, unmarred by ice, as if the cold refused to cling to it. Thin blue lines of light pulsed across it in geometric patterns, moving like circuitry beneath glass.
Xavier squinted. "yeah.."
As they stepped closer, the lights brightened.
A low hum vibrated through the ice beneath their feet.
Then a voice spoke.
"Dear Candidates , congratulation on reaching this place , you are now above blackbridge."
Malek smiled. "Sweeet.."
"Your Trial is incomplete," the voice continued. "Proceed to the final part of your evaluation."
Xavier straightened slightly. "Final part..?"
Malek felt it first. A deep, rhythmic vibration traveling through the snow, through the soles of his boots, straight into his bones.
"Do you hear that?"
Xavier slowly turned around.
Xavier groaned. "Why is it backkk"
The shape resolved through the haze: scorched flesh, burning veins, white-black fire leaking from cracked skin.
The Grade-A lurker.
Malek's blood ran cold. "IT'S NOT DEAD?!"
Xavier glanced down at the faint glow in his chest, it read 5%.
"I mean I guess I know why.." He straightened, breath steadying as exhaustion was forcibly shoved aside. "I'll handle this." He stepped forward, planting himself between Malek and the incoming monster. "Please. Stay back."
Malek hesitated, hands shaking from more than just the cold. "You sure?"
Xavier didn't look back. "Yeah."
The lurker roared, closing the distance fast.
Xavier clenched his teeth. Energy surged through his body, redirected and compressed into his legs.
FWOOOOOSH!
In a single burst, he vanished.
Snow exploded as Xavier crossed the distance in an instant, his body twisting mid-dash. His heel slammed into the lurker's skull in a brutal roundhouse kick, sending the creature skidding sideways across the ice.
It screeched, dug its claws in, and lunged again.
Xavier landed lightly, exhaled, and dropped into a defensive stance.
The lurker swung an enormous right hook.
Xavier's eyes flashed white.
He slipped past the blow by inches, stepped inside the monster's guard, Nexus energy flooding his arm--
WHAM!
A perfect uppercut.
The impact thundered. Bone shattered beneath his fist. The lurker howled, chest caving inward--but it didn't fall.
Xavier backflipped out of range, but the creature was faster this time. A massive hand caught him midair and slammed him into the ground.
The ice cracked.
Xavier gasped, vision flaring white as pain detonated through his body. He grit his teeth as the lurker loomed over him, its mouth splitting open, unstable energy bubbling inside.
Malek moved without thinking.
He ignited his blade and slashed hard at the monster's fingers.
The lurker roared. Xavier tore himself free just as the beam fired—blue annihilation screaming past where his head had been a second earlier.
But the creature simply tilted its head.
Adjusted.
The beam swung toward Malek.
"HEY!" Xavier shouted. "I'M THE ONE WITH POWERS!"
He launched himself upward with everything he had left, soaring nearly thirty feet into the air. Energy flooded his arm as gravity dragged him back down.
Malek dove and rolled, sprinting as the beam carved trenches through the ice behind him, snow flash-burning into ash.
"JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" Xavier roared.
His fist came down like judgment.
This time, it punched straight through the lurker's back.
Black blood sprayed across the snow.
The beam cut out. The monster staggered sideways. Xavier landed hard, stumbling--
Too slow.
A massive hand crushed down around him.
Bones screamed. Blood flooded his mouth as crushing force bore into his torso.
Another distinctive crack, metal.. The reactor.
"XAVIER!" Malek screamed, rushing forward to save his friend.
He blinked once.. the lurker's arm disintegrated , reduced to ash in a blink.
Xavier rose like something was forcing him to stand upright, his back hunched , arms dropping.
A wave of heat slammed into Malek, nearly knocking him off his feet. He knew that sensation, this time it was hotter.. more powerful..?
The ice and snow around them began to melt instantly, hissing, steaming, collapsing into water.
The lurker staggered back instinctively.
Xavier stood at the center of it all , white flames wreathing all over his body like an aura , his eyes glowed white as he looked at the monster.
Malek's stomach dropped. "Shit..shit..shit.."
He blinked once.
The lurker suddenly had a hole where its chest used to be, then it collapsed into dust, scattering into the wind.
"...ah?" Malek whispered.
Xavier turned to him, silver eyes locking on.
The flames had burned away Xavier's tank top, exposing the reactor. Its casing was cracked, sparking--numbers flickering wildly.
Malek didn't see them clearly but at that moment , the reactor displayed..
45%.
Xavier dropped to his knees, clutching his sides. His wounds were gone—every last one—but the power inside him was tearing through his nervous system like molten wire. He couldn't scream. Couldn't cry.
He could only grit his teeth.
"Shit!" Malek spun, panic surging. "YOU HAVE TO PULL IT BACK!"
Xavier tried and failed , he didn't have enough strength to resist the flames.
Malek turned, eyes snapping to the massive black metallic plate behind them. Blue lines pulsed faintly.
He ran toward it--but before another word could leave his mouth, the platform hissed.
A deep, mechanical sound rolled through the ground beneath his feet.
The black metallic plate split down the center, blue lines flaring brighter as massive hydraulic pillars pushed it upward.
Snow and ice slid away in sheets as the structure rose, unfolding into a compact, angular building of dark alloy and glowing circuitry.
Vents along its sides blasted out steam, the sudden heat clashing violently with the Antarctic cold.
Malek stumbled back, shielding his face.
The ground locked into place with a thunderous CLANG.
Where there had once been nothing but ice now stood a reinforced entrance, unmistakably artificial.
Only one word etched above the doorway in cold blue light:
BLACKBRIDGE
The doors slid open with a low hum.
Three figures emerged.
They all emanated an insane presence, even Malek could feel it.
[to be continued]