[Magnetic Coils Placed]
[Grounded Circuits Locked]
"Engage the magnetic engines and seal the 'Relic' within the Trinity Cage," Dr. Solomon commanded, his voice steely despite the nervous energy coursing through the lab. The hum of machinery intensified as the central structure prepared to come alive. Holographic screens flooded with erratic data streams, filling the air with a faint crackle of static.
Three colossal mechanical arms—sleek, angular, and riddled with hanging wires—synchronized with precise movements, closing in around the pulsating, iridescent glow of the 'Relic.' Each arm bore curved magnetic engines on its end, designed to interlock and form a perfect sphere. A low, throbbing rumble reverberated through the lab as the engines activated, sending faint vibrations up through the soles of Solomon's boots.
As the arms locked into place with a resounding clang, the brilliant, hypnotic light of the 'Relic' seemed to shiver. Its luminance dimmed, as though the entity itself recognized the constraints imposed upon it. The air within the chamber turned heavy, almost suffocating, with an electric charge that made hairs stand on end.
[Trinity Cage Secured]
Solomon leaned forward, his eyes darting across the rapidly updating data. He swiped through layers of readouts with precision, cross-referencing variables and system diagnostics. "Cut auxiliary power to the cage," he barked, his hands trembling slightly as he keyed in the command.
Around him, the drones buzzed methodically, their mechanical whirs contrasting sharply with the lab's human tension. In the distance, the only two other humans in the structure, Director Aithne and Susanna, whispered to each other as if they were entirely separate from the chaotic environment. They watched Solomon with expressions that were a tumultuous mix of hope, pride, worry, and contrition, their postures tense as they awaited the outcome.
"Do you regret what is about to happen?" Aithne asked, her hands clenched tightly around her own arms as if to physically restrain herself from reaching out to him. The question lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken fears.
Susanna's eyes, red with unshed tears, reflected the ambient glow of the lab. She took a measured breath before responding. "I don't regret it, but I worry about what he will think of us once he begins his journey." Her voice was a fragile whisper, laden with the weight of deep bonds and inevitable sacrifice.
Aithne placed a comforting hand on Susanna's back, her touch a brief warmth amidst the cold sterility of the facility. "If we don't complete this now, the 'sequence' will be broken, and the losses will be unimaginable. He must go there for all of us to reunite and become whole. This parting is transient compared to the exodus before him." Her voice was steady, carrying a conviction that belied the turmoil in her heart.
Susanna felt the assurance in Aithne's words, but it did little to calm her racing heart or the guilt-filled dread permeating her every cell. She forced a small, shaky laugh, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Hard to be convincing when you're teary-eyed too, Aithne."
Aithne wiped her phoenix-shaped eyes, the gesture both delicate and resolute. "Nonsense. Though I do feel apologetic toward Isabella, for having him return to his previous… condition."
Both women turned their gazes back to Solomon. A memory flashed before them: a solitary figure standing against a tidal wave of foes, his blade shimmering with liquid gold blood. His resolute stance cast a broad shadow that enveloped the figures he was sworn to protect—a silent, formidable guardian against the encroaching darkness.
"Extend the thermal catwalk and open external barriers to the magma moon pool!" Solomon's voice cut through the air like a blade, pulling everyone back into the urgency of the moment. The central platform began to move with deliberate slowness, revealing the molten chamber below. Waves of heat rose in shimmering distortions, casting the room in a surreal haze.
He grumbled as he left his station, heading toward the bay door. "I hate the weight of these accursed EX-Environment Survival suits," he muttered, wrestling the cumbersome gear over his shoulders. The suit's bulk pressed against him, each movement a reminder of its oppressive design.
Solomon stepped onto the extended catwalk, the heat rising in waves that warped the air. The suit's weight forced him into a slow, deliberate waddle as he approached the Trinity Cage. Below, the magma moon pool churned in a violent, mesmerizing swirl of molten reds and golds. Precious stones embedded along the rim caught the glow, scattering fractured light across the cavern walls like a broken aurora.
But Solomon paid the beauty no mind. His focus narrowed to the seamless magnetic sphere before him—the Trinity Cage, humming with restrained power. He began his inspection, gloved hands tracing the intricate seams with meticulous care.
"Diagnostics, diagnostics… let's see what devilry you've cooked up this time," he muttered, frustration simmering as he fought the suit's restrictive joints.
As he delved into troubleshooting, a thin wisp of white, jade-colored energy slipped into the polished, seamless construction—subtle and almost imperceptible against the backdrop of machinery and magma.
[Warning: Manual Override Initiated]
"What?!" Solomon's eyes snapped wide as the announcement blared. Panic surged through him as the locks on the cage exterior began to disengage. "No, no, no, no—NO! Stop the process! Emergency stop!"
His voice cracked as the sphere let out a metallic groan. The magnetic engines whined in protest as the protective arms retracted. "DAMN SUIT! Damn droids, can't you hear?! STOP!" He stumbled toward the manual override lever, his movements clumsy in the bulky gear.
The catwalk shuddered violently beneath him.
[Thermal Catwalk Detaching]
Solomon's heart plummeted as the platform buckled, the screeching metal stabbing through the air. "Son of a bi—whoa! Susanna! Director! Stop this thing! Emergency stop! HELP!"
He lunged forward, grabbing the Cage's outer frame just as the catwalk tore away entirely. He dangled above the molten inferno, heat searing through his suit as his boots scraped desperately for purchase. The Relic's light pulsed wildly, its energy spiraling into chaos.
Bzzrt—
"God damn it!" Barely holding on, his fingers white-knuckled around the metal lip, Solomon braced his feet against a joint in the Cage. Before him, a radiant, pulsating light expanded—an iris of shifting rainbow hues. The brilliance was blinding; he squinted against it, his mind racing to comprehend the catastrophe unfolding.
The room fell eerily silent.
An ethereal rainbow glow swelled from within the Cage, swirling outward in luminous waves. It washed over Solomon, illuminating his terrified face. The Cage's hum deepened into a roar, drowning out his frantic cries.
Across the chamber, Susanna and Aithne stood motionless. Their expressions were unreadable—cold, distant, and almost cruel.
As the iris light receded back into the Cage, Susanna finally exhaled. Her eyes shifted from a white marble jade back to their usual red-hazel. "It is done," she said, her voice flat and icy.
Around them, the droids powered down in perfect unison, as if obeying an unseen command.
She turned toward the elevator, her steps purposeful. "Did I hear correctly on your communicator that the angels are about to lay siege here in a few hours?"
Behind her, Solomon struggled to regain his grip—only to feel the rainbow light seize him. It pulled, not outward, but somewhere else. Energy crackled through the air as his body lurched, weightless, as though cast into a void.
His vision spun—cascading clouds, mountain spires piercing the heavens, floating islands drifting like ancient leviathans, and colossal silhouettes swimming through the sky.
"SON OF A BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII—"
His scream echoed as he plummeted through the surreal expanse. His mind failed to grasp the new reality swallowing him whole.
"Indeed." Aithne's voice was calm, almost serene. "With what we did now… we no longer have to hide ourselves." Her eyes gleamed with lethal intent, her fists tightening as a surge of power rippled through her.