The Orion Project (Rewrite) (indefinite hiatus)

Chapter 26

They entered what appeared to be a massive entryway, it's doors ripped apart and crumbling beneath their boots. Bones crunched and crackled as they made their way deeper into the building. Old, dusty paintings decorated the walls, stained with blood long since dried.

     Devon gazed at them as they walked past, soaking in the details of what he could only imagine was once a magnificent painting of history and culture.

"All of their blades are...gone." Eune said as he stepped over another corpse. "There's nothing left but the hilt, what happened?"

"Maybe whatever attacked them used some kind of magic?" Lucas asked.

"Maybe, but it's weird that every weapon we've seen is without a blade. That would be a massive radius for a spell."

A distant roar from deeper within the building made them all jump to attention, their weapons at the ready. Devon tiptoed forward around a corner, checking both directions before motioning his team. They followed after him, Lukas brought up the rear with his axe raised.

"The further we go in, the more bodies we find." Eune said. "There are a lot more Chimeras in here too. What exactly happened here?"

"Probably some kind of Chimera raid, they aren't that uncommon." Alyssa said, glancing down another hallway littered with more corpses.

"On this scale? What about that thing Lukas killed outside? That's unusual even if it is a Chimera." He said.

"Eune's right." Devon said. "This seems a little too coordinated for these things."

"Maybe that bipedal was some kind of leader?" Lukas asked.

"That's what the Omegas are-" Another screech cut Devon off and they pushed on in silence until they reached another set of wrecked doors.

The chamber they stumbled upon looked to be some kind of gathering area with ornate columns and arches. The ceiling was rounded out into a sort of pointed dome and old murals plastered its surface. At the room's center was an altar with nothing but a strange, liquid like orb floating above it.

"What is that?" Alyssa asked.

"Let's check it out." Lukas said before Devon stopped him.

"You'll have to get past him." He said, pointing at another bipedal as it came into view.

It was similar to the one they killed outside but it was way larger than its brethren, making it look like a newborn in comparison. Its back was lined with spike like fins and it had a few on its arms and legs. Its tail dragged along the floor, its scales making it sound like a massive snake slithering across the stone floor.

Its head was more humanoid than the last with distinct features that would make anyone think it was some kind of Chimera-human hybrid. It's eyes were slanted and retained their distinct yellow color but its pupils were shaped like diamonds.

"That's gotta be an Alpha with how large it is." Rose whispered.

"Heh, doesn't matter. Either way, it's gonna die by my blade." Lukas sneered.

"Wait, what's it doing?" Alyssa pointed at it as it approached the orb.

     It tentatively reached out a single talon-tipped finger and poked the orb at its heart. The noise they heard before erupted from the orb as though it were alive. It's cries and screeching pierced their ears and they were forced to cover their ears again. Even with their helmets it was hard to completely block out the noise. The Chimera finally retracted its finger from the orb and its cries ceased.