Cyber Chronicles 2: Prime Voyage

Chapter 37: Crystal

They emerged from the portal, stepping onto the roof of an abandoned building. Crystal glanced around, a sense of familiarity dawning upon her as she recognized the place. Yet, she couldn't help but feel somewhat dissatisfied with their landing spot.

"Couldn't we have bridged directly to the library?" Crystal inquired, her confusion evident. She wondered why they had to make their way to their destination manually.

Lucien shook his head slowly. "We never had the time to sync our coordinates, remember? We were already too weak and we had to leave." He explained, his words held the weight of prior experiences.

"I mean, that's why we're coming back here because we weren't able to explore the library properly the last time," Amadh added.

They were here because Crystal had conceded that the library had yet to make an appearance in Lincoln's memory, up until the point where she had left it. She assumed it might take a while for him to stumble upon it, so she saw this as an opportunity for an independent investigation.

Their initial encounter with the library had been fraught with hopelessness, but they eventually found something out of place which was the charmed white chest. Their exploration was abruptly halted as she lost consciousness that day, forcing Hayden's squad to retreat and regroup.

Now, it was finally time to return. Crystal needed clues, and the ancient, run-down library seemed the best place to begin her search. The library must hold secrets, and she was determined to unveil them.

Amadh and Lucien stood by, waiting for Crystal to make her next move. This situation made her uncomfortable; she wasn't accustomed to taking the lead. "So... should we move?" Crystal said hesitantly.

"Your move," Amadh replied, leaving Crystal feeling a surge of unease. Her shoulders slumped as a sigh of frustration escaped her lips. She absentmindedly pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and finally, she spoke, her words blunt but revealing her uncertainty. "You take the lead."

Amadh began to voice his protest, but one glance at Crystal's anxious expression halted his words. He, too, released a heavy sigh, a shared exhalation of the uncertainty that enveloped them. "Alright," he conceded, his voice tinged with resignation, "but let's not forget I'm not exactly leadership material."

Lucien couldn't help but chuckle. "You're sure as hell better than the both of us," he teased.

"Yeah, yeah," Amadh mumbled. "Alright, let's..." he began but abruptly ducked as a blast of purple energy shot past him. The projectile, originating from behind, was now speeding directly towards Lucien. His reflexes, not nearly as quick as Amadh's charged lightning responses, were insufficient to dodge it.

However, a fraction of a second before the energy blast could make contact with Lucien's face, it veered off course. It deflected from what appeared to be an invisible barrier, before striking the ground. The impact left behind a small hole in the already deteriorating concrete of the roof.

"Looks like our welcome party is here," Lucien announced, followed by screeching growls that were getting closer.

In an instant, the rooftop was surrounded by four leaping Hydes. Crystal and Amadh's instincts kicked in, propelling them onto neighboring buildings. 

The Hydes converged, encircling them from different directions.

Lucien, however, remained on the roof as the Hydes closed in. Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet softened, the concrete turning to something akin to quicksand. The Hydes began to sink into it, their legs immobilized. The ground beneath Lucien remained stable. He watched with a smirk as the Hydes grunted in confusion, their legs trapped in the unusual terrain.