The descent into the core’s heart felt like stepping into another world. Shadows clung to the walls, shifting with the dim light from Echo’s sensors. Tension thickened the air as the clock counted down.
“Echo, how much time do we have?” I asked.
“Core destabilization imminent,” Echo replied. “Fifteen minutes. We must hurry.”
The deeper we went, the walls pulsed like veins, leading to a dying heart. Echo’s presence behind me was the only comfort. Finally, we reached a vast chamber where the core hovered over a swirling void, crackling with dark energy.
“There it is,” I whispered. “How do we stop it?”
“Primary access panel is below. Sever the main conduit manually,” Echo directed. “I’ll guide you.”
I climbed down, tearing away the panel’s cover to reveal the tangled wiring beneath. “Ready, Echo.”
“Cut the blue, then the red. Be precise.”
My hands shook as I snipped each wire, the core shuddering with every cut. Shadows began gathering at the chamber’s edge, forming into monstrous figures, racing toward us.
“Echo, they’re coming!” I fired my weapon at the advancing shadows, barely holding them back.
“Focus, Xenon. I will monitor them,” Echo urged.
With a final snip, the core convulsed, its glow flickering. The chamber trembled beneath us.
“It’s working,” Echo confirmed, voice strained. “The core is destabilizing. Prepare for—”
A shadowy tendril lashed out, hitting Echo hard, sending it stumbling. I shot at the shadows, my breath catching as Echo struggled to stand, its frame sparking slightly.
“Echo, are you alright?” I called, panic creeping into my voice.
“I am operational,” Echo replied, its voice steady despite the sparks. “But we must hurry.”
Together, we forced our way back up, the shadows closing in. Echo, still weakened but determined, fired bursts of light to keep them at bay. The core’s glow dimmed behind us, and the chamber’s tremors grew violent.
“I’ve got you, Echo,” I said, helping it up the final ledge. Echo nodded, its gaze focused on the dark path ahead.
“As long as we keep moving, there is hope,” Echo replied, its tone unwavering.
I clutched Echo’s arm, feeling a flicker of strength return as we pressed on through the shadows, ready to face whatever awaited us above.
YOU ARE READING
LunarSync Comms: Dark Protocol
Science FictionSummary: In a distant future where advanced synthetics serve as companions and assistants, Xenon finds herself isolated within the sprawling confines of a high-tech facility. Accompanied only by her android, Echo, she navigates the challenges of an...
