Re: CLOUD ∞

Revelation

In an unexpected twist, Dr. Helena Clydene received a message from her sister Naomi on Zeta-9. The warning was urgent:

"The Pulse has reached Earth. It's using the Cloud as a conduit to spread, but there's a key—a weakness within the Cryosolarium. It reacts to light, pure light. If you can reach its core, you might be able to destroy it. But it's already altering the minds of those closest to it. Whatever you do, don't trust what you see..."

Back on Zeta-9, Naomi's message cut off as her words turned into static. Shadows had begun to close in, and she found herself surrounded, as though the walls of the mine itself had come alive.

The chimeras moved stealthily through the liminal space of the Cloud, their forms shifting as needed—feathers unfurling, talons sprouting, fur retracting. In their hybrid shapes, they felt at home, like ghosts in a digital machine. Leading the charge was Juno, a stoic figure whose cat-like reflexes and hawk-sharp vision allowed her to see through the thickest layers of data distortion. Beside her was Clyde, a shapeshifter with fluid, almost snake-like movements who could sense the faintest pulses of digital energy.

As they advanced, a shimmering gateway appeared before them, swirling with light. The familiar voice of Nirvana Cyberius echoed in their ears.

"Be cautious. The Pulse has corrupted the next realm. Expect hostile NPCs—defenders twisted by the Cryosolarium's influence. You must move swiftly. Time is slipping."

Juno glanced at her team. "You heard Nirvana. Eyes sharp. This isn't just another mission—this is survival."

They crossed the gateway, stepping into a world where digital skies twisted in vibrant shades of crimson and violet, streaked with lightning that flickered in slow motion. Artificial mountains rose around them, appearing almost organic, as if they were breathing. The ground pulsed, reverberating with the eerie heartbeat of the Cryosolarium Pulse.

A hiss echoed from the shadows. Suddenly, towering, corrupted NPCs appeared, their bodies warped with jagged lines and pulsating energy, like grotesque statues with limbs stretched unnaturally long. Their eyes glowed a sickly green, focused on the chimeras with unyielding intensity.

"We have to get to the Reverie Machine's core," Juno whispered. "These things are just obstacles."

One of the corrupted NPCs lunged forward, its long arms snaking around Clyde's torso. He grunted as it pulled him in, but with a flash, he shifted form, morphing into a massive wolf, and broke free with a snarl. The creature stumbled back, momentarily disoriented, and Juno seized the opportunity, driving her claws into its core. The NPC's body convulsed, glitching before dissipating into a cloud of data.

"We're through the first layer," Clyde breathed, shifting back to his original form. "But it's only going to get worse."

Juno nodded, her eyes steely. "We've trained for this. Remember—trust each other and keep moving."

As the team pressed on, a sense of urgency spurred them forward, and in the distance, they saw it: a glowing sphere, pulsating in perfect sync with the Cryosolarium. It was the Reverie Machine's core—central to the Pulse's influence.

Back on Zeta-9, Dr. Naomi Clydene's world had descended into chaos. The once-organized research base now looked like a haunted, abandoned relic, with corridors filled with flickering lights and broken panels.

Naomi tapped her comm, whispering urgently, "Disc-Hoover, do you read me?"

Static crackled, followed by faint voices. "Dr. Clydene... come in..." A garbled voice. "The Pulse... spreading... get out...."

Just then, an ominous shadow darted past the end of the corridor. Naomi tightened her grip on her scanner, her pulse racing. The space bugs had grown more aggressive, evolving beyond anything she had anticipated. They now moved as though guided by a hive mind, controlled by the Cryosolarium Pulse.