Page 20 of Alien Guardian's Vow
A faint glimmer caught my eye, drawing me back to the present. Something embedded in the wall across from me reflected the silver light of my markings. I pushed myself up and crossed the small space to investigate.
A data crystal, partially exposed where the wall panel had cracked open. It emitted a weak energy signature that my markings responded to, pulsing brighter as I reached toward it.
I carefully extracted the crystal from its housing. Unlike most of the technology I'd encountered in the ruins, this seemed relatively intact. The crystal was warm to the touch, its interior swirling with faint patterns of light.
I turned it in my hand, studying it from different angles. A schematic flickered to life within the crystal – complex energy flow patterns unlike standard Nyxari design. The diagram showed what looked like environmental control systems, with a recurring symbol marking key junction points.
The symbol tugged at my memory. I'd seen it before, on my scanner readings just before the device overloaded. Something to do with atmospheric regulation?
Without context, I couldn't determine its exact significance. But the crystal clearly contained valuable information – possibly about the facility's systems, maybe even clues about what caused the instability in the first place.
I carefully tucked the crystal into my pocket. If – when – I found Varek, this might help us understand what we were dealing with.
"Okay, Varek, wherever you are," I said to the empty room, "let's see if your rock-sniffing found anything this useful."
The thought of him methodically tracking through the ruins, following his instincts and senses, brought an unexpected smile to my face. For all his frustrating adherence to rules and tradition, the Nyxari warrior had proven himself capable and adaptable.
I pushed myself to my feet, renewed determination flowing through me. Find Varek. Combine our knowledge. Get out of here alive.
I studied the exits from the alcove, looking for any sign of recent passage – disturbed dust, shifted debris, anything that might indicate Varek had come this way.
Nothing obvious, but my markings pulsed stronger toward the rightmost corridor. This time, the signal felt clearer, more focused than the chaotic readings I'd gotten earlier.
"Worth a shot," I muttered, heading into the corridor, the silver light of my markings leading the way.
VAREK
The aching in my lifelines led me through the dark passages, a thread of silver-gold pulling me forward. The bond, unwanted but undeniable, tugged with increasing urgency as I navigated the treacherous path. Each step brought me closer to the human - to Rivera.
A faint glow appeared ahead, spilling from a massive archway carved with warning glyphs. I approached cautiously, senses alert for any threat. The air carried a subtle vibration, a hum so low it registered more in my bones than my ears, and the sharp tang of ozone intensified.
I stepped through the archway and froze.
Rivera stood on the opposite side of a collapsed section of flooring, her silver markings catching the dim light from scattered consoles. My breath caught. Not from the jump—from seeing her. Her eyes found mine and softened just for a second, and something inside me unclenched. Her eyes widened when she saw me, relief washing across her face before she masked it with her typical engineer's practicality.
The moment our eyes met, the painful tug in my lifelines eased instantly. The sensation flooded through me - relief so powerful it momentarily overwhelmed my caution. She was unharmed. Alive.
"You made it," she called across the gap, voice echoing in the vast chamber.
"As did you." I kept my tone neutral despite the traitorous surge of emotion. "You are unharmed?"
"Intact. You?"
"Functional." I surveyed the gap between us - perhaps four body lengths across, with unstable debris scattered throughout. "Stay there."
I backed up several paces, gauged the distance, then sprinted forward. My leap carried me across the gap, landing with practiced precision on the other side.
Rivera stepped back, giving me space. "Show-off."
The chamber stretched around us, impossibly vast for something buried so deep. Dust lay thick on every surface except for the path Rivera had clearly made to a console. The walls curved upward to form a domed ceiling, inlaid with what might once have been luminous panels, now dark or flickering weakly. Data consoles lined the perimeter, some dark and lifeless, others glowing faintly with ancient glyphs. The very structure seemed to groan around us, a low, continuous sound of stressed metal and stone.
In the center, a massive circular platform dominated the space - a holographic projector, currently dormant. Even in its dormant state, the technology exuded power, humming with an energy that felt fundamentally unstable.
"I found something," Rivera said, pulling a data crystal from her pocket. "Maintenance logs, I think. And you?"
"Cave skitters. A blocked passage. Signs of energy fluctuation growing stronger toward this chamber." I scanned our surroundings, marking potential threats, exits, unstable sections where the floor looked thin or the ceiling sagged dangerously. "This place is different. Too... preserved."
"It's a data archive." Rivera moved toward the nearest active console, her steps quickening with excitement. "Maybe a control hub for the entire facility."
