Rain lashed against the armored windshield of the dropcraft, the sky above choked in layers of ash-gray clouds. The outskirts of Europa's Dead Belt were never welcoming, and today was no exception.
Mike Carter sat across from Eleanor and Lucas, clad in a reinforced field suit, dark with matte blue trims-standard CPOA issue. The Agency had dropped them here with minimal intel, a map, and a vague order:
Investigate anomalous energy signals originating from "Structure Zeta-9"
Location: Castle of Thorns.
Possible Cult Activity.
Of course it's cult activity, Mike thought grimly.
The castle loomed in the distance, its silhouette etched against the horizon like something torn from a nightmare-ancient stone walls strangled by metallic growths and bio-synthetic vines. It didn't belong in this era. Not in this world.
"This place gives me the creeps," Lucas muttered, pulling his hood tighter. His breath fogged the inside of his mask. "You sure this isn't just some abandoned rich guy's horror fantasy?"
Eleanor didn't answer immediately. Her eyes scanned her datapad, expression tense.
"The readings are unstable," she said finally. "It's emitting Black Star radiation. Low level, but still dangerous. Whatever's inside... it's not human."
Mike tensed. He hadn't heard that phrase since his blood test at CPOA-Shards of the First Flame-and he wasn't ready to hear it again. Not yet.
Inside the Castle
The doors opened with a sickening groan, metal and stone protesting as ancient hinges stirred for the first time in years. The air was thick, wet, and humming with faint energy-like whispers crawling across their skin.
Mike's hand instinctively hovered near the pulse-blade on his side.
"Looks like something's been living here," he said, pointing at the claw marks on the floor.
Lucas crouched down, scanning them with a portable analyzer.
"DNA matches unknown strains. Cult mutations?"
Eleanor's voice dropped. "Or worse... Hiveborn."
Mike's heart skipped. They hadn't mentioned the parasitic hive-mind in the mission briefing. That could only mean one thing-the Agency suspected it, but didn't want to cause panic.
They moved deeper into the hall. Massive portraits lined the walls, depicting cloaked figures with black eyes and halos of flame. A twisted religion frozen in brush strokes.
Mike paused at one frame. The face looked familiar.
No... impossible.
But deep in his mind, something stirred. A flicker. A voice not his own.
"Return to the roots, Flamebearer."
He stumbled back. "Did you guys hear that?"
Eleanor turned sharply. "Hear what?"
"A voice. Like... like something calling me."
Lucas scanned him. "No audio fluctuations. Just you, man."
Mike didn't answer. His heart was racing. Sweat trickled down his neck, even in the cold.
The Heart of the Castle
At the center of the castle was a circular chamber, pulsing with energy. In the middle stood an altar of twisted stone and metal, black vines coiling around it like veins.
And at its center-hovering-was a shard of obsidian, cracked and bleeding light.
Eleanor gasped. "That's it. The Black Star fragment."
As Mike stepped closer, the world tilted. His vision blurred. Voices screamed in his head-dozens, hundreds, thousands-until only one remained.
A child's voice.
"You've forgotten us. But we never forgot you."
And in that instant, images burned through his mind. A battlefield. Fire raining from the skies. A warrior with eyes like his, sword glowing white-hot. Sacrifice. Light. Then darkness.
Mike dropped to his knees, clutching his head.
"Mike!" Eleanor ran to him.
He looked up slowly, eyes glowing faint gold for a moment before dimming.
"This... this isn't just a mission," he said hoarsely. "This was meant for me."