The fabrication chamber beneath the tower was a relic from another time—a cathedral of machines and cooling fans, half-buried beneath layers of fungal growth and rusted conduits. The team moved with purpose, carrying the shattered remnants of Seraphel's armor and laying her gently on the central cradle.
Selene examined the sphere Seraphel had brought. "This thing doesn't just emit power—it transmits. Constantly."
"To who?" Brinley asked.
As if in answer, one of the consoles nearby sparked to life. A low-pitched hum rolled through the chamber.
Julius turned. "That's not us."
Seraphel's body jerked slightly. Her eyes flared with a blinding pulse. A projection bloomed into the air—a shimmering map, overlaid with fractal patterns and zones marked in Hive script.
Selene adjusted her visor. "That's not Hive code. It's older."
Vara stepped forward. "It's a warning. Or a trace. These are invasion sites—across planets. Systems. The Architect's spread."
Julius stared at the map. It wasn't just this world. It was spreading far beyond it.
"Where's the core?" he asked.
Seraphel's voice echoed, amplified by the chamber speakers. "Beneath the Monolith Wastes. The crater we once called Origin."
Ryka swore under her breath. "That place is locked down by swarms. We'd never get through without help."
"Then we get help," Julius said firmly. "The resistance—others like you. They'll want to fight this."
Seraphel's voice crackled. "Not all will. The Architect doesn't only kill—it converts. Be wary who you trust."
Suddenly, the chamber lights flickered. A cold presence rippled through the room.
From the console, a line of alien glyphs scrolled—and then translated:
YOU CANNOT STOP ASCENSION.
Everyone stepped back.
"Is that… the Architect?" Brinley asked.
Selene slammed a switch, severing the uplink.
Seraphel's eyes dimmed. "It knows we're coming."
Julius clenched his fists, his symbiote armor reacting, flaring with blue light.
"Good," he said. "Let it prepare."