77

Before you run out though, you look around for a radio or a communication device of some sort, and you find a distress beacon activator instead. Works, you think to yourself and hit the button before you make your way as quickly as you can towards the cargo car once more, worried about what's happening there. A badly injured Morgan might mean that the artifact is being stolen by Fiends, and who knows what'll happen if they're able to use it? And there's also the question of why they want the artifact in the first place…is it because of its appearance, or do they know how to use it?

All these thoughts race through your mind as you run along the length of the train. A few minutes of running and you're back at the cargo car, and you kick the door and burst into the room. You see Morgan on the ground, pinned by a Shadow that's straddling her as it beats her viciously. Enraged, you draw your battle rifle and fire at it, catching it by surprise. But to your own surprise, the Shadow simply stands up and stares at you angrily, not even feeling the shots that slam into it. Then it charges at you at an incredible speed, snarling angrily.

Your combat knife slips into your hand and you bring it up, barely blocking the Shadow's blow and shoving it back. It lands on the wall and skitters upwards to the ceiling, hissing at you. You rush over to Morgan's side and help her up, examining her. Luckily, she's still alive, barely, and you ask her what's going on. "Shadows tried to steal the artifact. I tried to stop them. Artifact powered up and hit that one with something that made it stronger and faster," she says tiredly.

You stare at Morgan in disbelief. "What?"

Next