Trapped in Shadows

The fractured sky above cast a dim, gray light over the jagged rocks outside the collapsed cavern. Liam's chest heaved as he sat on the cold ground, his hands still trembling from the fight with Kael. Shadowfang lay across his lap, its runes glowing faintly, the purple light flickering like a dying flame. The Echo inside him buzzed, its strange new feeling—wrong, not stronger, not weaker—still twisting in his core.

[Warning: Echo Instability at 55%. System Anchor Straining.]

His fingers tightened around Shadowfang's grip. The alert wasn't new, but the number was higher. 55%. It was climbing too fast. He wiped sweat from his forehead, his breath fogging in the chilly air.

Elise sat nearby, her back against a rock, her dagger in her hand. Her face was pale, her ribs bruised from Kael's attack. She kept her eyes on the horizon, watching for danger. "We can't stay here long," she said, her voice low. "He'll come back."

Mara nodded, sitting with her knees up, her cracked armor covered in dust. She rubbed her shoulder, wincing. "Kael's toying with us. If he wanted us dead, we'd already be corpses. So why hold back?"

Varik leaned against a boulder, his shirt stained with blood from his side. His pistol rested in his lap, his hands shaky but steady enough to hold it. He spat on the ground, his face grim. "Because he wants something," he said. "Kael doesn't do things without a reason. Never has."

Liam looked at Varik. "You know him best. What does he want?"

Varik's jaw tightened. He didn't answer right away, his eyes staring at the ground. "He wants the Echo," he said finally. "All of it. He thinks it's his. Always has."

The words hung heavy in the air. Liam remembered the flash he'd seen—Kael standing over a fallen friend, blade raised. Was that Varik's memory? Or a warning of what was coming?

Before he could ask, a faint hum filled the air. It started low, like a distant engine, but grew louder, closer. The ground under them vibrated, small rocks bouncing on the surface.

Mara stood, her fists ready. "That's not good."

Elise jumped to her feet, her dagger raised. "Dominion," she whispered. "They found us."

Liam stood, Shadowfang in hand, his body still aching from the fight. The hum turned into a sharp whine, and then—movement. From the shadows of the rocky cliffs around them, metal shapes emerged. Dominion drones, their sleek black bodies glinting in the dim light, their red eyes glowing like fire. There were six of them, each the size of a small dog, their legs clicking on the stone as they moved closer.

[Threat Detected: Dominion Scout Drones – Level 3. Combat Mode Engaged.]

"Move!" Liam shouted, raising Shadowfang. The drones lunged, their legs shooting out like spears, aiming for the team.

Elise dodged a strike, her dagger slashing at a drone's leg. The blade sparked against the metal, leaving a scratch but not much else. "They're tough!" she called, ducking another attack.

Mara punched one, her fist glowing with force. The drone skidded back, its body dented, but it didn't stop. It hissed, a sharp sound, and fired a red beam from its eye. Mara dove to the side, the beam burning a black mark into the ground where she'd stood.

Varik fired his pistol, his shots hitting a drone's eye. The red light flickered and died, and the drone collapsed, its legs twitching. "Aim for the eyes!" he shouted, reloading with shaky hands.

Liam swung Shadowfang, its purple glow flaring as he cut through a drone. The Echo buzzed—wild, but clearer this time. Liam stopped resisting. He let it guide his swing, and in that instant, Shadowfang's edge blurred—slicing through the drone as if it didn't exist. It worked. The Echo wasn't just breaking him—it was teaching him. Another drone jumped at him, its leg grazing his arm, leaving a shallow cut. He gritted his teeth, kicking it away, and slashed again, breaking it apart.

Four drones down. Two left.

The remaining drones backed off, their eyes flashing red. They hissed again, louder this time, and the ground shook harder. A new sound came—a deep, mechanical roar from the cliffs above.

"Oh no," Elise said, her voice tight. "That's not just drones."

A larger shape appeared on the cliff's edge. A Dominion construct, bigger than the drones, its body like a metal spider with long, sharp legs. Its core glowed red, and its legs dug into the rock, cracking it as it moved down toward them.

[Threat Detected: Dominion Enforcer – Level 5. Prepare for Combat.]

"We can't fight that!" Mara said, stepping back. "We need to run!"

Varik nodded, his face pale. "She's right. We're not ready for this."

Liam wanted to argue, but he knew they were right. Kael had already worn them down, and the Echo inside him was still unstable. He couldn't risk it—not now.

"Back to the cliffs!" he shouted. "Find cover!"

They ran, dodging rocks and drone attacks as they moved. The Enforcer roared again, its legs slamming into the ground, sending tremors through the earth. The drones followed, their red eyes locked on the team.

Elise led the way, finding a narrow path between two cliffs. "This way!" she called, her voice sharp. They followed, their footsteps echoing in the tight space. The path was rough, with sharp rocks sticking out, scraping their arms as they ran.

The Enforcer's legs hit the ground behind them, getting closer. Liam glanced back, his heart racing. It was fast—too fast.

Varik stumbled, his injured side slowing him down. Mara grabbed his arm, pulling him along. "Keep moving!" she said, her voice rough but firm.

They reached a small cave in the cliff, just big enough to fit them. Elise ducked inside first, then Mara and Varik. Liam went last, turning to face the entrance, Shadowfang ready.

The Enforcer stopped outside, its red core glowing brighter. It raised a leg, aiming for the cave entrance. Liam braced himself, ready to fight.

But then—a new sound. A low hum, different from the Enforcer's roar. The ground under the construct glowed with faint blue lines, forming a circle. Runes. Dominion runes.

"It's a trap!" Liam shouted.

The runes flared, and a net of blue energy shot up, wrapping around the Enforcer. The construct roared, its legs thrashing, but the net held tight, pulling it down. The drones froze, their eyes flickering, then shut off, falling to the ground.

For a moment, there was silence.

Mara let out a breath. "That… wasn't us."

Varik's eyes narrowed. "Dominion tech. They set this up. But why?"

Elise peeked out of the cave, her dagger still in hand. "Maybe they wanted to catch something bigger. Like Kael."

Liam didn't answer. He was staring at the runes, his mind racing. The Echo inside him flared—sharp, urgent. A warning. But of what?

Then—a crack. The ground under them shifted, and the cave floor dropped. It wasn't a cave—it was a trapdoor.

They fell, the darkness swallowing them. Liam hit the ground hard, his shoulder taking the impact. He groaned, rolling to his side. The others landed nearby, their grunts echoing in the new space.

They were in a tunnel, its walls lined with more Dominion runes, glowing faintly blue. The air was cold, heavy with the smell of metal and oil.

Mara stood, helping Varik up. "Where are we?"

Elise looked around, her face tense. "Some kind of Dominion base. We're deeper than I thought."

Liam got to his feet, Shadowfang in hand. The Echo's buzz grew louder, and a new alert flashed in his mind.

[Warning: Echo Sync Rising – 56%. Unknown Energy Source Detected.]

He froze. "Something's here," he said, his voice low.

Before anyone could answer, a sharp clang echoed through the tunnel. Metal on metal. Then—a scream. Varik's scream.

Liam turned just in time to see a hidden panel in the wall slide open. A Dominion blade shot out, fast and silent, slicing into Varik's leg. He fell, blood pouring from the wound, staining the stone floor red.

"Varik!" Mara shouted, dropping to his side.

Elise moved to help, but another panel opened, more blades sliding out, blocking their path.

Liam raised Shadowfang, his heart pounding. The Echo burned in his chest, its wrongness growing.

The trap snapped shut. Varik's blood darkened the stone.