Damon activated the golden gem, holding it steady between his fingers as a wave of warmth pulsed through his palm. The gem vibrated with a low, thrumming hum, like the heartbeat of a slumbering titan. A moment later, a deep chime echoed in the air around them.
[Ding! Initializing artifact: Null Sanctum Sigma-9… Core authority detected. Access level: Override. Beginning stabilization.]
Suddenly, the very air warped around them. The vibrant green valley, lush and peaceful, trembled as space itself was bent and carved.
With a deafening clang, a massive circular dome erupted from the ground, silent one moment, roaring with mechanical might the next.
Gleaming black alloy panels rose from the earth like a blooming steel lotus, clicking into place with smooth, terrifying precision. The dome pulsed with faint golden lines of runic etching, sealing shut with a clang that sent a pressure wave through the grass.