CH.23
qCeleste tightened the straps of her pack as she stood outside the once-abandoned research facility. The air around her felt still, as though the world itself had paused to hold its breath. She glanced down at her handheld console, the coordinates from the chamber blinking faintly on the screen. This was it—the place the chamber had directed her to. This was where she might finally find the answers she'd been chasing, the key to putting Ethan's fragmented consciousness back together.
The facility loomed before her, its walls stained with rust and time. Vines and moss crept up its sides, nature reclaiming the once-pristine structure. But beyond the decay, she could see hints of the cutting-edge design that had once defined this place—smooth metallic edges, faint traces of embedded circuitry that pulsed faintly under the overgrowth, like the building itself still held onto remnants of its purpose.
She took a deep breath and stepped forward, the crunch of debris under her boots the only sound breaking the silence. LYRA hummed softly in her hand, a quiet reminder of Ethan's presence tethered within the device.
"We're here," Celeste murmured, her voice low but steady. "I don't know what we'll find, but... it has to be something."
LYRA's response was calm, neutral as ever. "The facility appears intact. Energy signatures suggest a dormant system still operational within. Proceed cautiously."
Celeste couldn't help but smirk faintly at LYRA's measured tone. "Cautious" wasn't exactly her style, but she appreciated the sentiment. The tension in her chest eased slightly as she moved toward the facility's entrance, her fingers brushing over the small access panel beside the door. The panel flickered to life at her touch, a faint hum vibrating through her fingertips.
---
The door groaned as it slid open, revealing a dimly lit corridor stretching out before her. The air inside was cool and damp, carrying the metallic tang of machinery long forgotten. Celeste stepped inside, her footsteps echoing softly against the smooth floor. The walls were lined with conduits and panels, their faint glow casting shadows that danced and shifted as she moved deeper into the facility.
As she walked, Celeste felt a strange sense of familiarity, like she had been here before in another life. The design of the facility echoed the patterns she had seen in the chamber, the same intricate symmetry that felt both alien and oddly comforting. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking into a place that had been waiting for her all along.
LYRA's hum grew louder as they moved deeper into the facility. "Energy levels increasing," it said. "The systems appear to be responding to your presence."
Celeste nodded, her eyes scanning the corridor for any sign of what lay ahead. She stopped abruptly as the corridor opened into a massive room, its walls towering high above her and covered in glowing symbols that pulsed in time with the hum of the facility. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, similar to the one in the chamber but larger, its crystalline surface gleaming with an otherworldly light.
Her breath caught as she stepped closer, the hum growing louder with each step. The relic in her pack pulsed faintly, its energy resonating with the pedestal as though drawn to it. Celeste reached for it, her fingers trembling as she placed it on the crystalline surface.
The reaction was immediate. The room surged with light, the symbols on the walls shifting and flowing like liquid gold. The air vibrated with energy, a low rumble echoing through the space as the pedestal came to life. Threads of light extended from the relic, weaving intricate patterns in the air that formed a glowing network above the pedestal.
Celeste stared in awe, her heart pounding as the patterns began to shift and coalesce into a figure—a fragmented silhouette, sharper and more defined than the one in the chamber. She could see it now, the faint traces of a face, the curve of a shoulder, the outline of a hand reaching toward her.
"Ethan," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The figure flickered, its light pulsing in rhythm with her voice. It was him—she knew it was him. But he was still incomplete, still fragmented. The patterns around him shifted, forming new symbols that filled the air with a soft golden glow.
"The system is projecting data," LYRA said. "The symbols may contain information related to the consciousness within."
Celeste's eyes darted to the symbols, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of their meaning. They were intricate and complex, but there was something familiar about them—like pieces of a puzzle she had seen before. She reached for her console, quickly scanning the symbols and storing the data for later analysis.
As she worked, the figure grew brighter, its form stabilizing slightly. Celeste felt a surge of hope, her determination flaring as she turned back to the pedestal. "I'll figure this out," she said, her voice firm. "I'll bring you back."
The figure pulsed faintly in response, its movements slow and deliberate. Celeste couldn't tell if it understood her, but she held onto the belief that it did. She placed her hand against the pedestal, the warmth of the energy flowing through her like a promise.
---
The moment was interrupted by a sudden surge of energy, the room shaking as the symbols on the walls shifted violently. The hum grew louder, almost deafening, as the figure began to flicker and distort. Celeste stumbled back, her heart racing as she tried to steady herself.
"System destabilizing," LYRA said, its tone urgent. "External interference detected. The projection is collapsing."
"No," Celeste gasped, her voice rising in panic. "No, not now!"
The figure flickered one last time before disappearing, the light above the pedestal dissolving into sparks that rained down around her. The room fell silent, the hum fading into an eerie stillness.
Celeste stood frozen, her hands clenched into fists as tears filled her eyes. She had been so close—closer than ever before—and now it was slipping through her fingers again. She wiped at her face, her jaw tightening as she turned back to the pedestal.
"I'm not giving up," she said quietly, her voice steady despite the trembling in her hands. "I'll find the interference. I'll fix this. I'll bring you back."
The relic pulsed faintly on the pedestal, a quiet reminder that the connection hadn't been completely severed. Celeste took a deep breath, her resolve hardening as she gathered her things and prepared to move forward.
The answers were here—she knew it. And she wasn't leaving until she had them.