Chapter 60: Journey to the Heart of the World and the Awakening Echoes

Chapter 60: Journey to the Heart of the World and the Awakening Echoes

The terrible truth that Roric had whispered—that the Lords of the Void were aiming for the "Terra Crystal" hidden deep in the Earth's core, and that they planned to turn the planet into a Void portal—had fallen like a bombshell in that small infirmary room in the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. Although Kael was still tired and the Chitauri core lay in his hand like a lifeless rock, this new knowledge had filled him with both despair and an unwavering determination. This meant saving not just one city or one echo point, but the entire planet.

Commander Maria Hill did not hesitate for a moment in the face of this new and unfathomable threat. She mobilized all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scientific, geological, and even mythological archives. Was there even a single clue, a legend, a record of the "Terra Crystal"? How could such a thing be found, hidden deep within the Earth, the Creators' last legacy? It was like searching for a needle in a haystack, but they had no choice.

Kael played a key role in this investigation. Although his physical strength and his senses as an Echo Carrier had diminished, the Chitauri core had responded to the name "Crystal of Terra." Kael meditated for hours, focusing on the faint vibrations within the core, trying to catch a whisper, a guidance from its ancient memory. It was like searching for a ray of light in an ocean of darkness.

Roric was slowly coming to. His injuries and the Void's assaults on his mind had shaken him deeply, but he tried to give Kael and Hill the bits and pieces he had heard from the servants of the Void in that dark warehouse: vague clues about the crystal's approximate location, the natural and artificial obstacles that would need to be crossed to reach it, and the methods the Lords of the Void were using or planning to use to obtain the crystal. Each bit of information was a piece of this hopeless puzzle.

Aslan was Kael's greatest supporter during this process. He both cared for his physical needs and gave him morale during that tense wait within S.H.I.E.L.D. This cosmic war had changed Aslan as well; he was no longer just a street fighter, but also a comrade fighting for the fate of his planet.

After days of intensive research and Kael's difficult attempts to communicate with the Chitauri core, a clue emerged. S.H.I.E.L.D. geologists detected an unusual concentration of energy in the Earth's magnetic field that had never been noticed before. This concentration was deep within the planet, in a nearly inaccessible spot. And Kael's Chitauri core began to vibrate faintly but clearly in response to this energy signature.

"That's it," Kael said, pointing to the spot on the holographic map. "The Terra Crystal should be there."

Getting there, however, was a challenge in itself. Landing at a point close to the Earth's core seemed impossible with any known technology. Intense heat, immense pressure, and an ocean of molten rock... It was like a suicide mission.

Just when all hope was lost, a file emerged from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s "forgotten technologies" archive. A project that genius engineers like Howard Stark and Anton Vanko had worked on years ago, but could not be completed: a vehicle called "Talpa", which could reach the deepest layers of the planet, with a special piercing and protective shield system. The project was shelved at the time because it was considered too costly and dangerous. But now, it was perhaps their only hope.

Commander Hill immediately ordered the Talpa project to be reactivated. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best engineers and scientists began working day and night to bring this old prototype to life and prepare it for this dangerous journey.

During these preparations, Kael's Chitauri core began to slowly revive through its tenuous connection to the Terra Crystal. The crystal's pure, purifying energy fed the core, restoring Kael's senses and powers as the Echo Carrier. Kael could feel the Earth's own "echo" more clearly, drawing energy from the planet's life force. This gave him not only physical strength, but also an unwavering will to carry on in this desperate mission.

But the Lords of the Void were not idle. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence units were receiving reports of increased anomalous activity in various parts of the planet, the appearance of never-before-seen Void creatures, and even the presence of Void agents infiltrating some governments. The enemy was trying every way to reach the Terra Crystal before them.

It was a race against time and the unknown. Talpa was nearing completion. Kael was regrouping his forces. And the Lords of the Void were drawing closer by the moment. This perilous journey into the heart of the Earth would result in either the planet's salvation or the absolute victory of the Void.