Chapter 5 – Vault Sigma-3

The journey toward Vault Sigma-3 wasn't just a test of distance. It was a test of endurance, of will, and of silence. The city behind him was a carcass, its metal bones echoing the memory of what had been. Ahead, the land began to twist—cracked highways overtaken by gnarled roots, fields riddled with debris from the Collapse, and the haunting emptiness of nature taking back what man had ruined.

Nox moved through it with purpose.

The wind carried ash in its breath. Trees leaned like crooked sentinels, and every sound—every snap of twigs, every rustle of leaves—felt sharper now. The Shadecaller path had changed him. It was subtle, not overwhelming. He didn't move faster, but he moved quieter. His presence felt… lighter, like even the ground hesitated to remember his footsteps.

[Skill Passive: Whisperstride (Shadecaller - Rank I)]

You naturally reduce sound while moving by 40%.

It wasn't flashy, but it was useful. Especially now.

By midday, clouds thickened above him. The sky, once bruised blue, had turned iron-grey. A storm wasn't far. He spotted a fractured service tunnel along the edge of an old transit road—half-collapsed, dark, and half-swallowed by moss and dust. Shelter, for now.

Inside, it smelled like mold and rust. The walls were lined with outdated service panels, their screens dead, buttons cracked. He found a dry corner and opened his inventory.

The map he'd taken from the raider still glowed faintly, a digital trace embedded in the paper. He laid it out and focused. A soft pulse activated on the HUD.

[Map Synced – Region: Fringe Sector 17B]

Highlighted Route: Vault Sigma-3 – Approx. Distance: 6.2 km

Terrain: Variable / Hostile

Estimated Travel Time: 4-6 hours

Threat Zones Detected: 3

Three threat zones.

That meant danger wasn't just possible—it was expected.

Before he could study more, his system pinged again.

[New Feature Unlocked: Journal – Archive Memory Nodes]

Memory Nodes are remnants of past users connected to the Seed Core Network.

Scanning potential nodes can unlock fragments of knowledge, skill boosts, or lore.

That was new.

A soft icon blinked nearby.

There—half-hidden in a cracked service box was a flickering screen. The system had detected a node embedded within. Nox reached forward and activated it.

The tunnel darkened, and suddenly the flicker of a ghostly projection emerged. A woman in tattered combat gear stood still, her eyes hollow, her voice static-warped.

"Vault Sigma-3 isn't what they think," she said. "Not a shelter. Not a sanctuary. It's a containment zone. If you're hearing this, turn back."

Then the image shattered.

[Memory Fragment Recovered: Fragment #082 – Vault Sigma Warnings]

Insight Gained: +2

Lore Unlocked: Vault Sigma-3 History (Partial)

Nox leaned back, heart suddenly a little heavier.

A containment zone? Of what?

He closed his eyes for a moment. It would've been easy to doubt. To give in to hesitation. But that wasn't him anymore. Every fragment, every inch forward—he felt the Seed respond to it.

[Seed Core Progress: 51%]

He left the tunnel by twilight, moving through the outskirts of a forgotten woodland. Cracked stone towers rose in the distance—possibly pre-Collapse installations or communication sites. Vines draped from their sides like veins, and scavenger drones hovered above like silent vultures.

The first threat zone came into view—a jagged ravine where a bridge had once been. Now, makeshift planks and rusted beams created a death trap waiting for the careless. On the far side, he could see it: a creature, hunched and humming with red pulses. It was no ordinary wildlife.

[Entity Detected: Carrion Drone - Type: Bio-Synthetic Hybrid]

Threat Level: 2.5 / 5

Behavior: Territory Defense

Note: Sight-based aggression. Avoid open movement.

Nox activated Veilstep.

He blinked through the shadow of a broken support pillar, vanishing and reappearing in near silence. The air grew colder near the drone, but it didn't notice him. One careful breath, one slow motion after another—and he crossed without engaging.

But as he moved past it, his system gave a faint ping.

[Hidden Cache Detected: 12 meters NW]

It was a risk. But supplies could save him later.

He circled wide, sliding down behind a fractured ledge. There, nestled under bone-dry leaves and collapsed tech: a small chest, sealed by biometric lock. The system blinked.

Seed Core Override Detected – Access Granted

[You have gained:]

— Echo Flask (Rare – Restores 70% Vitality over 5 sec)

— Datachip: Forgotten Protocol (Unread)

— Upgradium Fragment x1

He grinned slightly. That last one—Upgradium—was the kind of material needed to evolve his Seed Core and unlock higher-tier skills.

He pocketed everything and moved on.

As night settled fully, the ruins of Vault Sigma-3 finally emerged in the distance.

Not a vault like he'd imagined—not underground or hidden—but a broken tower, half-swallowed by the earth. A crater surrounded its base, scorched and eerie. And above the door, carved in faded stone:

"Here sleeps the first error of mankind."

His system pulsed violently.

[Main Quest Triggered: Enter Vault Sigma-3]

Threat Level: 4.5

Allies: None

Warning: Unknown anomalies detected

[Seed Core Progress: 58%]

A storm cracked the sky behind him. Lightning flashed across the horizon.

Nox stood there, a shadow against the night, the weight of revelation tightening in his chest. Sigma-3 was no sanctuary. It was a crucible. A place of consequence.

And he had chosen to walk straight into it.

But that was the path now.

And he wouldn't turn back.