Suddenly, a red light flashed into Ryan's mind.
[Beep! Warning! Unknown energy interfering with neural activity detected.]
He jolted upright, his heart pounding wildly against his ribcage. The oppressive darkness of the ancient library seemed to close in around him, the shadows stretching and twisting into ominous shapes. His draconic eyes darted frantically, pupils narrowing to slits as he searched for the source of the intrusion.
[Beep! Severe neural disruption detected. Source: external unknown energy targeting cognitive functions.]
"Chip, what's happening?" he demanded mentally, panic seeping into his thoughts like a cold poison.
[Beep! Possible source: negative energy. Vengeful remnants detected.]
An icy chill ran down his spine, each vertebra tingling with dread. The realization struck him like a hammer blow. During his exhaustive study of the ancient texts, he'd come across mentions of vengeful remnants—fragments of souls trapped between realms, lingering manifestations of consciousness driven by resentment or unfinished business.
"Could it be... a vengeful soul?" he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart. The lab wasn't just a hub for biological experiments but also delved deep into ethereal manipulations. He'd read about spirits capable of influencing the physical world in terrifying ways.
His thoughts were interrupted by a haunting whisper that echoed through the chamber, chilling him to the core. The language was foreign yet eerily familiar, like a forgotten nightmare resurfacing.
"Craaak... creeee..." the disembodied sound hissed, each syllable dripping with malice and echoing off the stone walls.
Fear gripped him like a vice. The air grew colder, frost beginning to form on the edges of the ancient scrolls. A palpable sense of dread filled the room, pressing down on him like a weight.
He had to get out—now.
"Chip, initiate escape protocols!" Ryan commanded his mind racing, adrenaline surging through his veins.
[Beep! Mapping quickest route to the surface. Warning: environmental anomalies detected along projected path.]
"Noted. Just guide me," he replied, determination overriding his fear as survival instincts kicked in.
All the time he had been in the library, he had come into contact with various parts of the lab. Although there was no mention of the outside in the texts, combining the analysis of the airflow that the chip had conducted, he had long prepared an exploration route. Now he could only hope that the path chosen was correct.
He sprang to his feet, muscles coiling like tightly wound springs. The dragon instincts surged within him, sharpening his senses to a razor's edge. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to flee.
As he darted toward the exit of the library, the shadows around him seemed to writhe with sinister intent, moving with a life of their own. Dark tendrils snaked along the walls, reaching out as if trying to grasp him with ghostly fingers. He dodged them narrowly, his agility amplified by his draconic form, movements fluid and swift.
"Left turn ahead," the AI chip informed him.
He veered left as if instincts and the chip had fusing seamlessly as he ran.
Sprinting down a narrow corridor lined with deteriorating machinery and flickering lights. The once-dormant equipment now sparked to life erratically, emitting showers of sparks that rained down like fiery hailstones, illuminating the passage in bursts of orange and red.
"What's causing this?" he shouted internally, leaping over a fallen beam.
[Beep! Negative energy interference was detected. Environmental disruptions increasing. Advise extreme caution.]
The corridors seemed to stretch endlessly; what was once a vibrant laboratory had become a nightmarish labyrinth designed to confuse and trap. Strange symbols on the walls glowed ominously, pulsating in a strange rhythm, casting eerie shadows that danced mockingly around him.
He could hear the whispers growing louder, more insistent. Multiple voices overlapped, creating a cacophony that threatened to overwhelm his senses—a chorus of anguish and rage.
"Focus, Ryan. Just keep moving," he told himself, gritting his teeth.
He barreled through a set of rusted double doors, the metal groaning in protest. He entered a vast chamber filled with towering glass tubes that stretched up into the darkness. Inside each one floated shadowy figures, their features obscured but their torment palpable, eyes glowing faintly with an otherworldly light.
"Experiments..." he realized with horror, his stomach twisting. "Soul experiments."
Although the figures didn't move, he could sense a malevolent energy emanating from them, a suffocating aura of despair.
Unconsciously, he bolted back. He had long noticed that he was no longer running of his own accord, but as if his instincts were gaining control with every step, as is intensifying fear and panic grew.
"Chip, the fastest way out—now!" he urged, panic creeping into his voice.
[Beep! Recalculating! Proceed straight for 200 meters, then ascend via the vertical shaft on your right.]
He dashed forward, the sound of shattering glass echoing behind him as the tubes began to crack and burst. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed the shadowy entities spilling out, their forms dissolving into dark mists that swirled and coalesced, pursuing him relentlessly.
The shaft came into view—a vertical tunnel stretching upwards into darkness, its walls slick with moisture and age.
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"Great," he muttered sarcastically.
Without hesitation, he began his ascent. The metal rungs were cold and slick under his claws, groaning under his weight, flakes of rust crumbling away with each step. Below, the shadow mists swirled at the base of the shaft, tendrils reaching upwards like grasping hands.
"Hurry!" he urged himself, breath coming in ragged gasps.
Halfway up, a rung snapped beneath his foot. He slipped, claws scraping against the metal, scrambling for purchase. His heart lurched as he dangled precariously above the abyss. Managing to latch onto another rung, he pulled himself up just as a dark tendril whipped past, narrowly missing his tail.
[Beep! Proximity alert: Negative energy increasing.]
"Yeah, I noticed!" he snapped, adrenaline spiking.
Reaching the top of the shaft, he hauled himself onto a narrow ledge. A heavy grate blocked his path, rusted but sturdy.
"Rrrr" he growled.
Drawing upon his draconic strength, he slammed into the grate. Once, twice—it refused to budge, metal biting into his shoulder.
"Come on!" he roared, frustration boiling over.
A surge of adrenaline coursed through him. Focusing his energy, he felt a warmth building in his chest—a primal force awakening, swirling like molten fire. With a roar that echoed through the tunnels, he unleashed it, his claws glowing with a fierce light as he struck the grate one final time. The metal burst outward, exploding into shards that clattered into the corridor beyond.
"How did I...?" he began, eyes wide in disbelief, but shook the thought away. No time to ponder.
He raced through the new passageway. The architecture here was different—older, less refined. The walls were hewn from rough stone rather than metal, jagged and uneven, and the air was thick with dust and the scent of earth.
"Chip, where are we?" he asked, voice echoing.
[Beep! Unknown section. Data incomplete. Suggest proceeding with caution.]
"Figures," he muttered.
The whispers had diminished but were replaced by an unsettling silence, the kind that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His footsteps echoed loudly, each one a reminder of his solitude. Every so often, pebbles would tumble from the ceiling, hinting at instability.
Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled. A low rumble resonated through the tunnel, loose rocks skittering across the floor.
"An earthquake?" he wondered aloud, eyes darting upwards.
[Beep! Structural integrity compromised. Collapse imminent.]
"Of course it is," he sighed, breaking into a sprint.
He sprinted forward as the tunnel began to crumble behind him. Rocks fell, crashing loudly, sending plumes of dust billowing. The air filled with the deafening roar of collapsing stone, and the ground shook violently beneath his feet.
The path ahead split into three separate passages.
"Which way, Chip?" he shouted over the noise.
[Beep! Insufficient data. No clear path available.]
"Formulate based on the airflow again!" he thought quickly, mind racing.
[Beep! Left path: no detectable airflow; 34% probability of a dead end.]
[Beep! Middle path: moderate airflow detected; 62% probability of leading to the surface.]
[Beep! Right path: low concentration of breathable air; high probability of being a dead end.]
Not thinking twice, he chose the middle path, lungs burning. The air grew colder, and a faint breeze brushed past him—fresh air tinged with the scent of pine.
"That has to lead outside," he reasoned, hope igniting.
The tunnel began to slope upwards, the incline steep and treacherous. His muscles burned with exertion, legs screaming in protest, but he pushed on, the promise of escape fueling him. Behind him, the sounds of the collapsing tunnel faded, but a new noise emerged—a distant wailing, like the mournful cries of lost souls, echoing eerily. Strangely, it seemed deeper and stronger than anything that had been following previously.
"Not again," he groaned, a shiver running down his spine.
The passage opened into a vast cavern. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like jagged teeth, and a subterranean lake stretched out before him, its waters eerily still and black as ink, reflecting the faint glow of luminescent fungi clinging to the walls.
A narrow, precarious path wound around the lake's edge, slick with moisture and crumbling at the edges.
"Careful now," he whispered, stepping cautiously, each footfall sending small stones tumbling into the abyss.
Halfway across, the surface of the lake rippled unnaturally. From the depths, ethereal hands emerged, translucent and shimmering, grasping at the air with elongated fingers.
"You've got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed, eyes widening.
He pressed himself against the cavern wall, edging along as the ghostly appendages reached for him, their touch promising something far worse than death. One brushed against his leg, sending a jolt of icy cold through his body, sapping his strength.
[Beep! Warning: Negative Energy rising. Prolonged contact with entities may be harmful.]
"Noted!" he gasped, shaking off the numbness.
He quickened his pace, heart hammering against his chest. The exit was in sight—a tunnel on the far side of the cavern emitting a faint glow, like a beacon of hope.
Just a few more steps.
A sudden crack sounded beneath him. The path gave way, crumbling into the dark waters below. With no time to think, he leaped instinctively, wings unfurling slightly to propel him forward. He soared over the gap, feeling the rush of air beneath his wings, before landing hard on the other side, rolling to absorb the impact.
"Didn't know I could do that," he muttered, surprised. Although he had long played with his wings, inside the underground there wasn't much space for him to practice.
He scrambled to his feet and darted into the tunnel. The glow intensified as he moved forward, and the air became fresher, tinged with the scents of earth and vegetation. Relief washed over him like a wave.
"Keep moving," he urged himself, though his legs felt like lead.
Finally, he emerged into an open space—the abandoned mine. Wooden support beams lined the walls, some rotten and splintered, others cracked under the weight of the earth above. Rusty tracks ran along the floor, disappearing into the darkness.
"An old mine shaft," he realized, hope rekindling.
He hurried along the tracks, the sense of freedom invigorating, each step lighter than the last. But behind him, a distant rumble echoed ominously. Glancing back, he saw darkness consuming the tunnel—a void swallowing everything in its path, the shadows writhing like a living thing.
"Can't catch a break!" he exclaimed, exasperation mixing with fear.
He sprinted, lungs burning, every muscle protesting. The exit was a pinprick of light growing steadily larger, beckoning him forward. The ground shook violently, debris raining down like a storm of stones.
With one final burst of energy, he lunged toward the exit. He burst into the open air just as the tunnel behind him caved in, a thunderous roar accompanying the collapse, a cloud of dust billowing out and enveloping him momentarily.
He stumbled forward, collapsing onto the grassy ground, gasping for breath. The cool night air filled his lungs, crisp and invigorating. Above, the stars twinkled in a clear sky, the moon casting a silvery glow over the landscape.
"I made it," he whispered, disbelief and relief washing over him.
[Beep! External threats no longer detected. Systems stabilizing.]
He lay there for a moment, relishing the sensation of freedom, the gentle breeze rustling the leaves of nearby trees. The vast expanse of the world stretched out before him—a canvas of endless possibilities—a stark contrast to the confined darkness he'd left behind.
He sat up slowly, surveying his surroundings. The mine entrance was nestled in a rugged mountainside, jagged peaks rising behind him, dense forest spreading out below like a dark sea.
But questions flooded his mind. What was that entity? Why was it targeting him? And what secrets did the ruins of the lab truly hold?
"Chip, any ideas?" he asked softly.
[Beep! Data insufficient.]
He nodded, accepting the uncertainty. "One thing at a time," he murmured.
He stood, stretching his limbs, feeling the cool grass beneath his feet. The world felt different—brighter, more alive. He took a deep breath, the scents of pine and earth filling his senses.
But as he prepared to move, a lingering sensation tugged at him—a sense that the escape was only the beginning, that greater challenges and mysteries lay ahead.