The rescue team descended into the pit, their flashlights casting long, dancing shadows on the walls. The air was thick with the stench of death and decay, and the silence was punctuated only by the muffled moans of the injured.

They found Celine's team scattered across the jagged rocks, their bodies broken and bloodied. Some were unconscious, others clinging to life, their eyes wide with terror.

The rescue operation was a frantic and agonizing ordeal. Each injured agent was carefully extracted from the pit, their cries of pain echoing through the darkness. Clara paced the command center, her hands clenched into fists, her heart aching with worry.

Finally, the last of the injured were brought to the surface. The medical bay was a scene of chaos, the air thick with the smell of blood and antiseptic. Clara moved among the wounded, her face etched with sorrow and anger.

The incident had shaken the Kadmon agents to their core. The ruins, once again proved to be deadly and dangerous, remained a malevolent entity, eager to devour those who dared to trespass.

Clara, her voice heavy with grief and resolve, made the agonizing decision to call off the mission. The ruins had claimed too many lives, and she couldn't bear to lose any more.

Under the cloak of darkness, the convoy left, carrying the wounded and the disheartened. The ruins loomed in the distance, a silent sentinel guarding its secrets and the shattered dreams of those who had dared to challenge it.

While Kadmon retreated from the ruins, their spirits dampened by the recent tragedy, Vas remained focused on his mission to expose Sigdra. He had finally pinpointed the location of their headquarters, as he'd suspected, in the heart of Viridian City. Under the cloak of night, he set out to infiltrate their stronghold, his mind sharp and alert.

The business center of Viridian City was still bustling with activity when he arrived. The Sigdra building stood out like a beacon, a towering structure that dominated the skyline. Its surface, entirely made of reflective material, seamlessly blended into the night, a deliberate architectural choice that Vas recognized as a clever deterrent to prying eyes. The building's mirrored facade captured the surrounding lights, twisting and warping them into a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of fragmented images, creating an illusion of infinite depth. The structure itself was an imposing monolith, its sharp, angular design giving it a futuristic and almost otherworldly presence. Each floor was defined by sleek, metallic lines, and the building's edges seemed to cut into the night sky, reflecting the stars like shards of glass.

Vas paused, taking in the sight. It was a building designed to impress and intimidate, a symbol of Sigdra's power and technological prowess. But beneath the sleek facade, Vas sensed a darkness, a hidden truth that Sigdra desperately wanted to keep concealed.

Tonight, he was equipped with state-of-the-art gear, courtesy of Madeline. It wasn't just about being undetectable; it was about blending in, becoming a ghost in the machine. The mask and hood were more than just a disguise; they were a tool to manipulate perceptions, to create an aura of anonymity that would allow him to move freely within the building.

For the past few days, Vas had meticulously studied the Sigdra building, observing its patterns and vulnerabilities like a predator stalking its prey. He had mapped the guards' routines, noting their blind spots and weaknesses. He had even analyzed the building's architectural blueprints, searching for hidden entrances and secret passageways.

On paper, Sigdra was a model corporation, its philanthropic endeavors earning them widespread acclaim. But Vas knew better than to trust appearances. He had seen firsthand the depths of their depravity, and he had begun stalking Sigdra as soon as he was let go of the Sync Research Center. Their charitable acts were nothing more than a smokescreen, a carefully crafted facade designed to conceal their true agenda.

Tonight, Vas was determined to peel back Sigdra's carefully constructed facade and expose their dark secrets to the world. He was prepared to uncover everything about them, leaving no stone unturned.

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His first move was to activate Visión del Velo, his augmented sight scanning the building with meticulous precision. He counted around 50 guards patrolling the premises, their movements imprinted in his mind like chess pieces on a board. Observing their patterns, he discerned a predictable routine, a weakness he intended to exploit. Tonight, he sought answers, not bloodshed.

Next, he continued his scan, his gaze penetrating every floor of the building. But as he reached the top floor, a chilling sensation washed over him. A multitude of unseen eyes seemed to stare back at him, their gaze piercing through the veil of his augmented vision. He quickly deactivated Visión del Velo, fearing the consequences of prolonged exposure to whatever lurked in that room. A mental note was made to investigate that unsettling presence later.

With a plan forming in his mind, Vas prepared to infiltrate the building. He drew the Sigil and activated Espirales del Olvido, a state of altered reality that bent the rules of the physical world. With a confident leap, he launched himself directly at the building's wall. In this altered state, the solid barrier seemed to ripple and yield, allowing him to pass through effortlessly, like a ghost slipping through a veil.

Deactivating Espirales del Olvido once inside, Vas found himself in a world of breathtaking grandeur. The interior of the Sigdra building was a testament to their wealth and technological prowess. The lobby soared upwards, its ceiling lost in a sea of shimmering lights that mimicked a starlit sky. Walls of polished obsidian reflected his image, distorting it into a multitude of spectral figures. A sense of awe and unease mingled within him as he navigated this opulent labyrinth.

He began his reconnaissance, moving with the stealth of a shadow, always staying one step ahead of the patrolling guards. Despite his thorough search of the lower floors, he found nothing overtly suspicious. This could mean one of two things: either Sigdra was exceptionally good at hiding their secrets, or there was nothing to be found here in the first place. Vas leaned towards the latter. His instincts told him that the true darkness lay elsewhere, on the top floor where those chilling eyes awaited.

With a surge of adrenaline, Vas activated Espirales del Olvido once more. Even in this altered state, he could still sense those unseen eyes, their gaze heavy and unnerving. He pushed forward, the pressure mounting with each step, a testament to the powerful entity that clearly didn't want him there.

Finally, he reached the imposing door and stepped through, returning to normal reality. He was exhausted, but his focus remained unwavering. The room beyond was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was a cavernous space, its walls and ceiling adorned with intricate, bioluminescent patterns that pulsed with an otherworldly glow. At the center of the room stood a massive, cylindrical structure, its surface covered in cryptic symbols. And surrounding it, like watchful guardians, were a series of towering statues, each depicting a humanoid figure with a multitude of arms and eyes.

Vas was momentarily captivated by the scene, its grandeur and strangeness both awe-inspiring and terrifying. But his attention quickly shifted to a lone terminal near the central structure. Thanks to Madeline's ingenuity, he possessed a device capable of hacking into the system and extracting the information he sought. With a deep breath, he approached the terminal, ready to unveil the truth behind Sigdra's carefully constructed facade.

Once the device was connected to the terminal, a piercing alarm shattered the silence, its shrillness sending a jolt of panic through Vas. Madeline had assured him the device was undetectable, but now, its small circular form pulsed with a menacing red glow. According to Madeline, once the whole circle was illuminated, the data transfer would be complete.

The alarm had plunged the room into a crimson hue, and Vas knew he was on borrowed time. He frantically calculated his options, his mind racing through possible scenarios. If someone arrived before the transfer was finished, he would undoubtedly have to fight his way out. The thought sent a shiver down his spine, but he refused to succumb to fear. Instead, he steeled himself, mentally preparing for the confrontation that seemed inevitable.

As the device continued to illuminate, Vas activated Visión del Velo, his augmented vision piercing the darkness. A figure, cloaked in a black robe, was just outside the entrance, struggling to gain entry. Vas estimated they had two minutes at most. He waited, every second feeling like an eternity.

The door finally burst open, just as the device completed its task. The figure, its form hidden beneath the robe, wasted no time. It began to transform, its body contorting and twisting in a gruesome display. Hands elongated into grotesque wings, feathers erupting from its skin in a shower of blood and gore. Vas realized with a sickening certainty that this "person" had never been human. No one would willingly subject themselves to such agony.

Its legs fused into a single, serpentine tail, and from its back, a monstrous head emerged, its beak dripping with saliva. When the transformation was complete, what Vas assumed was the remnants of a human head was embedded in the center of the creature's chest, its eyes wide and lifeless.

The creature let out a guttural screech, its gaze fixing on Vas.