Mission Start.
Location: Forgotten Lands
Nothing Aiden could think of could have prepared him for what awaited on the other side. The roar of a storm filled his ears the moment he stepped through. Rain slammed down in heavy sheets, blurring his vision and drowning the world in noise. If not for Garron standing just ahead, equally overwhelmed, Aiden might have thought he was alone in the chaos.
A moment later, Lyanna stepped through the portal behind him, shielding her face from the driving rain. Thara followed soon after, her expression dark as she took in their surroundings. The four of them now stood together on some kind of metal platform. Beneath it, there was nothing, just endless darkness stretched in every direction, swallowing the world below.
"We are moving forward!" Lyanna shouted over the howling wind as she pressed ahead onto a narrow metal bridge.
"Did anyone even know about this weather?" Aiden yelled back, struggling to keep pace as rain pounded down on them.
"I would have brought something to cover myself if I did!" Thara responded, clearly annoyed.
They pressed on, each step loud against the metal beneath them. Through the rain and haze, massive shapes slowly came into view ahead.
"That's the prison!" Garron called out, pointing toward the looming structure.
"Who would have guessed," Thara muttered, her voice heavy with sarcasm.
As they moved closer, bright lights snapped on from above, cutting through the rain and locking onto them. Voices echoed ahead. Figures began to take shape, blurry through the storm. But something felt horribly wrong.
Aiden's eyes locked on the approaching figures. They were guards, that much was clear. Yet in their hands, they carried long metallic shapes. Aiden froze as recognition hit him.
Assault rifles. He knew those weapons well, even if he had not seen one in a long time. And they did not belong here.
"You! Cleaning team, finally. Move faster, there's a storm incoming!" one of the guards shouted.
As they approached, the figures became clearer. The lead guard stood rigid in full-body armor, his helmet covering everything. No trace of skin was visible beneath the black plating. Aiden narrowed his eyes. This armor was unfamiliar in detail, but unmistakable in purpose, built to stop bullets.
Another guard in identical armor approached. Despite the strange sight, the group did not seem shocked. Confused, maybe, but not alarmed. Lyanna appeared cautious, Garron fascinated, and Thara silent, her gaze lingering on Aiden. She seemed more curious about his reaction than the guards themselves.
Without delay, they were escorted toward the prison. The massive gates groaned open, revealing a wide corridor exposed to the stormy sky. The guards led them swiftly to the left, toward a smaller set of double glass doors that slid open automatically. The group tensed slightly, all except Aiden, who kept neutral.
The guards stopped. "We need support in Hall C5, and A6 also needs assistance if I remember right," one said. Just before leaving, the lead guard added casually, his gaze focusing on Thara, "Oh, and the new Wi-Fi password is Midnight Shift A-5."
Without waiting for a response, they walked off, leaving Aiden and the others standing alone.
Wi-Fi?
Aiden froze. The word echoed in his mind, far louder than it should have. Around him, the others looked around, seemingly unaffected.
"Well, this place is definitely strange," Lyanna said.
"I knew the prison would be big, but this is incredible," Garron added, inspecting the smooth metal walls.
Thara said nothing. She stood quietly, eyes fixed on Aiden with a hint of calculation.
Aiden turned sharply toward her. "Midnight shift...," he said quietly, voice unsteady. None of this made sense. This place. The automatic doors. Wi-Fi. It did not belong.
Midnight shift, isn't that used as...
His mind blanked for a moment, then something snapped. "Thara!" he barked, stepping forward and grabbing her collar.
She didn't resist. Lyanna immediately moved in, alarmed. Garron turned quickly, sensing tension.
"Stop this!" Lyanna shouted.
"Shut up!" Aiden snapped, his focus entirely on Thara. "She sold us out!"
Thara remained calm. "What are you talking about?" she asked.
"That Wi-Fi password... that's not normal! That's a code!" Aiden's voice rose. "Midnight Shift A-5. Midnight means lower that expected security, And A5... is the location you need to reach! isn't it!?"
For a moment, Thara stayed still. Then, without warning, she moved. Grabbing Aiden by the collar, she lifted him with ease.
"And how do you know that?" she hissed. "You looked at this place with so much familiarity isn't that strange."
Her grip tightened. "I'm not the only traitor here, am I?"
He understood the code. Something that precise should not have been his. Why would he know it?
Before Aiden could respond, the door swung open. Two men rushed in with rifles at the ready. Thara instantly released Aiden and moved in front to shield them.
"Don't move! Get on the ground!" one soldier barked. Lyanna tensed, ready to fight, but Garron stopped her.
Thara, strangely calm, smiled faintly. "I'm the one you're looking for," she said.
"I have the inf—"
A gunshot echoed. A bullet tore through her forehead. She crumpled, dead before she hit the floor.
Lyanna froze in shock. "Don't move!" the soldier repeated.
"R-478, check the one on the ground."
The second soldier approached Aiden. As he waited, steadying his breath. The soldier spoke.
"He seems unco—"
Aiden's leg shot up, knocking the soldier down. In a flash, he grabbed the pistol from the soldier's side.
Bang!
Aiden shot the first soldier in the throat. He collapsed instantly. Without hesitating, Aiden spun back.
Bang!
A shot to the ground finished the other soldier.
"Garron! Take the rifle!" Aiden barked.
Garron looked at the metal weapon, unsure if it was the rifle Aiden meant. Still, he finally picked it up, mimicking the soldiers.
Meanwhile, Lyanna stood frozen over Thara's body.
"Thara was a traitor..." she muttered. Then urgency returned. "We need to go back. The mission's over."
"Wait!" Aiden stopped her. "We can still continue."
Lyanna spun toward him, her voice rising with frustration. "What do you mean? We're outnumbered and trapped in a place we don't even understand. Thara betrayed us, and you figured that out from a code? And now she is laying... dead! I need an explanation, Aiden. Right now."
Aiden stayed calm, his tone steady. "I can handle this," he said. "I know how this place works."
Lyanna's doubt only deepened. She stepped closer, eyes full of distrust. "And why is that? Who exactly are you? Tell me the truth, Aiden. Why are you the only one who seems to know anything while the rest of us are lost?"
Aiden snapped. "Ask your damn brother if you want answers! He brought me here. I'm finishing this."
His words hung heavy. He wasn't leaving without understanding why this place felt so familiar, or at least collecting more souls.
"I knew there was a traitor. Your brother knew too. Now that Thara's gone, the real job starts."
He stepped forward. "We're taking the prisoner and getting out."
Without wasting time, Aiden stripped armor from one of the fallen soldiers.
"Garron, are you in?"
"I want to know more... I can't go back now," Garron said.
I did not really expect that...
Aiden's eyes shifted to Lyanna. "You're either coming with us or leaving. Good luck convincing the guards outside if you turn back."
Lyanna hesitated, eyes darting between the doors. Finally, with a frustrated sigh, she relented.
"Damn it," she muttered.
"We're going."