Aden moved through the ruins like a shadow, his senses sharp. The air here felt different—not just cold, but thin, as if the world itself was hesitant to exist in this place.
The temple stood in eerie silence, its once-grand walls scarred by time and battle. But Aden wasn't here for history. He was here for answers.
He traced his steps carefully, revisiting the paths his squad had taken. The last time he was here, he had been just another explorer, another scavenger of forgotten knowledge. Now, he was the only one left.
> And someone wanted it to stay that way.
His hand tightened around the parchment he had taken from Jonas's corpse.
The black sun. The dagger. The warning.
He had to find out who they were before they found him.
Aden's boots scuffed against the stone as he neared the inner sanctum—the chamber where everything had started.
It looked untouched, just as they had left it. The crumbling murals, the shattered altar, the thick scent of dust and decay.
But something was different.
Jonas had died outside, but his wasn't the only body. There had been others—squadmates who fell inside the temple.
> Where are they?
The corpses should have been here. They had died here.
Aden's pulse quickened. He scanned the room, searching for any sign of disturbance. Then, his gaze caught something.
A thin line of dust had been moved—a barely visible disturbance leading toward the back wall.
Slowly, carefully, he followed it.
> A hidden panel? No… something deeper.
His fingers brushed against the stone, feeling for imperfections. Then—click.
A deep rumble echoed through the chamber as a section of the wall shifted inward, revealing a dark passage beyond.
Aden stepped back, instincts screaming at him.
> Someone had been here. Recently.
And if they had left this door open…
It meant they planned to return.
He could leave. Walk away now and disappear.
But the black sun symbol burned in his mind.
Jonas. His squad. The temple's secret.
Whatever was down there… it was the key to everything.
Aden exhaled, steadied himself—
And stepped into the darkness.