The silence was heavy.
Riven stood over 9-K's powered-down body, his own breath the only sound in the chamber.
He looked at the rows of pods.
Still.
Dormant.
But now they felt… watchful.
"You're not like the others."
Those words echoed. Not a warning.
A clue.
He scanned the wall behind the pods—barely visible under decades of dust and decay:
A reinforced vault door.
Lazarus Core – Authorized Access Only
No keypad. No biometric panel.
Just a slot.
Perfect size for a gauntlet.
Riven hesitated.
Then slid his hand in.
The door unlocked instantly.
Hiss.
Slide.
Darkness gave way to white light.
Inside? Servers. Massive. Stacked like tombstones.
And in the center—an orb, floating in a field of light.
It pulsed once.
Then spoke.
"Welcome, Subject 9-X.""Do you wish to know the purpose of your creation?"
Riven took one step closer.
"Yeah," he said."Start talking."