Location: Valenridge Blacksite – Sublevel 10, Bio-Containment Vault
The elevator groaned as it descended past the known schematics, revealing a forgotten world beneath the blacksite. Nora's eyes swept the walls—smooth, reinforced alloy unfamiliar even to her military-trained mind.
"This isn't standard Tavaran tech," she murmured.
Damien, leaning on her shoulder for balance, watched the temperature display drop sharply as they neared the vault. "It's foreign. I heard the guards mention off-the-record experiments—DNA modification, hybrid weaponry... Something about 'rebuilding the perfect soldier.'"
The lift halted with a hiss. Before them, a sleek corridor stretched ahead, lights flickering eerily. At the end stood a sealed chamber door, pulsing red. On its surface: a logo they didn't recognize—interlocking triangles within a flame.
Nora's tablet buzzed. Reiss had patched through a file.
> CLASSIFIED – ASHFALL PROTOCOL
Initiated: 17 years ago.
Funding: Off-ledger; foreign stakeholders.
Objective: Engineer the next-generation warfare asset through biochemical synthesis and regenerative experimentation.
Subject: Code name – Genesis.
Status: Dormant. Containment critical.
Damien exhaled sharply. "They've been building gods..."
"No," Nora said quietly, loading a fresh charge into her rifle, "they've been building monsters."
---
Location: Observation Deck – Bio-Containment Vault
Maverick stood, arms folded, his expression unreadable as Genesis stirred within the stasis tank. The creature—once a man—now bore traits that defied categorization. Pale, veined skin. Eyes that burned silver. Muscles laced with visible carbon fiber threads.
A scientist behind him stammered, "Sir, its vitals are spiking. They're getting closer—shouldn't we abort?"
"No," Maverick said coldly. "Let them see what they were never meant to find. Let them understand what Tavara buried. Ashfall was not an accident—it was insurance."
---
Location: Vault Core – Containment Hall
Nora led the team forward. The chamber was cathedral-like in height, the tank towering at its center. Cool mist snaked along the ground. Suddenly, the chamber lights turned crimson.
Damien's grip on her hand tightened.
And then… the tank opened.
A man stepped out—tall, silent, almost regal in his stillness. For a second, he looked human.
Then his eyes snapped open, blazing silver, locking onto Damien.
"You," Genesis whispered, voice like cracking glaciers. "I know your blood."
Damien froze.
"He's keyed to your DNA," Nora said quickly. "They made him from your lineage. That's why they kept you here."
Genesis tilted his head, expression unreadable. "They called me a weapon. But I was made from a king. I remember your voice in my dreams."
"Damien, we need to go—" Nora warned.
But Genesis took a step forward.
"I don't want to destroy," he said. "But if I must burn this place to be free… then so be it."
The chamber shook as alarms screamed. Genesis lifted his arm—and with a flick of his fingers, the titanium wall behind them crumpled like paper.
---
Location: Surface – Escape Pathway
Reiss barked into comms. "Explosion detected! Massive energy spike from below! You've got less than five minutes before full collapse!"
Nora pulled Damien close. "No more negotiations. We run. Now!"
As they sprinted through the collapsing corridor, Genesis's roar echoed behind them—not one of rage, but of pain. As though the beast they awakened never wanted to be born at all.