Page 62 of Stars in Nova

The passage opened into a larger tunnel, the din of running rivulets reaching his ears.

The new path was smoother, its walls marked by deliberate carvings that hinted at Vaelorii craftsmanship.

Intricate patterns flowed across the stone, depicting scenes of lakes, rivers, and the flowing water that defined their culture.

The bioluminescence here was brighter, casting the engravings in soft hues that seemed to pulse with life.

Kisan’s metanoids hovered ahead, their glow leading him further into the depths. He followed, his senses sharp, every sound and shift in the air sending a prickle of anticipation through his body.

The tunnel began to slope downward, the atmosphere growing cooler and more humid.

Like a river, the drip and stream of gushing liquid grew louder, accompanied by the echoes of movement—perhaps the whispers of distant voices or the shifting of something significant and unseen.

His grip on his rifle tightened as he continued, his mind racing. He was alone now, penetrating unknown territory without contact with the outside world.

Samira was here. Somewhere in this labyrinth of stone and shadow, she held the answers he sought.

He would find her, no matter how deep he had to go.

The intruder moved through the shadows with practiced ease, like an experienced warrior or infiltrator.

Samira stepped silently after them, her steps silent as she navigated the familiar tunnels.

Alerted by one of their water drones, she’d come to investigate and found the trespasser in no time.

They’d somehow eluded the barrier shield.

How? Who the fokkin’ hell were they?

Was this thekinairesponsible for the unexplained kinetic attack on the cyborgs just before her assault at the same position?

It’d given her unit a massive advantage, and she almost wanted to thank whoever thefokkhad helped them.

The silhouette slipped and disappeared. Its outline was familiar, yet she couldn’t pinpoint who it was.

Her senses danced on high alert as she tracked the intruder through the labyrinthine caverns.

She moved like a ghost, her presence barely disturbing the stillness around her.

However, they were no novices, and their armored suit was cutting-edge tech, stealthed so that no EMF registered on any bands.

They shimmered in and out of view, sometimes even turning them into ghosts.

Nonetheless, this was her territory, and the moisture dripping off the cave walls allowed her to transmit her kinetic energy and keep her existence hidden from him.

The intruder, too, was using some kinesis. She also sensed nanobots traveling from them, which she aborted, sweeping them away in rushes of tiny precipitation showers.

They turned the corner into a quieter section of the grotto, and she followed, pausing to peer around the bend of the cavern wall.

‘Twas desolate, not a soul to be seen.

‘Fokkinhellshit,’ she groaned under her breath.

With care, she eased forward, on alert, crouching beside the walls.

The air was cooler here, and the ever-present trickle of water soothed the tension thrumming through her body.

She let out a slow exhalation, allowing herself a moment of respite when a shadow moved in the periphery of her vision.

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