Prologue: A Recap

In the last part, we saw that Lirien discovered Zephyride's sinister purpose, tied to an ancient conspiracy. Determined to uncover its origins, she prepared to defy the laws barring her from the depths. On Earth, Kael's discoveries inched him closer to truth, and the escaped scientist who lurked within Earth's depths layer.

The fates of Lirien and Kael were set on a collision course, their shared curiosity drawing them into a mystery spanning two planets. Their worlds were only beginning to converge, with secrets buried deeper than they could fathom and dangers lurking just beyond their reach. What lay beneath the layers was more than history—it was the future of two civilizations.

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Chapter 1: Diving in the Depths

When Lirien was investigating the Zephyride, news of Dr. Vekroth Ilzhar's escape spread like wildfire across Zorther. The planet was in a frenzy—everyone was talking about him. Authorities issued warnings, urging citizens to stay vigilant, as it was feared that Vekroth could be anywhere within the planet's layers. Rumors flourished, each more fantastical than the last. "Did he really escape?" "He must still be hiding deep in the Depths." "But the authorities haven't found him…"

Despite the growing panic, Lirien remained resolute. Her determination to uncover the truth about the Zephyride and its dark purpose had only intensified. She had a plan to find answers. One evening, she visited the home of a former volunteer from the Zephyride trials, hoping to gather insight. Most were hesitant to speak, but there was one person who might be willing to help—someone who had been directly involved in the trials—Threx Talon.

Threx greeted her at his door with a cautious nod. "Can I help you?" he asked, his expression unreadable.

Lirien hesitated but then stepped forward. "I need to talk to you about the Zephyride."

Threx raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with skepticism. "The Zephyride? That thing's long gone. What about it?"

Lirien's gaze was steady. "I found it. It's still here, and something's wrong with it. I need your help to understand why."

Threx studied her for a moment, clearly uncertain but intrigued. "I've seen you around, haven't I? Never thought you'd be mixed up in something like this."

"I'm not just mixed up in it," Lirien replied firmly. "I'm investigating it."

Threx paused for a moment, his gaze narrowing as if weighing her words. He seemed to recognize the seriousness in her tone. After a beat, he stepped back, his hand gesturing toward the door. "Come in," he said, his voice softening slightly. "If you're going to be this serious about it, we might as well talk inside. I've got a few things that might help… or at least give us a clearer picture."

Threx was the first to notice when the Zephyride had begun malfunctioning, and he was the one who had alerted everyone before things escalated. His quick actions had saved lives, guiding the trial participants to safety and contacting higher authorities to ensure that the device was contained. But now, as Lirien explained her findings—the abandoned Zephyride she had discovered, and the alarming modifications she'd uncovered—Threx was taken aback by her resourcefulness.

"You've really dug into this, haven't you?" Threx asked, his tone one of surprise and respect. "A lot of people would have stopped after the first warning signs. I didn't expect someone like you to catch this."

Lirien nodded, her voice steady. "It's not just curiosity. It's about stopping what's coming. Dr. Vekroth is behind this, and if we don't act fast, things could get worse."

Threx leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "I'll admit, I didn't expect someone young like you to be the one unraveling the mess. But… this doesn't add up. How did it even get out here? It should've been locked away, sealed up."

The question lingered in the air between them.

Seeing the urgency in Lirien's investigation, Threx secured permission from the highest-ranking authorities to accompany her to the Depths, where the most dangerous and secretive matters were hidden. It was risky, but the truth needed to be uncovered.

Before they could depart, Lirien's brothers, Toris and Valtor, arrived, and Rinn was with them. As always, her brothers were determined to be by her side.

"You're not going without us," Toris said, his voice firm.

"That's right," Valtor added, crossing his arms. "You may be the smart one, but you're going to need backup."

"And I'm coming too," Rinn, who had been standing quietly in the background, added, though his tone lacked the bravado of the others. He was quieter, his focus sharpened by the urgency of the situation. "I mean, If this is about Vekroth, I—I know some things about Vekroth and his work, I'm the one who understands him best. You'll need me."

Lirien hesitated, glancing between them. "The Depths aren't safe," she said, her voice soft but serious. "I don't want either of you getting hurt."

"We can take care of ourselves," Toris said, his gaze unyielding. "And we'll be there for you."

Lirien sighed, knowing there was no changing their minds. The Depths were no place for anyone who wasn't prepared for its dangers, but her brothers were stubborn. In the end, she relented.

"Fine. But stay close. I don't want any of us splitting up down there."

Threx, who had been silently watching, gave a thoughtful nod at the suggestion. "It's a risky move," he said, his voice steady. "No offense, Rinn, but it's a dangerous place down there. You might not be prepared for what we'll face." He didn't add that Rinn's hesitation seemed to be weighing on him, but there was an unspoken understanding between them.

Lirien gave Threx a sharp look, but he raised a hand to signal that he wasn't questioning her judgment, merely expressing his concerns. "Still," he added, "someone needs to stay on the surface to keep an eye on things. Not all of us need to go down there."

Lirien exhaled slowly, her decision now clear. "I think Threx is right," she said, looking at Rinn apologetically, her tone softening. "Rinn, it's better if you stay here. We need someone on the surface, keeping track of things, especially with Vekroth still on the loose." She looked at Rinn apologetically, her tone softening.

Rinn's expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly nodded, his disappointment only slight. "I understand," he said, his voice steady. "I'll keep an eye on things from here." He gave a small, understanding smile as he stepped back. "Just… be careful down there, okay?"

With the decision made, Lirien turned back to her brothers and Threx. "Let's go," she said firmly. "We've got work to do." The four of them would journey into the Depths—into the heart of Zorther's most closely guarded secrets.

The elevator ride to the Depths was long, the journey silent. Each layer they descended took them further away from the familiar, the safe. The unknown loomed ahead, and with it, the answers they so desperately sought.

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Chapter 2: Echoes of the Past

As the elevator descended deeper into the heart of Zorther, the hum of its machinery filled the air, an ever-present reminder of the immense distance they were traveling. Lirien leaned against the wall, her thoughts drifting to memories of her father, Kenth Eryss. She remembered him vividly, speaking to her when she was younger about the remarkable feats of their ancestors. He had once described a starship that could journey through the vastness of space, and a device he called the Hypergate—a marvel of transportation capable of bridging unimaginable distances between fixed points in mere moments.

“They used to explore other planets,” Kenth had said, his eyes shining with reverence. “There was no limit to what Zorthians could accomplish.”

Lirien shared the memory with the others, breaking the silence of the long ride. The mention of these ancient devices sparked a conversation among the group. Threx, ever the knowledgeable authority, chimed in, eager to elaborate.

“Centuries ago, Zorthians reached the pinnacle of exploration,” he began. “They built fleets of starships designed for planetary discovery. Most of the planets they encountered were barren—lacking life, but rich with untapped resources and exotic elements. To make the most of these discoveries, they constructed layer systems similar to Zorther's, enabling them to delve deep into the planets' crusts for study. At the center of these operations was the Hypergate, a device capable of transporting objects across vast distances in the blink of an eye.”

Lirien and her brothers listened intently as Threx continued.

“The Hypergate was revolutionary,” he said, “but it was not without its flaws. While it could transport objects—sometimes even people—with incredible speed, there were rare but devastating failures. Some items simply disappeared, lost to the void of space. At first, the losses seemed negligible, limited to small, non-essential resources. But then came the tragedy. A group of travelers used the Hypergate and never reached their destination. Starships were sent to search for them, but they were never found.”

He paused, his tone growing somber.

“That was when the Zorthians realized the cost of their ambition. Unable to predict or prevent these failures, they chose to abandon planetary exploration entirely. It was a painful decision, but they had gathered enough resources to thrive on Zorther, even managing to replicate the exotic elements they had discovered. Yet, the dream of interstellar discovery came to an end.”

The elevator vibrated slightly as it passed another threshold, the atmosphere growing heavier with every level they crossed.

“One planet, however, was different,” Threx added, his voice softening. “Earth. Unlike the lifeless worlds they had studied, Earth teemed with life. Humans lived there, a species full of potential. The Zorthians shared their technology with them, coexisting in harmony for a time. But when the decision to abandon planetary exploration was made, they couldn't risk leaving their technology in the hands of humans, as they feared humans might not be capable of fully controlling their technology. They buried their inventions deep beneath the Earth's surface and departed, leaving behind only whispers of their existence.”

Lirien's mind raced with these revelations. She had heard fragments of these stories before, but never in such detail. Yet one memory stood out above the rest—a moment from her own past that she had almost forgotten.

“When I was a child,” she began hesitantly, “I accidentally swallowed a piece of Xerithium.”

Threx's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“It's supposed to be harmless,” she continued, “and the doctors said I was fine. But I fainted—completely unconscious. They rushed me to the hospital, but I recovered so quickly it was as if nothing had happened. I've always wondered… could that be why I was able to partially control the Zephyride when no one else could?”

The group fell silent, pondering her words. Toris, always quick to contribute, broke the tension.

“Maybe,” he said. “I mean, Vekroth's lab was filled with strange experiments. I saw it once when I was younger. Father took me there on an errand. Vekroth was obsessed with chemistry. The place was like a maze of vials, strange gases, and glowing metals. Who knows what he was working on? Maybe Xerithium wasn't as harmless as everyone believed.”

The mention of Vekroth brought an uneasy feeling to the group. They were just a few minutes away from reaching the Depths. The tension in the air was palpable, each person lost in their own thoughts about what lay ahead. The elevator shuddered slightly as it continued its descent. The hum of the elevator seemed to grow louder, reverberating through the walls as if the entire planet was aware of their descent. Temperature gradually raising. The further they traveled, the more the weight of secrecy and history pressed down on them.

Just as the silence was becoming oppressive, Threx broke it, his voice low and steady. “Do you remember the story about how all the dangerous technologies were destroyed for everyone's safety?”

“Yes,” they answered, their voices barely above a whisper.

Threx's voice dropped to a conspiratorial tone and his expression grew serious. “That was actually a myth created by our ancestors, meant to keep us from venturing into the Depths, from tampering with what they had left behind. They didn't destroy these inventions. They stored them—hidden in the vaults of the Depths. Every dangerous artifact, every piece of forgotten technology, is down there, waiting to be uncovered.”

A moment of stunned silence passed before Valtor, ever the skeptic, spoke up. “Could this be how Vekroth is hiding in there?” His words hung in the air like a dark cloud, unsettling everyone in the elevator. The thought was enough to send a shiver down their spines. The possibility made them all uneasy, as if the Depths were no longer just a place of mystery, but a trap they were walking into. The weight of the unknown pressing against their minds. It was no longer just a journey to uncover history. The Depths had become a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

Everyone fell silent, the air thick with a sense of impending threat. They were nearing the heart of Zorther's most closely guarded secrets, and whatever awaited them at the end of this journey would shape their fates in ways they could not yet comprehend. The tension in the elevator was unbearable, the fear of what lay ahead growing with every second that passed. They were about to reach the point where Zorther's darkest secrets were buried, and no one could predict what dangers—or truths—lay ahead.

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Chapter 3: Rallying of the Believers

On Earth, just as Vekroth's presence began to stir in the depths, Mara sat in her rocking chair, her mind suddenly gripped by a sense of foreboding. Her eyes snapped open, as if she could sense Vekroth's arrival in the Depths—a presence that tugged at her very being. She knew, deep in her bones, that Kael was walking into danger. “No…” she whispered, clenching her fists in realization. “He's already too close.”

Without hesitation, Mara reached out to the few elders still alive who had kept the old knowledge of the Zorthians. These were the ones who knew of the ancient beings' existence, though their numbers had dwindled over the years. “Something's wrong,” Mara said urgently over the communication device. “I can feel it. Someone… or something… stirring in the Depths. You must warn your families.”

As she spoke, she found that her unease was not unique—others, too, had felt it. Through the murmurs of the elders, she learned that the sense of impending doom was shared. Among the elders, only a handful had passed down the Zorthian lore to their children and grandchildren. But even fewer had truly understood the full weight of those stories. “It wasn't just a myth,” Solena Juno said firmly, her voice sharp as ever. “We knew, even as children, that those artifacts, those devices—they were real. And now, they are calling to us again.” Solena, who had witnessed the Zorthians' departure as a child and had learned to keep their secrets hidden, felt a deep connection to the Zorthian artifacts that once crossed Earth's surface. Her eyes narrowed, her resolve hardening. “We have no time to lose.”

The time had come to act. Mara had gathered a small group—three elder experts, including herself, each a keeper of the forgotten Zorthian knowledge, and a few of their children who had long believed in the old stories. Together, they formed a quiet, determined team, bound by the shared truth of the Zorthians' past. “We must go,” Mara said to them, voice resolute. “Kael is in danger, and we need to uncover the truth before it's too late.”

The elders were Thelgar Malcor, a man of few words but great wisdom. “I never thought this day would come,” he said, his tone steady but full of apprehension. Beside him was Solena Juno, always alert, always ready. “I always knew there was more to the Zorthians' legacy. We must find it before the wrong hands do.”

Their children, too, had inherited a spark of the old knowledge. There was Nira, Thelgar's daughter, a resourceful woman with a scientific mind and an unshakable belief in the strange histories her father spoke of. “I never doubted it, Father,” she said, glancing at him with a determined look. “I knew the stories weren't just stories. Now we have to prove it.”

Alongside her was Darin, Solena's son, a man of action, full of energy and curiosity. “If there's anything out there, anything from the old times, I want to be the one to find it,” he said, grinning with enthusiasm. “Let's get to the Depths. The truth is waiting for us.”

Together, this small but passionate team would make their way to the Earth's forgotten layers, with a goal to find Kael and uncover the mysteries. “We're ready,” Mara said, as the group prepared to move out. The elders, though aged and weary, had a spark of resolve in their eyes. They had all seen the signs, and now, they would act on them. The future of two worlds was in their hands.

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Chapter 4: Whispers in the Depths

The moment Vekroth materialized in Earth's Depths layer, he was overcome by disorientation. The Hypergate had deposited him in what appeared to be an endless void. For a fleeting moment, its residual power cast a faint glow around him, barely illuminating the oppressive darkness. Then, with a soft hum, the Hypergate powered down completely, plunging him into pitch blackness. Darkness enveloped everything, its oppressive weight a stark reminder of how far from the surface—and from light—he had ventured. The air was stale and heavy, the temperature as stifling as he had expected. It was unmistakable: he was in the Depths.

Reaching for the bright flash lantern he had engineered, he activated it with a swift tap on its side. The sudden beam sliced through the darkness, revealing desolation. Prison cells, long empty and corroded by time, lined the walls like haunting relics of a forgotten era. Their emptiness felt almost mocking, but Vekroth dismissed the thought with a sneer. He had no time for such distractions. He needed power to recharge his Hypergate—a vital step if he were to establish his presence here and prepare for what lay ahead.

As he ventured deeper, his frustration grew. Vault after vault yielded nothing of use. The barren storerooms held neither Everult, the vital energy batteries he needed, nor functional generators. His initial confidence began to wane. Could this entire Depths layer truly be so devoid of resources?

But Vekroth was nothing if not resourceful. Even in the face of scarcity, his brilliant mind churned. He turned to chemistry—the one science he knew could offer him a solution, even in such dire circumstances. If he could not find power, he would create it.

Determined, Vekroth scavenged every piece of technology he could find, dismantling devices and prying open their components. From the remnants, he managed to recover several depleted Everults. Though their energy was spent, the chemicals within remained intact. His lantern, too, became a tool in his experiments. With careful precision, he diverted its remaining energy to power his rudimentary setup.

When he finally cracked open the first Everult, the resulting explosion echoed through the Depths like a thunderclap. The shockwave reverberated through the abandoned structure, stirring the silence into a cacophony of vibrations. The air around him trembled, and far above, Kael froze.

Kael had been cautiously exploring the first underground layer of the buried system, guided by the detection device Mara had given him. He had descended with hope, but the oppressive darkness soon weighed on him, sapping his courage. His flashlight could only pierce so far into the black abyss, and every step he took seemed to invite unseen eyes to watch him.

When the bang reached his ears, it shattered the uneasy silence. The sound rumbled through the ground like a warning, and Kael felt his skin crawl. A cold sweat broke across his forehead as his sense of unease morphed into something far worse. It was as if the darkness had come alive, pressing in on him, whispering threats he couldn’t understand.

He turned to retreat, his resolve crumbling under the weight of his fear. But as he neared the entrance to the surface, his instincts screamed at him to stop. Something was there. Shapes moved above, silhouetted against the faint glow of the entryway. Shadows loomed, silent and menacing, waiting for him.

Kael's breath hitched as he tried to climb the dirt slope leading out. His foot slipped on a loose rock, sending it tumbling down the incline. The clatter rang out like a beacon in the quiet, and Kael's heart raced. He looked up, the shadowy figure above turned toward him, as if staring at him. It was over for him.

Panic overtook him, his limbs locking in terror. He stumbled back, hitting the ground hard, his flashlight slipping from his grasp. The beam flickered and died, plunging him into darkness. Paralyzed with fear, he lay there, unable to move, convinced that whatever was above would come for him.

Then, a familiar voice broke the spell.

“Kael!”

His eyes snapped open, his breath catching. The voice was unmistakable.

“Mara?” he whispered, his voice trembling with relief.

The shadowy figure stepped forward, resolving into the elderly woman who had sent him on this journey. Behind her stood her team. They helped Kael to his feet, offering him water and words of comfort. Mara's calm presence eased his panic, and slowly, his breathing steadied.

“They're here,” Kael said at last, his voice raw. “I heard something. A bang. It was… close.”

Mara exchanged a glance with the team. The noise Kael had described was no ordinary sound. It could only mean one thing: someone—or something—had entered the Depths.

Meanwhile, Vekroth continued his work. The first Everult had yielded promising results, and he wasted no time breaking apart the second. Another bang tore through the silence, louder and more forceful than the last. This time, it carried a faint but ominous tremor that rippled through the walls and floors.

Even far above, Mara and her team felt it, their expressions darkening as the vibrations reached them.

“We're not alone,” Solena muttered.

Vekroth, oblivious to their presence, was consumed by his task. He had finally gathered enough materials to conduct a meaningful experiment. Carefully, he extracted the chemical components from the Everults, isolating Vazron (Qa) and the inert gas Valxuor (L₄Sq₂Ar₃H₂). With deliberate precision, he combined them, watching as the reaction began to unfold.

A faint hum filled the air as energy started to build. The process was crude and unstable, but it was working. Silquor (Sq), the glowing byproduct, pooled around his makeshift apparatus, casting an eerie light in the darkness.

For the first time since his arrival, Vekroth allowed himself a grim smile. He had power. It was only a matter of time before he could reestablish his Hypergate—and his plans could truly begin.

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Chapter 5: The Forgotten Inventions

Lirien and her team had finally reached the Depths after their tense descent in the creaking elevator. As the doors slid open, a wave of oppressive heat hit them, dense and stifling. The air was heavy, thick with the kind of stillness that prickled at the back of one’s neck. The chamber beyond was bathed in a dim red glow, the light casting jagged, flickering shadows across the walls. Unease settled over them like a shroud; even before taking a step, they could feel it—a tangible sense of foreboding. Vekroth was out there somewhere, and this place felt like his lair.

Before they moved further, Threx stepped back to the elevator console, locking it with a sharp press of his ID card against the panel. A small light blinked red, confirming the seal. “If things go sideways,” he said, glancing at the others, “we can’t risk anyone—or anything—following us out.” Satisfied, he turned back to the team, his face grim.

The corridors branched out in every direction, each path leading deeper into uncertainty. The first one they chose bore a rusted sign swinging precariously from above: PRISON. Lirien suggested they start there. If Vekroth had escaped from one of these cells, perhaps they could uncover some clue about how he did it. The team agreed and moved cautiously forward, their footsteps echoing faintly in the suffocating silence.

As they ventured further, the corridor sloped downward, their footsteps growing louder, ringing out in faint, hollow echoes that danced through the oppressive silence. Moments later, they reached the prison. Rows of cells stretched out on either side, each marked with an ID numbers. Threx took the lead, methodically inspecting each one, he read IDs against the ID he had received from the highest-ranking official. The team waited in tense silence as Threx moved from cell to cell, his pace steady despite the weight of the task. At last, he stopped in front of one, his gaze lingering on the ID plate.

“This is it,” Threx said, his voice low but steady.

The cell was empty. Just as they feared, Vekroth was gone. Threx retrieved the heavy, forged key from his pack—a tool entrusted to him alone—and inserted it into the lock. The iron grated as he turned it, and with a loud clank, the cell door swung open. The team stepped inside, their gazes sweeping every corner for answers. It wasn’t long before Lirien’s sharp eyes spotted something unusual near the base of the cell. “Here,” she said, pointing at the bars. One of the rods had been carefully loosened, its end embedded deep into a small hole in the floor. The realization came quickly: Vekroth had pried the rod loose, burrowed his way out, and then reinserted the bar to conceal his escape.

“Smart,” Valtor muttered, crouching down to inspect the hole. “The soil beneath this level must be loose—too soft to hold him.”

“Which means,” Lirien added grimly, “we need to tread carefully. This whole place could shift under us.”

Their unease deepened. If the foundation here was unstable, then they had no guarantees of safety—not from Vekroth, and not from the Depths themselves.

Valtor suggested they check the vaults next. They followed his lead, navigating through the labyrinthine hallways until they arrived at the first set of sealed doors. Threx used his ID card, the scanner emitting a faint beep before the locks disengaged with a hiss. The door slid open, revealing a chamber filled with rows of strange devices, all of them coated in dust but still exuding an air of latent menace. Weapons. That much was clear.

Toris picked up a small gun from one of the shelves, inspecting it with a mix of curiosity and wariness. “Doesn’t look like much,” he said in a hushed voice.

“Try it,” Threx suggested, gesturing toward a test dummy in the corner.

Valtor shut the vault door behind them, ensuring no sound would escape. Toris aimed the weapon and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. The gun was silent, lifeless.

“It’s the Everult,” Lirien said after a moment’s thought, picking up a replacement energy cell from a nearby rack. Everults were a common sight in the vaults, their faint blue glow a constant among the shelves of devices. She handed one to Toris, who swapped it into the gun. This time, when he fired, a bright, piercing bolt of energy shot out, striking the dummy with a force that shattered its torso. The bullet vanished upon impact, leaving a clean, smoking hole in the target.

They exchanged uneasy glances.

“Take one,” Lirien said. “Better safe than sorry.” Each of them grabbed a weapon, preparing for the worst.

Valtor’s curiosity drew him to another device—a small, cube-shaped object with intricate cuts along its surface. He replaced its Everult and activated it. A shimmering field of energy formed around him, humming faintly.

“Is it solid?” Toris asked.

Lirien stepped forward and passed her hand through the field, her fingers meeting no resistance. “It’s just a projection.”

“Not so fast,” Valtor said, picking up the small shield device. He walked over to the test dummy and carefully placed the shield between himself and the target, then stepped back to a safe distance. He didn’t yet know if the bullets could pass through the shield—or worse, if they might ricochet.

He nodded at Threx. “Shoot.”

Threx hesitated for a moment, double-checking his aim, then fired. The bright, energetic bullet collided with the shield and vanished without a trace. Valtor, standing off to the side, let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

“Looks like it works,” he said, stepping closer to inspect the device.

“Now that’s something,” Threx admitted, impressed.

Valtor reached to turn off the device, only to flinch as it burned his hand. He barely managed to power it down before tossing it onto a nearby table. “Hot!” he exclaimed, shaking his hand with a grimace.

“Still worth carrying,” Lirien said, picking up another cube. They each took one, silently acknowledging the danger that might lie ahead.

The first vault yielded little else of use, so they moved on to the next. This one, though larger, contained mostly decorative items—antique lamps, ornate fixtures, and other curiosities powered by Everults. It was a stark contrast to the armaments they had just seen. After a brief search, they moved on.

The third vault, however, stopped them in their tracks. The door didn’t open.

Threx tried his ID card again, but the scanner beeped in protest.

“It’s damaged,” Lirien observed, noticing the slight gap between the door and its frame. A jagged hole hinted at a forced entry, the work of some unknown device.

“This could be it,” Threx said. “Where Vekroth is hiding.”

The team braced themselves. Threx gripped the edges of the door, his muscles straining as he attempted to pry it open. Toris and Valtor joined him, the three of them heaving with all their strength. At last, with a screech of metal, the door gave way, slamming open with a deafening crash.

But Vekroth wasn’t there.

Instead, they found a chamber filled with transportation devices—machines designed to move sand, stones, and other materials through tubes and belts. Among them, one device stood out: a Hypergate endpoint.

Threx’s eyes widened as he approached it. “This… this shouldn’t be here.” His gaze narrowed as he examined the device. “It’s missing the gate,” he muttered, recognizing the telltale features from his history book.

They stepped closer, marveling at the relic. Toris, ever curious, brushed against a button, causing the others to jump.

“Toris!” they all hissed in unison.

“Sorry,” he muttered sheepishly, stepping back. The device, fortunately, seemed unaffected, as Threx quickly inspected it to confirm.

They spent a few more minutes exploring the chamber, testing a sand-transporting machine that sucked up grains with almost magical efficiency. For a moment, the tension lifted as they shared a rare smile. But the danger of the Depths remained ever-present, looming like a shadow they could not shake.

---

Chapter 6: Return of the Lost

The air was thick with tension as Lirien and her team inspected the peculiar soil pump at the corner of the vault room. The device hummed softly, its sand-sifting mechanism glowing faintly as it processed grains of fine, almost metallic soil. Lirien couldn’t help but marvel at the engineering—a relic of a bygone age whose secrets had been lost to time.

“Whoever built this wasn’t just thinking about efficiency,” Valtor murmured, crouching beside the pump. “Look at the precision. Every grain is filtered perfectly.”

“Focus,” Threx said sharply, his gaze sweeping the room. “We didn’t come here to admire craftsmanship. If Vekroth is here, we need to stay alert.”

But before anyone could respond, a low hum filled the chamber. It began as a barely perceptible vibration, almost like the pump’s rhythm had shifted. Then the sound deepened, resonating through the walls, the floor, and even their bodies. Lirien froze, her hand instinctively clutching the small shield device she had taken earlier.

“What now?” Toris asked, his voice tinged with unease.

The vibration grew stronger, and the hum became a whine. A faint tremor ran through the floor, causing dust to trickle from the high ceiling. Then, without warning, a brilliant flash of light erupted at the far end of the room, near the Hypergate endpoint they had discovered earlier.

Lirien shielded her eyes as the light flared brighter and brighter. The ground beneath them seemed to heave with the force of an earthquake. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the light dimmed, leaving behind a massive structure—a gleaming, enclosed carriage-like machine with intricate, angular contours. The Hypergate carriage stood at the endpoint, its smooth surface glowing faintly with residual energy.

The team stared in stunned silence.

“No…” Threx whispered, his voice barely audible. “It’s a Hypergate.”

Before he could say more, the carriage’s hatch slid open with a hiss, and three figures emerged from within. The first was a young woman, her sleek, silver-gray suit catching the dim red light of the chamber. She stepped forward, her boots clinking softly against the floor.

“Does it always have to be this suffocatingly hot?” she muttered, fanning herself with her hand as she surveyed the room. Her tone carried a mix of irritation and curiosity.

Behind her, two young men followed. One, slightly taller, with a confident stride and sharp features, scanned the surroundings with keen eyes. The other, stockier but just as alert, lingered near the back, his gaze darting nervously to the dark corners of the room.

“Headquarters,” the young woman said, tapping a device on her wrist. “This is Expedition Alpha-9. We’ve arrived at your endpoint signal. Awaiting instructions.”

Silence.

She tapped the device again, her brow furrowing. “Headquarters, do you copy?”

Dravis, the taller man, stepped forward, his expression tightening. “Kira, try again.”

“I’m trying,” she shot back, frustration evident. She tapped her wrist device a third time, but the only response was static.

“Who are you?” Threx demanded, stepping forward and raising his weapon.

The three froze, glancing toward him. The young woman—Kira—raised her hands, palms outward, in a gesture of non-hostility. “Easy there, stranger. We’re space investigators—youngest generation of the program, actually.” She offered a faint, almost nervous smile.

“Space investigators?” Toris echoed, lowering his weapon slightly.

The taller man, who appeared to be the leader, stepped forward. “We’re here on assignment. I’m Dravis,” he said, his voice calm and authoritative. He gestured to his companions. “This is Arlen,” he pointed to the stockier man, “and Kira,” he said, nodding toward the young woman.

“And you are?” Kira asked, glancing at the group with an arched brow.

“I’m Threx,” he replied tersely. “These are Lirien, Toris, and Valtor.”

Dravis nodded. “Good. Now, where’s the station commander? We need to report in immediately.”

Threx frowned. “Station commander? There’s no commander here. This place has been abandoned for—”

“Wait,” Dravis interrupted, stepping closer to Threx. His expression grew serious. “What’s the date today?”

Threx hesitated, then replied, “Fourth Era, Year 617.”

The three investigators froze. For a moment, it seemed as though the very air had been sucked out of the room.

“That’s…” Arlen began, his voice trailing off.

“Centuries,” Dravis finished quietly, his face pale. He glanced back at the Hypergate carriage, realization dawning in his eyes. “We’ve been… displaced.”

“What do you mean, displaced?” Lirien asked, stepping forward.

Dravis turned to her, his tone sharp. “The Hypergate didn’t just bring us here. It brought us forward in time. Our assignment was in Year 392.”

Lirien’s eyes widened, but before she could respond, Threx interjected. “If you’re telling the truth, then you’ve been through a temporal distortion. That’s why your ‘headquarters’ isn’t responding. It’s been gone for over two centuries.”

The weight of Threx’s words settled over the group. Kira looked at her companions, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. “Two centuries…” she murmured.

Dravis exhaled slowly, regaining his composure. “This changes things. We need to understand what happened—and why.”

The group stood in a tense silence, the weight of centuries pressing down on them. It was Kira who broke the moment, exhaling sharply and waving her hand in front of her face.

“Okay, but seriously—can we adjust the temperature in here? It feels like I’m baking.”

Lirien gave her a bemused look. “It’s not like we control the weather down here. The heat’s because of how deep we are. The Depths trap the warmth.”

Kira arched an eyebrow. “You’ve never heard of thermal configuration? The control panels should allow for temperature adjustments.”

“Control panels?” Threx asked, his tone skeptical. “We haven’t found any functional ones in this ruin.”

Dravis frowned, glancing at his companions. “You’ve got to be kidding me. This place was state-of-the-art before we left. Every facility this deep had a control room for environmental management.”

“We haven’t seen one,” Lirien said, crossing her arms.

Dravis exchanged a glance with Arlen and Kira before nodding decisively. “Follow me. If the layout hasn’t changed much, the control room should be near your elevator. We can at least see if the systems are salvageable.”

Threx hesitated, his instincts warning him against trusting the strangers too quickly. But curiosity won out, and he gestured for them to lead the way.

The group moved cautiously through the dim hallways, the oppressive heat bearing down on them. The investigators seemed more at ease now, their confident strides contrasting with the wariness of Lirien’s team.

As they walked, Valtor broke the silence. “You mentioned environmental management earlier. Does that mean you’re familiar with other systems here?”

“Familiar?” Arlen repeated with a chuckle. “We trained for years on these systems. You could say we know them better than our own homes.”

“What about the Hypergate carriage?” Toris asked. “That thing looked ancient—and dangerous.”

“Not ancient to us,” Kira replied, glancing over her shoulder. “That model was cutting-edge when we left. Looks like it held up better than the rest of this place.”

Threx grunted. “And yet it’s what displaced you in time. I wouldn’t call that a success.”

Dravis gave him a sharp look. “The Hypergate isn’t at fault here. Something interfered with its systems—something unexpected. Maybe even deliberate.”

That sent a ripple of unease through the group. Lirien spoke up, her voice steady. “Speaking of deliberate interference, we need to talk about Vekroth. He’s the reason we’re down here in the first place.”

“Vekroth?” Kira repeated, tilting her head. “Who—or what—is that?”

Threx took a deep breath, his tone grim. “A dangerous fugitive. We think he escaped from one of the prison cells in this facility. He’s smart, resourceful, and ruthless.”

“Sounds like trouble,” Arlen muttered.

“That’s an understatement,” Lirien said. “He’s also been tampering with the technology down here, which makes him even more of a threat.”

“Tampering?” Dravis’s expression darkened. “What kind of tampering?”

“Vaults, systems—anything he can get his hands on,” Valtor explained. “We’re not even sure how much he’s done, but it’s clear he knows his way around this place.”

Dravis exchanged a glance with Kira and Arlen. “If he’s been interfering with the systems, that could explain some of what’s happened here. We need to see the control room immediately.”

The tension mounted as they neared the elevator shaft. True to Dravis’s prediction, a control room was nestled in a side alcove near the elevator. The door’s panel was corroded, but Dravis wasted no time, tapping commands into a small wrist device. The door slid open with a reluctant hiss, revealing a dimly lit room filled with flickering consoles and monitors.

Kira whistled low, stepping inside. “Well, it’s seen better days, but it’s still operational.”

“Barely,” Arlen added, brushing dust from a terminal.

Dravis approached the main console, his fingers dancing over the controls with practiced ease. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

As the investigators worked to bring the systems online, the room hummed softly, the ancient machinery sputtering back to life. The main console flickered, its display gradually stabilizing under Dravis’s skillful commands. Kira stepped forward, her eyes scanning the thermal controls with keen interest.

“Found it,” she said, her tone triumphant. “The thermal regulation system was completely offline. No wonder it’s so stifling down here.”

“What are you talking about?” Lirien asked, stepping closer.

“Depths like these naturally trap heat the deeper you go,” Kira explained. “This place has a cooling system designed to regulate it, but it’s been shut down. Let’s fix that.” Her fingers danced over the controls, activating the system with a few swift commands.

The machinery emitted a faint hum, and moments later, a coolness began to seep into the air. Slowly but steadily, the oppressive heat that had enveloped them began to dissipate.

“Wait,” Toris said, looking around as if testing the air. “Is it actually cooling down?”

“It’s working,” Kira said with a satisfied nod, stepping back from the console. “Give it some time, and this place will be livable again.”

Valtor exhaled, a rare grin spreading across his face. “I didn’t realize how unbearable the heat was until now.”

“It’s subtle,” Lirien admitted, feeling the shift, “but definitely better. I thought we’d have to just… endure it.”

Dravis smiled faintly. “You’re welcome.”

Threx, ever pragmatic, studied the console with suspicion. “Good work. But let’s not forget: Vekroth might not be far from here. If he’s been in the Depths, there’s a chance he knows about these systems, too.”

Threx glanced at Dravis and the others, his mind working quickly. If the space investigators knew much about this place, maybe they could help them track down Vekroth. He took a breath, then asked, “You know these Depths better than we do. If you can, help us find Vekroth.”

Dravis looked to his team, and after a brief, silent exchange, he nodded. “We’ll help. He’s the one causing all the trouble, right?”

“Exactly,” Threx replied, his voice firm. “If you have any information, anything that can lead us to him…”

“We’re on it,” Kira said, giving him a determined look. “Let’s find this Vekroth.”

As Threx and the team exchanged looks, there was a flicker of hope amidst the uncertainty. With the systems now functional and the Depths cooling down, they finally had a fighting chance. The space investigators, though strangers, had offered their support—an alliance formed out of necessity but one that felt like it could turn the tide. Together, they might be able to face whatever awaited them in the shadows of the Depths. The hunt for Vekroth was far from over, but for the first time, they had a clear path forward.

---

Epilogue: A Legacy Unearthed

The journeys of Lirien and Kael continued to mirror each other, each uncovering fragments of a mystery that spanned their worlds. In the Depths of Zorther, Lirien and her team unearthed ancient technologies and encountered time-displaced investigators whose knowledge hinted at the vastness of the Zorthian legacy. Meanwhile, on Earth, Kael, alongside Mara and the elders, uncovered artifacts that wove Earth’s history into Zorther’s, revealing connections deeper than either had imagined.

With Vekroth’s shadow looming in the Depths of Earth and ancient secrets stirring beneath both planets, the paths of two worlds drew nearer still, their futures intertwined by a shared and perilous history.

To be continued…