They'd just passed through the colossal gate separating Nexus's core facilities from the hidden passages beyond.
Yet violent tremors still shook the ground beneath their feet, as if the entire mountain above might collapse at any moment.
Each heavy impact from behind sent fine dust drifting down from the ancient stone ceiling.
The battle between Guardian Omega and Alpha was far from over.
Aurelia walked at the rear, occasionally glancing back into the dark corridor they'd left behind.
Communications signals were completely dead; no trace remained of the guardian's steady voice only a heavy silence charged with the weight of sacrifice.
She understood perfectly: Omega hadn't stayed behind out of necessity, but had chosen to remain to buy them precious time.
But one strange detail had only just dawned on her. During their final exchange, Omega's voice had shifted exactly like the crackling, old-record tone of Aria.
Had there been an unknown connection all along?
