Erik and the others came to a stop as soon as they saw the massive military installation in front of them. This enormous structure, built of metal and gnarled with rust, appeared to possess an intimidating history and radiated power. Its wide entrance yawned before them, promising a labyrinth of corridors and rooms deep within its belly.
Samuel approached the massive metal door and stepped up to them. When he touched the oxidized, cold surface with his fingertips, it groaned in response.
When they realized the magnitude of the situation in which they found themselves—on the brink of the legacy of their ancestors and in the lair of a potential beast—they observed a moment of respectful silence together.
As a result of Erik's previous visit, the door to the military base had been blown up, making it so that they could clearly see the opaque darkness within.
The pitch-black interior of the military base completely obscured the weak, ethereal light coming from the Aclaitrium. As Ethan stared in awe at the incredible scene before him, he blew a soft whistle.
When Erik turned around to face the other people in the group, a solemn expression appeared on his face. His words were barely audible above a whisper, but they carried with them a clear indication that he was being cautious. "I think it's time to light up the torches."
And with that, they went inside, where the only light was coming from the dim glow of the torches they were carrying.
After entering, they discovered they were in the middle of a long corridor. On either side, a seemingly endless number of doors led into uncharted rooms.
The air was thick with the musty smell of old age, rust, and conflicts that had been forgotten for a long time. It appeared that each reverberating footstep roused the fortress from its centuries-long slumber.
Long passageways, resembling the veins of a beast, extended outward from their location, and inside each one were mysteries from the distant past.
Despite the unsettling vibe that permeated the military base, there was an irresistible urge to investigate its inner workings.
Ethan's eyes roved over the rusted metallic walls until they settled on the weathered labels next to each door. He leaned in closer and squinted his eyes in an attempt to make sense of the worn-out words, which caused his brows to knit together.
"Look at this," he called to Erik and Samuel, gesturing towards the faded labels. He removed some of the rust, making the ancient markings etched into the metal more legible by rubbing away some of the rust. "Seems like they had labels for every room."
Ethan drew the attention of Erik and Samuel, who moved closer to the labels he had pointed out. The fact that the letters had been eroded and faded could still be read as evidence of their ancestors' diligence and attention to detail.
"That's... interesting," Samuel admitted, his gaze flickering over the signs.
"So, this was their way of organizing things," Samuel mused, tracing the symbols thoughtfully. "It must have been necessary for them to maintain order in such a large structure. This way, they knew exactly where everything was."
"The only problem is: what did they do here exactly?" Erik asked. They continued to make their way deeper into the structure, passing through a series of long corridors that were eerily similar to one another.
The only thing that broke the eerie silence was the sound of boots scraping against cold metal as they proceeded. ραпdαs `n?ν?| сom
Around them were the gloomy remnants of the battle that had been fought in the past here: the skeletons of soldiers who had died while making their final stand, their skeletal hands still clutching the ancient weapons they had used. Ethan couldn't help but look around at the eerie scene, and as he did, he felt a shiver run up and down his spine.
"Did the...you know...the humanoid thaid do this?" Ethan's voice wavered as he spoke, and he cast a wary glance at the wreckage scattered around.
The implications of his words were not lost on the group, and his question lingered heavily in the air as a result.
Erik nodded slowly, his gaze hardening as he took in the scene around them. "It's the most likely possibility," he admitted, a sad note in his voice. "For sure, these people were fighting something strong, and it seems they weren't successful."
The group had been wandering around the maze-like structure for about half an hour when they finally came upon a scene that immediately captured their attention.
Once sturdy and robust, the remnants of a door now lay torn apart, reduced to twisted, jagged shards of metal strewn across the floor.
The excessive damage was unmistakable proof of the massive force applied. Furthermore, it was evident that whatever was once contained within the room was not intended to escape.
The metal label next to it indicated this was a lab. Intricate symbols and aged text, barely legible after all these years, hinted at a place of extensive research and experimentation.
Ethan stopped and looked at the shredded doorway with interest and trepidation. "What do you think they were doing here?" he wondered aloud. His words echoed through the hollow space, unanswered, as the rest of the group shared his bewilderment.
However, the condition of the door suggested that whatever took place in the lab wasn't ordinary.
"I have an idea, but it would be too crazy if it were true," Erik said without processing further.
When the group first entered the laboratory, their attention was immediately drawn to a row of enormous glass tanks. Each tank contained a putrid yellow liquid, illuminated by the dim glow of their torches and cast ghastly shadows all over the room.
The skeletal remains of the thaids were found inside the containers, where they were immersed in the eerie fluid. As they proceeded further, they could recognize the unique characteristics of some of the specimens, whose once menacing forms had been transformed into husks.
"Were they—?" Samuel suddenly said.
"Yeah," Erik chimed in. "They were probably studying the thaids, as that would be the first time they saw them… The problem is… this place is too old…" Erik said.
"Too old?" Ethan asked.
"Yes, you probably don't know since you live in a village, but according to history books, the first Thaid sighting happened around 2588. The problem is that when I was here a month ago, I read some documents that reported dates ranging from 2570 to 2580. This place was active much before the first Thaids appeared. Yet, they already had some thaids here…" Erik said.
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