Chapter 4: Chapter 4 - Artifact's Aria: An Apocalyptic Refrain
The mission target loomed before them, a jagged silhouette against the chaotic sky of the Dead Zone seen past the shell. What might have once been a thriving research facility in another universe now stood there as a testament to the unforgiving power of reality's complete collapse. Twisted metal and shattered concrete mixed together with strange, crystalline growths that pulsed with a creepy, almost otherworldly light.
Naia crouched behind a fallen pillar whose architecture didn't even match the building they were looking at. Her eyes scanned the area for any sign of movement like she was trained to do. Beside her, Evander's glasses - his Tactical Visor - glowed softly as he processed the commotion of information streaming through it from his terminal.
Theia stood only a few paces away. Her posture was as tense as a coiled spring and her arms wearing those clearly specialized tech gloves were spread and ready to unleash chaos at the order.
"We're picking up unusual energy signatures. They're similar to the artifacts we've retrieved before, but... different. They read as more volatile."
Evander murmured his findings. His voice was barely audible over the din that rattled the air. Naia closed her eyes and reached out with her power. There was a noisome dissonance there that was palpable. Like a cacophony of other realities trying to occupy the same space. It truly made her skin crawl and her teeth ache.
"The harmony is... fractured. It's like this location in the building itself is trying to exist in multiple states at once. Split apart, but the same."
She explained aloud despite struggling to find the right words. Naia had never seen anything like it and certainly had never been trained on how exactly to deal with it. When she turned and opened her eyes after speaking, Theia's own gleamed at her with an unsettling mixture of apprehension… and excitement.
"Sounds like my kind of party."
She quipped - but there was an edge to her voice that easily betrayed her unease. Evander also nodded grimly. He turned to address the squad's footsoldiers.
"Our objective remains the same. We need to locate and secure the artifact before the location destabilizes any further and sinks into the Dead Zone. Naia, can you create a path through this... discord?"
As Naia pondered the challenge before her, a rumble shook the ground. Pieces of earthen debris shifted near the 'stable' shell, revealing glimpses of impossible geometries etched in the depths like a kaleidoscope. The mission had seemed straightforward in the briefing, but standing here at the threshold of broken reality planning to enter an area just as distorted - nothing felt certain anymore.
She really wished that standard procedure had suggested they bring the transport with them.
The Harmony Navigator took a deep breath. As she prepared to weave chaos into a sense of order once more, she couldn't shake the feeling that this would test more than just their abilities. Naia closed her eyes and stretched out her hand. A soft, melodic hum escaped her lips, barely audible at first but gradually growing in intensity.
Cerulean energy flowed starting at her fingertips, It wove through the air and around her staff in intricate patterns. As her song grew stronger, the chaotic energies surrounding the building almost seemed to… recoil.
The impossible geometries flickered, struggling against the harmonizing force. Then slowly, very slowly bend to her will. For a moment, it seemed to Naia as if her power might not be enough. With a final, resonating note, reality snapped into place. A single one of them - the building they needed to enter solidified into coherent form.
"That was impressive."
Theia offered as her features revealed both admiration and something else - perhaps envy? The Navigator couldn't tell with such a short time around the other woman. After using his Tactical Visor and scanning the newly stabilized structure, Evander also nodded.
"Good work, Naia. The path should be safe, but stay alert. We don't know how long this stability will last."
The entire squad moved forward in formation, with Evander taking the point position. Nothing was more reassuring than a Tactical Omniscience ability holder willing to stand at the head. Theia and Naia flanked him and the soldiers brought up the rear in two lines behind them.
As they entered the building, the air grew thick with static. The hairs on the back of Naia's neck stood on end and it felt like something would be around every corner. The interior was a maze of twisted corridors and rooms. Shadows danced eerily on the walls, made by the pulsing crystalline growths.
It almost seemed that the strange mineral was spreading through the structure like an infection.
"The energy signature associated with the artifact is stronger now. It should be just ahead. But…"
Evander reported with his eyes darting back and forth behind his glasses. He'd trailed off as they rounded a last corner to enter what must have been a laboratory. What they sought was in the center of the room. Hovering a few feet off the ground, it was no larger than a basketball - but its presence dominated the space. The swirling vortex of energy bent light and warped the air around it.
"That's... not really what I expected."
Naia breathed out with a voice almost a whimper. Theia stepped toward it… her gloves glowing orange with barely contained energy. Her tone felt enraptured and nearly hungry with desire as she said:
"It's beautiful."
Their leader held up a hand and took a step to the side to stop the blonde's advance. "We need to approach this carefully. Naia, can you sense anything about it? Are the readings about its stability accurate?"
Naia began reaching out with her abilities. The vortex was a maelstrom of conflicting harmonies, each fighting for dominance. A lot like what was happening with the structure she had temporarily stabilized. Beneath the seeming chaos, she sensed something else - an artificial pattern. Complex but not entirely random.
She opened her eyes in surprise before sharing her thought.
"It's... singing. The energies within it are resonating with each other in a complex pattern, creating a sort of melody. I've never felt anything like it before."
Evander frowned and adjusted his glasses before his eyes glowed red. His tactical mind was clearly racing to process this new information. The one who found this detail out was processing it as well… but without nearly as much benefit or context from the use of a military terminal and ability designed for the task.
Part of her wondered idly why something so chaotic had been made intentionally in the first place. It reminded her of the history lessons she was taught. Of the experiment that started the war.
'Was this the thing your world did that caused your apocalypse of merging universes?'
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Seraphelki
Seraphelki Writing three of these in a row is a pain in- I mean, hello there. Publish timers are great when you get more than enough done at once and feel the need to spread the chapters out to potentially attract attention.
Oh, and here's a 'fast phrase' duo!
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