The pillar hummed like an ancient machine, its core suspended in mid-air. Isabelle's fingers grazed the glowing orb, sending a ripple of energy through her entire body. The air in the room felt electric, charged with something much more powerful than just data or machinery.
"Isabelle!" Damian shouted, voice laced with urgency as he fired at the advancing guards. "You need to get that code fast!"
Isabelle didn't respond, her focus entirely on the orb. It was a hologram, yet somehow tangible, swirling with what looked like constellations of data.
It was beautiful, terrifying, and completely out of her league.
"What is this?" she murmured, taking a deep breath and trying to steady herself.
"It's the heart of the override," Echo said, her voice quivering with awe. "Elira's final creation—an interwoven neural code capable of rewriting the Collective's entire surveillance system. This is what will bring them down."
Isabelle reached into her jacket and pulled out the device Elira had given her—the only key to unlocking the override. She inserted it into the glowing orb. There was a soft click, and then—nothing.
For a moment, there was only the sound of her breathing and the distant crackle of gunfire. Then, the orb pulsed with light, and a strange voice resonated in the air around them.
Access Code: Required
Damian didn't pause. He shot at one of the guards and took cover behind a nearby console. "Hurry, Isabelle!"
She looked at Echo, whose face was pale and tense. "How do I activate it?"
Echo hesitated, then whispered, "Elira said… the second code requires someone who is alive, someone who has been a part of the Collective's system. Someone who has the data embedded in their mind."
Isabelle's stomach twisted. "Someone like you."
Echo's eyes locked with hers. "I'm afraid so."
Without hesitation, Isabelle reached for the console in front of her and slid her finger over the touchpad. "What do we do?"
Echo's eyes closed for a brief moment, her hand trembling as she placed it over Isabelle's. "It has to be you. The mind connected to the override will give the final command."
Isabelle didn't have time to argue. She focused on the orb, and as her mind synced with the neural code, the room around her began to shift. The walls warped, the holograms distorting as if they were reality itself bending under the pressure.
Access granted.
The room went dark, save for the faint glow of the orb. Then, a holographic map of Portstone materialized in front of her, its digital markers blinking with red and green lights.
"Elira left us a path," Isabelle murmured. "It's all here…"
"You've unlocked it," Echo said, her voice quieter now, more distant. "But it's only the beginning. The final key to the override isn't just data—it's something physical. Something real."
Isabelle blinked, pulling back from the console, confusion clouding her mind. "What do you mean?"
Echo stepped forward, her form flickering like a glitch in the system. "The override needs to be activated from within the Collective's central core. And to do that, you'll need to access their mainframe. The true power behind the Collective is a machine, a living one. It's their greatest secret."
Damian, who had been busy fending off guards, looked up, his eyes narrowing. "That doesn't sound like something we can just stroll into."
"It's not." Echo's voice became harder, more resolute. "But you have no choice. If you want to free Portstone and end the Collective's reign, you need to go there."
Damian cursed under his breath. "Where? How do we get to it?"
"Follow the map," Echo replied, her form flickering again. "I'll send you the coordinates, but once you're in… the system will fight back."
Isabelle nodded, determination flooding her veins. They couldn't stop now. They were close, closer than they'd ever been. But the deeper they went, the more danger they would face.
Damian caught her gaze. "Let's get moving. We're running out of time."
Before they could react, the room's door slammed shut with an unyielding metallic screech. Shadows filled the space, and the remaining guards closed in, weapons raised.
"They've cut us off," Isabelle said, her heart pounding as she looked for an escape route.
But it was too late. The guards surrounded them, their faces cold and emotionless. The leader of the group, a tall figure with a deep scar across his cheek, spoke in a low growl.
"Do not resist," he ordered. "Come with us peacefully, and we'll make it quick."
Damian was the first to react. He charged forward, knocking a guard to the ground and grabbing a gun. Isabelle ran, ducking behind a console for cover.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Isabelle yelled, her voice shaking with adrenaline.
Damian's eyes were filled with fury. "We fight."
Isabelle didn't hesitate. The gunfire was deafening as she ran from cover to cover, her mind racing for a way out. Echo's words echoed in her mind: The system will fight back.
She knew what she had to do.
"Damian! The map—it's our way out!"
He didn't need another word. They pushed forward, cutting through the guards with precise strikes, and began moving toward the far wall, where a hidden hatch opened to a descending elevator shaft.
As they slid into the elevator, the doors slammed shut, and the world above them vanished into darkness.