Brave the Darkness

The thud of boots echoed across the wasteland like the beating of a war drum. The sky stretched endlessly onwards, with dreary purple clouds churning in sluggish currents. Only a dim, cold light pierced through the murky overcast, casting a lifeless light that did very little to warm the squadron of soldiers marching below. Their armoured formation carved a trail across the barren terrain, their sharp movement perfectly synchronised with their captain positioned at the head. “The intercepted signal was located in this region; stay alert!” their captain's voice called out, cutting through the tense silence. At his command, the squad halted, drawing their weapons on command. All of them are lethal apex predators readying for battle. The quieting clicking of their weapons reverberated as each pair of eyes remained dead ahead as they continued moving stealthily and skilfully through the terrain.

All except one.

At the tail end of the tight formation, Agent Lucida Shepard lagged, her steps just slightly out of rhythm with the rest of the unit. Unlike all her fellow agents, she didn't carry a weapon. Instead, Agent Shepard was holding a strange device, its interface glowing as she scanned the lifeless terrain around her. Her fingers began expertly adjusting the controls, attempting to calibrate the device's sensitivity to the atmospheric pressure. Her eyes, which were visible through the transparent glass of her helmet, were not looking ahead. Instead, they drifted skyward toward the hazy silhouettes of distant planets, hovering above like a graveyard of decaying celestial bodies.

As the squad's environmental specialist, biologist, and planetary ecologist, Shepard analysed the viability of alien worlds. Collecting samples for analysis in her shuttle lab aboard the Genesis spaceship, she held out her scanner, detecting the microscopic traces of life, soil fertility, and atmospheric stability of planet X1503.

The readings can't all fall below the optimum range. Could the instruments have malfunctioned? No, I calibrated them myself just hours ago, Shepard thought, her mind firing with rapid calculations. “Data is consistent across all devices, atmospheric oxygen levels, radiation exposure, and soil toxicity all conclude that planet X1503 can't support long-term habitation without significant terraforming.” She spoke into a microphone log embedded in her suit, recounting her thoughts and steps she needed to reflect on them for further analysis. The faint crackle of static hummed from her device as she followed her unit, reading the planet's electromagnetic signals and searching for anomalies or signs of movement. Nothing. Just like the last planet. And the one before that. How long had it been since her home planet Earth's gradual deterioration? Shepard had lost count. They searched planet after planet, galaxy after galaxy, hoping to find a sustainable energy source before the last remnants of humanity succumbed to starvation or disease on their makeshift orbital stations.

Ahead, the squad moved like a single, unstoppable force. The air was thick and acrid as towering spirals of jagged obsidian rock twisted and clawed out from the depths of the planet's core. Reaching toward the skies in defiance of the planet's suffocating gravity. Shepard moved through the grim wasteland with slow, deliberate steps, her boots kicking up the fine grey silt. Her sharp eyes flicked between the terrifying obsidian spires and the flickering data on her scanner's display. There was something about these obsidian formations that they were walking past, casting long, eerie shadows.

“The angles on that formation are far too precise. Not wind erosion. Crystalline structure? No, the spires are irregular but patterned. Intelligent design?” she recorded into her microphone. She paused, her scanner emitting a faint ping as it swept over a nearby formation. Her brows knit beneath her helmet; taking a closer look, Shepard thought she could see the obsidian stone faintly glimmering as if something was lurking beneath its exterior. She took a step closer towards the deformed rock formation.

“Silicon-based compound? Or something else? Impossible to determine from a surface reading. Atmosphere's composition - trace methane, negligible oxygen. There are no organic decay markers in the dust. Could it be a chemical reaction?” Shepard spoke into her microphone log. Shepard exhaled slowly, her breath fogging the inside of her helmet. Her curiosity burned brighter, and her every instinct, trained by years of scientific study, told her to investigate. Her feet carried her another step forward, the blue insignia on her suit gleaming as she moved towards the target formation.

“Shepard, you're falling behind.”

The voice was sharp, clipped, and instantly familiar. Lucida Shepard groaned. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Special Agent Leroy Braxton was standing right behind her, his weapon held tightly at his side like an extension of his body. Shepard rolled her eyes beneath her helmet, knowing full well that Braxton, the stickler for protocol, wouldn't let even the slightest deviation go unnoticed. Shepard didn’t turn around, her stare fixed on the ominous rock. Beneath the rugged black surface, something seemed to shift, an undercurrent lurking just out of reach.

“Shepard, did you hear me?” Braxton repeated. “Do these rock formations seem off to you?” she asked, ignoring him. Her eyes roamed over the talon-like spires rising from the cracked ground, their jagged tips piercing the sky in a terrifying unison. “No, they look like rocks,” Braxton replied, but despite his dismissal, his eyes trailed over the formations. His head was tilted slightly, trying to pinpoint what had caught Shepard's attention.

The towering rocks loomed over them, casting unsettling shadows around them. Shepard didn't need to turn around to see Braxton's impatient scowl beneath his helmet as he glanced back to the rest of the unit, now a steady line of white armour marching further into the distance. “Shepard, we don't have time for this,” Braxton snapped, his voice taut with frustration. “We've been scouring planet X1503 for three days, … and you've managed to scan almost every bloody rock. This planet's dead. Just like all the others,” Braxton replied.

“We've been treating this planet like all the others,” Shepard countered. “What if this…” She gestured to the rock, her eyes alight with the spark of discovery, “…is alive?” Braxton raised an eyebrow, “then why don't you ask it?” Shepard gave Braxton a pointed glare. “These are different; their formations don't align with any specific sedimentary strata,” Shepard replied, ignoring Braxton. “English, Shepard,” he said flatly. Shepard sighed, her patience thinning. “All the rocks are tilted the same way,” she said, her gloved hand pointing to the spires and how all the jagged peaks slanted slightly in the same direction. “Look, the symmetry is unnatural, it's like they're all reaching for something.” Braxton straightened his steady gaze, slowly following the direction of Shepard's gloved finger. He clutched his weapon tighter, now seeing the alignment of the spires. They weren't random, every one of them twisted and clawed towards a point on the horizon, far beyond their current position.

“You're right,” Braxton murmured. “Of course, I'm right”, Shepard responded, already kneeling by the base of the formation, her scanner in hand, activating its interface with a flick of her wrist. “Shepard, give warning!” Braxton barked, his weapon coming up as a reflex. The barrel of his weapon levelled at the back of her head. Shepard froze before turning her head just enough to catch him in her peripheral vision. She lifted her free hand in mock surrender, “are you going to shoot me for scanning rocks, Braxton?” she said with dry amusement. “Standard protocol,” Braxton growled. He lowered his weapon an inch, but his stance remained tense. “You're a liability when you go rouge, Shepard.”

“I'm just scanning for mineral properties,” she said, already tuning out his scolding as her device came to life. “Are you still going to shoot me?” She asked. “I'm considering it,” Braxton muttered. Shepard smirked under her helmet before fully activating the scanner. Its pale light scanned across the rock's surface as it swept over the jagged edges. Her eyes narrowed as data streamed across her helmet's heads-up display, a mixture of familiar elements and anomalous readings flashing one after the other. “There's a high concentration of wait…” Shepard's voice trailed off, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“What?” Braxton asked sharply, his weapon still drawn, his eyes flicking between Shepard and the spires surrounding them. Shepard didn't answer, instead adjusting the scanner. “What's happening? What does it say?” Braxton's voice sliced through the thick silence, and Shepard could feel his eyes burning into the back of her head, tracking every movement, ready to strike. She could almost hear the warning bells in his mind. She read over the data again, thinking she'd missed something, but the waveform remained steady, familiar. Not anomalous. Not significant. “…Nothing,” she said quietly, the disappointment sinking in her stomach like a stone. Her fingers hovered over the device, gliding through the static data. The numbers were steady, predictable, and boring. Just another dead planet. Braxton lowered his weapon, “we should regroup,” he said flatly. Shepard could sense the disappointment in his words, another flicker of hope snuffed out. Shepard's eyes drifted from the numbers on the screen to the vast rock formations surrounding them. There was something about them, something that refused to leave her mind. Why? Why couldn't she make sense of it? The way the spires rose, jagged and unnatural, all slanted toward a distant point on the horizon, unsettled her.

Braxton had already turned his back to her, walking away, his boots crunching on the gritty ground. “The unit couldn't have gotten too far ahead,” he called over his shoulder, already moving on. But Shepard stayed kneeling, her fingers gently brushing over the rough surface of the rock. There was a pull in her chest, a nagging whisper in the back of her mind telling her to keep looking. Her gloved hand traced over the texture of the rock, every contour, every imperfection. It felt wrong. The rock seemed to defy every natural law she knew, as though they had been shaped by something beyond the realm of nature.

She had spent years studying alien ecosystems and all their geological formations down to their molecular composition and structural properties. She was relentless in her pursuit of answers, believing that every kernel of knowledge uncovered brought humanity closer to finding the key to their salvation. So, Shepard spent every waking moment in her shuttle lab breaking down her samples into their elemental compounds, desperate to find any clue about that planet's ecological evolution. She'd dissected countless extra-terrestrial flora and fauna, and yet these rocks seemed to speak to her in a way that nothing else ever had.

Shepard couldn't stop herself. Her glove slid off her hand, and she extended her pale fingers, nicked, and calloused from years of fieldwork, pressing them gently against the cold, rough rock. The sensation was immediate. Sharp, electric, as if the rock were alive, humming with something deep beneath the surface. “Shepard!?” Braxton's voice cracked with alarm as he spun around. The device spasmed before he could reach her, its lights flickering wildly. Shepard staggered back, the world spinning as data on the screen shifted, jerking uncontrollably. Braxton was there instantly, grabbing the back of her suit and yanking her away from the rock. “What are you thinking?!” His voice was low, harsh. “You never take off your protective gear!”

But Shepard wasn't listening. She couldn't. Her eyes were locked on the device, now trembling in her hands, and her heart hammered in her chest. She could barely breathe. The device convulsed violently in her palm, a sudden surge of data. Its numbers flickering, distorting, and then suddenly morphing. Her breath hitched as the numbers merged into something different. She was shocked when the numbers on the screen shifted and reformed, not into familiar algorithms or mathematical formulas but into symbols. Her pulse quickened. There were eight symbols, repeating over and over again. She tried to catch them all, her mind racing to retain each configuration, but they were elusive, morphing too quickly for her to keep up. “Braxton, I knew it …look,” Shepard squealed excitedly, her grip tightened on the scanner. Her mind scrambled to identify any familiar structure in the symbols, but they were like nothing she had ever encountered.

“It's a language,” Braxton whispered, his voice distant, as though it barely belonged to him. “What do you mean?” Shepard asked, her full attention locked on him. “Look here,” Braxton said, pointing to the symbols. “They resemble signal coordinates, like the ones we developed during the field operations. See? The way the eight symbols are flashing, and the way they're positioned makes it look like a navigational language. A compass, coordinates, and signals. But these seem orbital, constantly in movement. I think it's trying to communicate with us.”

“This is incredible,” Shepard murmured, her eyes fixed on the shifting symbols as she tried to understand them. Braxton, on the other hand, was watching her, but not with the same wariness as before.

“I mean this could mean anything, but if its biological we could be looking at an entire ecological network.” Her words tumbled out in a rush, her excitement becoming too much to contain. “Shepard?” Braxton's voice was quieter now, filled with urgency and a hint of concern. “Symbiosis, maybe? Look at the clustering here. They move like they're responding to a common stimulus.” “Shepard!” Braxton hissed, louder this time. Shepard turned to face him, but his gaze wasn't on her. His eyes were fixed on the rock that they'd scanned. His entire body was completely still; he didn't even look like he was breathing. Confused, Shepard twisted her body to follow his line of sight, and her heart stopped. A faint, shimmering blue light glowed in the heart of the stone just beneath the surface. It pulsed slowly, rhythmically, as if it were alive, breathing with the planet's energy. Its glow was beautiful, almost hypnotic. Braxton kept his weapon raised. His posture didn't shift, but there was an alertness in how his body tensed, his every muscle poised for action. “What the hell is it?” His voice was barely above a whisper. “An anomaly.” Shepard gasped, unable to tear her eyes away from the strange, iridescent glow. “Is this what's been communicating with us?” Braxton asked. “Well, why don't you ask it?” Shepard replied, a smug expression on her face. Braxton returned the pointed glare.

Shepard could already feel the rush of questions through her mind. A sample. Chemical composition. The minerals, the structure, the energy source. It was all there, the discovery she had been searching for, and she wasn't about to let it slip away. She lunged toward the rock, every fibre of her being focused on the blue, glowing anomaly, so close her fingers were inches from the cool, rough surface when a force slammed into her, sweeping her legs from beneath her. In a single fluid motion, she was on her back, the breath knocked from her lungs. Braxton's face peaked above her, his stronghold pinning her down. His face, only separated from the protective shields of their helmets, was inches from hers.

“There are protocols for handling interactions with extra-terrestrials.”

“Seriously?!” Shepard growled, wrenching her arms out from under his grasp. Shepard's pulse pounded in her ears, fury igniting in her chest. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes darting to the rock before her. The blue glow of the anomaly, her last vestige of hope, had vanished, fading back into the rock. “I wasn't even able to extract any data!” she cried, turning on Braxton with fire in her eyes. “Because you pulled me back before I could finish! Do you have any idea what we might've just lost?” Her voice was trembling with frustration. “This could've been the breakthrough I've been waiting for, and now it's gone!” She threw her hands up, pacing back and forth furiously. Braxton remained unshaken, refusing to offer any hint of remorse. “You are a valuable asset to this mission,” he said sternly. “Being reckless with your life makes the entire unit vulnerable.” “Vulnerable?” Shepard spat, fury clouding her vision. “You don't know that it would've killed me!” Braxton's jaw clenched, and his normally composed mask slipped. “And you don't know that it wouldn't have!” he shouted, the tension between them crackling. “You're supposed to be the smart one! What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Shepard glared back, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills, burning with the same rage. She didn't flinch, and neither did he. Without a word, Shepard turned her back to him, dropping to her knees and began feeling along the rock. “What are you doing?” Braxton sighed, watching Shepard desperately search for any trace of the anomaly, any remnant that could be analysed. “Trying to fix your mistake,” she hissed. Cursing under her breath as her fingers brushed over the rough surface, but there was nothing. No glowing light. No remnants of energy. Her hands clenched into fists, and she slammed them against the stone, the impact reverberating through her bones. “Come on... come back... please,” she muttered, as desperation took hold. But the blue glow was gone, hidden deep within the rock formation.

Think, Shepard. Think. She began pacing back and forth while Braxton watched her retreat into the far reaches of her mind. “If these formations are connected, like an interconnected system, it must be channelling an energy current. Attracting the anomaly to a specific point. That's why these formations don't make sense. They're not random, they're manipulated,” Shepard said. Braxton's eyes narrowed. “So, the symbols …” Shepard nodded, “might be leading us to its source. Smaller energy sources converge, feeding into a larger, more concentrated core.” She gestured toward the jagged formations. “The magnetic pull, or whatever force emanates from the core, draws it in, influencing the landscape structure and alignment.” Braxton huffed a humourless laugh. “It's toying with us; we've been going around in circles.” Shepard didn't answer, the pieces clicking into place in her mind. This planet wasn't dead. It was hiding something. She just needed to figure out what. “You obstructed its pathway when you touched the rock,” Braxton said, his voice softer now, more thoughtful. Shepard turned to him. “That means that anomaly didn't disappear, Shepard; it retreated.” “Exactly!” Shepard declared. Braxton's eyes lit up with the realisation. “We need to alert the unit immediately. We can establish an entirely new field operation, secure the perimeter, and call-in reinforcement squads from the nearby scouting regions …” he exclaimed, already activating his intercom to alert the squad.

“No, we don't have time for that…we need to follow it now,” Shepard said, cutting him off. Braxton took a breath, exhaling slowly. “We need to regroup at least,” he said, though his voice betrayed a slight edge of uncertainty. Shepard shook her head, turning away from him. She wasn't like the others. No amount of training could erase the fundamental difference between them. They were soldiers, perfectly honed, perfectly disciplined. Shepard was a scientist. Shepard's gloved fingers grazed the rock's surface again, the cool stone offering no response. A slight tremor of frustration ran through her as the anomaly remained elusive. She had felt its pull, its promise. And yet nothing. “We have to get that sample.” “We?” Braxton asked. “Yes, you're coming with me,” Shepard replied. “What?” Braxton sputtered, clearly caught off guard. She let out a sharp breath, gesturing toward the pulsing coordinates on the display. “I can't make sense of whatever these are, so I need you to decode them." “Shepard, we have our orders.” “You just said they were useless!" Shepard snapped. She began charging away from Braxton, but it wasn't long before she heard his heavy footsteps chasing after her. “You're going to get yourself killed going in blind,” he warned. “Fine, I don't need you to navigate; I'll go myself,” Shepard said, already moving toward the faint outline of the distant landmark. She felt an unease in her chest when she didn't hear footsteps behind her, but she didn't want to turn around. Her heart began quickening as the seconds dragged on. The hesitation was too long. Maybe Braxton had turned back?

“Hold on … I'm coming with you.”

Shepard froze mid-step; slowly, she turned, her eyes meeting his. Braxton was standing there, weapon in hand, his stance strong. “You're going rouge?” Shepard asked, her voice edged with disbelief. She didn't want to admit it, but a part of her felt relief. But she wouldn't let herself acknowledge it. Braxton's expression didn't waver. “I've seen you try to navigate in-field training. You need me.” Shepard scowled at him. She wanted to respond, to snap something back, but the words caught in her throat, “Thank you,” was all she could reply. The further the two ventured, the more twisted and deformed the obsidian formations seemed to become. Shedding their outer layers to reveal the crystallised layer underneath. Shepard crouched down, carefully inspecting the jagged edges exposed by the erosion. "This isn't typical geological erosion. The way these layers peel away, the anomaly is affecting this formation at a molecular level." She looked up; her eyes narrowed in thought. "I'm going to translate that as we're getting close" Braxton replied. The deep black of the stone absorbed little light, with the occasional faint shimmer of a blue luminescence that pulsed within their cracks, like veins pulsing with lifeblood. Each formation twisted unnaturally, their edges razor-sharp and unforgiving, angled toward the two agents like deadly spears, each a silent threat, poised to strike. Between the towering structures, the narrow pathways wove a labyrinth of shadow. Shepard and Braxton walked side by side; the black obsidian crystals reflected distorted glimpses of the two as they walked past.

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, just familiar. Years of partnership had bred a quiet understanding between them. The faint hum of their suits and echoes of their footsteps were the only sounds that filled the air. “We need to keep moving straight ahead,” Braxton said, his attention fixed on the orbiting compass as the symbols moved in strange directions. Shepard raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “How are you able to read this? You said it's similar to the field signal coordinates, but this doesn't look like any navigational coordinates I've seen.” Braxton glanced at her, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I've always had a thing for astronomy. I like the way celestial bodies orbit and interact. No matter where you are, the universe has a rhythm. It's all just a matter of finding the right pattern.” “Wait you like astronomy?! Shepard asked. “Don't sound so surprised, why do you think I spend so much time on the Astrodome?” he said. “I just thought you liked to take naps there” Shepard shrugged. Braxton chuckled, “Not quite, I study the orbital paths of planets, and the constellation charts like the way those old sailors used to do.”

Shepard just stared at Braxton, slightly stunned by his confession. She'd always seen Braxton as the obedient solider. He was the one who never strayed from protocol, and remained unflinchingly loyal to their mission. She'd never stopped to consider that, in some ways, they might be more alike than she had imagined. She'd known Braxton for years. They'd grown up in the same orbital compound, trained side by side at the cadet academy, and eventually assigned to the same mission squad. Over time, through every mission, she began to realise that no matter how outlandish her theories or how unpredictable her actions became, Braxton was always there watching her back.

“Alright, Shepard,” he said, his voice hardening. Fully alert and focused. “We survey and locate the source, but we don't engage. We'll report to the unit for extraction once we find the core source, but only after confirmation.” “Yes…Agreed,” Shepard replied, trying to mask the doubt she could now feel creeping up her spine. Suddenly, she felt extremely vulnerable and had no weapon to steady her nerves. Shepard had the strange feeling that something was watching them now ... waiting. Her throat felt dry, and she pressed a trembling hand to her chest, willing herself to calm down, but her pulse hammered relentlessly. She could almost feel a current slithering beneath the surface, a magnetic undercurrent pulling them deeper into the labyrinth. It wasn't visible but a tether that grew tighter with each step.

The obsidian crystals seemed to pulse faintly, and every sound seemed to amplify around them. The scrape of their boots against the uneven ground, the faint clicking of Braxton's weapon or the unsteady rhythm of Shepard's breath. Braxton moved ahead, his gun steady in his hands, the barrel sweeping over the darkness with every calculated step. Shepard followed close behind, ducking under another obsidian spike, its razor-sharp point jutting out like the claw of some terrifying predator. “You can feel that too, right? Like the planet is breathing down our necks,” Braxton spoke, his voice hushed as though he thought something might overhear. “What you're feeling is likely a combination of low-frequency vibrations from the magnetic field and shifts in atmospheric pressure, not the planet breathing,” Shepard replied, refusing to admit she'd had the very same thought. “Right, sorry, I forgot who I was talking to,” Braxton replied, continuing to forge ahead. Neither spoke as they navigated deeper into the dark maze. Braxton occasionally giving signals ahead, reading the celestial coordinates.

“Why did you come?” Shepard finally asked, speaking aloud the thought that had been bothering her. Braxton didn't immediately respond, his posture stiffening ever so slightly. Shepard didn't back down, needing a distraction from her nerves fraying at the edge of her sanity. “Defecting from the unit will get you demoted, maybe even discharged for insubordination… but you still followed me?” He halted, the pause stretching into a moment that felt impossibly long. Shepard could see the subtle tension in his shoulders, the way his hand rested on his weapon as if gripping it was the only thing grounding him. Finally, he turned, his expression shadowed by the faint glow of the anomaly somewhere far ahead.

“I don't follow orders blindly, Shepard,” he said, his eyes locking with hers. There was no anger in his eyes, only a quiet conviction that startled her. “I follow people who give me a reason to believe.” She looked away quickly, forcing herself to focus on the path ahead. The faint luminescence of the anomaly reflected off the sharp crystalline surfaces, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across their faces. “That's… a dangerous philosophy,” she muttered, her voice weaker than intended. “Maybe,” Braxton said, his tone softer now, almost resigned. “But I've found it's the only one that matters.” He turned and started forward again. Shepard stayed rooted for a moment. Her instincts screamed at her to compartmentalise, keep moving, and keep this exchange buried in the depths of her psyche where it couldn't be reached. But as she followed him, her thoughts lingered on his words. A flicker of movement suddenly appeared at the edge of Shepard's vision. Braxton reacted instantly, “Get behind me, Shepard” he commanded. His weapon rose as he aimed it at a nearby spike. He pointed his large weapon at something that resembled a nightmarish sea urchin, edges sharp and glistened like a polished blade. Shepard's breath caught as the faint blue luminescence resurfaced, glowing softly within the vicious spikes.

The anomaly was an incandescent whirlpool of light, shifting through shades of cerulean, silver, and deep indigo as though the very fabric of the cosmos had been captured and condensed into this single point. Wisps of luminescence spiralled outward like living veins, pulsating with a rhythm that felt almost alive. The glow dancing, flickering and surging in intensity as colours deepened and swirled faster. Shepard's breath caught as she stared into its depths, she leaned in cautiously, her eyes darting across the luminescence as it spiralled and pulsed.

“The light isn't just refracting. It's emitting a self-sustaining luminescence. The core must be generating its own electromagnetic field,” Shepard spoke into her microphone log. “Or it could just be signalling for something to come and eat us,” Braxton replied, still aiming his weapon. “This isn't just energy trapped in the rock. It's... Reactive.” She countered,“if we can isolate even a fragment, the applications could be limitless. Energy production, material science, quantum mechanics…” Shepard stepped forward, ready to collect a sample, but Braxton's arm shot out, blocking her path with a firm, silent command. The tension etched into his face as he observed the shadows around them writhe into demonic figures. “I don't like this,” he murmured, his voice low and measured. His finger rested lightly on the trigger of his weapon, dark eyes narrowed and locked onto the glowing anomaly ahead. The pulsing blue light flickered with its taunting rhythm, bathing them in its blue glow. “Braxton, you're acting on instinct,” Shepard replied, with a measured calm. “Instinct is what makes a good soldier,” Braxton shot back, his voice firm, “It's what keeps us alive.” “I just need a sample,” Shepard replied, her voice carrying the same steely edge. Braxton's lips tightened, his body still as if every muscle weighed the decision. “Fine,” he relented, “but I'll cover you. Move carefully.” Shepard exhaled slowly, a flicker of gratitude on her face as she stepped past him. The moment felt suspended in time, the anomaly pulsed, waiting for their next move. Braxton stayed unflinching, his sharp shooter's focus ready for anything.

Shepard's trembling fingers fumbled as she reached for the sampling apparatus clipped to her pack. The glow seemed to pulse faster, teasing her with its presence. Shepard's hands shook as she finally extracted the equipment, her breath coming out quick and uneven. “Come on, Shepard,” Braxton murmured. She forced herself to focus, breathing in deeply, the moment her apparatus extended toward the glow, the light winked out, vanishing deeper into the labyrinth. “Damn it!” Shepard cursed as Braxton took off after it, with her following close behind. The anomaly flickered in and out of sight, appearing in various obsidian crystals as it led them deeper into the maze. It was playing with them, luring them farther into its trap. Braxton dodged the deadly spikes with ease, while Shepard stumbled and skidded, her limbs flinging awkwardly as she tried to keep up. As they rounded a corner, Shepard nearly impaled herself on one of the deadly spikes. She cursed under her breath, her frustration mounting as the blue light of the anomaly danced ahead of them, just out of reach.

Braxton stopped abruptly, and Shepard slammed into his back, crashing to the hard ground. “Watch where you're…” Shepard began, but Braxton cut her off. “It's here,” he whispered. Shepard's eyes followed his line of sight, and she had to swallow her gasp. Towering over them, was an obsidian barricade. The sheer scale of it dwarfed them, casting them into its impenetrable shadow, with a faint pulse of a current rippling just beneath its glossy black exterior. Razor-sharp spires jutted out like the teeth of some vicious predator threatening to devour anything that dared approach. It was not just a barricade, but a warning to steer clear.

“Are you sure?” Shepard asked, her voice barely a whisper. Braxton didn't respond, his eyes focused on a thin crack in the barricade, a fissure just wide enough for the two of them to fit through. Darkness veiled the slim opening, but the faint glow of the anomaly lingered deep inside, beckoning them forward. “Oh well …that answers that question” Shepard felt a chill crawl up her spine as she stared into the shadowed gap. It wasn't the darkness, it was the feeling of being watched, as though the shadows were waiting for them to step inside.

“It's not too late,” she said softly, her voice trembling.

“For what?” Braxton asked, his gaze snapping to her.

“For you to turn around.” She couldn't force him to follow her. Her chest tightened as she turned to him. The two stood there for a moment, locked in silence. This wasn't their first time facing danger together, but they both knew this was different. Shepard shivered, clutching her apparatus tightly as though it could shield her from the dangers ahead. Without a word, Braxton stepped forward, “you need that sample, right?” he asked her. Shepard swallowed hard but nodded.

“… For Terra,” Braxton spoke, with nothing but steely determination in his words. His hand tightened around his dog tags, his thumb tracing the cold, smooth surface of the metal. The simple motion seemed to soothe him. “I'll go first; stay close behind,” he declared, stepping toward the veil. At the threshold, he paused, turning back to meet Shepard's eyes one final time. “We brave the darkness for brighter days.” A sound escaped Shepard, half a laugh, half a sob. “For every end is a new beginning,” she replied. Braxton nodded, his eyes locked on hers, “see you on the other side, Shepard,” he said before stepping forward. The shadows swallowing him whole.

Shepard hesitated for only a breath before plunging in after him. The veil's cold embrace met her, with the darkness closing in on her like a cold caress waiting to strangle her. Whispers drifted in the air, soft murmurs that prickled the edges of her hearing. Shepard stumbled forward through the narrow passage. “Braxton?! Braxton, are you there?” she called. No answer came, only the faint whispers that slithered into her ears. “Give us the uri,” the voices seemed to whisper, their words coiling through the air like smoke. Dripping with malicious glee, as if the darkness delighted in her fear, feeding on it. “Give us the URI,” they repeated over and over. “Stolen the Uri that rightfully serves the endless void,” Shepard thought she heard the darkness hiss in her ear. "Braxton where are you?!" Shepard focused on her breathing, drawing in deep, shuddering gulps of air as she tried to move forward. But cold tendrils of shadow brushed against her, like icy fingertips stroking her skin. Then they began to crawl beneath her suit, “...Braxton?!” she screamed, her voice echoing through the darkness. “BRAXTON!” she screamed again, panic slicing through Shepard as the darkness devoured her cries.

The dark tendrils of shadow coiled around her slender wrists, causing a dull ache around her veins. The force of them shoving her back against the hard wall. As the shadows closed in on her, the hum of whispers around her grew into tortured wails, “GIVE US THE URI!” Shepard howled, “GET OFF ME!” as she desperately tried to pry off the darkness that had wrapped tightly around her, but the cold wispy tendrils sifted between her fingers.“I DON'T HAVE IT! ... I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT?!” She screamed back into the darkness, only for the darkness to respond with loud wailing screams that twisted around her. She began frantically thrashing against the demented shadows; her helmet slipped off from the struggle, hitting the cold surface with a sharp crack. Her dark hair clung to her sweat-soaked face; the strands plastered against her cheeks.

She sobbed, each heaving breath shallow and ragged. The tendrils of shadow began crawling over her neck and face, prying open her lips and reaching down her throat into her lungs and suffocating, gasping for air, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes. The chorus of screams filled her ears, the horrifying shrieking so loud it threatened to split her skull. Shepard trembled uncontrollably as the darkness poured into her like a relentless tide. Numbness spread through her limbs, turning her insides cold and draining the life out of her, her body convulsing as if her very soul was being ripped from her. The sharp edges of the obsidian wall pressed into her spine, yet she couldn't feel it. The world suddenly dissolves into an endless void of pain and suffocation. She thought she'd lost all her senses until something shifted behind her. It was subtle at first, like the faint ripple—a tremor, a vibration behind her, barely perceptible through the consuming darkness.

“Shepard?” a familiar voice pierced through the dark veil. Her eyes fluttered open, her tears spilling down her cheeks. The shadow recoiled at Braxton's voice, quietly dissolving back into the darkness. Dropping to her knees, Shepard was trembling, the cold numbness lingered inside her, leaving her hollowed. “Braxton,” she whispered more to herself. Braxton's footsteps were light against the ground, but Shepard felt him crouch down beside her. His steady breaths beside her were the only indication that he was there. Alive. “Are you hurt?” “No,” Shepard lied, her voice shaky. “I gave the signal and waited for you, but there was just nothing,” Braxton said; he sounded slightly haunted, and Shepard wondered if he, too, had heard the whispers. Braxton pulled her onto her feet, allowing her to hold onto him as his steady embrace grounded her. “You know, I'd never leave you behind, Shepard,” Braxton said, his quiet confession echoed in the darkness. A tremble erupted around them, throwing the agents off balance.“Shepard! Hold on,” Braxton said. “Wait, Braxton, I…” Suddenly tidal wave of darkness came barrelling towards them, an unrelenting force coming toward them from all directions, leaving the two agents trapped with nowhere to run.

“BRAXTON!” Shepard screamed, desperate; she threw herself in front of him to protect him. But the darkness was too strong, pulling them apart. It sent them both crashing into the crystal wall, the screams echoed around them, wails of pain and fury. Shepard's chest tightened, her voice ripping in a strangled cry. “SHEPARD!” Braxton's voice was frantic, his weapon firing, the shots useless against the swarming shadow. The darkness closed around Shepard, twisting and writhing like a dark tornado, shielding her from his view. “WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” She screamed into the void, fury and terror in her voice. “URI. RETURN THE URI. THE DARK MASTER SHALL BE FREED!” The shadows screamed, swirling faster, tighter, pulling her farther from Braxton. The need to stay grounded and hold onto anything was slipping from her grasp.

Rammed up against the walls, Shepard felt that shift again, but this time, it was like a sudden pull, something stronger. She could still hear Braxton, his voice desperately shouting her name. The faint red glow of his weapon blasted through the chaos, a beacon in the swirling darkness. She could see him fighting, his every movement fuelled by sheer will, as he fired his weapon with everything he had, trying to carve his way toward her. Shivering, Shepard stretched her shaking fingers toward the crystal cluster beside her, touching its cold, sharp edges that scraped at her skin. The shadows around her bulked as if aware of the disturbance. They surged forward, tightening their grip on her. The anomaly is in the walls, and the shadows are afraid of it, she thought. Her mind raced to piece it together; whatever this anomaly is, it's stronger than them. Her pulse quickened as a thought struck her. It brought us to this place, all she had to do was obstruct the current. It may help us. But why would it? They were trespassers, intruders in this abyss of misery. And yet, it had led them here, but if this anomaly was a living entity, it must have a primitive objective. Perhaps it was to watch them be torn to shred by demonic shadows, but something inside Shepard told her there was another reason, one she couldn't quite explain. Shepard closed her eyes, trying to focus past the dark tornado of wailing shadow.

With every ounce of strength, she fought against the tightening grip of the darkness, her mind fighting to resist the pull, stay conscious, and hold on to something, anything. She stretched her arm out further, her fingertips brushing the surface again.

Whatever you are, you brought us here. Please…

She felt the cold shadows tightening around her, and she pressed her palm harder against the rock. If you can hear me… help us. The wails of the shadow tendrils reached a fever pitch, a chorus of despair that clawed at her sanity. She bucked against the shadow grip that had coiled around her legs, hissing as they tried to drag her away, but her fingers held onto the jagged walls refusing to surrender. The anomaly wasn't responding, Shepard was going to be devoured by from the jaws of this abysmal darkness. "URI. RETURN THE URI" they screamed at her, while Shepard frantically tried to release herself from their clutches.

Then, without warning, a brilliant, iridescent light blazed to life, bursting through the obsidian rocks and cascading over the walls. The glow was otherworldly, as beams of radiant beams of the anomaly blasted through the obsidian surface. The shadows instantly began, writhing beneath the piercing rays, their anguished shrieks deafening as they recoiled, fleeing to the deepest crevices the light couldn't reach. Those shadows that gripped Shepard released her. Her eyes burned from the sudden brilliance, but she couldn't look away.

Relief surged through her, tears pooling as she whispered a silent, trembling thank you. The anomaly, whatever it was, had heard her. It had answered, creating a light shield for them to move through. “Shepard?!” Braxton's voice cut through the chaos. He was only a few feet away now, blood streaking his face and dripping from a deep gash on his temple. He didn't hesitate for a second, charging toward her. “Braxton, it's holding them off! We have to go now!” Shepard tried to force herself to stand, but her legs were trembling. Braxton was at her side instantly, his strong arms pulling her to her feet. He surveyed her beaten appearance, the exhaustion on her face. “You're hurt. We need to retreat,” he said firmly. "No," Shepard said, shaking her head. “We have to keep going.” “Are you insane?!” Braxton snapped; his tone hard. Cuts and bruises marred his face, and the wound on his temple was still bleeding heavily. He looked as battered as she felt, his breathing laboured. “This is not a suicide mission, Shepard!”

“It heard me, Brax,” Shepard insisted, her voice almost a plea. “The anomaly is showing us where to go.” “I don't care if it sang you a damn lullaby, Shepard, we're turning back.” Shepard gripped his arm, her fingers digging into his sleeve. “If we turn back now, we'll lose our chance. It brought us here for a reason, Brax.” “Yeah? And that reason looks a hell of a lot like getting us killed!” he shot back. The shadows were retreating but were only biding time in the small dark crevices of the passage walls. Waiting for the anomaly to dim so that it could attack. “Then why is it helping us? Why did it save us?” Shepard argued, her eyes staring into his. “Maybe it just doesn't like sharing its food,” Braxton retorted.

Braxton hesitated, his resolve wavering for just a moment. The light shield of the anomaly pulsed faintly, a silent command for them to keep moving forward. The trembling grew stronger behind them, making the decision for them. As the shadows merged together, overpowering the anomaly's light shield to seal off the way they'd come through. “Little bastards” Braxton swore. There was no turning back; they'd lost their chance. The blue light swirled outwards, showing the agents a pathway. It held off the shadows tearing into the shield, a tendril of shadow broke through, lunging at them like a spear of darkness. Braxton ducked as the spear barely missed him, firing into the ground. “Damn it, Shepard,” he muttered, his grip tightening as he helped her forward.

The anomaly surrounded them, protecting them from the shadow with its rays, but cracks began emerging in its shield. Shepard could still feel the shadows lingering inside her, not coldness but an emptiness settling into her bones. “What the hell are they?!” Braxton shouted. Shepard's eyes narrowed as she studied the dark wisps of shadow curling and twisting through the air before striking down at them. "They could be an residual by product of the anomaly, Shepard replied."They want something called the uri?! I... I... I...don't know" Shepard realised that she was stuttering now, it felt like her mind was fracturing and it was taking everything inside her to keep it from falling apart entirely.

The shadows fought fiercely against the light shield, with vicious spears of darkness trying to strike them down. “Don't fall behind, Shepard!” Braxton yelled; he dragged the two of them through the tight, narrow path, outrunning the wave of shadow that was furiously gaining on them. The trembling behind them grew more violent, sending shards of obsidian tumbling from the walls, the sound of splintering reverberated through the passageway. The writhing darkness clawed and tore at the barrier, relentless in its fury. The anomaly pulsed, its luminous light flaring brighter, urging them forward.

“We have to be close,” Shepard cried as they ran towards the light. The shadow's wails turned guttural as they clawed through the cracks in the light. One tendril broke free, and a spear of pure darkness shot toward them. “Down!” Braxton shouted, his reflexes saving them both as he ducked, covering Shepard. The spear missed by inches, slamming into the ground with a force that sent shards of crystal flying. The shadows were closing in; the shadow spears began slashing through the air faster. The anomaly was losing its battle, its light shield faltering. The shadows lunged again, a massive wave crashing against the failing shield. Cracks splintered through the light, and Shepard cried out as another shadow spear hurtled toward them. She moved just in time to avoid the strike. The shadow grazed her arm, leaving a biting cold that sank deep into her flesh. Shadow spears slashed through the cracks in the shield, one coiling around Shepard's legs, yanking her toward the abyss. “BRAX!” she screamed, her hand reaching out desperately. Without hesitation, Braxton lunged forward, grabbing her arm just in time and hauling her back into the protection of the light shield.

Shepard could see Braxton's face wince with pain, gritted teeth, breathing ragged as he helped her up. “Braxton are you hurt?” she asked, worry seeping into her. “I'm fine,” he ground out, his tone clipped and unconvincing. His face was ashen, his movements sluggish. His legs buckled before he caught himself, trying to drag them forward through the narrow, twisting passage. “Fine?” Shepard shot back, her voice cracking. “You can barely stand!” “I've survived worst; we need to get out,” he snapped. His legs buckled, and he caught himself against the wall, leaning heavily on it. Shepard hissed, shifting more of his weight onto her as she tried to keep them moving. Behind them, spears of darkness lashed through the gaps, repeatedly striking the ground, throwing Shepard off balance. Braxton's weight sagged heavier against her.

“Shepard, listen,” Braxton gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. “No,” she cut him off sharply. “We're almost there. Just a little further.” Braxton let out a weak laugh as She pushed them forward. Her mind was racing. We have to keep going. We have to make it. The anomaly wouldn't have shown them the way if it wasn't possible. But the very thought felt fragile as if it could shatter under the weight of her fear.

The anomaly's light faltered, its luminescence dimming with each passing second. Shepard gritted her teeth, “keep moving,” she urged, but Braxton stumbled, his weight sagging heavily against her. “Listen to me, Shepard,” he said, his voice strained as each word came through in heaving breaths. “I'm dead weight… you have to let me go…” He faltered a violent cough wracking his body. “Braxton?” Shepard's voice rose in alarm, but her concern turned to horror when blood sprayed from his mouth, splattering onto the ground. “BRAXTON?!” she screamed, gripping his shoulders as panic gripped her chest like a vice. Her mind raced, her pulse roaring in her ears, but the fear struck her when her eyes glanced down at Braxton's suit. Red was seeping through, staining the fabric in a dark, spreading bloom. Braxton's face was chalk white, and he could barely keep himself upright. The spear had struck him. The shadows howled behind them, and the anomaly light shield was weakening. “We're not done yet,” she declared, a sheer force of fury surging inside her. “You hear me, Brax? Not now. Not ever.” Ahead, the faint trail of the anomaly's light beckoned, fragile but still burning. She wasn't going to lose him, not here, not like this.

The passage seemed to shrink around them, the walls closing around them. Each step Shepard took was heavier than the last, and her legs trembled with exhaustion. “We're not going to make it,” Braxton rasped. Barely able to lift his head, he turned, his eyes locking onto the writhing mass of darkness almost upon them. The temperature dropped, and Shepard could feel the emptiness emanating from it, pulling at her very soul. “I can buy you time,” Braxton said suddenly, his voice steady, even as his eyes betrayed his fear. "But you have to run." Braxton caught her before she hit the ground, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly.

The words hit Shepard. “No. No, you're not doing this. We're doing this together.” Another shadow spear burst through, slamming into the ground just inches from Braxton's feet. He swayed but didn't back down. “All those years on that ship,” he began, his voice strained as he fought to steady his breath. “Chasing a fleeting hope, trying to make it all mean something... It wasn't the mission that kept me going.” “Brax, please,” Shepard begged, she could her voice breaking. She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him forward. “We're almost there! Just hold on!” Braxton didn't move. Instead, he looked at her, his face softening with an expression she'd never seen before. “It was you,” he said, barely above a whisper. “It's always been you, Shepard. You saved me, over and over, and you never even realised it.” “Then don't do this,” she pleaded, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Please, Braxton.” He gave a faint, bittersweet smile. “We've braved the darkness,” he said, his voice calm. “The rest is up to you.” “Please! Braxton, no!” Shepard cried, shaking her head violently.

“For brighter days,” he murmured, his voice almost reverent.

Before she could stop him, Braxton shoved her forward with all his remaining strength. The force sent her stumbling, but she caught herself, spinning just in time to see Braxton turn to face the oncoming darkness. His broad shoulders squared, his weapon raised in defiance, and for a moment, he looked immovable, like a pillar standing against the storm. But Shepard could see the way his legs wobbled beneath him. One hand clutched his stomach where blood seeped through his suit, staining it a deep crimson, while the other gripped his weapon tightly. A final spear of shadow tore through, the sound like a thousand shards of glass falling to the ground. The dark shadows had broken the shield of light.

The darkness surged forward, all smaller tendrils of shadow swirling together to form one giant being of darkness. Shepard watched in horror, unable to tear her eyes away as the darkness engulfed Braxton completely. “BRAXTON!” she screamed, the word ripping from her throat. He didn't flinch. His gaze remained fixed on the entity, his stance unyielding. But the shadows knew no mercy. The entity lunged a wave of impenetrable black crashing toward him with claws outstretched, tearing into him. “Run, Shepard!” Braxton bellowed right before he vanished.

Firing his weapon wildly, the sounds ricocheting off the tight passage walls. His weapon managed to blast through the twisting shadow, but it was futile. The darkness recoiled briefly, only to return with a vengeance. Shepard screamed his name as his body crashed to the ground, the shadows swarming over him and tearing into him with an animalistic savagery. “Braxton!” she screamed again, her voice cracking with anguish, but there was no response. Shepard's legs moved her mind into a haze of devastation. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe. The only thing she could do was run. The screams that followed her weren't human, but she swore she could hear Braxton's cries of agony and terror. Tears blurred her vision, and she stumbled more than once, her body trembling with the effort to keep going. Every instinct screamed at her to turn back and save him, but she knew it was too late. He had made his choice, it was the logical choice. Yet, she didn't care unable to ignore that the further she ran, the dull ache in her heart grew more painful. The anomaly's light was barely a flicker now, its strength drained from holding off the darkness. However, it didn't give in, guiding her the rest of the way through the passage until she finally reached the crack in the wall, the end of this dark trench of unspeakable horrors. The faint glow of the anomaly pleaded with her to go through before it too collapsed.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Shepard dove through the narrow slit before the shadows pounced after her, their wispy claws scraping at her heels. She landed on the other side, falling to her knees. Shepard looked up; her vision blurred by tears. Unable to take in the strange sight before her, of a sky stretched wide, a swirling canvas of silver and violet, the ethereal glow casting its light across the crystalline ground. Instead she remained kneeling with her head hung in a silent mourning. Her chest heaved and her heart ached as though it were caught in a tight fist, slowly being crushed.

“For brighter days,” Shepard whispered back.