The decision became clear in Elias's mind:
He couldn't go back—not now, not when he finally had a lead.
Five years of service to EIDOLON, and what did he have to show for it?
A failing body, a mind that was fragmenting at the edges, and fewer than fifty days left.
He stared at the device Ash had given him, turning it over in his hands.
A simple black cylinder with faint blue circuitry pulsing beneath its surface.
The key to accessing the memory artifact—to uncovering whatever had happened in Prague.
To finding answers before his time ran out.
The extraction team would be arriving at the safehouse in less than an hour.
Standard protocol would have him waiting there, gear packed, mission report prepared.
But Elias Vale was done following protocols that led to dead ends.
He accessed the interface with a thought, minimizing the blaring warning messages about his declining physical state.
[CONNECTION TO CENTRAL HUB: DISABLED]
[UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS PROTOCOL INITIATED]
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE: RECLAMATION]
[OBJECTIVE: RETRIEVE THE MEMORY ARTIFACT]
[REWARD: XP +100 | SKILL UNLOCK: CHRONOSHIFT]
He scoffed quietly.
Whatever the Veil was—game, protocol, hallucination, or something else entirely—it seemed intent on steering him toward the memory artifact.
The same direction his own instincts pulled him.
An alignment of purpose that was either comforting or deeply unsettling.
Elias moved methodically through the apartment, gathering only what he needed.
Civilian clothes, the stabilizer compounds, basic field equipment.
His service weapon and spare magazines.
The Shimmerskin folded into its compact transport case, despite the risks of using it again.
When the EIDOLON extraction team arrived, they would find nothing but an empty safehouse.
Agent Elias Vale had officially gone rogue.
[QUEST UPDATE: ESCAPE DETECTION]
[OBJECTIVE: EVADE EIDOLON SURVEILLANCE]
[TIME REMAINING: 47 MINUTES]
The night embraced him as he slipped out through the building's service entrance.
Rain continued to fall, washing away footprints and thermal signatures alike.
Elias kept to the shadows, moving with practiced efficiency through Warsaw's winding streets.
The first objective was clear—retrieve the memory artifact from storage unit 342.
He had Ash's device to safely handle it, but getting back into the facility would be challenging.
EIDOLON would have tightened security after his previous visit was detected.
The storage facility loomed ahead, its perimeter now visibly enhanced with additional security.
Two unmarked vehicles parked near the main entrance—EIDOLON standard surveillance setup.
Thermal imaging, motion sensors, and at least four operatives.
[OBSERVE ACTIVATED]
The command came instinctively, and his vision sharpened in response.
The interface highlighted potential entry points, security coverage gaps, and patrol patterns.
Elias circled the building, staying beyond sensor range.
The personnel entrance on the east side showed minimal coverage—a blind spot in their security net.
Either an oversight or a trap.
He decided to risk it, moving quickly across open ground when the rain intensified.
The electronic lock yielded to a bypass module from his field kit.
Inside, the corridors were dimly lit and silent.
Too silent.
[WARNING: PROXIMITY ALERT]
[HEAT SIGNATURES DETECTED: 2]
[DISTANCE: 30 METERS]
Elias pressed himself into a recessed doorway as footsteps approached.
Two EIDOLON agents walked past, conversing in hushed tones.
"—still nothing on Vale," one said. "Thermal sweeps of the district came up empty."
"He's gone to ground," the other replied. "Chen says the neural degradation is accelerating. He won't get far."
"Think he has help?"
"Had to. Someone knew about the artifact. Question is who—"
Their voices faded as they turned a corner, continuing their patrol circuit.
Elias waited twenty seconds before moving, following the layout he'd memorized during his previous visit.
The service corridor led directly to the high-security storage section.
Unit 342 was midway down the eastern aisle, its security seal still intact.
They hadn't moved the artifact yet.
Whether from caution or bureaucratic delay, EIDOLON had left it in place while establishing surveillance.
Elias approached cautiously, scanning for additional security measures.
[ANOMALY DETECTED]
[RADIATION SIGNATURE: ACTIVE]
[CAUTION ADVISED]
The same warnings as before, but now he was prepared.
He removed Ash's device from his pocket, studying it briefly.
No obvious controls or interfaces, just the smooth black cylinder with its pulsing circuitry.
How exactly was it supposed to "bypass the containment without triggering defense measures"?
As if responding to his question, the interface displayed new information.
[COMPATIBLE DEVICE DETECTED]
[SYNCHRONIZATION AVAILABLE]
[INITIATE CONNECTION?]
Elias mentally confirmed, and the device in his hand hummed to life.
The blue circuitry patterns intensified, spreading toward his fingertips.
A strange sensation crawled up his arm—like static electricity but somehow deeper, resonating with bone and tissue.
The device projected a field of shimmering energy that enveloped his hand and forearm.
[PROTECTIVE FIELD ACTIVE]
[RADIATION SHIELDING: 97%]
[TEMPORAL DISTORTION BUFFER: ENGAGED]
Temporal distortion buffer? What the hell had Ash given him?
No time to question it now. The security patrol would complete their circuit soon.
Elias deactivated the storage unit's lock and raised the metal door.
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The lead-lined case sat untouched on the concrete floor, exactly as he'd left it.
Its surface appeared to ripple slightly, as if viewed through heat waves.
With the protective field surrounding his arm, he reached for the case.
No alarms sounded. No defense measures activated.
The case felt unusually heavy for its size, with an inner weight that seemed to shift slightly as he lifted it.
[ANOMALOUS ARTIFACT ACQUIRED]
[SHIELDING INTEGRITY: 94%]
[TEMPORAL SIGNATURES: STABILIZING]
As soon as the case cleared the storage unit, Elias lowered the door and reengaged the lock.
To casual observation, it would appear undisturbed.
He secured the case in his pack, feeling its weight settle against his back.
The protective field from Ash's device remained active, creating a barrier between the artifact and his body.
Now came the difficult part—escaping the facility undetected.
Retracing his steps would be too risky. The patrol would be returning soon.
The emergency exit at the end of the corridor offered the most direct route out.
It would trigger an alarm, but he'd be gone before they could respond.
Unless...
[SKILL SUGGESTION: SUPPRESS]
[TEMPORARY ACCESS GRANTED]
[DURATION: 15 SECONDS]
Another command he didn't recognize, but it seemed useful.
He opened the tool tip to better understand it.
[SKILL: SUPPRESS]
[TYPE: ACTIVE]
[EFFECT: Temporarily disables electronic devices, security systems, and certain anomalous energy signatures within a limited radius]
[DURATION: 15 SECONDS]
[COOLDOWN: 2 MINUTES]
[NOTE: Effectiveness varies based on target complexity. May cause temporary interface instability after use.]
Elias focused his intention on the concept of suppression—dampening electronic signals, disrupting surveillance.
The interface responded immediately, a wave of energy emanating from him in all directions.
For a brief moment, every electronic device within range flickered.
Security cameras froze. Motion sensors went temporarily blind. Alarm systems reset.
Fifteen seconds. Not long, but enough.
He sprinted toward the emergency exit, shouldered it open, and slipped into the night.
No alarms sounded. No shouts of discovery followed.
The Suppress command had worked, though he had no idea how—or what it had cost him.
[XP GAINED: +75]
[SKILL DISCOVERED: SUPPRESS – 12% MASTERY]
[PHYSICAL STATUS: DECLINING]
[NEURAL SHOCK DETECTED]
He staggered slightly, a wave of dizziness washing over him.
Whatever he'd just done had accelerated the deterioration.
Small price to pay for obtaining the artifact.
Elias oriented himself quickly, heading away from the facility and toward the coordinates Ash had provided.
An abandoned subway station three kilometers east, beneath the old district.
His body protested with each step, the bone-deep ache intensifying.
The weight of the artifact in his pack seemed to grow heavier, as if resisting its removal from storage.
Ninety minutes later, he descended a maintenance ladder into darkness.
The smell of dust and stale air filled his lungs as he dropped the final few meters.
Motion-activated lights flickered reluctantly to life, illuminating a forgotten stretch of tunnel.
"You made it."
Ash's voice echoed from further down the passage.
She emerged from shadow, her silhouette resolving into detail as she approached.
Her eyes immediately went to his pack.
"You got it," she said, a mix of approval and surprise in her voice.
"EIDOLON's already sweeping the city," she added, checking a device strapped to her wrist.
"They've flagged you as compromised."
"That didn't take long."
"They don't appreciate losing their assets," she replied, turning to lead him deeper into the tunnel.
"Especially not ones carrying their classified artifacts."
Their footsteps echoed against concrete and rusted rail as they moved through the abandoned subway line.
After a series of turns that Elias carefully memorized, they arrived at a sealed service door.
Ash placed her palm against what appeared to be ordinary concrete beside it.
The wall shimmered slightly, scanning her biometrics.
The heavy door slid open with a pneumatic hiss, revealing an old maintenance room converted into living quarters.
"Welcome to my humble abode," she said, stepping inside.
"It's not much, but EIDOLON doesn't know about it."
The space was spartan but functional—computer equipment, weapons cases, medical supplies.
A rudimentary living area with a cot and basic amenities occupied one corner.
Maps and diagrams covered one wall, connected by strings and notations.
Elias recognized surveillance photos of known EIDOLON operatives.
"How long have you been watching them?" he asked.
"Three years," she replied, securing the door behind them.
"Ever since Prague."
The name hung in the air between them, charged with unspoken history.
"You were there," Elias said.
It wasn't a question.
"I was."
She gestured toward a reinforced compartment built into the far wall.
"Let's secure the artifact first. Its temporal signature could be tracked if it's not properly contained."
Elias removed the case from his pack, the protective field from Ash's device still surrounding it.
She entered a complex sequence into the compartment's keypad, and the heavy door swung open.
Inside was a lead-lined chamber with additional shielding materials Elias didn't recognize.
"Place it here," she instructed. "The containment field will mask its signature."
He carefully set the case inside, and Ash sealed the compartment.
"We'll examine it properly after you've recovered," she said, noting his deteriorating condition.
"Using Suppress took a lot out of you."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "How did you know I used it?"
"The neural shock patterns are distinctive," she replied, pointing to a scanner on her workstation.
"And it was the only way you could have escaped without triggering their alarms."
She indicated his transport case.
"Is that the Shimmerskin?"
Elias nodded, setting the case on the table.
"SMR-001 prototype."
Ash let out a low whistle.
"The original. Even better than I hoped."
She cleared space on the table.
"Let's see what we're working with."
Elias opened the case, revealing the dark, liquid-like material of the Shimmerskin.
It pulsed slightly, as if responding to his proximity.
"I've seen the later iterations, but never the first," Ash said, studying it without touching.
"This is where it all started."
"Where what started?"
"The Veil," she said, looking up at him.
"The system integration, neural bonding, all of it."
She gestured to the equipment around them.
"I've spent years tracking the anomalies, watching the patterns emerge."
"And now you're going to tell me what it all means," Elias said dryly.
"No," she replied, "I'm going to show you how to survive it."
She spent the next hour drilling him on basic system functions.
"The Veil operates on three primary commands," she explained, bringing up diagrams on her workstation.
"Observe, Suppress, Threat Profile."
She demonstrated with her own interface, which appeared more complex than his.
"Observe is passive scanning—it catalogs everything in your environment and flags points of interest."
She activated her system with a thought, and Elias watched as her pupils dilated slightly.
"Suppress dampens your biological signatures—heart rate, respiration, even electrical impulses from your nervous system."
"Useful for evading detection," Elias noted.
"Precisely. And Threat Profile..."
She turned toward him, her gaze seeming to strip away layers.
"It analyzes potential hostiles, identifying weaknesses, predicting movement patterns."
[SYSTEM FUNCTION TUTORIAL INITIATED]
[OBSERVE COMMAND: 17% MASTERY]
[SUPPRESS COMMAND: 12% MASTERY]
[THREAT PROFILE COMMAND: 0% MASTERY]
"Your interface is responding," she observed.
"It recognizes the training. And you've already begun developing Observe and Suppress."
"How did you learn all this?" Elias asked.
"Trial and error," she replied simply.
"And from others who integrated before me."
She gestured to the Shimmerskin.
"The suit enhances everything. The early integration between the Shimmerskin and neural tissue created the pathway for the Veil to establish connection."
She motioned for him to put it on.
"Let's see how it performs."
Elias hesitated, remembering Dr. Chen's warnings.
"It's not stable," he said.
"Neither are you," she countered.
"But together, there might be something we can work with."
Reluctantly, he removed his shirt, revealing the neural port embedded at the base of his spine.
An EIDOLON modification to improve Shimmerskin integration.
The suit responded to his proximity, flowing out of its case with oily precision.
"The Shimmerskin's integration allows advanced motion dampening and passive optical cloaking," he explained as the material crawled up his arms.
"I've heard the theoretical capabilities," Ash replied.
"Let's see them in action."
The material completed its coverage, forming a second skin over his torso and limbs.
Immediately, the interface in his vision sharpened, colors intensifying.
[SHIMMERSKIN INTEGRATION: ACTIVE]
[SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT: +25% TO ALL FUNCTIONS]
[WARNING: NEURAL STRESS DETECTED]
"Try the Observe command," Ash instructed.
Elias focused his intention, directing the system to scan their environment.
The interface responded instantly, highlighting objects throughout the room.
Weapon cases. Communication equipment. Exit routes. Potential cover.
Each item categorized and assessed for utility.
"Now try active camouflage," she said.
"Engage optical cloaking."
He activated the function, feeling the familiar vibration as the Shimmerskin's surface adapted.
To Ash, he would appear to blend with the background, not invisible but difficult to focus on directly.
But something was wrong.
His vision blurred suddenly, edges dissolving into smears of light.
His left arm spasmed uncontrollably, fingers contorting at unnatural angles.
Pain lanced through his skull, white-hot and insistent.
[CRITICAL NEURAL MISALIGNMENT]
[EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN RECOMMENDED]
[PERMANENT DAMAGE RISK: HIGH]
Ash noticed immediately, moving toward him.
"Disengage," she commanded.
"Now."
Elias mentally issued the shutdown command, and the Shimmerskin retracted, flowing back into its inert state.
He collapsed into a chair, breath coming in ragged gasps.
"It's not stable," Ash observed, handing him a stabilizer compound from her supplies.
"The neural deterioration is further along than I thought."
Elias injected the compound, feeling the immediate relief as it flooded his system.
"Chen gave me forty-one days," he said once he could speak again.
"That was optimistic," Ash replied, studying readouts from a scanner she'd held near his head.
"The Shimmerskin is accelerating the degradation. Each use compounds the damage."
"Then why have me put it on at all?"
"Because we needed to see how the Veil responds to it," she said.
"And now we know—it recognizes the Shimmerskin as an enhancement module."
She turned back to her workstation.
"We'll need to find another way to boost your system integration without relying on the suit."
"And if we can't?"
She didn't answer immediately, her focus on the data scrolling across her screen.
"Get some rest," she finally said.
"We'll continue tomorrow."
The small living area contained a spare cot that Elias gratefully collapsed onto.
His body felt like lead, muscles aching from the brief Shimmerskin activation.
Despite his exhaustion, sleep came fitfully, broken by fragments of dreams.
Prague. The storage facility. Faces he couldn't quite recognize.
In the early hours of morning, something pulled him from uneasy sleep.
A sound—faint, but distinct in the silence of the underground sanctuary.
The scrape of metal against concrete.
He lay perfectly still, eyes closed, other senses extending outward.
The subtle shift in air pressure that indicated movement near the main door.
The faint electronic hum of active scanning equipment.
They weren't alone.
The interface in his vision pulsed to life, responding to his spike in alertness.
[THREAT DETECTED: MULTIPLE SIGNATURES]
[ROLL INITIATIVE – DC 12]
The command was unfamiliar—"roll initiative"—but its meaning was clear enough.
Someone was coming, and he needed to act.
A new sound reached him—a whisper through the ventilation pipes.
His own voice, calling Ash's name.
Something was mimicking him, trying to draw her out.
Elias silently retrieved his suppressed sidearm from beneath his pillow.
The weight of the weapon was reassuring in his hand.
[INITIATIVE SUCCESSFUL]
[ADVANTAGE: FIRST STRIKE OPPORTUNITY]
He moved soundlessly to a position of cover, using the maintenance room's equipment as concealment.
Ash was already awake, her own weapon drawn, eyes locked with his across the room.
She'd heard it too.
The voice came again, this time from directly outside the sealed door.
"Ash? I think something's wrong with the stabilizer. I need help."
A perfect imitation of his voice, down to the slight rasp from sleep.
The security panel beside the door flickered, cycling through override sequences.
Whatever was out there was trying to hack its way in.
Elias settled into position, sighting down the barrel of his weapon.
Ash nodded once, positioning herself on the opposite side of the room.
The crossfire would catch whatever came through that door.
The panel turned green.
The pneumatic hiss of the door mechanism engaged.
Elias exhaled slowly, finger tensing on the trigger.
And made his move.
