Chapter 199: Shall we have a taste?
Damon activated the golden gem, holding it steady between his fingers as a wave of warmth pulsed through his palm. The gem vibrated with a low, thrumming hum, like the heartbeat of a slumbering titan. A moment later, a deep chime echoed in the air around them.
[Ding! Initializing artifact: Null Sanctum Sigma-9... Core authority detected. Access level: Override. Beginning stabilization.]
Suddenly, the very air warped around them. The vibrant green valley, lush and peaceful, trembled as space itself was bent and carved.
With a deafening clang, a massive circular dome erupted from the ground, silent one moment, roaring with mechanical might the next.
Gleaming black alloy panels rose from the earth like a blooming steel lotus, clicking into place with smooth, terrifying precision. The dome pulsed with faint golden lines of runic etching, sealing shut with a clang that sent a pressure wave through the grass.
Mark stumbled back, his cocky grin vanishing. "No fucking way..."
Kate gaped beside him, hand instinctively reaching for her weapon. "That’s... that’s the prison..." She didn’t finish. She didn’t need to. They all felt it, the same oppressive weight pressing down on their souls.
Damon, on the other hand, stood perfectly still. His crimson eyes narrowed. "I knew it," he grinned. He had expected it to be bigger in size, but it looked like this was some sort of modified version. Maybe because the original thing was damaged?
"You got that whole metallic fortress?" Mark asked, unable to believe what he was seeing. "How is that even possible?"
Kate stared at him. "You brought back the fortress that tried to brain fry us all?"
Damon shrugged. "Technically, this one obeys me now. I think. I am 70% sure of it."