Chapter 109: Asteroid Field
Marek stepped closer, his hand hovering over the glyphs, captivated by their pulsing light. "Think about it," he continued, speaking more to himself than the others. "Their experiments rely on brute force, pushing the limits of their subjects without understanding the underlying structure. But this... this is different. It harmonizes the strain, integrates it rather than letting it consume. That's why the creatures here are so... coherent."
Kaiser frowned, still clutching his weapon tightly. "Are you saying they're stronger because of this thing?"
"Not just stronger," Marek said, his tone growing more animated. "They're stable. Adaptable. The obelisk must emit some kind of field— maybe something we don't even have words for yet—that keeps the strain in check. Without it, the Dominion's creations are doomed to chaos and self-destruction."
Cassian's jaw tightened as he scanned the chamber, the shadows at the edges seeming to creep closer. "Whatever it does, it's also drawing attention. We need to move before we find out what else it's stabilizing."
Marek hesitated, his fingers brushing against the obelisk's surface. The contact sent a faint ripple of light across the glyphs, as though the structure itself was reacting to him. "If we could understand this," he murmured, "this could be the solution."
"Cassian's voice sharpened with resolve. "Marek, we're taking it with us. Figure out how to detach it—fast."
Marek blinked, stunned by the command. "You can't be serious. Cassian, the power requirements alone—"
"Make it happen," Cassian interrupted, his eyes locking onto Marek's. "Unless you want us to leave empty-handed."
The walls trembled more violently as Marek scrambled to analyze the obelisk's base. His scanner buzzed with frantic updates as he began inputting commands into a portable console. "The stabilization field will collapse once it's removed," Marek warned. "The creatures... they'll go berserk."
"Then we'll deal with them," Cassian said, his grip tightening on his weapon. "I will cover Marek. Kaiser, hold the perimeter!"
The team formed a defensive ring as Marek worked, his fingers flying across the console. With a final input, the obelisk shuddered and dimmed, its glyphs flickering before fading completely. A low hum resonated as the structure detached from the floor, hovering slightly above the ground.