Oblivion's Throne

The words hung in the air, drawing uneasy glances from the team. Kaiser shifted uncomfortably, his hand brushing the hilt of his weapon. "You're saying this place is tied to the Dominion's roots?" he muttered, skepticism mingled with tension. Another soldier, her voice low, added, "If that's true, what the hell are we walking into?"

The soldiers fanned out, securing the perimeter while Cassian led his core team toward the entrance. The statues loomed larger with every step, their oppressive presence weighing heavily on the group. Kaiser, ever the skeptic, muttered under his breath. "Looks more like a warning than a welcome."

As they reached the labyrinth's threshold, the light from their suits reflected off the impossibly smooth surface. The entrance yawned open like the maw of a predator. Marek knelt beside the statues, his fingers tracing the alien glyphs on the orbs.

"Don't touch anything," Cassian ordered sharply, but Marek shook his head.

" It's like they're part of a feedback loop, possibly a diagnostic or... a lock mechanism. " Marek said, his voice low and analytical as he studied the orb. "This isn't just some ancient artifact—it's a system. A highly advanced one."

Kaiser frowned, his grip tightening on his weapon. "A system for what exactly?"

Marek shot him a sharp look, his tone edged with impatience. "For something. That's the point. It's functional. And if I had to guess, it's tied to whatever's inside this structure. Whether it's a defense mechanism, a data repository, or something else entirely, we won't know until we engage with it."

Cassian stepped forward, his voice firm. "We proceed with utmost caution. Understood?"

Marek hesitated, his gaze lingering on the shifting symbols. "Understood," he said, though the hunger in his eyes suggested his curiosity was far from satisfied.