BLEED/HAVEN

[XXI] ISAIAH

The first thing Isaiah noticed when they all entered the Veverg was that the corridor they initially traversed had dark walls patterned like woven threads. From these threads ran wires of emerald energy, pulsating throughout the satellite like the lights that glowed constantly on the outside of it. Out of curiosity, he shone his flashlight on the wall and stepped closer, tentatively placing his hand against it. What he felt sent a chill down his spine and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to raise. For one, the walls were moist, and that emerald energy stained his glove like a liquid of some sort. However, what truly scared him was the fact that those walls were expanding and contracting, like breathing. As if this entire spacecraft was alive.

Bruna beckoned for the young man to follow and he obliged. The five members of the Exemplar security detail kept silent on comms, merely giving direction to where the main supply team was based inside this place. After travelling along through winding corridor after corridor, they eventually came to an enormous room lit by human manufactured light fixations and tons of packaged goods stacked along the walls. It was about the size of a basketball court. The crates had been strewn about every which way and tables, chairs, tents and everything else that made this place an outpost had been thrown around like someone had a massive temper tantrum. Some of the crates had been forcefully opened and vials of needles were exposed. Likely the cure that the Exemplars were holding control of. Bruna spoke to Isaiah,

"You think those are cure vials?"

Isaaih nodded, responding,

"Yeah. They are probably using this place like a safehouse for all of their units."

Something felt off about this place, and not just the fact that it was an alien ship that may or may not have been alive. Sage's voice broke through,

"Look here."

The team surrounded the woman and looked on the ground where she was pointing. A pool of dark, metallic green liquid resided on the spot, and a trail of it could be seen going down a particular hall. Bruna spoke,

"Is that the stuff that's going through the walls?"

Sage shook her head and responded,

"No, this isn't Veverg energy. It's Quvali essence, Stigmata pus as you know it. Human blood being rejected from its own body. Whoever was here has been assimilated."

One of the Exemplars, Ganzer, approached and spoke up,

"Assimilated? What on earth does that mean? Regardless, we should probably follow this here trail. It likely will give us information on what in God's name happened in this place."

Isaiah agreed and with that, the team followed the trail through more winding corridors. The ship was completely silent, the only sounds heard being the footsteps they took on the ground. A soft squelch with each step followed by the sound of Isaiah's own breathing, and as time went on, his heartbeat pulsating in his ears. Amidst the silence, he heard footsteps, but not his own, the man turned around from his place in the group and stared down the dark hall. One of the security team questioned him,

"You alright?"

Isaiah stayed silent for a few moments, hearing nothing once more and responded,

"Yeah. Yeah I'm good."

With that, they pressed on. Isaiah could have sworn that he heard and felt something breathing over his shoulder several times more. A presence that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise and following eyes that churned his stomach to the point where every corner they turned caused him to expectantly clench his jaw and brace himself for something to jump out. However nothing ever did. They continued along for quite some time until they came across a split in the hall. When they rounded the corner this time, Isaiah caught the glimpse of several bodies laying on the ground. He called out,