Inferno

16 - Forced Evolution

He noticed that the walls of ice that adorned both sides of the cave had quickly transitioned to metal walls. The same metal that the alien ruins had been made of, which meant that this wasn't just another excavation site; he was inside one of the ancient facilities right now. The IMC must have dug it out, but why? Was this place different, or had it been abandoned as well?

He pressed on, though now with a few more questions in mind. He stepped more cautiously, trying to keep noise down from his pack and gear as much as possible. He retrieved the CAR from its strap on his back, and held it defensively, the first time he'd wielded it in two weeks. Finally, the floor leveled out.

The floor beneath him had become metal as well, and now his footsteps made slight echoing sounds when he walked. It was getting darker, and harder to see, so he flicked on the light at the end of the CAR's barrel. It illuminated his path forward, and he was able to see that the hallway he was in stretched for quite a distance.

He felt conflicted. He was more than warm enough now, and he'd be able to rest here. But the question that plagued him was here exactly here was, among others. He entertained the idea of exploring further, and finding out.

He shrugged. He had nothing to lose, and was more than likely to die already. He couldn't put himself in a worse situation if he tried. Not to mention that he had nothing else to do. His mind made up, he continued down the passage.

There wasn't anything out of the ordinary to help him know whether or not this was an active excavation site. He supposed that if he ran into anyone, it'd be a pretty good sign.

"I wonder what this is all about, huh?" he spoke aloud, as though he were talking to KT's data core in his pack. It did not reply.

"See, the other sites all looked like normal structures and buildings, though not aesthetically. But this place..." He shook his head in consternation. "It's different. There's just something off about this place, I can feel it."

Without warning, there was a small red flash. He held his arm up instinctively, and quickly glanced around. He saw a bit of glow disappear around the corner of a hall that connected with the one he was in.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, his eyes wide with concern. The data core was silent once again.

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm not gonna get any answer sitting here." Moving forward again, he cautiously, peeked his head around the corner. There was another incline that led higher up. How complex was this place? Deciding to prioritize his curiosities, he forged ahead.

The faint red glow was never fully in sight, always just out of his vision, keeping two steps ahead. He had no idea yet what it was, but if it was harmful, he guessed he was about to find out pretty soon. The lighting of the sloping passage was getting brighter; was there a working lighting system in here?

No, the temperature was also dropping. Maybe there was a breach in the facility to the outside? Yeah, he could see it now. Not really a breach, but more like a legitimately built opening in the top of the hall. As he walked through it and back into the wintery air, he couldn't help but wonder why-

His breath caught in his chest momentarily. Whatever he'd been expecting, he hadn't been expecting... this.

The facility he'd been walking through was tunneled into the side of a massive crater. In front of him was a platform, connected to the rest of the structure with some sturdy beams. It was artistic looking, like it was supposed to be overseeing something. And by god, did it have a view.

Beyond the platform and taking up most of the space in the crater was some kind of... he didn't know what it was. Yet another structure, but not any kind of building. It was a set of rings, superimposed within one another. They were completely still, and layered with snow from the powder falling above the crater. They were a dull bronze in color, and quite simple. Each one was completely smooth, a perfect ring with flat sides. It looked almost too simple, like it was out of place with the complexity of even the most basic of nature's forms. The only details they bore were the same lines that covered the walls and other structures of the ruins he'd seen already.