Nolen had been moving away from the magma river for several days now.
Even as the glow of molten stone faded behind him, his instincts kept urging him to gather materials along the way. It wasn't a conscious decision anymore, just something his body did, driven by survival and habit.
Romy ranged ahead of him in her crystalline drone form, hovering silently through the ash-filled air. Her systems had recovered enough to allow independent operation for short periods—up to a kilometer away—but the strain forced her to return to Nolen regularly to recharge.
"There is something unusual about this region," Romy said, her voice calm but focused. "The air composition is inconsistent, and the magnetic field strength is elevated."
Nolen slowed.
"Elevated how?"
"I cannot isolate the exact cause. Volcanic interference and ash clouds are distorting my readings, but this field is… artificial in nature."
Nolen frowned. "Artificial enough to be generated by a power source?"
"Yes," Romy replied. "If we locate the source, it may provide sufficient energy to accelerate your recovery—and restore additional system functionality."
"How much are we talking?" Nolen asked. "Enough for flight?"
"No," Romy said immediately. "Not even close. However, it could enhance your physical resilience and output marginally. More importantly, it would allow me to regain higher-order processing and activate dormant functions."
Nolen considered that.
"Good enough," he said. "That alone makes it worth finding."
"The source should be near the center of the field," Romy added.
"Then let's start there."
Two days later, they found it.
The magnetic anomaly originated beneath a mountain ridge—hidden behind fractured stone and ash deposits. Beneath it lay an artificial cavern, unmistakably constructed rather than formed by nature.
Ancient and waiting to be rediscovered.
"This place doesn't look real, and it's been hidden for centuries," Nolen muttered.
Romy hovered closer as he approached the entrance.
"This structure predates any known surface settlements in this region. It was likely sealed intentionally."
Entering the cavern, the air grew heavier, charged with latent energy. The walls curved inward, etched with patterns eroded almost beyond recognition. Bioluminescent moss clung to the stone, casting a soft green glow that barely illuminated the path forward.
Nolen slowed his pace, eyes scanning every surface.
He had always been drawn to history, lost cultures, and forgotten civilizations. Even back on Earth, he'd studied them during downtime between missions.
"This place wasn't built in a hurry," he said quietly. "Someone cared about it."
Before Romy could respond, her sensors flared.
"Nolen," she warned. "I'm detecting vibrations beneath the floor. Movement."
A translucent three-dimensional map projected into the air, showing layered chambers below them.
"I can't identify the source. The mineral composition of the walls is interfering with my scans."
Nolen nodded and drew his weapons—axe in one hand, sword in the other.
"Slow and careful," he said.
The first trap revealed itself moments later: a floor of pressure-sensitive tiles, their seams nearly invisible.
Romy analyzed the stress patterns and highlighted safe paths one at a time. Even then, Nolen moved cautiously, testing each step before committing his weight.
Deeper in, they encountered a narrow corridor lined with pendulum blades—rusted but still functional. Their arcs were irregular, driven by mechanisms that refused to die.
Timing mattered.
Positioning mattered.
Nolen advanced inch by inch, sweat running down his back despite the cold stone.
After hours of descent, a figure emerged from the shadows.
A humanoid construct, stone and metal fused together, lunged forward with mechanical precision.
The fight was brief but violent.
Nolen shattered it with a combination of brute force and careful targeting, reducing the rock creature to rubble.
Romy examined the remains.
"A primitive golem," she concluded. "Designed for longevity, not adaptability." Nolen nodded, brushing dust from his hands as he surveyed the rubble. "So, it's been guarding this place alone," Nolen said. "That means whatever's deeper mattered."
"I have swept the area," Romy replied. "No additional movement detected. For now, we are alone."
"Then let's keep going."
As they descended further, the walls changed.
The stone became smoother. The carvings are more deliberate.
Symbols, diagrams, and stories etched in silence.
Nolen stopped before one section and leaned closer.
"I don't recognize this language."
"It is ancient," Romy replied. "Possibly predating current dialects, that I know anyway. I have no direct reference."
"So you can't read it?"
"I can attempt reconstruction," Romy said. "Using Earth linguistic structures and predictive modeling. Accuracy will be limited."
"Better than nothing," Nolen said. "Let's archive it."
Romy recorded everything—the symbols, the patterns, the positioning.
Nolen moved on, unaware that what lay ahead would change the course of his survival entirely.