Chapter 29: Depths of the East Wing
After discovering the mysterious chemical compound, Kaelen looked at the opening leading to the lower floors, feeling the mana intensify significantly from below. This was the signal he had been waiting for. "The strongest concentration of mana is coming from there," he said in a low voice, his eyes narrowing. "This means the real threat awaits us below. We must be ready for anything."
The team was tired, but Kaelen's serious gaze brought some focus back to them. It was no longer just a casual exploration; it had become a race against time to understand this new world. Ethan nodded, gripping his iron rod tightly. "We'll be ready, Kaelen. We've evolved a lot."
"Emily," Kaelen said, "stay very close to me. Your mana resonance ability will be crucial below." Emily nodded with determination, feeling her mana flow more strongly, as if responding to the coming challenge.
They began their cautious descent into the lower floors. The air grew heavier, laden with a strange scent of ozone and metals, as if they were entering the heart of a mana storm. The lighting diminished with each level they descended, forcing them to rely on small flashlights and Kaelen's "Mana Sense (Level 3)" device, which was mapping out glowing corridors for them.
The lower floors were remarkably better preserved. The walls were free of major cracks, and the thick steel doors, though some were forced open, indicated a high level of security in the past. They passed surprisingly intact laboratories, some still containing large scientific equipment covered with a thin layer of dust, as if time had suddenly stopped.
"These devices... could they still be working?" Layla whispered, her eyes widening as she saw a massive control panel with faint lights still flickering.
"We don't have time to check now," Kaelen replied, though his curiosity was evident in his tone. "The mana concentration is growing stronger. We're getting closer."
Suddenly, Kaelen and Emily felt an incredibly powerful mana pulse, much stronger than anything they had encountered so far. The pulse was regular, deep, and had a unique rhythm, as if it were a beating heart. At the same moment, Emily's eyes glowed with an ethereal blue, and she dropped to her knees, gasping.
"What is it, Emily?" Kaelen asked anxiously, kneeling beside her.
"It's... it's immense pressure," Emily stammered, "like a deep echo... it's coming from the next room!"
Kaelen raised his head, pinpointing the source of the pulse. It was coming from behind a massive, half-open steel door, leading into what appeared to be a vast testing hall. Its edges glowed with a faint blue light, indicating its saturation with mana.
"Get ready," Kaelen said, his voice sharp. "This is what we've been looking for."
They advanced slowly towards the door. Each step was accompanied by an increasing mana pressure, making the air feel thick and hard to breathe. When they reached the entrance, they looked inside.
The hall was vast, circular, and in its center, there was a creature unlike anything they had ever seen. It was larger than the ordinary "Lurkers," with a massive rocky body, covered in glowing blue mana crystals protruding from its dark gray skin. It had four massive arms, each ending in sharp claws, and its eyes glowed with a bright blue color, radiating raw and powerful mana.
[Threat: Mana Guardian (First Wave - Mutated)] [Health Points: 500/500] [Strength: Very High] [Speed: Low] [Special Abilities: Mana Shield, Mana Attack]
"Mana Guardian..." Kaelen whispered, realizing this creature was the source of the immense mana concentration. Its crystalline shield absorbed mana from the air, making it almost invulnerable.
"It's huge!" Caleb exclaimed, raising his metal shield.
"Don't attack it directly!" Kaelen warned. "Its shield is too strong. Emily, can you... can you use your mana resonance to disrupt its shield?"
Emily looked at the creature, then at Kaelen, her eyes filled with hesitation. "I don't know... I've never tried... it's so powerful!"
"Trust yourself," Kaelen said. "This is the time. The powder we found... maybe we can use it to boost your mana attack." Kaelen held some of the glowing white powder he had collected, feeling the mana react with it in his hand. This was their only chance.