They found a small cave that offered little comfort. Huddled together in the cramped space, the team knew it wouldn't save them if that beast whose footprints they'd seen decided to return.
"This won't do," Ragnar said, breaking the tense silence. He gestured at the cave's narrow entrance. "One good swipe from that thing and we're buried alive."
The acid rain had started as a gentle hiss against the rocky terrain, but within minutes, it had become a roaring downpour that sizzled and steamed wherever it touched organic matter.
Daniel watched through the observation window as a small, unlucky creature that resembled a rabbit tried to escape the rain. Its fur began to smoke and melt.
The pitiful animal collapsed within seconds, its body dissolving into the mud.
"We need real shelter, far better than this. Something fortified." Sophie stated, her voice cutting through the sound of the rain. "That cave won't protect us from this."
Ragnar shifted uncomfortably. "Any ideas? Because I'd rather not end up like that poor bastard out there."
They left the cave.
Sophie activated her Tactical Eyes, scanning the area. Minutes passed as they moved across the rough terrain.
After a moment, she pointed toward a high plateau in the distance.
"There," she said, pointing toward a high plateau in the distance. "I see a structure. Man-made."
Others squinted into the distance, but saw nothing. Daniel pushed his [Omnivision] that way, but the skill was still too weak to catch anything from that far.
The trek to the plateau was miserable. The acid rain forced them to keep their heads down, and every exposed patch of skin burned with a dull, throbbing pain. Daniel's D-Grade vest helped, but the rain was relentless.
After what felt like forever but was probably only fifteen minutes, they reached the structure.
It was an old observation post, built from scavenged ship plating and reinforced earth.
The walls were thick, designed to withstand harsh conditions. But something was wrong.
The main gate hung from one hinge, twisted and torn as if something massive had ripped it open. Deep claw marks gouged the metal surface.
"That's not a good sign," Bran whispered, his voice trembling.
"It's shelter," Sophie replied. "And we don't have a choice. Stay close and stay alert."
They stepped in carefully, weapons ready. Inside was a maze of tight halls and small rooms.
Emergency lights flickered weakly, casting long, dancing shadows across the walls.
Blood stains marked the floor and walls. Old blood, dried to a dark brown. But there were no bodies.
"Where are the corpses?" Ragnar asked, his voice unusually quiet.
"Dragged away, probably," Sophie answered, examining the blood patterns. "Or worse."
They moved deeper into the post, clearing room by room. Most were empty, ransacked of anything valuable. But in what looked like the command center, they found something new.
A damaged datapad lay on a desk, its screen cracked but still functional. Sophie picked it up, her fingers working to restore power to the device.
After a few tense moments, the screen flickered to life.
"It's a log," Sophie said, scrolling through the entries. "From another team."
She began to read it loudly:
"Day 1: We've secured the outpost. Supplies are good. Morale is high. We can hold here for weeks if needed."
"Day 3: Food is running low faster than expected. Mason says he saw something watching us from the ridge last night. Nobody else saw it."
"Day 4: Mason won't stop talking about the whispers. Says they promise power, knowledge. The rest of us don't hear anything. I think the Vale is getting to him."
"Day 5: Mason attacked Carter today. Said Carter was 'working with it.' We had to restrain him. His eyes... they weren't right. They glowed."
Sophie lowered her voice as she read the final entry:
"Day 7: Mason went mad. Said the whispers promised him power if he... if he fed us to it. One by one. Jenkins is gone. Carter is gone. I can hear it outside now, scratching at the walls. It's coming for me. Don't trust the….. ZZZZT!"
The entry ended abruptly.
A heavy silence settled over the room. Bran had gone pale, and Ragnar's jaw was so tight it looked like his teeth might crack.
"What does it mean, 'fed us to it'?" Bran asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"It means there's something here that can get inside your head," Daniel replied, his mind racing. "Something that can make you turn on your own team."
"That's just great," Ragnar muttered. "As if monsters weren't enough, now we've got mind-control creatures."
Sophie powered down the datapad and slipped it into her pack. "We stay alert. No one goes anywhere alone. If anyone starts hearing or seeing things, you speak up immediately."
They found a large room that had probably been a barracks. It had multiple exits, which was good for escape routes, and the walls were reinforced metal, which would provide some protection.
As they settled in for the night, Daniel took first watch. He positioned himself near a viewport that looked out over the plateau.
The acid rain kept falling, a hissing curtain that hid everything past a few meters.
Hours passed. Ragnar and Sophie took their turns sleeping while Daniel remained vigilant, his Omnivision stretched to its limits.
Then, around what he guessed was midnight, Bran woke up screaming.
"They're coming! They're coming through the walls!"
Ragnar was on his feet instantly, his hand moving to activate Stoneskin. Sophie grabbed her weapon, her eyes scanning the room.
"Where? I don't see anything!" Ragnar shouted.
Bran was pressed into a corner, his eyes wild with terror. He pointed at the solid metal wall.
"There! Right there! Can't you see them?"
Daniel activated his [Omnivision], pushing it harder than he ever had before.
The room was empty. No creatures, no threats.
"Bran, listen to me," Daniel said, approaching slowly. "There's nothing there. Whatever you're seeing, it's not real."
"You're lying!" Bran shrieked. "You're all lying! You want to leave me behind! You think I'm weak!"
Sophie stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Bran, we're your team. We're not going to leave you."
"LIES!" Bran lunged forward suddenly, grabbing a piece of broken metal from the floor.
Ragnar moved quickly, catching Bran's wrist before he could hurt himself or anyone else. "Easy, kid. Easy."
But Bran fought like a cornered animal, kicking and screaming. His strength was unnatural, powered by whatever was twisting his mind.
"Help me hold him!" Ragnar grunted, struggling to maintain his grip.
Daniel rushed over, grabbing Bran's other arm. Together, they wrestled him to the ground. Bran's screams became almost inhuman, a mixture of rage and terror.
"Sophie, I need something to restrain him!" Ragnar shouted.
Sophie quickly gathered equipment straps and approached. "Hold him steady."
It took all their combined strength, but they managed to tie Bran's hands behind his back. Then they secured him to a support pillar, using multiple layers of straps to ensure he couldn't break free.
As they finished, Bran's struggles weakened. His screams faded to whimpers.
Sophie pulled Daniel aside, away from Ragnar who was checking the restraints.
"This is exactly what the datapad described," she said quietly. "The progression, the paranoia, the accusations. It's happening to Bran just like it happened to Mason. Do you hear them?"
Daniel shook his head. "No. But I can feel... something. It's out there, watching us."
Sophie's eyes narrowed. "Your 'sensory talent' again?"
He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
"Can you pinpoint it?"
Daniel concentrated, pushing his [Omnivision] out into the rain. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, just at the edge of his range, he felt it.
A presence. Cold. Intelligent. Patient. And it was focused directly on them.
"It's out there," Daniel whispered. "Beyond the rain. Watching and waiting."
To be fair, they really did not know much about whatever is after them but they all had one common knowledge.
They knew, they were fucked!