The descent seemed to stretch on for hours, the platform creaking as it slowly lowered into the abyss. The pyramid, a monolithic structure, loomed larger with each passing moment. As they descended, the team began to grasp the true magnitude of the Olmeca edifice. Its vast walls extended in all directions, lined with hundreds of pod-like objects, some appearing dormant, others pulsing faintly with an eerie glow. Strange, serpentine tubing snaked between them, and alien devices, humming with energy, covered every inch of the chamber’s enormous surface, giving the impression of some colossal machine long forgotten by time.
“What is this place?” Mitchell muttered, his voice barely concealing his unease. Over the last few days, he had witnessed more than enough unnatural phenomena to haunt him for a lifetime, but this place—this labyrinth of technology and mystery—was beyond anything he could have imagined.
The platform jerked to a halt, a heavy clang echoing through the chamber. They had descended only a quarter of the way down, and yet it felt like they had travelled miles into the earth. The sheer immensity of the space weighed heavily on the team, but their attention was quickly drawn upwards. A series of metallic clangs reverberated from above—an unsettling reminder of the dangers that still lurked overhead.
Without warning, the central dais began to chime, the sound rising in pitch, and the platform shuddered back into motion.
“Everyone off! Now!” Moses barked, his voice slicing through the tension. The team scrambled off the platform just as it began to ascend, retreating swiftly towards the top of the pyramid.
“Those armoured creatures must’ve called it back up,” Jacob panted, his eyes scanning the area warily. “We need to move.”
Without hesitation, the soldiers formed a protective wedge around the scientists. "We’ve no time to waste," Moses urged. Together, they pressed deeper into the pyramid, the walls closing in as the temperature seemed to drop, the air growing thicker with each step.
Takalik’s landing had been almost too easy—eerily so. The massive hangar, a cavernous space with vaulted ceilings, stretched out before him, capable of housing an entire fleet of Olmeca cruisers. The floor beneath his ship gleamed, metallic and cold, while the walls were lined with ancient machinery that hummed faintly, as though awakened from millennia of slumber. His landing had gone smoothly enough, but the moment his ship touched the deck, the sensors had lit up in a frenzy. Another vessel was approaching—his worst fears confirmed. The enemy had tracked him.
Takalik quickly retrieved his sidearm and translator from the hidden compartment beneath his pilot’s seat. His hand hovered for a moment over the controls, but his instincts screamed urgency. He popped the hatch and jumped down, his boots landing softly on the cold, metallic floor.
The hangar was vast and unsettlingly empty, yet Takalik couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. Something about the mission gnawed at him. He had served under Sovereign Itzamná for over a decade, never once questioning his orders. Yet this mission—this strange meeting with the Terrans in such a remote and ancient place—felt wrong. Why here, of all places? The Terran centre of government would have made far more sense for negotiations.
His thoughts swirled as he crossed the expansive floor, his gaze drawn to the large, weathered door at the far end of the hangar. Suddenly, a blinding light flickered to life above it, forcing him to shield his eyes.
“Greetings, Olmeca. Last recorded entry of your kind at this facility: three thousand Earth years,” an electronic voice boomed, echoing off the walls.
Takalik’s body tensed, his warrior instincts taking over. He dove to the ground, his laser pistol drawn, sweeping the area for threats.
A long moment passed. No danger. Just the voice of an ancient machine, likely part of the facility’s automated systems. Still, his pulse remained elevated as he stood cautiously and approached the door. His mind raced, trying to decipher what he had just heard. Three thousand years? How old was this place?
He stepped through the doorway, the passage widening into another chamber. As he entered, lights flickered on overhead, illuminating a series of consoles covered in dust and grime. Still, the ancient systems hummed with life, their holographic displays casting ghostly light over the walls.
Takalik moved to one of the displays. Strange symbols and graphs flashed across the screen. He squinted, trying to make sense of it. One word stood out among the glyphs: Xibalba. The name tugged at the corners of his memory, a distant recollection from his time spent poring over the Great Archive—the last surviving repository of Olmeca knowledge, salvaged from the ashes of their homeworld.
Xibalba. The name held significance, but he couldn’t quite grasp why. It was maddeningly familiar, yet elusive. Takalik frowned, trying to push through the mental fog. He recalled how Itzamná had risked everything to retrieve the Archive, leading a costly mission into hostile territory. Many had questioned the wisdom of such a gamble, but the sovereign had been unwavering. Now, Takalik began to understand why. There was something hidden here—something powerful.
The AI spoke again, breaking his reverie.
“There are native beings inside the facility. Compatibility with Olmeca species: one hundred percent.”
Takalik stiffened. The Terrans? They had made their way inside already. But the AI’s words echoed in his mind. Compatibility?
“A.I.,” Takalik barked, “what do you mean by compatibility?”
“Terran species is one hundred percent compatible for merging procedures. Species collection will begin shortly. Merging will commence once both species are present. The Camalotz has been activated. Please stand by.”
Takalik’s blood ran cold. His eyes widened as the full weight of the trap began to settle in. He had been lured here—they had been lured here. For what purpose, he could only guess, but the truth gnawed at him. Sovereign Itzamná had betrayed them. The Terrans, too, had been drawn into this nightmarish scheme.
A low growl echoed down the corridor, snapping Takalik back to the present. He rushed to the door and peered into the hall, his heart pounding.
From the shadows emerged a creature—a monstrosity that defied logic. It had the shape of an Olmeca, but its body was twisted and deformed, covered in grotesque tubing and metal plating. Razor-sharp claws extended from its hands, glinting in the dim light, and its face—once Olmeca, now warped beyond recognition—was a mask of horror.
It sniffed the air, its head snapping in Takalik’s direction.
His stomach dropped. The creature’s eyes locked onto his.
With a shriek, the beast lunged forward, its claws raking the air as it charged down the corridor. Takalik slammed the door shut, punching the panel with trembling fingers. The heavy, metallic doors slid shut just as the creature crashed into them.
Takalik fired a round into the locking mechanism, sparks flying. He didn’t know how long the door would hold, but it had to buy him time. Time to escape. Time to survive.