"An artifact? Makes sense," Lionel said, eyes lighting up. The exhaustion from being drained vanished, replaced by eager curiosity.
"If we extract just the core, we keep the research value while purifying the rest."
Brando's face lit up with relief.
"You should've said that earlier! I thought we were losing the whole thing."
Luke shook his head.
"If holy water could've destroyed the main body, I wouldn't have let you near it at all."
He pulled a piece of charcoal and a small knife from his bag. Moving quickly, he drew a series of complex symbols on the ground around the massive core, forming an uneven circle that completely enclosed it.
Luke straightened and handed the knife to Lionel.
"Alright. You're the prir now."
Without hesitation, Lionel sliced open his left palm. Blood welled up imdiately. Brando watched every movent like a hawk.
Lionel stepped up to the core, took a deep breath, and pressed his bleeding hand against the pulsing mass of flesh and tal.
The mont contact was made, a sharp suction pulled at him. This ti it felt different—like a thin, focused line connecting straight to the core's center. At the sa ti, a steady, powerful flow of psionic energy ca from Luke through the circle on the ground, creating a delicate balance.
Luke dropped to one knee, one hand pressed to a key symbol, eyes closed.
"Feel it, Lionel. Don't try to control it. Follow its structure. Find the true core."
Lionel closed his eyes and sank his awareness deep into the labyrinth of flesh and steel. His psychic energy flowed along the thin line, carefully navigating violent energy nodes until he reached the main current.
Minutes passed. Brando and Carrie held their breath. The core's red glow began flickering wildly, its pulsing growing faster and more erratic, like a heart in distress.
Lionel's face turned deathly pale. Sweat poured down his forehead as his body trembled.
"Found it!"
His eyes snapped open.
"Now!"
Luke shouted and slamd his hand down on the symbol.
The charcoal circle flared with soft white light. The glow raced along the ground, wrapped around the base of the core, then climbed upward like a net, squeezing tight.
The core convulsed violently. Its surface twisted and writhed as tal fragnts were forced outward.
With a wet tearing sound, the top of the mass split open. A fist-sized, heart-shaped object glowing dark red was squeezed out, still attached to a few thin tendrils.
"Grab it!" Luke yelled.
Lionel didn't think—he snatched the heart.
The instant his fingers closed around it, the thin energy line connecting him to the core snapped. The glowing net shattered.
Without its core or the binding circle, the massive mass lost all control.
"Shit—run!"
Luke grabbed the staggering Lionel and bolted. Brando snatched Carrie's wrist and sprinted after them.
Behind them, the core swelled like an erupting volcano. Cracks spread across its surface, blazing white light pouring out as it expanded uncontrollably.
They barely made it behind the van when a blinding flash lit up the entire highway. The delayed explosion hit like a thunderclap, followed by a massive shockwave that hurled debris straight at them.
"We're done for!" Brando shouted, ducking.
In that split second, Carrie's eyes flew open. Pure terror locked her body, but raw survival instinct surged through her.
An invisible force burst from her. A shimring psychic barrier snapped into place around the van like an upside-down bowl, shielding everyone inside.
The shockwave slamd into it and split apart, flowing around the sides. Chunks of tal and rock bounced off harmlessly, leaving only ripples.
The world shook violently outside, but inside the barrier everything stayed calm.
When the light faded and the roar died down, the barrier flickered and dissolved into sparks.
Carrie's legs gave out. Luke caught her before she hit the ground.
"What… what did I do?" she whispered, staring at her hands in shock and fear.
Luke helped her lean against the van.
"You saved us."
"But…"
Her voice cracked. She was terrified she was becoming so kind of monster—like the living truck they'd just destroyed.
Luke's voice was steady and grounding.
"There's no 'but.' This isn't a curse, Carrie. It's your power. It's always been yours."
He held up the dark red heart they'd pulled from the core. It had changed—now smooth and polished like a piece of crimson jade, pulsing with a steady red glow from within.
Carrie's eyes were drawn to it. The fear in her chest eased just a little.
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