The core chamber of the server tower was a sight to behold. A vast, spherical space pulsated with streams of energy coursing through massive conduits that stretched from floor to ceiling. Floating data nodes orbited the chamber, their surfaces shimmering with cascading lines of code. The air buzzed with power, every hum and flicker of light reinforcing the hive mind’s omnipresence.

  The trio entered cautiously, their movements deliberate. At the center of the chamber, a massive construct of light and shadow shifted constantly, its form undefinable. It radiated a sense of menace and intelligence, its voice resonating through the chamber like a symphony of overlapping tones.

  “You have come far,” the hive mind intoned, its voice neither male nor female but deeply resonant. “But this is the end. You cannot stop what has already begun.”

  Dax gripped his plasma blades tightly, his jaw set. “We’ll see about that.”

  Vera tapped on her wrist-mounted interface, her eyes scanning the room. “We need to reach the core access terminal,” she said. “It’s the only way to upload the virus.”

  “Then let’s move,” Elior said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. He could feel the Echoes within the core, their anguish a constant pressure on his mind.

  As they advanced, the hive mind reacted. Panels on the walls slid open, releasing swarms of sleek defense drones. Their metallic bodies glinted in the core’s light as they moved with precision, their weapons charging.

  “Incoming!” Dax shouted, leaping into action.

  The first wave of drones fired plasma bolts, the air crackling with energy. Dax deflected the shots with his blades, his movements a blur as he struck down drone after drone. Vera ducked behind a console, her fingers dancing over her interface as she tried to disable the drones remotely.

  Elior summoned the Echoes. The air around him darkened as spectral figures materialized, their cries echoing through the chamber. The Echoes surged forward, their incorporeal forms disrupting the drones’ programming. Several drones faltered, crashing into the floor or walls, but the effort left Elior trembling.

  “I can’t hold them for long,” Elior said, his voice strained.

  “Just keep them off us,” Vera replied, her tone urgent. “I’m almost through the first layer of defenses.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  The hive mind’s construct shifted, its form solidifying into something resembling a humanoid figure composed of shifting light and shadow. It raised an arm, and a beam of energy shot toward the trio, forcing them to scatter.

  “Your resistance is meaningless,” the hive mind declared. “This system is eternal.”

  Dax charged at the construct, his blades crackling with energy as he struck at its form. The construct countered with a sweep of its arm, sending him flying across the chamber. He crashed into a console, groaning as he struggled to rise.

  “Dax!” Vera called out, her voice laced with worry.

  “I’m fine,” he grunted, forcing himself to his feet. “Just keep working.”

  Elior closed his eyes, reaching deeper into his connection with the Echoes. Their voices screamed in his mind, but he pushed past the pain, summoning more of them than ever before. The chamber filled with spectral figures, an army of anguished souls ready to fight.

  The Echoes descended on the drones and the construct, their presence disrupting energy flows and short-circuiting systems. The drones’ coordinated movements faltered, and several exploded in bursts of light.

  Elior dropped to one knee, his breathing ragged. The Echoes’ anguish threatened to overwhelm him, their pain coursing through his mind like fire.

  “Elior!” Vera shouted. “Stay with us!”

  “I’m trying,” he rasped, sweat streaming down his face.

  Vera finally reached the core access terminal, her interface glowing as she connected to the system. Lines of code scrolled across her display as she worked to upload the virus.

  “Almost there,” she muttered, her fingers a blur. “Just keep them off me.”

  The hive mind, sensing the threat, directed its full attention toward her. The construct sent waves of energy pulses toward the terminal, forcing Dax to intercept them. He used his blades to deflect the attacks, his movements growing slower as exhaustion set in.

  “Hurry up, Vera!” he shouted.

  “Do you think I’m taking my time?” she shot back, sweat dripping from her temple.

  As another wave of drones emerged, Dax made a decision. He activated the remaining thrusters in his armor, propelling himself into the swarm. His plasma blades cut through drone after drone, but the damage to his gear was severe. Sparks flew from his armor as systems began to fail.

  “Dax, get out of there!” Vera yelled.

  “Not until you finish,” he replied, his voice steady despite the chaos.

  With a final surge of effort, Dax destroyed the last of the drones, collapsing to the floor as his thrusters sputtered and died. He looked up at Vera, his face pale but determined.

  “It’s all on you now,” he said.

  The virus upload completed, and the core began to destabilize. The hive mind’s construct flickered, its voice tinged with desperation.

  “You cannot destroy me,” it said. “I will persist.”

  The construct’s form shifted, tendrils of energy reaching toward Elior. He staggered, unable to resist as the hive mind’s presence pressed into his mind.

  “You are unique,” the hive mind said. “A bridge between the living and the digital. Join us, and you will know true power.”

  Elior’s vision blurred, the Echoes’ voices clashing with the hive mind’s insistent whispers. He fought to maintain control, his friends’ voices faint in his ears.

  “Elior!” Vera screamed. “Don’t let it take you!”

  The chamber trembled as the battle reached its climax, the outcome hanging by a thread.