The group moved cautiously, staying close to the walls as they approached the central grid building. The air felt thicker here, like wading through invisible currents. Rian adjusted his gauntlet, still uncertain about its unpredictable responses.

Milo moved quietly at the back, keeping his head low. Zara remained at the front, spear in hand, eyes darting between the fractured streets and the warped sky. Devika, sensing the shift in energy, kept a hand on the wall, trying to gauge the pulse of the building.

They halted just before the entrance, where the ground seemed to dip unnaturally, like a sinkhole that hadn’t quite finished forming. Rian signaled to pause, eyes scanning the area. “Something’s off. Feels like the ground’s breathing.”

Devika knelt down, brushing her fingers over a crack in the pavement. “It’s like the place itself is alive. Pulsing.”

Milo pointed toward the grid’s door, partially open and creaking in the wind. “Should we check inside?”

Zara shrugged. “We’re not going to learn anything standing out here.”

Rian nodded. “Move slow. Watch for movement.”

Inside, the building was colder than the outside. Shadows stretched unnaturally across the floor, and the faint hum of machinery pulsed from the deeper corridors. Rian tightened his grip on the gauntlet as they stepped inside.

A loud clang echoed from the far end of the hall. The group froze, instinctively lowering their profiles.

Milo whispered, “Was that… a person?”

Rian glanced at Zara. “Could be. Or could be something that used to be one.”

As they moved deeper, they found remnants of the former utility crew — clothes and gear left scattered, a few ID tags abandoned on the floor. Devika picked one up, wiping the dust. “They didn’t just leave. Something happened here.”

A shuffling noise made them turn. From the dim hallway emerged a figure — once human, now twisted and hunched, its body pulsating with faint blue veins that glowed intermittently. Its movements were erratic, twitching as if driven by impulses rather than thought.

Rian motioned for them to back up slowly. The creature didn’t seem to notice them at first, focused on a damaged panel on the wall. It traced the circuit lines with its elongated fingers, as if trying to remember something.

Zara whispered, “Is it… fixing it?”

Rian didn’t answer, just motioned for quiet. Devika’s breath caught as the creature turned suddenly, its eyes glowing faintly. It made a distorted groaning sound, like a radio stuck between frequencies.

Milo’s foot nudged a loose bolt, sending it clattering across the floor. The creature’s head snapped toward them, and it let out a warbled, anguished cry, moving in quick, jagged steps.

Rian pushed Milo behind him, raising the gauntlet instinctively. The device flickered but didn’t activate. Zara shifted to the side, readying her spear.

The creature lunged, but Devika stepped forward, hands raised, her fingertips glowing brighter. “Stop!” she shouted, almost reflexively. To everyone’s surprise, the creature halted, twitching as if fighting against itself.

Rian took the opportunity, gesturing for Zara to move in. She jabbed the spear forward, piercing the creature’s shoulder. It shrieked but didn’t disintegrate like the others. Instead, it staggered back, seemingly more confused than hurt.

Devika took a cautious step closer. “I think it’s trying to… remember.”

Milo whispered, “Remember what?”

Zara wiped the spear tip on her sleeve. “Maybe who it used to be.”

The creature’s eyes dimmed, and it slumped against the wall, its breath slowing. Rian carefully approached, keeping the gauntlet raised. “It’s not attacking. Maybe… maybe it’s still aware.”

Before they could decide what to do, the radio in Milo’s pack crackled to life. A distorted voice came through, faint but discernible: “…facility compromised… cannot maintain power… danger… energy overload…”

The creature stirred, looking toward the radio as if recognizing the sound. Rian caught the hint. “Maybe it was part of the team. The grid crew.”

Devika bit her lip. “If that’s true, then whatever happened to them wasn’t just random. The energy affected them differently.”

The group stayed silent for a moment, the weight of the situation settling in. Rian made a decision. “We can’t stay here. Whatever happened, it’s not safe. We need to get higher ground, see if we can spot other survivors or a safer route.”

Milo hesitated. “What about… it?”

Zara shook her head. “It’s not our problem. We barely made it through the last fight.”

Reluctantly, they moved on, leaving the creature slumped against the wall, humming softly to itself as if trying to recall a long-lost memory.

As they reached the rooftop of the grid building, Rian took a deep breath. The city stretched out before them, fragmented and warped. The central grid pulsed with faint light, signaling that some systems were still active.

Devika looked back down at the hallway. “If they changed like that… what does it mean for us?”

Rian didn’t have an answer, but the question lingered as they watched the city flicker between light and shadow.

End of Chapter 8.