Chapter 191 The Creator

Chapter 191 The Creator
The arena disappeared behind them.

Dust filled the night air as Liam, Clara, Adrian, Mara, Aria, Elena, Elias, Lucas, Ryan, Jace, Samuel, and Zero stood outside the ruins.

For several seconds, nobody spoke. They had survived another collapse. But Liam couldn’t stop thinking about Zero’s final words.

The man who created all of us. Liam turned toward him. “Who is he?” Zero looked at the ruins. “I don’t know his name.” “Then how do you know he created us?” “Because Victor told me.”

Samuel stepped forward. “Victor lied about almost everything.” “Not about him.” Zero looked at Samuel. “He was afraid of the Creator.” That caught everyone’s attention.

Lucas frowned. “Victor was afraid of someone?” “Very.” Zero nodded. “He said the Creator disappeared years ago.” “Then why are we still being hunted?”

Zero looked at Liam. “Because the Creator never disappeared.” The silence returned. Elena slowly shook her head. “No.”

Liam turned. “Mom?” “I know who you’re talking about.” Everyone looked at her. Elena’s hands trembled. “Before Project Legacy became what it is, there was a scientist named Dr. Adrian Vale.”

Liam frowned. “Adrian?” His brother looked at him. “Not me.” Elena nodded. “He was brilliant.” “He believed human emotions could be turned into energy.”

Elias added quietly, “We worked with him.” Liam stared at his parents. “You both knew him?” “Yes.”

“What happened?” Elena looked toward the ruins. “He created the first energy core.” “The Roots came later.” Liam’s eyes narrowed. “Then what happened to him?” Elena swallowed.

“He disappeared.” Zero shook his head. “He didn’t.” Everyone turned toward him. “I saw him.” “When?” “Before Victor took me.”

Zero looked disturbed. “He was old.” “Very old.” “But he hadn’t changed.” Liam frowned. “What do you mean?” “He looked exactly like he did in the photographs.” Elena’s face went pale. “That’s impossible.”

Zero nodded. “That’s what Victor said.” Lucas suddenly looked at his scanner. “Wait.” He stared at the screen. “I’ve detected something.” “Where?” “Under the ruins.”

Everyone looked toward the collapsed arena. Lucas zoomed in. “There is a structure below us.” Jace stepped closer. “Another facility?” “No.”

Lucas shook his head. “It’s different.” “How?” “It doesn’t appear to be made by humans.” Mara frowned. “What does that mean?” Lucas turned the screen toward them. “Look.”

A strange symbol appeared. It was different from the Root symbol. Different from the Order. It looked like an eye surrounded by four circles. Elena stared at it. “I’ve seen that before.” “Where?” “In Dr. Vale’s laboratory.”

Liam looked at Zero. “You said you didn’t know where the Creator was.” Zero nodded. “That’s what I said.” Liam frowned. “Then how did you know he was beneath the arena?”

Zero looked at him. “I didn’t.” A deep vibration came from beneath the ground. Everyone froze. The ruins shifted.

A circular doorway appeared. A staircase descended into darkness. Samuel looked at Liam. “That’s our answer.” Liam nodded. “We go down.” Elias stepped forward. “No.”

Liam turned. “Dad.” “We don’t know what’s down there.” “We know enough.” Elias shook his head. “You’ve been risking your life every day.” “And I’ll keep doing it.” “Why?”

Liam looked at his family. “Because this time, I don’t want anyone else deciding our future.” Clara stepped beside him. “I’m going too.”

Adrian joined them. “So am I.” Mara smiled. “Obviously.” Aria looked at Zero. “Are you coming?” Zero stared at the staircase. Then nodded. “Yes.”

They descended. The staircase seemed endless. The walls were covered with strange symbols. Some looked like scientific formulas. Others resembled ancient writing.

After several minutes, they reached a massive door. There was no handle—only the strange eye symbol. 

Liam stepped forward. The symbol immediately began glowing. The door opened. Everyone froze.

The room beyond was enormous. Hundreds of machines filled the walls. At the center stood a single chair. And sitting in it was an old man. He slowly opened his eyes. Liam’s breath caught. Elena whispered, “Adrian Vale.” The old man smiled. “Elena.”

She stepped backward. “You survived.” “Of course.” “You were supposed to be dead.” “I’ve never been dead.” Liam stared at him. “You’re the Creator.”

Vale looked at him. “That’s what they call me.” Zero stepped forward. “You created me.” Vale smiled. “I created the process.” “You took my life.” “I gave you one.”

Zero’s fists tightened. “You destroyed my mother.” Vale’s expression remained calm. “She was irrelevant to the experiment.” Zero lunged. Liam grabbed him. “Wait.”

Zero struggled. “Let me go!” Liam held him back. “Not like this.” Vale watched them. “Interesting.” He looked at Liam. “You have changed.”

Liam frowned. “You know me?” “I’ve watched you since birth.” Clara stepped forward. “Why?” Vale looked at her. “Because you were the variable I couldn’t predict.”

Clara’s expression hardened. “What does that mean?” “You.” He pointed toward her. “Your existence changed Liam’s emotional responses.” Liam stared. “That’s why they created Aria.” Vale nodded. “Exactly.”

Clara looked at Aria. Aria stepped forward. “You used her.” “Yes.” “And the others?” “All experiments.”

Adrian stepped forward. “Even me?” “Especially you.” Adrian’s eyes narrowed. “Why?” “Because you were designed to counter Liam.”

Adrian looked at Liam. “But I didn’t.” Vale smiled. “That’s why you were successful.” Liam frowned. “I don’t understand.” “You weren’t supposed to hate him.” “You were supposed to learn from him.”

The room went silent. Vale continued. “Your connection was the experiment.” Liam looked at Adrian. “So everything…” “Was designed.”

Clara shook her head. “But our feelings weren’t.” Vale smiled. “That’s where I failed.” He stood slowly. “Human emotions cannot be engineered completely.”

Liam stepped forward. “Then why are we here?” Vale looked at the four siblings. “Because the experiment is complete.” Mara frowned. “Complete?”

Vale nodded. “You have united.” “The Roots have awakened.” “The vessels have stabilized.” “And Zero has regained his humanity.” Zero stared at him. “What does that mean?”

Vale looked toward the ceiling. “It means the final stage can begin.” Liam’s expression hardened. “What final stage?” Vale smiled. “The creation of a new world.”

Suddenly, every machine in the room activated. A massive holographic map appeared. Countries began disappearing from the screen. Cities turned red. Liam stared. “What’s happening?” Vale looked at him. “Nothing.” “Yet.”

A countdown appeared. 72:00:00

Liam’s heart sank. “What’s that?” Vale smiled. “The beginning.”