The midnight air hung heavy with industrial smog over Central District as Jason Burns gazed up at the Eternal Tower. The structure's obsidian walls gleamed under the light of Land Etherna's twin moons, its spiraling architecture a testament to Alpha's technological dominance. Fifty stories of impenetrable alloy and energy shields housed the most guarded secrets of the realm—including the one Jason had come for.
He adjusted the hood of his midnight-black NanoFiber jacket, designed to mask both his heat signature and the distinct energy readings emitted by his biotech enhancements. His modified eyes—metallic orbs with electric blue irises—scanned the tower's defense systems, cataloging guard rotations and security protocols. The biotech that had replaced his original limbs hummed with quiet energy, the bluish glow of neural connectors barely visible beneath his sleeves.
"Great grandfather," Jason whispered, his breath forming clouds in the chilled air, "I promise I will revive you. That is my purpose on this planet. I will bring you back and help you transform this continent into Neon Etherna, as you always envisioned."
The legacy of Damian Burns had been preserved through generations of his family, passed down as sacred knowledge despite Alpha's efforts to erase all records of the rebellion. Jason's own parents had been executed for possessing banned biotech schematics when he was just a child. Now, he carried not just the Burns bloodline but modifications based on his ancestor's original designs.
He turned away from the tower and set off toward the northwestern outskirts of Capital City where one of the most notorious detention facility in Land Etherna—loomed against the barren mountains. The prison housed the realm's most dangerous criminals, primarily those who had violated Alpha's strict laws against unauthorized biotech research.
Before approaching the facility, Jason activated his neuro-scanner, a specialized biotech implant connected directly to his visual cortex. The prison schematics appeared in his mind's eye—a three-dimensional blueprint highlighting security checkpoints and prisoner locations. He quickly identified his target on the facility's lowest level: Cell Block D, where the most dangerous intellectual prisoners were kept in isolation.
The facility was an intimidating structure, its walls forged from Ethernium—a metal-ceramic composite developed by Alpha's scientists that could withstand temperatures capable of melting conventional steel. Patrol drones equipped with Pulse Disruptors circled the perimeter, designed specifically to detect and neutralize biotech signatures. Human guards, enhanced with Alpha-sanctioned modifications, manned watchtowers equipped with long-range energy cannons.
None of this concerned Jason unduly. His primary biotech ability—Void Manipulation—was unique even among the rare instances of advanced biotech that remained in Land Etherna. The pocket dimension he had created could not only store objects but could temporarily remove him from physical space. Combined with his neural predictive algorithms and energy projection capabilities, he was arguably the most dangerous biotech user since Damian himself.
As Jason approached the main gate, the facility's AI security system immediately detected his presence.
"UNIDENTIFIED INDIVIDUAL APPROACHING RESTRICTED PERIMETER," boomed a synthesized female voice over the external speakers. "STATE YOUR AUTHORIZATION CODE AND PURPOSE OR RETREAT IMMEDIATELY."
Jason continued his advance in silence, his stride unwavering.
"FINAL WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED APPROACH WILL RESULT IN LETHAL COUNTERMEASURES. RETREAT NOW."
When Jason showed no signs of stopping, the automated defense system activated. A massive energy cannon emerged from a concealed bunker and fired a concentrated plasma beam directly at him.
The blast struck where Jason had been standing, leaving a smoking crater in the reinforced concrete—but he was already gone. Using his enhanced speed, he had shifted position and simultaneously pulled one of the perimeter guards into his void dimension. The man's consciousness was instantly extinguished by the void's properties, leaving Jason with a fresh uniform and security credentials.
Donning the guard's uniform and identity chip, Jason proceeded toward the prison's interior checkpoints. He moved with practiced confidence, his biotech eyes already mimicking the retinal patterns extracted from the deceased guard.
"ALERT: ANOMALOUS ENERGY SIGNATURE DETECTED IN SECTOR SEVEN," the security system suddenly announced. "ALL PERSONNEL INITIATE CONTAINMENT PROTOCOL EPSILON."
Before Jason could react, specialized NeuroBind chains—designed to disrupt biotech neural interfaces—shot from concealed wall compartments and wrapped around his limbs. Security officers in heavy armor converged on him from multiple directions.
But when they removed his helmet, they found only a synthetic decoy—a perfect replica Jason had substituted from his void dimension while transferring himself elsewhere.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Jason unleashed a concentrated energy beam at the reinforced wall of Cell Block D. The Ethernium barrier, designed to withstand conventional attacks, momentarily held before developing microscopic fractures. Applying precise pressure to these weak points, Jason created an opening large enough to slip through.
Inside, he moved with superhuman speed toward his target cell. The transparent plasma barrier that served as a cell door required an Alpha-level security override, which Jason bypassed by temporarily shifting the control panel into his void dimension, disrupting its quantum lock.
Behind the barrier sat Vlad Turner—a man whose reputation in underground biotech circles was legendary. Once Alpha's leading biomechanical engineer, Turner had been imprisoned fifteen years ago for developing illegal combat enhancements that violated the Ethernal Accords established after Damian's defeat. His bald head gleamed under the harsh cell lighting, and his distinctive forked beard gave him the appearance of a mad scientist from literature.
"An unexpected visitor," Turner remarked, looking up from the primitive mechanical puzzle the prison wardens allowed him as mental stimulation. "Have you come to enliven my tedious existence, or perhaps to offer something more...substantive?" His eyes narrowed, quickly identifying Jason's biotech enhancements despite their subtle design.
"My name is Jason Burns, descendant of Damian Burns," Jason replied curtly. "Explanations will come later. We need to leave now."
Without waiting for Turner's response, Jason enveloped them both in a field of blue energy and transported them into his void dimension.
The void stretched endlessly around them—a space of swirling blue-black energy where conventional physics held little sway. Scattered throughout the dimension were weapons, equipment, and various artifacts Jason had collected over years of preparation. Ethernal battle rifles, banned neural disruptors, and prototype biotech components floated in organized clusters.
"Extraordinary," Turner whispered, his scientific mind immediately analyzing their surroundings. "A self-sustaining dimensional pocket? I'd theorized such applications but never imagined seeing one."
"This dimension spans the equivalent of our solar system," Jason explained. "It's created through a specialized application of the original Burns technology—directly descended from the Vasthera energy my great-grandfather channeled."
Turner's eyes widened. "You truly are Damian's heir. I studied his confiscated research files before they were destroyed. His work was... transcendent." The scientist bowed his head slightly. "Consider me at your service, regardless of your agenda."
"Good," Jason nodded. "We're going to headquarters."
Grasping Turner's shoulder, Jason shifted them back into normal space—materializing before a seemingly abandoned production facility in the Industrial Ruins, an area devastated during the final battle between Damian and the Heptads two centuries earlier. The radiation and residual energy disruption had rendered the area uninhabitable by Alpha's standards, providing perfect cover for operations outside official scrutiny.
"Impressive," Turner remarked, observing the reinforced structure before them. Beyond its weathered exterior, Jason had outfitted the facility with salvaged and custom-built equipment gathered over years of preparation. "I can only imagine what we might accomplish with these resources."
"Let's discuss the details inside," Jason replied, leading the way through a biometric security door that responded to his unique energy signature.
The interior of the facility had been transformed into a sophisticated laboratory and operations center. Holographic displays showed surveillance feeds from throughout Land Etherna, focusing particularly on the Eternal Tower and various Alpha facilities. In the central chamber, a specialized biotech fabrication system—illegal under Alpha law—hummed with quiet efficiency.
"Vlad," Jason began once they were secure inside, "I freed you because your expertise is essential to my mission. I intend to continue my ancestor's vision of creating Neon Etherna—a world where biotech enhancement is not controlled by Alpha's elite but available to all who seek advancement."
He activated a holographic display showing a detailed schematic of the Eternal Tower's most secure level.
"To achieve this, I need to recover and revive Damian Burns using my own body as a vessel. His consciousness and the Vasthera energy that transformed him remain preserved within the Eternal Tower's Null Chamber. But I can't do this alone—I need a team of exceptional individuals with capabilities complementary to mine."
Turner studied the schematics with professional interest. "And you want me to develop advanced biotech for these recruits?"
"Exactly," Jason confirmed. "We'll find people desperate enough to accept experimental enhancements—individuals who have reason to oppose Alpha's authority. With your designs and my resources, we'll transform them into soldiers capable of helping us penetrate the Eternal Tower."
Turner's eyes gleamed with the prospect of unrestricted research. "After fifteen years in that miserable cell, denied the opportunity to advance my work... this is exactly what I need." He extended his hand. "I'm in. When do we begin?"
Jason clasped the scientist's hand firmly. "Right now."