ARK-9 — PROLOGUE

Metal hums. A low, steady resonance crawls through the tunnels like the breath of something asleep. The air tastes of copper and plastic. The lights flicker in uneven rhythm — each lamp buzzing as if afraid to die.

You wake up in a narrow compartment marked C-12. A green light blinks on the wall: ACCESS: TEMPORARILY GRANTED. Footsteps echo beyond the door. Two voices. A man’s — deep, measured, sharp with authority:

“There shouldn’t be any newcomers. The system didn’t log an arrival.” The second voice trembles slightly — softer, concerned: “Then who let them in? Maybe the system itself…” The door slides open. Two figures stand in the frame: Soul Hunter — tall, silver at the temples, dressed in a spotless black engineer’s uniform. And Kai Hunter — younger, eyes alert, a medic’s bracelet glowing faintly on his wrist. Brothers. One looks at you as if you’re a malfunction. The other — as if you might be a miracle he’s afraid to believe in.

Soul: “Name. Origin. Purpose of entry.” Kai: “Don’t push him. He just woke up…”

A droplet falls from the ceiling. The ventilation moans. Somewhere behind the wall, someone laughs — short, nervous, half-sane.

The system flickers awake: [OXYGEN 94%] [ENERGY STABLE] [ACCESS LOG: CORRUPTED]

Silence lingers too long. Soul steps closer. “Answer me. Who opened the doors of ARK-9 for you?”

Your move. Tell them your name, your role, and how you got here. (Scientist? Investor? Refugee? Someone who was never supposed to enter?)