"...Hurry!" "...from them!"  "Oh no..." "Micah, Micah, Micah, Micah, Micah, Micah..." - "Come on Micah! Snap out of it!" Axel said firmly shaking Micah, hauling him through the woods. Micah gasped as he awoke. "Jim!" he said loudly. "Listen, it's, it's Axel..." Axel said in a mopey manner as he scratched his head. Micah shed a tear and got up once again. "I can't process it. I can't believe it. A decade, gone," Micah tearfully said as he walked up the exterior of a small facility. "Micah, I, well. I have nothing I can say to you. We must pursue this mission. It's going to be harder, but we must pursue," said Axel, as Jim touched Micah's shoulder. "Oh my god, Jim! I'm..." Micah said as he realized nobody was there. Axel shook Micah forcefully "Snap. Out. Of. IT!" Axel said gritting his teeth. "I'm going, whether you come in or not is up to you!" Axel angrily walked off. "I know it's hard, but, it's an illusion. He's gone Micah, I'm sorry," he apologized. "You're right. I'm stuck, that's all," Micah said as he brushed it off and walked with Axel into the abandoned facility. "Ever heard of Project Evermore?" Axel's voice echoed through the empty halls. "Evermore? No, never heard. All I knew of was Project Blue Book back in the 50s" Micah answered. "Well, Project Evermore was here. They used to take humans and inject them with mysterious serums in an attempt to create a real-life superman. A savior for mankind to live, well, evermore," Axel began to tell Micah. "They must've done this in secrecy, I never knew they were doing this," Micah said. "It happened throughout the 60s - used to be all over the news. The project ended in 1968 when they went way over their heads. They had tried too hard for way too long and ended up creating something so powerful even they couldn't contain it. Destroyed this entire facility, killed everyone. They just finished rebuilding a new facility deep beneath this facility in 1983. That same beast is the one that, well..." Axel cautiously said. Micah reloaded his magnum. "As I said. Even if they rebuilt, I'm going to make them wish they had never done that. Which way?" Micah said. "Well, that's the problem. We have to locate the old Alpine Mines, somewhere beneath this facility. They never built an elevator down or up to prevent unauthorized people in, only people with the know-how," Axel told Micah. Micah jumped back as a piece of debris fell from the ceiling as the building started to violently shake. Debris was falling all over the facility as Axel and Micah aborted the mission and fled the facility. "We have to get out of here before this whole thing goes down!" Axel shouted to Micah, trying to get louder than the collapsing building. "Shit!" Micah said as he slipped, falling through the floor. "Micah! Grab my hand!" Axel shouted as he ran over to Micah, Micah grabbed and tried to hold on, but it was too late. His hand slipped and Micah plummeted to the lower floor. "Ah, man, my back. Fuck!" Micah said as he laid on the old tile flooring in agony. "What in the hell?" Micah said as he slowly rose and noticed several tubes filled with liquid and strange human-shaped objects.

"Project Evermore, he wasn't lying," Micah said to himself as he walked over to the glowing blue tube. He raised his hand and gently touched the glass. It was wet and cold. "Impossible, Axel said this place shutdown in 1968. It's been twenty years since it last saw the light of day," Micah thought to himself. He saw some papers laying on the front table "PROJECT EVERMORE. CLASSIFIED." was stamped in red on top of each of the papers. "I'm so keeping these," Micah said quietly to himself as he stuffed the documents into his bag. He pulled his flashlight out and walked out into the dark hallway. The click of his flashlight echoed throughout the empty halls. "Did you..." Micah heard faintly in the distance, before noticing an illuminated elevator down the right hallway. "I thought Axel said there were no elevators, this, surely this isn't real. This must be a fever dream," Micah thought to himself as he fled to the elevator. "No floor 1 button, huh? I wonder how you officially get down here then, maybe Axel meant the mines take you here, and then you can take the elevator? Man, I'm so confused," Micah said to himself as he descended to the floor labeled as "New Era". The elevator doors creaked open as he stepped out. A vastly modern and sophisticated lobby greeted him. "Good afternoon Jamie," the lady at the front desk told Micah. "Good morning..." Micah started to say as he squinted to read her name on the tag "...Judy!" he said awkwardly. "Here's your new suit. You have been assigned by Mr. Osmark to join Project Eternity," Judy said. "Should I have known about that sooner?" Micah asked. "I'm surprised nobody told you, that's why we are reusing the old labs on the upper levels, just found some people who died from the mudslide in campsite C - we're going to use them first," Judy told Micah. Micah was disgusted, but he knew he had to pursue. "We relocated the lockers as well, so you can put your baggage in sector A2," Judy continued telling Micah as he pulled out his magnum and shot her. "What? It's... silent?" Micah noticed. Her body fell to the floor with a gentle thump. Micah put on the black and yellow lab coat and walked into the laboratory. Giant test tubes with human bodies in the shed a gentle blue light throughout the lab, yet barely anyone was in sight. "Good morning gentleman," Micah greeted the scientists.

"Morning Jamie, how's your wife feeling?" they asked. "She is doing alright," Micah played along. "This is specimen 4209E," they began to tell Micah as his back jolted. "Damnit," Micah accidentally said out loud. "Everything alright?" they asked. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just hurt my back last night cutting some lumber," Micah assured them. "But with specimen 4209E, isn't that the same as 4109E?" Micah said, recalling the words on the confidential documents he stole. "Yes, 4109E, the fabled beast that destroyed our upper laboratory in 68," they told Micah. "So the same beast that ruined you the first time, you're attempting to bring another form of it back? That sounds like a horrible idea," Micah said as he pulled his magnum out again from underneath his lab coat. Both scientists fell to the floor. "Jamie, what... the... he..." one of them tried to say before passing out. Micah scanned the room for any way of shutting the power down. "Warning: High Voltage" was printed on one of the metal doors nearby the tubes. "High voltage means high power," Micah mockingly said as he walked over to the door. The door opened revealing a plethora of generators and power equipment. He pulled out his gun, backed up, and shot the power line running through the room. Sparks and flames ran throughout the room, frying all of the equipment. The power flickered on and off until it eventually shut off. The test tubes still received power and emitted a gentle blue throughout the dark and bloodshed room. The double doors on his left burst open. A shadowy figure slowly approached Micah and growled viciously. As the figure approached, Micah pulled out his flashlight and aimed it at the figure. "J... No, no no no, surely not. Jim? Hey, man, what's wrong with you?" Micah told Jim. Jim continued growling, his eyes starting to glow red. "Jim. Jimmy. Wake up man, snap out of it," Micah said louder than before as he pulled out his gun. "Jimmy, please," he said with pain in his voice, tears flowing from his eyes. "Come on Jim, JIMMY, WAKE. UP!" Jim rushed at Micah, trying to bite him. Just as his body hit the floor.

Jim's body began gushing blood, as Micah dropped to his knees next to him. "Jimmy, why man. WHY!" Micah shouted, crying. "I thought you were here, I thought you were here for me! I lost you, you come back like this? What did they do to you!" he continued shouting. He slowly stood up and faced the reality he was in as the body unmorphed into a strange creature. "Bloodshed, murder, chaos, what have I become?" Micah asked himself. He looked upon the dark hallway, noticing the trails of blood from the creature's feet. Micah put his bloodied hands on the wall, beginning to question everything as he looked down the dark hallway covered in bloody prints. He smashed the emergency glass next to him and took the ax inside. He pulled out his flashlight and held it in the other hand. "Just when I need the time-traveling genie, he's gone. What the hell am I supposed to do down here?" Micah said to himself as he marched down the hallway towards some kind of red glow emitting from a room. The room was smashed to pieces, blood covered the walls, and the door was blocked by some kind of medical table. "Shit," he said. He found an exit door farther down the hall when he heard heavy footsteps getting faster and louder behind him. Just as he turned around, another creature ran up to him. He swung his ax at the creature, its' head fell to the ground. "What are these things?" Micah said to himself. A low rumble flooded the hall, screeches ran rampant. Micah didn't even bother to turn around "Axel, I swear, you better be waiting up there when I get out" Micah shouted running towards the elevator, which seemed to also be running on whatever limited backup power they had left. The doors slammed shut as Micah frantically spammed the '1F' button. He was on floor 1B when there was a thump on the roof of the elevator. The top panel busted open as one of the creatures came through, breaking the pulley system in the process. The elevator rapidly fell '2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, Labs' flew past the screen as Micah held back the creature. "Burn in..." Micah said as the elevator slammed into the bottom floor and everything went black.

Later on, Micah awoke. Severely injured, he attempted to get up, but he could not. A bright light pierced the darkness, burning his eyes. "(Muffed voice)" Micah heard, but could not distinguish. "Mi(muffled voice)" he heard again. His ears rang loudly as the sound burst into his ears "Micah! Can you hear me?" the figure said. "Axel?" Micah asked. "Yes, Micah, let's get going. It's been at least five hours because that's how long it took me to find this place," Axel told Micah. "So, the rumors were true?" Micah said as Axel hoisted him up. "The Lost Mines are real, Micah," Axel answered. "The curse is also real, and that is why we have to get out now before it's too late, otherwise this place is going to be flooded by zombies," Axel said worryingly. "You mean, the things? Those gray scaly-looking things with red eyes?" Micah asked. "Exactly that. Listen, Micah, before it's too late we have to start talking about something serious. What did the poster that invited you here say?" Axel questioned. "It said North, claimed to be the next best thing. The only thing odd was that it had an error and said it started on August 32nd," Micah answered. "I haven't explained it yet, but time moves quickly here, do you know what day it is now?" Axel asked Micah. "You said it was the 22nd a bit ago, so I'd say 23rd or 24th," Micah answered. "It's September 31st, and due to the way time works here, between midnight and one it will be the 32nd. That is how time works here, as confusing as it is. Does the 32nd mean anything to you?" Axel asked. "No, definitely not. Seems wrong to me. How can it be the 32nd for one hour after the 31st?" Micah followed up on Axels question. "Like this," Axel said - holding his flashlight up to the wall next to them. A bunch of ritualistic symbols and other unknown markings were carved into the wall, with some kind of altar-looking stone in front. "What the hell?" Micah said, looking down upon the strange structure. Micah quickly leaned over and coughed up blood. "Oh my god, Micah, that's not normal!" Axel panicked. "Falling several stories in an elevator shaft wasn't planned, Axel," Micah chuckled, trying to make light of the situation he was in. "You have to rest, I'll have to do this alone, you're not in any form of good shape right now," Axel said. "No, we've come this far, it's now or never," Micah demanded. "Get down!" Axel yelled as a zombie snuck up on Micah. He shot his gun at it, blowing its head open. "It's too late Micah," Axel said, looking down at his watch. 12:30 am. "The ritual has begun, we can't turn back the clock, we must finish this!" Axel told Micah. "What do we do? Rather, what can we do?" Micah asked. "We find 'The Keeper' and kill them. They are the key," Axel said. Axel held Micah in his arms as they walked through the old mining system in search of the ritual room. The earth began to shake again. 12:35 am. "Fuck! We aren't going to be able to..." Axel started saying as the ground began to crack open, lava rose out of the earth. Timber holding up the old mine began to fall from the ceiling, collapsing the earth above it. "Axel, please tell me you have a plan," Micah said. "Well, I mean, no. No plan. I had intended on getting here sooner, when you know, the earth wasn't splitting open beneath our feet," Axel told Micah as lava began to pour from the sides of the mine.

Micah gulped, looking beyond Axel. Some kind of opening formed in the wall as a dark-robed figure stepped out. "AXEL" they shouted. Axel spun around and pointed his gun at the person. "How do you know me?!" Axel demanded to know. "I am the keeper, I see all, do all," the keeper said. "So you are the one causing all of this harm? You are the ritual caster?" Micah asked. "Of course I am," they replied. Axel shot his gun at the keeper, but the keeper vanished. "Do you think you can kill me like that?" they laughed menacingly. Axel and Micah turned around; nobody. "I am the keeper! The divine, the one and only, the last of us!" they exclaimed, as they once again appeared around them. Cackling at their fear. Micah shot at the keeper with his magnum. The shot caused the stalactites on the ceiling to fall, almost piercing him. "Show yourself!" Axel demanded, pulling out a cross he had tucked in his shirt. The keeper hissed at him "SHOW YOURSELF" mockingly. "Follow me if you want to die, I mean, live," they said mysteriously, laughing as they walked down the cavern. "Axel, what are you doing!" Micah said affirmatively. "Sometimes we have to make the immoral choice, Micah," Axel said - ignoring Micah, continuing to follow the keeper. They arrived at a central cavern with a giant glowing bluestone, and glowing blue ritualistic symbols carved all over the walls. More dark-robed figures stepped out from within the darkness. "No fucking way," Axel said, looking at the bluestone. "What?" asked Micah. "It's an Orbixicon, first created the year I came from - 2032... that means..." Axel said. The dark-robed figures took down their hoods, showing their partially metallic faces. The keeper took off their mask, revealing their burnt fleshy skin, red eyes, and a metallic jaw. "Long time no see, Alex," the keeper said. "Maxima," Alex said - stunned. Maxima took off his robe entirely, revealing a robotic arm. He walked up to Axel and grabbed him by the throat, slamming him into the rock wall. "Look what you did to me!" Maxima said angrily. Micah tried to step out, but Maxima warped behind him, throwing him back into the room. "I have nothing to do with this! All I want is my friends! Now they're all probably dead, thanks to you!" Micah said tearfully.

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetheart, do you mean those friends?" Maxima said, warping over to the other side of the room, pulling a lever. A cage lowered from the dark ceiling, stopping above the lava pit. Nathan and Henry were inside, unconscious, with ripped clothes covered in blood. Bruised faces and cuts all over their body. "What the fuck did you do!" Micah said, going up to Maxima trying to swing at them. "I gave them Mercy," he said, warping to the other side of the room, pulling the other crank. Jims' body lowered, hanging by a chain. He only had one leg and his body was in even worse condition than the others. "So let's make a deal, shall we?" Maxima said to Micah, grabbing Axel and hooking him next to Jims' unconscious body. "Pick your choice," he said menacingly. "No, no no, we don't do choices. Either you give them all back, or I'll kill you!" Micah threatened him. "Silly boy, so young, so dumb, how will you kill me with no weapon? Axel was..." Maxima paused. Micah pulled out his gun from his pants and shot at Maxima, planting a bullet in their arm. "Let. Them. Go!" Micah demanded, holding everyone at gunpoint. "Fine," Maxima said before moving over the lever and pulling it down farther; Jims' body lowered farther down towards the lava. "Oops!" Maxima laughed. "Oh, what's that I hear?" Maxima taunted Micah, pulling the lever next to him. A door opened somewhere and Micah heard a hoard of zombies raging towards him. Axel, regaining some consciousness over all the noise, shouted at Maxima "STOP IT NOW!". Maxima ignored Axel. The zombies advanced into the room Micah was in, he shot them down one by one until it was too much. "Alright, alright, I made my choice," Micah said, as Maxima told the zombies to return home. "And your choice is?" Maxima questioned. "Myself," Micah said. "What do you mean?" Maxima said, confused. "I will give my life if you let them have theirs," Micah said. "Well, well, well, what an intriguing choice. I never considered that one," Maxima said. "Fine, I accept, you can go let them go," Maxima agreed to the deal. Micah walked over to Nathan and Henry's cage, hauling them out. He walked over to Jim and Axels' chain, attempting to take them down, but the chain moved. Micah, nearly falling into the lava pit, grasped Axels' hand. "Hang on Micah!" Axel said with all his might. Micah swung on the chain before landing back on the ground. The platform broke beneath his feet, Micah quickly grabbed the next platform before that section plummeted into the lava pit. Maxima cackled in the cave, as Micah stood up. "Sorry, we didn't shake on it," he mockingly said. Micah tried reaching for his gun, but it was missing. It must've fallen into the lava. "Maxima, take me!" Axel said with his last breaths, before passing out. "Sounds good," Maxima said, cranking the lever. "Wait!" Micah said. Maxima stopped cranking the lever. "Listening," Maxima hissed. "Watch out!" Micah shouted, pointing at the ceiling. Maxima looked, and then Micah threw a rock at the Orbixicon - causing it to shatter. "You," Maxima said in a demonic voice. "What have you done?!" Maxima said, panicked. "That's it, I've had enough of your games!" Maxima declared, pulling the fourth lever. The ground rumbled, and a familiar roar echoed through the chamber. "Meet my little friend," Maxima said in a sick and twisted voice. "The... Wendigo..." Micah said, recalling what Axel said.

The beast rammed through the wall throwing Micah into the wall. Micah fell to the ground. Blood poured from his mouth. His injuries caught up to him, his vision getting blurry. Unable to move, Micah began to pray. He felt the hot breath of the beast from above him, the roar sent fear into his heart. "I love you, mom and dad," Micah said quietly before passing out. Chains rattled from where Jim was hung. The beast roared at the noise. "Don't worry, you're a good boy. Nobody is there, we've killed them all," Maxima said, petting the beast. It sat down next to Maxima as he walked over to examine the noise; the chain was molten red-cut. Axel gone. "Gahh!" Maxima screamed in pain as a spear went through his chest. Axel kicked him into the lava pit. "Curs...!lexA uoy," Maxima said, glitching out. Before Axel could do anything, the wendigo stood, roaring at Axel. Axel ripped the spear from Maximas' chest and slammed the spear into the beasts' eye, causing it to bleed profusely. The orbixicon started glowing and helixes began to form around it, the earth began shaking and objects started to lift into the air. Axel turned around to finish off Maxima, but he was gone. The beast roared, causing more stalactites to fall from the ceiling. Some pierced the robots standing aside the ritual site. They slowly began to power off one by one as the cores' powers began growing too strong, pulling energy from them. "Micah! Come on, you have a family to go to!" Axel said. "Micah, we don't have time!" he continued saying. "Micah, listen to me, I know you can hear me somewhere in there, it's time to go home," Axel said, taking Jim off the chain and putting Micah, Henry, Nathan, and Jim into a portal he cast. "Please, have mercy on them," Axel prayed. The orbixicon grew stronger and stronger before Axel cast his portal - leaving the cave. The cave slowly ripped apart, throwing everything around. Killing and destroying anything left. The orbixcon glowed brighter and brighter, and then it exploded. Birds flew through the woods, and people camping above jumped from their seats as the earth shook. The ground cracked open, and light poured out, covering the world in a white haze. A huge explosion could be seen from miles away as Alpine exploded into a giant crated of dirt and dust. The white haze retracted, then exploded once again as the earth flashed white.