The mountain wind howled like a wounded animal, carrying the scent of snow and pine.
Axel crouched behind a fallen tree, his eyes fixed on the facility below. The Origin. The place where the Covenant had been born. It was a sprawling complex of concrete and steel, its walls lined with cameras, its gates patrolled by armed men. It looked like a fortress. It probably was.
"This is it," Lena said, her voice low. "This is where he started everything."
"He's in there," Mira said, her eyes distant. "I can feel him. He's waiting for us."
"It's a trap," Troy said. "It has to be."
"Probably." Axel's voice was flat. "But we don't have a choice."
The plan was set. They would infiltrate the facility, find the inner circle's leader, and end the Covenant once and for all. It was risky, incredibly
