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    Caelus followed Alina through the metallic corridor, the hum of machinery fading beneath his turbulent thoughts. His mother''s face consumed his mind, along with the memory of his father - that single meeting when he was six, where those cold eyes had regarded him as if he were an enemy.


    His mother''s words from that day echoed: "Why? Are you jealous of our own children?"


    The memory shattered as Alina halted before a massive metal door. "Wait!" she commanded, but Caelus couldn''t bear another second''s delay - not with his mother''s life at stake.


    He rushed forward through the automatically opening door, Lorcan close behind. The door sealed shut with a hiss, cutting them off from Alina.


    "Reckless fools!" Her muffled shout barely penetrated the barrier.


    "Well, it''s just the two of us now... It''s her fault for being too slow," Lorcan muttered beside him.


    Caelus remained silent, his mind fixed on a single purpose as they pressed forward. Every second counted, and he wouldn''t let his mother suffer any longer than she already had.


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    Caelus stared across the vast chamber, his heart pounding at the sight of his mother bound to that central platform. The energy field encasing her pulsed with an ominous glow, luminous chains binding her wrists.


    He watched Valkyrex descend from above - its black metallic form imposing, blue energy wings spread wide, triangular core gleaming in its chest.


    Its thrusters ignited and he barely raised his spear in time to block its blue energy blade. The impact rattled through his arms. He sidestepped its next strike while Lorcan cast Ebon Barrage beside him, but the automaton''s agility was terrifying.


    Before he could plan their next move, energy exploded from its core. His barrier crumpled and he hit the ground hard, Lorcan landing nearby.


    "It''s too fast... way too fast," Lorcan growled.


    "We can''t win by fighting head-on," Caelus replied through gritted teeth.


    The Valkyrex appeared inches from his face. He twisted desperately, feeling the heat of its blade pass by. Channeling Volt Tempest, he spun his spear, creating a protective vortex of violet energy. The automaton activated Luminal Wings to escape, retaliating with energy projectiles from above.


    While Lorcan vanished into Veil of Shadows, Caelus deflected what he could, violet sparks flying. Then he spotted the steel platform overhead. A plan formed.


    "Follow me!" he commanded.


    "Got it," came Lorcan''s reply.


    Stormstride coursed through him as he dashed forward, Lorcan''s dark aura close behind. The Valkyrex pursued exactly as he''d hoped. Though its blade caught Lorcan''s sleeve, he managed to ensnare it with Dusk Shackle.


    "Gotcha... fell for it," Lorcan said smugly.


    Caelus channeled Voltaic Burst through his spear, destroying the platform above. The Valkyrex broke free but fell into their trap - Evocyte Link, their energy threads pulled the wreckage down onto it. Its barrier flashed brilliant blue as it became pinned.


    Lightning crackled around him as he leaped, aiming his spear at its core. He unleashed Skyward Thrust, his strike combining with Lorcan''s Ebon Fist to create a devastating explosion of dark energy. When the dust cleared, only scattered metal remained of their foe.


    Caelus watched as his mother''s energy shield flickered and died with a press of the console button. His heart clenched as she ran to embrace him, her tears falling freely.


    "Caelus!" Lyriel''s voice trembled with emotion.


    He stood rigid before slowly returning her embrace, but their reunion was cut short. The floor shook violently as three more Valkyrex units descended from above, their Luminal Wings casting an ethereal blue glow across the chamber.


    "Three more? Seriously? How do we even fight these?" Lorcan''s flat tone matched Caelus''s own rising concern.


    Caelus gripped his mother''s hand tightly, eyes darting toward their escape route when a thunderous explosion rocked the chamber. Through the smoke emerged familiar faces - Drifter, Friedrich, and Alina, their weapons at the ready.


    "We can''t fight them all here. Fall back to the entrance!" Friedrich commanded.


    The group quickly formed a defensive formation, retreating. But the Valkyrex units surged forward with their glowing wings, encircling them.


    But retreat proved difficult as the Valkyrex units surrounded them with mechanical precision. Friedrich''s Blessing of Light strengthened their natural barrier defenses, yet the automatons pressed their advantage relentlessly.


    Caelus watched his companions engage the enemy.


    Drifter faced off against the first Valkyrex. The blade of Exaltare clashed against the automaton’s energy weapon, the sound of colliding energies filling the air. His spectral blue energy swords were destroyed by shots fired from the automaton''s wings. Drifter teleported behind the Valkyrex to attack from a new angle, but the automaton activated Phase Shift, disappearing into glowing blue particles to evade his strike.


    Not wanting to linger in close combat, Drifter released Exalt Bolt, a surge of blue energy that struck from afar as he continued moving backward.


    On the other side, Friedrich faced the second Valkyrex. He focused on defense, raising Lexivane to block the automaton’s attacks. When an opening appeared, he unleashed Light Barrage, a flurry of radiant energy blasts from the sigils surrounding him. However, the attacks failed to connect with the target.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    The third Valkyrex engaged Lorcan and Caelus. Lorcan launched an aggressive assault, but his punches missed repeatedly. Assessing the situation, he activated Veil of Shadows, dark mist enveloping him and blocking incoming attacks to protect both himself and Caelus.


    Meanwhile, Caelus, wielding his lightning spear, launched sharp, rapid thrusts. Some struck the Valkyrex, but the automaton''s natural barrier absorbed much of the damage.


    At the front, Alina led the group, occasionally glancing back. She transformed Frostshard Legacy into an ice lance casting Cerulion Spiral—the lance, wrapped in spiraling blue ice, releasing a surge of icy energy in a spiraling torrent.


    However, the second Valkyrex activated Zero Point Shield, absorbing the ice attack and reflecting it back. One unit fired a barrage of blue projectiles at Alina, but she calmly spun her lance, deflecting the attacks one by one.


    The first Valkyrex phase shift attempted to flank Alina from behind, but she swiftly executed Cerulion Impale. Dissolving into shimmering ice particles, she reappeared high above the automaton. She hurled her lance downward, embedding it into the Valkyrex. The impact created a massive spike of ice that ensnared the automaton, its struggles causing the icy prison to crack with each movement. As the ice began to crack, Friedrich was already in position before the first Valkyrex. Reacting with precision, he raised Clariven, the mace radiant glow intensifying in his grip.


    "Radiant Smite!" he roared.


    The strike of his mace smashed into the Valkyrex, releasing a dazzling shockwave of light. The automaton''s joints locked, its body trembling as it struggled to move but remained immobilized.


    Drifter advanced without hesitation, slashing with Exalt Edge. A wave of blue energy tore through the air, striking the Valkyrex. The sound of cracking filled the room as its natural barrier shattered like glass.


    Alina activated Cerulion Dash, dashing forward in a blur of icy mist that trailed behind her. As she moved, her lance seamlessly transformed into a glowing greatsword.


    "Blauzorn Frostbreaker!" she shouted.


    She swung the radiant ice blade, landing an explosive strike on the Valkyrex. Blue explosion erupted on impact, scattering ice particles in every direction. The automaton shattered into jagged shards, obliterated completely by the devastating attack.


    "One down—finally!" Lorcan said.


    But their victory was short-lived. The floor shook violently as more Vexor units entered the room, launching bright red projectiles that filled the air with explosions.


    The group reached the exit at last. Alina ran to the control panel beside the door, her fingers moving swiftly across the buttons. "Wait, I’m trying to open it!"


    Before she could finish, Lorcan stepped forward with a wild grin. "No need for that!"


    Lorcan slammed his fists into the door, each punch echoing loudly throughout the room. Dark energy from Ebon Fist enveloped his strikes, causing the metal door to shudder and warp.


    As the door began to crack, Caelus stepped in. His spear crackled with dancing lightning.


    "Thunderbolt Strike!" he yelled.


    The thunderous explosion shattered the door, sending cracks spiraling outward before it finally burst open.


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    The night wind whipped against them as they plummeted through darkness. Caelus held his mother close, shielding her from the rushing air as the Verm Plains rushed up to meet them - a dark expanse growing larger by the second.


    "Better pray our barriers don''t crap out on us!" Lorcan''s laugh carried an edge of hysteria.


    The sky erupted in light above them. Caelus watched panels slide open along the skyship''s black hull, revealing rows of charging cannons. His heart nearly stopped as massive red energy beams formed at their tips.


    Friedrich''s calm voice cut through his panic. "Celestial Aegis!" Golden runes materialized around them, forming a protective dome just as the first devastating beam struck. The energy scattered into golden fragments, but Caelus could see the relentless barrage continuing.


    Inside their sanctuary, Caelus felt his mother''s silent tears as she clasped her hands in prayer beside him. His own breathing came in shallow gasps as he watched cracks spread across their shield like a glowing web. Friedrich poured everything into maintaining the barrier, the golden light flaring brilliantly as it deflected the final blast.


    When the dome finally shattered, its fragments fell like stars around them. Caelus watched the skyship vanish into the crimson sky, leaving them to face the rapidly approaching ground. Their impact sent natural barriers flaring, barely cushioning their fall.


    "We... we''re alive. Seriously, we''re still alive!" Lorcan''s incredulous laugh.


    Caelus lay there, chest heaving, as his mother slowly sat up beside him. Her trembling hand found his cheek, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you... all of you. You saved us."


    "Thank you... I... I don''t know what else to say," Caelus said with polite bow.


    He watched their rescuers exchange knowing smiles as the black cylindrical skyship disappeared into the night''s embrace, leaving them alive and together on the dark plains below.


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    The Translocator''s blue light faded, revealing Nethia''s sprawling cityscape before them. Caelus watched the evocyte lights trace patterns through the bustling streets below. A man with dark blue hair dressed in black awaited them. Caelus gripped his mother''s hand tighter, noting her pallor with growing concern as they were led to a waiting Alcherider Titan. Beyond, the Evocaier Order''s headquarters rose like a crystalline sentinel, its lotus-and-wing emblem catching the city''s glow.


    The underground parking area felt oppressive as they ascended to a sparse interrogation room. Caelus remained by his mother''s side as she settled shakily into a chair, the Magisterial Console between them like an unwelcome witness.


    "Mrs. Lyriel, we need an explanation. Why did you leave the city without informing anyone? And how did you end up as a hostage?" Friedrich''s voice firm.


    "For now, your son can stay, but we need your full honesty."


    "It''s... my husband..." His mother''s whisper sent ice through Caelus''s veins.


    "What? Father... is alive?" Caelus felt his world tilt as the words left his mouth.


    The Magisterial Console holographic projected an image that struck him like a physical blow - his father''s face, alongside text identifying him as Kalevi Amelioris, Affiliation: Conclave of Eldoria, Class: Mage, Element Mastery: Light, Expertise: Technological Researcher.


    Friedrich''s questioning continued, each answer from his mother revealing more painful truths. She spoke of secrets, artifacts, and betrayal. Caelus listened, his grip on her hand tightening with each revelation. It seemed his father had once been involved in mysterious artifact research and had changed after that. She feared him, so she left the country and came here. But recently, she had contacted her mother with good news about staying with them... but it was all a lie.


    "He said he wanted to stay with us. But then he started asking about my visitors... about Drifter. And then he asked about the Cube. When I refused to answer, he... abducted me."


    "I''m sorry, Caelus," his mother whispered.


    "It''s okay, Mom. It''s not your fault," Caelus said, while holding her hand and look at her gaze.


    As Friedrich ordered Vilreth, a man with dark blue hair, to lead them safely home, Caelus felt the weight of these revelations settling onto his shoulders like a physical burden. His father was alive but this truth brought more questions than answers, and none of them promised comfort.


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