《Prometheus Code》


 Chapter 1: Prelude to Fate

    Screams of agony filled his ears. His on-board comm equipment belted them out incessantly. But throughout the long years spent in countless battlefields, his heart grew increasingly numb, until the point where the horrors of war had ceased to rattle him.


    Explosions peppered his panoramic cockpit screens like countless fireworks being set off one after the other within the cold, black void of space. And with them came the screams.


    It was the screams of his comrades. It was their last ounce of struggle against the harsh reality of death in the battlefield.


    Perhaps he would let out such a scream as well when lady death comes to claim him. Or perhaps not. He honestly didn''t know. Nor did he care.


    He could only ever move forward and fight until he has exhausted himself completely. He had lost everything there was to lose already. He was totally empty.


    He fought on only because he had determined that giving up halfheartedly would besmirch the wills of all those he cared about who had sacrificed themselves in the pursuit of what they believed was peace.


    They had given him, who had nothing, everything. But they had gradually left him in the end. Just like the tiny grains of sand that slipped through the gaps of his fingers as he scooped a handful of them up.


    That was during a bit of R&R in one of the southern islands of Earth. It was one of the happiest moments of his life. But now it only lingers on as ghostly wisps of memories.


    He honestly couldn''t recall much of it even if he tried. Great sorrow and regret blotted most of it out from his mind.


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    He checked his remaining ammunition.


    "Nearly empty." he mused.


    His charged sub-ether particle rifle only had a few shots left. He still had two full clips of e-field piercing rounds for his side arm. But those might as well count for nothing.


    They caused a localized cancellation effect on enemy barriers, but had very little in the way of physical penetrative power. It was a flaw (among countless others) the UEDF had long neglected even as the last stages of the war approached ever closer.


    Even as the enemy steadily prepared for a final offensive, their damned fools for leaders still bickered about fund allocation. Like they could actually take their ill-gotten wealth to the grave!...


    He ground his teeth in frustration for a few moments, but his lips slowly curved to display a cynical smile soon afterwards. In the end, it didn''t really matter if they got supplied with less than optimal equipment. Even top of the line, cutting edge tech didn''t ensure victory from the enemies they now faced.


    He turned his attention to the vast sea of hostiles in front of him once more. It was a veritable wall of enemies. Standing up to these kinds of numbers with their current strength would surely mean certain death. He was certain their superiors also understood that fact very clearly.


    But that was of no concern to them. The forces dispatched here were not expected to survive the encounter after all.


    His grin grew even more lopsided.


    *Note


    UEDF - United Earth Defense Forces


    E-Field - Ether Field

 Chapter 2: Beginnings of a Conflagration

    Part 1


    They had come so abruptly that humankind was wholly caught unwares and could not mount an appropriate response. The people''s reactions were varied and carried an air of brewing confusion  and chaos.


    But, in a way, it seemed that what went on at the time was but natural. After all, it was then, at the dawning of the "true" space age, that mankind had finally arrived at the answer to one of the longstanding questions pondered upon ever since attaining greater knowledge about the vastness of the heavens.


    We were not alone in the universe after all.


    ***


    At first, they had no name. Nothing official anyway. In truth, they had already been called a lot of things.


    UFOs, aliens, monsters, angels, demons, gods... The list went on and on. Culture and belief led people to different conclusions.


    There were even conspiracy theorists who proposed that it was all an elaborate hoax staged by major world powers for heck-knows-whatever silly or absurd reasons they concocted.


    But the sense of unease from facing an enormous "unknown" pervaded the whole of humanity just the same.


    Then, before the people could properly make heads or tails of the situation, the attacks happened - just as abrupt and shocking as their appearance on Earth had been.


    At first, it was a few major cities. Then it was several large military installations across the globe.


    After the United Earth Federation headquarters was hit, mankind had finally come to from their collective dazed state and were forced to look at the reality before them.


    This was all real.


    And it won''t  be stopping anytime soon.


    This was just the beginning.


    Part 2


    Amidst all the carnage and chaos of those first few weeks since "First Contact" and the subsequent attacks by the extraterrestrials, a certain organization emerged from relative obscurity. They called themselves The Olympus Initiative.


    Previously known as a fairly run-off-the-mill global think tank, they proceeded to quickly and efficiently organize the remaining disparate forces of the UEF while providing them with the means to fight back - giant humanoid machines called Titan Armaments.


    Later called T-Arms for convenience, these humanoid behemoths quickly became the first line of defense against the invaders.


    They were comprised of over-technology that baffled the minds of even the greatest scientists and academics of that era.


    ***


    The T-Arms were powerful. Exceedingly so. At least, they far outperformed even the most advanced weapon systems made by the UEF at the time. Utilizing the mysterious form of energy now known as "ether", the T-Arms spearheaded the counteroffensive against the aliens and gained more and more ground.


    Normally, the world would have been wary of such an unprecedented display of force and competence from a previously unassuming and largely mysterious organization such as The Olympus Initiative. But mankind had truly been grasping at straws. Presented with an opportunity to save themselves, humanity did not dare to question or antagonize the ones who gave them hope.


    Finally, after a fierce and desperate struggle, they had grasped victory.


    Or so they had thought.


    A great armada of alien ships suddenly warped out near Jupiter and proceeded to head to Earth to attack it once more. It was then that a transmission was relayed all over the world:


    "Base primitives of this backwater planet, take heed! We are the L''Arcanus. And we hereby claim this sector in the name of the Supreme Scion T''varka Calganus Arcnartur.


    Only two paths are open to you. Surrender... Or annihilation."


    Part 3


    The grandiose yet grim declaration heralded even more chaos with the threat of renewed attacks. The UEF forces were still reeling from the last battle and now they were unceremoniously thrust into another one seemingly more dangerous than the last.


    The Initiative, however, was not fazed as much - almost as if they had anticipated such a development. Though it seemed that even they were not expecting things to happen so fast.


    The enemy, now known as the L''Arcanus or Arc, resumed what was obviously a full blown invasion only hours after their ultimatum. Their forces were significantly greater than the first wave of attacks and humanity was pushed to the brink of despair once more.


    It was then that the Initiative was finally forced to introduce another factor that once again turned the tide of battle - the EX-Seed.


    Part 4


    The EX-Seed were, in simple terms, altered humans. Their enhancements did not only range in the physical aspect. They also had their mental faculties and abilities greatly upgraded.


    Their brains were "rewired" to better facilitate the precise control, handling and refining of ether which, in turn, greatly boosted the performance of the T-Arms they piloted.


    The EX-Seed were like ultra fast, precise and efficient "processors" that unlocked the full potential of the weapon system known as T-Arms.


    ***


    The imposing humanoid metallic "monsters" that the Initiative created ran primarily through the use of ether as a power source. It fuelled most of the T-Arm''s main weaponry as well.


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    Ether was a mysterious and almost unfathomable form of energy that was theorized to pervade the whole cosmos. Even humans carried ether within their bodies. It has also been called by numerous different terms in various cultures and served as a key component in several disciplines like martial arts and other esoteric or mystical practices. By properly utilizing it, people became capable of performing wonderful feats.


    It had long been regarded as silly and resoundingly unscientific and was only prevalent in select cultures and popular fiction. But the Initiative had found a way to bridge the gap between two seemingly incompatible ideologies and came up with something entirely new and thoroughly revolutionary.


    Part 5


    Through a process that seemed to draw ether from the universe itself, the T-Arms attained unsurpassed power, speed and maneuverability compared to all other forms of advanced weapon systems.


    Further heightening the effects was a newly developed material called mithrilite.


    Almost 90% of a T-Arm''s body was composed of mithrilite. It had high ether conductivity and served as the T-Arm''s "bones", "muscles", "skin" and "nerves".


    It made direct mental control (which was deemed far more efficient than regular piloting methods - given that the pilot had the appropriate training) feasible as it didn''t put too much strain on the pilot''s brain because of its innately high ether conductivity. It reduced the mental effort it took to directly control the massive humanoid machines by more than 60% as long as the pilot is capable of refining and providing an appropriate amount of ether.


    It was a literal fusion of human and machine. It was something that was thought to have only been a pipe dream turned real.


    Its durability also increased manifold if provided with enough highly condensed purified ether. Most modern ordnance at that time couldn''t put as much as a dent on a properly ether-charged mithrilite surface.


    Of course, this was just talking about weapons developed on Earth. Arc weaponry was still able to damage mithrilite reliably through repeated attacks. But it''s defensive strength was undeniable all the same.


    Part 6


    However, all these benefits came with a heavy price.


    The ether collected and stored by the T-Arm''s power core still needed to be properly refined before being circulated to the rest of its body for peak performance. It was akin to unprocessed crude oil that was yet to be turned into proper fuel. The pilot is the one responsible for the refining process, as no successful method of fully refining ether through artificial means has been found.


    Unfortunately, no normal human, no matter how highly trained, was able to simultaneously handle the tasks of refining ether, circulating it throughout the T-Arm''s frame and piloting it, even with the reduced mental load from using mithrilite. There was also one''s maximum ether capacity to consider.


    There is a definite limit to the amount of ether one can circulate through one''s body. The capacity differed from person to person. But it''s certain that when one goes well beyond that limit, the results would most likely be disastrous. In the worst case, it could result in death.


    The output needed to effectively run T-Arms can be said to be well over the maximum capacity of most normal humans. Because of this, the early T-Arms models released when the invasion began functioned through a kind of workaround so they can be fielded out faster by making normal soldiers as pilots.


    Ether refining and circulation was left to the installed specialized OS utilizing an imperfect artificial purification and distribution system. The process was fundamentally flawed and the resulting ether was nowhere near as pure as when a human refines it. But it was sufficient enough for reliable T-Arms operation.


    The T-Arm''s weapons and equipment recieved similar treatment. The standardized charged sub-ether particle rifle functioned by storing unrefined ether on weapon "cartridges". The rifle forcefully agitates the ether particles and shoots them out in that state, resulting in a powerful, if somewhat crude, blast of energy. It was still inferior to properly refined ether blasts channeled directly from the T-Arm''s power core, but it further reduced the load taken up by the pilot by functioning independently. This same principle (independent functions) was applied to all other standard T-Arms equipment.


    But the shortcomings of these methods became readily apparent with the renewed Arc threat. The UEDF found it increasingly harder to deal with the attacks. The average performance and output of the enemy units obviously outstripped theirs by a fairly large margin. It was as if the first invasion attempt was but child''s play and that, this time, they were finally getting serious. And so, the Initiative was forced to reveal one of it''s foremost hidden cards.


    This was when it all began for him.


    It was the start of both an ephemeral dream and an agonizing nightmare.

 Chapter 3: Flickering Flame

    Part 1


    The introduction of the EX-Seed changed the face of the war once more. They had the ability to simultaneously execute the processes needed to pilot the T-Arms with little effort. Their bodies had several times the ether capacity of normal humans. They could freely circulate more than the average amount of refined ether needed for T-Arms operation, significantly upping its performance and finally enabling the UEDF to match the Arc invasion forces in war potential as a result.


    U-006 Zeta was part of the very first batches of EX-Seed pilots fielded out during the course of the Arc War. He was assigned to the front lines while still looking like a tender young boy. The other EX-Seed also looked quite young. Though it might just be that the enhanced growth procedures weren''t properly carried out because of the sudden turn of events that led to their early deployment.


    Most were meek, unassuming and followed orders to the letter without complaint. Contrary to their usual behaviour, their actions during battle were quick, decisive and carried hints of barely repressed brutality.


    They never spared enemies unless ordered to do so and kept fighting with fierce abandon unless ordered to stand down. They were akin to reapers in the battlefield. Their uncompromising visage made even their allies tremble in fear.


    And yet, there are always exceptions. U-006 Zeta was one such example. Though his character might also be attributed to the researcher once assigned as his supervisor.


    Part 2


    Karen Hoshikawa was, in a word, carefree. She was a woman who had devoted herself wholeheartedly to bioengineering research and later found herself working for the Initiative. And yet, she had managed not to lose that spark of cheerful vitality. She had an air of honest innocence regarding her life and the way she faced her research. Her coleagues liked being in her presence, describing it as "stress relieving".


    And so, with that kind of personality, one might come to question the decision to let her supervise a batch of EX-Seed children. They came fresh from the cultivation labs and were meant to be the key components in a weapon system designed to annihilate all hostiles that dared to stand before it.


    Perhaps it truly was a lack of foresight on the part of her superiors. Maybe, it was simply just a shortage of qualified personnel. It could also be the workings of fate in play - though the idea  is largely unscientific.


    Reasons aside, it was an undeniable fact that she was assigned as the supervisor for the Zeta batch. And no one among them was more receptive to her personality and methods as U-006.


    ***


    One of U-006''s most defining traits was his seemingly endless inquisitiveness. Now, one might say that this was absolutely normal for a young child. But U-006 and the other EX-Seed were not supposed to be within the bounds of what was considered "normal". If they were, then they would''ve been considered failures.


    Was someone not paying attention when they were tweaking the Zeta batches DNA structure?


    Regardless of why that was the case, U-006 behaved more akin to children his age compared to the other EX-Seed. Perhaps even more so.


    He almost always had questions ready to fire off from the tip of his tongue. And his interests ranged from a wide variety of topics. Even the most silly and nonsensical ones.


    Karen delighted herself in answering all of his questions. They were like a busybody older sister and her rascal of a kid brother having fun fooling around.


    Her colleagues regarded the spectacle with mixed feelings. Several of them tried to warn her not to get too attached, considering the future awaiting the boy once he gets sent out to the front lines. But Karen thought it was precisely because their time together was limited that she had to fill his heart with warmth while she still had the chance.


    It might have been quite a naive decision on her part. Perhaps the result would mean U-006 getting to know the depths of despair. But at the time, they were both still so blissfully unaware.


    Part 3


    One might think that because U-006''s behaviour differed so much from the other EX-Seed, he would''ve been regarded as a failure and eventually relegated to reserve duty.


    There were indeed several such recommendations that came from the other researchers. But they were quickly suppressed by U-006''s aptitude test scores.


    His results could only be described as "monstrous". His raw ether capacity was the highest recorded since the Initiative''s founding. And yet, it still continued to develop further.


    His battle instincts, wit and learning speed far surpassed his fellow EX-Seeds by a fair margin. He also employed unorthodox strategies that allowed him to turn unfavorable situations around. His sim kill count rose steadily, and soon surpassed the current record while showing no signs of letting up.


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    It wasn''t a result of inherent potential alone. Careful observation of his daily routines revealed that the boy frequently trained more than the daily regimen required.


    He didn''t just do physical training. He also read countless data encoded reference books about a wide variety of subjects on his terminal. Karen had uploaded most of them at U-006''s request.


    He even compiled and compared various ancient and modern breathing exercises, intigrating them into an entirely new and efficient method which greatly aided his ether refining speed. The quality of the ether he refined also showed a marked improvement.


    His almost abnormal thirst for knowledge (even for EX-Seed standards), his uncanny ability to effectively put all that knowledge into practice and the gradual improvements of his bodily make up and maximum ether capacity (which were already well above average to begin with) shocked the Initiative silly.


    The faces of the Initiative higher ups when they first received the compiled reports about U-006''s progress were akin to those who just found out they had won an unbelievable sum from the lottery.


    They immediately mobilized their research teams and had them investigate the production records for the Zeta batch. Just what kind of gene modifications were done to produce such a splendid result?


    ***


    Further investigations were also conducted on U-006 himself. What was the impetus that drove him to strive as much as he has?


    The EX-Seed were generally designed to have relatively subdued emotions. The key factors that were considered in their development were efficiency and ease of use.


    The general consensus was that a weapon had no use for feelings. Emotions were highly unpredictable. The risk of going out of control was particularly high.


    So the EX-Seed had their greater emotions repressed. The researchers had also encoded within their very DNA a strong desire to protect the human race.


    It was their sole purpose. Their entire reason for existence. It wouldn''t be so farfetched to say that only the act of protecting humanity alone gave the EX-Seed a semblance of the emotion "happiness".


    Part 4


    So what was it that motivated U-006? What drove the boy to improve by leaps and bounds? One routine interview revealed a fairly surprising reason.


    ***


    "Hm? Why all the effort? So I can get married of course. I''m gonna end the war, get myself relieved from active duty and get married."


    U-006''s answer left the researchers slack jawed in utter shock.


    "M-Married?! D-Do you even know what that means?" asked one flabbergasted researcher.


    U-006 arched his eyebrow in mild annoyance and answered confidently.


    "Course I do. You get married to the person you want to spend your entire life and make a family with right? I read up a lot on the subject and even watched some documentaries.


    So I''ve decided that after this war ends, I''m gonna go ahead and marry Karen."


    The other researchers gave Karen piercing accusatory gazes after the casually delivered reply.


    "Shotacon..." they remarked in complete unison.


    Karen''s face flushed apple red and she protested helplessly while trying to keep her embarrassment in check.


    "W-Wha...?! Nooo! That''s not it! You''ve got it all wrong! He doesn''t really mean that. W-Well, he kind of does... But not in that way! We''re not like that! I-I mean I''m kind of happy he feels that way... B-But the age difference... Anyway! It''s really not like that! We have a wholesome familial relationship!"


    She hastily tried to explain herself all the while not realizing she was actually making the misunderstandings(?) worse.


    It was the sad sight of a twenty three year old young woman whose age equals the number of years without a proper boyfriend.


    ***


    U-006 Zeta watched the ensuing course of events with mild interest.


    He was, however, puzzled by their reactions. He had only stated something obvious after all. Marriage was an integral step towards making a "family". And "family" was a concept that intrigued him so.


    "Family..." he mused.


    He had read up on the concepts numerous connotations. He had yet to truly understand it. But something about it attracted him greatly. Somehow, to him, it seemed so bright. So very, very bright.


    And it drew him ever closer.


    Like a moth to a flame.

 Chapter 4: Burned Out

    Part 1


    He flickered in and out of consciousness. His head felt like it was being split open. It seems he received a concussion as he was knocked around when his unit was grazed by enemy weapons fire.


    Although his body was a lot tougher than your average soldier, the accumulated fatigue from continuous battle was finally showing some signs of getting to him. He shook his head vigorously to get rid of the drowsiness that currently assailed him. The T-Arms he was piloting completely mimicked his movements.


    He got hit after losing his cool and charging recklessly towards enemy lines. That was certainly unusual for him. He rarely got agitated. His training at the institute coupled with the genetic enhancements ensured he almost never did.


    He was almost certain of the reason. Today was the anniversary of her death. It was also the day he received his name.


    And the day when his nightmare began.


    Part 2


    -Roughly a year before the decisive battle-


    "Sora..." Karen murmured from the other side of the comm display.


    "Hoshikawa Sora... It really fits you. I told you my naming sense was spot on." she continued; her face paling from apparent blood loss.


    His face paled as well. His body leaned forward involuntarily towards Karen''s image displayed inside his cockpit. He''d pay any price if it would let him instantly be together with her right at that moment.


    But that was impossible. Even if he, by some form of miracle, manages to bypass the strong compunction imprinted within his very genes and ignores his orders, abandons his current mission and immediately rushes to her side, he would still be too late.


    Far too late.


    ***


    The squad he was assigned to at the time was sent to aid in the defense of the UEDF moon base which was then under threat of a probable Arc attack. But it was nothing more than a diversion. The true aim was destroying the EX-Seed development and training facilities on Earth.


    The enemy managed to sneak a few units past the UEDF defense blockade. They immediately made their descent and commenced a swift attack on the several hidden EX-Seed facilities that were located planet side.


    Although attackers were wiped out in the end, the damage had already been done. The facilities were all but annihilated.


    ***


    Even as the surroundings collapsed around her and began to get engulfed in a sea of fire, Karen''s expression never wavered. Her bloodied lips displayed a familiar smile.


    That smile felt so very dear to him. Just how many times had that smile saved him? Just how many times had it brought him out from the brink?


    Five years had passed since he graduated from the institute and got deployed to the front lines. From then on, the true harshness of reality and the fate he and his fellow EX-Seed were forced to shoulder gradually took their toll on him. But that smile had always been there to provide no small amount of comfort and warmth.


    But now, he was on the brink of losing her. His chest tightened and bile involuntarily rose up his throat. He forced it down and stared feverishly at the comm display.


    "Don''t make that kind of face idiot." Karen spoke gently in an almost inaudible whisper.


    "It''s not like we both didn''t see this coming. This is war after all. But who would''ve thought a non combatant like me would be the first to kick the bucket... Fate sure has a funny way of playing out, don''t you think?"


    "Stop messing around Karen! Like hell you''d die! Like I''d let you! Dammit! Where''s a re-entry unit when you need one?!" he screamed in frustration.


    "Sora..." Karen interrupted.


    "We both know it''s too late for me. I even have a hole drilled through my gut. Honestly, it really hurts. So listen to big sis before she passes out from pain and heavy blood loss kay. We gotta play the tropes right and proper for this kind of stuff."


    Karen''s eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief despite the circumstances.


    "I told you... to stop messing around... idiot..." he feebly retorted. His vision was already clouded with tears.


    Karen''s smile deepened. It radiated warmth. She moved her hand toward the display as if to stroke his cheek.


    "There it is. You were always quite the crybaby weren''t you? Its quite surprising really. Considering the way your brothers and sisters are. Though, I don''t really have the right to say anything concerning that. I was part of the team that made them that way after all."


    Her smile turned to one of self-mocking for an instant.


    "Sora... I may not be able to be there for you physically anymore. But don''t you dare give up! You''re a sweet, gentle soul despite the circumstances of your birth. You''ll be able to forge even more bonds in the future as long as you keep moving forward.


    People all die eventually. It just so happens that my time came early. And, it may not sound scientific in the least, but I''ll always watch over you. I know that for a fact. I''m quite the doting person you know. I might even turn into a ghost and haunt you."


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    Her tone turned playful once again. He already lacked the composure to retort back and continued to sob incessantly.


    "Thank you Sora. It''s because of you that I was able to feel that my life was meaningful. You''ve become such a splendid young man, and a true person. Someone capable of forming bonds. Someone who can share his life with another. And I could never be more proud..."


    Karen''s voice gradually lowered. Her eyes slowly became unfocused. Strength left her arms and they fell limply to the side.


    One last whisper escaped her lips.


    "Hey Sora... I would have liked a traditional church wedding after all..."


    The comm display went black.


    Part 3


    A guttural cry escaped his throat. All the animosity, frustration and grief he felt at the time were condensed into that single bestial roar. It shook the entire battlefield.


    He was an EX-Seed that was capable of empathy. His emotions were even deemed to be a bit stronger when compared to the average person. One needn''t even mention his fellow EX-Seed. He was truly peculiar and quite unique.


    At first, he was truly thankful. He genuinely enjoyed interacting with Karen and, in time, other people whom he gradually came to consider as friends and comrades. He finally came to know of family. Of ties. Bonds.


    But he eventually came to know the pain of loss and his own powerlessness as well. No matter how many missions he completed. No matter how many enemies he killed. It wasn''t nearly enough to turn the tide of the war.


    He was just one piece on the board after all. He may have become a truly formidable soldier at the forefront of humanities war against the Arc. But he was only one individual. And the fetters that bound him ran deep and were incomparably cruel.


    ***


    The EX-Seed fundamentally could not go against orders.


    They also could not harm humans in any form.


    Nor could they harbor any ill intent towards their masters.


    They underwent thorough artificial conditioning in order to ensure this. Their genetic code has also been tampered with in order to further cement those restrictions deep within their very beings.


    U-006 Zeta... Sora Hoshikawa also underwent the same procedures. Though he was certainly odd because of the fact regarding his emotions, even he was not exempt from these fetters.


    EX-Seeds were loyal beasts bound by invisible chains. And those chains are not so easily broken. In fact, this was nearly impossible.


    ***


    And so the wounded beast howled. He howled in sorrow and rage. But he could not direct his pain and animosity towards the ones who were partly to blame for Karens death.


    That was impossible, even for him.


    He could not go against the bastards who only cared about saving their own skin, and his superiors who, because of wanting to curry favor with them, ordered their forces to protect them from a near non-existent threat.


    Those damned officials who took over the UEF and even managed to completely overthrow the Olympus Initiatives upper ranks by taking advantage of the controversy surrounding the development of the EX-Seed and the Titan Armaments.


    They cited the fact that the technology the Initiative possessed was eerily similar to that of the Arc and called their loyalty to humanity into question.


    It had been a long and grueling war. Tensions were already at their peak. All they needed was to fan the flames.


    And fan it, they did. The take-over was swift and decisive. The overreaching influence of jealousy and greed was displayed to its fullest. So much so that even he felt somewhat disgusted in spite of himself.


    It didn''t help that the corruption had already spread to some of the Initiative''s upper ranks as well. As they say, even just one rotten apple can spoil an entire basket.


    ***


    They were the cause for the loss of many of his new-found comrades and those he held dear.


    And he could not even as much as openly curse them!


    So just who will be the target of his rage? Who?!


    His head throbbed. His chest seethed. He clutched them in pain.


    And he chose to stop thinking about these things altogether.


    He moved his gaze towards the remaining Arc forces who served as diversions to pave the way for the attack on Earth.


    And the onslaught began.


    ***


    Year 77 of the True Space Era


    An engagement between Arc and UEDF forces on the airspace above the Lunar Defense Outpost ended in a most unexpected manner.


    A single T-Arms unit piloted by an EX-Seed assigned to the 54th Special Action Company of the UEDF Space Marines shot down more than a third of the enemy forces and forced them to retreat.


    A surviving soldier from the same unit described the scene in one word:


    Overwhelming.

 Chapter 5: Lighting a Fuse

    -Roughly three months before the decisive battle-


    "Please. I beg you! Just hear us out."


    A young military officer knelt down in front of a surprised and confused Sora. His forehead was already close to touching the floor. It was a near perfect execution of a classic Japanese ''dogeza''.


    "Alright. I get it. I''ll listen to what you have to say. So please get up already. A superior doing that kind of thing in front of someone like me just feels so weird."


    A hint of awkwardness flashed on the young officers face for an instant. He hastily got up and directed a look filled with quiet determination towards Sora.


    "So? What does a promising young CO like you want with an EX-Seed dog like me? You can''t have troubled yourself to come all the way out here just to deliver new mission orders.


    I don''t even think you have the authority to do so in the first place. We get our orders directly from High Command. Unless they already changed that policy too." Sora probed.


    He looked curiously at the young officer in front of him. Somehow, something about him seemed strangely familiar.


    The young officer briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then looked Sora straight in the eyes and spoke.


    "We need your help."


    "Help? Sure. Whatever for sir? Two of the best traits of EX-Seed are obedience and diligence. Guarding VIPs? Serving as meat shields? Licking officers boots? Satisfying pervy fetishes? You just name it sir. We''ll get it done."


    Sora didn''t even bother concealing the sarcasm in his tone. He could not openly criticize or harm humans. But he could do this much at least.


    The soldiers that accompanied the officer displayed awkward looks after Sora''s scathing remarks. They turned concerned gazes towards the officer, who just shrugged his shoulders and heaved a deep sigh.


    "This doesn''t have to do anything with the Initiative or High Command. In fact, it''s the exact opposite. We want your help in disrupting their plans."


    Sora''s brows twitched slightly. He swept his gaze at the young officer and his men; sizing them up and trying to read their intentions.


    "What plans?" he asked, unable to contain his curiosity.


    The young officers mouth broke into a small grin.


    "Finally got his attention..." he thought.


    "These new orders are yet to be officially released. We''ve gone through great personal risk to acquire a copy, and I''m now showing it to you as a sign of good faith. Read through them first. We''ll talk after."


    He handed Sora a small data card. Sora popped it in his terminal and started reading through the contents.


    "T-This..." Sora stammered.


    "Quite audacious ain''t it?" remarked the officer. His grin never left his face.


    Sora scanned the contents a few more times and looked at the officer with an awkward expression.


    "This isn''t just audacious. It''s completely unreasonable. Quite frankly, it''s utterly insane!"


    The officer gave a small nod in agreement.


    Part 2


    A massive structure located just outside the Solar system apparently served as a warp gate of some kind. The Arc used it to continuously send in supplies and reinforcements to aid in their conquest of Earth.


    They had not even bothered to hide the installation from the UEDF''s recon probes. It had been discovered fairly earlier on in the war and several attempts to take it down were made. They all ended up in failure.


    The UEDF forces could not breach its defense net. They also hesitated to commit a significant amount of their forces towards the endeavor. That could render the Earth defenseless and failure would spell Earth''s certain defeat. No one was willing to lay the chips down with such high stakes, especially after the takeover of the Initiative.


    The Arc were equally passive. They kept most of their troops in reserve and only engaged the UEDF in intermittent skirmishes. But anyone with half a brain would notice that they were just biding their time.


    The Arc forces garrisoned near the gate steadily grew as the years plodded on. They were actually going for a long, drawn out war of attrition.


    The pressure those forces brought upon the UEDF was overwhelmingly frightening. It was just like watching in horror as a monster slowly bore down on you; its claws and fangs gleaming menacingly, ready to tear you apart limb from limb in a moments notice.


    Slowly but surely, the monster approached. For now, the hunter was just toying with its prey. But once it pounces, it was sure to aim for the jugular.


    It was only a matter of time before the prey broke down.


    Part 3


    "They''ve finally gone and completely lost it haven''t they?" Sora exclaimed incredulously.


    He looked at the new orders displayed on his terminal with a mixture of surprise, exasperation and disgust.


    High Command was ordering the UEDF forces to take out the Arc warp gate at all costs. That in itself could actually be considered pretty admirable. After all, this was the first time in several years that High Command had initiated such a bold move against the Arc during the course of the war.


    But the forces commissioned to undertake the operation were woefully insufficient. Any military officer worth his or her salt could see that fact plainly. They were essentially sending them to their deaths.


    "That''s not even the worst part. You''ve noticed it too haven''t you." the young officer remarked.


    Sora''s brows furrowed. He went over the troop roster once more. He gritted his teeth involuntarily.


    "They''ve practically ordered all EX-Seed still in active duty to participate in the operation. And we both know that the only time an EX-Seed gets relieved from duty is when he or she dies." the officer continued.


    Sora smiled bitterly, being reminded of the naive hopes he once carried. He murmured Karen''s name under his breath. He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts and hadn''t noticed subtle change in the young officers expression when he uttered her name.


    Shaking off his idle thoughts, Sora turned his attention back to the officer.


    "Why do all this?" he asked.


    "We EX-Seed are born and bred for battle and a concentrated attack with all of us at the helm would indeed be a powerful force. But we''re not miracle workers. The total number of EX-Seed still in active duty is, at most, only barely a thousand strong. That includes fourth and fifth generation batches that have barely seen any combat.


    The number of experienced EX-Seed soldiers actually comprise only a handful. About two hundred give or take. The Arc aren''t exactly pushovers either. We''ve lost some of our best in the hands of their elite forces. I''ve almost been done in more than a couple of times myself. Without sufficient support from the regular UEDF forces, we don''t even have a ghost of a chance of completing this mission.


    Attempting to bring down that damned gate with these numbers will just end up in one sided slaughter. It''s like they''re actually hoping we get wiped out."


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Sora already had an inkling as to why High Command would give such absurd orders. But he still wanted confirmation from the young officer. And if his suspicions were true, then all his and his comrades efforts would have been for nothing. He shuddered at the thought.


    "It''s as you''ve already concluded." the officer answered.


    "High Command is offering the Earth up in a silver platter. And our deaths would be a token of good will."


    Part 4


    Sora bit his lip until he drew blood. High Commands actions were like spitting in the face of all that he and his fellow EX-Seed stood for. They were created for the purpose of defending the Earth and protecting humanity. But the orders he held now rendered their existence meaningless.


    If this was going to be the case in the end, then why the heck did they even fight? Why did they die? Why were they even born? They who were fated to be humanities loyal pawns.


    "How long?" he spat.


    "Just how long have they been planning this?!"


    "Shortly after the leadership take over took place. Maybe even earlier. We''re not clear on the specifics. But it''s confirmed that High Command had somehow gotten in contact with the Arc and struck a deal.


    They''ll hand over the Earth, but would be allowed to keep a portion of their power as formally appointed local overseers once the Arc finally turns our planet into one of their colonies." the officer answered.


    "F*ck!" Sora swore in anger.


    "Actually, the plan has already long been underway. Remember the earlier orders for decommissioning your personal T-Arms units a while back under the pretense of providing you with newer, more advanced models? It''s been months and no new units in sight correct? This was part of the steps to gradually weaken the remaining EX-Seed forces.


    The attack on the EX-Seed development facilities was also part of the whole plot. With that, they ensured that no new EX-Seed batches would be fielded out during the course of the war."


    The more he heard, the angrier Sora felt. His frustration overwhelmed him. He jerked his head towards the officer after the latter mentioned the facilities.


    "Y-You... That..." he stammered.


    The officers brows creased. He made an uncomfortable expression.


    "I''m truly sorry. By the time we caught wind of it, the plan was already underway. In the end, we were unable to prevent the slaughter of your brethren."


    Sora reeled from the sudden revelation. Karen''s death wasn''t because of their leaders incompetence. It was actually deliberately planned!


    "Aaah... Aaaaagh!..."


    He clutched his chest in pain. He wanted to openly direct his rage towards the perpetrators. But the shackles that bound him prevented it. His agony stemmed from that.


    The young officer also made an enraged expression. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.


    "Please. We need your cooperation. High Command is planning to make a spectacle out of the whole thing.


    The EX-Seed had implanted upon the masses a sense of security. There have been many accounts of your exploits during the course of the war. The people look to you as they would heroes.


    And that is precisely why they''re committing the entire EX-Seed force on this mission. It would display a false sense of earnestness regarding the goal of winning the war. If the people of Earth were to taste defeat under the false pretense of going all out, it would be far easier for the ones behind this plot to manipulate public opinion towards their desired outcome."


    "Why reveal all this to me?" Sora asked.


    "You should know about the EX-Seed''s circumstances." he continued.


    "We can''t go against orders from High Command. The moment this thing is officially handed down, we''ll have no other choice but to carry it out to the letter.


    You can''t be seriously asking me to aid you in a coup de tat are you? Chances are, I''d even turn my weapons against you once someone from High Command orders me to. I won''t like it. But I won''t have any choice either. That''s just how wretched of an existence we EX-Seed are."


    The young officer nodded slightly and firmly replied.


    "That''s just it. We''re not asking you to defy orders. Far from it. We want you to accomplish your mission. And we want it to be a resounding success."


    Part 5


    "What?!" Sora exclaimed.


    "You expect us to destroy that gate? With this kind of odds. With these numbers. You and I both know that''s borderline crazy talk."


    The young officer grinned mischievously.


    "Who told you you''d be taking them on with just these? We''ll be providing support of course. We''ll mobilize sufficient forces in order to bring the gate down. We''ll initiate a coup after that has been accomplished."


    Sora blinked a few times, unsure what to make of the officers remark.


    "You guys must have one hell of a character backing you up. To nonchalantly waltz in on an EX-Seed barracks with this kind of intel, without even minding High Commands surveillance. Not to mention proposing a crazy plan like this..."


    "Haha. Well, I admit, the ones behind us do have considerable influence within the ranks. And they also happen to hate the notion of surrendering to a hostile alien foreign power with a passion." the young officer replied.


    "So, are you in? You don''t have to sweat the details. We''ll handle that on our end. All we want from you is a commitment to follow through with those orders and destroy that warp gate.


    We''ll provide you with the equipment and manpower. You just need to do your damn job. And do it flawlessly. Simple ain''t it?"


    Sora turned silent for a moment, considering all that he''s learned. He then looked up with determination apparent in his sharp gaze.


    "I''m in." he finally answered.


    The young officer and his companions released sighs of relief. He then made a gesture for shaking hands. Sora hesitated a bit, but took the offered hand anyway.


    "I''m afraid we must be going. Any more and it''ll get troublesome."


    The officer turned to leave.


    "Wait!" Sora bellowed.


    "You never did tell me your name."


    The officer smiled lightly and pointed towards Sora''s terminal.


    "You can look it up in the troop roster of the copy of the orders we left you. I''ll be accompanying you through hell too after all." he answered.


    "How the heck am I supposed to recognize your name in this damn list?" Sora asked.


    "Oh, I''m sure you''ll manage." the officer replied cryptically and left without turning back.


    Sora turned to the terminal and scanned the roster. One name caught his attention immediately.


    Lt. Cmd. Ken Hoshikawa


    He started laughing. He laughed so hard, tears formed in the corner of his eyes.


    He laughed for a long time. Even he didn''t realize just when he started to cry.

 Chapter 6: Going Out With a Bang

    -Present Day: Operation Swan Song-


    "Hey kid. Stop daydreaming and haul your goddamn ass! We''re running a tight schedule here."


    Lt. Cmd. Ken Hoshikawa''s voice bellowed from the comms. Sora was snapped awake from his reverie.


    "Sorry sir." he apologized and flared his units auxiliary thrusters. He quickly caught up to the rest of his comrades. They continued to fly in formation towards the target.


    "We''ve just breached the third defense line. Better brace yourselves people. It''s about to get even crazier in here." the lead units pilot said with a chuckle.


    Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa quickly issued commands.


    "All units listen up. Once we reach Point Alpha, we''ll immediately proceed with Phase 3. Halsey, Khaleed, Portman and Juarez. You guys make a quick sweep up front. Mop up any hostiles that come within your kill zones. Dela Cruz, Yen and Motombo. You guys watch the rear. Potter. Evans. You''re with me. We go topside. Velez. Hirano. Mc Reid. Down below. Kid, front and center. Ready the "big guns" and fire on my signal.


    All right people. Let''s get this show on the road! Move! Move! Move!"


    They quickly positioned themselves and fended off any Arc unit that came within range. Sora also made preparations.


    "Dora, switch Homura to long range artillery mode. Connect ether circuits and lift the limiter restrictions. They got us clearance somehow. We''re going all out."


    A small holo projection of a young violet haired maiden popped up on Sora''s left shoulder. She wore a simple white dress that, despite being rather plain, still managed to highlight her delicate build and features. Her face held a somewhat sleepy expression that displayed little emotion.


    "Acknowledged. Artillery mode initiated. Connecting ether circuits. Optimizing targeting and fire control systems. Activating unit stabilizers."


    Sora glanced at the petite, fairylike figure and smiled.


    "Hey Dora. Been a while since our last major battle huh. Who would''ve thought we''d be reunited like this."


    The girl didn''t reply. She cutely puffed her cheeks and turned away. Sora sighed at her reaction and grinned wryly.


    "Are you still mad at me for handing you over to High Command? Look, I really am sorry for that. But there was nothing I could do. You know how it is. I can''t disobey orders."


    The girl turned towards Sora slightly. You couldn''t read it from her expression at first glance, but she was actually pouting. A bell like voice came from her dainty mouth once more. Or at least, it seemed like it did. It actually came from the cockpit speakers. But the audio synced perfectly with the holo projection.


    "I know. Of course I know that. But you could have at least acted like you were reluctant to part with me. You handed me over like it was nothing. You didn''t even hesitate you idiot!"


    Sora''s expression turned complicated at her retort.


    "I was a bit... preoccupied. I had a lot of things going on back then. I couldn''t even manage to think straight. I truly am sorry Dora."


    The girl called Dora, a highly advanced support AI installed in Sora''s personal T-Arms unit, found her icy expression wavering after Sora''s sincere apology.


    "In the end, it''s still because of that woman huh? Even if she helped program me, I still refuse to acknowledge her. Kiii!" she mumbled almost imperceptibly; her sleepy, deadpan expression never breaking.


    An annoyed voice called out from the comms.


    "Could you guys please quit it with the rom-com and focus on the mission. Is that thing ready yet kid?" Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa exclaimed in an annoyed tone.


    "Sorry. We''re almost good to go sir. Start making our friendlies clear out of the line of fire." Sora replied.


    "Bout goddamn time. Dela Cruz, send notice to all friendlies."


    "On it sir." came the immediate reply.


    "Ether circuits connected. Fire control and targeting systems are go. Homura: Daitenhou mode prepped for charging. You can go ahead lieutenant." Dora notified.


    Sora immediately tapped into the ether reserves within his units power core. He quickly refined and redirected the energy towards Homura - his personal unit, TA Mk. 6S Kai: Kagutsuchi''s main weapon.


    In terms of pure destructive potential, it only paled in comparison to the weapon of one of the early Far Eastern branch prototype units, Izanagi''s Ame No Ohabari.


    It looked like a large blade that was almost as tall as Kagutsuchi itself. It was now held in place by hardpoints located on Kagutsuchi''s left arm as it pointed forward, essentially turning it and Kagutsuchi''s entire arm into one huge cannon.


    The blade was parted from the center, revealing the main ether condenser located at the top of the blades guard. It resembled a dragon''s open maw, preparing to unleash hellfire upon its foes.


    Crimson waves of energy started accumulating at a rapid pace within the center of the weapon. In a span of only a few dozen seconds, Homura was primed and ready to fire. The volatile energy swirling at the center of the weapon carried an extremely intimidating air.


    Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa finally gave the order to fire.


    "Homura: Daitenhou, firing!" Sora exclaimed.


    A highly destructive wave of crimson ether energy shot forth from the weapon. Like a voracious beast, it devoured anything and everything within its path.


    Within moments, a gaping whole was suddenly punched through the Arc''s defense net. It was the chance the UEDF forces were all waiting for.


    "Phase 3 clear! Proceed to Phase 4!" Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa bellowed.


    Sora''s smile turned into a savage grin.


    Part 2


    "Dora, purge all auxiliary parts! Revert Homura to blade mode." Sora commanded his support AI.


    "Purging auxiliary armor and thrusters. Reverting Homura to Totsuka mode."


    Pieces of dark green armor and parts flew off of Kagutsuchi''s body, revealing a sleeker, sharper form.


    The auxiliary parts served to lessen the burden on Sora in order to save his strength, which was to be used at the most opportune time. That time was now.


    Kagutsuchi''s red, black and gold body gleamed dangerously under the illumination caused by intermittent explosions that peppered the battlefield. A plume of crimson ether energy gushed forth from the back of its head, forming a fiery, ethereal mane.


    One of the reputed most powerful T-Arms units ever produced was now revealed in all its glory. Even Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa couldn''t help but admire its visage.


    "Sweet mother of... Now that''s one bad ass ride! Where can I get one of those man?" one of the team''s assault specialists, Lt. Santino Juarez joked.


    "Sorry. This baby''s custom made." Sora replied.


    "All right. Enough of that. We have work to do." Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa admonished.


    "Kid, from now on, it''s just a straightforward mad dash to that warp gate. We''re not stopping for anything. Even if some of us get killed in the attempt, don''t you dare look back or slow down.


    Your job is to get to that gate and destroy it. Ours is to make sure you get there in one piece. Understood?"


    "Understood." Sora answered. He''d seen his fair share of death. It shouldn''t be an issue for the current him.


    "Good. All troops, move out!" Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa commanded.


    The group flew full speed towards the gate through the hole Homura created in the Arc defenses earlier. The response was a bit slower than normal, but Arc forces eventually followed them in hot pursuit.


    "Sir, hostiles coming in hot at four o''clock. Closing in fast." Dela Cruz warned.


    "Keep going. Shake them off." Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa instructed.


    They kept going full throttle and headed straight towards their objective. But the pursuing forces were just too fast. They closed the gap within moments and started firing at the group.


    Three units from Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa''s team broke formation and headed towards the pursuing Arc forces.


    "The heck are you idiots doing?!" Hoshikawa yelled.


    "We''ll hold them off boss." Khaleed replied.


    "Just get that package through. It''s about time we earn our keep anyway." Yen chimed in.


    "We''ll give em hell sir. Godspeed." Potter added.


    Hoshikawa gritted his teeth but he knew there was no other way. They had to destroy the Arc warp gate at all costs. They sped off, leaving the three behind.


    ***


    As they neared the gate, opposition became even more fierce. The Arc forces were starting to reorganize themselves - faster than expected. Several more of Hoshikawa''s team fell in battle while trying to fend them off.


    They soon found themselves wedged in a massive pincer attack. As the remaining units took refuge at a nearby wreckage of a UEDF destroyer, Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa hailed Sora through the comms.


    "We''ve just about made it kid. It''s now or never. If even one of those things make it through and gets detonated, this operations'' as good as done."


    He was referring to the newly developed ether anti-matter bombs based off of Arc technology that they managed to swipe from the Initiative armory. They forcefully and violently ripped apart molecular bonds and had an extremely large area of effect.


    Only five ether anti-matter bombs were successfully taken. Each was placed in the care of veteran EX-Seed aces. Sora was one of them.


    Even if there were only five available, every other team that scrambled for the operation carried dummies to confuse the Arc forces. Even if the conspirators somehow managed to send word about the plan, it''ll still be difficult to pinpoint the real bombs in the ensuing confusion. Or so the UEDF splinter forces hoped.


    "We''ll hold them off right here kid. As soon as you get through the blockade, head straight for the gate and rip it to shreds."


    "Got it..."


    Sora briefly paused after replying. He then hailed Lt. Cmd. Hoshikawa back and asked a question.


    "You do know there''s almost no way we''re coming out of this alive right?"


    "You''re point being?" Hoshikawa asked back.


    "You''re the sub commander of a Valiant class UEDF space destroyer. Why''d you...?"


    "Accompany you guys to this hellhole?" Hoshikawa interrupted.


    "Simple actually. I trust you''ve already looked up my background?"


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    Sora made a complicated expression and nodded.


    "Hoshikawa Karen... She was the only family I had left. She had her eccentricities, but she was still a nice enough sister." Ken Hoshikawa continued.


    "Somehow, I already noticed even before I saw your name on the roster. You kinda have the same air about you."


    Ken chuckled at Sora''s casual remark.


    "Now that''s new. People always said we looked nothing alike."


    He made a light sigh and fixed his gaze on Sora''s image on the comms.


    "They killed my sister. Those bastards at High Command and these damn aliens. I really just want to personally deliver a good kick to their collective nuts before I get done in.


    I don''t actually believe succeeding here would lead to ending the war. Utilizing an appropriate show of force to push for peace talks is just about as far fetched as they come. We''re also not clear on whether this is the only warp gate available to the Arc. Or if it''s even essential for interstellar travel.


    But who am I to judge huh? Bottom line is, I just don''t want my sister''s work and accomplishments to be turned into a mere farce. If we go down, those bastards at High Command will go down with us."


    Sora smiled bitterly after Ken''s short tirade.


    "Our actions here could potentially put humanity in even greater danger." he pointed out.


    "Did I sound like I cared?" Ken spat.


    "Humanity can fend for itself. We''re as tenecious as cockroaches... Nah,  that might even be an insult to cockroaches in general.


    I just want to get back at the a**holes that let my sister die. Nothing else matters. You''re the same right? And you can''t possibly plan to remain being the militaries loyal lapdog?"


    "We''re both goddamned idiots aren''t we?" Sora remarked; still smiling bitterly.


    "Well, we''re certainly not heroes." Ken replied.


    "Boss, we''ve got hostiles coming in fast." Dela Cruz cut in.


    "Ready your weapons. As planned, the kid''ll head straight to the gate after we punch through the encirclement. After he makes a break for it, we pin those bastards down right here. Hold nothing back!" Ken howled, possibly, his last orders through the comms.


    "Alright kid. Time to bust some balls."


    "There are actually more than a few women in High Command sir." Sora remarked with a wry grin.


    "It''s a figure of speech kid. When did this turn to a debate on gender equality anyway? Just get out there and give em hell!" Ken retorted.


    Sora gave him one last "Yes sir." and saluted briefly. He then fired up his units power core and prepared to wade through the incoming wave of enemies.


    Part 3


    The remaining members of Ken Hoshikawas team carved a path through the throng of enemies and Sora capitalized. He''d already broken through the final defense line and was now approaching the Arc warp gate. Dora suddenly issued a warning.


    "Multiple energy signatures detected. Cross referencing database. Identified as Arc elite units. Closing in fast."


    Sora clicked his tongue.


    "So they did keep some units in reserve." he thought.


    "Open all ether circuits to maximum. Prepare for Full Burst." he ordered.


    Several portions of Kagutsuchi''s armor transformed. It also started emitting crimson light, which grew in strength and magnitude each passing moment.


    Sora quickly refined a large amount of ether energy and sent it coursing all throughout Kagutsuchi''s entire frame. It overflowed and transformed into fiery plumes of sinister crimson energy that erupted from several places on Kagutsuchis body.


    It truly resembled a fiery demon from hell.


    Homuras blade was also covered with intense crimson energy. It expanded to thrice the blades length and radiated extreme heat. Strangely enough, neither Kagutsuchi, nor Homuras blade were affected by the tyrannical heat.


    Soras azure eyes turned fiery red and exuded strength. He let out a fierce shout and furiously charged at the incoming enemies.


    Countless Arc units fell with each swing of Kagutsuchis weapon. Soras attacks were relentless. He strode through the battlefield like a resplendent god of war, cutting down all that stood in his path.


    ***


    His rampage continued unabated, despite taking quite a few hits himself. He was like a berserker steeped in bloodlust. He unleashed all of his pent up fury at his enemies as he steadily approached his objective.


    He burned away every ounce of his strength. He held nothing back. There was no reason not to.


    Bellowing a battle cry, Sora performed a final series of devastating slashes at the remaining Arc forces that stood between him and the warp gate.


    "Rekka-ryuu: Daiguren Rengekizan!" (Raging Flame Style: Great Crimson Lotus Slash Storm)


    Slash attacks flew from Homuras blade like a veritable storm. It resembled a huge blooming flower of fiery crimson energy. All the enemies that got caught up in the attacks were ruthlessly cut to pieces and scattered to the cold reaches of space.


    ***


    "Confirming status. No hostiles detected. The area is clear."


    Doras bell like voice resounded in the cockpit, signaling the end of the battle.


    Sora was panting wildly. He had brought out every ounce of his strength and virtually annihilated all of the Arc forces within the general area. He proceeded to land on the surface of the warp gate.


    "Dora, prime the ether anti-matter bomb." he muttered under his breath.


    "Priming." came the curt response.


    Sora looked at the holo image of his AI partner and gave an apology.


    "I''m sorry I dragged you into this."


    Dora turned to face him and tilted her holographic head slightly.


    "There is no need for apologies. I am a support AI. My fate is unconditionally tied to Kagutsuchis pilot. I will accept and follow any decision you chose to make."


    Sora smiled bitterly at her reply, delivered with the usual deadpan expression.


    "We really are two of a kind aren''t we?" he mused.


    "Ether anti-matter bomb is primed and ready for detonation." Dora informed.


    "Good. Here goes."


    Sora activated the bomb. The timer read three minutes.


    "Not enough time to get away..." Sora thought.


    "Oh well. Now''s as good a time to finally die as any..."


    He found himself strangely welcoming his own demise. He had already gotten tired of his existence. Living as someone else''s puppet tethered on invisible strings wasn''t living at all.


    EX-Seed weren''t capable of ending their own lives. Falling in battle was the one of the ways for them to die. Either that or reaching the end of their low life expectancies.


    Even now, Soras enhanced survival instincts were urging him to escape. But he was truly spent. He could not muster any strength.


    His eyelids felt heavy. The earlier effort left him utterly exhausted. He soon completely lost consciousness.


    ***


    "Phase 2 of Prometheus Project complete. Now moving to Phase 3." an electronic voice resounded.


    The holo projection of the AI moved her gaze to the unconscious Sora.


    "This PANDORA wishes you a pleasant rest. We shall meet again. Til the "box" is pried open..."


    Though it was delivered with the usual apathetic expression, there was a hint of warmth and tenderness in her tone.


    "Initiating quantum jump procedures. Sending to preset coordinates."


    Soras body was enveloped in light and disappeared from the cockpit.


    ***


    Before long, the anti-matter bombs finally detonated. The ensuing reaction engulfed the entire warp gate and the area within its immediate vicinity, reducing all to nothingness.


    ___


    Notes:


    Kagu-tsuchi or Kagutsuchi (�����ĥ�?), referred to as Hinokagatsuchi (��֮�Ⱦ���?) in the Kojiki, and Kagutsuchi (�V��ͻ��?) or Homusubi (��b�?) in the Nihon-Shoki, is the kami (god) of fire in Japanese mythology. Was tragically killed by his father Izanagi after his birth caused his mothers death.


    Izanagi (�����ʥ�?, recorded in the Kojiki as ��а��� and in the Nihon Shoki as ���n�Z) is a deity born of the seven divine generations in Japanese mythology and Shinto, and is also referred to in the roughly translated Kojiki as "male-who-invites" or Izanagi-no-mikoto ("Lord Izanagi"). It is also pronounced Izanagi-no-Okami ("The Great God Izanagi").


    Totsuka-no-Tsurugi (ʮȭ��?, lit. "Sword of Length of Ten Fists") is not a specific sword, but a common noun for any sword of this length. In Japanese mythology, numerous deities own a sword of this kind.


    *In the story setting, Totsuka mode refers to the sword or blade form of the Special Variable Weapon System available to select T-Arms units; Kagutsuchi''s Homura being one of them.


    Ame no Ohabari - A divine blade that appears in Japanese mythology. It was used by Izanagi to slit Hinokagutsuchi''s throat, and the blood that poured forth gave life to new gods.


    *In the story setting, Ame no Ohabari is from the Special Variable Weapon System series. It holds the title of most destructive SVWS ever developed. But it''s also highly inefficient because of its extremely high ether consumption rate and unstable control. The technology used in its development later resurfaced in the form of the ether anti-matter bombs used by Sora to destroy the Arc warp gate in this chapter.


    It also held the ability to break down and forcibly rip apart molecular bonds. But just one miscalculation on the users part would likely result in his or her own death because of the weapon going out of control.


    Homura - This name can be written as �� (en, honoo) meaning "blaze, flame, inflammation" or ���� with �� (shuu, hii.deru, ho) meaning "beauty, excel(lence), surpass" and �� (yuu, ure.eru, kuni, mura) meaning "rural community, village."


    As a word, Homura (��) refers to a blaze or a flame.


    Rekka: Guren Dai Rengekizan - Not sure how to make it sound cool in English. Here''s an attempt anyway:


    Raging Flame Style: Great Crimson Lotus Slash Storm (or Combo if you wanna stay truer to the Japanese meaning of Rengeki)


    *Update: Changed the technique name to Rekka-ryuu: Daiguren Rengekizan (Makes better sense in Japanese)


    *Info from Wikipedia

 Arc 2: Prologue

    Cofused.


    Sora was completely, utterly confused.


    A dank, musty room.


    Aged stone walls.


    A thick wooden door reinforced by iron bolts.


    A small opening that only allowed the faintest ambient light to trickle down from the outside.


    Slightly foul tasting gruel and water that that held trace amounts of rust.


    Huge rats.


    Pesky cockroaches.


    Where was he?


    Why was he here?


    What the heck was going on?!


    Why was he suddenly thrown into this textbook example of a classic dungeon prison the moment he woke up?


    Why did he even wake up in the first place?


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    He was supposed to be dead.


    The last thing he remembered was losing consciousness because of fatigue after activating a cutting edge bomb of mass destruction.


    He was supposed to have been involved in the blast and reduced to nothingness.


    Why then was he still intact?


    And very much alive.


    ***


    It was only after a few more days in prison and a curious series of events that Sora was able to piece together a rough understanding of what happened.


    But what followed after was even more confusion.


    And a great deal of trouble...

 Chapter 7: Kindling (Part 1)

    Part 1


    The small border town of Laurent located at the outskirts of Granford kingdom is currently abuzz with activity.


    It is now nearing the start of the winter solstice. A local festival that heralded its coming is celebrated at this very town every year. And now is precisely the period when that festival is supposedly held.


    But that''s not the cause of the current commotion. In fact, everyone had seemed to have forgotten about it altogether.


    ***


    Evening.


    A group of men and women chatted with a lively atmosphere inside a local tavern.


    "Hey, are the rumors true? Did they really find the location of a ''great treasure'' somewhere within Lincroft forest?" asked a young woman   whose flaxen hair was tied up in a neat bun.


    "Well, I''m not exactly sure about that particular rumor dear... But it is true that they''ve found the largest deposit of manacite ever to be discovered since the Altalandia mines." a portly middle aged male replied.


    "Wow! Our quaint, little frontier town has finally hit it big." the young woman harped excitedly.


    "While it is true that opening a manacite mine near Laurent would bring about lots of jobs and new opportunities, some of the old folks are worried that it''ll take away too much of the towns character." a handsome youth cautioned.


    "What character? Our only sources of income are hunting and logging. But the scale in which we go about them is far too small.


    I''m not even sure if we''re properly recorded in official kingdom maps. That''s how obscure we are." a bespectacled youth retorted.


    "Lots of our friends have already left for other towns. Some have even gone as far as the capital in search of their fortunes. Only a handful youths remain in this this town; you, myself and Emma included. And some are still thinking of leaving.


    The times are changing. We can''t always cling to the past." the bespectacled youth continued.


    "Well, if the mayors son is so adamant about it, then it can''t be all that bad." the portly man chimed in as he patted the shoulder of the bespectacled youth.


    "That''s right. Flynn and Mayor Wesley have always done their utmost for Laurent. You should know that best Cale. You should trust their judgement more." the young woman added.


    "I know Emma. I was just saying we still need to consider our steps carefully. This event could potentially make or break our town after all." the handsome youth replied.


    "Don''t worry Cale. We''ll be careful not to go overboard or decide things rashly. We''ll still properly consult the council about the matter. Father and I will also do everything we can to ensure we''re not sidelined in the negotiations for management rights." the bespectacled youth assured.


    Suddenly, a boy burst inside the tavern while panting wildly.


    "What''s wrong Tim? Minors aren''t allowed in this establishment during this hour." the portly man admonished.


    "M-Mr. Prescott! Everyone! Big news! Humongous news! Ultra Super Duper Mega Gigantic news!" the boy hollered.


    "Calm down kid. What''s gotten into you?" the handsome youth asked.


    "Calm down? Calm down?! How the heck do you expect me to calm down you dolt of a big brother! It''s the second princess! The second princess I tell ya!" the boy yelled hysterically.


    "Woah. Slow down Tim. What''s this about the second princess?" the bespectacled youth inquired.


    "Like I said! It''s the second princess! The second princess Shayla M''Elthuss Granford is going to pay our town a visit! In the flesh!" screamed the boy.


    "Eh... Eh? Eeeeeeeeh?!!!"


    The tavern instantly erupted into a frenzy.


    Part 2


    "Your Highness, your expression is beginning to cramp up." warned an auburn haired young maid.


    "I-Is that so?" replied a silver haired maiden who wore an elegant (and quite cumbersome) azure dress that glittered dazzlingly in the warm sunlight.


    "Meena, do I really have to do this?" the maiden asked. Apprehension was evident in her tone.


    "Of course. It''s common courtesy even for royalty." the maid replied matter-of-factly.


    "I understand the need to have an audience with the town mayor. But why the heck do I even have to parade myself all over town in this gaudy outfit?!" the maiden complained indignantly.


    "It''s for publicity Your Highness. Minister Faulkland already went through the details with you I believe. In case you need a reminder, it''s a measure for captivating the hearts of the populace so they''d be more agreeable to the terms proposed by the crown regarding the newly discovered potential mining site." the maid answered.


    The silver haired maiden, second princess Shayla M''Elthuss Granford, rolled her eyes in frustration as she prepared to wave at the steadily increasing crowd.


    ***


    Shayla M''Elthuss Granford was an academic down to her very core.


    If it weren''t for the fact that she was Granford kingdoms second princess, she already would have holed herself up on a quaint little study somewhere to passionately pore over her research notes and findings.


    Normally, given her position, Shayla would have had next to no opportunity to freely do the things she loved.


    And yet, she still managed to pursue her passions through enlisting the help of her tutors (who cherished her dearly) and several of the castle staff (who were all deeply enamored with her).


    Her crystalline beauty, elegant demeanor (faked), and goddess-like smile (practiced to near perfection in front of her trusty hand mirror) managed to earn her quite a significant following. These people all assisted her through various means and became her eyes and ears.


    She held a specially vested interest in history and archeology. The thought of discovering the great mysteries that lay buried in the ancient past captivated her. She had even attempted to break a taboo because of her thirst for knowledge.


    She dared to research about "The Great Blank" - an extensive period in ancient history which the current world knew almost nothing about. Records were so rare, they seemed practically nonexistent.


    People under the rule of the Holy Union were expressly forbidden from even mentioning it. Studying it is one of the greatest taboos declared by the Church.


    But Shayla wasn''t a particularly devout believer. She cared little for the teachings and continued her research on the subject until the day her father, King Selim Auguste Harkland Granford, found out about it and ordered her work to be confiscated.


    Who would have thought that, in an ironic twist of fate, she would be called upon precisely because the king felt the actual need for the findings gleaned from that very research.


    Part 3


    "Ugh... That was certainly tiring." Shayla complained as she plopped herself headfirst onto the bed.


    The meeting with the mayor had just concluded and, after a customary dinner, the royal entourage were escorted to the fanciest inn in town and were offered their best rooms.


    Normally, the mayor would have offered for the princess to stay at his home. But Mayor Wesley Adkins was quite a frugal man. And that nature was also reflected on the state of the man''s home. It was definitely not fit for a royal princess to stay the night, to say the least.


    And so came the current arrangement. As there were not enough rooms, Meena Langley, Shayla''s personal attendant, shared a room with her. The royal guards as well as the research team Shayla had brought with her from the capital stayed at the adjacent rooms.


    "Forgive me for being frank your highness... But aren''t you really used to all of this already? You''ve always put your astounding social skills to good use back at the castle. You''ve also attended numerous banquets. And I must say, the way you handle yourself during those events is nothing short of uncanny." Meena pointed out.


    "Just because I''m good at it doesn''t mean I actually like it." Shayla retorted and moaned dejectedly.


    She had learned to put up a facade and to subtly and effectively manipulate people''s opinions and feelings out of necessity. To her, it was an invaluable tool in order to pursue her passions. But it was also quite tiring and unpleasant.


    How she craved to openly and freely do what she wanted in life. But being born a princess, especially in a kingdom like Granford,  carried with it responsibilities she can''t just cast away altogether.


    Even now, she was currently in the midst of undertaking a mission for the crown.


    She peered at the night sky through the bedside window and let out a weary sigh.


    ***


    Forest Haven was the tavern most frequented by the local populace of Laurent during the day. Though it couldn''t be called posh or classy by any means, it had a warm, cozy atmosphere that made one ease up and relax. The food and drink were great as well.


    However, it had a few peculiarities. It did not allow for patrons late in the evening. Nor did it put up people to stay for the night. Honestly, calling it a proper tavern seemed a bit farfetched.


    But most peculiar of all were the noises that sometimes emanated from beneath it. Dull clanking and grinding noises as well as ominous howls.


    The locals already seemed accustomed to them and did not seem the least bit agitated. But anyone new would have found it rather creepy.


    ***


    It was already deep into the night. The doors of Forest Haven were firmly shut. But light still spilled out from the glass windows. Young, cheerful voices rang out from within.


    Despite Forest Havens reputation, only these few youths were allowed to loiter within the premises after hours.


    "Wasn''t the second princess just drop dead gorgeous? I''d love to be her prince on a white steed." a brown haired boy, Tim Hughes, exclaimed dreamily.


    "You wish lil'' bro. She''s way, waaay out of your league. But, it''s not bad to dream. Just don''t count on the impossible." a handsome young man with red hair, Cale Hughes, teased.


    "Shut up idiot! I saw you make eyes at her when her carriage passed through earlier. Even my friends saw it. You looked sooo stupid bro, being all smitten like that." Tim retorted.


    "Wha-? I-I did not make eyes at the princess. Stop spewing nonsense!" Cale responded awkwardly. The  motion of slightly turning his gaze away from his smug looking younger brother made his denial seem somewhat suspect.


    *Crack


    A subtle sound of something breaking rang from the counter.


    "Uh... Emma dear, it''s not that I don''t understand but... could you please refrain from crushing our glassware with your bare hands everytime something like this comes up. They''re not exactly cheap y''know." a portly, good humored man, Micah Prescott, pleaded. He was the owner of the tavern as well as the girl''s adoptive father.


    "Sorry papa. I''ll be more careful next time." a pretty young woman with flaxen hair, Emma Prescott, answered with a smile that didn''t quite reach her eyes.


    "Uh-huh... I''ll leave you to your work then." Mr. Prescott replied and made a hasty retreat.


    It was pretty clear why the young woman was irritated. Just about the entire town knows of Emma''s feelings for Cale. Except for the young man in question that is.


    "Honestly, just how dense is he? He''s nothing like his father." Mr. Prescott mused.


    Cale''s father, Trent Hughes, was quite the playboy. He was also relatively handsome and charming. The son inherited his looks, but not his wiles it seemed.


    "Looks like I won''t be having grandchildren anytime soon." Mr. Prescott sighed.


    ***


    While the Hughes siblings bickered, a young bespectacled male sat quietly on a corner of the tavern. He was Flynn Adkins, Mayor Adkins'' only son.


    He stared outside from a nearby window absentmindedly and made audible sighs from time to time.


    The others had already noticed his odd behavior earlier but were hesitant in approaching him. It was quite rare for Flynn to be in such a sombre mood. He wasn''t exactly full of cheer most of the time, but neither did he brood all that much. In that sense, he was a perfectly normal young man.


    Finally, not being able to resist his curiosity, the young Tim went over and posed some questions.


    "What''s wrong Flynn? Your face looks real horrible y''know. Like it''s the end of the world or something. Did something go wrong during the audience with the princess? Or is a late bloomer like you finally having women troubles too?" Tim remarked mischievously.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    At first, there was hardly any reaction. But not long after, Flynn slowly turned towards Tim with an expression that was difficult to place. He then led his gaze wander around the tavern and noticed the worried looks of his friends and his mentor. He made a thin smile and shrugged his shoulders lightly, as if shedding off a burden. His mouth uttered a faint reply.


    "It might actually be the latter."


    The others, including Tim, were momentarily dumbstruck. Flynn wasn''t exactly all that keen about relationships with the opposite sex. Only a few things held his interests. Women were not one of them.


    It''s not that he doesn''t appreciate them. They just weren''t placed high on his priority list. He''d rather train (despite appearances, he''s actually quite athletic) and study than spend time with girls.


    Thus, for him to openly admit to having ''women troubles'' caused everyone present to drop their jaws in surprise.


    "Wait. Don''t tell me you also fell for the princess?!" Tim exclaimed loudly.


    Flynn simply continued to smile enigmatically and moved his gaze to the scenery beyond the window once more. The others became even more agitated.


    ***


    "Really now... I never thought I''d get to see you again after all this time..." Flynn thought sombrely.


    He couldn''t forget how surprised he was to encounter ''her'' once more. As the second princess'' personal attendant no less.


    Her influence on Flynn''s life was not a trivial one. Their first meeting was not the most idyllic. The time they spent together during childhood was so short, it seemed so very much like an ephemeral illusion. But she had imparted him something he would carry for the rest of his life. She had given him a glimpse of a dream.


    "I''d like to talk to you but why does it seem like you''re avoiding me?" he thought dejectedly.


    He sighed once more and muttered her name under his breath.


    "Meena..."


    ***


    She gazed upon the night sky with an air of melancholy.


    "It seems he''s doing well." she mused. A hint of a smile floated upon her lovely lips, but was quickly replaced with a worried frown.


    She recalled the time the two of them met. She came to deeply enjoy his company in the short time they were together.


    Since her family frequently moved from place to place, never staying more than a few months at a time, she felt quite detached with kids her age and other people in general. She never would have thought it would only take a chance meeting with a short, snot nosed boy with laughably large glasses to break down her walls.


    She felt so comfortable in his presence that she let down her guard and shared with him a few secrets her family warned never to be disclosed to others unless told otherwise.


    That was a mistake she would come to regret once she gained greater understanding of just how grave the knowledge she held was. It held the potential to create an upheaval all throughout the world and destroy its very foundations.


    That upheaval was what her clan strove for throughout the ages. They were deemed dangerous enough that certain organizations and even entire nations were once out to cull their entire existence.


    They have since lain low - mostly living on the very fringes of society except for a few exceptions. But they have never forgotten the goal of their clan. Nor have they given up on eventually attaining it.


    She moved her gaze to her mistress who now slept comfortably. The princess'' long, silver hair shone in the moonlight filtering through the glass window. Her delicate figure curled up on the large bed was truly a beautiful sight to behold.


    Meena Langley smiled bitterly. She thought it was truly ironic. She desired never to involve that clumsy fool, Flynn Adkins, more than she already had regarding her matters. But her actions and that of her clans would undoubtedly even affect this quaint border town whether or not she desired it.


    And she''d already involved this unfortunate princess in her clans machinations. This cunning yet, at the same time, naive young woman who truly thought of her as a friend.


    She thought herself despicable. But she believed in her clans goal more than any other. Thus, she could not stop. She could never stop.


    She could only hope her childhood friend and this secretly introverted princess would come out of it all safely - all the while not fully realizing that all of them have already gone beyond the point of no return.


    Part 4


    Light footsteps rang within the walls of the newly discovered manacite mine. The frequency of the sounds indicated haste.


    Finally, the owners of those footsteps reached their intended destination. Locks of long, radiant silvery hair were revealed as one figure took off her robe.


    A buff, square chinned man dressed in light armor gave the newly arrived people a perfunctory salute and turned his attention to the silver haired young woman, Second Princess Shayla M''Elthuss Granford.


    "Greetings Your Highness. I am Loxley Sinclair, vice commander of the Laurentia garrison."


    Princess Shayla smiled and told him to be at ease. She then proceeded to inquire about the main point of interest after handing Meena her robe.


    "Is this it?" she asked and slightly jerked her chin forward.


    "Yes Your Highness." Loxley answered.


    "It was found after a portion of the cave crumbled while the miners were in the middle of gathering manacite samples for grading. They reported it to us immediately, but we honestly can''t make heads or tails of this either, so we sent word to the capital."


    A massive metal door loomed before them. Lining its borders were diagonal yellow and black stripes that formed a continuous pattern. And on its center was an unknown symbol - bright, golden flames that seemed to engulf the image of the world beneath it. Words were also embossed below the ominous symbol, the meanings of which were lost to most of those present.


    But there were those who understood its significance.


    Shayla held back an excited gasp and approached the massive structure. She ran her fingers on its smooth, cold surface, stopping at the center. She traced the embossed letters lightly; her eyes betraying her excitement.


    "Prometheus Project..." she whispered in awe.


    "I finally found one. A definite clue."


    "What in the world is it Your Highness? Just what have we unearthed?"


    Loxley''s rough voice interrupted her reverie.


    Shayla turned around, displaying a serene smile.


    "Knowledge, Sir Loxley. A treasure beyond our wildest dreams."


    Meena''s expression wavered slightly at Shayla''s statement. But it was so subtle, one wouldn''t really notice anything even if they looked.


    A commotion soon broke out from the miners and soldiers present.


    "Hey, isn''t this bad? The Church won''t approve investigating something like this." one miner quipped.


    "Are you an idiot? We''ve already ceded from the Holy Union ages ago. That shouldn''t really matter anymore." another one retorted.


    "B-But... wouldn''t this incur divine retribution?" another miner nervously added.


    "Well, aren''t you such a devout believer." a soldier jeered.


    "I was just saying..." the miner retorted indignantly.


    "Quiet down you lot. You''re in the presence of Her Royal Highness!" Loxley admonished.


    The commotion instantly died down under Loxley''s sharp gaze. But hints of agitation and worry still lingered in their expressions.


    In truth, Loxley was no better. But he endeavored to keep his thoughts and emotions in check. He was, first and foremost, an Adept serving the crown. It was not his place to judge the kings decisions.


    "Have you tried opening it?" Shayla asked suddenly.


    "No Your Highness. We thought it best to leave this one in the hands of experts." Loxley answered.


    The enormous door did not have any visible hinges or unlocking mechanisms. Even Shayla was in a bit of a loss about what to do.


    "Should we bring a Gigas in sir?" a soldier suggested.


    "We could try prying it open with it. We have a heavy duty model with us anyway."


    The soldier referred to the massive humanoid constructs used for both military and civilian purposes all over the known world. Their size and power made them truly effective weapons. They were also highly valued for things like large construction projects among other such similar tasks that required strength beyond what was normally possible.


    "No!" Shayla refused hastily before Loxley could even reply.


    "The contents within might possibly be delicate. We can''t just carelessly force it open."


    Just as they became stuck in an impasse, something unexpected caught everyone''s attention.


    Noise akin to machines whirring to life reverberated. A portion of the wall directly on top of the massive door opened.


    From within, a strange contraption burst forth. It was akin to a huge glass eye that peered down on everyone present. Red light eerily flickered from within it. Closer inspection revealed it to be a bit similar to the mono eye sensor used on some Gigas models.


    "W-What the heck is that thing?!" a miner screamed in terror.


    Panic spread out from within the group. Some miners have already begun running away. One was screaming "Divine wrath! We''re gonna suffer divine wrath!" hysterically.


    As Loxley struggled to reign in the situation, the eerie red light suddenly burst forth and covered everyone present. It then narrowed into a thin line and proceeded to move across their bodies.


    "What the...?!"


    Even Loxley was not able to maintain his composure.


    "Your Highness! It might be dangerous here. Let''s fall back for the time being. Your Highness!"


    Loxley''s warnings didn''t reach Shayla''s ears. She was too preoccupied with what was happening in front of her.


    "So this is a fragment of the ancients'' wisdom..." she thought in awe and reverence.


    A strange image was displayed right before her eyes. No one seemed to notice it apart from her. A frustrated Loxley grabbed her shoulders and started leading her away. But she struggled free. She ran in front of the enormous door once more, gazing at the impassive glass ''eye'' and the image it burned in front of her.


    "What lies beyond is a key to unravel the past, overturn the present and change the future.


    Do you wish to start the rebirth of the world in the flames of wisdom?"


    Shayla''s heart was pained with indecision. She had finally found something that might help her in realizing her long cherished wish - the reason she grew to be obsessed with archeology and "The Great Blank" to begin with. But the ominous question kept her from going any further.


    Rebirth in flames? What did that mean? Should she really be seeking that sort of wisdom? Would this not bring about something that she would come to regret later on?


    But the allure of forbidden knowledge was hard to resist. A great temptation crept upon her. Like whispers of the devil. Her heart swayed.


    The glass ''eye'' moved, seemingly narrowing its ''gaze'' upon her. It seemed to peer within her very soul. And, as abruptly as it appeared, it retreated back to its chamber on top of the massive door.


    The mine shaft was once again enveloped in all encompassing silence.


    Loxley immediately ran over to recover the princess who fell to her knees. But no sooner had he taken his first few steps that noise filled the surroundings once more.


    The massive door opened with a great rumble. Within it was another metallic door. But that soon opened as well. A series of metallic doors opened further in sequence, finally revealing a dark passageway.


    It seemed like the entrance to a dark abyss. But that feeling only lasted for a brief moment. Lights flicked to life, illuminating the passageway which seemed to lead further in.


    All of those remaining stared in awe.