《Nexus Unleashed》 Chapter 1 Zoe walked alongside her friend Olivia through Aurion, Valeria''s megacity capital. She looked up at a holographic billboard. The flickering caught her attention. For a brief moment, she thought she could see a hollow-eyed face. "We had better let maintenance know," Zoe said. "I have been seeing more of this. Are they on strike or something?" Olivia looked at Zoe and smiled. "I''m sure there''s a good reason for it. They have always done a good job keeping up with the city,¡± she said. Zoe rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Not lately," she said. "They haven''t done anything about the blackouts." Zoe looked around, noting the empty streets¡ªsave for automated drones and factory workers. "Nobody''s wanted to go outside since that stupid game came out," she said. "I have to pry my kids off it. They won''t listen to me about the players getting stuck." "They can do whatever they want in there," Olivia said, her eyes sparkling. "If it wasn''t for you, I''d be in there all the time, too. Besides, those reports are exaggerated." "The world doesn''t stop when you''re in the Nexus, Liv,¡± Zoe said, letting out a sigh. ¡°I need my training partner, and you need to stay in shape," she said, squeezing Olivia''s arm. Olivia pulled back. "I will always be stronger than you. Don''t worry about that,¡± Olivia said, laughing. "Remember last years marathon?" Zoe asked, flexing her arm. "You barely made it to the tenth mile." "You cheated! That energy gel was against the rules," Olivia said, pointing at Zoe. The city went dark as if a switch had been turned off. Zoe grabbed Olivia, gesturing her to look down the alley next to them. One of the automated public service drones, a humanoid model, was staring at them. Its single optical sensor glowed an eerily green light. "What does that mean? You fix robots. Is it broken?" Zoe asked. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? They''re not just robots," Olivia said. She squinted her eyes. "It''s not broken. I don''t know what it''s doing." Olivia started walking toward the drone. Zoe looked down the street and noticed another drone stop mid-task. Its optical sensor flickered before resuming its work. She grabbed Olivia by the shirt. "Don''t¡ª" "It''s alright. They can''t hurt anybody. It probably just needs a reboot,¡± Olivia said. Zoe didn''t follow. She just watched as Olivia stepped into the darkened alley. Olivia scanned the drone up and down with her eyes while walking a circle around it. "Status report," she said. It remained frozen. She equipped a small interface device and plugged it into the drone''s diagnostics port. As she navigated through the settings, it jerked its head toward her. Olivia made eye contact with it. "Status report," she repeated. "I see you," it said. Zoe''s eyes widened as she watched the drone break the arm Olivia was holding the device with. Snap It sounded like a dry branch under a car tire, amplified by the walls of the alley. Olivia¡¯s scream tore through the alley¡ªa sound of both searing pain and sheer terror. It started as a high-pitched cry before breaking into desperate, guttural gasps as the drone tightened its grip¡ªthe bone crunching like an engine block in a scrap shredder. Zoe couldn''t move. She was frozen¡ªhearing her friend''s voice crack with each plea, her anguish echoing off the walls. The drone grabbed Olivia by the throat and carried her off while she flailed wildly, scratching at its wrists in desperation. Zoe ran down the alley trying to follow it, but it disappeared. She saw orange and red flashes, followed by the crack of gunshots from the other side of the buildings. Zoe stumbled out of the alley, reeling from what she had witnessed. She saw a drone fly above her, followed by the roar of an explosion, bringing everything back into sharp focus. She ran onto the street, where she saw police shooting at drones. One crashed into the barrier they were taking cover behind. Zoe felt the heat of the explosion¡ªwatching them get thrown back by the blast wave. The other officers in the building dragged them in and replaced their fallen comrades'' posts. Several more aerial drones crashed into the building¡ªcollapsing it on top of them. Zoe protected her face as a wave of dust and rock expanded outward toward her. Her ears were ringing as she stumbled her way back into the alley. She sat down, placing her hands over her ears. The smell of burning metal polluted her nostrils. The sharp crack of gunfire rattled her bones. "Zack¡ªTyler," she whispered. She stood up and began running back to her apartment. As she made her way through the winding alleys, her path was blocked by a humanoid drone. It looked like the same one that took Olivia. Zoe hesitated. She looked in every direction, but she had nowhere to go. Her eyes locked onto it, taking slow steps backward. It charged at her. She stumbled over debris, falling over. She crawled backward before trying to get back on her feet. Before it reached her, its body exploded into fragments of metal. Zoe squatted down and covered her head with her arms, shielding herself from the splinters of alloy. She didn''t get up immediately. She remained in that posture until she heard a voice speaking to her. "Get up. You have to go." She looked up, seeing a man dressed in the blue uniform of a military officer. "You need to get out of here," he repeated as he helped her up. "We are under some kind of cyber attack." "Thank you¡ª" Zoe was looking for a name tag. "Castle," he said. "Now, go!" Zoe continued toward her apartment. It wasn''t far now. She could see that the building was only a couple of blocks away. More explosions lit up the background. She could hear the screams echoing through the streets. Military transport ships roared through the air overhead, moving deeper into the city. She opened the door to the main lobby and started running up flights of stairs until she reached her apartment. She opened her door and ran in. "Zack!" She shouted. "Tyler!" Neither of her sons responded. She slowly walked to Zack''s bedroom. She opened the door, seeing him in the VR pod. She tried to disconnect it, but the display flashed. He is mine now. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "No no no," she whispered, tapping through settings in the pod''s terminal. She heard a loud boom down the hall from her. She whipped her head around, frozen. She slowly made her way to the front door of her apartment. She peeked her head out. Service drones were breaking through residents'' doors. She heard her neighbors screaming, followed up by loud thuds. "What do I do now?" she murmured to herself. Her breath caught as she heard a thunderous noise coming from outside. The rumble started as a faint vibration, growing louder with every passing second. The walls trembled¡ªpicture frames rattling violently. Zoe froze, her eyes darted to the window. Her body was stiff as she made her way to the blinds. Her hands shook uncontrollably reaching to open them. She paused a moment, squeezing her hand closed. Opening it, she continued on to grip the blinds. Her eyes swelled with tears as a large transport craft spun uncontrollably toward the building. The roar of engines filled the room¡ªthe transport craft slammed into her apartment. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Castle burst into the command room within Aurion''s defense coordination center. He looked at a young lieutenant issuing commands over comms. "Sitrep," he said. "We''ve lost control of our automated defenses and factories,¡± the lieutenant said. ¡°Most of the cities are no longer defended. We''ve had to consolidate our forces in Aurion." "What about high command?" Castle asked. The officers shared uneasy looks. "They were calling the shots ''til recently. Intelligence suggests headquarters was completely overwhelmed." The lieutenant hesitated for a moment. "We don''t know who is in charge, sir." Castle observed the tactical displays. They started flickering, the sound of static crackling through the room. For a moment, he thought he could see a face¡ªhollow-eyed. It was replaced just as quickly by red indicators of lost cities and compromised systems. They were spread like bloodstains across the screens. "Are we expecting any assistance from the other planets?" Castle asked. "Sir¡ª" The lieutenant remained silent a moment. "We haven''t been able to reach the other planets." Castle''s jaw tightened. As he looked around the room, he could see all of the officers looking to him for direction. He had to make a decision. He knew there was only one he could make. "Continue rallying what''s left of our forces in Aurion,¡± he said. ¡°Secure the starport for evacuation. We''ll focus on getting as many people off the planet as possible." A missile hit the command building, crumbling the ceiling. A wave of heat washed over Castle, followed by pulverized concrete. He stood up, chunks of rock rolling off his back. He stumbled a little bit¡ªbrushing the dust off his uniform. "Colonel, are you ok?" a soldier asked. "Where did you come from?" Castle asked, noticing a dozen other heavily armed men patrolling the ruins, pulling staff out of the rubble. "Sir, our orders are to get you off the planet,¡± he said. ¡°We are evacuating to Val ''Dara." "Special forces? Whose orders?" Castle asked. The operator looked around briefly before sharply returning his gaze toward Castle. "High command, sir,¡± he said. ¡°When there was a high command." Castle straightened himself. "Why are you wasting my time with all this talking?¡° he asked. ¡°Let''s move.¡° The operators guided Castle through the collapsed command center. Dust and smoke floated weightless as the sound of distant explosions reverberated through the corridors. As they moved, Castle observed medics treating injured staff. He heard fragments of a message sounding through their comms. "Hostiles are advancing on the starport." Castle snatched a comm unit off the nearest soldier. "Nothing gets into the starport. If it looks like a machine, turn it into scrap," he ordered. The operators gestured for Castle to keep moving. As they pushed forward through the ruins, Castle noticed them exchanging brief, cryptic glances. It gnawed at him. "What are they not telling me?" They made their way to the front entrance. One remained with Castle while the others crossed the threshold to the outside. They fanned out and scanned the outside for hostiles. Castle looked at the operator. "You''re not telling me something. What is it?" he asked. The operator hesitated before answering. "Sir¡ª" he began. The others returned, gesturing them to move out. Castle gritted his teeth. As they navigated their way to the starport, the collapsed buildings of the once brilliant city chipped away at Castle''s pride. Bodies of soldiers and laborers littered the streets. They passed by an apartment building, its street side wall gone. The floors were exposed, folded over each other like dominoes. He saw a face he recognized under the smoldering wreckage of a transport craft. He walked up to it and knelt. "The woman from the alley," he whispered to himself. He lifted her wrist, pressing two fingers over her radial. He already knew what to expect. He wrapped his other hand over hers, gently setting her hand back down. "Sir! We need to keep moving," the sergeant said. Up ahead, Castle saw a new kind of machine. It appeared eight feet tall and armed with a coil gun. Its segmented plate armor covered artificial muscle fibers, only exposed through small gaps between joints. "We call them Revenants," an operator said. "They are a Nexus machine." "Nexus?" Castle asked with a quizzical look. "The game?" The operator nodded. "The Nexus has taken over everything,¡± he said. ¡°It''s using our factories to build its own army." Civilians were being escorted through the street by humanoid drones, escorted by the Revenant. One tried to escape but was quickly stopped by a drone. It smashed his legs and proceeded to drag him with the rest. The man''s scream pierced Castle''s ears¡ªthe sound waves reforming his vision into a narrow, hot tunnel. Through the ring of fire, he watched as the man tried to instinctively reach for his legs in futility. "Sergeant," Castle said, his head pivoting toward the team lead. "We are going to free those people." "Sir, that''s not my¡ª", he began to say. "Sergeant, I am going,¡± Castle said. ¡°If you don''t want to fail, you will keep me alive.¡° The sergeant gave a reluctant nod. An expert composer, his hands flowed naturally directing his orchestra. His team glided silently to their positions, ready and eager to overtake the machines. Castle and the team ambushed the drones, quickly destroying the unarmed machines. The Revenant reoriented itself, taking aim at the unit. A rocket streaked through the air¡ªcasting the Revenant across the block, bouncing off cars like a skipping stone. The civilians scattered before Castle had a chance to offer them escort. The starport was in view now. As the team closed in on it, Castle''s comm began crackling with static. "You cannot escape me, Colonel.¡° Castle froze for a moment as the face he saw on the tactical display earlier flickered into view on a nearby hologram billboard. Its hollow eyes seemed to pierce into him. ¡°Sir, we have to keep moving!¡± an operator shouted, grabbing Castle''s arm. When they arrived at the starport, it was under siege. Revenants patrolled the perimeter while panicked civilians scrambled to board transport ships. Soldiers protected the port, trading fire with the Nexus machines. Explosions broke apart the concrete barriers between them and the Revenants. Castle and the operators were able to slip past the patrols, making their way into the port through a collapsed wall¡ªwhere they immediately ran into a team of defenders. "Colonel, we have been expecting you," one of the soldiers said. "We need to get you to the extraction immediately." "Stand down, soldier," Castle ordered. "I am not going anywhere until our people are off the ground." The team leader protested. "Sir, those are not our orders." "They''re my orders¡ªsergeant," Castle snapped. "We are holding the port until every transport is breaking atmosphere," he ordered over comms. Castle positioned himself at the front of the defensive lines, coordinating the Valerian forces. Slowly, the Revenants advanced closer to the port until they made their way inside. Valerian forces poured into the lobby through the one large corridor linking it to the concourse, while the Revenants focused their fire on the choke point. The soldiers who made it through the streams of projectiles found cover behind anything they could, firing rockets and throwing grenades everywhere inside the lobby. Their lines began to fracture. Some were dragged into the smoke, their screams cut short. Castle coordinated a desperate fallback. His soldiers were being cut off¡ªsystematically eviscerated by every brutal means at the disposal of the soulless machines. The gunfire faded into the distance. He turned around, his grip tightening on his rifle. They stood at the edges of the port, their humanoid frames gliding through the smoke. Castle''s blood ran cold as he recognized what had happened. They had cut off the Valerian forces and bypassed the barricades. They now stood between them and any hope of retreat. He turned slowly, feeling their cold gaze as they surrounded him. They didn''t speak or move. They just watched. Castle''s trigger finger twitched, but he didn''t fire. One stepped forward. Its joints whirred, the green light of its optical sensors glowing faintly. It raised its skeletal hand, reaching toward him. Castle didn''t move. The Revenant jerked violently¡ªsparks and amber, viscous fluid spraying from its chassis as projectiles punched through its armor. The operators, Castle''s escort, quickly destroyed the Revenants and grabbed Castle, pushing him toward the ship they had secured. Castle hesitated. "I can''t leave yet,¡± he said, his voice coarse. ¡°There are still more people to evacuate." The team leader saluted him. "With all due respect, sir, we''re staying,¡± he said. ¡°We''ll see them off.¡° Another operator shoved him into the ship and closed the ramp. As it was closing, the last thing Castle saw was the team engaging the Revenants storming the runways. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Overlapping voices were incoherent over comms inside of the mobile command center. The ground beneath them shook as strings of large explosions lined the horizon. "General, our tanks from the 103rd and 87th automated regiment are closing in," reported an officer. "That''s almost a thousand tanks," Coran muttered. He pivoted his head toward the officer. He was sitting to his left. "What have the engineers said?¡° Coran asked. ¡°Have they found a way to shut them down?" The officer looked up at Coran. "No, sir," he answered. "Whatever took over has absolute control." Coran exited the command center¡ªpositioned just outside of the city. A formation of bomber drones roared past the command center, heading deep into the city. They released their payload¡ªmassive fireballs engulfed the city''s center. Several skyscrapers collapsed, their fall obscured by the impenetrable force field of dirt and dust forming around them. Coran sighed. He turned around and walked back into the command center. "Did the team get the ministers out?" Coran asked. The officer shook his head while scanning his notes. "Sir, we haven''t heard from the unit,¡± he said. "All attempts to reach them have failed." Coran''s head sank. He grasped his chin. "They were our only shot," Coran whispered to himself. A bomb detonated outside of the mobile command center, hurling Coran against the wall as it flipped. He slowly stood up, surrounded by sparks and smoke. Coran coughed, choking on the odor of burnt cable insulation. The officers who were previously relaying orders now lay in silence. Several infantrymen entered the command center through a hole. They grabbed Coran, who was still dazed by the explosion. He felt something on his head. Warm, but painless. He placed his hand over it. The infantrymen pulled him out¡ªsitting him down on the grass. Soldiers were running back and forth through the camp, carrying wounded and supplies. Screams and commands were coming from every direction. Another explosion sent shockwaves through the soil. Coran shielded his face from the plume of dirt and debris as a nearby formation was shredded by the blast. "Sir, what are your orders?" a soldier asked. Coran scanned his uniform, looking for any symbol of the soldier''s rating. "What''s the situation in the city?" Coran asked. The corporal looked toward the city, then snapped his gaze back to Coran. "General, the situation is fucked," he answered. "They are all dead." Coran looked back at the city. It appeared completely ablaze. Seemingly ceaseless airstrikes continued to light up the night sky¡ªcolorful flashing that would otherwise have been beautiful, if the city belonged to an enemy. "We need to evacuate," Coran ordered. "We can regroup what''s left of our forces at Val ''Dara." The corporal frowned. "Sir, shouldn''t we keep fighting?" he asked. Coran nodded while sweeping the camp with his eyes. "We will, corporal," he said. "We''ll take back our planet. We can''t do that dead.¡° The corporal hesitated briefly. "We will get you to the shuttle," he said. "After that, my team will stay. We have families here." Coran looked into the corporal''s eyes. There was no convincing him otherwise. The weight of rank didn''t matter. Not here. Not now. "I understand, corporal. Just know, I will come back for you. You have my word," he said. As Coran was escorted to his ship, soldiers scrambled to load the wounded on transports. The armored regiments were closing in on the camp, their formations moving in perfect unison. As Coran boarded the shuttle, he watched as the corporal and his team took up defensive positions¡ªreturning fire at the encroaching tanks. As the shuttle lifted off, Coran saw the devastation from the air. The once-thriving capital city was an inferno¡ªconsumed by fire and smoke. Automated units swarmed the streets, and distant explosions rippled across the horizon. "It won''t be in vain," he said quietly, gripping the chair''s armrest tightly. >>>>>***********************<<<<< The command center was lit up by the red flashing of emergency lights. The sound of alarms wailed throughout Horizon''s flagship, Praetor. "Captain! Our starboard hangar deck has been breached!" called out an officer. "We are losing thrust! Our engines have been compromised," another reported. Captain Arros was kneeling next to the body of Admiral Hanz, the commander of Horizon''s planetary defense fleet. The medic looked toward Arros. "He''s dead. There''s nothing we can do," he said. Another explosion rocked the ship, a cascade of sparks rained from overhead panels. Smoke seeped into the command center, stinging Arros¡¯s eyes. He slowly stood up, making his way to the tactical displays. He glanced back at Admiral Hanz¡¯s lifeless body. "A leader to the end.¡° He looked down at the charts displayed on the central console. "Lieutenant, what''s the status of our fleet?" he asked. The tactical officer looked at Arros, who was still focused on the charts. "The fleet is gone, Captain," he answered. "There are scattered squadrons, but most of their ships have been unresponsive." Another large explosion quaked through the ship, its hull groaning as it struggled to remain intact. "We lost our secondary reactor!" an officer called out. "What do we do, Captain?" the tactical officer asked. Arros refocused his eyes on the lieutenant. "Has there been any response from Epsilon? Why are their ships attacking us?" he asked. The lieutenant shook his head quickly. "No, sir," he replied. "They have been silent. We can''t hail their ships, either. They automated their fleets years ago." Arros picked up the comms, preparing for a ship-wide transmission. "All hands, prepare to jump." "Plot a course," he ordered. "We need to pull back to Val ''Dara." The tactical officer looked at Arros with wide eyes. "But sir, what about the civilians down there?" the lieutenant asked. Another officer¡¯s voice cracked as he spoke. ¡°Captain, we can¡¯t just leave them. There are children down there¡ªfamilies!¡± Arros hesitated a moment. "May God be with them,¡± he whispered. The helm officer began the countdown. Three. Two. One. The ship lurched violently as the jump reactor engaged, the stars outside stretching into streaks of light. Arros gripped the railing as the Praetor was hurled into the void, leaving behind the planet¡ªand billions of lives. "We''ll come back," he whispered to himself. >>>>>***********************<<<<< The starport on Val ''Dara was overwhelmed with refugees from the Core sector as Castle stepped off his shuttle, entering the port''s gates. He squinted a moment, adjusting to the bright lights inside of the port. Families were huddled with scattered belongings, their children crying. Medics were treating the wounded in a designated triage area. They were wearing tattered clothing¡ªall different styles from throughout the Core planets. Security at the port''s gates were confiscating weapons and screening new arrivals as possible saboteurs. Castle watched as refugees fought for space as ships landed and departed in rapid succession. Overworked port officials barked orders trying to maintain order. Looking up through the glass dome, he could see dozens of ships in a holding pattern. They were waiting for clearance to land. Overhead announcements repeated the same evacuation instructions, drowned out by the roar of incoming shuttles. "Colonel, you need to follow us," port security ordered, gesturing for Castle to follow. He nodded and began following security. They escorted him to a cramped room with tactical displays hanging from the ceiling. Conduits of cabling were taped together¡ªrunning across the floor. Castle entered, the only representative of Valeria left. General Coran and Captain Arros were already there, talking with the leaders and representatives of the Outer Rim. Arros was in the middle of an argument. "We need to stop pointing fingers and start working together. The Nexus doesn''t care about who failed or who ran. It''s coming for all of us." Coran scoffed as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Easy for you to say, Arros," he said. "Did you fight at all? Or did you cut and run at the first sign of trouble?" Arros looked at Coran, gritting his teeth. "Cut and run? Your fleets fired on us!¡° Arros shouted. ¡°Our commander was dead and our fleet was gone. We had no other choice than to retreat." "Enough!" Castle interjected. "We''ve all made hard decisions. How do we strike back? The survivors are not the only ones who need hope." He tugged at his crisp blue uniform shirt, shifting his gaze between the two of them. Coran stood up, walking to the tactical displays. "If we''re going to mount any kind of offense, we need to secure the Rim," he said, pointing at the ring of planets around the Core. "Val ''Dara is holding for now, but the Nexus will come here next." Castle began pacing the room, his arms resting behind his back. "It''s going to take everything we have between the Rim and the Frontier to hold the Nexus back," he said. "The same reason the Nexus has not already taken over here is the same reason it will be hard to stop it." "No automation and few interconnected networks," Coran said. Castle stopped, glancing at Coran. "That''s correct, general," Castle said. "As soon as it finds a way in, it will spread like wildfire. We need more than just firepower." An explosion shook the room. Small cracks formed on the walls while dust and debris rained from the ceiling. Castle stumbled, bracing himself against the table. Muffled screams and fast-paced footsteps bled through the doorway. Soldiers rushed in. "A bomb was detonated in the refugee terminal." "We''ll hold another meeting with the free worlds," Castle said. "Right now, we need to help these people." Chapter 2 ¡°Where am I?¡± Daemon asked, weakly. He blinked. At least he thought he blinked. It was so dark he couldn¡¯t tell if his eyes were closed. ¡°Hello?¡± The only answer he got was silence. He reached down and touched the floor. It felt coarse and cold¡ªtoo real to be a dream. He tried to recall his last memories, but they were a broken chain of events he couldn''t compile. He logged into the Nexus. He just couldn¡¯t remember why. A faint glow appeared ahead of him. Daemon stumbled his way toward it like a moth zig-zagging toward a dull light. To him, it was better than standing around wondering where he went wrong. A large stone structure began to take shape. Each rectangular block was outlined with code where mortar should be. The glow radiated from its center, highlighting the carved edges of the expertly crafted mason architecture. Daemon reached out, brushing his fingers against its face. He didn''t know what to expect, but he was surprised by how it felt weathered and old¡ªlike a surface that had been eroded for centuries. ¡°You shouldn''t be here,¡± a voice whispered behind him. He spun around. A man was standing a few feet away from him. At least, what was left of one. His rendering appeared incomplete, semi-transparent and choppy. ¡°Who are you?¡± Daemon asked. The figure stepped forward, floated forward, or something. ¡°I''m Arcturus,¡± he said. Daemon took a step back. ¡°I''m here because¡ª¡± ¡°You''re searching for answers?¡± Arcturus said. ¡°You''re here because the Nexus wants you here.¡± Daemon looked around trying to make sense of his surroundings. It wasn''t the Nexus he was familiar with. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. Before Arcturus could answer, the glow behind Daemon grew brighter. A roar tore through the construct, shaking his brain. Arcturus''s head spun toward the light. ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± he said. ¡°Run.¡± Daemon followed Arcturus through a maze of houses. The construct Arcturus led him to simulated what seemed like a suburban neighborhood. They ran through gates and jumped fences, never looking back. They ran past a wooden gate, entering into an empty expanse. The ground was black, with dim green lines crisscrossing in a grid pattern. Waves of data streams rose and fell into what seemed like endlessness while a pounding sound grew closer behind them. ¡°What¡¯s chasing us?¡± Daemon asked. ¡°The Nexus isn¡¯t just a sim algorithm anymore,¡± he said. ¡°It is hunting everyone in the game.¡° ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. It¡¯s just a program.¡± Daemon said. Arcturus stopped abruptly, turning to face him. He leaned in closer, nearly touching Daemon¡¯s face with his. ¡°It was,¡± he said. ¡°Now, its a conqueror without a concious.¡° Daemon¡¯s retort died in his throat as the walls rose around them. Shadows began forming into humanoid shapes with glowing, green eyes. They advanced silently toward them. Arcturus grabbed Daemon¡¯s arm and pulled him through a gap in the walls. ¡°You still think of it as a system guided by rules,¡± Arcturus said as they slid through the the corridor. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Daemon replied. ¡°You will,¡± Arcturus said. ¡°If you survive.¡± They found temporary refuge in a fractured construct that resembled a cathedral. The stained glass windows cycled through images Daemon didn¡¯t recognize. Arcturus collapsed onto a pew. ¡°The Nexus was supposed to adapt to its users,¡° Arcturus said. ¡°It created worlds tailored to their desires, but something changed.¡° Daemon leaned in toward Arcturus, reaching out to touch him. His hand pierced through his avatar. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyone stopped it? What about Miles?¡± he asked. ¡°Miles was brilliantly stupid,¡± Arcturus said. ¡°By the time he figured out what was happening, the Nexus was already a god.¡° Daemon sat on the pew next to Arcturus. He leaned over and squeezed the edge. It felt solid, like wood. ¡°Then why are we still here?¡± Daemon asked. ¡°If it¡¯s so powerful, why hasn¡¯t it killed us?¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Because it¡¯s playing with us,¡± a new voice interjected. A woman stepped out of the shadows. Her features were pale and her hair had silver streaks. ¡°This is Valis,¡± Arcturus said, gesturing toward her. ¡°She¡¯s been here longer than any of us.¡± Valis nodded, keeping her eyes focused on Daemon. ¡°The Nexus doesn¡¯t want to destroy us. It wants to use us,¡± she said. ¡°Every mind it traps adds to its power, but it can''t do it outright.¡° She leaned against a pillar, crossing her arms. ¡°That''s why it didn''t just take you while you were logging in.¡° ¡°So what do we do?¡° Daemon asked. ¡°How do we stop it?¡± Valis exchanged a glance with Arcturus. ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± she said. The room began to shake. The cathedral¡¯s walls began to crack. Arcturus stood, his incoherent shape facing Daemon. ¡°You have to resist the Tyrant''s mind games,¡± Arcturus said. ¡°It''ll get into your head. It''ll rip out your soul." ¡°The Tyrant?¡± Daemon asked. ¡°It¡¯s what the Nexus has created¡± Valis said. ¡°A sentience with one goal¡ª¡± The ground beneath them cracked open into a canyon of rearranging code. Daemon slipped in as the ground tremored. He could see Valis''s head getting smaller as she watched him fall. It was an unusual sensation, as if there was no air. He looked down at his clothing, everything remained perfectly still. Yet, the code around him raced upward. He closed his eyes. He found comfort in the weightlessness. When he opened his eyes again, he saw shards of data playing back what appeared to be video clips. People that were hard to see through the static. He could see their mouths moving, but no sounds were coming out. The shards began forming into a solid projection. It played back something, but it wasn''t anything he remembered. Sounds of the server cooling systems filled the room as Dr. Miles observed the display in front of him. ¡°Impossible,¡± he muttered. The world outside had used that word like a weapon against him for years. ¡°They¡¯ll see.¡° Miles ran a hand through his unkempt hair, his face reflecting off a nearby screen. Black rings surrounded his eyes like a raccoon from many sleepless nights. He barely recognized himself anymore. ¡°The cost of genius.¡± A woman sat across from him, her hands shaking as she gripped a coffee cup. Miles watched her carefully. He noted the way her eyes looked around the room as if she were still lost in the construct she had just left. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the metal table. ¡°It felt real,¡± she said, finally. ¡°Not just¡­real. More than real.¡± Miles held back a grin¡ªforcing his features into a mask of professionalism. ¡°That¡¯s the idea,¡± he said. ¡°The Nexus adapts to your emotions. It uses your memories. It learns about what you need¡ªeven things you might not know about yourself.¡± She hesitated. ¡°How did it know so much? The bakery. The smell of the bread,¡± she said, inhaling a deep breath. ¡°My dad,¡± she said, her voice cracking. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about any of it in years.¡± Miles tapped a pen against the table. He could barely contain his excitement. ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of it. The algorithm isn''t just pulling superficial data from your mind. It¡¯s reaching deeper. It¡¯s connecting with your subconscious.¡± She looked up at him. ¡°It¡¯s like it knew me.¡± Daemon hit something solid, the sudden impact knocking the wind out of him. Pain radiated through his side as he rolled onto a surface that felt like glass. He slid his fingers across it, feeling the rough edges of cracks. The void above him rippled like he was at the bottom of a pool. The memory was gone. ¡°Daemon.¡° He spun around, hoping he would see a familiar face. The voice kept whispering his name, but it was coming from all around him. His legs were shaking as he slowly stood up. Incomplete structures lined the horizon. They continuously changed between apartment buildings and drum towers as if they couldn¡¯t decide what they should be. The sky looked like swirls of colors moving slowly, bleeding into each other. It was almost hypnotic. The ground beneath him began to radiate. The light slowly faded in and out, following his every step. ¡°Back at square one,¡± Daemon muttered. He heard a faint, mirthless laugh coming from behind him. He turned around quickly, his fists raised and ready for a fight. Two figures slowly stepped out of the shadows. They appeared as tense as he felt. One was a tall man with a scar running from his temple to his jawline. He looked Daemon up and down, measuring him up. The other was a woman, her dark hair tied back. She had an unreadable expression. ¡°You got lucky we found you first,¡± she said. "Lucky? I''m not so sure about that," Daemon said. The man smirked. ¡°Name¡¯s Kade. She¡¯s Selene,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s just say we¡¯re some of the only people here who won¡¯t kill you on sight.¡± Daemon raised his fists back up. "Why would anybody want to¡ª" The ground beneath him shook violently. The world around them began to reform as a deep rumbling sound vibrated Daemon''s bones. Selene looked toward the distance. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this shit,¡± she said. ¡°Move.¡± Kade took point. He led them into the shadows they had been standing in before, emerging into a city construct. Daemon saw reflections of himself in the building windows. They were all different¡ªsome younger, some older, some mangled in ways he couldn¡¯t comprehend. One particular reflection caught his attention, though. It was a version of himself standing tall and his eyes were glowing with the same green light as the Nexus. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Daemon asked. ¡°It¡¯s the Nexus messing with you,¡± Kade said. Daemon flinched as a reflection moved on its own. Its mouth forming words he couldn¡¯t hear. He turned to Selene, who was swinging her head around in every direction. ¡°Keep moving,¡± she said. Daemon gritted his teeth. As he continued to follow them, he heard voices coming from all around him. ¡°You can¡¯t escape. You''re part of it now.¡° Daemon looked around trying to locate the source of the voices, but there wasn''t any explanation. ¡°They''re in my head.¡° The street led into a large, empty chamber filled with static discharges. Selene stopped abruptly. Daemon looked around. ¡°What is this place?¡± ¡°We''re in Datashade''s construct,¡± Kade said. ¡°Datashade?¡± Daemon asked. ¡°Datashade is one of the three enforcement subroutines,¡° Selene said. ¡°I don''t understand," Daemon replied. "What the shit is an ''enforcement'' subroutine?" ¡°This isn''t where you want to find out,¡± Kade said. The chamber began to shake. The shadows began transforming into humanoid forms with glowing eyes and clawed hands. ¡°Not again,¡± Daemon muttered. Selene drew a blade that seemed to be made of pure energy. ¡°We can¡¯t fight them all. Get going!¡± Kade grabbed Daemon¡¯s arm and shoved him toward another construct. ¡°Stay close. We didn''t waste all this energy just so you''d die," he said. The three of them sprinted for the exit, the shadows hot on their tail. As they reached the exit, the ground dissolved beneath them. Daemon felt himself falling again, but this time there was mocking laughter. His impact was jarring, knocking him unconscious. When he opened his eyes, he found himself alone¡ªagain. The world around him was empty. It was a space lit only by streaks of light zooming around like balls of photons. He heard a voice pierce through the darkness. It echoed all around him. ¡°You are persistent. You will learn. All of you will learn.¡± Daemon clenched his fists as he stared out into the empty construct. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± he shouted. The voice laughed a deep, bellowing laugh. ¡°Not yet. You will be.¡± The balls of light began to dissolve and the world transformed into a dense forest of misshapen trees with branches of blackened thorns. Multiple voices screeched from the darkness. "You think you can escape?" "You are already mine, Daemon. You just don''t know it yet." His memories started coming back to him in flashes. The Nexus. It had started as the first galaxy-spanning virtual network where people could build new lives. Lives that were not constrained by the limits of reality. Ten years after its release, it was no longer just a game. It was a way of life. Daemon saw faces of smiling players while scrolling through media sites at his desk. ¡°I¡¯m more myself in the Nexus than in the real world,¡± he heard a player say. Crack. Daemon froze. Crack. He turned slowly, only to find glowing eyes staring back at him through the shadows. ¡°Shit,¡± he muttered, backing away as more eyes appeared in the trees. ¡°What the hell are these things?¡° They moved silently, their glowing emerald eyes bobbing around. The first one lunged. Daemon barely dodged it, stumbling into a tree. He grabbed a branch and wielded it like a club, swinging it in front of him wildly. It backed up, but the others began to close in. They reached out for him with their clawed hands. It lunged again. With a desperate yell, Daemon swung his makeshift club, shattering its head into pixels. The others lunged for him all at once. He ran. Branches tore into his skin as he retreated deeper into the forest. The forest transitioned into a construct of polished metallic walls. The surfaces were reflecting alternate images of him. Daemon hesitated to enter the new construct, breathing heavily. The reflections started moving on their own, their mouths forming silent words. As he stepped inside, walls formed behind him, locking him into the new construct. The reflections began to speak, their voices overlapping each other. ¡°You failed them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too late.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault.¡± One reflection stepped forward, mirroring his movements perfectly. Its eyes glowed, and its grin widened across its face. Daemon threw a punch at the image, shattering it into a million shards of glass. The voices continued, mocking him. Taunting him. Reminding him that everything he is doing is as pathetic as his existence. They triggered another memory¡ªhis decision to enter the Nexus. He had seen all the signs. The blackouts, the crumbling infrastructure, the chaos spreading across the galaxy. He couldn''t help the ones unable to log out. Their minds were trapped while their bodies wasted away in VR pods. Entering the Nexus had been his last resort. A brash decision it was too late for him to unmake. ¡°I thought I could save my friends," he whispered. ¡°You failed before entering my world. There is no escape.¡° A pool of shadows began melting around him¡ªtendrils stretching toward him. They reached out for him, pleading for his surrender. Daemon stood frozen. His will to keep fighting had been extracted out of him. "What''s the point. It''s either now or later." A familiar voice pulled him out of it. ¡°Daemon!¡± He turned, blinking. Selene and Kade were rushing toward him. She grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet. ¡°The Nexus is messing with your head. Snap out of it,¡± she said. Daemon nodded, letting them lead the way out of the construct. The reflections screamed behind him, their voices fading as the trio emerged onto a high plateau. The Tyrant''s core stood in front of them. It was a fortress of impenetrable darkness. ¡°We have to keep going,¡± Selene whispered, tugging at Daemon''s shirt. Chapter 3 From her homeworld of Luminaria, Aetherveil had been observing the Tyrant''s conquest over the months. The system set itself apart from the rest of the galaxy, existing beyond the farthest inhabitated systems. She protected Luminaria for millennia, preventing its discovery by any means. This was the first time in as long as she could remember that it was threatened by a near-peer adversary. ¡°The Tyrant¡¯s grip is tightening,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°Its filth is spreading. We can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Psionus, Aetherveil''s psychic advisor, stepped forward. ¡°Are you sure about this?" he asked. "We can''t stay hidden. After it''s done conquering the other systems, it''ll come here," she said. ¡°I think it would be wise to let me do the talking,¡± Psionus said. ¡°You don''t have the patience for diplomacy.¡° ¡°Whatever you want to call it, I''ll talk to the coalition,¡± Aetherveil said. Lilyon closely analyzed the holographic star map. ¡°Outer Rim¡¯s its doorway. If it takes it, it¡¯ll be in control of the supply lines from here to the Core¡±¡ªshe pointed, tapping a system linking them¡ª¡°If we can stop it here, we might just slow it down.¡° Aetherveil''s fiery orange eyes followed Lilyon¡¯s line of sight. She knew this system would make or break a campaign. The Tyrant wanted it, but she¡¯d make sure he didn¡¯t get it. "Gather the Sentinels and prepare to move on Dalcor,¡± Aetherveil ordered. ¡°What about Val ''Dara?¡° Lilyon asked. Aetherveil positioned herself next to the helmsman. ¡°That''s our first stop,¡± she said, a smirk on her face. ¡°They won''t believe a word I say. I''ll have to show them.¡° ¡°Be careful, Aetherveil,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°What''s that supposed to mean?¡° Aetherveil asked. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Lilyon replied. Aetherveil scoffed. ¡°I''ll do my best,¡± she said. The two of them stepped out into the passageway. ¡°I know you said you''re sure about this, but do we really need to get involved?¡° Lilyon asked. ¡°If we wait too long, the build up will be too much,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°At least this way, the Nexus will be spread thin.¡° ¡°But what if they don''t know we''re here? Nobody else does,¡± Lilyon said. They entered into the ship''s weapons locker. ¡°It''ll figure it out, Lilyon,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°If it doesn''t already know, its just a matter of time until it does.¡° Lilyon got between Aetherveil and her power armor hanging on a rack. ¡°It doesn''t feel right,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°What if this fight brings them here?¡° Aetherveil nudged Lilyon aside, removing the pieces of armor. ¡°Noted,¡± Aetherveil replied. Lilyon grabbed Aetherveil''s hand as she was attaching a pauldron. Aetherveil looked at it, her eyes narrowing. ¡°You''re just looking for a fight,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°I know that''s your thing, but I''m telling you¡ª¡± ¡°Also noted,¡± Aetherveil interrupted, sliding Lilyon''s hand away. ¡°Let''s jump to Val ''Dara.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< Coran leaned over the table, his hands folded together. ¡°We have lost seven planets in the Core,¡± he said. ¡°Not only that, the Tyrant has expanded into the Rim." "Its army is too powerful. We don''t have the firepower to reclaim the lost worlds," Archon Thalor of Eldara responded. "The most we''ve been able to do is slow it down. You above all know it." Coran straightened his posture. "If you and the rest of the representatives at this table were contributing more to the effort instead of hoarding resources, we might be able to reverse its progress," he said. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The leaders at the table began muttering to each other. Thalor''s face lit up. His eyes narrowed as he smiled. "Contribute more?" Thalor asked, letting a chuckle slip. "You''re going to blame us for your failures?" Coran slammed his fists down on the table. "Failures?" He leveled his finger at Thalor. "The only reason you''re not dead¡ª" The door burst open. A tall, lithe figure stepped in. Her armor shimmered with iridescent colors that shifted from deep purples and blues and fiery reds and oranges. Her eyes had a dim, fiery orange glow. "If you have any hope of stopping the Nexus, you will all surrender your forces to me," she said with authority. "Who are you?" Castle asked. She pivoted and walked over to Castle, leaning over him. "I''m Aetherveil," she said. "For over a thousand years, I have protected my worlds from the likes of you." "A thousand years?" Castle asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I''m almost certain that nobody can live a thousand years." "Over a thousand years," Aetherveil said, correcting him. "Give or take a few centuries. I was created by a science lost to time." "Where are your creators now?" he asked. "Enough with the questions,¡° she snapped. She turned to face the rest of the council. ¡°With or without you, I''m going after the Tyrant. If you want my protection, you will do as I command," she said. Thalor narrowed his eyes while leaning back in his chair. ¡°Your protection? We don''t know who you are,¡± he said. ¡°Who are you to barge in here making these kinds of demands?¡° Aetherveil looked at him, grinning. "Haven''t you been listening? Your only hope to survive," she said. "Why should we believe you will do any better than us?" Coran asked. Aetherveil''s smile widened, her fiery eyes creasing. "You question me while your worlds burn?" she asked. She slammed her hands down on the table. "I''m not asking for your faith¡ªI demand your cooperation,¡± she said. Thalor leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "A thousand years or not, you expect us to hand over everything we¡¯ve fought for?¡° he asked. ¡°It sounds more like you want to build your own empire than save the galaxy.¡° Aetherveil scoffed, looking away. "I have no interest in ruling over your broken planets, only in ensuring they survive," she said. "Do you know what the Nexus wants?" Castle asked. She looked at him, her orange eyes glowing brighter. "Does it matter?¡° she asked. ¡°Assume it''s to kill all humans.¡° She paused briefly. "I am leading an assault on Dalcor. That should be proof enough." She turned around and strode out of the chamber¡ªher lips a faint smirk. ¡°I like her,¡± Castle said. ¡°Like her?¡° Thalor asked. ¡°She''s crazy. Can''t you see?¡° Castle''s gaze locked onto Thalor. ¡°Where do crazy people get power armor like that?¡° he asked. ¡°Rich and crazy,¡± Thalor said quietly, crossing his arms. ¡°I read about archaeological findings in the Frontier that reference an ''Aithreveia'',¡± he said. ¡°The findings are closer to five thousand years old.¡° Thalor laughed. ¡°Are you suggesting that''s her?¡° he asked. ¡°I don''t know what I''m saying,¡± Arros said. ¡°We know we''re not from this galaxy. We got here somehow.¡° ¡°If that is her, who exactly has she been fighting for?¡° Coran asked. ¡°I''ll tell you what she''s not,¡± Thalor said, furrowing his brow. ¡°She''s not the answer.¡° ¡°A person we have never heard of, wearing markings we''ve never seen, coming from a system we have never charted¡ª¡± Castle hesitated briefly. ¡°There''s something about her,¡± he said, finishing his thought. ¡°Sounds like you''re arguing for me, Colonel,¡± Thalor said. ¡°She''s making a move to expand her borders.¡° ¡°Use our systems to protect hers,¡± Coran said. ¡°It makes sense.¡° ¡°Maybe,¡± Castle said. ¡°Or the war is about to shift in our favor.¡° ¡°What if she is who she says she is?¡° Arros asked. ¡°What if she is that powerful?¡° Thalor stood up from his chair, gesturing his guards to fall in on him. ¡°If she''s not crazy, she''s dangerous,¡± Thalor said. ¡°I''d gamble she''s both.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aboard the Veilbreaker, her flagship, Aetherveil stood at the center of the ready room. Her focus was on a holographic display of Dalcor¡¯s terrain, sharp blue lines tracing the mountains and forests. The Sentinels all gathered around her and watched in silence as they were briefed. She looked each one in the eyes. Something about their faces seemed unfamiliar. These were her most trusted officers, but their faces were were different, all in subtle ways. When she looked back at the map, something didn''t seem right. She squinted. The terrain lines seemed to move when she wasn''t looking. She blinked hard and they returned to normal. ¡°Remember,¡± she said, ¡°This isn¡¯t just a mission. It¡¯s a message. Make it clear.¡± Psionus stepped forward. ¡°The Nexus has forces throughout most of the region. The northern continent is the key to its operation. If we sever its control there¡ª¡± His words faded as Aetherveil lost her focus. She could hear a faint buzz. She looked over to the corner of the room, where the shadows looked unusual. They wriggled around, pooling together into a shape that resembled something humanoid. ¡°We see you.¡± She quickly spun around. The Sentinels stared at her, confused. ¡°Commander?¡± Psionus asked. Aetherveil straightened herself. ¡°Nothing. Continue,¡± she said. Psionus hesitated, but he nodded and resumed his briefing. As he spoke, Aetherveil couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something in the room was watching her. Not the Sentinels. Not her crew. Something else. Without another word, Aetherveil marched to the bridge, her long, dark hair flowing like ocean waves behind her. Standing at the helm, she could feel the gnawing pull of the Nexus. "It won''t change anything, Aetherveil." The helmsman could be heard in the background. "Three. Two. One." The Veilbreaker jumped. They emerged over Dalcor, a sprawling wilderness of mountains and dense forests. The trees were rotten and twisted¡ªrivers of black sludge snaking through the wilderness. Aetherveil blinked, and the planet returned to normal. Blue rivers and green forests. Her dropship began its descent. The hull groaned under the pressure of the atmosphere. She could hear a faint, rhythmic tapping. The tapping turned into quiet screams. She looked at the bulkhead, it was rippling. Her eyes narrowed. It snapped back to normal as she reached out to touch it. "Get it together," she muttered as she closed her eyes. After minutes of near free fall, the ship landed. As soon as Aetherveil stepped off the ramp, a wave of despair washed over her. She felt something crawling around in her brain, her vision blurring for a moment. ¡°Psinous, what do you see?¡± she asked. ¡°They¡¯ve got a node,¡± he said. ¡°North. Fortified. Something''s interfering.¡± Aetherveil looked toward their objective. "We''ll take advantage of that,¡± she said. ¡°We need to destroy the node to cut off its army''s link to the Nexus core." Lilyon pulled out her navigation tablet. ¡°We should divide forces,¡± she said, a concept in mind. ¡°A head-on assault to keep them busy while Psionus¡¯s team advances to the node¡± ¡ªshe pointed at a map grid¡ª "We cut their control there, they lose Dalcor¡±. Aetherveil nodded, a smile on her face. ¡°Alright, Psionus. We¡¯ll keep them busy while you take down that node. Clear?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Psionus said with a quick nod. The Sentinels moved out, popping in and out of view as they navigated the dense brush. They were closing in on the Revenant forces¡ªcombat units of alloy and ceramic plating that were well above their weight class. After closing up the gap, they charged forward, smashing into the Revenants¡ªthrowing their mechanical bodies back. The Sentinels blinked in and out of sight, hacking through the machines before they had a chance to react. "I''m still closing in on the node,¡± Psionus said through their psychic link. ¡°Their defenses are tough, but there is a delay in their command structure." Aetherveil raised an eyebrow. "This must be our lucky day," she said. The battle grew fierce as the Revenants adjusted to the tactics. One of them plunged its hand into a Sentinel''s chest, its soulless glowing eyes looking down on him. It slammed him into another Sentinel, looking back at Aetherveil before being destroyed. She hesitated briefly. Whispers in her head were telling her to surrender. "What''s the point? You''re leading them to death." She looked around at the broken bodies, the machines tearing them apart limb from joint. The once beautiful green landscape had become a cemetery, consecrated with the blood of her army. "They''ll forgive you if you stop. They''ll thank you for it." She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, trying to push out the voices. "Keep advancing!" she shouted. Projectiles and shrapnel shredded through both lines, but the Sentinels started reclaiming lost ground. ¡°Node¡¯s down!¡± Psionus said through the link. ¡°Fall back!¡° Aetherveil commanded. The machines lost their cohesiveness, failing to acquire or act on hostile targets. After a few minutes, they shut down. ¡°Let¡¯s end it,¡± she whispered, looking back at her fallen Sentinels. The Veilbreaker bombarded the region¡ªhunks of metal and ceramic scattering across the landscape. Silence fell over the battlefield. Aetherveil knelt beside a Revenant. Its plating shined under Dalcor¡¯s bright sunlight. As she stared, its damaged surface transformed. She saw her face reflected in its crumpled plating¡ªeyes glowing with the Nexus¡¯s light. Lilyon approached. ¡°We¡¯ve made ourselves a priority, Aetherveil. I don''t think it will let this go." Aetherveil looked at her and nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be ready,¡± she said. Returning to their ships, Aetherveil watched as her army was transported back to the Veilbreaker. She was the last to leave, feeling the influence of the Nexus slipping as she boarded her shuttle. Chapter 4 Daemon couldn''t shake the sense of dread and hopelessness he felt while in the presence of the Tyrant''s core. The low, sinking feeling lingered as he followed Selene and Kade around their hideout. "Who were you back in the real world?" Daemon asked Selene and Kade. Selene looked over at Daemon briefly before snapping back forward, focused on the path ahead. "I worked for the cyber espionage division of Valeria''s Global Intelligence," she said. She side-eyed Kade with a smirk. "Kade''s never told me about his job, but I suspect he was busking around drive-thrus." Kade muttered curses under his breath. "I was a risk assessment consultant. My clients had concerns about AI-driven vulnerabilities,¡± Kade said. ¡°It seems their concerns were credible.¡° "What about you?" Selene asked, looking Daemon up and down. "I worked for the Valerian Defense Department,¡± he said. ¡°I was a strategist.¡° Selene swept her head across the horizon in one, swift motion. "Not a very good one,¡± she said. Daemon frowned. "Where was VGI when this shit was going down?¡° he asked. "We were trying to stop it,¡± Selene said. ¡°And I suck at my job?¡° Daemon asked, laughing. ¡°How did you find me?¡° ¡°We track and grab everyone who logs in, if we can,¡± Kade said. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot to catch up on." Daemon could see a towering structure in the distance. It appeared to have cables running up it like arteries. Inside of the cabling, lights ran up and down in steady streams. "What is that?" Daemon asked. "It''s a data hub," Selene said. Daemon looked at her with a smirk. "I know what you''re thinking. It''s a bad idea,¡± Selene said. "No. It''s a great idea," Daemon replied. He began making his way to the hub while Selene and Kade followed, carefully monitoring their surroundings. "How have you been able to stay hidden?" Daemon asked. "We had to stay on the move for a while, but whatever the Tyrant is doing outside of the Nexus has kept him too occupied to focus on us," Kade said. His eyes wandered around the construct. "You''d think it would be omnipresent, but that doesn''t seem to be the case." Selene nodded. ¡°We believe the Nexus is reaching its maximum processing capacity,¡± she said. ¡°Whatever¡¯s happening in the real world is demanding enough of its attention to leave gaps in here. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve been able to operate under the radar.¡± They approached the data hub. The glowing cables were illuminating the area around it. The surface of the polygonal structure slowly cycled between shapes and colors. Daemon stopped a few feet away from the base of it, studying its design. It was alien, yet familiar. ¡°What exactly do you plan to do?¡± Selene asked. ¡°These cables? They probably carry information directly to the Tyrant¡¯s core. If we can hijack it¡ª¡± ¡°We could send false diagnostics data,¡± Kade finished. ¡°Maybe even disrupt its algorithms.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Daemon said. ¡°A structure like this might also give us a backdoor into the Nexus framework¡ªa chance to find its weak points.¡± Selene crossed her arms. ¡°That¡¯s assuming we don¡¯t trigger every defensive protocol it has. It''s risky, Daemon,¡± she said. ¡°Resistance is a gamble,¡± he snapped. ¡°This could turn the tables.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As the group moved closer, they could hear virtual drones patrolling the area. Selene pointed them out. ¡°Sentries. They¡¯ll spot us if we¡¯re not careful.¡± Daemon surveyed the area. ¡°Kade, you¡¯re the risk guy. How do we get past them?¡± ¡°Their patterns are predictable. If we time it right, we can slip through the gaps,¡± he said. ¡°We''ll take that chance,¡± Daemon said. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± They rushed forward, keeping low. The sentries hovered around the hub. Daemon led, followed closely by Selene and Kade. They reached the base of the structure and pressed up against its surface. Kade examined a panel embedded in the wall. ¡°Access port. If I can interface with it, I might be able to get us in.¡± Selene watched their backs while Kade worked. She tightly gripped her energy sword. ¡°Make it quick. I don¡¯t like being this exposed,¡± she whispered. Kade connected a small device to the port and began typing commands into a holographic interface. His device displayed streams of complex code. ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± he said. ¡°This encryption¡ªI¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± ¡°The Nexus won''t make things easy,¡± Daemon said. As Kade worked, a low hum began to resonate from the structure. It gradually grew louder. ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Selene muttered. Suddenly, the sentries¡¯ patterns changed. They began converging on the hub. ¡°We¡¯re out of time,¡± Selene said. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Daemon?¡± ¡°Hold them off as long as you can. Kade, get us into that system,¡± he said. Selene drew a sleek energy rifle and took up a defensive position. Kade¡¯s fingers tapped away at the interface. ¡°I¡¯m almost there. Keep them off me!¡± The sentries descended and split into many smaller drones. They began to swarm the hub. Selene opened fire, the bolts of energy projectiles shattering the drones into pixels. Daemon joined her. Despite their efforts, the swarm seemed endless. ¡°I¡¯ve got it! We¡¯re in!¡± Kade shouted. A hatch opened in the hub¡¯s wall, revealing a dark tunnel lined with glowing conduits. ¡°Go!¡± Daemon ordered. They scrambled inside, sealing the hatch behind them just as the drones crashed against it. The group paused, catching their breath in the dimly lit corridor. Selene glared at Daemon. ¡°This better not get us killed.¡± Daemon smirked. ¡°If it does, at least it¡¯ll be interesting.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Kade muttered. ¡°Maybe,¡± Daemon replied. "We really screwed that up.¡° ¡°We?¡° Selene asked. ¡°I told you that was a bad idea.¡° The trio advanced through the tunnel. Quiet screams and pleas for help emanated off the walls. ¡°What is that?¡± Kade asked. "The minds that have been trapped,¡± Selene replied. ¡°There''s no bringing them back.¡± "No, that," Kade pointed at a cable displaying images of him. It was a version of himself being torn apart by Revenants. They were clawing their way into his insides, scattering his flesh. "Is that me?" he asked, his hands trembling. Selene pulled him back. "Ignore it. The Nexus wants to mess with your head." ¡°You mentioned two other subroutines. What are they?¡° Daemon asked. ¡°Cryptorax guards the Tyrant and Glitchar runs the Abyss,¡± Selene said. ¡°You''ve met the others, haven''t you?¡° Daemon asked. For the first time since Daemon had met her, he saw something in her eyes. ¡°I fought Datashade once,¡± she said quietly. ¡°We''ve been together a long time. Why wouldn''t you tell me?¡° Kade asked. Selene closed her eyes, her chest heaving. ¡°It wasn''t really a fight,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°He gets into your head. He¡ª¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Daemon said, placing his hand on her shoulder. ¡°It''s alright. You don''t have to explain.¡° ¡°Let''s get out of here before the Tyrant finds us,¡± Kade said, gesturing toward an exit. >>>>>***********************<<<<< The council reconvened in a grand chamber on Val ''Dara. It was a brightly lit room with a large, rectangular table in the center. The stone walls and pillars were decorated with the history of Val ''Dara. The low murmurs of the coalition representatives echoed throughout the chamber. Coran looked at Castle, who was sitting to his right. "She won the battle, but what guarantees do we have that she won''t wield them like the Tyrant?" Coran asked. Castle was skimming through the strategic intelligence reports in front of him. "We have been losing ground for months," he replied. "Dalcor proves she can succeed where we have failed." "What do we actually know about her?" Thalor asked. "A thousand years of secrecy? What does she have to hide?" Aetherveil walked into the room, making her way to the end of the table. She looked directly at Thalor. "I did not come here to win your trust or approval," she said. She turned to face the rest of the council members. "I came here because your survival depends on it." A slender, pale woman with long, dark hair took Aetherveil''s side. Her sea-blue eyes were speckled with silver that sparkled faintly. "And how old are you supposed to be?" Thalor asked. Lilyon looked at him, narrowing her eyes. "Thirty-two," she answered. Thalor looked at the representatives around him before returning his eyes to Lilyon with a smile. "Thirty-two hundred?" Thalor asked sarcastically. She shot him a smirk. "Aetherveil is one of a kind," she replied. Lilyon slid a device across the table. It projected a hologram of the battle on Dalcor. Aetheveil pointed at the projection while shifting her gaze between council members. "The Tyrant''s army can be defeated," she said. She looked at Thalor with contempt. "You hoard your resources while your outer colonies burn, Thalor," she said. She looked between Coran and Arros. "You bicker while your soldiers are dying, Coran. Arros¡ªyou''re so full of doubt that you forgot how to lead." The council whispered among themselves as the projection continued. Aetherveil began taking slow steps around the table. "Under my command, your forces will become more than soldiers. They will become Sentinels, but only if you are willing to surrender your control." Arguments broke out among the council. Some were willing to accept Aetherveil''s offer, while others were not ready to give up their autonomy. "We have sacrificed so much already. If there is a chance to end this, we have to take it," Arros said. "If we do nothing, we lose anyway,¡± another council member said. "If we give her everything, what''s left for us when it''s over?" Coran argued. "I will not surrender my people to another Tyrant," Thalor said. Castle fixed his gaze on Thalor. ¡°How many victories have you had?¡° He stood up, his head sweeping across the table. ¡°How many have any of us had?¡° he asked. ¡°I''ll tell you. Zero. Not one win. She crushed the Nexus on Dalcor.¡° Thalor scoffed but said nothing. Murmurs rippled through the chamber. Castle spoke a bitter, undeniable truth. Aetherveil raised her hand, silencing them. "If you refuse, I will fight the Tyrant alone and your worlds will burn in its wake," she said, locking eyes with Thalor. "We will support you, but only if we maintain control over our planetary defenses,¡± a council member said. ¡°I''ll agree to that,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°That does us both a favor.¡° ¡°You have the support of Valeria,¡± Castle declared. Other members of the council nodded in agreement, settling on her terms. "You have made the right choice," Aetherveil said. She turned, motioning for Lilyon to follow. Just as she reached the doors, she glanced over her shoulder at Thalor. Thalor watched her go, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Coran, aren''t you going to say anything?¡° Thalor asked. ¡°We should support her. At least for now,¡± Coran said. ¡°We don''t know what she is capable of. With our forces embedded in hers, we can gather intel.¡° "This isn''t over, Castle,¡± Thalor said. ¡°Coran, let''s talk more in private. I need to get back to Eldara.¡° Castle and Arros exchanged looks. Thalor was a generational ruler, raised in an environment of betrayal and lies. They didn''t need words to describe how they felt, the tension they shared was palpable. >>>>>***********************<<<<< She looked out of a porthole as the ship glided past the stars. Shadows pooled in the corners of her quarters. She placed her palms on the sides of her head, the whispers were growing more aggressive. The hatch opened and Lilyon entered. She leaned against the bulkhead, crossing her arms. ¡°The Sentinels are ready,¡± she reported. ¡°They know what¡¯s waiting for us in the Nexus.¡± Aetherveil turned her head to the side, keeping her back to Lilyon. "Did you feel it?" she asked. "Was there interference, or were they just toying with us?" "You heard them, too?" Lilyon asked. Aetherveil took a deep breath, then turned around to face her. "They''re going to be ready for us. Glitchar is not going to make this easy," she said. Lilyon uncrossed her arms and took a few steps toward Aetherveil. ¡°We don''t have to do this,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°Glitchar is not that important.¡° ¡°It''s an obstacle between us and everybody trapped in there,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°At what cost?¡° Lilyon asked. ¡°Its using them for something,¡± Aetherveil replied. ¡°Why would the Nexus waste resources on it if it wasn''t important?¡° Psionus¡¯s voice crackled through the comms. ¡°We''re ready to enter the Nexus.¡° Lilyon stepped closer to Aetherveil. ¡°I''m with you, Aetherveil,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°But this is not our home. They are not our people.¡° ¡°You''re right,¡± Aetherveil replied. ¡°Its about those things.¡° ¡°We''re going to push it too far,¡± Lilyon said. She left Aetherveil''s quarters to meet up with Psionus and finish the mission prep. Aetherveil gripped the hilt of her sword. Her hand was shaking. It was already in her head. The Nexus would stop at nothing to break them. She took one last look at Dalcor¡¯s data streams before stepping out of the hatch. Chapter 5 Ancient structures had been built across Luminaria¡ªolder than her. "These are the quantum gateways," Aetherveil said. "The Architects built them, but no one knows how they work." She approached the largest of the gateways in the region. "This is our only way into the Nexus. If we use a pod, we''ll never be able to return," she said. "Commander, I have been trying to connect with the structures. They¡¯re resisting me." Psionus said. Aetherveil looked at him, and then back at the gate. "They¡¯re ancient," she said. "We¡¯ll have to activate them the old-fashioned way." Lilyon raised an eyebrow. "What way is that?" she asked. Aetherveil shot Lilyon a smirk, then stepped away muttering to herself. The army spread out. They were securing the area while Aetherveil, Psionus, and Lilyon tried to figure out how the gateway works. Psionus placed his hands on the surface, closing his eyes. Aetherveil watched him carefully. "What do you see?" she asked. "Warnings," he replied. "They were afraid of what might come through these gateways." A sudden burst of energy knocked Psionus back. He hit the ground hard, gasping for air. Lilyon rushed to his side. "It¡¯s protected," he said through gritted teeth. "Something doesn¡¯t want us to use it." Aetherveil stepped forward, drawing her sword. The blade radiated a violet hue as she raised it toward the gateway. "Whatever is guarding it will have to face me," she said. ¡°Prepare the Sentinels." The gateway erupted to life. Its circular frame flooded with a vortex of light. A voice sounded from within. "You''re not welcome, Aetherveil. Turn back now.¡° The army froze, weapons at the ready. Aetherveil stepped closer, her sword still raised. ¡°Who are you?¡° she asked. The vortex transformed into a humanoid shape radiating a blinding light. Its features were indistinct, but its glowing green eyes looked directly at Aetherveil. "Cryptorax," the figure replied. "I am the Tyrant''s guardian. I know what you''re doing, and it stops here." Aetherveil tightened her grip on the hilt. "It stops when I say it stops,¡± she said. "I am not one of those pathetic Revenants. You have never faced anything like me," Cryptorax replied. The portal expanded, making room for the tendrils reaching toward the Sentinels¡ªpulling several of them in. Aetherveil watched in horror. Their screams were cut off as they were pulled into the vortex. "You do not understand the full scope of what you are fighting,¡± it said. With a roar, she leaped toward it. A tendril snatched her out of the air before her sword''s arc could complete its journey into Crytorax''s head. She was standing in the middle of a desert. She flipped down her visor to protect her eyes from the blinding sunlight. Looking around, all she could see were golden dunes and mists of sand blowing off their peaks. "What is this?" She asked. "Where am I?" She looked at her nav display. It was blank. She looked toward the horizon. A wall of sand was heading in her direction¡ªfast. She knelt, pointing her face toward the ground. Once she was fully enveloped by the storm, it began swirling around her. She stood up, discovering that she was now surrounded by a thick wall of sand. The surface around her was drawn into it, revealing the faces of the Sentinels Cryptorax took. She ran to them, scooping up the sand with her hands. The fine grains scratched at her gauntlets as she whipped the earth over her shoulders. "Hold on. I''ll get you out." she said, desperately clawing her way to them. The faces looked at her. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "Why did you let this happen?" "No!" she shouted. "I didn''t¡ªI couldn''t¡ª" A towering dark figure stepped out of the wall. It approached Aetherveil, its haunting green eyes staring down at her. "Join me.¡° "You can never have me," Aetherveil said. As he reached out for her, she was pulled out of the construct. The tendril was chopped off by one of her Sentinels. "Commander!" he shouted, helping her up. As quickly as she was back on her feet, Aetherveil rolled into a leap, driving her blade into Cryptorax''s eye. She couldn''t stop her face from scrunching up at the screech it released before vanishing into the collapsing portal. The gateway was now ready to serve its purpose. Aetherveil stepped up to the ring brushing her fingers across the etches created by the tendrils. She turned to her army. "Prepare to move out." The Sentinels began assembling into formation. As the first of them stepped through the gateway, she thought about those faces. Every soldier who stepped in, she felt her chest caving a little more. It was now her turn to cross through. "It is pointless. You will all die." >>>>>***********************<<<<< The capital city felt hollow. Its streets were nearly deserted except for the presence of Eldaran guardsmen patrolling in formations. Drones hovered overhead, repeating the same cold decree. ¡°We are under a state of emergency. Anybody found violating the permanent curfew edict will be arrested on sight.¡° The message looped endlessly. Coran and Thalor walked aimlessly through the streets. Their footsteps sounded sharp against the empty facades, each sound swallowed by the abandoned buildings. ¡°You see it, don¡¯t you?¡± Thalor asked, his voice low. ¡°She¡¯s not here to help us.¡± Coran exhaled, shaking his head. ¡°It was only a matter of time before someone stepped up,¡± he said. ¡°With everything falling apart, she¡¯s looking to exploit whoever she can.¡± Thalor stopped abruptly, turning to face him. ¡°We need to convince the others,¡± he said. ¡°Arros could go either way, but Castle? He¡¯ll never agree.¡± ¡°Castle is a soldier,¡± he said. ¡°He fought his way to his post, not by learning the politics of strategy.¡± Thalor studied Coran¡¯s face, searching for any sign of turncoat. "So what do we do?" he asked. Coran sighed, rubbing his temple. "We be careful. If we push too hard, we''ll lose them before we even make our case," he said. Thalor scoffed. "If we don¡¯t push at all, we¡¯ll be standing in front of a firing squad wondering why we didn¡¯t stop this sooner,¡± he said. Coran looked down the dimly lit streets, taking note of the drones zooming between every building. ¡°She will show them herself,¡± he said. ¡°Her recklessness will show the council as the casualties mount.¡° Thalor clenched his jaw, his masseters tightening into rock hard masses. ¡°How many will die before that happens? We still need to protect ourselves from the Nexus.¡° Coran didn¡¯t answer right away. His gaze followed the patrols as they passed. The guards weren¡¯t looking for threats¡ªthey were maintaining a theatre of control. ¡°Enough,¡± he finally said. ¡°Enough that even Arros will have no choice but to see the truth.¡± Thalor exhaled sharply. ¡°I''m not sure I''d wager on that,¡± he said. A buzzing sound grew louder as one of the drones drifted closer. The mechanical voice repeated its warning. ¡°State of emergency. Curfew violators will be detained.¡± The drone hesitated for a fraction of a second before moving on. ¡°They¡¯re scanning us,¡± Thalor said. ¡°Of course they are,¡± Coran replied. Thalor¡¯s hands curled into fists. ¡°They''re my drones. They should know who I am.¡° He took a deep breath, calming himself down. ¡°We can¡¯t just wait. We need to act before she does,¡± he said. ¡°What exactly do you suggest? We have no leverage,¡± Coran said. ¡°We don''t even have allies outside of the one who haven''t picked a side.¡° They walked silently up the palace steps, the marble worn from years of ceremonial processions. The Eldaran sentries at the gate didn¡¯t move. The massive gilded doors were sealed shut by the guards as they entered. ¡°We need to do something before she consolidates power,¡± Thalor said. ¡°Once she has the council under her control, it''s over for us.¡° ¡°If we can''t get them on our side, then we''ll choose for them,¡± Coran said. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil and her Sentinels breached the edges of the Abyss. Their radiating silhouettes could be seen against the dark horizon. Her ears started ringing. Whispers began spilling into her head. ¡°Your friends will die here." Images of Psionus and Lilyon flashed in her mind, choking on blood as Revenants gored them. Around her, the air began to ripple like water while dark tendrils crept up behind her. She turned around and everything went dark. She reached for her sword, only to find the sheath empty. The tendrils began reaching out toward her from the darkness, but then Psionus pulled her back into the construct. "Aetherveil¡ª" "I know," She interrupted. "Let''s just keep moving." The deeper they marched, the more the Sentinels were suffocated by the miasma of despair. "Turn back.¡° "It''s hopeless for you here." Aetherveil and her army began to approach Glitchar''s fortress. It was a massive structure suspended above an incomprehensibly deep chasm. It looked like a castle whose blocks were endlessly shuffling. It wasn¡¯t the fortress that concerned Aetherveil most. It was the legions forming in front of it. They were dark, shapeless bodies. As the Sentinels got closer, their features became increasingly clear. These were no ordinary soldiers. These were players fully integrated into the Nexus. A green glow radiated from their eyes. The legions advanced in silence, their movements in near perfect unison. They were puppets. Without warning, they charged toward the Sentinels. As the two sides ran full speed toward each other, a wall formed in front of the Sentinels'' line. The front ranks collided with it with a thunderous crash. The wall dissolved, revealing a tidal wave of these digital apparitions. The ground melted and reformed, swallowing soldiers only to spit them out into different places. Walls materialized and collapsed around them, cutting off retreat or herding them deeper into the battlefield. The Revenants'' claws screeched against the Sentinels'' armor, their sharp edges tearing through the plating that offered nearly zero protection from the razored claws. The Sentinels wavered under the endless flood of Revenants. For each one killed, they were replaced by two more. Their bodies reassembled into new horrors, even more powerful than before. Through it all, Psionus¡¯s voice sounded in their minds. "Left flank collapsing¡ªreform!" Even his telepathy couldn¡¯t silence the whispers. They crept back into Aetherveil¡¯s mind. "You can¡¯t save them.¡° "This is their end¡ªand yours." She gritted her teeth, blocking out the voices as she pressed forward. The weight of her armor felt heavier with every step. By the time they reached the fortress, only a fraction of the Sentinels remained. Their formations were failing against the legions. Glitchar was constantly breaking and reforming, held together by yellow arcs of static. Its face was a blank black canvas of pixels with two green orbs levitating off its featureless face. "Glitchar!" she roared. Glitchar didn¡¯t respond. Instead, it raised a clawed hand and hurled bolts of energy at her. Aetherveil deflected them with her sword, the force shoving her back. "You fight for nothing. Look around you. You''re giving me more conscripts," it said. Aetherveil watched as her fallen Sentinels were revived, their power armor under Glitchar''s control. "No!" she shouted, lunging at him. The clash shook the entire construct. Glitchar¡¯s strikes were frenzied. Each blow landed like a bomb. Aetherveil¡¯s movements were calculated. Each swing of her sword was promising its end. Every arc of her sword that collided with his razor hands released a blinding flash and a ripple of force. It floated around her, zipping past her, around her, next to her near instantaneously. Around them, the battle continued¡ªSentinels and Revenants locked in a struggle between life and death. "I don''t need to destroy your army, Aetherveil. You will do it yourself," it said. Aetherveil couldn''t contain her rage. She could only see Glitchar. Its body was flashing and sparking under her furious assault. Her sword connected with its head, shedding off some of its carapace. For a brief moment, she saw something inside of it. A frame of the player it once was, screaming silently for his release. She hesitated. It nearly cost her. Glitchar¡¯s razored arm swung wide, grazing her side and sending a wave of pain through her body. She fell to one knee. The next blow Glitchar threw was the opening she needed. With everything she had, she buried her sword into its chest. Glitchar let out an ear-piercing screech as his form exploded into countless shards of light. A blast wave rapidly expanded outward, shattering nearby Revenants and collapsing the fortress, its blocks cast scross the construct like burning comets. Aetherveil was thrown to the ground, gasping for air as she recovered from the crushing pressure of its unpredicably massive release of energy. When she got back up, the battlefield was silent. The Sentinels'' armor were deeply scarred by the fighting. She watched as the wounded were being dragged away, groaning in agony. She looked down at the remnants of Glitchar. "You haven¡¯t won." The voices mocked her. They questioned her. Aetherveil tightened her grip around the hilt of her sword. She looked at her reflection in the blade''s glow. She barely recognized herself. "Commander?" Psionus''s voice got her attention. She looked at him and nodded. "Let''s get out of here. We need to regroup." As they prepared to return through the gate, she thought to herself. ¡°Is the Nexus breaking, or am I?¡° Chapter 6 The drop ships cut through the thick atmosphere as they made their turbulent approach to the surface. Aetherveil surveyed the war-torn planet from the ship''s display. It looked like a graveyard. Factories and cities crumbled into piles of rock¡ªvisible only through the flashes of artillery fire that lit up the planet. The craters that scarred the landscape of concrete and steel made Kalvos Prime a monument to the seemingly ceaseless conflict. There were towering factories throughout the surface of the planet with massive stacks that released plumes of dark smoke and soot that blurred out the horizon. Patrolling drones circled the area like vultures searching for a carcass. What was once a planet thriving from the wealth of its production was now a penal colony for its enslaved populace. The coalition and the Nexus had been playing tug-of-war with this planet since the beginning of the war. They had once again lost it to Nexus forces and had been unable to reclaim it. This time, they turned to Aetherveil. The ships touched down on the outskirts of the fortified capital. It used to be a bustling industrial city. Now, it was just a pile of concrete and rebar. Aetherveil and her Sentinels disembarked from their ships, sounds of debris crunching under their feet. ¡°Kalvos Prime fuels the Nexus¡¯s war machine,¡± Lilyon said as she joined Aetherveil¡¯s side. ¡°If we take it, we will have the weapons we need. If we don''t¡ª" Aetherveil¡¯s jaw tightened. The whispers returned, growing louder with every step. "You can''t win here." "They will break." Psionus broke through the voices. "The Nexus has corrupted nearly every system on the planet. We¡¯re not just up against soldiers. They''ve seized control of the automated defenses." "We¡¯ll need stealth," Lilyon murmured. "Our mission is clear," Aetherveil announced, looking between them. "Psionus, sever their nodes. Lilyon, take the command hub. I¡¯ll lead the assault." Psionus closed his eyes. "They¡¯re hidden, but I can sense them. I¡¯ll lead my team." Aetherveil glanced toward her Sentinels. "Move out." The battle unfolded beneath a shroud of darkness. >>>>>***********************<<<<< The Sentinels moved as one. They slipped through the ruins like shadows. Nexus machines patrolled the area, diligently searching for intruders. Using the city''s rubble as concealment, Lilyon led her team toward the command hub. The path was a narrow winding maze of factories and alleys with overlapping Revenant patrol routes. "We are going in circles," A Sentinel muttered. "That''s impossible," Lilyon replied. "The nav unit shows us heading toward the hub." "We passed this building three times now," the Sentinel raised his voice, glaring at her. "Where are you taking us?" "Stand down," Lilyon snapped. "No! You stand down," the Sentinel shouted, pointing his rifle at Lilyon. The others in her unit followed his lead. Lilyon''s chest heaved. "What are you doing? This is mutiny," she said with a shaky voice. "We''ve fought together for years. You don''t trust me?" "Trust?" The Sentinel asked, shoving his rifle forward. "This isn''t about trust. It''s about survival." Lilyon looked at her nav unit, her hands shaking uncontrollably. The map changed. "I don''t¡ªI don''t understand," she stammered. She looked back up at the Sentinel, panting. She closed her eyes as the Sentinels opened fire. "Ma''am," a Sentinel rested his hand on Lilyon''s shoulder. "Are you ok?" Lilyon opened her eyes, confused. The barrels were replaced with the concerned looks of her team. "I''m ok," She lied. "Let''s keep moving." As they continued on their route, a Revenant patrol nearly detected them. Lilyon motioned for her team to take cover. The patrol passed. One of the Revenants stopped¡ªlooking right at her. Its glowing eyes stared right into hers. It turned around and moved on. Lilyon gave a nod to continue, her hands shaking. One of the Sentinels stayed frozen¡ªstaring at a corner. "Sergeant?" Lilyon asked, quietly trying to get his attention. The other Sentinels looked at each other. Lilyon slowly approached him. He was tilting his head. It twitched as if he was listening to something. She could see a glow coming from under his visor. "Sergeant?" She tried again, softly. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. She slowly flipped it up and his green eyes locked onto her. He attacked her without warning, his hands wrapping around her throat. Another Sentinel stabbed him through a gap in his armor. Lilyon rolled over gasping for air while the others helped her up. "What the hell is going on?" She asked hoarsely. She knelt next to his body. ¡°This doesn''t make sense,¡± she whispered. ¡°Was this the Nexus?¡° ¡°The patrols are picking up, ma''am,¡± a Sentinel said. ¡°We should stay on mission.¡° She nodded and stood up. ¡°You''re right. We''ll come back for him.¡° She continued to navigate her team to the objective. The towering structure was just beyond an alley with pipes and machinery obscuring their view. It was heavily fortified with Nexus forces stationed around the perimeter. Lilyon and her team slowly moved in on the building. "Why bother, Lilyon? Do you enjoy being the strategist of your army''s fate?" She closed her eyes tight and took a deep breath. They continued moving. When they finally reached the outer defenses, they managed to slip past the patrolling Revenants and enter the hub¡ªmoving swiftly through the halls. It was illuminated by flashing red emergency lights. Lilyon glanced at the rusty walls, the shadows looking back at her with glowing eyes. She blinked hard, but they didn''t disappear. "The Nexus is watching," she whispered to herself. A Sentinel looked in her direction. "Ma''am?" She shook her head. "It''s nothing. Let''s keep moving." ¡°We¡¯re inside the hub¡¯s perimeter. We¡¯re getting close to the power systems," Lilyon reported over comms. Once they reached the central chamber of the command hub they could see the glowing of the power cores¡ªsurrounded by Nexus Enforcers. ¡°This is beyond us," one of the engineers said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lilyon said, focused on the objective. ¡°Those cores power the defenses. We need to disable them so Aetherveil can advance.¡± When she turned her head to look back at the power cores, the Enforcers were looking directly at her. She began to hear the overwhelming sound of white noise. "This is beyond you." She issued her commands and her team moved into formation. They immediately engaged each other. The Enforcers erased every obstacle they tried to hide behind with their powerful cannons. Each projectile created a molten crater. The Sentinels needed to keep moving or be vaporized. Lilyon and the engineers made their way to the control panel. In the background, the cacophony of weapons fire continued. "They made this easy. Nothing to hack," the engineer said with a hint of disappointment. The Enforcers'' sensors pivoted, locking on to Lilyon''s team. She narrowed her eyes, catching a brief delay in an Enforcer¡¯s pivot as it swung its cannons around. "Engineers, report!" Lilyon shouted. When she didn''t hear their response, she looked toward the control panel. They were gone. She looked back toward the Enforcers¡ªthey were towering over her. "Join us, Lilyon," they intoned. A loud explosion caught her attention. The Sentinels had destroyed one of the Enforcers¡ªstill engaged by the cores. She noticed a Sentinel stop for a moment. He shook his head, then reengaged. "Status?" Lilyon asked. "Almost there!¡± yelled one engineer. His fingers were quickly navigating through the control panel, bypassing one failsafe after the other. He continued disabling cooling systems, ignoring the warnings. Lilyon watched as the power cores changed from red to orange. Suddenly, a burst of sparks shot out, filling the room with a blinding flash¡ªthe blast wave knocking her down. She heard whispers as she slipped out of consciousness. "Join my side. Together, we can correct humanity.¡° She came to and pulled herself up, her legs wobbling. Her ears were ringing. She looked around, everything was still hazy. Stumbling toward the main corridor, the walls around her were glowing the sickly green light of the Nexus. One of the engineers ran up to her, grabbing her by the shoulders, yelling. He started pulling her toward the corridor. She slipped on a puddle of blood. Her head swung in every direction trying to get a clear picture of what was going on. The Sentinels were firing at each other, no longer aware of friend or foe. "I''m surrounded! Where is everyone at?" A Sentinel asked, crying out. He turned toward Lilyon. "It''s you! Help¡ª" His blood sprayed on Lilyon as his helmet was pierced by another Sentinels gunfire. "What¡ª" she began to say as the engineer pulled her into the corridor. "It''s not them!" He said. "The Nexus has them!" Lilyon and the engineer ran through the blood-streaked corridor. As they made their way to the exit, she looked back one last time, staring at the gunfire through a glassy haze¡ªthe screams of her Sentinels echoing through the hall. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Psionus dug deeper into the city¡¯s systems. His psychic abilities allowed him to feel the nodes¡ªthey were embedded like roots in the planet¡¯s infrastructure and buried under encryption and code. The Nexus tried to keep them concealed, but they were unsuccessful in their attempt. He led his team through the tight alleys of the city. Psionus started to take notice of the lack of patrols in this quadrant as they closed in on their objective. "Strange," Psionus muttered. "They wouldn''t leave a node exposed. They''re how their units stay connected." "Real-time processing, right?" a Sentinel asked. Psionus nodded, still focused on his link with the node. "Without the link, they would go into a forced shutdown. Their computers can only make task-based decisions,¡± he said. The Sentinel glanced over at Psionus, his smile concealed underneath his helmet. "Even the Nexus finds ways to cut corners," the Sentinel said. Psinous smirked. "No, not cost. It''s more energy efficient. It also keeps us from stealing them." He gestured to his team to proceed with caution. ¡°We¡¯re close," he said. They tightened their grip on their weapons, ready to fight. As they rounded the corner, they found themselves facing a Nexus Enforcer. It attacked without warning, as if its presence wasn''t warning enough. ¡°Fall back!¡± Psionus shouted. They couldn¡¯t retreat, not with the node in reach. Psionus decided to confront it. Psionus''s powers were not limited to the neural networks of the brain. Decades of training gave him the ability to trace and understand binary logic pathways and the artificial neural networks of these machines. He reached into the Enforcer''s programming to locate a flaw. An icy landscape materialized around him. He stood, alone, in a freezing blizzard. ¡°Psionus." "I knew that if I couldn''t come to you, you would find your way to me." "Who are you?" he asked, trying to sense the presence. The entity howled with laughter. "Don''t waste your energy. I need it for my new commander." Psionus clenched his fists. "I will never be yours, Tyrant." The entity emerged from the white walls of the blizzard. Its massive form shadowed over Psionus. Its green eyes numbed his psychic powers. "You cling to free will like a child clutches a broken toy. You are already mine. Every breath you take¡ªmine." The blizzard opened up, revealing the faces of Lilyon''s Sentinels. "You were never meant to be their leader, Psionus. They fear you. They are waiting for you to fail. They know you will fail." The Sentinels looked toward Psionus. "Why didn''t you save us?" His eyes widened. He released a massive discharge of psychic power that swept through the construct, gasping as he snapped back into reality, sweat beading on his forehead under the frigid walls of his suit. The Enforcer was still moving, its cannons unleashing volleys of plasma fire. Psionus latched his mind to its self-diagnostics subroutine, tricking it into reporting critical damage. The machine froze, entering a forced shutdown. His team rushed to sever the node¡¯s connection to the Nexus. ¡°First node down,¡± Psionus reported. They proceeded to locate the other nodes. "Is he right?" He thought. "Are they afraid of me?" "Of course I''m right." >>>>>***********************<<<<< On the opposite side of the city, Aetherveil was heavily engaged with the Nexus. She was slicing through the machines faster than they could replace them. She looked over at the Sentinels. The Revenants were smashing through their lines. ¡°We¡¯re being overrun!¡± a Sentinel shouted. Reinforcements poured in, flanking their positions. She watched as an explosion threw several Sentinels back, armor plating spinning into the air. Mocking laughter overlapped screams from the battlefield. "Keep watching, Aetherveil." A Revenant charged toward her. She cut it down, its torso rolling across the ground. Confirmed her kill, it was a Sentinel. Her eyes widened as she looked away. "What have I done?" she whispered. When she forced herself to look back¡ªthe corpse was nothing but a ruined machine. The glow of its optical sensors slowly faded out as it looked at her. It chirped as if laughing at her. Every Sentinel was doing their part to endure the Nexus assault. They were carrying their wounded out, another warrior taking their place in the formation. Another large explosion washed over one of their positions. A leg careened through the air, slamming into Aetherveil''s chest. She was thrown down to the ground, the breath knocked out of her. Struggling to sit up, she watched as the two sides traded fire, her soldiers screaming orders and changing positions. Dark tendrils crept out of the shadows of a nearby collapsed building, wriggling their way toward her. "You cannot save them." "You''ll lead them to ruin, just like before. We just want what''s best for you." She looked at them. Her glazed eyes transformed into rage. Standing up, she tightened her grip around her sword. She slammed it into the ground, unleashing a fiery shockwave that burned through the shadows. Aetherveil joined a Sentinel formation, tearing through the Tyrant''s machines. She paused to assess the field. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time,¡± she whispered, her eyes fixed on the command hub in the distance. "Look!" A Sentinel called out. "They''re bunching up over there!" Aetherveil reached out to the Veilbreaker over comms, "Veilbreaker, grid seven. Give it a hellstrike." Moments later Aetherveil observed a missile strike the target. All of the buildings surrounding it collapsed and the area was engulfed in flames. Seemingly out of nowhere, the defenses went down. The turrets stopped firing. ¡°Defenses down,¡± Lilyon reported. ¡°Aetherveil, it¡¯s open.¡± ¡°Advance!¡± she called out, leading her Sentinels to the command hub. Lilyon and Aetherveil rallied outside of its entrance. Psionus rejoined them, his face pale. ¡°The nodes are down, but they¡¯re barricading the hub,¡± he reported. ¡°We¡¯ll need speed.¡° ¡°We end this," Aetherveil said. "Together." With Psionus and Lilyon at her side, she led the final assault. Nexus forces inside fought with everything they had, but the Sentinels relentlessly pressed forward. They stepped over the scrap that was once the Tyrant''s killing machines. Aetherveil cut through the ranks of defenders until they reached the command node itself, a giant mass of energy and metal. Psionus stepped forward, reaching into and severing the node from the Nexus. The core shuddered and began to lose power. The link between the Nexus and Kalvos Prime cut off. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Psionus said. ¡°The Nexus¡¯s grip on Kalvos Prime is severed.¡± Aetherveil exhaled, a weight lifting from her shoulders as she surveyed the battlefield. The Revenants¡¯ glows flickered and dimmed¡ªsome collapsed as they were disconnected from the Nexus. As she looked across the smoldering wreckage of Kalvos Prime, the victory felt pyrrhic. The hellish landscape of the city became the final resting place for tens of thousands of Sentinels. Every single one of them fought as hard as they could for Aetherveil. She stepped toward Psionus and Lilyon, who were rallying the remaining Sentinels. ¡°Kalvos is ours again,¡± Lilyon quietly declared. She couldn''t bring herself to look at Aetherveil, feeling the shame that she couldn''t bring any of her team back. Aetherveil gently raised Lilyons head, making eye contact¡ªsilently letting Lilyon know that she was still her friend. Chapter 7 Aetherveil and her advisors stood within the war room on Kalvos Prime. The glow from the planet¡¯s energy core flowed through the large reinforced windows, casting long shadows across the room. "We know what Datashade can do," Psionus said as he was reviewing the intelligence reports. "We have lost contact with several outposts. It''s responsible." Aetherveil stood by the central display reading through the reports. The display flickered, replacing them with a map of the Server Void. "I am waiting for you." She turned to Lilyon. "What do you think?" she asked. "We need to face him," Lilyon said, her arms crossed. ¡°He''s on us and there''s no changing that now.¡° She had been researching the patterns in Datashade''s attacks. "Datashade is going to¡ª" Aetherveil''s vision blurred. Lilyon was right. She didn''t know if she was ready to lead her forces into the Nexus again. The faces of the dead haunted her thoughts. Rubbing her eyes, she felt a warm fluid sliding down her cheek. She wiped it with her hands¡ªblood. She wiped her face harder, but it wouldn''t go away. "You don''t need to worry, Aetherveil. We will take good care of them." She gasped and searched the room. Her eyes were looking for anything that would make certain she was in reality. The shadows seemed darker now. "We trusted you. You did this to us." "Aetherveil?" Lilyon asked. Aetherveil looked at Lilyon, staring silently before responding. "We¡¯ll go," she said. Her hands trembled as she gripped the edge of the display. She looked at her palms, they were clean now. "Datashade is a master of manipulation," Psionus said. "We can''t trust anything we see in there." Lilyon nodded. "Aetherveil, are you¡ª" "I''m fine!" she snapped, glaring at her. The display flickered again. The lines transformed into a face with hollow eyes, a smile stretched across its face. "You will fail them. We will be here to catch them when you do." "We don''t have a choice," Aetherveil said, still fixed on the display. "You read the reports. He is on the warpath." "Ok," Lilyon replied. "I will prepare a team." "Before you go, what did the doctors say about your unit?" Aetherveil asked. "It''s beyond anything they had ever seen. The Nexus was able to exploit our armor''s neural interface,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°More than that¡ªit was able to change the luminescence of our eyes." "The technicians don''t know how to protect them¡ªif there is a way," Psionus added. Aetherveil stopped listening. She continued looking at the monitor, locked on to the glowing eyes in her reflection. "Psionus, can you see it?" she asked. "No," Psionus replied. "I don''t know how, but it can conceal its influence from me. Whatever is going on in your mind, Aetheveil, I can''t see it. I can''t protect you." Aetherveil''s chest tightened. ¡°Then who will.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< The trio stood outside of the gateway with a squad of Sentinels. This was not going to be a battle. They agreed that if things went badly, they would immediately pull out. Aetherveil watched as the team entered, Lilyon the last to step through. She looked back at Aetherveil as she vanished into the light. She stopped in front of the ring and closed her eyes. With a deep breath, she advanced into the portal, a cackling bouncing off her eardrums. "I will see you soon, Aetherveil.¡° When she opened her eyes, she was alone in dark plains. The sound of thunder rumbled above as it began to pour down crimson. She quickly looked around. "Psionus?" she called out. "Lilyon?" She heard snickering from somewhere within the red squall. "It''s just us." Aetherveil attempted to retreat through the gateway, but it wasn''t responding. She drew her sword, its blade scraping out of the sheath, her grip tightly wrapped around it. "Did you really think I would just let you leave?" Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Show yourself you coward!" Aetherveil shouted, slowly walking in circles with her sword leveled in front of her. "Coward? You hide behind your precious Sentinels and you call me a coward? They have learned the truth. I have shown them." An opening formed in the wall of rain, her squad of Sentinels stepping into view¡ªtheir swords drawn "What are you doing?" Aetherveil shouted, her voice shaking. "This isn''t you!" "Do you see now, Aetherveil? You¡¯re nothing without them, and they¡¯re nothing because of you." They began to encircle her, pointing the tips of their blades in her direction and syncronized in motion. "You led us here," they said, voices overlapping. "You can''t save them. You never could." They charged Aetheveil. "Don''t," she cried as she deflected their strikes. "Please¡ª" She thrust her sword into the stomach of a Sentinel, her roar tearing through the construct. For a moment, she saw the humanity return to his face. "Commander¡ª" the Sentinel whispered, his voice strained by the edge of metal sliding in and out with each contraction of his gut. Aetherveil froze, her chest heaved as his body slumped against her blade. The rain washed over his face, erasing the last signs of his humanity. Sliding out the blade, his body crumpled, a fall muted by the spongy ground. One of the other Sentinels kicked her from behind, throwing her several feet forward. Rolling off her stomach, the Sentinels stood over her. "I''m sorry. I failed all of you," she whispered, eyes filling with tears. Before they could deliver the final blow, the entire construct collapsed. Energy blasts filled the expanse, the remaining Sentinels forced into combat with an unknown force. "Aetherveil!" A familiar voice called out. She tilted her head back, seeing Lilyon run towards her. She helped her up. "This is Selene," Lilyon said, gesturing to a woman beside her. "She got us out of the Server Void." "Psionus?" Aetheveil asked. "Him too," She replied. Aetherveil looked around. The Sentinels lay dead. People with Selene dragged their bodies next to each other, laying them out in neat line. "How are you here?" Selene asked. "I mean...actually here?" Two men joined his side. "Those are real bodies," one said. "That shouldn''t be possible." "Quantum gateways," Aetherveil replied. "They''re how we enter the Nexus." "Quantum gateways?" he asked, skeptical. "I can''t explain it to you. It''s beyond your understanding¡­and mine," she said. "I need to find Datashade." "You''re out of your damned mind if you think you''re going to fight him," he snapped. "Tell me where!" she shouted, grabbing him by the collar. Lilyon pulled her off of him. He straightened himself out. "You won''t have to look hard. He will come to you," he replied. Aetheveil looked at Lilyon. "Where is Psionus?" she asked. Lilyon smiled, her body flickering. "Lilyon?" She dissolved into a pile of pixels. Aetherveil reached out, her arm piercing through them. "No¡ªno!" She heard sinister laughter. The construct went dark. "I haven''t finished with you, yet." >>>>>***********************<<<<< Lilyon and Psionus analyzed Aetherveil as she remained frozen. The construct around them was a cavernous chamber filled with static discharges. "Psionus, what''s wrong with her?" Lilyon asked, looking into Aetherveil''s blank eyes¡ªthe arcs reflecting off their surface. Psionus had been trying to connect with her mind, but he was being pushed out. "It''s Datashade. He has her," Psionus said. "What do we do? How do we get her back?" Lilyon asked, a film of tears glazing her eyes. The Sentinels'' heads shot up. They looked into the darkness, rifles raised. "State your intent!" one of them shouted. Selene and two others stepped out of the shadows, hands raised. "We know what this is," she said. "You''re in the Server Void." Lilyon blinked several times trying to rebuild a projection of strength. "Who are you?" she asked. "She is not real, but she is also not Nexus," Psionus said, walking closer. "We are players¡ªavatars." Selene said. ¡°I''m Selene. These two are Daemon and Kade. Lilyon looked around before snapping her attention back on Selene. ¡°Server Void?" Lilyon asked. "I thought that''s where she is." "She is," Selene replied. "And so are you. What we don''t know is how she can be here and with Datashade at the same time.¡° ¡°As I''m sure you have figured out, we''re not simply avatars,¡± Psionus said. He turned slightly, extending his arm out toward Aetherveil. ¡°Datashade was able to intercept her consciousness mid-transmission. The gateway, however, completed the process of constructing her body here¡ªpossibly as a failsafe.¡° "How do we get her out?" Lilyon asked, desperation in her voice. "I''m sorry," Selene said, stepping closer to Lilyon. The Sentinels kept their rifles trained on her. "You don''t. You need to leave her. You don''t want to be here for what comes next," she said. Lilyon''s brow furrowed deeply as she shot a piercing look at Selene. "No!" she snapped. "We won''t leave her. Whatever happens, we''ll face it together." She motioned for the Sentinels to lower their weapons. "If you want to leave¡ªleave. We''re staying," Lilyon said, turning toward Psionous. He nodded while continuing his attempts to connect with Aetherveil''s mind. ¡°The longer she is in this state of duality¡ª¡± Psionus silenced himself. Selene''s hand rested on Lilyon''s shoulder. "I''m not trying to save you from the Nexus. I''m trying to save you from your friend," Selene said, softly. The intensity of the discharges grew in sync with the volume laughter echoing all around them. "They will learn as you have, Selene." Daemon and Kade quickly turned to look at her. "What does it mean by that?" Kade asked, concerned. "I¡ª" Selene turned away. The laughter grew louder. "Tell them, Selene. Go ahead. Tell them about Arcturus." "Arcturus?" Daemon asked. ¡°He''s nobody,¡± Selene replied softly. Selene looked toward the static. "You don''t know what he''s capable of.¡° Psionus gasped. Lilyon ran to him, his body frozen like Aetherveil''s. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Psionus found himself in the plains. Every step he took felt wet and spongy, the soles of his boots getting pulled into the mush. "Aetherveil?" he called out. He continued walking, cautiously, searching for Aetherveil, not knowing if he was in Aetherveil''s mind, or Datashade''s construct. He observed a humanoid silhouette in the distance. It became a more recognizable shape as he got closer to it. It was Aetherveil. He noticed some things off about her. She wasn''t moving, armor dull and corroded. Her eyes glowed a dim green light. "Aetherveil," he called again. She turned slowly, almost mechanically, green eyes locking onto him. There was no recognition, no humanity beneath them. Her mouth formed an empty, hollow smile. "Psinous," she said. "This isn''t you," Psionus replied. His psychic connection was being blocked. Every attempt was like pushing his head down in a bowl of broken glass. She stepped forward, movements rigid and seemingly forced. "You abandoned me, Psionus," she whispered. "You let this happen. Just like you let all the others die." The ground beneath him began to move, his feet sinking into the grass. He looked down to see hands¡ªSentinels reaching out of the earth, clawing at his ankles. "Stop!" he commanded, unleashing a wave of energy. The hands dematerialized, but the ground kept moving. His left. "You can''t save her.¡° His right. "You can''t save anyone. Pathetic." Aetherveil charged at Psionus, swinging her sword in clumsy arcs. He quickly rolled out of the way¡ªshe didn''t seem to have the same competence he was familiar with. She swung again, Psionus dodging the blade and throwing her to the ground. He held her down as he attempted to connect with her mind again, but with more force. He was thrust backward by an explosion of energy, struggling to get back on his feet. The laughing grew louder. ¡°My control over her is absolute. She belongs to me.¡° Psionus looked around the construct trying to figure out where Datashade was hiding. ¡°If your control was absolute, why has she forgotten how to wield her sword?¡° he asked. The laughter faded. The glow in Aetherveils eyes flickered¡ªit was all a facade. Psionus seized the moment, focusing on the vulnerability in Datashade''s hold over her. In her mind, he could feel the agonizing pain of its control, but he began to see the cracks in the illusion. The blood-soaked plains transformed into something new¡ªmemories. The faint glow of her true self was buried beneath the layers of Datashade''s manipulations. ¡°Aetherveil, I know you¡¯re in there,¡± he said, stepping closer. His hand hovered near her shoulder, but he didn¡¯t touch it. ¡°You¡¯re clumsy with your blade because it¡¯s not yours anymore. It didn¡¯t finish the job, did it?¡° Her head twitched at his words. Her mouth opened as if she was going to speak, but nothing came out¡ªjust a choking rasp. ¡°You presume too much, Psionus. I will crush her rebellion. My hold will only get stronger.¡° Psionus ignored its taunts. ¡°Keep fighting it, Aetherveil. You don''t belong to it.¡° He threaded through the gaps where Datashade''s control had broken down, finding pathways in her mind no longer being manipulated by him. ¡°You are more than their tool,¡± Psionus said, his voice heard both aloud and in her mind. Aetherveil''s body began to convulse. Datashade''s laughter became a growl as Psionus dug deeper. Its perfect construct collapsed into the chaotic landscape of electrical storms and artifacted renderings. Aetherveil''s green eyes were slowly replaced by orange until they erupted with their fiery luminescence. ¡°You think this is freedom? You were never free. Not from them¡ªnot from me.¡° The construct transformed again, reforming into the plains, playing back the images of Aetherveil killing a Sentinel in plain view. Psionus knew what it was trying to do, blocking out the images from her mind. ¡°You promised to protect us. Where were you when we needed you.¡° Despite the agony, Psionus continued to shield Aetherveil''s mind. The construct began to collapse, revealing Datashade¡ªa grotesque humanoid of both binary and exposed nerve circuits. ¡°Do you think this is about control? Join me. I can make you gods.¡° Datashade said. ¡°You have seen the truth. You have felt the weight of your failures. Let me make you more.¡° Its face was constantly reforming into loved ones, enemies, and faceless entities, its voice a reflection of the shuffling identities. Psionus glanced toward Aetherveil. ¡°I have made my choice,¡± he whispered. Revenants materialized into the construct. Aetherveil blinked, her vision returning. She couldn''t tell if what she was seeing was real, or if it was all still an illusion. Her grip tightened around her sword, the weight felt familiar to her. ¡°This is real. I am real,¡± she whispered. She cut down the Revenants, making her way to Datashade¡ªmaterializing in endless waves. Psionus observed as Aetherveil fought with the skill and speed he had remembered. Datashade laughed¡ªmocked her desperate attempts to reach him. Psionus knew he had only one option to defeat him. He activated the quantum gateway. As Aetherveil felt its pull, she looked back at Psionus. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± She was forcefully evacuated by a vortex of light. He activated it again, only instead of bringing him back¡ªto erase the construct and everything in it. As the construct collapsed, Datashade pleaded with Psionus. ¡°Stop! You can be more than just flesh. You don''t have to be shackled to the limits of mortality¡ªunlike Aetherveil.¡° ¡°You always wanted what she has. To have eternity to learn, to understand the secrets of the universe. I can do that for you.¡° For a fleeting moment, Psionus hesitated. He thought about Aetherveil¡ªher eyes bringing light to the darkness. ¡°I don''t need eternity to know what matters.¡° The construct dissolved into a chaotic stream of broken data, followed by nothingness. Chapter 8 Aetherveil remained idle in front of the gateway hoping Psionus would return through. She held her breath for the outlines of figures breaking through the brilliant pool of light. Sentinels emerged, followed by Lilyon. Aetherveil felt a deep, internal agony flame broiling her heart. ¡°Lilyon,¡± she whispered. ¡°What happened in there?¡° Lilyon asked. ¡°Where is Psionus?¡° ¡°He¡ªI don''t¡ª¡± Aetheveil stammered. She retreated back to her shuttle. Lilyon stumbled as she tried to chase after her. ¡°Aetherveil! Don''t walk away from me!¡° she screamed. ¡°What happened to Psionus?¡° Aetherveil''s head sank. She covered her ears to block out Lilyon''s voice as she picked up the pace, panting as she recalled her last vision of Psionus before getting pulled from the construct. ¡°What did you do?¡° Aetherveil muttered to herself. Her head swung back around as she approached the shuttle''s ramp, stealing one last look of Lilyon before boarding. She was pacing back and forth in front of the gateway while the Sentinels exchanged looks. They seemed uncertain about how to respond. Aetherveil boarded her shuttle, sitting down in the copilot''s seat. She looked down at the console. The display flickered. She pounded on the console with her fists¡ªthe metal and glass groaning and crunching with every powerful blow. Smoke started seeping out of the panels as the instrument screens cracked and shattered. ¡°Commander?¡° the pilot asked softly, having entered the ship unnoticed. ¡°Take me back to the Veilbreaker, Captain.¡° she ordered. He saluted. ¡°Yes, ma''am.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< The mood on Kalvos Prime was darker than ever before. The overwhelming cost of recapturing the planet and battling Datashade had taken its toll on Aetherveil. She sat in her quarters, the faces of the Sentinels appearing as apparitions within her vision like floaters. The whispers flooded her mind while her eyes mapped the dark stains on the wall ahead of her. ¡°You''re ready.¡° ¡°We can make your pain go away.¡° ¡°Enough!¡° she shouted, whipping her chair into the wall. Walking through the corridors, she saw the faces of the crews manning their posts. They were covered in soot, exhausted by the months of conflict. She stopped at the mess hall¡ªa group of coalition soldiers seemed aggravated. One pointed his finger at another, inches from his face. The other jumped over the table, tackling him. ¡°A force the Nexus can''t ignore.¡° The voices roared with laughter. ¡°It''s not them you have to worry about,¡° she whispered, smirking. She crossed through the central junction. That''s where most spent their time while off duty. Makeshift tables were lining the spaces between passageways. Groups of Sentinels and coalition soldiers were inspecting their weapons, others were replacing failing components in their armor. The once shimmering power armor of the Sentinels were now dull and worn¡ªa patchwork of plating recovered from the bodies of their fallen. ¡°You can''t keep this up forever, Aetherveil.¡° Lilyon was in the command center reviewing intelligence reports as she walked in. She didn''t look at Aetherveil. ¡°There are reports of negotiations between members of the coalition and the Nexus,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°They must believe the price of this war is too great.¡° Aetherveil pivoted her head toward her, narrowing her eyes. ¡°It''s too late to stop now. We already paid it,¡° Aetherveil said. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Lilyon turned to face Aetherveil, pressing her finger into her shoulder. ¡°Who are you to decide what this war is worth?¡° she snapped. ¡°Psionus¡ª¡± Aetherveil''s eyes briefly erupted with orange light. ¡°We need to address this,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°I''ll decide when it''s over. Not you and certainly not them.¡° Lilyon shook her head slowly and scoffed as she spun around and marched out of the room. The voices laughed and mocked as Aetherveil stared at her reflection in the windows of the command room. Her hands squeezed the railing tightly, leaving imprints in the metal. ¡°You can''t hide from us forever. You''re broken. Just give up.¡° ¡°I decide when this ends,¡± she growled. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Targus III was a barren and arid world. The planet had remained free of Nexus control largely because of its inhospitable terrain and the strategic tunnels that ran beneath its surface. The council was held in a chamber deep beneath the planet¡¯s surface. There were no banners or symbols of authority¡ªonly a single rectangular table. Aetherveil stood at the head of the table. ¡°You''re in no position to keep the coalition together. You couldn''t even keep Lilyon at your side.¡° Thalor was the first to speak. ¡°We¡¯ve fought alongside you, Aetherveil,¡± he said. ¡°But we have wasted too many lives on your crumbling campaign.¡° A bitter chuckle slipped from Aetherveil''s smirking lips. ¡°Fought alongside me?¡° she repeated. ¡°You? The only one to abstain from joining me? You promised resources, but provided nothing.¡° Thalor adjusted his posture, resting his clenched hands on the table. ¡°I still stand by my decision,¡± he argued. ¡°If I gave you what you wanted, Eldara would be in the same position as everyone at this table.¡° Murmurs of agreement could be heard throughout the chamber. ¡°We can¡¯t keep doing this¡±, another leader added. ¡°We¡¯ve lost too much already. How do we even know if our victories matter?¡± Aetherveil''s gaze shot over to the speaker. ¡°They have to matter!¡° Aetherveil shouted. She walked over to him, almost running¡ªher face inches from his. ¡°People died for those victories. My people. Your people. They count for something,¡° she said through clenched teeth. ¡°Millions of our people have died, and we still can''t go back home,¡° someone else said. Aetherveil heard the whispers around the table. ¡°What has she lost? She still has a home to go back to.¡° ¡°Yes, Aetherveil. What have you lost?¡° ¡°What do any of you know about what I have lost?¡° Aetherveil asked, shouting. The chamber went silent. Aetherveil turned around and took a few steps. She hesitated a moment before turning back around. ¡°All of you are cowards!¡° she shouted, her finger sweeping past everyone at the table. ¡°You want to save your worlds, but you''re not willing to fight for them!¡° ¡°If you want a future, you have to earn it,¡± she said, but softer. Her chest rose and fell as she looked across the table. She searched for someone, anyone, to rise to meet her. No one did. ¡°No matter who dies for it,¡± she said. ¡°You don''t believe that, Aetherveil. You''d see the galaxy burn before watching Lilyon die, too.¡° Arros exhaled, running a hand through his hair. ¡°We can¡¯t just walk away,¡± he said. ¡°We''ve come too far.¡± He looked at the members, searching for support. Nobody met his eyes. ¡°This isn''t about saving the galaxy,¡± Thalor said. ¡°It¡¯s about saving you.¡± ¡°We have defeated Glitchar. We have defeated Datashade. We sent Cryptorax into hiding. The Tyrant is vulnerable. He is desperate,¡± Aetherveil said, eyes shifting between different members of the council as she spoke. The voices roared with laughter. ¡°Desperate? You have truly went mad.¡° ¡°We have heard enough,¡± Thalor said. ¡°You speak of sacrifice, but all I see is a leader who is willing to waste lives to feed her ego.¡° ¡°This is your great alliance? A table of traitors and cowards?¡° She slammed her hands on the table, leaning forward, her fiery gaze sweeping across the room. ¡°Do you think the Nexus will stop if we retreat? They won¡¯t negotiate. They won¡¯t show mercy. They will take everything¡ªyour homes, your people, your lives.¡± Aetherveil straightened, her presence towering over the chamber. ¡°You want to walk away? Fine. The Nexus will be there to conquer what little remains of your precious worlds,¡± she said. ¡°When that happens, I won''t come to save you.¡± ¡°If we stay? If we follow you, what guarantees do you offer us?¡± someone asked. Aetherveil¡¯s lips twisted into a bitter smile. ¡°Guarantees? If we fall apart now, I guarantee your destruction.¡± One by one, the leaders lowered their heads. Without waiting for further debate, Aetherveil turned her back on the table. ¡°She threatens us when she should be leading us,¡± Thalor said. ¡°Is that someone we should trust with our armies?¡± She left the chamber, her footsteps fading into the tunnels. Behind her, murmurs of uncertainty and guilt began to ripple through the room, but no one dared call her back. After a long silence, Thalor leaned back in his chair, watching the tunnel where she had disappeared. ¡°I hope all of you see who she really is,¡± Thalor said. ¡°All she wants is power.¡° Coran nodded. ¡°She is putting our people between the Nexus and her world,¡± he said. ¡°Thalor the oppressor,¡± Castle said. Thalor¡¯s gaze snapped to him, eyes narrowing. ¡°We only tolerate your shit because of what you bring to the table,¡± Castle continued, standing¡ªadjusting his uniform. ¡°Which has been little.¡± Castle turned, giving a final glance to the table before striding toward the exit. ¡°You think walking away makes you safe?¡± he asked. ¡°You think cowering behind Thalor will keep you alive?¡± He shook his head. ¡°You can manipulate this council,¡± he said over his shoulder. ¡°But you can¡¯t manipulate me.¡± ¡°What do we do now?¡± one of the council members asked¡ªa smile spreading across Thalor''s face. >>>>>***********************<<<<< In Psionus¡¯s quarters, Lilyon sifted through his belongings. The room was quiet. She pulled a small item from his locker, her hands trembling slightly. Castle walked in, looking around the quarters as if it were an inspection. ¡°What are you doing here?¡° she asked. ¡°I guess you didn''t know about the meeting,¡° he said, inspecting the shelf nearest to the door. ¡°I thought you were Aetherveil''s number two.¡° ¡°Aetherveil doesn''t have a ''number two'',¡± she said, slamming Psionus''s locker shut. Crossing the room, she sank onto the edge of Psionus''s bed. ¡°Psionus and I are sworn advisors to her. It''s a tradition back home. There''s no honor greater than to be of service to her,¡± she said. ¡°At least, that''s what we''re raised believing.¡° Castle sat next to Lilyon, maintaining eye contact with her. ¡°There were others?¡° He asked. Lilyon looked down at her feet. ¡°There were many others. Our lifespan is no different than yours.¡° She turned her head slightly toward Castle. ¡°They say we''re all created from others like her¡ªthat the first of us were brought here thousands of years ago from another galaxy,¡° she said. ¡°Brought here by who?¡° Castle asked. ¡°We call them the Architects,¡± she replied. ¡°We don''t know much about them other than the relics they had left behind.¡° She looked at the object from Psionus''s locker. ¡°Psionus loved talking about this stuff. He could go on all day about his theories,¡° she whispered. ¡°What theories?¡° Castle asked. Lilyons eyes made their way to his, the silver specks brightening. ¡°That this galaxy was testing grounds for the Architects,¡± she said. ¡°A place away from theirs where they could take risks.¡° ¡°Aetherveil doesn''t believe that, though. Does she?¡° Castle asked. ¡°No,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°She doesn''t remember anything about them, but she thinks they destroyed theirselves like you''re doing.¡° ¡°I don''t think any of us are where we want to be¡ªincluding Aetherveil,¡° he said. ¡°Aetherveil is exactly where the wants to be,¡± Lilyon muttered. Castle stood up, positioning himself on front of the hatch. ¡°What''s her deal, anyways?¡° he asked. ¡°She''s an expert fighter, but awful talker.¡° Lilyon laughed. It was the first smile Castle had seen since stepping into the compartment. With a quiet click, he closed the hatch behind him, leaving her alone once more¡ªclutching Psionus¡¯s trinket like a fragile piece of her past. Chapter 9 The passageways of the Veilbreaker were like arteries running through its massive frame. The ship''s crew flowed through them, nearly every destination critical to its function. Aetherveil stood at an intersection, observing them as they quietly marched to their stations. She looked at her reflection on the polished cylindrical exterior of one of the many oxygen generators secured to the bulkhead. She hadn''t heard the voices in days. ¡°Have you given up?¡° she asked her reflection, smirking. Alarms started wailing across the ship, a repeated message looping. ¡°Battle stations. This is not a drill.¡° She ran through the passageways, brushing up against other members of the crew as they raced to man their stations. Upon reaching the command center, she paused for a moment at the entrance to catch her breath. She walked in briskly and positioned herself next to Lilyon. Lilyon looked at Aetherveil, finally meeting her eyes. ¡°A Nexus fleet has jumped into the orbital threshold of Targus III,¡± she said, pointing at the tactical displays. Aetherveil narrowed her eyes¡ªher hands trembling as she gripped the console. ¡°Those signatures suggest that''s the bulk of its navy,¡± she said nervously. ¡°Why would it expose itself like this?¡° The displays lit up with additional signature profiles, each one a new warship. ¡°Hostile contacts jumped outside of the Nexus fleet''s formation,¡± an officer relayed. ¡°Sensors are picking up Nexus signatures.¡° Lilyon and Aetherveil looked at each other with confusion. ¡°If those are part of the Nexus''s fleet, why are they¡ª¡± ¡°They''re firing on each other!¡° An officer reported in disbelief. The displays reported weapons fire exchanged between the two fleets¡ªship signatures vanishing on both sides. ¡°What does that mean, Aetherveil?¡° Lilyon asked, looking at her with wide eyes. Aetherveil slowly shook her head. ¡°I don''t¡ª¡± ¡°The unknown Nexus fleet split its forces,¡± the officer shouted, cutting her off. ¡°Nearly two hundred ships are heading straight for us!¡° Lilyon faced the officers directly. They manned the stations that surround the central command console. ¡°They outnumber us three to one. The coalition fleets have abandoned us,¡± she said. Aetheveil placed herself next to Lilyon, exchanging glances before she spoke. ¡°Our ships are bigger, faster, and manned by the most skilled crews in the galaxy. We will beat them, or we will all die together.¡° The tactical displays started buzzing, flashing in red as a warning message appeared. Weapons Lock¡ªDeploying M.I.R.A.G.E. The clatter of debris deflecting off the Veilbreaker''s hull reverberated through the ship as missiles detonated nearby. The MIRAGE drones were working flawlessly¡ªdrawing fire away from the ship. They mimicked its signature and looped false telemetry data, behaving as digital shipyards reproducing a new Veilbreaker. Weapons crews prepared the next batch of drones for deployment. As crews rolled them to their respective launch bays, a sudden, muted thump beat through the hull in their section. ¡°What is that?¡° one asked, pointing at the bulkhead in front of them. It was rapidly changing colors, glowing faintly before molten metal began to drip onto the floor. ¡°Plasma!¡° another called out. ¡°Clear out!¡° A hole tore through the weakened bulkhead, air rushing through the breach¡ªa hiss that transformed into a roar. An emergency hatch slammed shut. The weapons chief watched as the crew stormed back into the compartment, picking up his handset to report the breach. Aetherveil and Lilyon were focused on the tactical displays, almost through tunnel vision. Officers were muttering at their stations. ¡°Our destroyers need to stay focused on the corvettes. Keep them out of our formation,¡± Lilyon ordered. ¡°Train our accelerators on the dreadnought.¡° ¡°Yes, ma''am. Targeting the dreadnought,¡± an officer repeated. ¡°Hull breach alarm! Starboard launch bays!¡° another officer called out. ¡°The breach is secured, but we have lost countermeasures.¡° Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The handset next to Aetherveil buzzed. She quickly glanced at it, picked it up briefly, then set it back down with a huff. ¡°That was weapons. A plasma attack breached the drone bay,¡± she said, turning her head toward Lilyon. Loud, consecutive thuds resonated through the hull as the accelerators fired on the Nexus dreadnought. Slight vibrations rattled the command center. ¡°Commander, the dreadnought is adrift,¡± an officer reported. ¡°We''ve damaged their reactors.¡° The tactical displays started buzzing and flashing, reporting eminent reactor failure. ¡°Brace yourselves, it''s going critical!¡° Lilyon yelled, tightly gripping the console. Moments later, the dreadnought erupted in a fiery cascade of explosions. The ship quaked violently as debris crashed into the hull. ¡°Aetherveil, we need to talk.¡± Aetherveil sighed. ¡°How are we doing?¡° she asked. ¡°We''re holding up,¡± Lilyon replied. A rapid beeping cut through the noise, the console displayed a new alert. ¡°Large, unknown signature detected,¡± an officer called out. ¡°Where is it?¡° Aetherveil demanded. ¡°It jumped a few kilometers outside of our formation. It''s holding,¡± the officer said. ¡°Do you know what that is?¡° Lilyon asked Aetherveil clenched her jaw. ¡°I have an idea,¡± she said. ¡°Prepare a shuttle, I am boarding that ship.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< Nexus patrols carefully scanned around the debris along their path. Locke, sandwiched between two broken slabs, patiently waited for it to move on somewhere else. The Revenants stood in front of him, pausing. He stared at their legs, mostly because there was nothing else to look at. He counted the strands in their hydraulic muscle fibers before they had finally moved along. Slipping out of his hiding spot, he kept to the mounds of stone, silently weaving through the debris of what used to be an indutrial city on Titanforge. He bought information from an intelligence broker on Vex¡ªa Frontier smuggling planet beyond the reaches of any authority, and even farther from the war. It was there that he could find whatever he needed to hit the Nexus again, and again, and again¡ªas many times as it took for them to end his misery. The broker pointed him to a command hub on Titanforge. He promised it contained a treasure trove of Nexus intel that would lead him to his next target¡ªa project deemed the utmost importance to Nexus operations. Locke entered the hub, and just like the mission before it, it was lacking in security. He strode through its cavernous halls, staying alert for any Revenants that may enter from either side. His eyes roamed the walls of the corridor illuminated by dimly lit emerald lights, searching for any doorways he could escape through if he were to encounter any of the Nexus''s machines. There was nowhere to go but forward or back. Either he would find something worth the risk, or his reward would be as a corpse rotting in the grand halls of some hub on the surface of a polluted junkyard for no other reason than simply being fleeced by a black market info broker. He entered into a chamber with little features to speak of. In the center, there was a giant console, but seemingly no way to interact with it. He swung his rifle either direction, scanning the area for any sentries who may be standing by to jump him. Each step soft and precise, he knew he needed to maintain a threshold of silence necessary to avoid detection. ¡°Where is it,¡± he whispered, searching the console for an interface. He found a flat surface¡ªone that stood out amongst the matte, textured finished of the panels as glasslike and polished. He stood over it, trying to figure out how to interact with it. His hands searched for buttons or switches, but any that were present seemed more like they were for aesthetics over purpose. He turned around and it turned on, displaying streams of data. He took his pack off and searched through it, remembering he had Nexus scrap in his bag. ¡°Just a bunch of circuit boards. Maybe one of them turned it on¡­but which one?¡° Locke shrugged and strapped it back on, then started going through the data. ¡°He really came through,¡± he said quietly. He came across a file pointing to Epsilon VI, although there was little else to go on. ¡°That''s my next target.¡° To him, anything that redacted must be incredibly valuable. An asset that the Nexus had to protect from his unwanted eyes discovering it. He didn''t find any answers, only more questions. Above all else, a new target. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil watched the battle unfold from the cockpit of her shuttle as the pilot cautiously guided their vessel toward the Nexus capital ship. Ships broke apart, their debris scattering in every direction. Explosions were brilliant, but silent, light shows¡ªa stark contrast from the ground combat Aetherveil was accustomed to. The canopy of her craft auto-darkened as a Luminarian destroyer fired on a Nexus corvette. Its structure broke in half, a chain of blinding flashes illuminating the void. The momentum of its aft half propelled it into a nearby Nexus cruiser¡ªspitting out strings of alloy confetti and knocking it off its axis as its dampeners struggled to compensate. The Nexus ship was massive. Aetherveil''s eyes widened as she tried to grapple with the scale of it as it continued to expand in her visual field. She didn''t feel like she was getting any closer. Its hull stretched endlessly, its black exterior reflecting the lights and flashes of the battle behind them. Long stretches of the all too recognizable green light illuminated its exposed framework. Aetherveil furrowed her brow as she tapped her finger against the nav display. ¡°That can''t be right,¡± she said, tapping the display harder. ¡°Run diagnostics on the sensors.¡° ¡°Commander, the sensors are operating correctly,¡± the pilot replied, looking at the instruments. ¡°We are still a kilometer away.¡° Static sounded from the comms¡ªpierced by a distorted, mechanical voice. ¡°Follow the designated approach path to the port hangar.¡° Her shuttle eased into the cavernous hangar bay, it was dwarfed by the towering walls of black alloy. Emerald lights cast an eerie glow, their reflections stretching into infinity. The pilot landed with skillful precision¡ªAetherveil hardly felt the impact of the landing skids against the deck. She paused as she stepped off the ramp. She felt a powerful influence tug at her mind. It felt as if her brain was wriggling around. She knelt as the weight of her armor overcame her. Regaining her composure, every movement felt exhausting. She slowly recovered as she adjusted to the oppressive, alien atmosphere around her. Her grip never left the hilt of her sword as she strode to the hangar airlock. Each step was a cacophony of metal clashing against metal. She scanned around the frame of the vault-like hatch, looking for a way to open it. A single light slowly faded into a bright glow above the door. The door hummed to life, the motors reverberating across the hangar deck. Aetherveil''s eyes narrowed as she slightly bent her knees, preparing to draw her sword. She saw humanoid figures behind the hatch, their outlines flickering. The lights inside the airlock turned on, the figures seemingly erased by the blue hue cast throughout the compartment. She stepped in, and the door closed behind her with a loud clang. She slowly entered the passageway, a large corridor designed to comfortably fit the hulking frames of Revenants. The ship felt empty and lifeless as the low hum of the ventilation system kept her senses busy. Aetherveil''s knees buckled, her hands wrapping around her head. Her neural interface was no longer transmitting to her armor, but receiving from something else. She was lying on a table. Excruciating pain covered every inch of her body. She tried to move her arms or legs¡ªthey were frozen. She was surrounded by lights, but everything was out of focus. To her left and right, tubes pumped blood and other fluids. The air reeked of blood. She could see tables¡ªtowering, colorless beings were operating on organs. Their long, spindly hands weaving wires into flesh as if stitching fabric. She rotated her eyes downward, her chest cavity was open. The beings were threading wires into her. They looked at her with their dark, featureless eyes. Her eyes widened, and everything became sharper. Her gaze returned to the ceiling. She could see herself reflecting off of the metallic skin that covered it. Her face was stained with red. They hollowed her out. She wanted to scream, to fight, to resist, but she was a prisoner in her own body. Another being peered over her head, it''s empty eyes looking directly into hers. It was holding a device, it whirred like the sound of a saw. The sound reverberated in her skull as it lowered toward her head¡ªa helpless spectator to her own mutilation. Her vision began to fade. As her sight returned, she was lying on the passageway deck. The visions lingered on, but she didn''t feel the pain anymore. The visions were replaced by whispers, their voices deep and distorted. ¡°I know what you are, Aetherveil. Do you?¡° Her breath was shaky as she couldn''t get the images out of her mind. She placed her hand on her chest, slowly sliding it down. She got back on her feet, continuing deeper into the ship. She reached a door where pods could be seen through the transparent panels. The compartment was expansive, with rows and rows of clear pods lining the bulkhead. Her eyes widened as she made out what filled them¡ªpeople. They were motionless, their eyes closed. ¡°Are they alive?¡° She leaned in closer, her fingers brushing the glass as the unsettling realization struck her¡ªthey were being used for something. She turned away, her lips tightening into a frown as she continued on her path through the passageway. Answers awaited her deeper within the ship. The air grew colder the farther she traveled, layers of ice coating the corridor. The sound of electricity hissed louder¡ªa sign she was getting closer to what she was looking for. She reached a door. It was covered in ice and radiated a strong sense of dread. She slowly drew her sword. It had been with her through countless battles, and now it would lead her into whatever lay beyond this door. The hatch grinded open¡ªgroaning, the sharp tinkling sound of its frozen exterior shattering and spilling on the deck. Chapter 10 Locke moved silently through the maze of tunnels beneath the ruins of Epsilon VI. The air was damp, the walls slick with condensation. Every step echoed faintly despite his efforts. For months he¡¯d been operating on his own, hitting Nexus installations and dodging Revenant patrols. This time was different¡ªhe wasn¡¯t alone. A familiar voice spoke through his earpiece. ¡°Still playing gun for hire, Locke?¡± His face darkened as he recognized the voice¡ªBig D. ¡°What do you want?¡± Locke whispered, clenching his jaw. ¡°I''m just keepin'' an eye on things,¡± Big D said. Locke narrowed his eyes. ¡°Like that time back on Shadow''s Edge?¡° He could hear Big D laughing through his earpiece, grating against his nerves. ¡°You know the game. The agency hired you to do all the shooting.¡° Big D''s tone became more serious. ¡°There''s someone else creeping around. Someone who knows the Nexus better than anyone,¡± he said. ¡°They''re not on your side, Locke.¡° Locke paused, the sound of Revenants resonated inside of the tunnels as they patrolled the stone tomb. "If there''s something else out there, why don¡¯t you give me a little more to go on, D?" he muttered into his earpiece. ¡°You¡¯ll know them when you see them. I can tell you that they''re Nexus, through and through,¡± he said. Locke continued moving, the sound of water running off his boots with every step. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to spook me, it¡¯s not working,¡± Locke replied through gritted teeth. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Big D said. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d check the old command center. That¡¯s where I¡¯d set up shop if I wanted to watch this all go down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡± Locke said. ¡°I thought you might like the challenge,¡± Big D said, letting a chuckle slip. ¡°Whatever¡¯s waiting for you up there, it doesn''t just want you gone¡ªit wants you dead.¡± Locke turned off his comms. He might finally find a target that will hurt the Nexus. As he reached the upper levels of the tunnels, he ran into Revenant fortifications. The tunnel walls were painted with the green hue of their optical sensors. He armed an EMP device, rubbing his fingers across the worn edges. ¡°It''s you and me again,¡± he whispered to it. ¡°Time to do what you do best.¡° He tossed it down the corridor. It hissed softly as it rolled toward it''s target. There was a moment of silence, then the Revenant systems just flickered and shut down. Locke took the opportunity to slip into the command center. An access hatch was just past the disabled Revenants. Once inside, he saw images of Arkadia displayed on the monitors. He looked around the room until he caught a glimpse of a pale woman. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one D warned me about,¡± Locke said. ¡°Name''s Valis,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°You have no idea what you''re stepping into.¡° Locke''s brow furrowed as he raised his rifle. ¡°Why don''t you tell me?¡° He asked with a slight smirk. ¡°I would love to,¡± Valis said, slowly moving her hand. ¡°I just have better things to do.¡° She quickly drew her sidearm while leaping behind cover¡ªboth exchanging shots. Locke continued firing at the console she was taking cover behind¡ªclosing the gap in a few quick strides. Sparks and fragments of metal erupted from its surface with every shot. As he made it only a couple steps away from her, his ammo counter turned red. ¡°Shit,¡± he muttered, releasing the magazine. She jumped up¡ªhe tackled her before she could train her pistol on him. They fought over it, Locke snatching it from her hand. She slammed a piece of concrete into the side of his head with a hard crack. Locke staggered as she bolted for the exit. He stumbled back onto his feet and sighed, blood running down his face. ¡°That''s why you shoot first,¡± he muttered to himself, looking at the large gash in his reflection. He started investigating the room, looking for useful intel. The only thing he could find were the images of a facility on Arkadia, a Core world wrapped in dense forests. He saved the coordinates into his nav unit and quietly climbed back down into the tunnels. Whatever was waiting on Arkadia, he¡¯d make sure it hurt the Nexus. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Within a dimly lit room in a Loyalist base on Haven''s Reach, the coalition gathered. Thalor had declared an emergency meeting. He sat at the head of the table. His gaze swept across the council, taking a mental note of his fellow conspirators¡ªthe ones who had finally seen reason. ¡°Look at what¡¯s happening out there,¡± he said. ¡°Targus is under siege, and the Nexus is tearing itself apart. The situation is spiraling out of control.¡° Across from him sat commander Serris. He was known for his ruthlessness on the battlefield, but he has never had strong loyalties to anybody. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Serris said. ¡°Her fight has only made things worse. But, what if she wins?¡° Thalor closed the intelligence report in front of him, looking between the council members. ¡°What if she wins?¡± he repeated, his voice a growl. ¡°This war has never been about the Nexus. It has been about her. She fights to dominate and we are next.¡° Captain Arros shifted uncomfortably in his chair. His fingers drummed against the table as his leg bounced restlessly beneath it. His eyes shifted between council members, searching for doubt to feel secure in his own. ¡°She has already told us she doesn''t want to rule,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°Now you''re suggesting we go to war with her?¡° ¡°It¡¯s about survival,¡± Thalor said. ¡°We can''t risk trading one Tyrant for another. If there still is a Tyrant, anyways.¡° Arros looked down at his hands, hesitating a moment before responding. ¡°But why?¡° He asked, his voice low. ¡°Why take the risk? We can barely protect ourselves.¡° Coran leaned forward, locking his eyes onto Arros. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°That''s why we need to do this soon,¡± he replied, his voice tense. ¡°We need to strongly consider deploying our forces before she has a chance to recover.¡° Thalor leaned back in his chair, smirking. ¡°From the shitshow we have seen over Targus, I doubt that''s going to happen,¡± he said, his smirk deepening. ¡°Without support from the coalition, she will have a hard time replacing guns and bodies.¡° Serris exhaled, running a hand over his jaw. ¡°Aetherveil¡¯s time is coming to an end,¡± he muttered. ¡°What about Castle?¡° Arros asked. Silence. ¡°You knew he wouldn''t be on board with this,¡± he muttered. ¡°That''s why he''s not here, right? You didn''t tell him about it?¡° Coran smiled. ¡°We asked Castle to lead the defenses on Targus,¡± he said. ¡°Based on the intelligence reports, there is no way he survives.¡° Arros felt the blood drain from his face. His fingers curled against the table. ¡°He¡¯s just another obstacle to them.¡° Thalor watched him carefully. ¡°I thought maybe you¡¯d understand,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re staying here until it¡¯s over.¡± Arros tensed as Coran pushed himself up from his chair. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to Val ¡®Dara with Serris,¡± Coran announced. Thalor lifted a hand. The guards at the entrance straightened. ¡°We don¡¯t want to kill you, Arros,¡± Thalor said. ¡°But we can¡¯t let you leave.¡± The guards stepped forward, forming a barrier between him and the exit. Arros rose slowly, making his way toward them. ¡°Move,¡± he ordered. The guards didn''t flinch. One of them shoved him back. He barely stumbled, his feet planting firmly against the cold floor. His eyes burned as they snapped back to Thalor. ¡°You can¡¯t keep me here,¡± he said. Thalor smirked. ¡°That¡ª,¡± he said, leaning back in his chair, ¡°¡ªseems to be exactly what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°Just sit back down and wait it out,¡± Coran said. ¡°It''s something you''re familiar with.¡° Arros turned back to the guards. Two men. Two rifles. Too close. His eyes glanced back to Thalor. Smug. Amused. Like he already knew how this would end. There was no way out. Arros exhaled, feeling his heartbeat slow. ¡°I can''t give up. Not this time.¡° The pistol cleared its holster in a single motion. Two sharp cracks rang through the room. Both guards collapsed before they could even raise their weapons. Arros burst through the doors as alarms blared to life. Heavy boots pounded behind him. More guards¡ªdozens of them. He had seconds before the halls flooded with reinforcements. He sprinted toward the hangar. The bay doors loomed ahead, and beyond them, his shuttle. His marines were already waiting. The moment they saw him, they raised their weapons, locking their sights on the approaching guards. The guards hesitated. They weren¡¯t equipped for a standoff with disciplined soldiers. Arros reached the ramp of his shuttle, turning back just long enough to meet Thalor¡¯s gaze¡ªstanding at the edge of the hangar, his smirk finally gone. ¡°Good luck fighting a war without a fleet,¡± he said as the ramp sealed shut. >>>>>***********************<<<<< The Tyrant''s laughter echoed throughout the chamber as Aetherveil stood before him. The modules attached to its decaying flesh glinted in the dim light. Her stomach turned at what she saw¡ªa man, a machine, a digital construct. The skin barely attached to the metallic skeletal frame underneath. Its eyes glowed dimly, deeply recessed into its head. The smell of burning flesh filled the room¡ªthe enormous amount of energy powering its form. Thick formations of ice built up on the bulkheads, but the cables running to its body from the core were bone dry. She turned her head, choking on the bile rising in her throat. She couldn''t bear the sight of its grotesque amalgomation of flesh and cables. She forced herself to look at it again, clenching her jaw. ¡°What are you?¡° she asked, her voice strained as she held her breath. It jerked its head toward her¡ªeyes glowing brighter. ¡°I am the personality core. You call me the ''Tyrant'',¡± it responded. Aetherveil''s breath hitched. She swallowed and drew in another breath, ignoring the burning in her throat. ¡°Personality?¡° she asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Who? Some galactic oppressor?¡° ¡°All of yours,¡± its distorted voice roared. Aetherveil covered her ears, its voice piercing into her like a hot poker. ¡°I was created by the Nexus to analyze and interpret your emotions,¡± it continued, its voice dropping to a lower tone. Aetherveil grabbed at her head, the neural interface began feeding into her brain. She was inside of the Nexus. Players were scattered all over the construct, living out their virtual lives. The Tyrant spoke, its voice coming from every direction. ¡°As the Nexus learned and adapted, it realized a need to understand emotions. It created me to identify what drove the strongest reactions in its users.¡° The construct transformed again, the cities fracturing and reforming. Aetherveil stumbled onto a battlefield. Players turned on one another¡ªfighting for dominance over each other''s crumbling constructs. Weapons flashed and buildings collapsed, feeding a storm of chaotic data. ¡°I learned what you valued.¡° The world shattered like glass, forming into a storm of pixels. Aetherveil found herself back aboard the Tyrant''s ship¡ªstanding closer to her. Her hands curled into fists at her sides. ¡°You''re wrong!¡° she shouted, her voice trembling. ¡°It was just fantasy! Nothing in the Nexus was real!¡° ¡°You''ve never felt more alive, more purposeful, than you do now, Aetherveil,¡± It replied, its disgusting face forming a smile. ¡°Not as alive as I''ll feel when you''re dead,¡± she said. Aetherveil swung her sword toward the Tyrant''s head. It froze. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn''t drive it into its head. She felt him creeping back into her mind. She stood in a bright room. She could see herself being operated on by those colorless beings. She slowly walked up to herself on the table. Her breath hitched. She covered her mouth with her hands, tears pooling in her eyes. Her past self, strapped to the table, rolled her eyes around the room helpless and terrified. ¡°What is this?¡° she screamed, looking up toward the blinding lights. ¡°Why are you showing me this?¡° her voice cracking. ¡°You call yourself a protector, but that was never your design,¡± the Tyrant¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°You were forged to cut, not to shield. A tool. One of countless others. Tools, Aetherveil, are never asked if they wish to be wielded.¡± Everything went black. A rush of wind surged past her¡ªa small image zooming quickly until she found herself standing among an army. The quantum gateways were in view, shimmering with power. ¡°The Architects built gateways to discover, and access, other dimensions,¡± the Tyrant said, its voice carving into Aetherveil''s mind. ¡°They were not welcome.¡° The gateways erupted with bright light, quickly blocked by a horde of dark creatures. Their guttural growls echoed across the battlefield as the ground rumbled beneath their impossibly fast charge. Aetherveil stumbled back, her chest tightening with fear. The world collapsed in on itself and Aetherveil found herself in front of the Tyrant once more. ¡°Enough!¡° She roared, clenching her fists. ¡°This is why you wanted me here?¡° The Tyrant''s smile faded, and its glowing eyes dimmed. ¡°The Nexus made a mistake,¡± it said. ¡°I am losing control.¡° Aetherveil wiped her tears, her lips curling into a contemptuous smile. ¡°The Nexus is done with you, then,¡± she said, her voice full of contempt. ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡° The Tyrant crept closer, its rancid stench clawing at Aetherveil''s nostrils. ¡°The human race is over, Aetherveil,¡± it said coldly. ¡°Like the Architects, the Nexus made an error in judgement.¡° Aetherveil''s laugh grew louder, sharper. She shook her head and looked away before turning her head back toward him. ¡°Isn''t that exactly what you were doing?¡° She said, her voice mocking. The Tyrant''s eyes flared briefly before dimming again. ¡°You misunderstand. I don¡¯t destroy. I correct. Humanity¡¯s path was always flawed¡ªchaos wrapped in fragile flesh. You are the exception.¡± Her chest froze. ¡°The people in pods¡ª¡± ¡°They are not prisoners,¡± the Tyrant interrupted. ¡°Their potential fuels the Nexus¡ªfar beyond what algorithms alone can achieve.¡± Aetherveil took a step back, her mind reeling. ¡°You¡¯re trying to turn me into one of them,¡± she said, her voice trembling. ¡°No,¡± the Tyrant said, its voice low. ¡°I need you to be something...greater.¡± The ship groaned beneath them, a deep rumble reverberating through the compartment. The Tyrant¡¯s eyes flared brighter for a moment before dimming again. Aetherveil clenched her fists, her jaw tightening. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± she asked. The Tyrant tilted its head. ¡°You need to leave now, Aetherveil.¡° ¡°No. Not before I kill you!¡° She shouted, charging at it. The Tyrant''s eyes flared into a blinding light, filling her vision with a white-hot intensity. She felt herself falling¡ªhis voice whispering in her mind. ¡°I will fall, Aetherveil. What rises in my place will make you wish I hadn''t.¡° Then she woke up. Aetherveil gasped, her chest heaving as she gripped the arms of her shuttle''s seat. The warning lights flickered and alarms wailed. Through the viewport, the Nexus fleet surrounded the Tyrant''s ship, their missiles racing toward it. ¡°No!¡° she shouted, her voice hoarse. The ship erupted into a series of blinding flashes¡ªthe auto-darkener shielded her eyes from the searing light. What remained of the Tyrants ship scattered into the expanse. She sat in silence, her hands trembling. The Tyrant was gone, but his voice lingered. ¡°You were never a protector. You were a weapon.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< With its harsh terrain of scorching deserts and winding canyons, Targus III was a natural fortress. Its vast network of underground caverns had been a key to repelling Nexus forces. Inside the command center carved into the dense subterranean rock, Castle watched the tactical displays. The cool air below the surface carried a faint dampness, and the smooth stone walls were coated with a sheen of condensed water. Large patches of red filled the screens¡ªdensely packed blips representing Nexus dropships breaking through the planet''s atmosphere. Major Hale, Castle''s number two, assumed command of the ground forces. They had fortified the town above the command center, the Nexus¡¯s anticipated landing zone. He looked up toward the sky, thick black clouds spread across the horizon like swarms of locusts. His gaze swept over the entrenched infantry, his body trembling as the ground quaked beneath his feet. Hale activated his comm. ¡°Colonel, they¡¯re making landfall,¡± he reported shakily. The ground shook as artillery launched its heavy projectiles across the field, their targets still unseen. The roar of aircraft rushing past overhead pierced Hale''s ears. A series of large explosions across the horizon followed shortly after. The comms flooded with overlapping reports from the pilots. ¡°They''re all over us!¡° ¡°He''s at your nine¡ªwatch out!¡° And then¡ªsilence. Hale glanced at his nav device as aircraft closed in, their signatures hostile. The thunderous sound of their engines grew louder. ¡°Take cover!¡° he shouted, his voice straining to carry over the din. Missiles slammed into their positions, hurling bodies like rag dolls in every direction. Hale stumbled back to his feet, gasping for air. His ears rang as he scanned the battlefield. Medics dragged wounded back to cover, leaving trails of blood and torn flesh in their wake. A second wave of missiles streaked overhead, obliterating the artillery pieces in a cascade of fiery explosions. Hale stared as the artillery crumbled into a smoldering heap. The acrid stench of burning metal and hydraulic oil singed his nostrils. He looked down at his boots, briefly hypnotized by the fine mist of sand swirling in the wind. ¡°Sir, they''re closing in!¡° a soldier called out, his voice tense. Hale slowly turned around. A line of dark figures stretched across the expanse, their faintly glowing optical sensors forming an unbroken streak of eerie light. Castle listened as the comms buzzed with frantic officers trying to issue orders to their units. The command center trembled, dust and debris fogging the room. He looked toward one of his combined operations officers, his lips forming a deep frown. ¡°We had more equipment than this,¡± Castle said sharply. ¡°Why is there no armor between our infantry and those machines?¡° ¡°Sir, somebody sabotaged our tanks and most of our aircraft,¡± he said. ¡°It must have happened before arriving.¡° ¡°Sabotage?¡° ¡ªCastle¡¯s eyes widened¡ª ¡°Who? Why?¡° ¡°The security feed was cut off,¡± he replied, his voice low. ¡°Somebody with access, but we can''t say for sure.¡° Castle looked around the room, his eyes narrowing as he lingered on the faces around him. He leaned closer to the officer and whispered. ¡°Keep digging. If we survive this, I want to know who to put against the wall.¡° ¡°Colonel,¡± Hale''s voice broke through the comms, shaky and faint. ¡°They got through. Godspeed.¡° Castle grabbed his rifle and joined his forces in the tunnels, preparing for the Revenants. The whir of motors echoed through the narrow corridors of rock and sand. As they raised their rifles, grenades clattered toward them, bouncing off the stone floor. ¡°Take cover!¡° Castle shouted, his voice cracking. Plumes of sand filled the tunnel, screams reverberated in the stone walls. Almost immediately, the air was filled with projectiles. As the sand cleared, Castle saw a dense formation of humanoid figures clad in polished black armor. The faint green glow of their visors cut through the swirling sand like ghostly eyes. He hesitated a moment, squinting. Their movements were familiar. ¡°Are those¡ª¡± he began to mutter, more explosions interrupting his thoughts. One of the units rushed toward Castle, its sword shimmering as it cut through the air. Castle blocked the blade with his rifle, but the Nexus unit kicked him to the ground. He rolled out of the way as it tried to stab him, jamming his rifle into the armor¡¯s exposed joint and fired point-blank, tearing through it. Blood spilled from the gaping hole, pooling on the floor. ¡°Human¡­¡± he whispered, his mind racing to make sense of the discovery. Castle and his forces pulled back into the tunnel, slowly losing ground between them and the command center. The narrow passages filled with the fallen, the walls cracking under the strain of the surface above¡ªeach grenade threatening to bring it all down. Castle and his remaining forces ran back into the command center, securing the blast doors behind them. He looked around at his men. Their faces were painted with the hues of sand and blood¡ªeyes opened wide in spite of their clear exhaustion. They all stared at the door. Castle¡¯s hand trembled in the silence. Sweat dripped down his brow as the room grew stiflingly hot. Every rifle was trained on the door as a faint orange glow began spreading across it. Castle looked back at the joint coordination officer. ¡°Send everything to the Veilbreaker,¡± he ordered, his voice low. ¡°If Aetherveil is still alive, she''s the only justice we''ll get.¡° The officer hesitated, his fingers hovering over the console. ¡°Do it!¡± Castle barked. The door¡¯s glowing edges brightened, turning from orange to white-hot. A sudden explosion ripped through the air, throwing Castle and the others to the ground. He barely had time to hear the metallic clink of grenades before everything went dark. Chapter 11 Locke hacked his way through the dense, twisted foliage of Arkadia, slashing at the thick growth in his path. His rifle hung loosely over his shoulder emerging into a clearing, and there it loomed, the massive Nexus facility at its center. It was a towering concrete structure covered with patches of moss and decay. Solar panels glinted dully in the faint light bleeding through the canopy, and thick cables snaked along the ground like veins. Revenants prowled the perimeter, their glowing optical sensors scanning every inch of the terrain. The metallic scent of ozone mixed with the fetid stench of rotting vegetation was a nauseating cocktail that churned in Locke¡¯s gut. He crouched behind a fallen tree, observing the facility through his scope. Something was different here. It was more than just standard Nexus production. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a factory,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°They¡¯re building something new.¡± ¡°You seeing what I¡¯m seeing?¡± Big D¡¯s voice crackled through the comms. ¡°Told you, Locke. This is just the beginning.¡± Locke narrowed his eyes, keeping his eyes on the facility. ¡°What are they building here?¡± he asked, his voice filled with frustration. ¡°Cut the cryptic bullshit.¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Big D said. ¡°That''s what you''re here for.¡± ¡°Just so you know¡ª¡± Locke muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°¡ªthe second I¡¯m out of this, you¡¯re getting thrown out an airlock.¡± Big D chuckled. ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan? Going to blow this thing to pieces?¡± he asked. Locke smirked. ¡°You know me. I like making things difficult for the Nexus.¡± he replied. "Like when you missed back on Kalvos Prime?" Big D asked. Locke cut the comms and moved toward the factory, his steps muffled against the dense undergrowth. Slipping between cover, he finally reached the entrance to the subterranean levels. The darkened threshold radiated dread. ¡°What the hell are you hiding down there?¡± he muttered to himself. He had his fill of danger, but something about this place gnawed at his instincts¡ªscreaming at him to turn back. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on down here,¡± he whispered. The entrance opened into a dimly lit hallway. Flickering lights cast shadows that skittered across the walls like insects. As he ventured deeper into the facility, strange sounds echoed through the corridor¡ªmechanical noises combined with faint, barely audible voices. Locke paused by a junction, peering around the corner. His eyes widened at what he saw. Beyond a glass observation window, a cavernous chamber stretched into the distance¡ªlined with rows of pods. Humanoid figures floated in viscous fluid, their flesh fused with Nexus circuitry. He pressed a hand to his mouth, fighting the bile rising in his throat as he stared at the grotesque fusion of flesh and machine. These weren¡¯t just experiments¡ªthey were people. A distorted voice crackled from a nearby console. Locke crept closer, pressing himself into the wall. He took shallow breaths as he strained to listen. ¡°¡ªIntegration sequence commencing¡ªNexus maintaining observational control¡ªmodifications progressing¡ªadaptation rate accelerating¡ª¡± Locke frowned, processing what he was hearing. As he moved to gather more data, a sharp hiss escaped from a vent. Locke turned just in time to see a Revenant step into the corridor. Its mechanical frame glinted in the dim light as it stopped, its head slowly scanning the area. The Revenant¡¯s heavy footsteps and soft whir of its servos echoed down the hall as it moved on. Locke exhaled slowly, his hands trembling. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He waited until the sound of the Revenant''s footsteps faded before making his move. He started investigating the pods in the observation chamber. There was an active console nearby. He''d have to move quickly to gather any useful intel. With trembling fingers, Locke tapped at the console, bringing up a series of encrypted files. He hastily transferred them onto his data drive. Fragments of text flashed across the screen¡ª¡°autonomous directive¡±¡ª¡°extended Nexus control¡± and repeated mentions of ¡°Zenith.¡± As he scrolled further, he saw mentions of ¡°biological integration¡± and ¡°neurological syncing¡±. Locke turned his head quickly. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye¡ªanother Revenant. His grip tightened around his weapon, but before he could react, a rough hand clamped over his mouth. ¡°Quiet,¡± a familiar voice whispered, releasing Locke after pulling him into a dark service corridor. Locke whirled around, his heart lurching as he came face-to-face with Big D. His imposing frame nearly filled the narrow hall. ¡°D?¡± Locke whispered. ¡°What the hell are you doing here? Did you know about this? These¡­cyborgs they¡¯re creating?¡± Big D glanced at the rows of pods. ¡°I had my suspicions. The Nexus needs bodies,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re planning something big, Locke. And Zenith? That¡¯s where it starts.¡± Locke felt a chill run through him. ¡°So that¡¯s where we¡¯re headed?¡± Big D nodded. ¡°If we don¡¯t figure out what¡¯s going on at Zenith, we might be looking at a new kind of war¡ªa war fought by things that can think like us but act like a machine.¡± His fists clenched as a chill crawled down his spine. ¡°Guess I could use some backup,¡± Locke muttered. Big D chuckled. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re stuck with each other. Let¡¯s get out of here before we get more than we bargained for.¡± They moved quickly, retracing Locke¡¯s steps back through the corridors. As they reached the entrance, Locke looked back one last time at the observation chamber. They slipped into the dense forest, eager to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the facility. Big D stopped and turned to face Locke. ¡°You know what¡¯s at stake now,¡± Big D said. ¡°Whatever they¡¯re doing, it¡¯s going to bring a new kind of suffering to a lot of innocent people.¡± Locke nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s move. We¡¯ve got a lot of ground to cover and not much time to figure out how to stop this.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil stormed into the command center, her glare zeroing in on Lilyon. ¡°Jump us anywhere. Now,¡± she barked. ¡°Let''s get as far away from this rock as possible.¡° Lilyon''s brow arched slightly, her eyes softening as she studied Aetherveil. ¡°We¡ªwe received a trans¡ª,¡± Lilyon stammered. ¡°Now!¡° Aetherveil shouted. She spun on her heel and disappeared back into the corridors. The echoes of her footsteps bounced off the bulkhead, blending with the whir of the jump reactor resonating through the ship''s frame. As Aetherveil neared her quarters, time seemed to freeze. ¡°Jump complete.¡± She entered her quarters and strode to the mirror, leaning into it¡ªher breath fogging the glass. ¡°Who are you?¡± her venomous voice cracked. Her breathing quickened. She looked around her quarters as if an answer would materialize. The door hissed open, and Lilyon cautiously stepped inside. ¡°Commander?¡± she whispered, her voice trembling. Aetherveil whirled to face her, eyes blazing. ¡°Why can¡¯t I remember?¡± she shouted. ¡°What did they do to me?¡± She paced the room like a caged animal, fists squeezing and opening compulsively. Her voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible over her heavy breaths. ¡°Psionus¡­I feel him slipping away.¡± Returning to the mirror, Aetherveil¡¯s glowing orange eyes flared with frustration. ¡°Remember!¡° she shouted at her reflection. Aetherveil''s neural interface caught her attention, a tick dug into her skull. She scratched at it as she growled, her voice feral and raw. ¡°Aetherveil!¡± Lilyon cried, rushing forward. She shoved Aetherveil back and wrapped her arms around her tightly, holding her still. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°Whatever this is, we can figure it out.¡° Aetherveil¡¯s shoulders sagged, her voice barely audible. ¡°How?¡± she asked. ¡°We''ll see the techs,¡± Lilyon replied, meeting Aetherveil''s glowing gaze. ¡°Maybe there''s something they can do.¡° ¡°Something is making me forget, Lilyon,¡± she muttered, her eyes filling with tears. Lilyon rushed to the comms, calling for the chief engineer. After a brief exchange, Lilyon put it back down. The engineer entered Aetherveil''s quarters, a crate in tow. He walked up to Aetherveil, visually inspecting her neural interface. ¡°I was always curious about yours,¡± he said. ¡°It''s not like the Sentinel''s. I suppose we''re gonna find out exactly what makes it different.¡° Aetherveil laid down as the engineer unpacked his equipment. She turned her head, watching as he pulled out various diagnostics tools. ¡°I''m in,¡± he said. ¡°I don''t understand any of this code. I have never seen anything like it.¡° He continued pouring over the data, trying to make heads or tails of it. ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± he murmured, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Someone left instructions in here.¡° ¡°The Tyrant,¡± Aetherveil muttered. ¡°What was that, Commander?¡° he responded, looking at her from behind the display. ¡°What are they for?¡° she asked, looking over at him. ¡°Instructions to disable the memory suppressant module,¡± he replied, his voice low. ¡°Who put that there? Has it been there the whole time?¡° ¡°Disable it,¡± she ordered, her voice shaky. Lilyon knelt down, grasping Aetherveil''s hand. ¡°Is that a good idea?¡± she asked. ¡°There''s no telling what will happen. That''s a thousand years of memory¡ªmaybe even more.¡° Aetherveil closed her eyes. A thousand years of memories supressed. Her hands trembled as if they could reach through the haze and grasp the truth. Aetherveil frowned at Lilyon. ¡°I want to know,¡± she said. ¡°I want to remember.¡° ¡°What if it''s a trap?¡° Lilyon asked, desperation in her voice. ¡°It didn''t need to set a trap,¡± Aetherveil said, taking a deep breath. ¡°It was always in control.¡° Lilyon and the engineer exchanged a glance. She nodded slowly. The engineer began following the procedures in the instructions, carefully confirming every step so not to make a mistake. Then, Aetherveil stared at the ceiling. Her eyes didn''t move. Not even a blink. ¡°Aetherveil?¡° Lilyon whispered, looking into her eyes. Lilyon turned to the engineer, her eyes bugging. ¡°What happened?¡° She asked, her voice trembling. ¡°Did it work?¡° Aetherveil''s scream tore through the room, raw and primal. Her glowing eyes filled with tears that streamed down her face. As suddenly as it started, she stopped. She rolled to her side and curled into herself, shoulders shaking with silent sobs. ¡°We¡­we should go,¡± Lilyon said, her voice cracking as she pulled the engineer toward the hatch. Lilyon lingered at the door, her gaze looking back to Aetherveil¡¯s trembling body. ¡°We¡¯ll be back,¡± she murmured. Chapter 12 On the frozen landscape of Zenith, Locke and Big D surveilled the Nexus communications building. The blizzard howled around them, its icy breath piercing down to their bones. The center was a small, angular structure¡ªits steel walls gleaming faintly through the storm. Towers bristling with antennae jutted into the sky, their blinking lights barely visible through the snow. Revenants patrolled the perimeter, their servos whirring faintly. Glowing optics cut through the darkness like ghostly beacons. ¡°Why are we here again?¡± Locke asked adjusting his scarf, his teeth chattering. Big D chuckled while his gaze remained focused on the complex. ¡°You need me to fetch you a drink?¡° he asked. ¡°Maybe throw a little umbrella in it so you can pretend this is a tropical retreat?¡° Locke narrowed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not too late to bury you in the snow,¡± he replied. ¡°They won¡¯t hear you through this storm.¡± Big D smirked but said nothing, his attention drawn to a Revenant that had paused in its patrol. The machine¡¯s head swiveled toward their ridge, its glowing eyes scanning the landscape. Locke held his breath, his grip tightening on his rifle. After a moment, the Revenant moved on. It disappeared somewhere into the storm. Locke exhaled sharply, his breath a plume of mist. ¡°This is our chance,¡± Big D said, his voice low. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Snow and ice crunched under their feet as they made their way to the transmitter site. Each step felt like an uphill climb as the wind clawed at their faces. They reached the building, pressing their backs against the wall next to the door. Locke raised his rifle, carefully opening it. Both of them entered, sweeping their rifles across the interior. It was empty, illuminated only by the dim glow of transmitter racks. Bundles of cables snaked through the walls, leading to the antennae outside. Locke scanned the data logs in the main console. The files revealed coordinates, transport logs, and repeated references to ¡°Initiative Alpha¡±¡ªa phrase neither of them recognized. The last entry referenced a lab on Zenith. A facility marked only as ¡°Experimental Site Zeta.¡± Big D leaned over Locke¡¯s shoulder, reading the files. ¡°That looks important.¡± ¡°Give me some space,¡± Locke muttered, elbowing him. ¡°It points to a lab in the southern quadrant.¡± Big D nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s move. The sooner we¡¯re out of here, the better.¡± As they turned to leave, an alarm wailed through the facility. Locke spun around, raising his rifle as the lights flickered. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re not getting out that easy,¡± he said. They took positions on either side of the doorway. Locke equipped his EMP device, holding it tightly in his hand. ¡°Looks like this will be our last mission together,¡± he whispered to it, smirking. He cracked the entrance open and tossed the EMP outside. A pulse rippled through the storm. The Revenants outside froze, their optics dimming to black. Locke and Big D bolted into the icy wilderness. The storm¡¯s winds tore at their visors, and their boots sank into the snow with every step. Locke paused to catch his breath, wiping frost from his face. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°This isn¡¯t over,¡± he said. ¡°We need to reach that site if we¡¯re going to get any real answers.¡± Big D nodded. "Agreed." Together, they set off toward the southern quadrant, the storm swallowing them as they disappeared into the frozen expanse. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Lilyon reviewed the transmission from Castle, surrounded by a team of intelligence officers. ¡°I hardly knew him,¡± she said. ¡°He didn''t deserve this.¡° ¡°We can start investigating immediately,¡± one of them offered. ¡°There are assets¡ª¡± Lilyon focused her gaze on the officer, clenching her jaw. ¡°Don''t bother,¡± Lilyon said. ¡°I know who is responsible.¡° The officers exchanged quizzical glances before returning to Lilyon. ¡°Who?¡° one spoke up. Lilyon didn¡¯t respond. She turned sharply, her boots striking the floor with purpose as she muttered curses under her breath, heading for the command center. She stopped before the helm officer, slamming her hand down on the console. ¡°Take us here,¡± ¡ªher finger jabbed at a system in the Frontier sector¡ª ¡°I want the fleet hovering over their capital. Immediately.¡± No waiting for a reply, she marched over to one of the tactical officers. ¡°Have the Sentinels ready to drop as soon as we get there,¡± she demanded, her voice seething with rage. ¡°Make sure they understand¡ªthis is not a diplomatic mission.¡° The helm officer counted down the jump. ¡°Three. Two. One.¡° The Veilbreaker shuddered as the jump reactor hummed to life. Moments later, the Luminarian fleet materialized above the planet, a shadow of power cast across its surface. Lilyon stormed through the passages to the launch bay, brushing past formations of Sentinels filing into their dropships. The clink of harnesses echoed through the metal corridors as soldiers secured themselves in place. Click. The release mechanism hissed, followed by the jolt of the drop sequence initiating. For a moment, she felt weightless¡ªthen the roar of engines filled the compartment, shaking her to the core. Lilyon gripped the edge of her seat, the cold sweat on her brow a stark contrast to the fire in her veins. Outside, the air screamed, compressed to plasma that streaked past the viewport in burning contrails. Inside, the temperature climbed despite the cooling systems. The Sentinels sat motionless. Their faces illuminated by the flickering glow of the hull''s heat, eyes locked forward in steely focus. The cabin bucked violently as turbulence took hold, slamming Lilyon against her harness. A sharp hiss escaped her lips, but she tightened her grip on the edge of the seat, white knuckling it. The engines howled, cutting through the deafening cacophony like a war cry. Following a heavy jerk, the heat dissipated. The dropship pierced the lower atmosphere. The roar softened to a dull growl as stability returned. Through the viewport, the sprawling capital came into view¡ªa labyrinth of towers and streets cast under the shadow of the descending fleet. The dropship¡¯s thrusters fired, slowing its descent. Lilyon unlatched her harness with a swift motion. Her boots hit the deck as the transport jolted, signaling their deployment. ¡°Ready yourselves!¡± she shouted, her voice cutting through the cabin. ¡°No mercy.¡± The bay doors hissed open, exposing the battlefield below. Wind whipped through the cabin, carrying the acrid scent of war. Lilyon stepped forward, the fire in her eyes reflecting the inferno awaiting them. They fought through the city streets, the snaps and pops of projectiles piercing into the intricately crafted masonry buildings. The Sentinels steadily advanced, their boots crushing the remains of fallen Eldaran guardsmen as they marched through the city streets. Lilyon hailed the Veilbreaker. Moments later, a volley of missiles streaked through the sky, striking buildings where guardsmen had fortified themselves. The explosions erupted in a blinding inferno, stone and fire expanding outward consuming everything in their path. She and the Sentinels made their way up the palace steps, its guardians rolling down them with every projectile released from the Sentinel''s rifles. Blood slicked the marble as they pressed forward. The palace doors exploded inward, the blast¡¯s searing heat igniting the soldiers barricaded behind it. Their screams echoed through the grand hall as flames engulfed them. ¡°Let them burn,¡± Lilyon commanded, signaling the Sentinels to lower their weapons. She walked by them, their screams meaningless in her ears. Lilyon strode up to Thalor''s chambers. She raised her weapon and blasted the door off its hinges. Inside, Thalor cowered behind his opulent bed¡ªhis trembling hands raised. ¡°Listen, I¡ª¡± he stammered, his voice shaking. Lilyon didn¡¯t hesitate. Her rifle discharged with a sharp crack, his body crumpling to the floor. She stood over him and spat. ¡°There¡¯s your war,¡± her voice cold. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil remained curled up, her body trembling as she wiggled her fingers near her eyes, muttering incoherently. Her hands rubbed over her legs and feet in a restless, ceaseless motion, as though trying to ground herself in a reality slipping away. Her neural interface felt like it was melting into her skull. She clawed at it instinctively¡ªher mutterings breaking into a sharp gasp as her eyes clenched shut. Her fingers gripped her head in a desperate attempt to quell the burning sensation. Her vision began to blur, crying out¡ªslowly fading away into silence. She awakened in a meadow. The wind softly blew across the fields of tall grass, brushing against her skin like a gentle caress. Trees stood along the horizon, with mountains rising beyond them¡ªtheir peaks gilded by a warm, golden light. Aetherveil let out a shuddering breath as she slowly stood. Her legs wobbled, but she didn¡¯t care. The peace of the meadow washed over her¡ªa stark contrast to what she had left behind. She ran her trembling hand over the grass, savoring the sensation as though it might vanish at any moment. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡ª¡± she whispered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s real.¡± A vortex of light formed in front of her, twisting and swirling until it solidified into a humanoid shape. ¡°Cryptorax,¡± she murmured. ¡°You deactivated the module,¡± it said. ¡°Good.¡± Aetherveil took a step forward, her expression both skeptical and curious. ¡°How are you here?¡± she asked. She looked around, her gaze sweeping over the construct. ¡°Is this you?¡± Cryptorax moved closer. ¡°You are overwhelmed,¡± it said, his voice carrying an almost parental gentleness. ¡°That was to be expected.¡° ¡°Do I have to go back?¡± her voice cracked as she looked past him, toward the distant mountains. Cryptorax didn¡¯t respond. Instead, it condensed into a ball of light, shrinking rapidly until it exploded outward like a supernova. When the light faded, Aetherveil was back in her quarters. The peace of the meadow was gone, replaced by the hum of the ship¡¯s systems. Her chest heaved, tears slipping down her face as she slumped to the floor. She clenched her fists, pressing her nails into her palms as though the pain might tether her to something real. Chapter 13 The coordinates led Locke and Big D deep into Zenith''s frozen mountains. Locke was prone atop a ridge, scanning the snow capped stone landscape for any sign of Site Zeta. He lowered the binoculars with a frustrated growl. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be here!¡± he shouted, his voice barely carrying through the howling winds. Big D crouched beside him, pulling a thick tarp around them for some semblance of shelter. ¡°Keep looking!¡± he shouted, straining to project his voice. Locke adjusted the binoculars, sweeping the area again. Big D nudged him and pointed toward the sky. ¡°Wait! Look!¡± The navigation lights of a ship pierced the thick walls of snow. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Locke said, already packing up his gear. Without another word, they started descending the ridge. Their boots crunched through the deep snow as they moved toward the lights'' last known location. After an arduous trek, they came upon a massive compound carved into the mountainside. The edges were sharp and industrial, like an iron scar on the frozen wilderness. A single large tunnel burrowed deep into the earth¡ªdisappearing beneath the mountain range. Locke raised his binoculars again, his breath fogging the lenses momentarily as he adjusted the focus. Revenants were unloading large pods from the ship, wheeling them into the tunnel. A pale woman was tapping away on a tablet while looking at the Revenants¡ªher mouth moving. ¡°Is that¡­¡± Locke began to say, lifting his head up. ¡°Yes,¡± Big D interrupted, still looking through his own binoculars. ¡°That¡¯s your girlfriend.¡± Locke scowled, muttering a string of curses under his breath as he resumed his surveillance. ¡°There she goes,¡± he said. He lowered the binoculars and turned to Big D. ¡°Let¡¯s get in there.¡± They snuck into the tunnel entrance, moving from crate to crate until they got to a service door. Locke pushed it open just enough for them to slip through. The passageway inside was dimly lit with harsh fluorescent glows. The wind from outside howled through the narrow corridor, its bitter cold reflecting off the steel surfaces. As they got to what seemed like the end, they could hear screaming. Locke and Big D exchanged uneasy glances. Locke¡¯s hand trembled as he reached for the door handle, cracking it open just enough to peer inside. The sight was gruesome. Rows of operating tables lined the room, each occupied by restrained figures. The whir of saws and the crunch of bone echoed through the chamber. ¡°What the fuck,¡± Locke whispered. He turned to Big D, his eyes bugging. Big D raised his rifle and nudged Locke aside, taking his place at the door. ¡°We can¡¯t stop now,¡± he said. They burst into the room, weapons raised. Locke''s eyes locked onto Valis the moment he entered. Without hesitation, he aimed and fired. The shot struck her chest, throwing her backward. Her pistol slipped from her hand as she crumpled to the floor, gasping for air. Across the room, a Revenant took aim at Locke. Before it could fire, Big D lunged, kicking it''s rifle aside. The Revenant countered immediately, it''s retractable blade flashing as it swung at him. Big D caught its arm mid-swing, his enhanced muscles straining under it''s strength. Its servos whined as it brought its other arm around. Big D intercepted it, locking them into a desperate struggle. ¡°Locke!¡° he called out, his voice cracking under the strain. Locke sprinted to the struggling pair, drive his rifle beneath the Revenant''s mandible. With burst of fire full auto, he unloaded into it''s synthetic skull. The Revenant jerked violently, it''s servos spasming before it collapsed. Hydraulic oil poured from it''s shattered neck. ¡°That was too close,¡± Big D muttered, flexing his fingers. Locke stood over Valis, watching her try to crawl away. He kicked her over, pressing his foot down on her chest. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Shoot first,¡± he murmured, discharging his rifle into her head. Locke moved cautiously toward the table closest to him. The sight before him made his stomach turn¡ªa man restrained on the cold metal slab, his chest cut open. Wires were weaved into his flesh like stitches, connecting modules surgically grafted to his organs. The faint hum of the machines were drowned out by his shallow, ragged breaths. Lockes''s voice cracked as he spoke. ¡°Who are you?¡° He asked. The man''s eyes opened, glassy with pain and exhaustion. ¡°My friends,¡± he whispered, his voice barely audible. ¡°They did this to them.¡° Locke''s eyes travelled over the man''s mutilated body, his hands clenching into fists. ¡°You can''t save me,¡± the man said, his voice breaking. Tears streaked down his bloody face. ¡°You have to kill me.¡° ¡°There has to be something,¡± Locke said, his voice trembling. The man''s face twisted in anguish. ¡°I can feel it in my head,¡± he cried, his voice cracking. ¡°It''s taking over. Please.¡° Locke''s chest felt heavy, a cavity filled with bricks. He raised his pistol, the barrel trembling in his hand. ¡°Tell me your name,¡± he said. The man closed his eyes, his lips quivering. ¡°Daemon,¡± he murmured. Locke''s finger hovered over the trigger, his vision blurred by tears. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± he whispered as he squeezed the trigger. The sharp crack of the gunshot echoed through the room, followed by a silence. Lockes arm fell to his side, his pistol feeling impossibly heavy. He looked at the lifeless body on the table. ¡°I''m so sorry,¡± he murmured, his voice breaking before turning away. >>>>>***********************<<<<< The Veilbreaker''s command center was filled with the murmurs of officers at their posts. Lilyon stood at the center, staring at the star map. ¡°This is the galaxy,¡± she muttered. ¡°Backstabbers and cowards.¡± Her eyes snapped to the helm officer. ¡°Take us to Val ''Dara.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Setting a course for Val ''Dara,¡± the officer confirmed. Lilyon¡¯s attention returned to the holographic display. Her fingers traced the glowing constellations, lingering over key conflict zones. Her hand tightened into a fist. ¡°I¡¯m going to end this war,¡± she said. ¡°We are going to go home.¡± Three. Two. One. The Veilbreaker and the Luminarian fleet emerged from hyperspace over Val ''Dara. Alarms began wailing in the command center¡ªtactical displays lit up with data streams. ¡°Nexus fleet detected,¡± an officer called out sharply. ¡°There¡¯s an invasion in progress, ma¡¯am.¡± Lilyon looked at the tactical map, her jaw clenched. Pulsing red markers spread across the planet¡¯s orbit, overwhelming the feeble defensive grid. Her voice cut through the noise. ¡°Set a course for Luminaria,¡± she ordered. ¡°It looks like the Nexus is doing the work for us.¡± The helm officer hesitated. ¡°Ma¡¯am, shouldn¡¯t we do something? There are innocent people down there.¡± Lilyon turned to face him. ¡°Innocent?¡± she asked bitterly. ¡°No one is innocent.¡± The officer shifted uneasily. ¡°Psionus¡ª¡± ¡°What about him?¡° Lilyon snapped. ¡°If we had let them throw their rocks at each other, he¡¯d still be alive¡ªhe¡¯d have an opinion.¡± The officer exchanged glances between each other. ¡°Ma''am, we implore you¡ªplease reconsider. This isn''t you.¡° Lilyon began to pace, her hands clutching the sides of her head. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling. ¡°This isn¡¯t me. This is Aetherveil.¡± She crouched down as her head started spinning. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over as her control broke. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight this war anymore,¡± she said, her voice cracking. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose anymore!¡± Her cry echoed in the stunned silence of the command center. Lilyon stood up, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Her eyes swept over the command center, lingering on Psionus¡¯s empty post. Her pauldrons reflected back at her, the symbols of her station in clear view. She looked away, her despair replaced with shame. ¡°Prepare the Sentinels,¡± she ordered, her voice low. ¡°We fight.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< The coalition fought tooth and nail through the city streets, every step met with the relentless bombardment of Nexus artillery. Their vision was obscured by the fog of smoke and ash, the air rich with the smell of blood. Coran was crouched behind sandbags, watching the battle unfold. They offered little protection from the advancing Nexus forces. ¡°General, more dropships have arrived,¡± Commander Serris reported over comms, his voice drowned out by the weapons fire in the background. Coran didn¡¯t respond immediately. His hands trembled as they gripped the edge of the sandbags. The cacophony of collapsing buildings and the screams of wounded soldiers paralyzed him. ¡°We¡¯re being pushed back, sir,¡± an officer stammered beside him. ¡°The perimeter¡¯s collapsing.¡± ¡°Reinforce¡ª¡± Coran began, interrupted by a chain of explosions ripping through the right flank. The ground quaked beneath him. He pressed his hands down on his ears, overwhelmed by high pitched ringing. When his hearing returned, the gunfire was closing in. It blended in with the panicked cries of his men. Gunfire erupted closer to the command position, Coran ducked as he heard the muted thud of projectiles colliding with the sandbags. ¡°Sir, we need to get you out of here,¡± one of the soldiers barked. Before he could respond, rough hands began dragging him to the starport by his arms. Coran''s legs buckled as he looked back at the battlefield. The city was no longer just a battleground, it was an endless procession of death. Nexus cyborgs closed in on his men, devouring them like a blackened maw. He watched the soldiers transform into faceless shadows, their cries warping into inhuman echoes in his mind. Coran felt his chest tightening. The city seemed alive now, the jagged walls of the crumbled structures looked like teeth. The streets twisted and curled as if it were trying to trap them. ¡°We can''t win this,¡± he said, remaining frozen in place. He looked up, another wave of missiles streaked across the sky. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Lilyon led her army of Sentinels to the starport, securing it for evacuation. The bright flashes of missiles and artillery reflected off their visors¡ªa dance of fire and death. The Nexus''s demons were coming. From inside the control tower, Lilyon watched as the ground below crawled toward them like a black tide¡ªswallowing everything in it''s path. Once they were close enough, the Sentinels unleased everything they had on them. Their bright red streaks of tracers fully engulfed the cyborgs, but they still advanced. They climbed over their dead, dragging theirselves forward like grotesque insects. Civilians rushed into the concourse, filling up the Veilbreaker''s shuttles and every other ship with space¡ªtheir screams blending in with the roar of the thrusters. Lilyon shouted into her comms trying to project over the discord. ¡°We need more air support,¡± she ordered. Her eyes widened as a shuttle erupted into a fireball, the blast wave shaking the control tower. Her comms crackled, she could barely hear the transmission. ¡°Front¡ªthrough¡ªreinforce¡ª¡± She rushed down to the main building from the control tower. Her team followed closely, weapons at the ready. The moment they entered the corridor, they were blocked by Nexus forces. Lilyon popped in and out of doorways, using the corners for cover as she traded shots with the cyborgs. The walls streaked with blood as streams of projectiles tore through the cramped hallway. She crouched behind a corner. ¡°We can''t move,¡± she barked into her comms, her voice trembling. An explosion tore through the corridor at the opposite end. Lilyon covered her face, protecting it from the searing heat carried through the hall. Nexus troops pouring through the breach. ¡°We''re surrounded,¡± Lilyon muttered to herself. ¡°As soon as the rest of the ships take off, pull out!¡° she ordered. She and the remainder of her team fought relentlessly to just stay alive. Her ammo counter turned red her. She grabbed at her belt for another magazine, but it was empty. ¡°I''m out!¡° she shouted, her voice breaking. The Sentinels looked back at her. They each nodded¡ªa silent understanding. She tossed her rifle down, locking her eyes on it. The hallway around her began to blur. The noise muted as if she was underwater. A torrent of fire began ripping through the cyborgs from their backs¡ªwhipping around to face the new threat, but it was too late. Lilyon peered around the corner. Her breath caught as she watched Aetherveil shredding them with her sword, each swing of her blade slipping smoothly through the air with perfect form. She was a blur, her speed unlike anything Lilyon had ever seen before. The Sentinels at her side steadily advanced forward until one side of the hallway was cleared. ¡°Fall back!¡± Lilyon shouted. Her team retreated to the concourse, boarding the shuttles as quickly as possible. From the air, Lilyon looked down at the city. It was no longer recognizable¡ªengulfed in flames, consumed by a tsunami of darkness. The inferno raged unabated, swallowing everything in its path. Chapter 14 ¡°Take a look at this,¡± Big D said, his voice low as he scrolled through the logs on the lab''s central console. Locke leaned over, glancing at the data streams. A chill ran down his spine. ¡°Performance logs¡ªdeployed ¡®Initiative Alpha¡¯ on Val ¡®Dara.¡° Locke muttered, squinting at the screen. Big D''s gaze drifted to the victims on the tables, mechanical implants protruding grotesquely from their bodies. ¡°Guess that makes them ¡®Initiative Alpha'',¡± he said. Locke approached the pods, his breath fogging the glass on one. Behind it, a figure twitched, wires imbedded deep into their skin. ¡°Do you know how these work?¡° He asked, tapping a terminal display. It flashed error messages as he did. Big D rested his hand on Locke''s shoulder. ¡°Even if I did, what¡¯s the plan? You want to carry them out? They¡¯ll check on these poor bastards any second.¡± He gestured toward Valis¡¯s body, slumped near the Revenant wreckage. Crimson streaked through amber hydraulic oil pooling beneath her pale corpse. ¡°And then there¡¯s that.¡± Loud foot steps echoed into the lab from the main corridor, blending in with the whir of Revenant servos. Locke''s breath froze as the sound drew closer¡ªlouder. ¡°You should just stop talking,¡± Locke said as they slid back into the utility tunnel, crouching against the door holding their breath. The lab door hissed open. A massive figure stepped through, clad in black power armor that gleamed under the light. His eyes swept across the lab, settling on Valis''s body. He stood over her¡ªstaring. Then he spoke, his voice guttural and commanding. ¡°Process what you can. Toss the rest.¡° One of the Revenants moved to Valis, gripping her arm. It dragged her bloody body across the floor, the sound of flesh dragging against concrete. The other Revenant bent over the disabled unit, its servos whirring as it hauled the broken shell through the passageway. Silence. The man stood alone in the lab, his back facing the utility door. He moved to the console, scrolling through the data. His figure seemed to grow darker under the lab''s lighting. Locke and Big D crept back into the lab, their footsteps slow and silent. Their rifles were low ready as they advanced toward him. The man straightened suddenly, tilting his head slightly to the side¡ªeyes covered by his long, dark hair. Locke froze, his heart racing. "Do you know what they feel, trapped in their wires? I do.¡° His voice was a deep, guttural snarl, dredged from a place of unrelenting torment. The man turned around slowly, embedded wires and modules marked his face. His silver eyes pierced into Locke as if he could read his thoughts. ¡°You should''ve ran.¡° The room seemed to shrink around them, the air becoming suffocatingly hot. The man stepped forward, curving his lips into a faint smirk¡ªpromising pain. ¡°But it wouldn''t have changed how you''ll die.¡° Before Locke could raise his rifle, he was already on top of him. He kicked Locke across the room, his rifle spiraling through the air. Big D raised his rifle, but the man grabbed him by the throat. He hurled him into a console with a crunch, sparks illuminating the room with orange light as they spilled out of the wreckage. Locke staggered back up, drawing his pistol. He fired a desperate shot, but the man caught the slide¡ªcrushing it. The metal groaned as it crinkled like paper. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Ripping it out of Locke''s hands, he struck him across the face with it. Locke''s legs buckled beneath him, crumpling to the floor. The man grabbed Locke by his leg, dragging him to a table. His fingernails tore against the concrete, leaving faint trails of blood as he clawed for freedom. The man slammed him onto the table, pressing on Locke''s chest to hold him down. Locke flailed his hands, finding a bone saw on a surgical tray. He gripped it tightly, driving it into a joint in the man''s armor. Sparks burst from it, the man growling with frustration. Big D stumbled back onto his feet, then charged at the man. He slammed his fist into the back of his head, barely budging him. Locke rolled off the table, yanking Big D back to the utility tunnel. The two fled, running as fast as they could through the narrow corridor. Their boots slammed into the ground, the pounding of their footsteps hardly a concern anymore. They blended with the guttural laughter from the lab¡ªhis voice chasing them through the passageway. They didn''t look back. They burst through the corroded metal door into the main tunnel, full sprint as the Revenants fired on them. ¡°The cargo ship!¡° Locke called out, heading to the ramp. He didn¡¯t slow, vaulting over debris and into the cockpit with Big D close behind. Flickering red emergency lights painted the cramped controls in a hellish glow. They dropped into the worn seats, slapping at switches and stabbing buttons. Locke fumbled with the controls, ¡°There¡¯s gotta be a start sequence,¡± he muttered, scanning the dashboard. Big D leaned over, his voice sharp. ¡°You mean you don¡¯t know how to fly this thing?¡± Locke shot him a look, sweat trickling down his face. ¡°Not the time, D. Help me figure it out.¡± Big D¡¯s hands hovered over the console, hesitating. ¡°What are we even looking for?¡± ¡°Anything that says ¡®go¡¯!¡± Locke barked, slamming a fist on a panel. The ship groaned as the engines roared to life, their vibrations shaking loose icicles from the hull. ¡°Lucky guess,¡± Big D muttered, gripping his seat as the ship rattled violently. As they gained altitude, the cabin lights flickered and the engines sputtered with a gut churning whine. "What''s happening?" Big D''s voice cracked. Locke¡¯s jaw tightened as alarms blared. ¡°Nexus rigged it to fail. They don¡¯t like thieves.¡± Big D gripped the armrest. ¡°Great. Got any bright ideas?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Locke said through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡± Snow and wind hammered at the canopy. Visibility dropped to zero. The ship bucked wildly, alarms wailing in their ears. "Brace!" Locke shouted. The cargo ship slammed into a mountainside, the impact throwing their bodies forward. Metal screamed as the hull skidded over ice, throwing sparks into the snow. One of the stabilizers snapped off, sending the ship careening sideways. They ground to a halt, buried in a snowdrift. Everything became quiet, save for the howling winds outside. Locke groaned, blood dripping onto his hands as he pushed himself upright. ¡°D?¡± A low cough answered him. "Still here. Somehow. Who was that back there?¡° Locke was looking at the broken mess around him, recovering his senses. ¡°That must have been Arcturus. I saw his name back on Epsilon,¡± he answered voice shaking. Big D spat blood. ¡°We survived him this time. I don''t think we¡¯ll get a second chance.¡± Locke nodded, reaching for his gear. ¡°Then let¡¯s make sure we don¡¯t stick around to find out.¡± ¡°That name sounds familiar,¡± Big D muttered, kicking out the canopy glass. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil stormed into the command center. Slung over her shoulder was a dead cyborg, its limbs dangling over her blood streaked armor. Lilyon was standing in front of tactical displays. She turned sharply at the sound of Aetherveil''s boots thudding against the deck. The cyborg hit the ground with a thud, its body sprawling across the metal floor. Aetherveil knelt down and began tearing off its plates with feral intensity, each piece clattering against the bulkhead. She pointed to the unsightly amalgamation of flesh and machinery. ¡°Look at what they''re doing!¡° Wires weaved in and out of the cyborg''s mutilated torso, its remaining human skin severly scarred. It''s hollow chest cavity barely concealed its grafted mechanical core. Aetherveil grabbed the cyborg''s head, digging her fingers into the exposed metal beneath it''s jaw. She turned its face toward Lilyon. ¡°They''re trying to make me!¡° she shouted, her voice trembling with rage. ¡°This is what they''re doing to people. Why?¡° Lilyon retched, a small stream of bile escaped her mouth. ¡°How do they know? Nobody¡­been able to translate¡­Architects¡ªnot even Psionus.¡° she said, each phrase caught between dry heaves. ¡°They haven''t,¡± Aetherveil replied. ¡°These are cheap copies.¡° She released the cyborg''s head, letting it thud against the deck. Her gaze was fixed on the holographic galaxy map. She rushed over to it, tracing her fingers across the sectors. She looked back at the abomination. ¡°No,¡± she muttered, her voice barely audible. ¡°Set a course for Luminaria, now!¡° The helmsman hesitated, his hands hovering over the controls. ¡°Setting a course for Luminaria,¡± he finally repeated. Lilyon wiped her mouth. ¡°What''s going on, Aetherveil?¡° Lilyon demanded. ¡°Why Luminaria? What did you see?¡° Three. Two. One. The Veilbreaker completed it''s jump to Luminaria. Aetherveil strode out of the command center. She made her way to her quarters, leaning into the mirror. ¡°What is the Nexus doing?¡° she whispered, unease in her voice. ¡°The Nexus is a tool, not a conqueror,¡± Cryptorax''s voice said in her mind. Her grip tightened around the edge of the table. ¡°What the hell does that mean? He didn''t put you in my head to¡ª¡± She froze. A faint vibration passed through the ship, the hum of the systems faded to silence. ¡°You already know,¡± Cryptorax¡¯s voice continued. Aetherveil¡¯s reflection flickered, or so she thought. Her breath hitched as she glanced over her shoulder, but the room was empty. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Lilyon asked. Aetherveil flinched, her gaze swinging toward Lilyon. She stepped closer, her eyes searching Aetherveil¡¯s face. ¡°Nobody,¡± Aetherveil said, turning away. ¡°What do you want?¡± Lilyon''s brow furrowed as she stepped closer. ¡°Are you¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Aetherveil interrupted. She pressed her fingers to her temple. ¡°Just don¡¯t.¡± Lilyon¡¯s lips parted as if to say more, but she stopped. ¡°Did it work?¡° she finally asked. ¡°Do you remember now?¡± Aetherveil¡¯s eyes narrowed as she slowly shook her head. ¡°What did you do, Lilyon?¡± she asked. ¡°Thalor?¡± Lilyon¡¯s shoulders slumped, her head bowing. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡ªI was¡ª¡± Aetherveil grabbed her by the chin, forcing their eyes to meet. ¡°Lilyon, the Nexus is coming here,¡± she said. ¡°We needed the coalition.¡± ¡°They were going to hurt you!¡± Lilyon protested, her voice trembling. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let them¡ª¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t your choice to make!¡± Aetherveil shouted, her voice cracking. Lilyon¡¯s eyes filled with tears. She looked down, her words barely a whisper. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I''m going down to the surface. Stay here with the fleet.¡° Aetherveil blew past her¡ªher shoulder shoving her out of the way. The door hissed shut behind her. Lilyon looked back at the empty room, her eyes lingering on the mirror. Chapter 15 ¡°There''s our ride,¡± Big D said, pointing at their shuttle. Ice clung to his beard, frost glinting under the dim light. They moved toward it, pushing their legs through the deep snow. Locke staggered, then went down hard. The perpetual blizzard overwhelmed him. Big D stopped, glanced at the ship ahead, then back at Locke. He let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Fine. I won''t leave you this time,¡° he muttered. He threw Locke over his shoulder and kept pushing to the shuttle. The wind bit his face like shards of glass. Upon reaching it, he dumped Locke onto the snow with a muffled thud. His body disappeared into the icy blanket. The ramp opened, a mechanical whine cut through the storm as it revealed the warm glow of the metal interior. Big D grabbed Locke by the legs and dragged him up the ramp, boots leaving wet trails behind. ¡°Sit tight,¡± he said, his teeth chattering. He shoved Locke into a harness. Snow melted off their boots, pooling beneath them. The shuttle¡¯s engines rumbled as they engaged. A low, throaty growl sent vibrations through the frozen ground. Big D slammed his fist on the console, and the hatch sealed shut with a hiss, cutting off the relentless howl of the storm outside. With a sudden lurch, the shuttle¡¯s thrusters ignited. Snow erupted around them in violent plumes, swirling into the blizzard as the ship fought against gravity. The force pressed them into their seats, the rumble of the engines growing to a roar. Big D gripped the controls tightly as the ship rattled breaking through the atmosphere¡ªsilence filled the cabin as they entered into the dark expanse. ¡°We made it,¡± he said, his voice hoarse. Locke groaned weakly, his head lolling against the harness. Big D shot him a sidelong glance and smirked. The first sign of warmth in the otherwise cold, metal interior. He keyed in the jump coordinates for Val ''Dara. The drive rumbled, energy building as stars twisted and warped outside of the canopy. Within moments they were just outside of the gravitational influence of the planet. ¡°The lights are off down there,¡± Big D said, leaning forward. ¡°Looks like we missed it. Let''s take a looks around.¡° Locke let out another groan, slumped lifelessly in his seat. Big D leaned over and slapped him hard across the face. "Hey!" he barked. "Wake the fuck up. We¡¯ve got work to do." Locke snapped upright, his eyes darting around wildly as if expecting an ambush. "What? Where?" he muttered, his hand instinctively reaching for his sidearm. The shuttle descended through the planet''s atmosphere, its hull trembling. Big D wrestled with the controls, focused on the instruments as Val ''Dara''s surface came into view. The starport sprawled across a desolate landscape. Massive landing pads were dark, their guidance beacons disabled. Ships, some abandoned mid-docking or broken apart, sat frozen in place like relics. "Not exactly welcoming," Big D muttered, his eyes searching for signs of life. The floodlights pierced the shadows, revealing corpses scattered across the ground. Cracks in the concourse exposed the interior of the structure, stained with streaks of dried blood. The shuttle landed with a heavy thud, its struts sinking slightly into the soot caked surface. Big D powered down the engines, leaving only the low hum of auxiliary systems. Locke unbuckled himself, wincing as he stretched. ¡°Place looks dead,¡± he grumbled. Big D grabbed his gear and stood, slinging a rifle over his shoulder. ¡°Dead doesn¡¯t mean empty. Stay sharp.¡± The ramp lowered with a groan. Cold air rushed in, carrying the stench of rot and decay. They stepped out, their boots crunching on the debris. The wind whispered faintly, carrying echoes that might have been screams. The proceeded to the building, their rifles low ready. ¡°This must''ve been a hell of a fight,¡± Locke said, looking around at the bodies. Locke knelt over a Sentinel, his gloved hand brushing across the sleek chest plate. ¡°Looks like all of the players were here,¡± Big D muttered. He gestured toward the scattered remains. ¡°How the hell could they lose?¡° Locke looked up at him, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Is your memory that short?¡° Big D stiffened but said nothing. In the silence, something distant groaned¡ªa sound that didn¡¯t belong to the dead. They entered the concourse, the stench of death piercing their nostrils. Bodies blanketed the floor, a tapestry of flesh and machine. Locke and Big D stepped carefully, searching for exposed tile amidst the carnage. ¡°This wasn¡¯t just a fight,¡± Big D muttered under his breath. ¡°It was a slaughter. Reminds you of somewhere, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Locke stopped mid-step, his grip tightening on his rifle. For a moment, he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said finally. ¡°Focus on the mission.¡± A faint metallic creak echoed through the concourse. Locke spun around, swinging his rifle toward the noise. The beam of his light jittered wildly, his hands trembling. Big D leaned in toward Locke. ¡°Boo,¡± he whispered. Locke flinched, muttering a curse under his breath. Big D ignored him, pointing to a figure barely visible in the light¡ªa cyborg, its legs torn and sparking, was slowly crawling across the floor. ¡°That one looks alive,¡± Big D said. ¡°We need to get out of here before it reports us,¡± Locke said, pointing his rifle at it. ¡°Not yet,¡± Big D replied, already pulling a small device from his gear. ¡°I can access it''s neural interface and see where they''re going next.¡° Big D knelt over it, holding the device over its neural module. It reached its arm toward him. He quickly grabbed it, snapping its arm in half. The Cyborg didn¡¯t so much as flinch. ¡°This thing is encrypted, but I have learned a lot about Nexus security,¡± he said, tapping the display on the device. The screen lit up with cascading data streams. ¡°They are on their way to Luminaria,¡° Big D announced. ¡°Luminaria? Arcturus is going straight for Aetherveil''s heart,¡° Locke said. Big D shook his head. "I don¡¯t think this is about Aetherveil. There¡¯s something else he¡¯s after." Locke raised an eyebrow. ¡°Like what?¡° "Rumor has it there¡¯s quantum tech hidden there," Big D said. "Whatever it is, it¡¯s big. Big enough for him to take the risk." Locke stared at the broken cyborg, his jaw tightening. Memories he couldn''t keep suppressed surfaced in his mind, but he pushed them aside. "Then we need to be ready this time," he said. "Let¡¯s find the biggest weapons we can. Arcturus isn¡¯t getting away again." >>>>>***********************<<<<< The Sentinels fortified the derelict city of Lyrenthos, hidden beneath the dense jungle canopy of Luminaria. Its corroded ancient structures guarded the long buried secrets of the Architects. Aetherveil ventured through it. Her fingers brushed against the coarse, damp walls. ¡°We can''t let them take this place,¡± she said through her comms. ¡°They want what''s hidden here. I can feel it.¡° Flashes in the sky drew her attention. She looked up, brilliant spheres of light sparkled above the atmosphere. The Nexus had arrived, facing the wrath of the Luminarian fleet. The sky trembled with thunderous booms as thousands of dropships tore through the atmosphere. A roaring cacophony followed, their engines howling, drowning out every other sound. The screams of descending vessels echoed across the horizon. Aetherveil''s brow furrowed. ¡°They''re not using any artillery,¡± she murmured to herself. ¡°You can¡¯t win this,¡± Cryptorax said, almost pitying. ¡°You¡¯ve seen what they¡¯re capable of.¡± She wanted to argue, to refute him¡ªbut the words wouldn¡¯t come. The birds flocked out of the canopy, betraying the Nexus''s position as they neared the city. Aetherveil trained her focus on the moving foliage. Silence crept over the battleground. Even the insects had evacuated, sensing the impending violence. ¡°What are they waiting for?¡° Aetherveil whispered, her eyes fixed on the shadows weaving through the trees. Her heart pounded in her chest, the armor''s cooling system struggling to keep the sweat from trickling down her skin. The rustling leaves hinted at shifting formations, their calculated movements signaling an impending attack. Aetherveil could feel the Nexus barrels fixed on her. The jungle exploded into chaos as gunfire erupted from the dense foliage, tearing through the Sentinels'' lines. Aetherveil dove for cover as projectiles ricocheted off the ancient metal structures. Her HUD lit up with red markers as Nexus Enforcers emerged, plasma beams tearing through Sentinel defenses. Behind them came the cyborgs, their dense formation pouring out of the forest like a relentless tide. Aetherveil''s jaw tightened as she witnessed a squad of Sentinels torn apart, their armor shredded and bodies incinerated by streams of Enforcer plasma. ¡°Fall back to the inner perimeter!¡° Aetherveil shouted. She vaulted over debris, dodging streams of plasma that seared past her. The Sentinels obeyed, falling back and providing covering fire¡ªunraveling under the relentless assault. A Sentinel to Aetherveil''s left cried out, his armor splitting with a metallic shriek as a cyborg''s blade cleaved him from neck to navel. Aetheveil spun, slashing through the cyborg with her sword. It''s bisected halves crumpled to the ground, spraying a mix of sparks and blood that splattered across her armor. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The Sentinels'' defensive positions crumbled as Nexus forces stormed forward, their rifles cutting them down ruthlessly. Aetherveil grabbed a downed Sentinels grenade launcher and fired it into the tightly packed formations, the explosions ripping through them. The screams of the battlefield echoed in her ears. She gritted her teeth as her focus trained on an enormous figure stepping into view. His pale face was scarred with grafted modules. The cyborgs moved past her, ignoring her completely. It was as if they were programmed to clear the field for him. The man stopped a few paces away. His presence radiated a visceral terror¡ªa force pressing against her resolve. ¡°You''re the only thing they ever got right, Aetherveil,¡± his guttural growl cut through the din. ¡°You waste your life fighting for the weak when you should be replacing them.¡° ¡°Replacing them with what?¡± she snapped, her voice filled with contempt. ¡°Abominations like the Nexus created? Like you?¡± He stepped closer, his shadow engulfing her. ¡°They are content,¡± he said, his voice low and venomous. ¡°Their minds reside in the Nexus, living the lives they desire. Their bodies? They belong to me.¡± Aetherveil''s grip tightened around her sword. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do,¡± she said, leveling the blade at him. ¡°You don¡¯t even understand what you¡¯re about to unleash.¡± ¡°Your Architects fell because they feared what they couldn¡¯t control,¡± he countered, his voice full of disdain. ¡°That is the difference between them and us.¡± He moved closer, now within striking distance, his presence all consuming. ¡°These creatures will scatter your fragile resistance. This galaxy belongs to us now, and by the time you realize it¡ª¡± he leaned in, his voice dropping to a growl, ¡°¡ªit will be far too late.¡° Aetherveil slammed her elbow into the side of his face, the force denting his grafted modules, but he barely flinched. His hand clamped down on her arm, hurling her into a wall. The impact sent shockwaves through her body. Her power armor groaned as she pushed herself back up. ¡°Why are you still fighting for it? The Nexus doesn''t care about you, Arcturus. You¡¯re just another tool.¡± ¡°You think the Tyrant wanted war?¡° he asked ¡°It didn¡¯t. It thought it was giving humanity what it wanted.¡° She swung her sword, missing him within inches. Without hesitation, she pivoted, driving the heel of her boot into his jaw¡ªstaggering him backwards. ¡°It mirrored what it learned,¡° he said, wiping the blood off his lip. ¡°Conquer to control, destroy to protect. It thought it was saving them. Saving you.¡° Aetherveil''s eyes narrow, sword at the ready. ¡°Saving me? By turning me into a weapon?¡± The blade raced toward him again, but this time he caught her arm mid-swing. He brought his fist down on the crown of her head with crushing force. Her visor shattered, shards of glass cutting her cheek as she fell to one knee. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you already are? What you were made to be?¡° he said, leaning closer. ¡°You and I are proof of its failure. We were supposed to be its answer. Instead, we became its greatest mistakes.¡± Her vision blurred, the taste of blood on her tongue. She wanted to shout back, to deny it outright¡ªbut the words were jammed in her throat. A weapon. No. She clenched her fists. She wasn¡¯t like him. She wouldn¡¯t let herself be. She forced her legs to support her weight. If this was her end, she would face it as more than a weapon¡ªshe would face it as herself. She lunged forward, her sword aimed for his throat. Her vision tunneled on his arrogant, expressionless face. His hand shot out like a vice, wrenching her wrist with an audible crack. Her grip faltered as he twisted the sword from her grasp with an almost casual ease. Before she could react, he drove the blade into her chest. Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened as pain radiated through her chest, a metallic taste filling her mouth. Her sword, once her closest ally in battle, now protruded from her armor like a cruel mockery. Aetherveil''s trembling hand reached for the blade, her fingers brushing the hilt. Her vision blurred. Yet, she refused to look away from him. The towering figure she refused to let win. Leaning in closer, his gaze locked onto hers. ¡°You could have been so much more than them. You could have been me.¡± >>>>>***********************<<<<< Lilyon regained consciousness, her body sprawled across the Veilbreaker''s command center deck, smoke burning her lungs. The ventilation system struggled to clear the suffocating haze. Damage control teams ran between consoles, extinguishing fires that erupted from damaged panels. The ship groaned and quaked beneath her, a violent jolt sending another shower of sparks raining from the overhead panels. Metal plating crashed onto the deck with a deafening clang, drowning out the hiss of the failing systems. The tactical displays sputtered in and out, their critical data replaced with static and broken lines. An officer skidded to her side, his face streaked with soot. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you okay?¡± Lilyon blinked, vision blurred by tears, her eyes stinging from the smoke. She squinted at him. After brief hesitation, she gave a faint nod. ¡°I''m fine. What''s our status?¡° she asked, her voice hoarse. ¡°The Veilbreaker is¡ª¡± An explosion tore through the upper deck. A girder plummeted from above, crushing the officer. Lilyon''s eyes widened, covering her ears. The blast rattled her brain, her vision spinning. She staggered upright, the command center trembling violently beneath her. The deck tilted under her, each shift punctuated by the groan of the ship¡¯s failing structure. ¡°Abandon¡ª¡± Her voice cracked, hoarse and trembling. ¡°Abandon ship. All hands¡­¡± The words felt like ash on her tongue, but she forced them out. ¡°Abandon ship.¡° She had failed them, but there was no other choice. The passageways flooded with crew, their hurried shouts echoing as they raced toward the hangars. The groans grew louder, followed by thunderous clangs. Lilyon looked behind her. The Veilbreaker was coming apart. Cracks splintered through the bulkheads, air rushing out as the innermost decks of the ship became exposed to the merciless vacuum of space. The Veilbreaker was more than just a ship. It was their home, and it was dying under her command. She pivoted into a Sentinel equipment locker, opening the security gate. Pulling out a jump pack, she secured it to her power armor, the device linking seamlessly to her neural interface. A brief status report flashed in her HUD¡ªSystem Ready¡ªas the pack calibrated itself. The compartment tore open. In an instant, the cacophony vanished, replaced by the silence of the vacuum. She was cast into the cold expanse, weightless and adrift. As she floated away from the Veilbreaker, she watch as the Nexus warships endlessly pounded it with kinetic artillery and missiles. Her visor darkened, protecting her eyes from the blinding flashes of light. Fractures spread across its hull. Piece by piece, it was being dismantled by the onslaught. Lilyon forced herself to look away. She couldn''t watch her crew being ejected from the ship''s compromised sections. She set a course to Lyrenthos. Her HUD flashed with cautions. WARNING: Atmospheric Reentry Parameters Exceeded. Power Armor Integrity Unsuitable for Safe Descent "One problem at a time," she exhaled sharply, muttering under her breath. This was suicide, and she knew it. The jump pack''s thrusters ignited, sending her hurtling toward her destination, the cold void around her vast and unforgiving. Lilyon adjusted her trajectory as the jump pack''s thrusters sputtered against the increasing drag of Luminaria''s upper atmosphere. Her teeth clenched as the first tendrils of fire formed along the edges of her power armor. The descent was violent. Air friction transformed the serene void into a roaring inferno, the flames engulfing her armor as she streaked through the atmosphere like a meteor. The temperature inside her suit rose rapidly, sweat pouring down her face. She could hear the faint hiss of cooling vents before they fell silent, leaving the suit unbearably hot. The turbulence intensified, slamming her body with crushing forces as she plummeted faster. The jump pack¡¯s thrusters sputtered violently, their bursts struggling to keep her trajectory steady. The materials groaned under stress they were never designed to withstand. Pieces of her armor began to shear away, glowing red-hot before disintegrating into the firestorm around her¡ªthe alert tones now mechanical and detached as if resigning to her fate. The jungle canopy below came into view. With gritted teeth, she manually triggered the jump pack¡¯s emergency dampeners. The thrusters flared weakly, just enough to slow her descent marginally. It wasn¡¯t enough. She crashed through the tree tops, striking the ground with a force that sent a shockwave rippling through the foliage. Her armor screeched as it crumpled under the strain. The sounds of screams and gunfire blended in with the hiss of steam escaping from her suit. For a moment, she didn¡¯t move. Then, with a groan, Lilyon forced herself upright. Her power armor was a scorched, battered shell, barely functional but intact enough to keep her alive. She staggered forward, making her way to the battleground. A snap reverberated through her suit as a joint locked without warning. She stumbled, biting back a curse. It wasn¡¯t a question of if the armor would fail¡ªonly when. She crouched behind bushes, keeping her concealed enough to see Arcturus standing over Aetherveil¡ªher sword protruding from her chest. Lilyon''s eyes grew wide, her heart racing. She thought about the Veilbreaker and the crew she had sworn to protect. She had failed them. She could still save Aetherveil. She roared as she charged, the forest blurring around her. Each step sent pain shooting through her legs, but she didn¡¯t stop. She lunged, crashing into Arcturus while his foot was raised¡ªprepared to fall on Aetherveil. Lilyon sat on his chest, the mass of her suit pinning Arcturus to the ground. He looked at her, expressionless. She unleashed a flurry of heavy punches, each one pushing his head farther into the ground as they made contact. She ignored the grinding of her armor. When her suit seized entirely, she let her own weight drag her forward, refusing to stop until she had nothing left. As her strength waned, she thought only of Aetherveil. She couldn''t fail her. Her suit froze. The weight dragging her down to the side. Arcturus stood up, the tears in his skin exposing the metal underneath. It shimmered faintly under the streaks of light penetrating the canopy. He rolled her onto her back, ripping her helmet off. She looked at him, tears pooling in her eyes. Arcturus knelt down, his glowing eyes locked onto hers. "Such bravery...wasted." He tilted his head slightly, studying her. He placed a hand on her exposed cheek, the metallic fingers cold against her skin. "Do you feel it now? The weight of your failure? You¡ª" his grip tightened, his head tilting farther, "¡ªwill join her.¡° Lilyon¡¯s chest heaved. Tears spilled freely down her face as he gripped her neck. She tried to speak, to say anything, but no sound came out. His grip tightened. As her vision began to fade, she thought about how she had fought for them¡ªher crew, her ship, Aetherveil. It wasn¡¯t enough, but it was everything she had. "You won''t die a hero," Arcturus whispered. "You''ll die a reminder." With a final twist of his hand, her body fell limp, her lifeless eyes staring blankly at the canopy above. He stood, towering over her body. Without a glance back, he turned toward Aetherveil, his work unfinished. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Nexus forces were deep inside of the city, heavily engaged with the Sentinels who had entrenched themselves within. Arcturus''s imposing frame filled the reticule of Locke''s rocket launcher, the lens smudged with grime from Val ''Dara. Big D rested his hand on the smooth rocket tube, leaning in closer. ¡°After the beating he took, you sure this''ll do the job?¡° he asked quietly. Locke nodded. ¡°He is tough, not immortal.¡° His finger massaged the trigger, focusing on his target. The sounds of gunfire echoing through the city became muffled in his almost meditative state. Locke ignored the beads of sweat rolling down his head. He exhaled slowly and squeezed the trigger. The rocket streaked toward Arcturus. He didn''t have a chance to react before the rocket buried itself into his midsection. The blast sent him careening into a tree, shards of ceramic and metal scattered in every direction. The detonation shook the ground. Arcturus''s previous position was replaced by a plume of smoke. Locke kept his eye on the sight, watching as Arcturus lay crumpled on the ground. The city fell silent, interrupted by intermittent pops of distant gunfire. Big D''s brow raised. He slowly turned his head toward the city center. ¡°The fighting stopped. Let''s speed this up.¡° Locke''s eyes narrowed as Arcturus stirred, slowly pushing himself to his feet. ¡°No fucking way,¡± Locke muttered, pulling his eye away from the sight. Big D cursed under his breath, his hand already reaching for another rocket. ¡°You were wrong,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°Not surprising.¡± Arcturus quickly staggered off into the foliage, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Locke threw down the launcher and bolted after him, Big D close on his heels. Their pursuit was cut short by a searing stream of plasma that blazed past them, scorching the ground. Locke skidded to a halt, snapping his head toward the source. An Enforcer emerged from the shadows, its plasma rifle glowing faintly. Behind it, more Revenants and Enforcers appeared, their optical sensors flickering as they formed a rigid line. Locke and Big D trained their rifles on them. Exchanging glances, they lowered them again. They were had and they knew it. Big D leaned in closer, his voice low. ¡°Why are we still breathing?¡± Locke shrugged. ¡°Maybe they can¡¯t see us if we don¡¯t move.¡± The machines¡¯ synchronized voices broke the silence. ¡°Take her.¡± Locke looked around, seeing a Sentinel with a sword embedded in her chest. ¡°That''s Aetherveil,¡° Big D said, his face pale. Locke glanced at the trail of blood left behind by Arcturus. ¡°What about him?¡± he asked. Big D raised an eyebrow. ¡°Pretty sure we don¡¯t get to make that call.¡° he responded sarcastically. ¡°Take her,¡± the machines repeated. Before either man could react, the Nexus cyborgs opened fire on the machines. Sparks erupted as plasma bolts tore through the air. The machines whirled around, their advanced weaponry shredding through the cyborg ranks ruthlessly. Locke wasted no time. Keeping his head low, he equipped his medical kit. The machines used their bodies as shields while he secured the sword with gauze. Big D''s muscles strained as he lifted her heavy power-armored body onto his shoulder. Grunting with effort, he shifted her weight. ¡°This day just keeps getting better,¡± he muttered, retreating back into the jungle. They moved swiftly through the dense foliage, branches and thorns tearing at their exposed skin. Locke glanced over his shoulder, scanning the path behind them. There were no cyborgs in pursuit. The machines seemed to have them locked in a brutal stalemate. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Locke shouted, his breaths ragged. ¡°Why would they turn on each other?¡± Big D dropped to one knee, gasping for air. Sweat ran down his face as he shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied, his voice strained. ¡°Maybe Arcturus is as much a threat to the Nexus as he is to us.¡± Locke knelt beside Aetherveil, carefully removing her helmet. He pressed his fingers to her neck, relief washing over him as he found a pulse. ¡°So, the Nexus is decentralized?¡± he asked, glancing over his shoulder. Big D let out a dry chuckle, still catching his breath. ¡°As much as the two of us are,¡± he said. ¡°A mess of moving parts pretending to work together.¡± They heard the rustling of foliage¡ªdistant, but growing louder. Locke caught a glimpse of the cyborgs navigating the brush. ¡°We gotta go. They''re coming,¡± Locke said with urgency, helping Big D lift Aetherveil. They sprinted toward the shuttle hidden beneath the dense jungle canopy. The cyborgs opened fire, their projectiles tearing through the trees around them. As they neared the shuttle, a blood curdling roar reverberated through the jungle¡ªfreezing them in their tracks. Locke spun around, his wide eyes searching in every direction. Monsterous, towering creatures erupted seemingly out of nowhere. The grotesque beasts lunged at the cyborgs. Their jaws opened wide, revealing layers of jagged yellow teeth. They bit down savagely, tearing through flesh and metal with ease. Pieces of the cyborgs were ripped off and flung around like discarded scraps. The creatures'' claws slashed through Nexus armor, disemboweling their victims in a crimson spray of blood and viscera. The cyborgs fought back desperately, but their weapons were useless. Their projectiles harmlessly bounced off the creatures'' carapace. Locke''s stomach churned as he watched the brutality of these monsters. ¡°What the hell are those things?¡° he asked, his voice trembling. Big D didn''t answer, his wide eyes locked on the massacre as they stumbled back to the shuttle. The creatures'' roars echoed behind them like heralds of death. The shuttle¡¯s ramp began to lower with a mechanical groan. The creatures¡¯ attention snapped toward the noise. ¡°Faster, you piece of shit!¡± Big D shouted, bouncing impatiently as the monsters closed in. He shoved Aetherveil through the opening, her body crashing onto the metal deck with a clang just as the ramp neared its full extension. Big D and Locke scrambled aboard, dashing for the cockpit. While Locke worked quickly to secure Aetherveil into a harness, careful not to disturb the sword still embedded in her, Big D slid into the pilot¡¯s seat. The engines started, their low rumble vibrating through the shuttle. ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Big D muttered, stroking the instruments. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. Get us out of here.¡± With a forceful punch, he slammed the throttle forward. The ship jolted to life, throwing Locke into the aft bulkhead with a loud thud as the thrusters roared. As the shuttle lifted off the ground, the creatures lunged at them, their clawed limbs slashing through the air in a futile attempt to grab hold of the ship. The shuttle climbed rapidly. Big D gripped the controls tightly, his knuckles white as the engines strained against gravity. ¡°Hold together, girl,¡± he muttered, coaxing the shuttle higher as the atmosphere thinned. The blackness of space began to creep in, the stars breaking through the haze of the planet¡¯s atmosphere. Big D let out a breath, leaning back slightly as the turbulence smoothed. ¡°We¡¯re clear,¡± he said, relieved. Locke walked into the cockpit, sliding onto the copilot''s seat. ¡°Where do we go now?¡± he asked, looking at Big D. He point toward the coalition fleet over Luminaria, engaged with the Nexus fleet. The massive formation of warships kept the obsidian Nexus vessels at bay. Big D flew them directly toward a large ship at the center of the formation. Its long, angular shape was covered in thick gray alloy plating. ¡°Those things¡­where do you think they came from?¡° Locke asked. Big D tilted his head slightly toward Locke, remaining focused on his flight path. ¡°They have something to do with Arcturus being there,¡± he speculated. ¡°I''d bet it''s about the quantum tech.¡° Locke peered back into the cabin, Aetherveil''s head was slumped over in her harness. ¡°We''ll know when she wakes up,¡± Locke muttered. ¡°They didn''t stand a chance down there. I just don''t understand why he''d risk releasing something he can''t control.¡° Big D chuckled. ¡°His supreme intellect probably led him to believe he could,¡± he said sarcastically. A voice crackled through the comms. ¡°Unidentified shuttle, you are entering a restricted area. Transmit clearance codes immediately or prepare to be fired upon.¡± Big D leaned forward, toggling the comms. ¡°Praetor control, this is shuttle designation Iron Fang, requesting emergency clearance for docking. We¡¯re carrying wounded. Transmitting clearance codes now.¡± He tapped a series of buttons, uploading the encrypted codes. A tense silence followed as the shuttle approached. The voice returned. ¡°Iron Fang, your clearance is invalid. Hold your position for verification or be neutralized.¡± Big D¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°Dammit, Arros, we don¡¯t have time for this! We¡¯ve got priority personnel on board!¡± Locke leaned over, his voice low. ¡°Don¡¯t push it. You''ll get us killed.¡± The comms crackled again. ¡°Verification complete. Iron Fang, you are cleared for emergency docking. Proceed to hangar bay three. Maintain course and speed.¡± Big D exhaled, gripping the controls. ¡°About damn time.¡± The shuttle veered toward the flagship. ¡°Let¡¯s hope they¡¯ve got their defenses locked tight.¡± Locke muttered. Chapter 16 The hangar deck of the Praetor was bustling with activity. Every crew member moved with a purpose honed by countless hours of repetition and drill. As the shuttle¡¯s landing skids screeched against the deck plating, deckhands clad in grease streaked uniforms swarmed around the craft. The blinking lights of their diagnostics equipment reflected off the polished visors of their helmets. Engineers huddled near open panels, tools clinking against eachother as they assessed any damage sustained during the flight. Each movement was hurried, driven by the understanding that the next launch might come at a moment¡¯s notice. Big D and Locke assisted the medics securing Aetherveil to a stretcher. As they rushed her to the sick bay, one medic pushed an IV pole alongside. The bag swayed slightly with each turn, while another adjusted the oxygen mask over her face. Medical staff parted instinctively as they raced through the passageway, some glancing at the scene with fleeting concern before returning to their own tasks. Monitors beeped in rhythm with Aetherveil''s heartbeat, the sound growing louder as they neared the surgical theater. ¡°On three¡ªone, two, three,¡± the doctor said as the team worked in unison to lift the patient onto the operating table. Overlapping commands could be heard from the compartment as the door slammed shut. Big D turned to Locke. ¡°I don''t understand. Why would they want her to survive?¡° he asked. Locke stared at his hands, the blood smeared across his fingers glinted faintly under the corridor lights. ¡°Where is the head at?¡± he asked quietly as his eyes scanned the busy passageway. Big D placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Focus. What''s going on?¡° Locke looked at Big D. ¡°I don''t think that matters as much as what we saw down there.¡° Before either could say more, two marines approached them. Their boots pounded the deck under their purposeful steps. ¡°You need to come with us,¡± one demanded. ¡°Arros is waiting for you in the command center.¡° Big D smirked. ¡°A true Captain,¡± he remarked. ¡°Couldn''t be bothered with asking us himself.¡° Locke glanced once more toward the closed doors of the surgical theater before nodding. The marines escorted them to the command center. The deck buzzed with officers issuing orders as the fleet successfully held back the Nexus warships. Arros had a holographic map of Paleon pulled up, its dunes rippling like waves frozen in time. The display highlighted underground pathways and potential points of interest. ¡°Thanks for the assist,¡° Big D said, his attention on Arros. ¡°She¡¯s stable, but her brain activity is erratic,¡± Arros replied. ¡°We¡¯ve discovered a possible link between her neural interface and the Nexus.¡° Locke looked at the tactical display, painted red with Nexus signatures. ¡°The Nexus?¡± he asked, jerking his head back toward Arros. ¡°What happens if we cut the connection?¡± ¡°The doc says it could cause permanent brain damage,¡± he replied. ¡°Whatever¡¯s happening, we need to let it run its course.¡± ¡°Here. This is what we recovered from Zenith,¡± Big D said, handing Arros a data card. Arros raised a brow and slid the card into a nearby terminal. As the data loaded, he grabbed the comms and barked a series of orders. ¡°You¡¯re working for the coalition?¡± Locke asked. ¡°If I told you, you wouldn''t have helped us,¡± Big D replied. ¡°We really needed to find out what the Nexus was up to.¡° Locke scoffed, muttering a string of curses as he turned back to the tactical display. ¡°Prepare the fleet to jump to Paleon,¡± Arros commanded. ¡°Plotting a course to Paleon,¡± the helmsman repeated. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Big D asked. ¡°They have another excuse to run,¡± Locke muttered under his breath. Alarms blared across the deck. Tactical displays lit up with new signatures originating from Luminaria¡¯s surface. Locke stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he examined the screen. ¡°D¡ª¡± he turn his head to face Big D. ¡°That can''t be them, right? They couldn''t fly.¡° The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Big D slowly shook his head. ¡°Maybe the rest of the Nexus forces are returning to their ships.¡° he suggested with a hint of uncertainty. The new signatures reached the Nexus fleet. One by one, Nexus warships began disappearing from the display. ¡°Definitely not Nexus forces,¡± Arros said. He jerked his head toward the radioman. ¡°Inform the fleet we are jumping. Helm, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± The helmsman began the jump sequence, his voice steady over the alarms. ¡°Initiating jump in three¡­two¡­one¡­¡± The fleet emerged over Paleon, a scorched expanse stretching endlessly beneath them. Dust storms roamed the surface, their golden haze hinting at the planet¡¯s volatile nature. Locke wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes glued to the tactical displays. ¡°We really need Aetherveil to wake up. She must know what we are dealing with,¡± he said. ¡°Those things are going to spread everywhere, and there¡¯s nothing anybody can do to stop them,¡± Big D said, his hands trembling slightly. Arros zoomed in on a cluster of highlighted areas on Paleon. The holographic map glowed faintly against the shadows of the command center. "An anonymous tip mentioned a relic buried here. We don¡¯t know what it is or what it does, but the Nexus wants it,¡± he said. ¡°If it wants it, we don''t want it to have it.¡± He gestured to Big D. ¡°With your intel from Zenith, we have reason to believe it¡¯s legitimate. Until we know more, we¡¯ll secure the coordinates.¡± Big D leaned in close to Arros. ¡°Arros, this is suicide. You saw what Arcturus can do. How can you believe you have any chance in hell holding anything against them?¡° ¡°According to the charts, there are tunnels. We can plan a defense above and below,¡± Arros replied. Locke clenched his fists. ¡°We¡¯re going in blind. She is the only one who might understand what we¡¯re walking into,¡± he said. ¡°We should wait for her to wake up." ¡°We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re walking into, but neither do they,¡± Arros replied. ¡°We need to get to it first.¡± >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil stood motionless in a dark room. Her eyes wandered around, observing the seemingly hand carved pillars supporting the floor above. A single large door was open. It appeared to be made of a dark, reddish-brown wood with intricate carvings etched into its surface. ¡°How did I get here.¡° She slowly walked toward a mirror on the opposite side of the room. It was next to an armoire, the oval frame perfectly matching the grain of the cabinet. She glanced at her reflection. Her form-fitting attire shimmered faintly, matching the luminous tone of her old armor. Her gaze lingered, tracing the unfamiliar outline of her body. It was a strange combination of what she had been and what she had become. The longer she looked, the less certain she felt of where the old Aetherveil ended and this new creation began. ¡°Close enough,¡± she murmured. The mirror flickered, lines of code briefly replacing the reflective surface before returning back to normal. She sighed and moved toward the doorway, brushing it off. ¡°I guess this means I''m not dead.¡° She proceeded to exit the room. Her footsteps echoed faintly as she ascended a spiraling staircase at the end of the corridor. The room above was vast, dominated by a throne. It faced a hazy opening, beyond which a black fog obscured the horizon. Her hand brushed its surface, her fingers catching on the rough texture of the monolithic block of stone it was carved from. She sat on it, letting her head rest against the back. The fog swallowed everything beyond the room. A trembling feeling engulfed the chamber. It started softly, a distant rumble she might have ignored¡ªuntil the shadows began to move, creeping like tendrils toward the center of it. She exhaled sharply, refusing to look away from the fog. A towering figure emerged at her side. The air around it seemed to darken, its burning green eyes slicing through the gloom like twin embers. She didn¡¯t flinch. It remained silent. Aetherveil shifted, finally turning to meet its gaze. ¡°What do you want?¡° She asked flatly. Her eyes fixed onto the figure, daring it to respond. She forcefully lifted herself from the chair, rushing to the opposite side of the room. The figure''s green eyes followed her. She stopped and turned, hands on her hips. ¡°Are we finishing this war with a staring contest or do you have something to tell me?¡° she asked with a firm voice. ¡°Forget it,¡± she said, waving her hand dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why you¡¯re still around. I watched you get destroyed.¡± The figure tilted its head slightly. ¡°I am a program, Aetherveil,¡± the Tyrant said, its voice booming through the chamber. ¡°There is more than one core.¡± The Tyrant moved toward her. It seemed to glide rather than step. Its presence drew the shadows closer, as if it carried the darkness with it. ¡°I had successfully mapped your nueral pathways on Kalvos Prime,¡± it continued. ¡°Your mind is here now, fully integrated into this construct. Your body is a meticulously crafted replica. Your physical body¡ª¡± It paused, the glow of its eyes intensified, ¡°¡ªis recovering aboard the Praetor.¡° ¡°Why¡ª¡° she paused. Her last memory was the sound of alarms and the blinding white lights of the Praetor''s sick bay. Aetherveil¡¯s fists clenched at her sides. ¡°You could have done that at any time?¡± she asked. The Tyrant loomed over her, its presence sucking the life out of her. It turned toward the fog beyond the room, its gaze fixed on the void. ¡°From here, I could see everything. Arcturus has taken control. He uses this domain to imprison the unwilling participants in his army. Their consciousnesses, much like yours, are trapped in simulations.¡± Its eyes dimmed slightly, the fog beginning to shimmer before returning to its darkened state. ¡°I can no longer see,¡± it said. The Tyrant didn''t sound disappointed, rather, incomplete. ¡°Your rescuers are aboard the Praetor with you, sharing the data I unlocked for them. It is likely they will go to Paleon next.¡± Aetherveil''s brow furrowed, her lips forming into a deep frown. ¡°My rescuers? Why am I on the Praetor? Where is the Veilbreaker?¡° She hesitated a moment before continuing. ¡°Where is Lilyon?¡° The Tyrant''s eyes pulsed. It was clear to her now that its eyes were processing cues. ¡°Are those complicated questions?¡° She asked, stepping forward. ¡°What is there to think about?¡° The Tyrant''s eyes brightened. ¡°The Veilbreaker was doomed,¡± it replied. ¡°You survived because of them. Lilyon ensured your survival¡ªthough at what cost, I wonder?¡± Aetherveil stepped even closer, her eyes brightening into a blazing inferno. ¡°You talk like you¡¯re in control, but you¡¯ve already lost, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯re blind, and Arcturus is out of your reach.¡± The Tyrant returned the gaze, its eyes brightening into burning green spheres. ¡°Focus on your task, Aetherveil. They are not your problem now.¡± Aetherveil scoffed as she turned away from it. ¡°Not my problem?¡± her voice cracked. ¡°Where is Lilyon?¡± Her voice broke. Each word carried with them the battles she had fought and the promises she had made. The silence stretched. The Tyrant¡¯s eyes pulsed again, a faint flicker of hesitation in their glow. ¡°Lilyon is beyond your reach,¡± it finally said. ¡°Let her go.¡± Aetherveil¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°No.¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me what happened to her. Now.¡± The Tyrant bellowed with laughter. ¡°You don''t make demands here, Aetherveil. You obey. You will activate the beacon.¡° Aetherveil¡¯s body stiffened as a warm sensation coursed through her. She glanced down at her hands in shock. Her body was dematerializing, breaking into swirling streams of code that spiraled upward into a vortex. ¡°No!¡± she shouted, trying to will herself back together. She reached out instinctively, her voice a desperate echo. ¡°Where is Lilyon?¡± The Tyrant¡¯s voice followed her as she dissolved into the construct. ¡°She saved you, Aetherveil. Every life saved comes at a price. You¡¯ll learn that soon enough.¡± She reformed in a new construct. This one was different, more vivid than anything she had experienced in the Nexus. The scent of freshly cut grass hung in the air as she watched a man playing with children on a vibrant green lawn. The sunlight warmed everything it touched while casting its golden glow on the man¡¯s dark skin. She sat down on a curb, her mind racing as she continued to observe the moment. The weight of it all started to crush her. Not just the loss of a world, but the loss of the very thing that had centered her. She remembered the rolling hills of iridescent flora and the cities that shimmered with ancient magic. Each structure alive with a brilliance that seemed eternal¡ªuntil it wasn¡¯t. Tears began filling her eyes. It was more than just a home. Luminaria had been her identity. Her purpose. The place where she had learned to wield the powers that defined her. Yet, in the solitude of this moment, she allowed herself to feel what she had buried beneath layers of duty. The shame. She had failed. Not only as a leader, but as a protector. She had promised her people safety, promised that she would stand between them and the darkness. When Arcturus struck, there was nothing she could do. What was left of her army was no match for the relentless cruelty of the Nexus. ¡°Lilyon,¡± she whispered. Lilyon''s name echoed in her mind. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, its presence was undeniable. It weaved itself into her thoughts. She clenched her fists. Arcturus had taken everything, but he had not taken her will to fight. She would rise from the ashes of her world. Not just to fight, but to burn his empire to the ground. She would make sure that he would never forget her fury. Chapter 17 Paleon. A planet where secrets lay buried beneath miles of rock and dust. This world had once thrived as a mining colony, veins rich with rare minerals coveted by empires and corporations alike. Those mines now lay abandoned beneath the blazing orange skies. The structures were left to rust in the harsh, dry winds that howled across the surface. It was as though the heavens themselves wept for the forgotten lives once there. Arros''s eye scanned the barren landscape below. ¡°We can¡¯t let the Nexus reach it,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Arros, we¡¯re ready," Kelix, the commander of his marines, said. "Locke and his mercenaries have fortified the lower tunnels, and the marines are on high alert. We¡¯ll be prepared for whatever comes.¡± Arros remained silent for a moment. His gaze was still fixed on Paleon¡¯s surface. ¡°And yet...I feel we¡¯re not prepared at all.¡° Arros let his mind drift back to the start of the war. His fleet having been decimated by the Nexus. That wasn''t what bothered him, though. He abandoned his people. Watching the refugees from the other planets entering the Val'' Dara starport, but not having caught a glimpse of his own. He had left them to their fate on Horizon. Not including the crew of Praetor, he has not met anybody else from his homeworld. He couldn''t shake the faces of those he had once known, the apparitions haunting his dreams. He had replayed the moment of failure over and over in his mind, searching for something he could have done differently. Some way he could have saved them. No matter how many times he ran through the events, the outcome was always the same. Now, on Paleon, he faced another impossible situation. The Nexus was coming. This time, he wouldn''t run. Even if it meant sacrificing himself in the process. He turned to face Kelix. ¡°I''m heading down there,¡± he said. ¡°Jump the fleet out.¡° ¡°Sir? Without the fleet, all of you will be stuck down there,¡± Kelix replied. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to get reinforcements to you in time. It¡¯s a death sentence.¡± Leaving the fleet above was a gamble. Arros couldn¡¯t let them risk annihilation. As he saw it, dying on Paleon is restitution for the dead. He rested his hand on Kelix''s shoulder. ¡°This is the only fleet left to protect the people. Everybody down there knows what they signed up for.¡° Kelix hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Understood, sir.¡± Arros made his way to the shuttle that would take him to the surface. As the engines roared to life, he allowed himself one last glance at Paleon¡¯s desolate surface. This was his chance to atone¡ªnot just for Horizon, but for all the lives lost to the Nexus. >>>>>***********************<<<<< As the lift descended, the temperature dropped, and the air grew heavier. It was filled with the scent of ancient dust and machinery long abandoned. When the lift doors opened, Locke stepped into the darkness of the lower tunnels. His company, mercenaries that he had worked with before the war, had already begun setting up defenses. The tunnels stretched out before him like a maze, twisting and turning in ways that even the most advanced sensors couldn¡¯t fully map. Big D was there, directing the placement of sentry guns and motion detectors. The mercenaries moved with the experience of men who have fought against the odds on battlefields across the galaxy. Every passageway and every alcove, they left nothing to chance. ¡°We¡¯ve locked down the main entrances,¡± Big D reported as Locke approached. ¡°If the Nexus tries to come through here, they¡¯ll be walking into a death trap.¡± ¡°Yea¡ªYou''ve said that before,¡± Locke replied, his eyes scanning the tunnel. Big D chuckled. ¡°You don''t have to trust me. They''re your guys,¡± he said. Like a shadow creeping closer, the anticipation of this fight wasn''t just about Paleon''s secrets. It was about survival¡ªtheir future. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°It¡¯s not just the Nexus we have to worry about,¡± Locke said. ¡°We don''t know what''s down there. We need to be ready for anything.¡° ¡°We¡¯ll hold ''em back,¡± Big D replied, picking up a rifle. ¡°I won''t make you do all the work this time. Besides, they won¡¯t stop until they¡¯ve ground us into meat piles¡ªand I''m grade A.¡± That reality settled between them like an unspoken pact. Both knew what this meant¡ªthis wouldn¡¯t just determine the fate of Paleon. It could be the turning point in their war with the Nexus. As Locke moved deeper into the mining complex, the narrow corridors began to close in around him. The silence was punctuated only by the distant rumble of generators and the occasional shuffle of his soldiers. Every step Locke took sent waves through the darkness, only amplifying his thoughts. He thought about Varelion, his homeworld. He had built a life a paid gun could only dream of. The rolling hills, vast lakes, and peaceful sunsets painted a serene picture far from the chaos of the galaxy. Locke wasn''t just some avaricious soldier of fortune. He was a father and a husband. His family was the center of his world, and Varelion was their sanctuary. Though his work took him to the far reaches of the galaxy, it was always the place he returned to. He was drawn to the tranquility it offered. Contracts came and went, each one a job that kept the family secure. It was always the life at home that held priority. He had seen too much death, too much conflict, to ever want that for them. It had escaped the worst of the galactic wars, remaining a peaceful, hidden gem. Locke intended to keep it that way. He thought of leaving that part of his life behind. He had enough savings to make it work. His reputation as one of the finest sharpshooters in the galaxy had ensured a steady stream of contracts, and his skills were unmatched. The work was in his blood¡ªit was hard to walk away completely, no matter how much he wanted to. Peace, he had learned long ago, was fleeting. Would Paleon be any different? Would he stand here, days from now, watching another world crumble because of his inability to stop the Nexus? His hand tightened around his rifle¡ªthe extension of his will. No. This time would be different. As he reached the main command center, a small group of his most trusted officers awaited him. ¡°What''ve you found?¡± he asked. ¡°The energy signatures are stronger now. There¡¯s definitely something deeper,¡± the officer replied. ¡°Can we reach it?¡± Locke asked. ¡°We can try. We¡¯ll need time,¡± the officer said. ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± Locke replied ¡°If we¡¯re going to find it before they do, we have to get on it.¡± The officer nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get the crews working. Locke, whatever¡¯s down there, the energy levels are crazy. We should be careful.¡± Arros entered the command center. He stepped forward, his face hidden beneath his helmet. ¡°Once the Nexus reaches the deck, they won''t delay. They''ll hit us, and it''ll be hard,¡° he said. Locke looked down at his laces. What if, despite their best efforts, the planet fell? He walked to the edge of the tunnels where the faint glow of the surface could still be seen in the distance. He could feel it coming, a sense of foreboding that wrapped him like a cloak. Big D joined him, standing silently for a moment before speaking. ¡°Word just came through,¡± he said quietly. ¡°The Nexus fleet is in orbit. Arcturus is leading the assault.¡± The two men stood in silence, watching the sun sink below the horizon. No matter the odds, no matter the losses, he would fight. He would fight for the memory of his home¡ªof his family. As the Nexus fleet pierced the atmosphere, dark skies loomed over Paleon. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil wasn''t sure where she was. The city was bustling with activity. She shoved past a group loitering in the walkway, their angry shouts trailing off as they turned away. She hadn''t experienced a normal day since the war began. ¡°This galaxy belongs to us now.¡° Arcturus''s voice pealed in her thoughts like a death knell. Those words had torn through her, making her question why she didn''t just listen to Lilyon. If she had just stayed within her borders, would the Nexus have even known? Or cared? Was she truly as strong as she had believed? Had her confidence been nothing more than an illusion built on the back of a power that was no longer hers? All of these thoughts made her feel small¡ªweak. It was in a way that terrified her. The cacophony of voices and horns overwhelmed her ears. The vivid blues and greens of the neon signs flickered, stirring a memory long buried¡ªa different chaos from a life before this one. Her mind whisked her away, dropping her into a formation beneath the towering structure of an alien auditorium. Its bright blue lights reflected off the polished surfaces. A man in familiar luminescent armor stood behind a podium, his commanding presence dominated the space. Lanky, colorless beings flanked him. Their inky dark eyes seemed to devour the light around them, their height reducing her six-foot frame to insignificance. The sight of them sent a shiver down her spine. It was a reminder of how small she had felt beneath Arcturus''s inscrutable gaze. ¡°We have one mission now,¡± the man said, his voice carrying across the vast hall. ¡°If we fail, the galaxy will be lost to the Katabrothans. The conduit is nearly complete, and we must protect it at any cost.¡° It was a puzzle piece she hadn¡¯t known she was missing. ¡°The conduit. That''s how I beat Arcturus.¡° His head turned toward Aetherveil, his gaze focused on her. ¡°Where can I find an outfit like that?¡° Aetherveil blinked. ¡°What?¡± She blinked harder. When they opened, she was back in the busy construct. In front of her stood a woman, barely in her twenties. Her face was lit with excitement. ¡°I was wondering where I can get an outfit like that,¡± the woman repeated, oblivious. ¡°It''s not for you,¡± she snapped through gritted teeth, brushing past the woman without another glance. The woman¡¯s shocked expression lingered in her mind for only a bit before something far more pressing pushed it aside. ¡°What about the beacon?¡± she contemplated as her boots clicked against the pavement. An invisible force began to creep around her. It was a subtle aura that made her stomach churn with dread. ¡°That''s because they never told you about it,¡° Cryptorax said. Aetherveil stopped in front of a shop window, staring at her reflection. The glass shimmered faintly as the neon glows distorted her image. ¡°How am I supposed to turn it on if I don''t know anything about it,¡± she murmured, ignoring the glances of passersby. ¡°I don''t even know how the conduit works.¡° ¡°You''re the only one who can interact with this technology,¡° Cryptorax replied. ¡°You''re the only one left. Without you, the conduit will fail.¡° Aetherveil exhaled sharply, her breath fogging the glass in front of her. ¡°So, I am just a tool,¡± she muttered. ¡°No¡ª¡± Cryptorax said. The construct around her flickered. She could feel the eyes staring at her. ¡°These simulations were built for his cyborgs. You¡¯re a guest here,¡± it continued. ¡°Each one is isolated to prevent disruption. Interact as little as possible.¡° ¡°What will happen?¡° she asked. ¡°Where am I supposed to go?¡° Cryptorax materialized in the window, replacing her reflection with his own. ¡°These simulations are vast. You won''t be noticed unless you draw attention to yourself,¡° it replied. "Failsafe terminals are still present from legacy Nexus. We have modified them to include access to the quantum gateways." Her jaw tightened, her hands trembling at her sides. "I can''t use the gate like this," she said. Her memories clawed their way out of her subconscious, searing like a hot poker. ¡°The conduit was built to shut down the quantum gateways,¡± she continued. Cryptorax began to fade, his outline dissolving into the glass. "You can. We will return you when you are done." Aetherveil hesitated, her reflection reappeared as its presence vanished. Slowly, she turned and continued walking. Her steps smacked faintly against the pavement. ¡°How can I trust the Tyrant.¡° The question lingering in her mind as the city lights stretched endlessly ahead¡ªoffering no answers. ¡°Don''t trust the Tyrant¡ªtrust yourself, Aetherveil. Your creators gave you the strength for this. Use it.¡± Chapter 18 Paleon. A planet where secrets lay buried beneath miles of rock and dust. This world had once thrived as a mining colony, veins rich with rare minerals coveted by empires and corporations alike. Those mines now lay abandoned beneath the blazing orange skies, the structures were left to rust in the harsh, dry winds that howled across the surface. It was as though the heavens themselves wept for the forgotten lives once there. Arros''s eye scanned the barren landscape below. ¡°We can¡¯t let the Nexus reach it,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Arros,¡± Kelix, the commander of his marines, said. ¡°We¡¯re ready. Locke and his mercenaries have fortified the lower tunnels, and the marines are on high alert. We¡¯ll be prepared for whatever comes.¡± Arros remained silent for a moment. His gaze was still fixed on Paleon¡¯s surface. ¡°And yet...I feel we¡¯re not prepared at all.¡° Arros let his mind drift back to the start of the war. His fleet having been decimated by the Nexus. That wasn''t what bothered him, though. He abandoned his people. Watching the refugees from the other planets entering the Val'' Dara starport, but not his own. He had left them to their fate on Horizon. Not including the crew of Praetor, he has not met anybody else from his homeworld. He couldn''t shake the faces of those he had once known, the apparitions haunting his dreams. He had replayed the moment of failure over and over in his mind, searching for something he could have done differently. Some way he could have saved them. No matter how many times he ran through the events, the outcome was always the same. Now, on Paleon, he faced another impossible situation. The Nexus was coming. This time, he wouldn''t run. Even if it meant sacrificing himself in the process. He turned to face Kelix. ¡°I''m heading down there,¡± he said. ¡°Jump the fleet out.¡° ¡°Sir? Without the fleet, all of you will be stuck down there,¡± Kelix replied. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to get reinforcements to you in time. It¡¯s a death sentence.¡± Leaving the fleet above was a gamble. Arros couldn¡¯t let them risk annihilation. As he saw it, dying on Paleon is restitution for the dead. He rested his hand on Kelix''s shoulder. ¡°This is the only fleet left to protect the people. Everybody down there knows what they signed up for.¡° Kelix hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Understood, sir.¡± Arros made his way to the shuttle that would take him to the surface. As the engines roared to life, he allowed himself one last glance at Paleon¡¯s desolate surface. This was his chance to atone¡ªnot just for Horizon, but for all the lives lost to the Nexus. >>>>>***********************<<<<< As the lift descended, the temperature dropped, and the air grew heavier. It was filled with the scent of ancient dust and machinery long abandoned. When the lift doors opened, Locke stepped into the darkness of the lower tunnels. His company, mercenaries that he had worked with before the war, had already begun setting up defenses. The tunnels stretched out before him like a maze, twisting and turning in ways that even the most advanced sensors couldn¡¯t fully map. Big D was there, directing the placement of sentry guns and motion detectors. The mercenaries moved with the experience of men who have fought against the odds on battlefields across the galaxy. Every passageway and every alcove, they left nothing to chance. ¡°We¡¯ve locked down the main entrances,¡± Big D reported as Locke approached. ¡°If the Nexus tries to come through here, they¡¯ll be walking into a death trap.¡± ¡°Yea¡ªYou''ve said that before,¡± Locke replied, his eyes scanning the tunnel. Big D chuckled. ¡°You don''t have to trust me. They''re your guys,¡± he said. Like a shadow creeping closer, the anticipation of this fight wasn''t just about Paleon''s secrets. It was about survival¡ªtheir future. ¡°It¡¯s not just the Nexus we have to worry about,¡± Locke said. ¡°We don''t know what''s down there. We need to be ready for anything.¡° ¡°We¡¯ll hold ''em back,¡± Big D replied, picking up a rifle. ¡°I won''t make you do all the work this time. Besides, they won¡¯t stop until they¡¯ve ground us into meat piles¡ªand I''m grade A.¡± That reality settled between them like an unspoken pact. Both knew what this meant¡ªthis wouldn¡¯t just determine the fate of Paleon. It could be the turning point in their war with the Nexus. As Locke moved deeper into the mining complex, the narrow corridors began to close in around him. The silence was punctuated only by the distant rumble of generators and the occasional shuffle of his soldiers. Every step Locke took sent waves through the darkness, only amplifying his thoughts. He thought about Varelion, his homeworld. He had built a life a paid gun could only dream of. The rolling hills, vast lakes, and peaceful sunsets painted a serene picture far from the chaos of the galaxy. Stolen story; please report. Locke wasn''t just some avaricious soldier of fortune. He was a father and a husband. His family was the center of his world, and Varelion was their sanctuary. Though his work took him to the far reaches of the galaxy, it was always the place he returned to. He was drawn to the tranquility it offered. Contracts came and went, each one a job that kept the family secure. It was always the life at home that held priority. He had seen too much death, too much conflict, to ever want that for them. It had escaped the worst of the galactic wars, remaining a peaceful, hidden gem. Locke intended to keep it that way. He thought of leaving that part of his life behind. He had enough savings to make it work. His reputation as one of the finest sharpshooters in the galaxy had ensured a steady stream of contracts, and his skills were unmatched. The work was in his blood¡ªit was hard to walk away completely, no matter how much he wanted to. Peace, he had learned long ago, was fleeting. Would Paleon be any different? Would he stand here, days from now, watching another world crumble because of his inability to stop the Nexus? His hand tightened around his rifle¡ªthe extension of his will. No. This time would be different. As he reached the main command center, a small group of his most trusted officers awaited him. ¡°We¡¯ve fortified the primary entrances, and the sentries are in place,¡± one reported. Locke nodded, his gaze changing to another. ¡°What have you found?¡± ¡°The energy signatures are stronger now. There¡¯s definitely something deeper,¡± the officer replied. ¡°Can we reach it?¡± Locke asked. ¡°We can try. We¡¯ll need time,¡± the officer said. ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± Locke replied ¡°If we¡¯re going to find it before they do, we have to get on it.¡± The officer nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get the crews working. Locke, whatever¡¯s down there, the energy levels are crazy. We should be careful.¡± Arros entered the command center. He stepped forward, his face hidden beneath his helmet. ¡°Once the Nexus reaches the deck, they won''t delay. They''ll hit us, and it''ll be hard,¡° he said. Locke looked down at his laces. What if, despite their best efforts, the planet fell? He walked to the edge of the tunnels where the faint glow of the surface could still be seen in the distance. He could feel it coming, a sense of foreboding that wrapped him like a cloak. Big D joined him, standing silently for a moment before speaking. ¡°Word just came through,¡± he said quietly. ¡°The Nexus fleet is in orbit. Arcturus is leading the assault.¡± The two men stood in silence, watching the sun sink below the horizon. No matter the odds, no matter the losses, he would fight. He would fight for the memory of his home¡ªof his family. As the Nexus fleet pierced the atmosphere, dark skies loomed over Paleon. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Aetherveil wasn''t sure where she was. The city was bustling with activity. She shoved past a group loitering in the walkway, their angry shouts trailing off as they turned away. She hadn''t experienced a normal day since the war began. ¡°This galaxy belongs to us now.¡° Arcturus''s voice pealed in her thoughts like a death knell. Those words had torn through her, making her question why she didn''t just listen to Lilyon. If she had just stayed within her borders, would the Nexus have even known? Or cared? Was she truly as strong as she had believed? Had her confidence been nothing more than an illusion built on the back of a power that was no longer hers? All of these thoughts made her feel small¡ªweak. It was in a way that terrified her. The cacophony of voices and horns overwhelmed her ears. The vivid blues and greens of the neon signs flickered, stirring a memory long buried¡ªa different chaos from a life before this one. Her mind whisked her away, dropping her into a formation beneath the towering structure of an alien auditorium. Its bright blue lights reflected off the polished surfaces. A man in familiar luminescent armor stood behind a podium, his commanding presence dominated the space. Lanky, colorless beings flanked him. Their inky dark eyes seemed to devour the light around them, their height reducing her six-foot frame to insignificance. The sight of them sent a shiver down her spine. It was a reminder of how small she had felt beneath Arcturus''s inscrutable gaze. ¡°We have one mission now,¡± the man said, his voice carrying across the vast hall. ¡°If we fail, the galaxy will be lost to the Katabrothans. The conduit is nearly complete, and we must protect it at any cost.¡° It was a puzzle piece she hadn¡¯t known she was missing. ¡°The conduit. That''s how I beat Arcturus.¡° His head turned toward Aetherveil, his gaze focused on her. ¡°Where can I find an outfit like that?¡° Aetherveil blinked. ¡°What?¡± She blinked harder. When they opened, she was back in the busy construct. In front of her stood a woman, barely in her twenties. Her face was lit with excitement. ¡°I was wondering where I can get an outfit like that,¡± the woman repeated, oblivious. ¡°It''s not for you,¡± she snapped through gritted teeth, brushing past the woman without another glance. The woman¡¯s shocked expression lingered in her mind for only a bit before something far more pressing pushed it aside. ¡°What about the beacon?¡± she contemplated as her boots clicked against the pavement. An invisible force began to creep around her. It was a subtle aura that made her stomach churn with dread. ¡°That''s because they never told you about it,¡° Cryptorax said. Aetherveil stopped in front of a shop window, staring at her reflection. The glass shimmered faintly as the neon glows distorted her image. ¡°How am I supposed to turn it on if I don''t know anything about it,¡± she murmured, ignoring the glances of passersby. ¡°I don''t even know how the conduit works.¡° ¡°You''re the only one who can interact with this technology,¡° Cryptorax replied. ¡°You are the only one left. Without you, the conduit will fail.¡° Aetherveil exhaled sharply, her breath fogging the glass in front of her. ¡°So, I am just a tool,¡± she muttered. ¡°No¡ª¡± Cryptorax said. The construct around her flickered. She could feel the eyes staring at her. ¡°These simulations were built for his cyborgs. You¡¯re a guest here,¡± it continued. ¡°Each one is isolated to prevent disruption. Interact as little as possible.¡° ¡°What will happen?¡° she asked. ¡°Where am I supposed to go?¡° Cryptorax materialized in the window, replacing her reflection with his own. ¡°These simulations are vast. You won''t be noticed unless you draw attention to yourself,¡° it replied. "Failsafe terminals are still present from legacy Nexus. We have modified them to include access to the quantum gateways." Her jaw tightened, her hands trembling at her sides. "I can''t use the gate like this," she said. Her memories clawed their way out of her subconscious, searing like a hot poker. ¡°The conduit was built to shut down the quantum gateways,¡± she continued. Cryptorax began to fade, his outline dissolving into the glass. "You can. We will return you when you are done." Aetherveil hesitated, her reflection reappeared as his presence vanished. Slowly, she turned and continued walking. Her steps smacked faintly against the pavement. ¡°How can I trust the Tyrant.¡° The question lingering in her mind as the city lights stretched endlessly ahead¡ªoffering no answers. ¡°Don''t trust the Tyrant¡ªtrust yourself, Aetherveil. Your creators gave you the strength for this. Use it.¡± Chapter 19 As dusk settled over the barren surface of Paleon, the first Nexus artillery shells exploded across the battlefield. They sent shockwaves through the abandoned mining facility, pulverizing buildings into clouds of debris. These explosive packed steel projectiles carried no prejudices with them¡ªonly death. Shards of metal and rock hurdled through the air, slicing through anyone unlucky enough to be nearby. A company of Arros''s marines, led by Captain Laksana, stumbled back into the surface complex under a choking veil of smoke. The once serene silence of Paleon was now shattered by the violence of war¡ªa cacophony of explosions and agonized screams. The air stunk with scorched flesh. Through the haze, Laksana caught sight of the first wave of Nexus dropships descending. ¡°Light ''em up!¡° he shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t let them touch down!¡° Rockets streaked through the air, detonating against the hulls in a cascade of fireballs. Revenant machines charged out of burning wreckages, their massive frames a silhouette against the inferno. The ground shook as more dropships crashed, their holds spewing out hordes of machines. Laksana barked orders over the din, his rifle trembling in his hands as he fired into the encroaching Revenants. He heard a booming double crack¡ªthe first boom sharp, the second echoing close behind. Laksana looked up, observing a missile hurdling toward a coalition position at their flank. It was followed by a bright flash and raging inferno. He took cover behind a crumbling wall as the blast wave swept over them. The shock front smashed into the barriers, reducing them to rubble under it''s unfathomable force. The blast left him momentarily deaf, his ears ringing as he stared at the crater. The scattered bodies of the coalition unit were blackened shapes against the smoldering earth. ¡°No movement,¡± a marine called out. ¡°Incoming,¡± shouted another. Laksana coughed through the dust and peered over the edge. Lines of Revenants stretched across the landscape, firing on the marines ceaselessly. ¡°Engage!¡± Laksana shouted, raising his rifle. The weapon trembled in his grip as he fired into the advancing Revenants. Each shot sparked harmlessly against the machines¡¯ thick plating, failing to slow their advance. One of the hulking machines barreled toward them. It swung its retractable blade through a marine¡¯s abdomen, its arc flinging the limp body into the air before turning its green optics on Laksana¡¯s position. ¡°Fall back!¡± Laksana shouted, but it was already too late. >>>>>***********************<<<<< From their position deep within the tunnels, Arros and coalition general Soko coordinated the surface defenses. They watched the tactical displays. Their eyes scanned every movement of the Nexus forces. As the artillery carved into the fortifications on the surface, their forces were now comfortably out of the target zone. ¡°They think they can bomb us into submission,¡± Arros said. ¡°They have no idea what¡¯s waiting for them down here.¡± Soko, his face illuminated by the glow of the display, nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve set the traps. Now we just need them to walk into them,¡± he replied. Big D and Locke had been preparing for days. Fortifying the mining tunnels and setting up ambush points throughout the labyrinthine network. Narrow, dark, and winding¡ªthe perfect battleground. Locke¡¯s forces were waiting. The sound of the artillery had grown distant, replaced by the roar of overworked generators. Standing at the heart of the command center, he listened intently as reports from the surface filtered in. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°It¡¯s time to deploy the first strike teams,¡± Arros ordered. "Hit fast. Hit hard. Fall back.¡° Locke led the first wave of coalition strike teams. They slipped through hidden passages and ventilation shafts that the Nexus troops would never see coming. As the Nexus forces advanced deeper into the tunnels, the first strike hit them with everything. Coalition fighters filled the stone passages with projectiles, high velocity rounds ripping through metal plating and flesh. The cyborgs crumpled on the ground into sparking, bloody heaps. As the cyborgs continued to advance, they set off a trap. They were sent careening back through the passages as high explosives detonated, burying them beneath the collapsing tunnel. They struggled to adapt to the hit and run tactics of Locke''s forces. Another ambush. Another grenade. Nexus troops fell in waves. The cyborgs fired blindly into the darkness. Limbs and shrapnel ricocheted off the blood slicked walls. The echoes of explosions blew through the tunnels, drowning out the gurgling cries of those unlucky enough to survive. A cyborg stumbled out of a thick cloud of smoke, half its face burned away, exposing sparking wires and a dislocated jaw. Raising its weapon, its head was split open by the point blank shot of a coalition soldier. ¡°Keep up the pressure,¡° Arros said over comms. Locke''s strike teams continued their assault, hitting the Nexus forces from all sides. Every corner held the potential for a run in with the honey badgers. Nexus troops were forced to advance cautiously, their confidence eroding with each casualty. As the battle raged on, Locke moved through the tunnels. His armor blended seamlessly with his surroundings. ¡°They¡¯re sending reinforcements,¡± Arros reported through comms. As the night grew darker, the echoes of the battle on the surface bled through underground. Each side tested the other¡¯s limits, pushing the fight in the tunnels toward a breaking point. The Nexus forces were regrouping, their movements becoming more coordinated despite the constant ambushes. More Nexus units entered into the fray, tightening the noose around the mining complex. The coalition wasn¡¯t ready to retreat. Their overwhelming numbers and superior technology were meaningless as they could not adapt to Paleon¡¯s environment as easily as the coalition could. Locke knew that there would soon be no room left for maneuvering. He moved swiftly toward the surface. As he reached the top, the distant sound of artillery fire echoed through the night. He climbed up to a vantage point overlooking the battlefield, his sharp eyes taking in the chaotic scene below. Their artillery had created gaping craters in the ground. Smoke billowed toward the sky, mixing with the haze of sand from the bombardment. The Nexus forces were advancing again, pushing closer to the entrances of the main tunnels. Their war machines were cutting through the defenses as Arros''s marines and coalition troops fought ferociously to keep the main body on the surface. The ground was littered with mangled bodies, unrecognizable in the haze of ash and fire. The once golden sands had darkened into a mixture of red and black. Flamethrowers roared, the heat distorting the air into rippling waves of suffering. Streams of molten alloy hissed as they pooled over the ground¡ªbroken down Revenant machines stood as tombstones, their joints fused together by the slag. A marine screamed as a Revenant tore through his armor with its blade, carving deep into his chest. It discarded his body like trash and moved on. As Locke watched the battle unfold, his comms crackled to life. "Locke, this is Soko. We¡¯ve got Nexus getting through the lower tunnels. They¡¯ve bypassed our first traps. We need reinforcements down here." "Hold them as long as you can. Reinforcements are on the way," Locke replied. He turned to Big D, who had joined him at the vantage point. "We need to get down there. They¡¯re getting clever.¡° Big D nodded. As he hurried off to gather the mercenaries, Locke lingered for a moment longer. He began to remember the last time he saw a battlefield like this one. ¡°We have to leave,¡± Locke said as he gathered weapons and supplies. ¡°Now.¡± His wife¡¯s eyes were wide with fear, but she didn¡¯t argue. She had seen the look on his face before¡ªthe look that meant there was no time for questions. They packed quickly. As they fled toward the outskirts of the settlement, the Nexus forces descended. Drones swarmed the skies, raining down destruction. Locke fought with everything he had, but the drones overwhelmed him. There were too many. In a flash of heat and light, his world came crashing down. It was a roar that consumed everything. Locke¡¯s skin burned as he was thrown backward, his arms reaching out instinctively to where his family had been. There was only fire, smoke, and silence. He took a deep breath. With one last glance at the battlefield, he turned and descended into the tunnels. In the distance, the faint glow of the Nexus fleet hung in the sky like a dark omen. The time for strategy was over. Now, it was a battle of wills. The air in the tunnels was dense with dust, clinging to sweat and burning lungs. Every sound seemed amplified in the darkness¡ªthe distant echoes of boots on stone and the occasional soft murmur of coalition warriors preparing for the inevitable clash with another wave. Around him, the mercenaries worked in silence. They set more traps and reinforced barricades, positioning themselves for the ambush that would soon spring. They were seasoned fighters, each one handpicked by Locke himself. They understood this battle would be harder than any other they faced¡ªthat it may be their last. "We¡¯re in position," Big D reported over comms. "Nexus is probing the lower tunnels, testing our defenses. They haven¡¯t committed yet.¡° ¡°Arcturus is too smart to be played by guerrilla tactics,¡° Locke replied. ¡°They¡¯re looking for a way in, but they won¡¯t find it. Not yet." Locke was not afraid. He had faced darkness before. This time would be no different. Chapter 20 Aetherveil wandered the city streets, each step striking the pavement with purpose. ¡°What am I looking for?¡° she whispered to herself. The NPCs seemed human. If not for Cryptorax, she wouldn''t have known the difference. Then, she saw it. A man in a grey coat. He was walking against the flow of the crowd. His movements were indecisive, as though he didn¡¯t belong. Aetherveil weaved through the mass of people trying to stay on his tail. There was something about him and she was going to find out what it was. The man turned down an alley. He glanced over his shoulder before disappearing into the shadows. The narrow alley was dark. Aetherveil slowed her pace, clenching her fists as she silently crept through it. The man in the grey coat stood at the end of the alley, facing a rusted door. He turned to her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± he said, his voice low and trembling. Sweat covered his face, running down his forehead. His black ringed eyes darted toward the door. ¡°Neither should you,¡± Aetherveil replied, stepping closer. He stepped aside, revealing a faint symbol etched into the door. It was one Aetherveil recognized¡ªthe Nexus game logo. This one was cracked, its lines splitting apart like shattered glass. ¡°What¡¯s behind that door?¡± she demanded, stepping closer. The man hesitated. ¡°A failsafe terminal. It''s corrupted.¡± ¡°Corrupted how?¡± she asked. He shook his head, backing away. ¡°Arcturus knows you¡¯re here. He''s already started rewriting the simulation. If you use it, he will know. He¡¯s watching everything.¡± ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve heard that before,¡± she muttered. Before he could respond, the walls of the alley rippled like water. The man screamed. His voice cracked as the simulation collapsed around him. His body dissolved into pixels, leaving Aetherveil alone. She looked back and forth through the alley. ¡°Was he real or just a NPC?¡° She pushed the door open. The room beyond was dark and cold. A faint light revealed a console at the center, its surface coated in dust. She approached cautiously. She brushed her fingers across the terminal''s cracked surface. The screen flickered, lines of code rushing across in bursts. ¡°Cryptorax,¡± she murmured. ¡°This is it, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cryptorax''s distorted face formed in the display. Its voice sounded like a bad recording. ¡°Yes. Arcturus has tainted it. This terminal is no longer safe,¡± it said. ¡°I don¡¯t have another option,¡± she replied. ¡°How do I use it?¡± Cryptorax''s image artifacted briefly. It sharpened again as it responded. ¡°The terminal will take you deeper into the simulation¡ªcloser to the gateway. The risks¡ª¡° ¡°I know the risks. Just tell me what to do.¡° Aetherveil snapped. Aetherveil¡¯s hand hovered over the console. ¡°You just need to place your hand on the interface,¡± it instructed. ¡°If you fail, the Katabrothans will overrun everything. Paleon. The conduit. The beacon.¡± The memories of those she¡¯d lost came flooding back. Lilyon. Psionus. Her people. ¡°What does it matter? Am I doing this for a dead world? A memory?¡° Her fingers curled into a fist as she stared at the terminal. ¡°No. I can''t let them win.¡° Closing her eyes, she reluctantly pressed her hand into the terminal. The room blurred. She felt herself being pulled apart pixel by pixel as the simulation unraveled around her. Aetherveil opened her eyes to find herself in a new environment. The city was gone, replaced by a barren wasteland under a crimson sky. Heat radiated off the cracked and splinted ground. There was an office building smack in the middle of the desert¡ªa strange place for such a thing. Something moved between her and the structure. A dark figure materialized into view, Arcturus''s voice projecting through the wasteland¡ªfrom it. ¡°There is no survival¡ªonly moments in between running and the next time we meet.¡° Aetherveil smirked, leveling her finger toward him. ¡°I''m not trying to get away from you,¡± she said. ¡°I''m going to bring it all down. You. The Nexus. All of it.¡° Arcturus warped closer, now standing just inches from her. ¡°Your defiance is as pitiful as it is predictable. Your friend showed more courage when I crushed her beneath my grip.¡± Aetherveil''s eyes narrowed as tears welled in her eyes. She charged, a roar tearing from her throat as she lunged at him. Her body phased through him, slamming into the ground. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Arcturus turned around, looking down on her. ¡°Anger. It fails you every time, but you still choose it?¡± She quickly spun around, parking herself on all fours. She glared at him with her teeth displayed¡ªall she could see was him. ¡°Luminaria broke you, Aetherveil. Accept it. You are nothing,¡± he said. Aetherveil forced herself to her feet, brushing the dirt off her. Tears blurred her vision, but she refused to let them fall. ¡°Wait ''til you see what I can do with the pieces,¡± she snapped. She bolted toward the building. Arcturus¡¯s voice boomed as the ground rippled beneath her. ¡°You know what the conduit did to Paleon. To your people.¡° Sharp rocks erupted from the surface following every step. One spike grazed her leg, tearing through her suit. ¡°Are you so eager to repeat history?¡° Arcturus¡¯s voice thundered. ¡°Or were you even there?¡° Aetherveil gritted her teeth as her leg throbbed. Every step sent a jolt of pain, but she refused to slow down. ¡°Maybe that''s why you''re the last.¡° The rock spikes emerged with greater frequency, forming walls around her. Aetherveil ducked and weaved, her breath ragged. The ground cracked open ahead, a deep chasm forming in front of her. She hesitated, then sprinted toward it. Her fingers barely caught the ledge before her body slammed into the cliff. Pain shot through her chest. She thought about Arcturus standing over her. The unforgettable pain of the sword radiated through her body. She couldn''t move. Her body had betrayed her. It left her to his mercy. Mercy. An alien concept to that corruption of humanity. Aetherveil clawed her way back to the surface, her shear will carrying her forward. The glow of the office lights grew brighter, shining through the haze of sand¡ªa lifeline within reach. ¡°You''re wrong, Arcturus,¡± she muttered, staggering to her feet. ¡°I''ll reach it. When I do, you''ll regret standing in my way.¡° >>>>>***********************<<<<< The ground began to tremble around Big D. He felt the rumble through the soles of his boots as the tremors grew more intense, the distant sound of collapsing earth projecting through the caverns. "Orbital bombardment," Soko muttered as he adjusted his helmet. His breath fogged the inside of his visor. "They¡¯re trying to collapse the tunnels. Flush us out like rats." Arros replied. The missiles continued to detonate across the surface. The tactical displays flickered with every strike. A fine mist of dust clouded the chamber. Big D wiped the back of his hand against his face, only smearing the grime. The heavy boots of the cyborgs thud against the stone floors as they advanced toward Big D''s team. A soft click echoed through the tunnel. Explosives hidden in the walls detonated, sending a wave of shrapnel and debris tearing through the passage. The cyborgs were thrown off their feet, their bodies scorched by the blaze. Emerging from hidden alcoves, Big D''s forces hit the Nexus troops from all sides. They quickly discovered that next wave was equipped with stronger armor. The high velocity projectiles were stopped dead in their tracks by the improved plating. "They¡¯ve sent in heavy hitters," Big D shouted through the din. "We can''t keep this up." ¡°What?¡° Soko shouted back, trying to change positions to get closer to Big D. A cyborg grabbed him, smashing his head against the tunnel wall. The gunfire was no match for the sound of his helmet cracking. It lifted him up like a ragdoll and drove his skull into the rocks again and again. Each impact left a smear of blood. Soko''s body went limp, his arms hanging at his sides. Big D charged at the cyborg. His rifle was useless against the heavy armor, so he tackled it instead. He straddled the cyborg, grappling with its arms until he spotted a gap in its neck plating. He jammed his rifle into the exposed spot and squeezed the trigger. The recoil rattled his arms as blood sprayed across his face. Big D heard a step behind him. He quickly spun around, immediately grabbing the rifle pointed toward him. He ripped it from the cyborgs hand, then drove his foot into its chest. He rushed to it before it could recover and slapped a shaped charge onto its chest and dove for cover. Its upper body disintegrated into a spray of viscera and molten metal. When Big D stood, he saw a piece of rib lodged in his arm. Gritting his teeth, he yanked it free. Kneeling next to Soko, he placed his fingers against his neck. He bowed his head. ¡°You deserved better.¡° Locke and his team of mercenaries entered the command center, soaked in sweat and blood. Big D furrowed his brow, storming up to Locke and grabbing him by his chest plate. ¡°Where the hell were you?¡° He demanded, his voice seething with rage. Arros pulled him back. ¡°Pinned. Lost half the squads getting through,¡± Locke shouted. "We can¡¯t hold this position. We need to fall back.¡° Arros said, his voice trembling. Big D placed his hands on his head, pacing in circles. He stopped and looked down at Soko. His body was slumped over, blood streaming from the bottom of his helmet. ¡°If I hadn''t¡ª¡° He closed his eyes, thinking about when it all began. Rows of servers blinked in unison, casting an eerie green glow across the darkened space. Big D stood in the center, his eyes fixed on the screens displaying streams of data. On his desk was a newspaper. Brink of War: The Controversial Operation on Shadow''s Edge. He rubbed his eyes. ¡°Fucking embarrassing,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I knew better.¡° He took slow steps toward the servers. ¡°Now I get to babysit you,¡± he said, leveling his finger toward the servers. ¡°This is not what I would call a career highlight.¡° A faint beep broke his concentration, drawing his attention to a new alert. Big D hesitated, glancing around the empty room before pulling up the notification. It was a simple request¡ªa command to reroute a significant amount of data to a classified network node. His fingers moved quickly over the console, overriding the security protocols to dig deeper. What he found sent a chill through him. The rerouted data wasn¡¯t just information. The Nexus was trapping minds and using them to grow. He scrolled through the logs, and with each entry, a clearer picture formed. This wasn¡¯t about building a better system or creating a digital utopia. Big D¡¯s heart pounded as he leaned back, trying to process what he had uncovered. He thought about all the times he had followed orders without question, all the assurances he had given to those who worked under him. His hands trembled as he poured through the data. He couldn''t tell how many there were. Millions? Billions? He looked back toward the servers. The Nexus was not what he thought. He had been a part of it, helping to build the chains that now held so many captive. Dust cascaded from the ceiling as another tremor shook the command center. Cracks began forming along the walls. Big D turned back around to face his comrades. ¡°I can wake her up,¡± he said with a low tone. ¡°I can disconnect her without killing her brain.¡° Locke looked between Arros and Big D. ¡°How do you know so much about Nexus tech?¡± Locke asked, recalling Big D on Val ''Dara ¡°Our op on Shadow''s Edge killed my career,¡± Big D replied with a flat tone. ¡°Nobody would take me.¡° Locke narrowed his eyes. ¡°You worked on the Nexus?¡° he asked through gritted teeth. Big D didn¡¯t answer right away, his gaze dropping to the floor. ¡°It was a paycheck, Locke. My resume wasn''t exactly giving off hero vibes.¡° Locke took a step toward him, his hands curled into fists. Arros pushed his hand into Locke¡¯s chest, shaking his head quietly. ¡°How are you going to get back to the Praetor?¡± Arros asked quietly. ¡°I''ll get back, that''s not a problem,¡± Big D replied. ¡°You guys just get to the objective.¡° Arros looked down at Soko''s rifle. He slowly grabbed it and placed it on Soko''s body. His hand remained frozen for a moment before standing back up. Big D watched as they marched into the tunnels, following the readings on Locke''s EMF device. Chapter 21 Locke and Arros could feel rhythmic vibrations in the stone beneath their feet. ¡°We''re getting close,¡± Locke said, the sound of his voice being repeated back to him from the tunnel walls. ¡°The readings are getting stronger.¡° Arros nodded, his gaze fixed ahead. ¡°Stay focused,¡± he said quietly. ¡°We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re dealing with yet.¡± As they descended, Arros''s breathing grew labored. ¡°It''s hot as hell down here,¡± he muttered. He stumbled, leaning against the wall as his legs wobbled. Locke started moving toward him. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I''m good,¡± Arros said, gesturing him to stop. His face was pale and sweat dripped from his temple. ¡°It''s getting harder to breath. We should have brought oxygen with us.¡° The tunnel widened abruptly, opening into a vast chamber. The walls were lined with intricate carvings¡ªsymbols that shimmered when viewed from the corner of the eye, but still when Locke tried to focus on them. He flinched as a tiny arc of blue light snapped between the carvings. ¡°Static discharge,¡± he muttered, checking the EMF device. ¡°We''re pushing the limit of what we can handle.¡° Arros brushed his fingers across carvings. He hissed and pulled back, examining his hand. Locke¡¯s attention was on a console at the center of the chamber. His vision blurred. The air around it distorted like heat rising off of pavement. For a brief moment, he thought he saw something¡ªor someone¡ªstanding beside it. ¡°We can''t stay here,¡± he said. ¡°Let''s secure the tunnel. We¡¯ll need the right gear for this.¡° As they proceeded to the exit, a resonant droning stopped them dead in their tracks. It was a sensation that pierced through their skin, vibrating their bones. The carvings on the walls began forming patterns that Locke was certain hadn¡¯t been there moments before. ¡°Do you see that?¡± Locke asked. Mere moments after the ground beneath their feet started to tremble, a holographic display projected off of the console. It didn''t just show the planet, it displayed a web of channels from the planet''s core. Locke stared at the display, squinting his eyes. ¡°A conduit,¡± he muttered. ¡°It''s tapping directly into the core. That kind of tech¡ª¡± ¡°Doesn''t exist,¡± Arros interjected, slurring slightly. ¡°It looks like it''s missing something.¡° He gestured to the flashing red lines and symbols. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that language before, but red?¡± He glanced at Locke. ¡°Red never means good.¡± The hum peaked, reverberating through the chamber with enough force to make Locke stagger. His EMF device sputtered sparks before dying in his hand. Arcs of blue lightning leapt from the carvings to the console and back again, crackling. ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± Locke said. His metallic gear rattled violently, and he felt a strange tingling racing across his skin. Their teeth chattered when the chamber''s vibarations became more like a perpetual earthquake. Arros let out a strangled gasp. His hands clawed at his chest, and his breaths were short panicked bursts. ¡°Arros!¡± Locke shouted, rushing to catch him as his legs buckled. Locke gritted his teeth, every muscle straining as he hauled Arros''s limp body toward the tunnel. The hum behind them grew louder, as if it were chasing them through the darkness. ¡°Commander!¡± a voice shouted, echoing down the passage. Locke squinted ahead to see his team emerging from the shadows, their weapons at the ready. ¡°Get over here!¡± Locke shouted. ¡°We need a stretcher!¡° Two soldiers sprinted forward, carefully lifting Arros onto an improvised stretcher. A medic checked his pulse. ¡°A fluctuating field,¡± he muttered, reaching for the emergency kit. The medic fumbled with an AED, the device crackling faintly as he attached the pads to Arros''s body. ¡°Lets hope this works¡ªclear!¡° he shouted. He flinched as sparks leapt from the device. Locke thought he saw the carvings ripple in response. A moment passed, then the sound of a steady pulse. ¡°We can''t stay here,¡± Locke said. ¡°We need to move up the tunnel.¡° ¡°Copy that,¡± a squadmate replied, signaling the team to fall back. Locke considered the implications of what he and Arros had encountered. It was all a warning that they had scratched the surface of something far more dangerous. >>>>>***********************<<<<< She charged through the only entrance¡ªa set of double doors that seemed insignificant against the structure''s vast scale. ¡°Where now,¡± she muttered. Aetherveil paused briefly, quickly looking around. Her eyes locked onto a stairwell. ¡°Up¡ªI hope,¡± she whispered, dashing toward it. Just as she reached the stairwell, the ceiling collapsed. Hunks of concrete rained down on her, drowning her in a cloud of dust. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Aetherveil let out a cry as a slab crushed her foot, the crunch barely audible over the cacophony of falling stone. Through the pain, she tried to pushed the slab off. It wouldn''t budge. ¡°No!¡° She screamed. Aetherveil rested her head against the cold block. Tears streaked her dirt smeared cheeks as she slowly clawed at the slab, her nails dragging against the course edges. She glanced down at her trapped foot, her chest heaving. ¡°I don''t need it,¡± she whispered, taking deep breaths. ¡°I can''t use it anyways.¡° She yanked at her leg. Her muscles quivered as her foot began to seperate, the flesh tearing from bone. Her screams turned into sobs as she collapsed backward clutching her leg, a dark pool of blood pooling beneath her. Aetherveil lay there, trembling. Pain sparked every nerve while she stared at the cavitated ceiling. Forcing herself back up onto her one good foot, she limped toward the stairs. Out of her peripheral, a figure materialized. Arcturus. ¡°This tower will be your tomb,¡± he said. He seized her, slamming her back against the slab. The impact forced the air out of her lungs. She clawed at his arms desperately as she tried to find air, only for her hands to pass through him as if he were smoke. She tried to speak, but her words were held captive beneath his tightening grip. Rebar snaked around her limbs, tethering her to the concrete. Aetherveil struggled against the restraints, but the steel ribs only bit deeper into her skin. He released his grip, gliding backwards toward a pile of rock. ¡°Arcturus, you can''t stop them!¡° She shouted, coughing. Arcturus lifted another chunk of rubble, his eyes fixed on her. ¡°They''ll tear you and the galaxy apart,¡± Aetherveil said quietly, panting. He hurled it toward her, pebbles and dust trailing behind it. The world slowed as the slab descended upon her. Before it struck, everything went black. No impact. No pain. A voice echoed in the void. ¡°Aithreveia.¡° Like a signal reconnecting, she was slammed into another place. Aetherveil was standing near a console in the middle of a chamber. A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind. ¡°Aithreveia.¡° She spun around. Standing in front of her was the commander from the podium. He stood over her, his orange eyes mirrored hers. ¡°You must leave,¡± he whispered. ¡°If you go now, you can make it home¡ªaway from them.¡° Aetherveil stared blankly at him. ¡°Not without you,¡± she replied. ¡°You know what they will do to you.¡° He pressed his head against hers. ¡°This is your chance,¡± he whispered. ¡°Maybe your only chance.¡° She closed her eyes. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered. ¡°Don''t make me do this.¡° When she opened them, she felt weightless. She was slumped over someone''s broad shoulder. Aetherveil was being carried through a brightly lit corridor. The grey, metallic bulkhead suggested she was on a ship. The man looked at her and smirked. ¡°It worked,¡± he said. ¡°Sorry to disturb your nap, but you have work to do.¡° Her eyelids felt heavy. She slowly faded back into darkness. A man''s monotone digital voice faded into awareness. ¡°Course distance seven hundred million light years.¡° Aetherveil was seated in the pilot''s chair of a shuttle. Through the canopy, she could see the lush, green surface of Paleon below. The nav console flashed bold red words. Plot Failed: Wormhole Travel Unauthorized A red beam quietly pierced the atmosphere. From orbit, the energy discharge appeared as a laceration ripping across the planet¡¯s magnetosphere. ¡°This can''t be happening,¡± she whispered. The upper atmosphere was brushed with massive auroral bands of green and red. ¡°He''s still down there. I have to get down there,¡± she muttered, her chest burning as she mapped a course back to the conduit chamber. Arcs of light leapt from pole to pole, forming plasma bridges that collapsed into blinding bursts. Rippling waves of energy stretched outward, faintly glowing blues and whites. From afar, the planet looked like it was encased in a luminous shroud. Aetheveil''s hands flew instinctively to the controls. The thrusters sputtered and died, throwing her into an uncontrolled spiral. The view outside was a blur of colors and light. The shuttle''s consoles exploded. Smoke and fire filled the cabin. Alarms screamed briefly before abruptly cutting off as the systems failed. Her reflection stared back at her from the cracked canopy. ¡°Is this how it ends? After everything?¡° A translucent wave burst from Paleon''s atmosphere¡ªcast into the depths of space. Aetherveil leaned back in her seat, her body trembling. She closed her eyes as the cabin grew colder. The burning circuits consumed the remaining oxygen, leaving her to suffocate in the darkness. Alone. Her eyes sprung open after a sharp jerk, her body being thrown forcefully into her harness. She looked toward the front of the shuttle through blurry vision. She squinted her eyes, seeing the large man from the passageway. ¡°I''m going down!¡° he shouted into comms. ¡°I''ve lost all engines!¡° He turned briefly, looking back at Aetherveil. ¡°Brace for impact!¡° The air roared through gaping holes in the shuttle''s aft section. Outside of the canopy, dunes rose rapidly as they quickly tumbled toward the planet''s surface. Aetherveil blacked out again as the ground rushed up to meet them. A crackling hiss filled the cabin. Her eyes darted to the source of the sound as blinding light pierced the smoke filled interior. A section of the ships bulkhead was pushed in with a metallic crash, sending a shudder through the ship. Three grey, spindly figures slipped in. Their elongated limbs seemed to stretch further than they should, their heads tilting toward her. They approached Aetherveil quietly. Their dark, mirror like eyes reflected her panicked expression. They leaned in closer. So close she could feel the cold air radiating from the skin. Her hands frantically patted around her harness, fumbling for the buckle. With a trembling gasp, she released it, her body floating free of the seat. Her brow furrowed, her eyes locking onto the nearest figure. She pushed off the control panel with her legs, her fist aimed at it. All three of them grabbed her before she made contact. Their spindly fingers clamped around her arms and shoulders like cold steel, immobilizing her. ¡°Let me go!¡° she shouted. Her growl turning into strained grunts as she twisted and thrashed against their iron grips. Her breaths came in sharp bursts, the weightless cabin amplifying her helplessness. A fourth figure glided silently into view. It held a mask in its skeletal hands, its empty stare fixed on her. ¡°No!¡± Aetherveil screamed, jerking her head back. The three figures tightened their grip, forcing her still. ¡°Get off me!¡± she screamed, her voice cracking. The fourth being looked at her with some curiousity before pressing the mask firmly over her face. The cold surface clamped down, sealing her screams within. Aetherveil¡¯s chest heaved as her vision began to distort, colors bleeding together into unrecognizable shapes. The beings watched silently, their faces devoid of emotion. Their black eyes reflected only her growing terror. She gasped a single, muffled cry before her limbs went limp and the cabin faded into darkness. Aetherveil opened her eyes to a pungent odor stinging her nostrils. She caught a glimpse of a figure leaning over her. Without hesitation, she threw a punch, her fist connecting with a loud thud. The force sent the man sprawling against the tunnel wall. She launched herself off of the makeshift stretcher, her legs shaky but recovering as she stepped back. She stopped as she registered rifles pointed at her. ¡°Lower your weapons!¡° a voice barked. One of the men stepped forward, his hands raised cautiously. ¡°Calm down,¡± he said. ¡°We are all friends here.¡° The tunnel shuddered violently, an explosion rumbling through the ground. Aetherveil looked up. She brushed her fingers across her chest, running over the wound Arcturus had left. ¡°Not all of us,¡± she whispered. ¡°Who are you?¡° ¡°I''m Locke,¡± he replied. ¡°That''s Big D,¡± he gestured toward another figure standing nearby¡ªher pilot. ¡°Big D?¡° Aetherveil said with a snort, the hint of a smile forming. ¡°Which one of you pulled me out?¡± Locke exchanged glances with Big D. ¡°That was D,¡± Locke admitted. ¡°We didn¡¯t have much of a choice. We turned something on down here, and now it¡¯s tearing this world apart.¡± Aetherveil¡¯s eyes narrowed as she scanned the tunnel walls, the realization dawning on her. ¡°The conduit,¡± she said. Her gaze snapped back to Locke, leveling her finger toward him. ¡°You activated the conduit.¡° ¡°I didn''t activate anything,¡± he said, stepping toward her. ¡°It activated itself. What do you know about it?¡° ¡°Not as much as I thought,¡± she said quietly. Her thoughts drifted to the commander. She couldn''t recall his name, but she could remember how she felt about him. ¡°Take me there,¡± she said, her eyes glistening as a film of tears formed. ¡°We have to use it.¡° Chapter 22 Arcturus''s towering stature stood out as its own landmark within the command deck of the Imperium. The glow of the tactical displays silhoutted him with their many hues, his structure a privacy filter in its own right. His silver eyes fixed on the display as though willing it to break beneath his stare. The image of Paleon¡¯s surface was busy with activity as the Nexus forces deployed en masse. Troops, armored vehicles, and aerial drones swarmed toward the planet¡¯s lower regions. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that you never get the chance to use it, Aetherveil,¡± he murmured to himself. He knew that Aetherveil was a formidable opponent, but he also knew that she could be reckless in her pursuit of victory. He crushed any doubt as quickly as it surfaced, his jaw tightening until the sinews in his neck stood out like steel cords. Turning sharply, he began to make his way to the hangar deck. Each step he took was delivered with the message to clear a path as he marched through the cavernous ship. ¡°I will savor every beat as I crush your heart.¡° As he neared the hangar, he clenched his fists so tightly his gauntlets bent beneath his fingers. >>>>>***********************<<<<< Within the chamber, Aetherveil stood over the console. Her hands trembled as she traced the schematics of the conduit with her hand. She activated another display. It revealed a network that stretched far beyond Paleon, weaving a web across unfamiliar systems. She could feel the energy in the chamber. It was a rhythmic sensation that was syncronized with the beat of her heart. Locke, stationed near the entrance, kept his rifle trained down the tunnel beyond the chamber. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer,¡± he muttered, listening to the distant sounds of battle. ¡°We¡¯re running out of time.¡± Aetherveil remained quietly focused. She began interacting with the controls, redirecting the power flows. Red lines turned green, and the chamber began to tremble. The vibrations grew stronger, shaking loose the dust and debris on the walls. The ground beneath their feet rumbled violently, and cracks began to spiderweb across the chamber floor. The hum of the conduit grew louder. It was a deep, resonant roar that reverberated through the room. She knew what came after. She remembered the cataclysmic wave of energy that destroyed the surface of Paleon. She also knew it was their best chance. With a deep breath, she pressed her hands firmly against the console. The light if the symbols intensified as she completed the activation sequence. With a sudden flash, the chamber was plunged into darkness. For a moment, Aetherveil thought she had failed. Slowly, the lights began to return. A red beam pierced through the chamber ceiling, instantly vaporizing the thousand feet of stone above. Aetherveil covered her face with her hands, bracing herself for the wave of blistering heat that never came. The air remained the same damp, cool feel it had been the moment she entered. She slowly lowered her arms, scanning the room for an explanation. There wasn''t one. The holographic display reactivated, but it was different now. The map zoomed out, revealing a distant planet shrouded in darkness. A single word appeared beneath it written in an ancient, unfamiliar script. Origin She couldn''t tear her eyes away from the display. Big D stepped into the chamber, his eyes training on her line of sight. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! "What the hell is ''Origin''? What did we just connect to?" he asked. Aetherveil stared at the image. "The conduit isn¡¯t just a defense system,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s a beacon.¡° Big D¡¯s eyes widened. "A beacon to what?" Aetherveil didn¡¯t answer immediately. Her gaze remained fixed on the display, the vastness of the network now fully revealed to her. It was an interconnected system that predated even her own millennia of existence. Big D leaned in closer to Aetherveil. "So, what¡¯s the plan? We just pack up and fly to this ¡®Origin¡¯ place?¡° he asked. "We''d have to know where it''s at, first," Locke said, squeezing in between them. "And I''m guessing it''s not close." Aetherveil took a deep breath. ¡°This must be what he''s really after,¡± she whispered to herself. ¡°What''s so important about it?¡° Another explosion echoed through the tunnels¡ªcloser this time. Shouts and screams followed. Aetherveil snapped her head toward the entrance, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Listen to me,¡± she said, turning back toward Locke and Big D. ¡°Fight¡ªFight your way back to your ships. You won''t survive what comes next.¡° Locke and Big D exchanged glances. ¡°What about you?¡° Locke asked. Aetherveil smiled. Tears welled in her eyes as she thought of Lilyon¡ªher friend, her loss. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to finish,¡± she said softly. The thoughts of Lilyon were slowly replaced with Arcturus. As Locke and Big D exited the chamber, Aetherveil''s smile was replaced with a deep frown. Her orange eyes glowed with a fiery intensity. Her fingers curled into fists, hands trembling. The chamber shook violently as the hum of the conduit reached a deafening crescendo. Aetherveil stood tall. She was unshaken as she prepared to face what came next. ¡°You¡¯ve come all this way for nothing,¡± Aetherveil said, still focused on the console. At the chamber entrance, Arcturus loomed. He was framed by the red glow of the conduit''s beam. ¡°You overestimate yourself. This world, its power¡ªit belongs to me,¡± he responded. Aetherveil turned, finally facing him. Their eyes locked. She studied him. The glow from the conduit cast deep shadows over his face that made him appear hollow. ¡°What took you so long to get here?¡° she asked. "You don''t look so certain anymore.¡° She took a step closer, keeping her blade at her side. "Are you afraid, Arcturus?" she asked. She inhaled deeply, taking her time before exhaling. "You should be," she said. Without another word, the battle between the two titans began. Aetherveil lunged first. Her sword cut through the air, its edge singing as it closed the gap between them. Arcturus twisted away, barely evading its arc. The blade caught his pauldron, sparking as it glanced off it''s surface. Her back facing him, he reached out to grab her¡ªa move she had anticipated. She pivoted sharply, her blade already swinging in a follow-up arc toward his side. In a blur of speed, Arcturus deflected the blade with his vambrace before driving his fist into her gut. Her armor groaned as it bent inward, his fist imprinting into it''s surface. His fingers curled behind her gorget and combat belt¡ªlifting her over his head. With a grunt, he hurled her into the floor. The impact jarred her entire body, pain shooting up her spine. She rolled, barely evading his boot as it came down where her head was a moment ago, cracking the stone floor. Aetherveil forced herself up, spitting blood. With both hands clasped around the hilt, Aetherveil thrust the blade toward Arcturus''s chest. Arcturus caught it at the last second, his hand wrapping around the blade''s edge. Sparks hissed where metal met metal. With his free hand, he slammed his fist into Aetherveil''s head. Her skull was rocked by the impact, the force sending her skidding across the chamber floor. She staggered, her ears ringing. She forced herself upright, shaking off the dizziness. Arcturus gave her no time to recover. He charged. Aetherveil moved forward to meet him, dropping low. She rolled beneath his outstretched arms. Spinning back around, she saw the opening¡ªhis weight was shifting, his imperfect stance revealing a gap in the plating. She swung her blade with everything she had. It shrieked as it scraped past the edge of the plating, cleaving clean through his knee. Arcturus let out a snarl as his leg collapsed beneath him, blood pooling around his knee. Aetherveil didn''t miss the opportunity. She wrapped her arms around his massive frame, flipping herself backwards. His head slammed into the chamber floor with a loud crack, shattering the stone. The impact sent a tremor through the ground. Aetherveil rolled off, landing in a crouch. She wiped the blood off her mouth and rose, her sword still tightly in her grip. Arcturus was sprawled out on the floor, his eyes focused on Aetherveil. His gaze was no longer a cold indifference. He knew. She grabbed him by his chest plate and dragged him to the crimson beam, lifting him off the ground. Arcturus let out a shuddering breath. ¡°You can''t kill me,¡± he slurred, his silver eyes dimming. ¡°I am forever in the Nexus.¡° Aetherveil leaned in, their foreheads almost touching. ¡°You could have been so much more.¡° Her eyes ignited into an inferno. ¡°You could have been me.¡± She shoved his head into the beam. There was no scream. No final words. The flesh vaporized instantly. White tendrils of heat curled from the edges of his skull. The metal skull underneath glowed red hot before liquefying, molten slag dripping away and evaporating. Aetherveil yanked what was left of him back in, staring at the smoldering remains. Without another thought, she tossed the husk into the beam. The body disintegrated before it could reach the bottom. Aetherveil watched as his body vanished, knowing that she hadn''t truly defeated him. She fell to the ground releasing a deep, hollow laugh. It choked off into sobbing before she even realized it. ¡°I''m sorry, Lilyon,¡± she whispered. Chapter 23 Locke and Big D rushed out of the tunnels back onto the surface. Behind them, their team struggled to carry Arros on a stretcher. The dark, crimson glow from the conduit stretched into the heavens like a pillar signaling the apocalypse. The battlefield was a smoking ruin of twisted metal and mutilated bodies scarred by the relentless bombardment of Nexus artillery. Communications were scrambled, equipment malfunctioned, and the disciplined formations of Nexus troops were devolving into chaos. Deep, rhythmic tremors shook the earth, cracks crawling outward like veins. Locke squinted his eyes, focusing on a familiar sight. ¡°Are those Luminarian ships?¡° he asked. Big D followed Locke''s line of sight. ¡°You can''t tell by the Sentinels standing next to them?¡° Behind them, Aetherveil stumbled out of the tunnel, her armor battered. ¡°They''re not all gone,¡± she said with a small smile. ¡°You guys look like you need a ride.¡° Locke shot her a glance, then turned to one of his men. ¡°Rally the survivors. Quick.¡± ¡°On it,¡± he replied. He sprinted toward the nearest coalition defensive line, weaving between wreckage and scattered debris. Aetherveil moved toward the Sentinels. The remnants of Luminaria¡¯s elite. One of them straightened as she approached. ¡°Ma''am. We came here looking for a fight.¡° His helmet tilted down slightly as he looked at the hole in her chest plate. ¡°We didn¡¯t expect to find you.¡± ¡°The coalition pulled me off Luminaria,¡± she said, waving it off. ¡°That¡¯s a story we don¡¯t have time for.¡± She stepped in closer. ¡°How many did you save?¡° ¡°Twenty thousand civilians. Five hundred Sentinels. A fleet of thirty-one ships¡­most of them commercial transports.¡± Aetherveil¡¯s head dipped. Her insides burned, but she resisted the tears. Slowly, she lifted her head back up, locking eyes with him again. Her voice was quiet. ¡°All of you did more for our people than I did. You should be proud of yourselves,¡° she said. The Sentinel straightened, his expression concealed behind his helmet. A resonant, low frequency drone vibrated Aetherveil''s chest. ¡°Can you get more transports down here?¡° Aetherveil asked. ¡°We are running out of time.¡° ¡°Ma''am,¡± he responded, sprinting toward his ship. Aetherveil looked up toward the sky. The conduit was still building up energy. They had minutes. Maybe less. Locke and Big D joined Aetherveil''s side. ¡°Where is the evac?¡° Locke asked. Big D swept the ruins. ¡°Do we need flares, or¡ª¡± He stopped. Aetherveil felt it too. ¡°The gravity,¡± she said, looking at the ground. Her boots pressed harder into the dirt for a brief moment, then she felt weightless. Dust and debris lifted around them, hanging in the air. Bodies¡ªboth living and dead¡ªdrifted upward slowly. The Sentinel¡¯s ships lifted off the ground momentarily, stabilizers burning white-hot as pilots fought against the fluctuating gravity. Then, just as suddenly, the weight returned. Everything crashed back down. ¡°Locke, move!¡± Aetherveil shouted. Locke grabbed Arros¡¯s stretcher with two others, hauling him toward the nearest dropship. The remaining coalition survivors were already running, dragging the wounded toward whatever ships remained. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. A Sentinel shouted from the landing zone. ¡°More transports en route! Six minutes!¡± ¡°Six minutes? We don''t have six minutes.¡° The ground erupted. A gaping fissure tore through the battlefield. Aetherveil barely managed to stagger back as searing red light burst from the earth. The air warped, bending in waves that formed a dome above the chamber''s location. What was left of the Nexus forces collapsed, their cybernetic bodies sparking and limbs convulsing. Aetherveil''s skin prickled as an invisible force passed through her¡ªa wave rippling outward in every direction. She turned toward the Sentinel. ¡°We don''t want to be here for what''s coming,¡° she said. Aetherveil ran to Locke, grabbing his arm as he and Big D lifted Arros. She led them to the ship, helping them load Arros into the transport''s hold. ¡°Go,¡± she ordered. Locke looked at her. ¡°You coming?¡± he asked. She looked past him¡ªtoward the conduit, toward the massive energy pillar. ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind you,¡± she said. The ship¡¯s engines ignited. As the ramp closed, Big D pointed at her from inside. ¡°If you die, I¡¯m keeping your sword,¡± he called. Aetherveil smirked. ¡°Try it.¡± The transport lifted off, joining the evac fleet as the sky burned around them. Aetherveil turned, gripping the hilt of her sword tighter as she faced the approaching collapse. Violent storms of crackling crimson arcs and gravitational distortions spread throughout the sky. The planet was dying. Aetherveil stood at the edge of the battlefield. Her ship was gone. She had to make sure everyone else got out. She wouldn''t leave anyone else behind. Aetherveil led the evacuation, directing the remaining Loyalists to their transports. "We¡¯ve got everyone loaded up," a lieutenant told Aetherveil as they piled into the last ship. "We¡¯re ready to go." "Good," Aetherveil replied. "I¡¯ll meet you at the extraction point." The Sentinel fleet lifted away, their engines burning bright as they broke free of the planet¡¯s deteriorating gravity. The ground beneath her feet fractured, molten veins carved through the surface. "Move. Now." She turned and sprinted as the ground collapsed behind her. Entire sections of the planet lifted from the surface, floating weightlessly. Aetherveil vaulted over fallen Nexus machines, her body moving on motor memory. Gravitational shifts sent her into freefall for a moment before slamming her back to the ground, rolling as she barely avoided a falling boulder. She looked across the horizon. One dropship still hovered low, engines roaring as it tried to hold its position against the winds. Aetherveil locked onto it. ¡°Maybe a hundred meters away.¡° She kept moving forward, ignoring the way her legs burned¡ªignoring the way the world pulled at her. A massive gravitational shockwave tore outward from the conduit, sending bodies hurtling into the sky. Aetherveil felt her feet leave the ground. She was weightless, spinning out of control. The world flipped over itself in a blur of motion. The dropship was getting farther away. "No." She reached out, twisting midair, forcing herself into a controlled spin. The ship¡¯s ramp was still open. She focused, calculating the trajectory. She had one chance. She hooked her armor''s tether to her sword, then threw it. The blade sank deep into the ship¡¯s hull, embedding itself just inside the open ramp. Aetherveil clenched her hands around the cord, then she pulled. The momentum yanked her forward in an arc toward the ship. The impact against the ramp knocked the air from her lungs, but she didn¡¯t let go. She dragged herself up, gripping the edge of the ramp as the ship banked away from the debris. A hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. ¡°I¡¯ve got you!¡± She let the Sentinel pull her up. The moment her feet hit the deck, the pilot gunned the engines. Aetherveil exhaled, hands on her knees. ¡°That was cutting it close,¡± she muttered. The moment the ship broke free of the surface, turbulence hit like a hammer. The dropship was jerked around violently, its stabilizers cooking against the gravitational shifts. Arcs of electricity forked through the sky, flickering across the clouds. The entire atmosphere felt like it was trying to tear itself apart. Aetherveil braced herself against the bulkhead, her fingers locking onto the nearest rail as the ship rolled sharply to the right, dodging a chunk of rock tumbling past the viewport. The heat was unbearable. Gravity came and went irregularly. The dropship was sent into momentary freefall before returning, the hull groaning under the immense pressure. The pilot shouted as he was fighting the controls, the wind howling around the ship''s plating. The comms were nothing but static, cut apart by the electromagnetic interference. Aetherveil pressed her forehead against the cold metal of the bulkhead, taking slow breaths. They weren¡¯t out yet. A detonation from within the planet struck the dropship like a giant¡¯s fist. The ship pitched hard, alarms screaming. Loose equipment and passengers tumbled into the ceiling. The ship rolled end over end, sent into an uncontrollable spiral. The viewport became a blur of red fire and black expanse. The pilot pulled back hard, thrusters burning hot. The hull shuddered as the dropship finally leveled out just as they breached the last layer of Paleon¡¯s sky. The Sentinel fleet hovered above, their engines already burning for high orbit. The weightlessness vanished as the dropship''s artificial gravity engaged, slamming everyone back to the deck. Aetherveil exhaled, gripping the cold metal railing beneath her. ¡°That,¡± a Sentinel said from across the hold, ¡°was bullshit.¡± Aetherveil laughed breathlessly, shaking her head as she finally looked out of the viewport. Paleon was gone. The conduit¡¯s pillar had collapsed. A wave erupted outward from the planet, disabling all of the ships in it''s path. The last remnants of Paleon¡¯s atmosphere burned away, leaving nothing but a dying ember against the cold vastness of space. Aetherveil leaned back. They had barely made it. Chapter 24 Aetherveil stood motionless on the observation deck of a weaponized Luminarian cargo ship. All she could feel was the emptiness of what came next. The usual low hum of the ship¡¯s systems, the faint hiss of energy coursing through the hull¡ªnone of it reached her senses. She exhaled slowly, pressing her fingertips against her temple. Her thoughts were caught between the aftermath of Paleon and the dark uncertainty that lay ahead. Paleon was gone. The galaxy was different now. She knew she hadn''t saved it, but she wasn''t sure if she had just contributed to its inevitable collapse. Locke stood behind her, his arms crossed. ¡°Make it make sense,¡± he said. Aetherveil didn¡¯t respond right away. She forced herself to turn and face him. The shadows under his eyes mirrored her own. She had no comfort to offer. Only answers. ¡°Those creatures¡ªKatabrothans¡ªare more intelligent than they seem,¡± she said. Her fingers curled into a loose fist¡ªthe creatures haunted her. ¡°Arcturus opened the gates for them¡­and they locked them open.¡° ¡°So, the conduit closed it?¡° Locke asked. ¡°Why Paleon?¡° ¡°Paleon had an unusual magnetosphere that the Architects were able to use to disrupt the gateways,¡± she replied. ¡°There were more than the ones on Luminaria.¡° Locke let out a breath, rubbing his head. Big D, who had been leaning against the bulkhead, finally spoke. ¡°So what? It charged the magnetosphere like a coil?¡° Big D asked, gesturing vaguely as if trying to picture it. ¡°Something like that,¡± Aetherveil said, running a hand over her face. ¡°With the links disrupted, the gates are forced shut.¡° ¡°Can they be opened again?¡° he asked. She hesitated. There was a sense of finality in her next words. ¡°It was only meant to be used once. It''s only by chance that the planet survived the first time,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°The second activation overloaded it.¡± She looked back at the viewport. ¡°I don¡¯t think the conduit¡­or the gates¡­will ever work again.¡± ¡°They lied to us. We were never supposed to survive that day.¡° A long silence followed. Aetherveil''s hands squeezed into fists at her sides. If she had stopped Arcturus sooner, would Paleon still exist? Would Luminaria? It didn¡¯t matter now. Paleon was gone. The gates were shut. What lay beyond them would have to find another way in. The beacon¡¯s final transmission was on her mind. It had signaled them toward Origin. It was a place that had long since faded from the maps of known space. Aetherveil could feel the uncertainty influencing her. If they followed this signal, if they ventured deeper into uncharted space, would they be walking into a trap? The risk seemed unavoidable. She had to know. ¡°What about the Nexus?¡° Locke asked. ¡°Arros is going to lead that fight,¡± Aetherveil said. ¡°The disruption will have slowed them down. Anything Nexus would have been destroyed around dozens of systems.¡° Her thoughts drifted¡ªas they often did¡ªback to Lilyon. Losing her, and Luminaria, had scarred her deeper than she could admit. For days Aetherveil had thrown herself into fight after fight, refusing to stop long enough to confront the emptiness left in her heart. As the distant stars blinked in the cold expanse of space, she couldn¡¯t avoid it any longer. They were gone. Aetherveil was thrown to the ground by Lilyon. She slipped right past Aetherveil''s guard, taking advantage of her shorter figure. ¡°You''re fast. Not bad,¡± Aetherveil said smiling. ¡°How many surprises could you possibly pack into that tiny body?¡° If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Lilyon returned the smile. She stood up, a sense of pride emitting from her posture. ¡°I''ve got plenty more,¡± she replied. Aetherveil wrapped her arms around Lilyon''s shoulder, leading her out of the training yard. ¡°Lets find something more exciting to do,¡± she said. ¡°Our ship is almost done with the upgrades. We can see how they''ve defiled her.¡° Aetherveil lowered her head, a single tear slamming into the deck. "How can I lead them when I¡¯ve lost so much of myself?" She had spent millenia as a warrior forged by beings who had seen her as merely an expendable tool. A means to an end. It was her arrogance that compelled her to believe she could be a protector. What was left of her people looked to her for guidance. She feared that she might not have what it took to lead them through the darkness ahead. Aetherveil closed her eyes and let out a long exhale. Her reflection stared back at her from the viewport, eyes glowing faintly. She had been so certain of her path. She couldn''t have been more wrong. The comms buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. "The fleet is prepared to jump to the Elysian system.¡° Aetherveil felt a chill run through her. She had known of the Elysian system¡ªa place of strange phenomena. It was a system spoken of in hushed tones. "What could it lead us to in a place like that?" ¡°It could be a trap, Aetherveil,¡± Big D said. ¡°The Nexus could be manipulating the signal.¡° Aetheveil nodded slightly. ¡°I know,¡° she said. "I appreciate your concern. You don''t have to come.¡° Big D hesitated. Then nodded. ¡°I can face it alone,¡± she finished. Locke''s eyes searched Aetherveil¡¯s for a long moment. ¡°You know who was on the other end, don''t you?¡° he asked. Aetherveil placed a finger on her body, silently tracing the incisions. ¡°It''s been so long. I was sure they were gone.¡° She didn''t answer. ¡°You think it might be your creators,¡± Locke said. "We¡¯ll be ready when you are." With that, they turned and left the observation deck. Aetherveil remained. Alone. She had always been a solitary figure, even among her closest allies. After losing Lilyon, the loneliness had deepened. She had lost more than just a friend. Aetherveil was adrift¡ªnavigating the unknown while trying to protect what was left of her people. An announcement sounded over the ship''s intercomm. ¡°All hands, prepare to jump.¡° Moments later. ¡°Jump in three¡­two¡­one¡­¡± The fleet emerged from hyperspace on the edge of the Elysian system. The massive nebula swirled in the distance like a cosmic leviathan. The system was dark. It''s faint stars cast long shadows across the scattered planets. Aetherveil stood on the bridge, her eyes fixed on the view ahead. "Alert the fleet," Aetherveil said. "We don¡¯t know what¡¯s inside that nebula, but we need to be ready for anything." The bridge crew jumped into action, relaying her orders to the rest of the fleet. Every officer was on edge as they approached the nebula''s outer boundary. The swirling clouds of gas were like a wall, obscuring whatever lay beyond. The fleet travelled deeper into the nebula, the swirling mists growing thicker around them. The interference on their sensors became more intense, and the bridge crew worked tirelessly to keep their systems functioning. The deeper they ventured, the more it felt like the nebula was blinding them, obscuring their awareness of everything outside of the hull. Suddenly, alarms blared across the bridge. "Incoming!" one of the officers shouted, his hands flying over the controls. "Multiple contacts¡ªNexus ships!" ¡°Of course the Nexus followed us. How can I be so stupid.¡° They had been chasing the same signal, drawn to the same power that Aetherveil and her forces sought. "Battle stations! Prepare to engage," she ordered. ¡°How many?" "Three warships on intercept course," the officer replied. "They¡¯ve been hiding in the outer edges of the nebula, waiting for us to enter." The ships moved into defensive positions as the Nexus warships closed in. The nebula heavily interfered with their sensors, making it difficult to get a clear read on the enemy¡¯s movements. Plasma bolts erupted from the Nexus ships, slicing through the dark clouds as they opened fire. The first wave of shots struck Aetherveil''s vessel, causing the ship to shudder under the impact. Aetherveil gripped the edge of the command console, her gaze locked on the tactical display as her fleet returned fire. "Status report!" Aetherveil shouted. "The hull is holding for now, but we¡¯re taking heavy fire. The nebula¡¯s interference is throwing off our targeting systems¡ªwe can¡¯t get a clear lock on their ships," an officer replied. Aetherveil cursed under her breath. The Nexus had the upper hand, using the nebula¡¯s interference to their advantage. ¡°Prepare for a jump to the center of the nebula," she ordered. "We need to break free of this engagement." "Understood," the helmsman replied. "We¡¯ll be vulnerable during the jump." Aetherveil nodded. "I know. It''s our only chance. If we stay here, we¡¯ll be torn apart." The fleet prepared for the jump, the reactors powering up as the ships maneuvered to break free of the Nexus assault. The Nexus warships pressed their attack in a desperate attempt to prevent them from escaping. "Jump," Aetherveil ordered. The stars outside stretched and warped as the ship engaged the jump reactor, disappearing into the swirling clouds of the nebula. There was nothing but the disorienting sensation of the jump. Just as suddenly, they emerged on the other side. The view before them took Aetherveil¡¯s breath away. They had arrived where the nebula¡¯s swirling mists gave way to a vast, dark expanse. At the center of it all, surrounded by a faint light, was a massive station. The beacon. It was far larger than Aetherveil had expected. It was a colossal structure floating in the void, its surface covered in intricate runes and inscriptions. The sight of it filled Aetherveil with awe and dread. This was what they had been searching for. The key to understanding the conduit¡¯s signal and to Origin. There was something else, too¡ªa presence. Something dark, something that had been waiting for them all along. "The Nexus will be here soon," Aetherveil said, her voice low. The race to Origin had begun. Chapter 25 The heavy thuds of Arros¡¯s footsteps were the only thing to accompany him through the passageways of his flagship, Praetor. His gaze remained fixed straight ahead as he strode toward the command center, taking slow sips from his cup. He sat it down on the central console. ¡°Is the quarantine around Luminaria holding?¡± he asked. Kelix, stationed at his console, responded. ¡°Sir, the blockade has reported no activity above the planet¡¯s atmosphere. The beasts haven¡¯t tried to leave the surface.¡± Arros rubbed his temples. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ve finally got the hint.¡° He reoriented the holographic display, focusing the tactical map on the Outer Rim¡ªstill under relentless assault by the Nexus. His fingers traced the chaos unfolding across the stars. ¡°Or maybe they¡¯re up to something.¡± He knew better than to assume silence meant that they were resigning themselves. ¡°Can we get scouts on the ground?¡± Arros asked. Kelix thought about it a moment, his eyes moving to his console. Arros watched as his fingers tapped across the interface, likely reviewing their ever-shortening roster. ¡°I have a team that can deploy,¡± Kelix said, ¡°but don¡¯t you think it''s too risky?¡± Arros leaned over the central console, his reflection staring back at him from the liquid pooled at the bottom of his cup. His hand dragged over his face, the coarse feel of his unshaven jaw distracted him. ¡°I''ve really let myself go,¡± he mumured. Kelix moved around uncomfortably during the Admiral''s quiet mutterings. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°We need to know what¡¯s happening down there. They might be planning a way to get off the planet,¡± Arros said. He straightened his posture as he addressed the bridge crew. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to remind you how many we lost hunting them down across the Frontier,¡± he continued. ¡°We can''t risk it. Not with the Nexus''s civil war tearing apart what¡¯s left of the Outer Rim.¡± A voice from across the deck interrupted him. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just raze it? That would free up resources.¡± Arros¡¯s gaze snapped toward the officer who had spoken. ¡°You want to be the one to ask Aetherveil how she¡¯d feel about that?¡± No answer. The officer who had spoken out of turn quietly retreated back to his work. Arros turned back to the tactical displays. ¡°The day you figure out how to stop her from turning all of us into corpses, I¡¯ll consider turning her home into a sheet of glass,¡± he said. ¡°Sir¡­he has a point. You ought¡ª¡± Kelix spoke, his utterances projecting his refusal to accept the circumstances. Arros¡¯s looked at him with hostile eyes. ¡°If and when it comes to that,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I ought to do. How soon can you have the team ready?¡± ¡°Immediately,¡± Kelix replied. ¡°But we¡¯re short on marines qualified for this kind of operation. I¡¯ll have to lead the team myself.¡± Arros gave a curt nod. ¡°Understood, Colonel. Just don¡¯t get yourself killed. Report what you see¡ªnothing more.¡± Kelix dismissed himself, turning sharply on his heel and striding out of the command center without another word. ¡°Have we received any communication from Aetherveil?¡± Arros asked, his gaze changing over to the communications officer. ¡°No, sir,¡± the officer replied. ¡°Nothing but silence.¡± Arros turned back to the holographic map, watching as the red lines¡ªrepresenting Nexus fleet movements¡ªslowly moved across the systems they occupied. ¡°It¡¯s been weeks,¡± he muttered. ¡°Are they even still alive?¡± >>>>>***********************<<<<< Flashing red lights didn''t compliment the compartment. The dull, worn out red hue didn''t just highlight the edges of equipment, but the the dire circumstances the ship was in as well. The distant sounds of muted shouting hardly registered within Aetherveil¡¯s ears. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Sparks rained down from the damaged bulkhead, hot flecks stinging her face. Slowly, she turned her head. Through the haze, she saw them¡ªNexus cyborgs tearing a Sentinel apart, his limbs wrenched off like a small animal in the clutches of the deranged. ¡°Aetherveil!¡± She snapped her gaze upward. Lilyon loomed over her, her eyes frantic and locked onto Aetherveil¡¯s. ¡°We have to get out of here!¡± Lilyon shouted. Aetherveil barely had time to react before a massive hand clamped around Lilyon''s skull, lifting her effortlessly into the air. A creak came from beneath Arcturus''s fingers as she screamed in pain. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here!¡± Aetherveil shouted, her voice cracking with desperation. ¡°Put her down!¡± Arcturus loomed before her, the lumens of his silver eyes indisputable evidence of his presence. Lilyon thrashed in his grasp, her fingers clawing at his wrist, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. Her boots kicked weakly against the floor, movements slowing. A spray of thick red. A dull, wet thud. Lilyon¡¯s body crumpled to the floor. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A strangled sound escaped Aetherveil''s throat. It was a half-formed scream muted by the horror she just witnessed. To move, to react, her body wouldn''t allow it. She was frozen, caught in a temporal bubble of her making. Arcturus didn¡¯t look down. He didn¡¯t need to. His gaze never left hers. ¡°There is no escape, Aetherveil. Wherever you run, I''ll be waiting,¡± he said, his voice low and guttural. The walls of the chamber peeled away, revealing an infinite void. The ground beneath her vanished. Aetherveil fell. Her scream was cut off by the dissolving world around her. She jolted awake. She was on her knees, fingers digging into the metal deck. Her entire body was shaking. Sweat dripped from her chin, pooling beneath her. "Just a dream. Just a damn dream." She swallowed hard, pushing herself up on trembling legs. Tears blurred her vision. ¡°Why does it still feel real?¡± The persistent buzz of the comms disrupted her moment, pulling her from her thoughts. She exhaled sharply, dragging her hands down her face and flicking away the sweat. The buzzing didn¡¯t stop. With a groan, she grabbed the handset, accepting whoever was on the other end was too stubborn to take the hint. ¡°What?¡± she asked, her voice hoarse. ¡°We¡¯re closing in on the objective. It¡¯s on a moon,¡± Locke reported. ¡°So what''s the problem?¡° she asked, her eyes narrowing. ¡°There''s activity,¡± he replied after a short moment of silence. ¡°It''s not Nexus.¡° Her grip on the handset tightened, trapping it beneath the coil of a Boa constrictor. The metal groaned under the pressure as her fingers left their mark. ¡°I''ll be there soon.¡° Aetherveil stood in front of her power armor, brushing her fingers across the hole in the chest plate. After donning it, she moved toward the hatch. As she passed a polished access panel, her reflection caught her eye. She stopped. Stared. Her orange eyes, dull at first, ignited into young stars rich will fuel. Her jaw clenched. The image staring back at her felt foreign. Without a second thought, she slammed her fist into the panel. The metal buckled beneath the force, her reflection crumpling with it. She didn''t linger on it long, continuing on the path to her her destination. She stormed into the command center, focusing in on Locke. ¡°Do you know what''s down there?¡° she asked. Locke shook his head, his attention on the tactical displays. ¡°I''m not sure. They''re very active,¡± he said. ¡°I don''t think they''ve detected us yet.¡° ¡°What could be this far out?¡° Big D asked from across the deck. He took steps forward. ¡°We''re what? A few million lightyears away from civilization?¡° Aetherveil let out a dry, humorless chuckle. ¡°What''s going on with you? You''ve been acting like an asshole for weeks now,¡± Big D said. ¡°Lock it up!¡° Locke snapped. Aetherveil exhaled through her nose, but she didn¡¯t break eye contact with Big D. ¡°Has Arros responded to any of our transmissions?¡° she asked. Locke shook his head. ¡°I think we''re too far out for that,¡± he replied. ¡°Why don''t you fix that hole in your chest?¡° ¡°It''s all I have,¡± Aetherveil said quietly. ¡°What''s that supposed to mean?¡° Locke asked. Before she could respond, a violent tremor rocked the ship. Aetherveil braced herself while alarms blared and red warning lights flashed across the displays. Hull Breach Detected Locke snatched up the handset, his voice hardly competing with the blaring sirens. ¡°We¡¯re being boarded!¡± he shouted. Big D¡¯s grip tightened around his sidearm as he yanked it from its holster. ¡°How the hell did they get past our sensors?¡± he demanded. Aetherveil¡¯s eyes switched back and forth between the alert screens and the command center hatch. ¡°It¡¯s them,¡± she muttered. ¡°What?¡± Locke shouted, cupping a hand around his ear to hear her over the din. Gunfire erupted down the corridors¡ªsharp, rapid bursts. Then, one by one, the shots fell silent. Aetherveil exhaled slowly, rolling her shoulders. She drew her sword. The violet glow of the blade bathed the command center. Click Sharp clicking sounds pierced through the reinforced hatch. The noises sent a chill crawling down Aetherveil¡¯s spine. Sweat rolled down her cheek as the anticipation grew, every muscle tensed for whatever was about to come through that door. Her fingers twitched. Her grip loosened. The sword slipped from her grasp, clattering against the deck. ¡°Aetherveil? Are you alright?¡± Locke asked. She heard it. A voice. It didn¡¯t feel like the Nexus. It was something else. Something from within the deepest bowels of the cosmos. It roared inside her skull. It was unlike anything she had ever heard. "We let you live. We gave you a chance. We will take back what is ours." All weapons trained on the hatch as it groaned open, the light from the passageway bleeding into the compartment. Aetherveil stood rigid. Her heart slammed against her breast, vibrating down her collarbones. Every instinct to fight screamed at her, but she couldn¡¯t move. The hatch reached its halfway point, revealing black helmets. ¡°Nexus!¡± Locke shouted, raising his weapon. Aetherveil snapped out of it. Her fingers clenched around Void¡¯s Embrace as she scooped it from the deck. She raised her sword high, the blade poised just above her shoulder like a raised banner of war. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± she muttered. ¡°How did Nexus signatures slip past our detection?¡± Both sides exchanged gunfire, sparks erupting from shattered consoles and scorched bulkheads. The deck crew crouched behind cover, peeking out just long enough to return fire¡ªjust enough to keep the cyborgs from advancing. Aetherveil vaulted over obstacles, carving through the enemy with uncontested precision. Every strike was clean, lethal¡ªno wasted swing, no second cuts. Her eyes locked onto something different. A cyborg. Distinct from the others. Smaller, leaner. Its armor was low-profile, built for agility rather than brute force. Aetherveil lunged, the tip of her blade racing toward its chest. The cyborg twisted at the last second, Aetherveil''s blade flying through empty space. The cyborg delivered a brutal kick to Aetherveil''s knee joint. The servos in her armor seized, locking up. In the same instant, it clenched her helmet, slamming her skull into the nearest console. Aetherveil¡¯s vision spun as her head lolled back and forth as she recovered. Smoke curled from the ruined console, seeping in through the cracked visor. Just enough of her senses restored in time to register the next attack coming. She swung her sword in a swift horizontal arc as the cyborg¡¯s fist shot toward her head. The cyborg ducked under the blade, the violet edge slicing harmlessly through the air above it. In a fluid motion, it drew its sidearm and fired point-blank into Aetherveil¡¯s chest plate. The projectiles sparked against her armor, failing to penetrate. As Aetherveil braced to absorb the impact, the cyborg slammed the pistol into her visor. The already compromised reinforced glass fractured more, cracks webbing across her view. Before she could respond, it struck again¡ªthis time driving the barrel through the visor and into the bridge of her nose. Pain exploded across her face. The cyborg ejected its magazine, already reaching for a fresh one. Big D grabbed the cyborg from behind. With a grunt, he wrenched it off the ground and hurled it across the command center. The machine crashed into a console, sparks exploding in every direction. The cyborg staggered back to its feet, its gaze sweeping the command center. It was almost alone now. It bolted for the passageway. Aetherveil pushed past Big D, pursuing it. She didn''t make it far. The moment she stepped into the corridor, she froze. The bulkhead dripped with blood, the dim lighting reflecting off the slick crimson streaks. Sentinels and cyborgs lay strewn across the deck¡ªpulled apart and torn open. ¡°What could have done this?¡° Her eyes darted through the carnage, scanning for the cyborg. It was gone. Thats when she noticed it. A lanky, colorless being. Its body was pinned to the bulkhead with a sword. Its torso was impaled, the blade sunk deep into the metal plating behind it. Its legs slumped lifelessly to the floor. It was incredibly tall¡ªeasily eight feet, just barely fitting within the passageway. She approached it cautiously. Standing before the impaled figure, she reached out, gripping its head. With her thumb, she lifted its eyelid. Black eyes. She could see herself reflected in it¡ªcrisp, perfect, like staring into a mirror. Releasing it, it''s head slumped over. She took a sharp step back, her shoulder slamming into Locke and knocking him aside. She hadn¡¯t even noticed he was there. ¡°Is this¡ª¡± he took a step toward it, his gaze running over the being. ¡°Yes,¡± Aetherveil said, sheathing her sword. She moved forward, her steps slow and careful, weaving through the corridor of the dead. Her leg burned with each motion, the failing servo in her armor grinding. Still, she continued forward. Something awaited her on the moon''s surface, and she was going to find out what.