《SKYBREAK (Steampunk/Fantasy)》


 ACT 1 - Chapter I

    The workshop was the one place in the Vaelthorne estate that didn''t feel suffocating. The rest of the mansion felt like a museum of aristocratic clutter¡ªoil paintings of long-dead ancestors, polished brass chandeliers, old creations of Lord Aeren Vaelthorne in tempered glass display cases. But in the workshop, among the hiss of steam vents and the scent of oil, Cassian could breathe.


    Sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he sat at the cluttered workbench, his waistcoat thrown into a mess of copper wires and loose gears. His dark hair had fallen from its usual perfection, stray strands slipping over his eyes as his hands worked within a forest of wires inside a powered-down automaton¡ªhis current project.


    He tinkered inside a brass-plated chest cavity, adjusting a fine gear with gloved fingers, moving with careful precision, his mind lost in a rhythm. This is what made sense. Machines followed rules. Unlike humans. Unlike the system of the outside world. Gears turned, steam hissed, mechanisms obeyed.


    A metallic voice, laced with amusement, broke the silence.


    "Master Cassian, do you realize it has been precisely eight hours and thirty-seven minutes since your last meal?"


    Cassian didn''t look up, his eyes locked on his work. "Did you count the minutes for dramatic effect, Aldric? Or should I believe you actually care?"


    The automaton butler let out a mechanical sigh. "Would it hurt you so terribly to pretend I have feelings?"


    Cassian smirked to himself, tightening a small valve on the automaton''s chest, locking the plating. "It would hurt my pride as an engineer. You''re a construct of gears and steam, Aldric. You don''t ''care''; you calculate risks and necessities."


    Standing near the doorway, Aldric folded his arms behind his back and gave a slow tilt of his head. "And yet, here I am. Calculating that you are in dire need of sustenance and rest."


    Cassian shook his head, but with warm exasperation. He never admitted it out loud, but Aldric was his closest friend. A friend of his own creation. A construct that never lied, betrayed, or judged.


    His fingers tightened around his wrench as he turned to Aldric. "Let me finish the diagnostics, then I''ll work on the sustenance thing."


    Aldric bowed his head. "Thank you, Master Cassian."


    "You really are a pain sometimes," Cassian remarked as he turned back to his project.


    "Not as much pain as your stomach will be, sir."


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The Vaelthorne Estate''s dining hall was a grand display of aristocratic status, a chamber built for power, tradition, and quiet intimidation, not comfort. The vaulted ceiling was adorned with intricate brass filigree, with sweeping arches held by dark mahogany beams carved with sigils of ancient Vaelthorne lineage.


    Whispering gas lamps fitted into the brass chandelier bathed the hall in a flickering golden glow, casting long shadows across the tall oil paintings of stern-faced ancestors that lined the walls.


    Cassian sat at the obsidian-black dining table, carved from a single piece of a rare mineral. The surface was polished to perfection and cold to the touch.


    "Your first course, sir." Aldric, now donning a white apron, gently placed a plate in front of Cassian. "A delicately steamed pheasant consomm¨¦, infused with saffron and topped with thin shavings of white truffle, for your enjoyment, Master Cassian."


    Cassian frowned, rolling up his sleeves. "You are really taking this ''sustenance'' thing seriously, Aldric."


    "I procured a full three-course dinner for you, sir. That will fulfill all your nutritional needs and revitalize your body." Aldric bowed. "Enjoy your meal, sir."


    Cassian sighed as he grabbed the smallest piece of cutlery presented to him. He cut out a small portion and tasted it. "You''ve outdone yourself, Aldric."


    "I''m glad it is to your satisfaction, sir."


    "''Glad,''" Cassian repeated, chewing. "How does it feel to feel glad for an automaton?"


    "I fulfilled my command. The goal set was to make a meal that you would enjoy and consume. I completed my goal."


    "That''s overly complicated."


    The heavy doors of the dining hall groaned open. The sharp clack of high heels on marble approached.


    A tall, statuesque figure entered, carrying herself with the poise of a queen. Her high-collared black gown was unmistakable.


    "Evelyn," Cassian greeted coldly, finishing his first course.


    "You stink of oil, boy. You''ve been in that filthy workshop again." Lady Evelyn spoke with impaling sharpness. "You''re a noble, Cassian. Being locked in a stinking workshop, getting messy, isn''t what nobles do."


    "Tell that to my father, Evelyn." Cassian snapped. "Now, dear aunt, what do you inquire of me?" He spoke with a hint of sarcasm.


    Lady Evelyn clicked her tongue. "You are aware that the Annual Symposium is tomorrow morning? You should get your rest to get rid of those ugly eye bags, and for the gods'' sake, take a shower. You reek."


    "I''m glad my scent disturbs you," Cassian muttered.


    The lady hissed.


    "Yes, my lady. I will shower."


    "Good." The chair screeched uncomfortably on the marble as she got up. "Be presentable tomorrow. You are representing the family. Your father is caught up in Vortessa negotiating trade contracts for aetherstone shipments."


    "Another project in the works, huh," Cassian commented, feeling Lady Evelyn''s eyes stabbing into him. "Got it."

 ACT 1 - Chapter II

    Cassian sat, arms crossed, his expression¡ªa glare of thinly veiled irritation¡ªas he watched the floating city from inside the steam carriage.


    Valerian seemed endless with its tiered structure. The upper tier¡ªwhere Cassian had spent his whole life¡ªwas majestic, adorned with ornate domed palaces and tall clock towers. It was full of nobles who did not act from emotion or empathy, but rather from strategy and manipulation.


    Cassian exhaled, irritation crawling under his skin.


    He peered down at the middle tier, the working class. The sound of metal clanging, steam vents hissing, and Skyfarers haggling with merchants echoed through the streets. The market plazas always hummed with life, bustling with foreign traders who brought rare, exotic goods.


    The lower tier was barely visible through the thick smog, which always unsettled Cassian. The deeper he looked, the less polished it became¡ªrusted steel and soot-streaked factories¡ªthe true engine of Valerian. It was a world of steam-choked streets, laborers, and endless toil, all hidden beneath the upper tier''s glistening facade.


    Cassian sighed as he noticed Imperial skyguards soaring past, their blaring red lights cutting through the fog. The Empire had woven itself into the very air of Valerian.


    "Forgive me, Master Cassian, but you appear to be sulking," Aldric remarked from across the carriage.


    "Observant as ever," Cassian scoffed, shifting in his seat. "And here I thought I was disguising my enthusiasm so well."


    "Yes, of course. Nothing says ''unbridled joy'' quite like a scowl deep enough to frighten a gargoyle," Aldric added, sitting with perfect posture.


    Cassian ran a hand through his dark hair before letting his head thud lightly against the carriage wall. "This event is ridiculous. A bunch of self-important aristocrats pretending to care about the city''s ''progress'' while they drink overpriced wine and congratulate themselves for achieving nothing."


    "I seem to recall your father saying something similar once. If memory serves, he was at least able to keep a more diplomatic tone."


    Cassian clenched his jaw at the mention of his father. He turned his gaze back to the window, watching the lamps flicker by as they glided along the skybridge.


    "How long does a trade negotiation last, anyway? He''s been gone for weeks," Cassian asked.


    "Trade negotiations in Vortessa are rarely a simple affair," Aldric answered shortly.


    Cassian let out a dry laugh. "Vortessa. Because the merchants of the Free Skies are such an agreeable bunch." He shook his head. "He didn''t tell me any details, just that I had to go in his place. As if I have any interest in keeping up appearances."


    Aldric leaned forward, trying to display gentle warmth despite his expressionless faceplate. "Master Cassian, your title may be an inconvenience to you, but it is nonetheless a reality. House Vaelthorne does not exist outside of matters such as these¡ªyou cannot separate yourself from them, no matter how much you wish to."


    Cassian''s fingers curled into a fist on his lap. "I have no desire to be one of them. Why should I have to entertain these people?"


    Aldric placed a mechanical hand gently over Cassian''s, a soft whir of gears audible beneath his brass plating. "Because, my dear Master Cassian, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not, you will always be one of them in their eyes. Your father''s absence will be noted. Lady Evelyn is already ensuring that you represent House Vaelthorne with the dignity expected of you. Vanishing into your workshop and pretending none of this exists is out of the equation."


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Cassian''s expression soured. "Evelyn can choke on her dignity."


    Aldric tilted his head. "A most uncharitable sentiment, sir, considering she has gone to great lengths to ensure you do not make a spectacle of yourself."


    Cassian let out a chuckle. "She doesn''t care about me. She only cares about the family name¡ªshe always has. And if I make a spectacle, what then? What would she do?"


    Aldric''s glowing optics dimmed slightly as he let out a mechanical sigh. "She will do what she has always done, sir. She will turn a sharp gaze on you, remind you of your responsibilities, and ensure that whatever damage you cause is undone before it becomes permanent."


    Cassian exhaled through his nose, arms crossed. "Comforting."


    The mechanical butler tilted his head, his tone laced with amusement. "That is what I am here for, after all."


    Silence settled between them, broken only by the rhythmic hum of the carriage. Then, Cassian let his head fall back with an exaggerated sigh.


    "Fine. I''ll nod and smile and pretend I''m not bored out of my mind. But if it becomes absolutely unbearable, I''m drinking until my suffering is at least entertaining."


    Aldric clasped his hands together with mock enthusiasm. "A most admirable compromise, sir."


    Cassian rolled his eyes as the carriage slowed to a halt. Outside, the towering Celestine Forum loomed over the streets, its golden-lit halls waiting for him.


    "Do try not to start any fights this time, Master Cassian," Aldric remarked as the footman opened the carriage door.


    Cassian stepped out onto the polished marble steps, straightening his coat with a small hint of a smirk. "No promises."


    The Celestine Forum loomed above him, the grandest hall in Valerian. An architectural marvel of marble and brass, its towering arches lined with golden filigree, shimmering in the sunlight.


    Cassian adjusted the cuffs of his tailored navy coat, the polished brass buttons gleaming as he approached the massive brass doors, engraved with Valerian''s insignia.


    Valerian Skyguards, clad in white coats lined with fine gold filigree along the shoulders and cuffs, greeted Cassian with a bow as they opened the doors for him.


    As he stepped inside, a voice, smooth and laced with veiled amusement, greeted him. "Lord Vaelthorne, at last you grace us with your presence. I was beginning to think House Vaelthorne had decided these gatherings were beneath them."


    Cassian turned to see Lord Veylen Duskcroft. He sighed to himself at the sight of his rival. Duskcroft was dressed in a black and silver coat, perfectly pressed. His long blonde hair was neatly tied back. A sharp glint in his pale blue eyes suggested he was assessing Cassian.


    "I see the Empire still allows your voice to pollute the air, Duskcroft," Cassian replied smoothly, offering an insincere smile.


    A gown whispered against the floor as high heels clicked on marble. Lady Evelyn did not greet Cassian with warmth but with a slow glance, measuring his posture, expression, and readiness.


    "I trust you understand the weight of your presence here, Cassian," she murmured, her voice cold.


    Lord Duskcroft chuckled, taking a glass of Valis Red from a passing servant. "Your father was occupied with diplomatic matters, I recall. One can only wonder what business Lord Vaelthorne finds so pressing in such a lawless city."


    Cassian clenched his jaw but forced himself to remain composed. "House Vaelthorne''s affairs are not up for speculation, I assure you."


    "Cassian, my boy!" Marquess Orion Leclair, the eccentric old inventor, strode toward them, his coat covered in faint smudges of grease. "Or should I say, ''the reluctant diplomat''? A shame your father couldn''t make it to dazzle us with another speech on innovation."


    Cassian smirked. "A shame indeed. I''ll be sure to carry out his duties in his absence."


    "I''m sure you will carry them out perfectly." Leclair smiled, shaking Cassian''s hand warmly.


    Lady Evelyn''s gaze sharpened. "Remember, you are expected to carry this event with grace. House Vaelthorne will not suffer embarrassment. Do I make myself clear?"


    Cassian met her gaze, steel-grey against steel-grey.


    "Perfectly clear."

 ACT 1 - Chapter III

    Cassian stepped through the towering inlaid doors of the Grand Hall, his polished boots clicking softly. The hall was vast and cathedral-like, designed for major gatherings. The empire''s banners hung from great marble columns, a constant reminder of imperial power.


    At the center stood the Grand Podium, a raised and imposing platform of polished black steel. A rotating clockwork mechanism loomed above it¡ªa testament to both engineering and spectacle.


    Aristocrats and scholars had already begun to gather, forming their usual circles of quiet conversation. A ripple of hushed voices followed Cassian''s entrance¡ªthe noble scion without his father, bearing a name that carried more weight than he could shoulder.


    Cassian exhaled sharply, adjusted his cuffs, and strode forward without hesitation.


    A deep chime rang through the great hall, a resonant tone vibrating through the marble columns. Conversations died down at once, replaced by the quiet rustling of fine coats and silk gowns as the assembled nobles and scholars turned their attention to the podium.


    Heavy boots clicked up the stairs to the platform as High Chancellor Alistair Vorthem ascended to the stage. Vorthem was a commanding presence. His iron-grey hair was slicked back, with an impeccably maintained mustache lining his lip. As he reached the podium, his piercing eyes, sharp as a falcon''s talons, scanned the room with cold efficiency. His white tailcoat, adorned with golden filigree and a high-standing collar, bore the insignia of his rank¡ªa cogwheel encircling a rising sun.


    "Ladies and gentlemen of Valerian, esteemed minds of progress, and loyal subjects of the empire¡ªwelcome to this year''s Grand Symposium." His voice was calm yet unwavering, carrying practiced authority.


    "Today, we gather as we always have, to celebrate our greatest achievements and to unveil the next innovations that will carry us into the future. Our ancestors built this city upon a foundation of steam, steel, and intellect. Our sacred obligation¡ªour duty¡ªis to continue that legacy."


    A wave of applause followed, polite but obligatory.


    Vorthem lifted a hand slightly, returning the hall to silence. "This year, however, we face a changing world. Airspace beyond our borders grows restless. Technology once thought lost is being uncovered. And dangerous questions follow. It is in such times that we must place our trust not in speculation, but in those who ensure stability."


    An uncomfortable pause settled over the room. Then, Chancellor Vorthem turned slightly, gesturing toward the far side of the stage, where a second figure emerged.


    A man clad in the unmistakable black-and-white greatcoat, embroidered with the silver insignia of the Empire''s Inquisitor Corps¡ªan eye encircled by rotating gears. His silver-streaked black hair was combed back neatly, his chiseled, battle-worn features coming into the light as he neared the podium. There was no theatricality in his posture, just a rigid authority that commanded attention.


    Beside him stood several Inquisitors, each wearing the same dark regalia. Their gazes were sharp and scrutinizing as they observed the room.


    "It is with great honor that I introduce one of the Empire''s most decorated officers¡ªHigh Inquisitor Lucian Dain." Chancellor Vorthem handed over the podium with practiced, elegant claps.


    A scattered applause rippled through the hall, some from loyalists, others more hesitant.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Cassian stood still, masking his expression, but his fingers curled subtly behind his back.


    Lucian surveyed the room, his piercing ice-blue gaze moving across the assembled aristocrats. Then, he gave a small bow, measured and precise.


    "It is an honor to stand before you all," he began, his voice deep. "The Inquisition exists not for ourselves, but for the security of this empire. Today, I have much to share with you. Progress is a delicate thing, and in delicate matters, order is necessary to control what lies beyond the veil of knowledge." His eyes flickered briefly toward Cassian.


    Cassian exhaled slowly, his chest tightening with unease.


    "Knowledge is the foundation upon which our empire was built," he continued. "It has given us dominion over the skies, mastery of steam, the power to shape the world. But history, if one is to study it, teaches us a different truth."


    He let the words settle, allowing their weight to press upon the crowd.


    "Knowledge is not always a gift. Sometimes, it is what breeds chaos. Sometimes, it is a curse. And sometimes¡ª" he paused, "¡ªit is a danger to those who seek it out."


    A murmur spread through the hall.


    Cassian''s fingers tightened further.


    "There are those who believe progress has no limits. That we must peer beyond the boundaries of the known, no matter the cost."


    Ice-blue met steel-grey.


    "Some of you may have heard whispers... discoveries. Technologies thought to be lost. Anomalies that defy the laws of physics as we understand them. Some among you may even believe such things should be pursued."


    Cassian felt the Inquisitor''s words piercing into him.


    Lucian''s voice remained steady, but there was something beneath it. "But let me tell you this. There are truths that were buried for a reason. Forces that should not be understood."


    The words were daggers wrapped in silk.


    "The Inquisition exists to protect. Not just from threats beyond our borders, but from the dangers of the unknown. Some lessons need not be learned twice."


    For a moment, the room remained in perfect silence. Then, a polite applause started¡ªnot enthusiastic, but cautious.


    High Chancellor Alistair Vorthem stepped forward again, his expression carefully neutral.


    "Thank you, High Inquisitor Dain, for your ever-watchful stewardship of our future," Vorthem said smoothly, his voice cutting through the applause. "His words are a reminder that progress must be tempered with wisdom. That the foundations upon which we stand can never be taken for granted."


    A low murmur of agreement swept through the hall¡ªsome nodding in approval, others glancing sideways at their peers.


    Cassian''s chest tightened as he turned and walked toward the exit. He pushed open the great brass doors, stepping out into the cool air. Tension coiled in his veins. He ran a hand through his dark hair, his jaw tight.


    Lucian''s piercing eyes still loomed in his mind, staring right into Cassian''s very soul. "Why?"


    "There are truths that were buried for a reason."


    Cassian inhaled sharply, trying to steady himself, but his pulse refused to slow. He walked to the edge, shaky hands clutching the railing as he peered down into the abyss below. A shrouded mist, lightning crashing inaudibly.


    A low hiss of steam caught his attention.


    The Vaelthorne carriage approached at the base of the steps. Standing by the open door, Aldric tilted his head at Cassian.


    Cassian let out a slow breath as he stepped inside. "Take me home, Aldric."


    Aldric gave a small nod as he followed, closing the door behind him. The carriage lurched forward.


    Cassian leaned back against the seat, staring out into the skyline of Valerian.

 ACT 1 - Chapter IV

    A pause lingered between them as the Vaelthorne study was illuminated only by dying embers, casting shadows on the tall mahogany bookshelves lining the walls.


    "Master Cassian, if I may," Aldric broke the silence over the crackling fire, his brass plating gleaming in the dim light.


    Cassian nodded once, sitting in his leather armchair, staring into the embers. His tailcoat lay draped over the armrest.


    "Would you care to tell me what precisely has you staring into the fireplace so intently?" the automaton asked, standing across from him, hands clasped neatly behind his back. His polished brass face was expressionless, but his glowing optics flickered¡ªan imitation of human concern.


    Cassian exhaled slowly, rubbing his forehead. "I''ve been having dreams lately."


    Aldric tilted his head slightly. "Fascinating. You are not usually one to dwell on such things."


    "This is different." Cassian''s jaw tightened.


    Aldric waited. Cassian''s voice was quieter than usual. Emotions were not something he allowed to cloud his mind¡ªhe considered them a waste of time.


    "I saw my father," Cassian murmured.


    Aldric did not move, but something shifted.


    "He was standing at the edge. The abyss. He was searching for something. He wasn''t afraid. He wanted to know more."


    Aldric''s optics dimmed slightly, mimicking a blink. "That does indeed sound like Lord Vaelthorne."


    Cassian clenched his fists. "He jumped, Aldric."


    Aldric remained silent, the soft hum of his gears the only response.


    "He didn''t hesitate," Cassian continued. "He stepped forward... and fell willingly. I saw something in the mists below, something unnatural, massive. It was watching him. Waiting."


    Aldric''s servos whirred softly, his head tilting slightly. "And then?"


    Cassian let out a shaky breath. "I woke up."


    The room fell silent, the quiet crackle of the embers the only sound.


    "It was only a dream, sir. Nothing more," Aldric said carefully.


    Cassian turned to him, his steel-grey eyes sharper now. "I''m not sure."


    Aldric hesitated for a moment. "Dreams, I am told, are often the result of the mind attempting to process information it cannot reconcile while awake."


    Cassian leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "That''s the thing, Aldric. I''ve never seen the abyss. I don''t know what''s down there. But it felt so real. I felt the cold, unstable air, the way the storm pulled at him. And that thing..." He broke off, staring blankly into the fire. "I have no idea how to explain it, but I have a feeling my father saw it too."


    Aldric''s optics blinked. "You believe Lord Vaelthorne was looking for something?"


    Cassian exhaled slowly. "Lucian''s speech. He knows something. It wasn''t just a warning to the Symposium. His speech didn''t mention any specifics, but his eyes told a different story. I feel he knows something, and I''m afraid my father is involved."


    "And now you believe you might be of interest to the Inquisition?" Aldric asked with a low mechanical hum.


    "I''m not sure. Maybe." Cassian glanced toward Aldric, his voice quieter. "If my father was right¡ªif he really was searching for something in the abyss¡ªand the empire found out..."


    Aldric studied him carefully. "I''m sure this is all one big coincidence, Master Cassian. Your skin has gone pale from lack of sunlight, sitting in your workshop. You haven''t eaten well lately or gotten sufficient rest."


    Cassian''s gaze hardened.


    "I''m sure there are no answers that need to be found here."


    "Answers," Cassian repeated, rising from his chair.


    "Sir?"


    Cassian pulled open a drawer in his father''s desk, revealing neatly stacked ledgers, contracts, and correspondence with various noble houses.


    "Useless."


    He moved to the second drawer, only to find more papers¡ªtrade reports, imperial decrees. The things his father had wanted him to study.


    "I shall fetch you a coffee, sir. I''m sure this will be another long night." Aldric''s optics blinked as he stepped out of the study.


    Cassian pulled out a stack of papers, slamming them onto the desk, scanning each one carefully. Nothing of value. No sign that his father had neglected the empire''s ways.


    He moved to the bookshelves, checking each row. Leather-bound tomes on aerodynamics, engineering, and imperial law. He trailed his fingers along the spines, searching for something out of place.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Nothing." Frustration prickled at his skin.


    Cassian exhaled sharply, stepping back. His father was a complex man¡ªa scientist, a man of logic¡ªbut also a man of secrets.


    His gaze fell upon a glass display case near the tall arched window. Inside, encased in polished brass and crystal, sat a collection of old artifacts¡ªVaelthorne heirlooms passed down through generations. At the center, an old ornate pocket watch with a silver casing engraved with a delicate swirling pattern.


    Cassian stared at it. His father always kept it close but never spoke much about it. It was just a pocket watch. Nothing suspicious about it.


    He stepped forward, unlatched the glass, and picked it up. It felt heavier than it looked.


    He pressed the latch. Nothing. The case didn''t open.


    Frowning, Cassian studied it more closely, turning it in his hands. He ran his fingers along the edges, feeling for an imperfection. Then¡ªa faint groove. A mechanism.


    Cassian pressed his thumb against it. A quiet click. The watch shifted. The back plate slid open.


    A small, folded slip of paper lay nestled inside.


    Cassian''s breath hitched. He freed it from the chamber, carefully unfolding it.


    The ink was slightly faded, the handwriting urgent and sloppy, but familiar.


    It has awoken. The answers lie in the mists.


    Cassian stared at the words, his pulse thundering in his ears. His chest tightened. The study felt smaller, darker, like the walls were pressing in.


    Suddenly, the door creaked open. "Sir," Aldric gently placed a mug on the desk. "Found anything of interest?"


    Before Cassian could answer, a knock echoed.


    A single, deliberate knock against the front doors.


    Cassian froze, casting a slow look toward Aldric, who stood by the fireplace. Aldric turned his head, his optics flickering.


    "We are not expecting visitors."


    Cassian swallowed, tucking the watch into his pocket.


    The knock came again. Patient. Measured.


    He made his way down the dimly lit corridor, each step echoing against the marble floor. The weight of the empty halls pressed against his spine.


    First, he hesitated by the door. Then, he clutched the handle tightly and carefully opened it to a rush of cool night air. The distant sounds of Valerian''s skybridges and the hum of steam vents filled the silence.


    "Cassian." Lucian greeted him, his ice-blue eyes as piercing as they had been at the Symposium. "You''ve been searching."


    Cassian''s throat went dry. He fought to keep his masked expression. "I''m not sure I understand what you mean."


    Lucian exhaled, a slight hint of amusement in his gaze. "You''re not as unreadable as you think, Lord Vaelthorne."


    Cassian''s fingers curled around the handle. Then he noticed, Lucian came alone, no guards were present. He exhaled through his nose.


    "You are not in any sort of trouble, I assure you, Young Master." Lucian''s piercing eyes softed, just a little. "I just wanted a word with you."


    Cassian scanned him for a long moment, he let out a sigh, his noble obligation made up his mind. "You might as well come in."


    Lucian bowed his head slightly and stepped across the threshold.


    The High Inquisitor stood, his eyes fixed in the fireplace, gloved hands clasped behind his back. "This was your father''s favorite room. He spent more time here than anywhere else." He started.


    Cassian''s jaw tightened. He did not reply.


    "You found something, didn''t you?"


    Cassian felt his pulse quickening. But he didn''t let himself react.


    Lucian let the silence stretch before he spoke again. "Your father was a brilliant man, Cassian. Perhaps too brilliant."


    Cassian narrowed his eyes. "If you''re implying my father is a traitor, then this meeting is over."


    "No." Lucian replied calmly. "Not a traitor. A seeker." His gaze flickered to the bookshelves, artifacts, the scattered documents Cassian had left in disarray from his search. "And seekers, Lord Vaelthorne, rarely meet pleasant ends."


    "What did he find?" Cassian swallowed a lump in his throat.


    Lucian''s eyes darkened. "Something dangerous."


    The words hung in the air like smoke.


    "Something happened to him." Cassian remarked, piercing steel-grey eyes stared at Lucian, as all nerves turned to anger.


    "He searched for answers. And found chaos. We did what we had to do."


    Cassian''s eyes widened, flared with fire. "What did you do?!" He screamed.


    Lucian, calm as ever. "I told you. What we had to do."


    Cassian fell into his father''s chair, losing control of his breathing.


    Aldric rushed to his side, placing his mechanical hand on Cassian''s chest. "Sir, deep breaths. Your vitals are getting unstable."


    "Your father dug up ancient secrets, Cassian. Knowledge that does not belong to us, and your father was close. Too close. To destroying everything we''ve built." Lucian turned to Cassian. "You remind me of him."


    A sad smirk stretched on Lucian''s face.


    "Be careful, Cassian. The abyss does not return what it takes." Lucian said, clenching his jaw.


    "It is time... you take your leave, Lord Daine." Cassian muttered.


    "As you wish, my lord." Lucian bowed once again, leaving the room.


    Lucian''s voice hung in the air, but the words felt distant, unreal.


    Cassian''s fingers curled too tightly, nails pressing into his palms. His chest felt tight, constricted. A tear ran down his face as he contained his feelings inside as hard as he could.


    "Master Cassian?" Aldric started. "Perhaps you need some fresh air."


    Cassian exhaled a sharp, uncontrolled breath, then a bitter laugh slipped through his teeth. "Fresh air." He repeated. "He''s dead, Aldric."


    "Yes." Aldric replied, his optics blinked slowly.


    Cassian''s inside felt like they would burst. Until finally. He screamed, letting out every emotion he held back. "Damn it!" He cried, eyes bloodshot and tears streaking down his cheeks.


    Aldric placed his metallic hand on Cassian''s head, an attempt at empathy. "There, there, Master Cassian." Aldric attempted.


    Cassian sniffled, stopping his tears. Behind his eyes roared a fire as he stared into the darkness of the study. "I am the Lord of House Vaelthorne now. Aldric, gather my subjects. I''m going to get my answers."

 ACT 1 - Chapter V

    Fexley sat with mild disapproval. He scanned the room, leaning back in his chair with crossed arms.


    "Alright. Let''s be clear about something," he muttered, voice rough with age and impatience. "I''m not here out of loyalty. I''m here because Lord Aeren had unfinished work, that I don''t want no imp to get their hands on. And now we have to trust this boy to finish it?"


    He scoffed and shook his head.


    "Cassian Vaelthorne is not his father."


    Thaddeus Wren broke the silence, who had been silent up until now. The old scholar sat, his hands neatly folded together on the table.


    "You doubt him because he is young," Wren began, his voice steady. "Because he is yet to carry the weight of the name as his father did. So let me tell you this, Master Armand Fexley. Lord Aeren was not always a great man, he was made into one. Just as his son will now."


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    Fexley''s eyes narrowed at Wren. "You are putting too much faith in an untested noble boy."


    Wren met the gaze without hesitation. "No, Master Fexley, I am putting my faith in a Vaelthorne."


    "Vaelthorne commands. We obey." An operative, clad in navy blue, spoke out, hands clasped behind their back and expression unreadable. Unlike the others, they had not taken a seat.


    A dry laugh left Fexley''s lips. "How quaint. Blind loyalty from the soldier."


    "Oh, let the boy have his chance," Emilia mused, a knife twirling between her fingers, one of her boots propped up on the table. "He might surprise us. Or he might crumble under the weight of all that inherited responsibility. Either way, it''ll be entertaining."


    Fexley shot a glare. "You don''t trust him either, smuggler."


    Emilia shrugged. The dim light cast a shadow masking her face. "Noble borns tend to disappoint, unfortunately."


    Aldric stood silently, hands behind his back, by the doors of the meeting room. Waiting for his master''s arrival to the gathered meeting. His gears whirring softly as he observed the subjects discussing.


    A click silenced the room.


    Slowly, the brass doors of the meeting room opened.


    Cassian Vaelthorne entered. But not the boy they had been discussing. He moved, unwavering. Each step, a deliberate announcement of his authority.


    The Lord of House Vaelthorne had arrived.


    His deep navy-blue tailcoat was adorned with brass filigree and a commanding high collar, whispered against the obsidian floor. Gaslight caught the edges of his polished boots, cleaming off his fine metal cufflinks. The Vaelthorne sigil, an intricate embroidery traced across his chest.


    His posture radiated certainty¨Cchin raised, shoulders squared, gaze unflinching. Stee-grey eyes assessed each person at the table, cold and calculating, as if determining their worth.


    A ghost of his father.


    The air grew a little heavier in his presence, as if the chamber had remembered its true purpose.


    The ever-watchful automaton, Aldric, lowered his head in silent acknowledgment of his lord.


    Wren followed suit, an old gesture of respect.


    The others, however, remained watching, measuring.


    Arms still crossed, Fexley muttered something under his breath, but did not challenge Cassian.


    Emilia sat up slightly, as she raised an amused eyebrow. Her usual smirk faltered.


    The Black Sigil Guard operative simply nodded, eyes glinted behind their dark visor, recognizing something in the young lord.


    Cassian reached the head of the table, but did not sit. Instead, he placed both his hands on the polished obsidian surface.


    "You all have questions. Good." His voice was steady, measured, absolute. His gaze flickering across them. "But let me make one thing clear. House Vaelthorne did not fall with my father."


    He straightened.


    "It stands. And it stands with me."


    The young Lord turned first to Thaddeus Wren, who sat with his hands folded.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Professor, my father left behind critical research, hidden with the archives of this estate. We need to uncover every last page."


    Wren lifted his head.


    "Already begun, Lord Vaelthorne. But if I may. Your father did not leave his knowledge freely. Some encoded, fragmented and cryptic. I will need time to decipher his intentions."


    "Take the time you need," Cassian replied, placing both hands on the table. His gaze shifted to Fexley, meeting his sharp eyes below bushy brows. "Fexley, you worked with my father. You worked alongside him on a classified project. I need you to follow your last order from him in the forgeworks and continue the construction on that Aether Extractor."


    Fexley slowly sat up from his leaned back position, eyes widening. "Aether... Extractor?" He asked, as he darted his eyes around the room.


    "Fexley," Cassian called, his voice iron. "There are no Imperials in this room, or even in this estate. Our words are safe here."


    The engineer let out a familiar scoff, falling back to his usual self. "The imps have caught on, your father is not the only one who knows about Aether anymore."


    "We will continue our operation nonetheless, Master Fexley," Cassian explained.


    Fexley frowned. "House Vaelthorne''s alliance with the Free Skies died with your father."


    "That''s why she is here," Cassian remarked, nodding toward Emilia.


    Emilia tapped a finger on the table, looking too entertained by the proceedings.


    "This is Emilia Ravenshade, a smuggler of the Free Skies. She was sent here to rebuild that alliance." Cassian introduced.


    "At first I thought you just brought me here to watch the nobles play their games," she purred.


    Cassian met her gaze. "You are here because it benefits both parties."


    "Of course," Emilia agreed, a sly smirk on her face. "But what are we talking here?"


    "Thirty percent," Cassian replied simply. "We provide you with the equipment necessary to obtain it, you just bring the ship."


    Emilia exhaled through her nose, "Forty percent. For the recruitment cost, fuel or if there are any damages to the ship or crew."


    "Forty it is."


    Cassian''s sharp gaze turned to the silent operative. "You maintain security over this House. The Empire have proven threatening toward our House. Send out your spies, figured what they know, what they want to know, and what they will do next."


    The soldier bowed their head slightly. "Understood, Lord Vaelthorne."


    "Thank you, Captain Rylen." Cassian straightened, looking across them. Some showed trust, others doubt, some duty. He clenched sweaty hands behind his back, exhaling quickly through his nose.


    "You have your orders. This meeting is dismissed." Cassian''s voice cut through the chamber like tempered steel.


    The doors swung open.


    Lady Evelyn strode in like an unsheathed blade, cloaked in navy and black.


    "That''s enough." Her voice, smooth but commanding. Her cold, calculating gaze piercing through Cassian like ice. "You''ve played at this long enough, Cassian. The Vaelthorne name is not claimed, it is earned."


    Cassian stood fast, unflinching. "Leave us," he commanded, casting an eye at his subjects.


    For a moment, no one moved. Casting looks at each other.


    Then, Captain Rylen bowed his head and exited without a word.


    Fexley scoffed and shook his head, but followed.


    A smirk stretched across Emilia''s face, before she did as Cassian commanded.


    Thaddeus Wren hesitated, his eyes locked on Lady Evelyn, then he looked at Cassian.


    "Master Wren," Cassian ordered, politely.


    Thaddeus obeyed with a silent bow, before he stood up.


    The doors closed behind Lady Evelyn, who''s eyes never left Cassian''s. Silence hung in the air of the chamber like smoke. Her eyes narrowed.


    "This game ends here."


    "I don''t see what the game is, Aunt." Cassian replied simply, his voice smooth.


    Evelyn took a step forward, placing herself close to Cassian, an intimidation attempt.


    Cassian did not flinch.


    "Your father built this house with his mind, his brilliance. You believe you can simply take his place?" Her voice grew coarser.


    "I am my father''s son. The rightful heir to House Vaelthorne. I will not be questioned."


    "You are not your father," she said, a vein forming on her forehead.


    Cassian''s hands curled into fists behind his back. His eyes locked into hers. "I will be better."


    "You think with name alone, gives you the power?" Her voice raised. "The Inquisition is watching. Your father''s allies are scattered or turned against him. And yet, you stand here, ordering spies and engineers like you are at war."


    Cassian didn''t blink. "Because I am getting ready for what''s to come."


    Lady Evelyn exhaled sharply.


    "You are making a big mistake, Cassian. You have no idea of the power you are playing with."


    He stepped toward her now, standing firm and controlled. "I am the Lord of House Vaelthorne. Our House is on the verge of collapse, so I am doing what is necessary to keep us standing."


    For the first time, Lady Evelyn didn''t have a reply. Only the sound of her increasingly uncontrolled breathing echoed in the chamber.


    "This matter is settled." Cassian said, spoken like his father.


    "No, you cannot¡ª"


    "Silence!" Cassian''s voice rang loud, echoes lingering in tall ceiling. Then, the chamber fell silent.


    Lady Evelyn flung herself around, her heels clicking loudly as she left the room, but stopped by the threshold. "Don''t expect me to pick up the pieces when you make a mess of it."


    Cassian exhaled, tension crawling up his spine as he watched his aunt slam the door behind her. Evelyn wasn''t wrong, the name weighed heavy on his shoulders. He knew the empire had their eyes on him, and that earning his title fast was crucial for not only his house''s survival, but also his own.

 ACT 1 - Chapter VI

    "If I may, sir," Aldric asked, a dim gaslight casted flickering shadows on his brass face.


    Cassian, in deep concentration, nodded slowly.


    Aldric''s head inclined, optics flickering. "How did you uncover your father''s classified projects so easily? While others who have tried, say Lady Evelyn, had not managed to even unearth a fraction of what you have."


    Still deep in thought, Cassian sat for a moment, finishing his thought on paper as he noted it down. "I am a Vaelthorne am I not? What do Vaelthornes do, Aldric?"


    "Endure in shadows, sir?"


    "We are a fortress of knowledge." Cassian closed his note book, his gaze floating to the window.


    "A vague answer, as usual, Master Cassian," Aldric replied, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.


    Cassian sighed, a slight smirk on his face. "I uncovered a cryptic note here in his study. He had rearranged the words into a messy collection on the page. But if you took each of the first letters, then each of the second letters and so on. A brief summary of his plans uncovered, as well as his allies."


    "That is how you knew about Aether," Aldric remarked, "and this Emilia Ravenshade."


    "Yes, Aldric. That note told me everything I needed to know. It wasn''t a full instruction but I understood what my father intended for me to know." Cassian''s eyes softened, finally letting go of the role¡ªjust for a moment¡ªwatching the night sky as the sky bridge echoed in the distance.


    "I can''t help but to notice you''re more quiet as of late, Master Cassian. You seemed troubled." Aldric observed, tilting his head.


    Cassian sat silently, Aldric''s words swirling in his mind. "I can''t be a boy anymore, Aldric. I am the leader of this House now."


    "I still see that boy in you, sir."


    "Its time to forget that boy, Aldric," Cassian said, letting his eyes fall to his book. "I''m going to get some sleep, we have a lot to do in the morning."


    Aldric straightened, his gears whirring, as if processing his next order. "Of course, sir. You go ahead, I will watch your work here in the study."


    "Thank you, Aldric."


    ¡ª


    The forgeworks clanged with the sound of metal on metal, bolts getting tightened and the hissing of steam valves. Large, churning gears and pistons lined the walls of the vast, stretching hall. The air was thicker this far underground, concealed from the outside world. The scent of oil and hot metal filled the air.


    Labor automatons and engineers carried out their tasks, given by Master Engineer Armand Fexley as servitor probes skittered across the floors, transporting tools and parts¡ªmaintaining the ever-moving mechanisms.


    At the center of it all, a massive workbench held a half-built contraption, with blueprints scattered around in an organized mess.


    Master Fexley studied the blueprints, scratching the brown mop on his head.


    "How goes the project, Master Fexley?" Cassian asked, as he approached.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Fexley''s eyes shot up, then almost as fast, went straight back down to his work. "We would be on schedule if it weren''t for that smuggler," he pointed out, irritation lacing his voice. "She keeps putting her nose in matters that do not concern her."


    A chuckle came from a pair of crates behind them, atop them sat Emilia, twirling a wrench between her fingers. "Just pointing out what I see, My Lord."


    "Free Skies understand the weather in the mists better than we ever could, Master Fexley. It would be wise to take her words into consideration." Cassian placed a hand on the blueprints¡ªstudying them briefly.


    "I will not take advice from a smuggler." Fexley scoffed.


    "Then let me make it simple for you," Cassian started, straightening himself, "Emilia, from this moment on, you are Fexley''s advisor on this project. Tell him all he needs to know about the gravitational storms in the mists and help him tune the extractor to withstand the hazards and harvest the Aether efficiently."


    A fierce glare shot from under Fexley''s bushy brows.


    Cassian met his glare, steel-grey piercing into him.


    Fexley exhaled through his nose in frustration, as he muttered under his breath. He turned back to the extractor, tinkering on it loudly.


    Emilia sat, the smirk turned to a sly smile.


    "Glad to see it is understood. Keep up the work on the extractor."


    Cassian took a last look at Fexley, before stepping away.


    ¡ª


    "Master Wren," Cassian greeted, running a finger along the book spines as he walked by a towering bookshelf that stretched to the ceiling.


    Thaddeus sat by his desk, before him a stack of papers, half-translated manuscripts and ciphered messages lay scattered. A dim gaslight flickered, casting shimmers on a brass lorgnette held up to his eyes. Noticing Cassian enter, he put them down gently on the papers before him.


    "What can I do for you, My Lord?" He asked, hands folded together on the table.


    "Loyalty is not easy to come by these days," Cassian started, "you, however, showed it without any hesitation. Why is that, Master Wren?"


    "You are the heir to the House, My Lord. By law I should follow you." Wren answered, a polite but obligatory tone in his voice.


    Cassian hid a smile as he studied the bookshelf. "Your devotion to House Vaelthorne will not go unnoticed."


    "I am happy to hear it, My Lord." Wren bowed his head, gently.


    "How goes your search?"


    Wren went for a book sitting neatly at the corner of his desk, flicking to the correct page. "This is your father''s journal. It contains a lot one wouldn''t suspect, such as steam engine designs, talk of imperial requests and so on. However," Wren frowned, "an equation is written here, almost frantically, like he was running out of time."


    "May I?" Cassian asked, gesturing to the journal.


    "Of course." Wren passed the book.


    Cassian narrowed his eyes. The handwriting was rushed, unlike his father''s usually precise notes. Equations sprawled across the page, numbers and symbols looped back over themselves, contradicting the known laws of physics. "He was calculating gravitational pulls. But not Empyra''s gravity, something else, something that grows."


    "The mist''s gravity?" Wren asked.


    Cassian exhaled slowly. "It seems like it." His father''s notes grew more chaotic as he continued down the page. Notes were erased and rewritten multiple times, as his father continuously corrected himself.


    "The gravitational storms in the mist is too erratic and unpredictable to understand. I fear even a Vaelthorne can''t make sense of it." Wren explained, frowning.


    ''The pattern exists. The pattern exists. The pattern exists.'' The phrase repeated in hurried scripts here and there.


    "The storms aren''t random, there is a hidden pattern in the chaos," Cassian explained, "my father knew something. This equation could be the reason the Empire wanted him gone."


    "I''m sorry, My Lord. I can only see scribbles of a chaotic mind. Your father did grow more unusual before his passing. I fear this is the result of years of stagnant growth after generations of world changing innovations. House Vaelthorne has proven to slow down in the field of discovery the past few years. This might have affected your father, his need to fulfill the duty of his House may have broken him, I''m afraid."


    "No," Cassian denied, "these chaotic scribbles make sense, he was onto something." As he stared at the broken equation, he began to fill in the gaps in his mind. "The pattern exists," he muttered under his breath.

 ACT 1 - Chapter VII

    Cassian stood at the precipice of nothing, as a swirling abyss below him roared. The air around him felt suffocating, as if the abyss pulled his very soul from his body. Something massive moved below the clouds, like a leviathan under black water.


    A voice¨Cfelt, unspoken¨Cslithered into Cassian''s mind. "Fall."


    Cassian staggered back, the abyss watching him.


    The capitol was set ablaze. Scorched skyships fell around him like dying embers. Valerian collapsed under fire.


    A silhouette stood towering before him, the steel of the empire''s insignia glimmered. Bloodied gauntlets held a sword to his throat.


    Another figure, cloaked in shadows, whispering a language he did not recognize. It reached out to him, calling him. "Fall." A force pulled him violently, crushing the ground beneath his feet. He fell, the abyss devouring him, pulling him into the endless depths.


    Cassian jolted awake, gasping for air. His body felt cold, yet sweat clung to his skin. The darkness of his bedroom felt too quiet, as his pulse hammered into his ribs and up to his ears. The echoes of the dream still loomed, repeating itself. The abyss and the burning city still clawed at the edges of his mind. He pressed a trembling hand up to his forehead, his breath uneven.


    A soft pressurized hiss of steam broke the silence. Aldric''s gears hummed awake, as his optics lit up. "Master Cassian, is everything alright?"


    Cassian moved to the edge of his bed, his elbows rested on his knees, his hands clasped together as he stared at the floor without seeing it. "It was just a dream, Aldric, I''m alright."


    "Another sleepless night," Aldric pointed out, "they are becoming more frequent of late, sir."


    Cassian lifted his head as Aldric stepped into the candle light. "I don''t think I will ever truly rest anymore."


    Aldric tilted his head. "Your father often said the same."


    Cassian''s breath slowed, running a hand through his dark hair, his chest tight, as if someone was pressing on it. "Did he ever mention what haunted him?"


    Aldric stood quiet for a moment, the lights in his optics flickering. "No, sir. But I do believe that it never left him."


    "Comforting," Cassian chuckled.


    Aldric''s mechanic joints clicked as he picked up a glass of water from the bedside table, offering it without a word. Cassian accepted it silently, his hands still shaking.


    "Would you like to talk about it, sir?" Aldric asked, after observing him.


    Cassian hesitated. His nightmare was washing out from his mind, the details becoming more obscure and harder to make out. The images dissolved like ink in water.


    His fingers tightened around the glass, as he let out a sharp exhale from his nose. "No."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Then at least try to get some more rest, Master Cassian," his voice was steady, though a hint of warmth in it, "Tomorrow will demand much from you."


    Cassian huffed softly, setting down the glass. "Tomorrow always does."


    Aldric bowed his head slightly. "Then like a Vaelthorne in shadows, you will endure." He turned, his movements precise, and exited without another word. Leaving Cassian alone with his thoughts.


    Cassian ate without any real hunger. The scent of Aldric''s fresh baked bread and roasted meats filled the air of the empty dining hall, but he barely noticed. Before him lay a plate of fresh roasted ham, neatly arranged eggs and a loaf of steaming toast, however, the tea pot took up his attention. He stirred his tea, his eyes lost in a trance.


    Across from him stood Aldric¨Capron and all¨Ccomposed with his hands neatly clasped together behind his back.


    "You are uncharacteristically quiet yet again, Master Cassian," Aldric observed.


    Cassian smirked to himself, stirring his tea. "You are uncharacteristically concerned."


    Aldric''s servos hummed, as he tilted his head. "An observation is not concern, merely data collected. Your appetite has diminished. Your collar and cheekbones are protruding more than usual. Your sleep cycle has been irregular. There is a seventy-six percent chance you are troubled."


    Cassian chuckled dryly. "And what''s the twenty-four percent?"


    "Indigestion."


    Cassian shook his head, amused despite himself. "Reassuring as always, Aldric."


    The doors of the dining hall opened.


    Lady Evelyn entered, high heels clicking, dressed impeccably like always.


    Aldric bowed his head, greeting her politely. Cassian did not.


    "Evelyn," Cassian said, setting down his tea cup.


    Lady Evelyn did not sit, she stopped by the edge of the table, a white envelope between her fingers.


    "Lord Ravencourt is hosting a gathering, a celebration between the noble houses. It would be unwise to not attend."


    Cassian scoffed, going for a piece of toast. "How dull."


    "It is an opportunity," Evelyn continued, ignoring his dismissiveness. "Your presence would reaffirm House Vaelthorne''s standing in the court. Something we dearly need right now. Declining it would not go unnoticed."


    Cassian paused, mid-bite, studying her unreadable features. "What is it exactly that they want?"


    Evelyn met his gaze, unflinching. "To see if you still belong among them." She set down the envelope, facing Cassian, the wax insignia of House Ravencourt staring at him.


    He set down his toast, leaning back in his chair, his eyes flicking to the envelope on the table. "They have waited years to bury us," Cassian murmured, "why do the Ravencourts suddenly want to play allies?"


    "Perhaps to see what kind of man you have become," Lady Evelyn answered simply.


    Cassian studied her for a moment. "I assume you want me to accept."


    "It would be wise." Her gaze pierced into him.


    Cassian smirked faintly. "Then I guess I''ll have to make an appearance." He watched as she inclined her head slightly, then left without a word, leaving the invitation in front of him. He stared at it for a long moment, before picking it up.


    "A curious event," Aldric remarked.


    Cassian twirled the envelope between his fingers. "That''s one way to put it." He frowned.


    "Shall I prepare your banquet tailcoat, sir?" Aldric offered, leaning over Cassian¡¯s shoulder, his eyes flicking from the envelope to Cassian.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s get dolled up for the nobles,¡± Cassian said with a sigh.

 ACT 1 - Chapter VIII

    The air was thick with the scent of perfume, and the soft hum of instruments barely masked the murmuring voices. Automaton waiters, carrying trays of wine and finger food whirred around on wheeled legs, making sure no noble was left empty handed.


    Cassian strode through the great doors of the Ravencourt ballroom, feeling eyes on him from all around.


    "Quite the reception," Emilia said, barely moving her lips.


    Cassian did not reply and kept walking, his arm neatly folded to his stomach, carrying Emilia''s hand on his forearm.


    "I must say I''m honored, my lord," she hummed, amused, glancing around her, "You inviting me to come with you. Never thought I would be waltzing around with high society. Especially not as a Lord''s date."


    "You were not invited," Cassian scoffed, "and you''re not my date. I brought you, to keep up appearances. A noble without a companion, is a noble under scrutiny."


    Emilia''s eyes glinted with amusement. "So, you needed me."


    Cassian exhaled, keeping his gaze forward as they descended the staircase to the central floor. "Needed is a strong word."


    Emilia''s smirk grew. "I like strong words."


    He did not reply, but could feel her eyes watching him¡ªas the other nobles.


    "So the Vaelthorne pup finally decided to crawl out of his cave," a voice murmured.


    Eyes flicked toward him, some curious, some calculating.


    "A shame what happened to his father."


    "I thought that house had gone quiet?"


    "The boy walks as if he owns the place," another voice murmured by a column, "typical Vaelthorne arrogance."


    Cassian did not slow, his expression remained unreadable.


    Emilia''s smirk disappeared as her eyes flicked to Cassian. "Notice that? All the nobles are looking at you, like some puzzle they can''t solve."


    "Let them look," Cassian said, "They will remember the power of my name soon enough."


    Emilia''s smirk returned.


    Noble guests parted slightly as he walked, their bodies shifting like a tide, murmurs as they passed.


    "Nothing like being whispered about while you''re still in the damn room," she murmured under her breath.


    Cassian smirked, adjusting his cuffs. "It''s a noble pastime. Gossip is their second language."


    An automaton carrying a tray of wine, slowed next to them, tilting it''s head. "Valis Red, my lord?"


    Cassian took a glass for Emilia and himself. "Thank you," he said before the automaton whirred away, "machines however, no lies, judgements or ruses. They follow strict rules and patterns. Nothing hidden."


    "So you prefer brass, steam and gears over flesh and blood?" Emilia asked, frowning.


    "Absolutely." Cassian took a sip of his wine, it''s dry bitterness lacing his tongue, but the alcohol soothed his nerves.


    Emilia took a big sip, emptying half the glass in one go. "Not all people are like them, Cassian," her voice now gentle, her sarcastic facade diminishing, "some you can trust with your life. Some would take bullets for you. Not because of duty or obligation, but because of love and loyalty."


    Cassian scoffed. "I have never seen a loyalty without coin. There is always something in return."


    "Let me know the day you want to see the real world, my lord," Emilia''s tone switched, back to her facade, as she finished her wine.


    The conversations around the hall quieted down as Lord Edward Ravencourt stepped onto a brass balcony overlooking ballroom. A wine glass raised in one hand and other on the railing. His golden eyes, cast a sweeping glance across the room, with a forced, but practiced smile.


    ¡±Esteemed guests, my lords and ladies of Valerian, it is my greatest honor to welcome you tonight!" His voice was smooth, practiced and carried effortlessly over the nobles. "We stand in a time of change, a time of great innovation and progress. A time where we should stand as a unity. Because only together can we ensure that our legacy endures," he said, casting a flickering eye to Cassian. "Let us set aside rivalries and celebrate what makes our grand capitol great!"


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Cassian scoffed quietly to himself, taking another sip of wine. "A bunch of nothing."


    "Quite the performance he''s got here. Very touching," Emilia remarked, as she grabbed another wine from a passing automaton.


    Lord Ravencourt raised his glass higher. "To Valerian. To the noble blood that guides it. And to those brave enough to claim the future."


    A wave of polished agreement rushed through the hall, glasses raised and smiles exchanged. The party resumed, the stringed instruments hummed again as rich conversations and clinking glasses filled the room.


    "Subtle," Cassian said.


    Emilia chuckled. "I thought he was going to be more dramatic, with that suit of gold and all."


    "Lord Edward Ravencourt has always been a man of grand gestures," Cassian huffed, his gaze fixed on Lord Ravencourt who was in a deep conversation with a cluster of nobles.


    "Lord Vaelthorne." A voice laced in smooth, unhurried precision.


    Cassian turned.


    "Lord Dain," he greeted.


    Lucian was dressed in imperial black with a gold trim, just a few steps away. He stood without his usual retinue of inquisitors, attending the ball as a guest. His expression calm, almost polite.


    "A word, if you would."


    Cassian met his gaze, unwavering, studying the High Inquisitor for a moment.


    "Lead the way," Cassian obliged, handing his glass to Emilia who had already finished hers.


    Lucian led him through the corridors of Ravencourt''s estate, away from the main ballroom. Music and laughter become more distant as they walked. The air grew colder and quieter as they stopped by a tall window, overlooking Valerian. For a moment Lucian stood quietly, simply looking out the window, his hands clasped behind his back.


    Cassian exhaled, arms crossed. A lump forming in his throat, but he remained his composure. "This must be important, dragging me so far from the crowd."


    Lucian stood in silence for a moment longer, before he looked at him. "I see the change in you. You''re becoming more unreadable, a handy skill in the court."


    "I doubt you pulled me aside to compliment my mannerisms, Lord Dain. Let''s just skip to the reason you wanted to talk," Cassian spoke, controlled, but tension building in his chest.


    Lucian''s jaw tightened. "I am not your enemy, Lord Vaelthorne," he said, "I came to warn you."


    "Warn me or threaten me?" Cassian asked, tilting his head slightly.


    Lucian ignored the remark, his eyes piercing into Cassian, almost like a plea.


    "I know what you are doing, Lord Vaelthorne, and I urge you to put a stop to this frantic search. Your father was a brilliant man, and his creations and discoveries are the reason we have come this far. But brilliance is not loyalty. He delved too deep, too dangerously, he was a risk. Do not follow the footsteps of your father." Lucian''s eyes softened.


    Cassian''s fingers turned into a fist behind his back. "My father was murdered. Do you expect his son to sit idly by without knowing the reason?"


    Lucian sighed, as if he was prepared for Cassian''s answer. "You think you are different from him, but you are making the same mistakes. You are pushing against a force you can''t comprehend. This force will break you."


    The steel-grey in Cassian''s eyes darkened. "What knowledge is so dangerous it can take people''s lives?"


    "Knowledge that creates chaos," Lucian answered simply, setting a silence between them. "Walk away, Cassian. This is your last chance."


    Cassian met his gaze, unflinching, fire in his eyes. "Nothing can stop me from finding the truth. Not even an empire."


    "You will be forcing my hand," Lucian warned, his soft tone disappearing.


    Cassian stood quietly for a moment, steel-grey on ice-blue. Then a smile stretched on his face. "Then you should sharpen your blade, Lord Dain." He turned, ending the conversation.


    "So be it," Lucian sighed, exhaling slowly.


    Reentering the ballroom, the lump in his throat growing larger, as his breathing became harder to control. The imperials were watching his every move. His mind raced, as he planned for a quiet exit.


    Cassian''s eyes barely had time to meet Emilia''s before she was detained, an inquisitor in black restraining her hands behind her back as another with his weapon drawn.


    Cassian''s chest twisted, as he rushed forward. "Hey! How dare you¨C"


    Before he could finish his sentence, the music faltered as imperial officers filled the room, circling Cassian, weapons pointing at him.


    The conversations halted to an eerie silence, as Lucian stepped forward calmly. "Cassian Vaelthorne."


    Cassian met Lucian''s unwavering gaze, his nails digging into his palms.


    "By order of the Imperial Court, under the authority of the Crown, you are placed under arrest for crimes against the Empire."


    A slow, deliberate smirk stretched on Cassian''s face. "Crimes, huh? The truth is too much to handle? Your empire is weak."


    Lucian did not react to his threats, his face remaining unreadable. "Your house has fallen, Cassian. Don''t fight it."


    Cassian''s eyes flicked to Emilia, who struggled against the inquisitors grip. Her eyes met his.


    "You leave her out of it, she isn''t part of my house," Cassian said, his facade faltering.


    "Emilia Ravenshade," Lucian started, her name spoken was a dagger into Cassian''s gut. "By order of the Imperial Court, under the authority of the Crown, you are placed under arrest for conspiring with House Vaelthorne and their crimes against the Empire."


    "Lucian!" Cassian screamed as he charged forward, only to be stopped by the guards. "You killed my father, and now you will kill me is that right? Did your friendship with him really die because of money and power? Are you really that easily swayed?"


    Cassian''s voice rang throughout the hall. He noticed a slight twitch in Lucian''s eyes, as silence filled the room for a small moment.


    Lucian stared at him, before he spoke again. "Take him away."


    "Traitor! You fucking coward!" Cassian''s screams echoed eerily in the hall of nobles as they dragged him out, like a wild animal in captivity.

 ACT 1 - Chapter IX

    ¡±This is not the future I wanted for him,¡± Lady Evelyn said, standing by the towering window. Her watered eyes stared at Valerian¡¯s misty skyline, grey and gold blurred the buildings.


    ¡±This is the only way your house has a chance at survival,¡± Lucian spoke softly, standing by his wooden desk, a black gloved hand resting on it. ¡°His name needs to be stripped, his power revoked. He can no longer be the leader of your house. He would only be a noble by blood, but not by the crown.¡±


    ¡°But he is not to be harmed in any way. He is still my¡ª¡° Her voice wavered.


    ¡±I know,¡± Lucian said, ¡°The only harm that could fall on him, is the one he invites himself.¡±


    She sniffled. ¡°You do not understand. He is reckless, like his father. He will never stop struggling.¡±


    ¡±You have my terms, this is your only choice. Either this, or the destruction of your house.¡±


    Lady Evelyn exhaled slowly, masking her expression into something unreadable before she turned to face him. ¡±No harm will come to him.¡±


    ¡±You have my word, Evelyn. I have no wish to harm Aeren¡¯s son,¡± Lucian reassured, studying her.


    Lady Evelyn straightened. ¡±Just make sure he can¡¯t sway those loyal to him. You have to destroy not just his inheritance, but his reputation among his subjects. Some of them would follow him to the grave just because of their loyalty to his father.¡±


    His sharp and calculating gaze had fallen to a dull, unfocused stare into nothingness. Cassian sat, his back pressed against the cold marble wall of his meticulously kept chamber. It was no dungeon, no criminals would be kept here, only nobles. There were no rusted iron bars, no damp stone or foul odors. Instead, polished marble walls with brass fixtures gleaming under the flickering gaslight. A prison dressed in finery.


    Cassian''s elbows rested on his knees, his fingers clasped loosely in front of him, curling repeatedly. As if his fingers had an itch that were impossible to scratch. His fine navy-blue tailcoat lay discarded on the bed, and the top buttons of his shirt undone, in an attempt to lessen the burden of the situation.


    Time had lost meaning, as hours had passed but he had to way of telling how many.


    His eyes closed briefly, his mind beginning to work against him.


    "Cassian Vaelthorne, you are placed under arrest." Echoed painfully in his head.


    His fingers twitched again, as a sharp click echoed through the quiet chamber. The door opened.


    He opened his eyes slowly to see an imperial prison guard let someone in.


    Cassian did not move, he remained seated.


    A familiar worn waistcoat, slightly disheveled, as if they rushed here without the time to properly straighten themself. Professor Thaddeus Wren''s spectacles caught the dim light, reflecting flickering gold for a brief moment, before revealing a worried frown.


    Cassian exhaled, tilting his head slightly. "Wouldn''t think they''d let a scholar into the lion''s den."


    Wren gave a dry smile. He waited for the cell door to click shut before he spoke. "Knowledge is harmless in the hands of a delusional old man," he said, then his expression darkened, "but there are always limits."


    Cassian''s brows furrowed. He gestured slightly to the seat across from him.


    Wren sat without hesitation, straightening his coat as he seated. "I finished decoding your father''s work," he said quietly, "you were right, the pattern does exist."


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "You''re certain?" Cassian''s eyes widened slightly, then shot his eyes quickly to the cell door.


    Wren gave a nod. "More certain than I would like to be." He reached a hand into his coat and pulled out a small, folded page. He handed it to Cassian.


    Cassian picked it up without hesitation, casting watchful eyes.


    "Cassian," Wren said, a sinister seriousness in his tone, "It''s linked to you."


    "Explain."


    Wren leaned forward, his voice almost reverent. "You father wasn''t only mapping the storms in the mists. He was tracking an anomaly, something that disrupts the cycle. Something that shouldn''t be there." His eyes locked onto Cassian''s. "All the calculations point to you."


    The words hung in the air.


    Cassian chuckled. "This is ridiculous¨C"


    "This is the truth," Wren interrupted. "You are your father''s greatest work. He hid a code inside the equation, the location of his secret workshop, something no one knew about, not even his closest, most trusted allies."


    Cassian let out a slow breath. He swallowed.


    ¡°None of this matters anymore, Wren,¡± Cassian said, ¡°my legacy is over, my titles are to be revoked, and the power in my name will be erased from history. Lord Ravencourt is probably opening a bottle as we speak.¡± He chuckled dryly.


    Wren let out a sigh. ¡°We will find a way to make it right with the Empire, my lord.¡±


    ¡±You don¡¯t have to call me that anymore, Wren. I¡¯m not a noble anymore.¡±


    The sharp click echoed once again in the chamber, as a guard opened the door. ¡°On your feet,¡± he barked, his voice sharp and indifferent.


    Cassian did not reply, just stared back at the guard, then slowly rose to his feet.


    The guard entered the chamber and pulled a pair of restraints from his belt. ¡°You¡¯d better take your leave now,¡± he said to Wren, as he cuffed Cassian¡¯s hands.


    Wren¡¯s breath hitched. ¡±Everything will be just fine Cassian, you will be okay, just do what they say and I will talk with Lady Evelyn. House Vaelthorne¡¯s lawyers can still help you¡ª¡°


    ¡°Shut it. Leave, now,¡± the guard snapped, as he pulled Cassian with him out of the cell, leaving Wren standing by the chamber door.


    ¡±Take good care of Aldric, Wren.¡± Cassian spoke as he was being pulled forcefully.


    Cassian exhaled, following the guard with as much dignity as his weakened body could force out. Thick, scarred arms pulled at his restraints without remorse. It was clear all he cared about was to get Cassian to the destination as fast as he could.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Cassian asked, wincing slightly from the chafing on his wrists.


    The guard said nothing, only pulled at his restraints to follow. Cassian nearly stumbled, but steadied himself and squared his shoulders with a hiss.


    ¡°Not a talker,¡± Cassian murmured under his breath.


    The silence of the guard finally settled in Cassian¡¯s head. The urgency, the restraints. Something was off.


    ¡°Where¡ª¡° His voice cut off when they reached towering brass doors with inlays of the Empire¡¯s insignia.


    The guard shoved the doors open to blinding sunlight and a thunderous roaring from what seemed to be the entire population of Valerian.


    Cassian blinked, as the sunlight warmed up on his skin, his breath catching in his throat.


    The Grand Imperial Plaza. Thousands of people surrounded the platform, chanting and screaming at him. Atop the platform stood a retinue of Imperial officers and the High Chancellor, along with Lucian. They all stared at him, awaiting his arrival.


    Cassian¡¯s gut twisted violently. ¡°Aunt?¡±


    Lady Evelyn stood, unreadable, next to Lucian. Dressed impeccably, with her hands neatly folded in front of her. She looked at him only for a moment, then turned away.


    The prison guard, pulled Cassian and threw him down to his knees on the center of the platform, a public display for the people. The crowd roared into a cheer.


    Then with a raise of the High Chancellor¡¯s hand, they hushed. ¡°Before you today, you see a symbol of greed, betrayal and chaos,¡± he began, speaking slowly, ¡°Cassian Vaelthorne has gone against not only law, but the people. His greed for knowledge is a danger to humanity as we know it. Let him be an example. And he is therefore¡­¡±


    Cassian¡¯s vision blurred, his pulse slammed into his ribs, his lungs refusing air. The world spun as his mind caught up too late. Lucian¡¯s softness to the boy was nothing but a ruse. He had followed his father¡¯s exact footsteps, and failed just like he did. Cassian was no better. He was a Vaelthorne that had failed to calculate the outcome, that had failed to outsmart.


    ¡±Sentenced to death.¡±

 ACT 1 (FINALE) - Chapter X

    His breath was shallow, as the High Chancellor''s mouth moved, but words were muffled like a voice under water. Sound had been stolen by the weight of his chest, the realization sinking its claws into him. His restrained hands trembled on his thighs, he could not even gather the strength to clench his fingers. The world did not feel real, like a nightmare he could not wake up from. The twenty years of his life had passed with the blink of an eye. His memories felt like a dream.


    A scream cut through plaza like a blade, the first sounds Cassian noticed since the Chancellor''s first words. Sharp enough to turn the heads in the crowd, and loud enough to drown out the Chancellor.


    "No! NO! This was not the deal!" Evelyn charged toward Lucian, then got restrained by inquisitors. "You told me you would do him no harm!"


    Lady Evelyn screamed and struggled, her mascara dripping down her cheeks like black rivers.


    Lucian barely moved, standing tall, face unreadable. His hands calmly clasped behind his back, as his face portrayed cold authority. As if he had anticipated the reaction, and prepared for it.


    "Let go of me!" She snarled, attempting to wrench free. "You swore! You swore to me, Lucian! You would not hurt him! You said he would live!"


    Lucian finally turned his head to meet her eyes. No satisfaction was found in his expression, only the look of a man that had made his decision long ago.


    "I did," he said, his voice calm, controlled. "I promised that he would not be harmed unless he invited it. He invited it when he denied my warnings. What you fail to see, my lady, is that this is mercy."


    She broke free, and lunged at him. Only to be caught mid-step by more guards, forcing her into the ground. She fought like a wild animal, a woman stripped of nobility, fury burning in her desperate, bloodshot eyes.


    "You lying bastard! He is my blood!" Her voice cracked on the last word. "You gave me your word!"


    Lucian''s expression did not change. With a slight gesture of his gloved hand, the guards pulled her off the platform as she kicked and screamed. Her hair becoming undone and her dress was dirty from laying on the ground. Her screams echoed all the way until she was taken inside a steam carriage, taking her away.


    "My apologies, High Chancellor," Lucian said, bowing his head slowly.


    A single tear ran down Cassian''s cheek. His unloving, cold aunt had fought like a rabid beast for him, but she was also the reason he was there. He clenched his jaw, every breath stabbed into his ribs.


    "Please continue."


    The High Chancellor straightened himself, clearing his throat. After regathering his bearings, he spoke again.


    ¡°Lord Cassian of House Vaelthorne,¡± he said, ¡°For the crimes against Valerian and the sky cities of Empyra, your sentence will now be carried out. Any last words?¡±


    Cassian looked up, staring into the crowd, a rumble starting in his finger tips. His body felt unnatural, as if a fire started in his chest, curling around his ribs. The pebbles around him began shifting, rising from the ground. He clenched his jaw as he turned to look at the High Chancellor. Time felt wrong. Slower. Heavier. The Imperial banners above¡ªonce rippling in the wind, hung suspended, as if frozen. Dust from the nobles'' finery drifted unnaturally, hanging in the air like stars in a clear night sky. His pulse pounded, too loud, too sharp, but it was not his heart. But a second rhythm, deeper, darker, vibrating in his bones. A whisper, distant yet deafening, filled his mind like smoke.


    "Fall." A deep voice came from his mouth, but it was not his own.


    His fingers pressed against the ground. The pressure in his chest expanded, like the heat of a great inferno. The stone beneath his hands cracked outward, like jagged veins. Dust trembled, shifting in the air.


    The guards staggered, as the ground beneath them seemed to bend, warping like fabric. Pebbles and dust lifted from the ground, spiraling around Cassian in an unnatural swirl.


    A noble stumbled backward, his footing uncertain to him. As if the whole of Valerian seemed to shudder in Cassian''s presence.


    Muffled shouts echoed in Cassian''s ears, as Lucian''s unbreakable mask finally faltered, the calm arms behind his back now flailing to regain his balance.


    The whispers grew louder in Cassian''s mind. Echoes of a layered voice speaking a language he did not understand, but he recognized. The voice knew his name, knew who he was, had known him his whole life.


    "You are unbound."


    Cassian''s restraints broke off into fragments, scattering along the ground, as Cassian rose.


    Lucian barked muffled orders, but the words never reached Cassian. His ears rang with something deeper than any known sound.


    A guard lunged at him, his hand outstretched, and was flung backward before reaching Cassian. He crashed through a wooden pole that broke, but never fell. It floated as if gravity didn''t exist. Another tried to steady himself, but his feet left the ground and got lifted helplessly into the air before slamming into the ground with a bone-breaking force.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Cassian''s eyes snapped open. A blue hue gleaming from his eyes as he turned to Lucian. His pulse thundered, the air around him distorted. He took a half-step toward Lucian, before a sudden, crushing weight slammed his body into the ground, stealing the breath from his lungs. He collapsed, his legs buckled as his vision blurred and the swirling dust around him finally settled naturally. The broken wooden pole, once suspended in mid-air, crashed down into the cobblestone.


    Muffled screams and chaos, were a distant ring in his head. Boots thundered on the platform as guards converged on him. They slammed down on him, twisting his arms almost to the point of breaking them.


    "What the hell was that?" A voice from the crowd yelled in terror.


    "Kill him now! He will destroy us all!" A woman cried, clutching her crying child tightly.


    The High Chancellor stumbled to his feet, catching his breath. "Vaelthorne!" He screamed, "your greed for knowledge has gone too far! Don''t you see? You will kill us all!"


    Cassian snarled weakly, his face pushed into the ground, his cheek bleeding onto the platform.


    "Lucian!" The High Chancellor called, "Kill him, now!"


    Lucian rushed forward, cocking his gun.


    The sky roared with a deafening thunder, as a sky ship soared into the plaza, carrying black flags. Pirates and mercenaries repelled down on ropes as cannons blasted into the square, firing at all imperials on sight.


    Shouts erupted from the plaza as imperial soldiers scrambled, returning fire. Valerian''s imperial anti-aircraft turrets creaked into motion.


    Cassian caught a blurry silhouette sporting a coat whipping behind them, shooting away the guards holding him down. The silhouette rushed to his side, placing a firm hand on his back.


    "It was a grand display, Vaelthorne, but it won''t be your last I''m afraid." The figure lifted him up and flung Cassian''s arm around him. "Cover me, I got him!"


    Pistols and rifles barked, as gun shells clinked onto the cobblestone.


    Cassian barely felt the force that was carrying him. He forced his eyes open, barely catching the battle with his blurred vision. A rope was tied around him, then as he floated up¡ªhis body limp¡ªhe stared back down. Flashing lights of guns being fired, muffled screams, and crimson pools forming. The rumble in his fingers had disappeared, the pressure in his chest lifted.


    A pair of metallic arms caught him, placing him gently on the wooden deck as familiar optics blinked at him.


    "Sir."


    "Aldric?" Cassian wheezed.


    "Don''t talk, sir. Your chest has experienced multiple injuries, we must get you to a doctor."


    Rushing footsteps approached and fell next to him. "Cassian!" A familiar voice said.


    "Lady Ravenshade, he needs medicine. He will not last long in this state."


    "I get that, you tin can! Get him inside!" Emilia barked.


    A blast sent a shockwave into the side of the ship, knocking Cassian''s head into the planks of the deck. His vision cleared.


    "What is happening?" Cassian said, regaining his senses.


    "We''re pulling you out of a sticky situation, mate," a man clad in a black coat said, reloading his revolver.


    "It''s the Free Skies, Cassian. Aldric called them for help when you were arrested. We couldn''t let them get you as well," Emilia said, placing a soft hand on Cassian''s cheek.


    "It was not an easy arrangement, my lord. But a necessary one¡ª"


    A shriek of metal and fire thundered from above as an imperial fighter swooped down, raining bullets into the ship.


    Cassian barely flinched before Aldric moved. He gasped at the weight of the automaton pressing on him. The mechanical brass arms locked around him. The fire rattled his bones, but the bullets never touched him. The fire stopped, but Aldric did not move. Something was wrong. Oil seemed down onto Cassian''s shirt, as Aldric''s joints failed him.


    Aldric''s strength crumbled as his optics flickered dimly, as his powerful, unyielding body slumped.


    Cassian yelled as he gathered the strength to push Aldric to the side. Bullet holes the size of fists punctured his brass frame, his steam core hissing weakly.


    "No! NO!" Cassian screamed, his injuries forgotten.


    "Get us out of here!" The black coated man barked, waving a hand violently.


    Aldric''s neck creaked as he moved his head slowly to face Cassian. His dim optics flickered weakly.


    "Master Cassian," Aldric''s voice crackled and glitched, "are you unharmed?"


    Cassian''s breath hitched, his throat tightening violently. He gritted his teeth hard. "Don''t¡ªdon''t do this. Hold on!"


    His wet eyes scanned Aldric frantically, looking for which damage was the most critical.


    "I''m afraid," Aldric murmured, "I am¡ªam no longer fit¡ªfit for duty, sir."


    Tears streamed down Cassian''s face as the ship blasted away into the clouds. "Don''t say that. I can fix you. I will fix you, it''s okay."


    Aldric''s optics flickered. "Do you remember, sir," he said slowly, his voice gentler now, "when you built me. You were just a child. Your first command was to teach you how to cook¡ªcook for your mother."


    Cassian''s vision blurred. Drops falling onto the brass chest plate.


    "You burned every steak, and over cooked every potato," Aldric continued, "but you refused to serve it un¡ªuntil it was perfect."


    Cassian let out a shaky breath. "Aldric¡ª"


    "But then you did it. It was per¡ªperfect. Your mother said it was the best meal she has ever had." Aldric paused for a moment, his optics flickering on and off. Then they lit up dimly. "That was my proudest moment."


    Cassian let his head fall down onto Aldric''s chest. "Please... just hold on."


    Aldric lay silently for a while, oil spilling out from his mouth, and gurgled on it as he spoke again. "I was honored... to watch you grow into the man you have become."


    One final time, Aldric''s optics flickered, then slowly dimmed into black.


    Cassian slammed a fist into the deck, screaming until his lungs burned.


    Then he opened his blurred eyes again, to look at his friend one more time. The gears had stopped whirring, the steam core nothing but an empty brass husk.


    "No..." he whimpered, holding Aldric in his arms.

 ACT 2 - Chapter XI

    The gears were frozen in place, the once elegant rhythm had been silenced. Oil leaked out from the holes on the brass back plating, pooling across the deck beneath them like blood, black and glistening. The once vibrant optics that flickered with wit and quiet warmth were now dark, cold.


    Cassian knelt hunched and unsteady, cradling Aldric''s broken frame, his hands trembling and stained with blood and oil. He clutched hard, holding his only friend who had never lied to him. His heart didn''t allow him to let go.


    His throat burned from the scream that tore apart his voice moments before. The sounds of gun fire, of shouts, engines and tearing steel, faded into a dull muffled hum. Aldric had consumed the world around him, the loss collapsed over him like a great silence.


    The distinct sound of a hammer being pulled back echoed, as a gun barrel pressed against Cassian''s temple. Still hot from recent fire. The hot metal bit into the side of his head.


    "Back away from the robot," a low, gravelled growl followed.


    Cassian didn''t flinch, his eyes locked onto Aldric''s face plate, still gentle in its silence.


    "Do you hear me, rich boy? Step away. Now," he repeated, his voice raising sharply.


    The words cut through the fog that consumed Cassian, but he didn''t react. He stayed frozen, numb to the world except what burned inside him. He did not care about the searing hot gun barrel burning his skin. He did not care that the rest of the crew flew around them, shouting orders and tending to wounds. This part of the deck felt completely still. Cassian¡ªin his mind¡ªinvited the trigger to be pulled.


    Cassian''s heartbeat slowed as he exhaled, air barely leaving his lungs. His pulse no longer pounded with adrenaline and fear, but with cold acceptance.


    Cassian whispered, "He''s not a robot."


    "You don''t get to play all soft after what you just pulled," the voice was tight with barely contained fury. No sympathy was found in his tone. "Whatever you did back there, it wasn''t natural." He shoved the barrel harder into Cassian''s head, leaning closer with a snarl. "You''re a bomb waiting to go off."


    A flicker of movement flashed, as Emilia burst between them, slapping away the pistol, her own pistol drawn. Pointed directly at his chest.


    "Koren. Back off." Her voice lethal. The wind whipped her hair across her face, but her hands remained completely still.


    Koren didn''t blink. He growled. "You saw the same damn thing I did. That wasn''t steam, it wasn''t tech, it was him. He could''ve pulled the whole damn city down into the mists." He jabbed a finger toward Cassian. "What do you think is going to happen to us? He would send us and the Nightwing spiraling into the fucking abyss."


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "He saved our asses!" She yelled, her voice rang across the deck, "Without him, all those imperial eyes would be on us. If he hadn''t rattled them like that, there would have been no way we could''ve pulled that off. He gave us the seconds we needed to get in before they shot us out of the sky."


    "We?" He scoffed bitterly. "You were a useless rat trapped in a cage, too scared to go up against the imps. Don''t talk like you earned your wings today." He barked, knocking her gun out of her hands. It clattered across the planks, sliding out of reach.


    Emilia staggered slightly, but met his gaze again hard.


    "He''s bleeding out, holding what''s left of the only person who ever gave a damn about him," she said, her voice rough now, cracking with emotion. "He lost everything because of the Empire. He''s not a bomb. He''s broken. The Empire did that to him!"


    She took a step toward Koren, unarmed but unyielding.


    "He is on our side."


    A faint chime rang gently, as soft barefooted footsteps approached. A slender woman, a black cloak flowing behind her. She crouched down next to Cassian, not looking at the other, only him, and the first person to catch his attention. Her piercing blue eyes peered into Cassian''s intently. Gently, she pulled off her hood. Revealing dark, copper-toned skin, with long black braided hair gently swinging from the wind.


    "The storm has chosen him," she said, "It would not be wise to reject it''s wishes."


    Koren looked at her, snarling. "Don''t start with your riddles, Oza."


    "I''m not here to argue," she said, stepping between them, placing a single hand on Koren''s shoulder. Her voice remained calm. "You saw him cause chaos, yes. You felt the gravity shift as we flew in. But did you see how his powers left all those who weren''t imperials untouched?"


    Koren hesitated, though his gaze remained hard. He stared at her for a long moment, then slowly took a step back. "Jack''s not gonna like this," he muttered, holstering his gun.


    "Then let''s ask him," a new voice came from the far end of the deck. He spun a still smoking gun on his finger before holstering it with a flick. His long coat was dark with soot, one sleeve torn. His eyes scanned the situation, gleaming with amusement, not concern. He glanced at the dead automaton, Cassian, and the damages to the ship, before he placed himself in front of Cassian. "That was one hell of a trick, rich boy."


    Koren stepped forward. "Jack, I don''t think¡ª"


    "No. I''ve had enough of this bickering, I wanna get a piece of this," he interrupted, holding up a finger to shush Koren. He crouched down, meeting Cassian''s eyes. "I''m not afraid of what you did back there, Vaelthorne. But you see these faces?" He pointed around. "That''s fear. And I can''t keep us all alive, if I have a crew that can''t focus. So make sure you keep it together, rich boy. If you so much as twitch a way I don''t like¡ª" He pulled out his gun and placed it under Cassian''s chin, lifting his face. "I''m painting the deck with your brains."


    Cassian didn''t blink, no concern in his eyes.


    Jack smirked, holstering his gun, as he got up. "Put him in the brig." He turned, walking away, humming to himself. "And someone clean up this damn mess. He''s dripping noble blood all over my deck."

 ACT 2 - Chapter XII

    Hinges groaned unnervingly as the metal door slammed shut behind him, with a finality that echoed down the corridor. The thrusters were a distant and muffled roar, sending a small but constant vibration through the floorboards. The low, rhythmic hiss of steam and twists of gear valves breathed as Cassian sat motionless on the cold bench bolted to the wall, his back pressed against rusted steel.


    His body throbbed, blood still seeping through the crude bandages he got hurriedly applied. His shirt clung to him, partly with sweat, partly with blood. The toll of the power he unleashed at the plaza was nothing compared to his heart however.


    His hands were stained dark with dried crimson and oil, still trembling. Cassian clutched tightly around Aldric''s optic he pried from his faceplate when they grabbed him, the glass cracked and the brass frame dented. He stared at it as if it would light up again.


    The thoughts crawled in as the hollow silence of the brig consumed him like smoke. It was nothing like the noise of the battlefield or the chaos of orders being shouted on the deck above.


    Cassian swallowed hard, his throat raw, his lips dry and cracked. He raised the optic slowly, staring at it. His fingers curled around the optic until his fingers turned white.


    His head fell back against the steel, his eyes floating up to the ceiling, blinking against the dry sting in his eyes.


    Footsteps approached, slow and deliberate. The door''s small viewing slot slid open with a click and a creak.


    "Still breathing?" Emilia asked, her concerned eyes peering through the slot.


    Cassian opened his painful eyes, but didn''t move. "Unfortunately," he rasped.


    The sound of liquid pouring into metal echoed, followed with a clatter and the groaning sound of metal sliding on metal.


    "Drink," she ordered simply, offering water in a battered tin can. "Thought you might want something that doesn''t taste like blood."


    Cassian remained still.


    Emilia lingered in the silence. A slow exhale was audible from the slot.


    "You didn''t have to vouch for me," Cassian finally said.


    "I know."


    "Then why?"


    There was a long pause from the other side of the door. "Because, I''ve seen what it looks like when someone loses everything. And I''ve seen what happens to those people."


    Cassian turned his head toward the slot. "Why care what I might turn into?"


    Emilia placed a hand in the slot, crouching down. "You''re not worth losing to the Empire."


    He did not reply, letting his head fall back on the wall.


    A small sniffle echoed, before the faint sound of her footsteps trailing away into the bowels of the ship.


    Cassian looked back down at the battered optic in his hand. "You''d probably say something clever right now," he murmured, half expecting a response. "This is a rather dramatic turn of events, sir." He mocked, with a sad chuckle.


    He smiled, barely, sitting alone in the dark once again. For the first time since the execution, he let himself feel tired, weak. He pulled down the walls masking as strength, as tears seeped out of his eyes.


    Captain Jack Marlowe stood at the head of the table, his coat half-unbuttoned, a fresh cut down his temple slowly crusting. He lit a long-stemmed match of the table''s edge, firing up a cigarette. He took a long puff and exhaled slowly, before placing it between his teeth, leaning back on the table, his eyes wandering into the clouds outside his quarter''s window.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Alright," he finally said. "Let''s talk about this rich boy we just hauled in."


    Tension cracked through the air like lightning.


    Koren sat at the edge of the room, his arms crossed, his jaw clenched tight. "We should toss him off at the nearest dock and be done with it."


    "He''s just a kid," Tessa scolded softly, arms folded gently but her voice was steel. "A bleeding, suffering one. Did you even see his eyes when we pulled him off the deck?"


    "I saw the eyes of a freak. They were blue, not like yours Tessa, but, glowing. He is a spawn of the hells," Koren spat. "The air bent around him. It was unnatural."


    Evander shifted awkwardly, the tools on his belt clinking through the tense silence. "To be fair," he said, "he did kind of save us. I mean if he didn''t do all that, who knows what would''ve happened to us?"


    "You all saw what I saw," Koren growled, standing up. "The imps flew. The stone cracked. That kid isn''t normal¡ªhe''s a weapon waiting to go off."


    "He was dying," Emilia snapped sharply from the far corner. Her exhausted eyes staring blankly into the floor. "He didn''t lash out. He reacted. He did what he had to, to survive."


    Tessa nodded. "He is just a boy. He held that automaton like someone would hold their own brother. That''s not something you fake."


    Koren shot a glare to Emilia. "You''ve got a soft spot for broken things, Emilia. Don''t be mistaken. Just because they are broken, doesn''t mean they deserve your pity."


    Before Emilia could reply, a metallic screech echoed from outside the Captain''s Quarters as a shadow moved fast.


    The crew''s eyes snapped to it, but Jack didn''t move, just took another puff of his cigarette, unblinking.


    "An Imperial Recon Crow," Koren growled.


    Jack exhaled, blowing smoke. "We''ve got two problems," he said, "One, the Empire knows he''s alive. And they''ll follow our trail like bloodhounds. And two..." he turned to face the table. "The Free Skies are expecting an answer."


    His words drew silence, as the room shifted uneasily.


    "We''re taking him to Vortessa?" Koren asked.


    Jack nodded. "They want to meet the boy who terrified the Empire. If he is as dangerous as I think, Commander Marek will put a bullet in him right then and there."


    "Then why take him to them?" Emilia barked, her dark eyes firing up.


    Jack smirked. "Because I have a bargaining chip," he said, "He''s Lord Vaelthorne. That name still carries weight, even if the Empire tried to burn it out of history."


    "You are forgetting another crucial part of the equation, Captain Marlowe." Oza''s soft voice came from the doorway as she entered. "He is touched. The mists moved when he tapped into his abyssal powers. He plays a greater part than we all know."


    Jack exhaled sharply. "You''re saying he''s one of your prophecy kids now?"


    "The Abyss is aware of him. And it does not watch idly." Her response was cryptic, as the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.


    Jack sat down, letting his boots rest on the table, taking his last puff of his cigarette before flicking it away. "So we got an exiled noble who''s got a cloud god whispering in his ear, the imps breathing down our necks and the Free Skies Commander wanting an answer. Great."


    "Then let this god have his prophecy kid back. Throw him overboard," Koren said, slamming a hand into the wall.


    "Can''t do that," Jack replied simply.


    "Why not?"


    "Because we owe Aldric," Jack said softly. "He gave us valuable intel on the Empire in the return for his rescue. Apparently, Cassian Vaelthorne is the key to all of this."


    Tessa nodded, her lips tight. "Aldric gave his life for the boy knowing what he was. It should count for something."


    Emilia sniffled softly to herself, then gathered herself. "And what about Vortessa?" Emilia asked. "The Market of Blades isn''t known for mercy. If we hand him over to them, we better be sure."


    Jack tapped the table with his fingers. "I will convince them."


    "We''re bringing this unstable weapon into the heart of the rebellion," Koren growled.


    "Oza," Jack suddenly said, "Your knowledge of the Abyss is the reason you''re here. The boy needs to be under control."


    The Kethari bowed her head slightly, the gemstones on her necklace jingled softly.


    "If Commander Marek approves, Vaelthorne fights for us¡ª" Jack said.


    "He won''t fight for you," Oza interrupted. "He will fight for what''s coming."


    Jack''s face darkened as he leaned forward. "Then he better be quick to decide which side he''s on."