The ancient Guardian raised its weapon, and every part of me screamed that this was a horrible idea.
Unfortunately for me, ever since arriving in Aetheria, I had a horrible habit of getting myself into these situations.
With a deep breath, I pulled out my revolver and stepped in front of Cyra.
The machine loomed over us, its armored bulk filling the chamber.
Red light glowed from within the empty space of its head while ancient gears turned within its blackened plating of old metal.
[Catastrophic Threat Detected.]
[Guardian Identification: Sovereign Purification Unit.]
[Recommended Course of Action: Retreat.]
I glared at the words hovering in the air before me.
"Very helpful."
Nyx pulled out her own revolver at my side.
"What does it say?"
"That we should run."
Vexa smirked as she pulled out her wrench.
"Finally, something worth listening to."
Cyra slowly got to her feet behind me.
"No."
I turned my head to look at her.
She stared at the Guardian with something that surprised me.
It wasn’t fear or even caution.
It was anger.
"It isn’t trying to kill us."
The machine’s massive weapon began to charge.
I jerked my chin toward it.
"Cyra, that looks extremely much like an attempt to kill us."
"It is."
She stepped forward.
"But not because it hates us."
The Guardian’s red optic fixed onto her.
[SOVEREIGN IDENTIFIED.]
[PURIFICATION PROTOCOL ACTIVE.]
Cyra’s fists clenched.
"It believes I’m a threat."
I sighed.
"That’s basically the same thing."
The Guardian fired.
I barely had time to react.
"Down!"
Nyx grabbed Vexa and shoved her to the ground as the energy beam scorched past us.
I grabbed Cyra by the waist and tossed us behind a large pillar as the beam carved a glowing mark across the chamber’s floor.
We landed hard, and Cyra’s upper body ended up on top of me.
For a moment, neither of us moved. Her silver hair spilled over my chest, and she stared down at me.
"You caught me."
"Technically, I threw you."
"That isn’t what I meant."
"Oh?"
Her lips twitched.
I couldn’t help but notice how close she was.
"Thank you."
I suddenly became aware that she was close enough for me to feel her warmth.
Unfortunately, that was when my brain seemed to reboot.
"Anytime."
Cyra smiled before the Guardian fired again.
We both moved as soon as the shot passed.
I groaned as I pulled myself off the ground.
"Romantic timing," I muttered.
Cyra laughed.
"Perhaps later."
I looked up at her. Had she just
"Right."
I stood, brushing myself off. "Survival first."
The Guardian advanced, its steps sending tremors throughout the chamber.
Its armor was thick enough to laugh off Nyx’s bullets, and the Aether cannon on its arm could probably vaporize the Iron Wraith in one shot.
I needed to find a weakness.
The System pulled up information on the machine.
[Scanning.]
[Analysis Incomplete.]
[Ancient Technology Outside of Database Reference.]
"Come on."
I took cover behind another pillar as the Guardian’s weapon charged.
"Give me something."
[Structural Analysis: 11% Complete.]
It swung the cannon, and the pillar beside me exploded.
I rolled across the floor as it fired again.
[Structural Analysis: 19% Complete.]
I fired several shots at the machine’s knee. Nothing happened.
"Anything else?"
[Structural Analysis: 31% Complete.]
Suddenly, the Guardian’s knee flickered.
I narrowed my eyes.
That meant something was wrong with it.
"Wait."
I carefully examined the limb.
There we go.
A small Aether conduit ran along beneath the metal plating.
"Nyx."
She immediately understood what I was getting at.
"Where?"
"Right knee."
She fired at the weak spot, and three of her shots struck it.
The conduit cracked, and the machine stumbled.
"Found something!" Vexa grinned.
I looked at the System.
[Weakness Identified.]
[Aether Distribution Conduits Vulnerable.]
I couldn’t help but grin. "Now we’re talking."
I slid forward, my boots skidding across the floor.
The Guardian turned, trying to crush me with its massive leg, but I rolled out of the way.
The ground exploded where I had been a moment ago.
I dove toward the machine’s leg, sliding along its side.
My fingers hovered over the weak point.
[Target Identified.]
[Guardian Aether Conduit.]
[Upgradeable.]
My eyes widened in surprise.
"Upgradeable?"
[Yes.]
I smiled. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
[Upgrade Cost: 12 Energy.]
I checked my energy count. Fifteen. "Do it."
Blue light burst from my fingertips, and the ancient conduit began to change.
The Guardian froze mid-step.
[Foreign Modification Detected.]
I chuckled. "You should’ve checked your warranty."
The machine’s systems short-circuited. Its right arm buckled, and then its left leg locked up.
Steam hissed from several places in its armor.
[Enemy System Instability: 37%.]
The Guardian let out a feral roar, and I took a step back.
"Now!"
Nyx fired, and Vexa tossed a mechanical charge at the machine’s chest.
Cyra raised both hands, and all three of our attacks struck the Guardian at once.
Blue light erupted from the impact, and the machine staggered back before collapsing to the ground.
The entire chamber trembled, and dust showered from the ceiling.
For a few seconds, nobody moved.
"Did we just kill an ancient machine?" Vexa asked in awe.
I looked down at the fallen Guardian’s body. "Technically, I upgraded it until it killed itself."
Nyx holstered her weapon. "That sounds worse."
"I prefer creative."
Cyra walked up to me, her golden eyes alight with something I couldn’t put my finger on. "You upgraded the Guardian."
"Apparently."
"You can upgrade ancient technology."
I nodded. "Looks like it."
She reached out, her fingers sliding between mine. "Then perhaps there really is a chance."
I looked at her. "A chance for what?"
"To save everyone."
Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. I squeezed her hand.
"We’ll figure it out."
Cyra smiled. "Together?"
"Together."
She rested her head on my shoulder for a moment.
It was a brief touch, but somehow, it meant more to me than the battle we had just fought.
Vexa cleared her throat loudly.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Cyra immediately pulled away from me. "No."
Nyx smirked. "You definitely are."
I leveled a glare at Vexa.
"Don’t encourage her."I wasn’t talking about you."
"That’s worse."
Vexa laughed, releasing the tension in the room.
Then the dead Guardian moved.
Everyone instinctively tensed.
Its red eye opened, and I pulled out my revolver.
"Seriously?"
The machine didn’t attack us.
Instead, it released something from within its chest.
A small crystal floated out, glowing with white light. It pulsed with an enormous amount of Aether.
"The Sovereign Core."
Cyra’s voice was hushed with awe.
The System pulled up another message.
[Ancient Sovereign Core Discovered.]
[Core Compatibility with Cyra Valt: 99.8%.]
[Core Restoration Possible.]
I stared at the floating crystal. "That’s what we came here for."
Cyra took a step forward, and the core floated toward her.
As soon as it made contact with her chest, blue and white light flashed throughout the chamber.
Cyra cried out, and I grabbed her hand.
"Cyra!"
She gripped my fingers tightly.
"Don’t let go."I won’t."
The energy from the core surged into her, repairing the damage to her Core.
[Core Restoration: 41%.]
[58%.]
[73%.]
[89%.]
Her hair floated upwards, and her eyes were now fully blue. Then
[Core Restoration: 100%.]
The light from her Core vanished, and she slowly opened her eyes.
The chaotic power around her had calmed, settling into something strong and controlled. She looked at me.
"I feel..."
She searched for the right word. "Free."
I smiled. "Good."
The System pulled up another message.
[Crew Member Evolution Available.]
[Cyra Valt.]
[Evolution Path: Aether Sovereign.]
[Evolution Available.]
I looked at the text on the screen. "Aether Sovereign..."
Cyra studied the words before looking at me. "What is it?"
I smiled. "I think you’re about to become something the world was afraid of."
She stepped closer. "Will you be afraid?"
I shook my head. "No."
Her lips curled into a grin. "Good."
Again, the ancient city spoke. This time, its voice wasn’t a warning. It was proclaiming something else entirely.
"THE SOVEREIGN HAS AWAKENED."
Every machine in the city turned its head toward the sky. And somewhere in the distance, something answered with a roar. The System immediately pulled up another message.
[Major Event Triggered.]
[Ancient Network has Awakened.]
[Multiple Hostile Signatures Detected.]
I looked at Cyra before turning my gaze to my crew.
We had entered the Dead City searching for something to fix Cyra.
Instead, we had accidentally awakened something far greater.
I tightened my grip on my revolver.
"Well."
Vexa looked at me. "What now, Captain?" I gazed out at the ruined city before turning toward the dark horizon.
"Now we find out what we woke up."