The moment the ancient voice announced that the Sovereign had awakened, the very air seemed to draw a breath.
Broken towers glowed with blue light, and long-dormant machines stirred to life.
Somewhere far below, gears the size of buildings turned for the first time in decades.
I turned to Cyra.
She turned to me.
We said nothing.
Something was different.
The System floated before my eyes.
[Ancient Network activation confirmed.]
[Sovereign Authority recognized.]
[Network synchronization: 12%.]
[Warning: Multiple external forces approaching.]
I frowned.
"External forces?"
Vexa was already checking the radar.
"The instruments are still unstable."
"Then use your eyes."
She turned to the great windows that looked out over the city.
Her expression changed.
"Oh."
I walked over to her.
"What?"
She turned and pointed outside.
I looked up and saw the horizon lit with hundreds of lights.
Airships were coming through the Aether fog, their engines sending trails of blue fire into the sky.
There were smaller ships, sleek and fast, but also some massive vessels with enough firepower to level the entire city.
Nyx whistled.
"That is a lot of company."
Vexa’s mechanical eye was already magnifying the scene.
"Not company."
She swallowed.
"An army."
I stared at the approaching forces.
"How did they get here so fast?"
Vexa shook her head.
"They were probably searching the Dead City."
Cyra was watching me.
"Then they felt the Network awaken."
I looked at her.
"You think they were waiting for you?"
"Yes."
Her expression was dark.
"They were waiting for the Sovereign."
I turned back to the ships.
"How many?"
"Too many."
Nyx was already loading her revolver.
"That’s not a number."
"It’s the only one that matters."
The System flashed before my eyes.
[Hostile forces detected.]
[Estimated combatants: 643.]
[Heavy warships: 17.]
[Elite Aether signatures: 6.]
I stared in shock.
"Six elite signatures?"
Cyra nodded.
"They’re coming for me."
I looked at her.
"Then they’ll have to get through us."
She gave me a small smile.
"You really don’t know when to retreat."
"I know exactly when to retreat."
I paused.
"I just usually decide not to."
She laughed, a soft sound that somehow seemed to fit the ancient chamber better than the machines around us, though I wasn’t sure why.
I liked hearing her laugh.
Vexa suddenly turned to the stairs.
"We have another problem."
I turned to look and saw the machines guarding the entrance begin to move.
Dozens of them marched into the chamber, their black and silver armor gleaming.
Their weapons glowed with blue Aether.
Nyx raised her gun.
"Friend or foe?"
Cyra stepped forward, and the machines all stopped.
One dropped to a knee, then another, and soon there was a line of kneeling automatons.
I looked at Cyra.
"They really like you."
Cyra looked uncomfortable.
"I don’t know why."
The nearest machine spoke.
"Sovereign Authority recognized."
Cyra hesitated.
"Can you understand me?"
"Affirmative."
"Who are you?"
"Sovereign Guard."
I looked at the army before me.
"How many of you are there?"
The machine answered immediately.
"Three thousand, eight hundred and twelve active units."
Vexa nearly dropped her wrench.
"Three thousand?"
Nyx smiled.
"Well, that’s convenient."
I looked at Cyra.
She looked stunned as well.
"Can they fight?"
The machine stood.
"Primary function: protect the Sovereign."
I smiled.
For the first time since finding the Dead City, I felt something other than dread.
Perhaps we weren’t completely outnumbered and outgunned.
Perhaps we had just found an army.
The System appeared before me.
[New Feature unlocked.]
[Sovereign Network Command.]
[Current user authority: Riven Vex.]
I blinked in surprise.
"What?"
Cyra looked at me.
"What happened?"
I stared at the message.
"Apparently, I can command them."
Her eyes widened.
"Why?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
The ancient machine turned to me.
"Awaiting command, Commander."
I looked at Cyra.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Commander?"
I shrugged.
"Sounds better than mechanic."
Nyx laughed, and Vexa shook her head.
"You’re enjoying this too much."
"Maybe."
I looked toward the oncoming fleet.
"Open the city’s defenses."
The machine responded immediately.
"Command accepted."
The Dead City answered the command.
Great cannons appeared on the rooftops, and the ancient towers turned to face the enemy.
Thousands of soldiers marched to war, and platforms rose from the earth, ready to strike. It was as if the city itself was alive.
I stared in amazement.
For decades, it had been thought of as dead.
It seems we were mistaken.
The first enemy ship reached firing range, and its cannons opened up.
Hundreds of shells came streaking down, aiming to reduce the city to rubble.
I barely had time to react.
"Shield!"
The ancient machines raised their weapons, and a great barrier of blue Aether appeared over the city.
The enemy fire hit it and exploded uselessly against it.
Vexa was uncharacteristically silent.
"That’s impossible."
I smiled.
"I’m starting to like this place."
The enemy ships continued their attack, but the barrier held firm.
Their fire lit up the sky in bursts of light.
When the barrage ceased, three enemy vessels had been destroyed, and another lost an engine.
Nyx laughed.
"Now this is a battle."
Cyra looked at me.
"You gave them the order."
"Technically, they already knew how to fight."
"But you commanded them."
I shrugged.
"Maybe I’m good at giving orders."
She stepped closer to me.
"Then give me one."
I looked at her.
She was smiling.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Stay alive."
Her smile softened.
"That isn’t much of an order."
"It’s the most important one."
She reached up and lightly touched my cheek.
"I’ll try."
Then she turned toward the battle.
Blue Aether surrounded her as she walked, and I found my heart pounding in my chest.
Nyx seemed to notice this.
"You’re staring."
"I wasn’t."
"You absolutely were."
"Focus on the battle."
She grinned.
"Sure, Captain."
I turned toward the enemy fleet.
The six powerful Aether signatures were drawing close.
One of them suddenly accelerated, and a massive black airship appeared through the fog. Gold armor covered its hull, and its forward cannons were already charging.
Vexa’s expression darkened.
"That ship belongs to the Imperial Aether Corps."
"Imperial?"
She nodded.
"Elite military."
"How elite?"
"They don’t send soldiers to negotiate."
The black warship opened fire, and the city’s barrier cracked for the first time. I watched in shock as the enemy ship continued its attack.
The System appeared before me.
[High-Level Enemy Detected.]
[Designation: Aether Executor.]
[Threat Level: Severe.]
A figure appeared on the deck of the enemy flagship.
She wore a long black coat reinforced with mechanical plating, and silver tubes ran from her back into a powerful Aether cannon on her shoulder.
Her crimson eyes were locked on us.
Somehow, I knew she was looking straight at Cyra.
Her voice rang out over the battlefield.
"Cyra Valt."
Cyra stepped forward.
The woman’s expression hardened.
"You were never meant to awaken."
Cyra raised her hand, and blue Aether flared to life around her.
"I don’t remember asking for permission."
The woman smiled.
"Then die without it."
The enemy fleet drew close, and the Sovereign Guard raised their weapons. I pulled my revolver free as the System flashed before my eyes.
[Major Battle Initiated.]
[Objective: Defend the Sovereign.]
I looked at my crew.
Nyx stood ready, Vexa was manning the ancient cannons, and Cyra was at the front lines.
As for me, I had a strange little System, fifteen points of Upgrade Energy, an army of ancient machines, and absolutely no idea what I was doing.
Honestly, that was probably enough.
I raised my revolver.
"Everyone."
The ancient machines turned to me. I smiled.
"Let’s show them what happens when they wake a sleeping city."
The Sovereign Guard cried out as one, and the Dead City answered.