Star Warden Book 2. RQ Chapter 1

 

Opening Moves

1

Esras the former capital of the Kingdom of Gorias was a city built in and around a mountain range in the highlands from Valaheim. It was a city of levels with people divided between the High, Middle, and Lower sections with a rumored underground city. Where people lived and died never having seen the sunlight. That city was gone as its walls, shops, homes, and estates were now rubble. The entire city no more than a work camp dedicated to mining the resources of the mountains and guarding the Spire.

The Spire was built by the Tuatha and the old city was built around it. It had a gleaming white metal surface with a futuristic appearance undamaged by time. The uppermost levels served as the center of the city leadership and now the center of administration for the Domain's occupation. Two towers carved from the peak of other mountains served as Sky ports and were attached to the Spire via bridges.

Inside the Spire the Star Warden was climbing its elevator shaft using his magnetized boots. The shaft had been spared most of the damage from the passing of time. The rest of the spire was not so lucky. Many sections were buried under rubble or in states of extreme disrepair with other parts still functional but disconnected from outside control. This made navigating beyond a certain level hazardous as any number of things could hide in them.

This what allowed a rebel cell to form right underneath the notice of the machines. Using the mountain tunnels for navigation with a base in an underground section of the Spire. Led by Peace; a faerie who was converted into a labor unit only to regain his free will through a freak accident though with severe memory loss in the process. Taking the name Peace he used his cybernetics to pretend to be loyal to the Domain while acting as a mole.

It was during a mission to the upper levels where he was finally was discovered and captured by the SWAT-bots. He was attempting to uncover more detailed information and confirm various rumors and reports that reached King Ronan. Reports that spoke of a new type of labor unit that started appearing not long after the Dark Lord announced there would be “extensive maintenance” to all conversion centers. There was also something called Avernus that was showing up in Domain intelligence chatter. It made Peace's rescue a top priority for the Free Realms.

The Warden reached his destination and with magically enhanced strength pried the elevator doors opened. He spoke into his radio.

“Honey, I'm on the detention level heading to his cell now.”

“We're in position, Sam, just give the word and be careful.”

Digging into his pockets, he pulled out small silver darts each one equipped with an EMP charge. He threw them into several security cameras and drones deactivating them. Repair drones would focus on them while he took another route to the cells. It would also distract any curious SWAT-bots if they decided to sweep the area for a security breach.

Sam reached Peace's cell thanks to the sub-dermal tracking device in his cybernetics. Which was modified to allow the rebels to find him while hiding from the Domain's sensors. He was nearly completely cybernetic to the point that only his face and his neck remained of his original body. The back of his head was filled with microchips and ports, his eyes were now photoreceptors.

The Warden pulled out the last dart and injected it into the nearby console. Once the security was down he kicked the door in. The noise woke up the cyborg Faerie.

“You're a little short for a SWAT-bot.”

“Oh I'm just an intern bot. Looking to get some credits for my college course. Just a hundred more and I can graduate.”

Peace shook his head as if he just heard something crazy.

“Tough crowd tonight. Okay, my name is Sam Bailey. The Star Warden.”

“Star Warden. That name has crossed my feed.” Peace looked past him. “Where are the guards?”

“Probably seeing why the cameras are knocked down.”

“No. There are always guards here. The Dark Lord would not let someone like me slip through his fingers. Something is wrong.”

Peace's optics expanded. “Warden, look out!”

Dawnbringer was drawn from its scabbard and Sam blocked an incoming sword swing. A blade of hard light replaced the SWAT-bot's right hand. It pressed its attack fighting in tandem with its built-in ray gun. Peace intervened and crushed the robot's skull and ripped off the robot's arm. He began attaching the gun to his own wrist.

“Weapons discharge detected on the detention level. Bioscan commencing.” The voice was artificial but it sounded female. 

Sam pressed a button on his wrist sending a signal to Kaguya. Explosions rocked the building and Klaxons began to blare. “Priority one alert. Human life sign on the detention level. Warden Malware detected. Priority one threat. Terminate on sight.”

“What is our escape plan?”

“Same way I came in. Follow me.”

The two rushed back to the elevator while Kaguya and the other rebels were providing a diversion. Sadly no plan survives first contact with the enemy. As they found the elevator doors blocked off by an electrical barrier. A barrier Peace made physical contact with when he was shot from behind. The insulation in his body saved him from death but the field was strong enough to knock him to the ground and leave him dazed.

Sam evaded the SWAT-bot fire as he grabbed Peace and ran. On foot the SWAT-bots would easily be able to keep pace. But the Warden had a new trick up his sleeves or in his boots as the case may be. Flames burst forth as he was propelled forward by his rocket books. They made it look like he was skating as he moved across the floor.

One the machines caught up using their own rockets. As it grabbed him the Warden twisted his body and kicked its head. The flames condensed into a beam that burnt through the head causing it to shut down. He fired upon the second robot causing it to take cover and giving him time to flee.

“Kaguya, the elevator is a bust. Starting Plan B.”

“Understood.”

“Plan B?” Peace's voice was groggy 

“We're going to escape via the towers.”

“You have a hovercraft prepared?”

“Not exactly. But we got an escape method planned.”

“Then we should make haste. Put me down and I'll show you a quicker path.”

The path to Peace's shortcut was not easy as SWAT-bots swarmed the detention level. Peace was forced to do re-programming under fire so he could utilize the stolen robot weapon. There was a security program that prevented it from being used on an active SWAT-bot to prevent rebels from turning their weapons against them.

When he finished and fired the weapon the shots were weaker than expected. Every shot bounced off their armor including their helmets. Peace discovered there was a secondary fail-safe designed to regulate the power of the weapon in case the lockdown was removed. Still, he could use it to bludgeon the enemy and did so adequately.

Once the Warden carved another SWAT-bot into slices with his sword they reached a run down section of the dentition center. Peace punched in the wall which leads to one of the various tunnels. This tunnel Peace used to help prisoners escape before they could be converted.

“I must say I was surprised by a secondary security system. The Dark Lord certainly leaves little to chance.”

“He's a cagey one all right.”

“We shouldn't be far from the Sky port. Any ideas what the others are doing?”

“Kaguya should be leading the other robots on a wild goose chase through the tunnels. Meanwhile, some of your guys are going to knock out the power generators the machines set up.”

“What were the earlier explosions for?

“That was to keep security off us. I was hoping they would check them out and be caught off guard when fired upon. But I guess they're more focused on killing me first. Still, if they are chasing us that means the others should be able to knock out the generators without too much trouble.”

“Either way you're forcing the machine to strain itself through multi-tasking.”

“Bingo. All systems have to deal with limited resources. Make it deal with a thousand things all at once, something will slip through the cracks. I just hope all of them make it out or at least as few as possible die.”

“I was getting worried for a moment. War can make one callous to lives lost due to death becoming mundane. While we as leaders must sometimes send our warriors to their deaths. We must never waste them or fail to honor their sacrifice.”

“Amen, brother.”

The tunnel led them to a ladder and they climbed their way up to the surface. Opening a hatch they arrived at top of the tower. From all the stacked boxes it appeared they entered a storage facility. They stepped out onto the landing pad and were confronted by a SWAT-carrier blinding them with floodlights. It opened fire on both of them before they could run, but they were saved in the nick of time by a barrier of magical light.

Kaguya was flying in from the second tower blasting strong winds at the carrier. She had made her way up through the tunnels knowing that Sam would head there. With the carrier turning its fire upon her Sam took flight and activated the fusion cannon on his right arm. The radioactive particles caused the carrier to explode into pieces.

Sam and Kaguya fist bumped in celebration. Then they joined Peace as they watched the mining facility below the Spire darken. Peace had been patched into the radio and he got confirmation that his rebels managed to escape back to base. A few had taken the initiative to destroy the backup generators. Those that went sadly did not return the only other casualties were wounded.

“Well that should give Daimos a black eye for a while.”

“While I am happy about our success. It won't be long until they re-group. You said you had an escape route that does not involve a hovercraft.”

Sam looked at Kaguya. “Would you like to do the honors?”

“Oh, no please go ahead.”

Sam pulled a small device no bigger than a stone from his pocket and aimed at an empty space. Pressing on the black liquid in the center a small white ball appeared in the air and then expanded into a large vortex. Inside that vortex, a bright rainbow light was being emitted. All three of them walked in and the vortex closed behind them.

******

Nightshade hissed as she looked at the holographic screen in the throne room. Excavation site 419 was attacked by rebels. Power was completely out along with the backups and the former labor unit calling itself Peace had escaped.

“That human needs to be hanged by his entrails.” Daimos scratched under her chin which caused her to purr. While not as emotionally volatile as his pet, he was equally annoyed at today's events.

“Sonia, what did this bug-riddled labor unit pilfer from my databanks?”

“Many files were copied including ones connected to the Soul Extraction project. Along with the operational files for Avernus.”

“What about Project Archon?”

“Negative, Master.”

“Is this bad,” asked Nightshade.

“Somewhat. Avernus will alert the rebels to my other plans. Fortunately, they have no means to leave this world. Sonia, focus on updating the security around the island and deploy a Floating Fortress as well.”

“Acknowledged.”

What truly worried the Tyrant of Aetherium was the fact that the rebels were getting close to the truth. As there was a recent raid by the Enchantress herself into Pandemonium. Through her arcane subterfuge, she entered into the city's historical zone, an area of the city that contained all that remained of old Solarium. There was one building in particular that he hoped he could have led the Star Warden into. That was the old solar power plant from which the city earned its name.

The fact she went, and escaped despite his best efforts, meant that the trap he had planned would be foiled. He hoped he could play on the desperation of the rebels, now that they knew he was an AI they would try to go and destroy his mainframe for the quick win. They would have all been fooled and easily killed, their efforts in vain. The Enchantress however is the only person who could suspect his true existence and know exactly what she needed to look for to prove it. 

Now she was free to tell it to the Warden and the Princess. They would know not only the source of his “magic” through the Codex but also the truth of his existence. Daimos had long held the advantage through the ignorance of his enemies and now that advantage would be gone. A part of him kicked himself for not tracking down Samuel's corpse after he burned him alive. He should have confirmed the kill. Now there was a chance, no matter how infinitesimal it was, that he could be killed by the son of the same human that killed his past self.

The Dark Lord knew now he had to press what time remained on his tactical advantage. With the Soul Extractor working he now had access to the souls of Aetherium which he needed for his second project. Project Archon; the next stage of his grand design. A new type of machine, a weapon of mass destruction beyond all others.

They would not be created through simple programming. They would be the Dark Lord's vision of life, crafted by his hands to serve his will. Dark angels forged in titanium, wielding blades of dark matter, and flying wings formed from graviton particles. It had been a vision long in the making but somewhat impossible. As his own creation was a freak accident that could not be replicated, due to Abyssal energy being capricious at best.

But thanks to the Soul Extractor he had more detailed knowledge on the nature of the connections between the soul and body of mortals. They were not separate, the body and soul were one and the same and if one went so would the other. He also learned he could not recreate one fully as that was in the domain of the Gods. But he could manipulate the ones he did have now that they were data.

Their memories, personalities, and skills were either erased or altered by Daimos. Anything erased was replaced by a specific set of behavior, skill, and loyalty programs. These programs took the form of glowing circuitry that wrapped around the soul like a shell creating the Soul Matrix. It was a shadow of a true soul as it lacked the divine grace needed for life. While it would make an Archon appear from first glance to be sapient. In the end, it would be no more than just an extremely advanced puppet with no true will of its own.

The first Soul Matrix was installed into a quantum computer that took the form of a black cube no bigger than a human's fist. This dark cube lit up as it activated and the first Archon came to life. A pool of liquid metal began to churn as a suitable form begin to be forged for the new warrior.

Chapter 2

Prologue