Star Warden 3: CC. Chapter 8

 

The Lost Sentinel

Sam was led to the main monastery. Built-in and atop the highest peak of the mountain and connected by a bridge and stairs to the lesser ones. He noted that it reminded him of similar buildings in Tibet. In fact, if it wasn't for the color he would have thought the Keepers were Buddhist Monks.

The building was damaged and bodies still lie on the ground but it was largely intact. A few Sylphs and monks were doing their best to clean up. Sam smelt smoke coming from a small pyre set up as the dead were cremated.

“So if you knew I was coming why not try to send a warning my way?” 

“Because if I had warned you ahead of time certain events would not come to pass. I assure you all that has occurred was necessary.”

The monastery was beautiful inside despite the scorch marks from weapons fire. Environmental paintings lined the walls and the main lobby had great carved states made from various stones and metals. Heroic statues depicting great clerics, knights, and one of the humble farmer fighting a Minotaur with a pitchfork to protect two children.

Passing through the lobby Rhea led him down the stairs. A familiar buzzing started rising in his head. Soft at first but got louder which each step he took. A poke in his mind from Excalibur alerted him to look around. The cave walls were not made from rock or carved stone. It was a light gray-colored metal with a glass-like sheen on it. His Tuatha genes could feel the power in each of these walls.

This is sun-forged blessed silver. Named for the fact that it was forged in space through direct use of the sun's energy. Rhea explained that in the past the Tuatha built whole worlds around the very stars themselves. Using that energy they would forge silver weapons and armor. It was most likely some alloy of Titanium, but it could not be ruled out that the Tuatha might have made their own version of silver or found a new way to use it.

Their journey came to an end in an underground room. A circular hovering platform brought them over to a larger platform in the center of it. Waterfalls covered the side of the room but instead of water. A violet and bluish liquid came pouring down to the pool below. That liquid was then sucked into pipes that fed into the great machine on the platform.

The great machine had various consoles and monitors on a dais. Massive in size taking up the majority of the platform. But it was overshadowed by a large mechanical head above it. The pipes acting as a replacement for hair giving it almost a medusa look.

“Hi, Olmec.” Sam waved at it.

“Place your hand on the console. It is time for you to awake the Sentinel.”

“What is this Sentinel anyway?” He walked up to the main console, not like he could have missed it, and put his hand near it. A hidden panel opened up where he placed his hand on the scanner.

“RECOGNIZED!” Sam jerked his head up in surprise. The machine head's eyes glowed with the light of a thousand stars. It continued speaking in a booming voice that shook Sam's eardrums. Like an animatronic, its mouth moved as it spoke.

“SENTINEL NODE ONLINE! THE HEIR HAS COME AS PROMISED! WHAT IS THY BIDDING, MY KING.”

“Okay did not expect that. As King, I order you to identify yourself and in a much lower tone of voice.”

The voice decreased in volume. “This unit is a node for the planetary defense network code-named Sentinel. Created by the College of Sages this unit fulfilled our duty until Mordred and his agents uploaded viruses and holo-demons into the network. Compromised. This unit along with the network was deactivated until all enemy programs were cleared.”

“Is this unit clear?”

“Affirmative! All systems cleared of enemy programs. Ready for re-activation.

“Then no wasting time. Activate all systems.”

“Negative! System Core offline. Alpha must be reinstalled.”

“Where is the Alpha?”

“In the Codex. You must acquire the full Cosmic Ring or one of its components to reinstall the Alpha and reactivate Sentinel. The Alpha must be installed in the System Core.”

“Where is the System Core?”

A map was summoned giving him the location of some sort of city north of a great lake on the map. Sam recognized the location: Gloriana.

"Typical. The one thing we need and bolt brain is sitting on top of it." Sam made a wry chuckle. "But I shouldn't be surprised. Node where is it exactly in the city?"

The map changed to show the System Core was underground. Miles deep to the very foundation of the island itself. Gloriana was built on top of the world's strongest weapon with its people, Oberon, Titania, and even Daimos completely ignorant to its existence. Sam felt that God was smiling down upon him. 

He would now have two surprises for Daimos. But this surprise would change the war entirely. The Sentinel could destroy all of Daimos's orbital weapons and infrastructure. Depriving him of a major advantage and forcing the war to be on more even terms. Sam realized that with the Codex powering it the Sentinel could make its own weapons to fight targets on the planet itself not just in space. Planetary Defense in all spheres. 

“Send me all the data on how to reach the core to my Talisman.” He then turned to Rhea ready to leave and make plans to rescue her husband. But the node spoke again.

“Wait, if this unit may take up one more moment of your time. King Arthur stored an item that this unit was ordered to give to the heir.”

Another part of the terminal opened up revealing a purple crystal. A round crystal, big as Sam's fist.

“A Dreamstone,” Rhea said in surprise. “A rare concentration of Celestial energy from Mira's domain. It can power inventions for generations beyond counting. This is a precious gift.”

“What do you want me to do with this,” Sam asked the node.

“It is yours to do with as you wish. All that has been asked is that you use it wisely.”

He gave it to Rhea to keep it safe. Better not to take the chance of losing it or getting it taken by the enemy. For now, he had an elder to rescue but when he returned, he had a call to make to Celes. An armor powered by Celestial Energy manifested in his imagination. He smiled like a kid that just had their braces removed.

Chapter 9

Chapter 7