The air of despair hung thick over Arcelis as the fires from the recent battle smoldered, casting a somber glow over the Technokratium’s remaining stronghold. Xenith Callorn stood among the ruins, his mind racing as he surveyed the damage wrought upon his faction. The losses had been severe, more than even he had anticipated. But somewhere amidst the destruction, a sliver of possibility lingered, buried beneath the debris.

As he made his way through the charred remains, Vexara Lurenthis approached, her expression shadowed with both determination and a glint of hope. “Xenith, I need to show you something,” she said, barely able to keep her voice steady. He glanced at her, noting the barely restrained excitement in her eyes. In these grim moments, even a hint of optimism was like a lifeline, and he found himself drawn to her discovery, desperate for a fragment of hope.

Vexara led him down a narrow corridor that had somehow survived the worst of the bombardment. The further they walked, the deeper they went into the heart of the fortress—a place few Technokratium members knew existed. They reached a reinforced door, which Vexara unlocked with a series of rapid keystrokes. The heavy door hissed open, revealing a dimly lit chamber. In its center, atop a pedestal, lay a small fragment of metal with intricate engravings—a piece of the Astralis Cube.

Xenith’s eyes widened. “Is this...?”

“Yes,” Vexara confirmed, her voice trembling slightly. “I’ve studied it. This is a piece of the Astralis Cube. It’s… dormant, but the engravings suggest it holds significant information—possibly a map to the other fragments.” Her hand hovered over the artifact, fingers trembling with both reverence and caution. She glanced at Xenith. “If we can understand it, this fragment could turn the tide of everything.”

Xenith stared at the artifact, a flicker of light rekindling in his eyes. “This could be the key we need,” he murmured. “But the Talvoth won’t stay silent. Thalira’s forces will strike again, and this time, they’ll come for every last piece of Astralis.”

Vexara’s face hardened. “Then we have to be ready. This isn’t just about power anymore; this is about survival.”

As they exchanged a tense glance, a communication alert blinked on Xenith’s wrist console. A frantic voice came through, filled with urgency. “Sir, Talvoth forces have been detected moving towards our location. Thalira’s assembled a massive strike team.”

Xenith clenched his fists, a surge of anger mingling with determination. “She’s relentless,” he muttered. “But this time, we have the advantage.” He turned to Vexara, his expression resolute. “We’ll take this fragment, study it, and use its secrets to prepare for their assault. They won’t catch us off guard again.”

But Vexara’s face paled slightly. “There’s something else,” she said, hesitating as she glanced down. “The fragment… it’s not entirely dormant. It emits a signal—a low frequency. I’m not sure what it’s calling, but if we activate it fully, it could bring others here.”

“Others?” Xenith’s brow furrowed. “Do you mean Talvoth? Or something… else?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. But if we’re going to use it, we need to be prepared for whatever—or whoever—might respond to the call.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Xenith weighed her words carefully. “We have no choice. The cube fragment could be our only chance to restore our strength. We’ll proceed cautiously.” He looked at Vexara. “Find a way to decipher the signal. Whatever’s coming, we’ll face it head-on.”

As Vexara nodded, the chamber door hissed open behind them, and Kyren Axalor entered, his rugged face set with grim determination. “I heard the news,” he said, glancing between them and the artifact. “Thalira’s gearing up for an assault, and the Syndicate’s movements suggest they’re preparing to exploit this skirmish to their advantage.”

Xenith’s jaw tightened. “So we’re fighting on all fronts,” he muttered. “The Talvoth, the Syndicate… and whatever this signal may bring.”

Kyren’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the fragment. “Then we’re going to need allies,” he said, his tone resolute. “Thalira and her forces are more unified than us. If we’re going to withstand them, we’ll need to bridge some divides within our ranks.”

Xenith’s gaze flicked from the artifact to Kyren. He knew his words held truth, but even now, in the face of growing threats, some part of him balked at the idea of compromising with factions within the Technokratium that had doubted his leadership. But now wasn’t the time for division. He could feel the weight of history pressing upon him, reminding him that the stakes had never been higher.

“Very well,” he said, his voice low. “Kyren, find those who are willing to stand with us. We’ll need every ounce of support we can muster if we’re to survive what’s coming.”

With a nod, Kyren left the chamber, leaving Xenith and Vexara alone once more. She studied him for a moment, her gaze lingering. “You’re taking a risk, Xenith,” she said quietly. “Opening up our ranks, using the fragment… these choices could either save us or destroy everything we’ve built.”

He met her gaze, his expression unwavering. “We’re beyond safe choices, Vexara. If we don’t take risks, we’ll be crushed under the weight of our enemies.”

He turned back to the Astralis fragment, reaching out to touch it. His fingers barely grazed the metal when a sudden surge of energy pulsed through the chamber, lighting up the intricate engravings on the fragment’s surface. Symbols flared to life, casting an eerie glow that filled the room.

Vexara gasped, stepping back as the fragment hummed with an otherworldly resonance. “What… what’s happening?”

Xenith’s voice was barely a whisper. “It’s waking up.”

The lights in the chamber flickered as the fragment’s hum grew louder, resonating with a frequency that seemed to vibrate through the walls. Then, abruptly, a new symbol appeared on the fragment, one neither of them recognized. It pulsed, flashing rapidly, as if trying to convey a message.

Before they could make sense of it, the ground beneath them shook violently. Alarms blared throughout the base, and a panicked voice crackled through the intercom. “Alert! Unidentified forces approaching from the outer rim! We’re being surrounded!”

Xenith’s eyes widened as he looked at Vexara, realizing the magnitude of their actions. By activating the fragment, they had unknowingly sent out a signal that had been received—and answered.

“What have we done?” Vexara whispered, a chill running through her. Her gaze drifted to the fragment, now silent but still glowing, as if mocking them.

Xenith clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. “We’ve woken something that was meant to stay hidden,” he said grimly. “And now we have no choice but to face it.”

Outside, the sound of heavy machinery and blaster fire grew closer. The Talvoth forces had arrived, and amidst the chaos, shadows of unfamiliar ships loomed on the horizon—vessels they didn’t recognize, bearing symbols that neither the Technokratium nor the Talvoth Resistance had ever encountered.

And as the first blasts struck the base, tearing through the fortified walls, Xenith understood that the true battle for the Astralis—and the galaxy’s fate—was only beginning.

Just as Xenith rallied his forces to defend against the incoming assault, an encrypted message flashed across his console—a single line, sent from an unknown source that read: “The Astralis has chosen.”

The screen went dark, leaving him with a single, haunting thought: But chosen who?