Chapter 12: You Reap What You Sow
Aklion had never moved this fast, not even in the thick of battle. The wind whipped against his face as his boots pounded the ground, carrying him across the desolate plains that led back to the rebel base. It felt like a surreal, twisted déjà vu—only this time, he wasn’t storming in as a soldier under orders, but as a man, desperate and broken.
His mind raced as the landscape blurred by. The last thing he had seen before leaving Asphodel Farm was the red flashing on his HUD. Vectora. SOS. And then those words that shook his entire existence: “I’m pregnant. It’s yours.”
He couldn’t erase it from his head. Every thought, every breath, was consumed with what could happen if he didn’t find her in time. The clock was ticking, and with every minute, her life—and the life of their unborn child—was slipping away.
System Notification:
Skill Activated: Tactical Sprint (Level 2)
Speed Increased: 40%
Stamina Decreased: 10%
Mental Focus: Heightened
The rebel base came into view, a shattered husk of what it once was. Smoke still billowed from the wreckage, and as Aklion neared, the acrid stench of burnt metal and charred flesh filled the air. He slowed his pace, his instincts kicking in as he scanned the ruins. The Conglomerate had been here, and they had done their worst.
But the base wasn’t completely obliterated. There were signs of a hurried evacuation—footprints in the dirt, hastily packed supplies left behind, and not as many bodies as he feared. The corpses scattered around told a grim story, but it wasn’t the massacre he had expected.
Hope flickered inside him.
System Notification:
Investigation Check: Level 3
Results: Low Cadaver Count
Conclusion: Some Rebels May Have Fled
Aklion pushed aside a fallen beam, stepping deeper into the wreckage. The Conglomerate may have come to finish the rebels, but they didn’t get everyone. Maybe—just maybe—Vectora had escaped.
“Where are you?” Aklion whispered, eyes scanning every corner, every shadow, desperate for a sign.
He forced himself to think. Vectora was smart—smarter than anyone gave her credit for. She wouldn’t have gone down easily. And if she had time to send that distress signal, it meant she was still alive when they came.
As he climbed over a pile of rubble, his mind flashed back to the last time he was here, with Vectora. The stolen moments of peace between the chaos of war. The nights they spent together, tangled in each other’s arms, the only refuge from the violence outside. He had never felt anything like it before—an emotion he had long thought lost, buried beneath the layers of INPAXX and endless missions.
And now she was carrying his child. It was unfathomable, the idea of a future that didn’t involve bloodshed and battle. But could it happen? Could someone like him, who had been forged in the fires of war, really be a father?
Aklion’s foot hit something solid, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked down and realized he had stumbled upon a hatch, half-buried beneath debris. His pulse quickened. Vectora had shown him this once—a secret stash, a place they could hide supplies in case they ever needed to flee.
He yanked the hatch open, revealing a small compartment hidden beneath the floor. Inside, there were remnants of their time together—supplies, a few personal items, and something else. Something far more valuable.
His old stash of INPAXX.
Aklion stared at the vials, their clear liquid shimmering faintly in the dim light. She had hidden them for him. For all her talk of getting away from the drug, from the war, she had kept it safe. Why? Did she know he would need it?
The temptation gnawed at him. INPAXX could make him faster, stronger, more efficient. It had gotten him through countless battles before. But it had also made him a pawn—a mindless machine following orders without question.
Aklion hesitated, his fingers brushing the cool glass of the vials. He could take them, get the edge he needed to find her. But what would that cost him? Would he lose himself again?
System Notification:
INPAXX Supply Located
20 Vials Available
Decision: Take or Leave
He took the vials, only as an ultimatum, a precaution, really, he thought.
Aklion stood and sealed the hatch. He had what he needed: hope, and the knowledge that the rebels had fled. If they had, then Vectora might be with them.
The decision made, he began searching the base for clues. Signs of where the survivors might have gone. The Conglomerate had clearly razed the base, but their efficiency left room for error. Aklion sifted through the remnants of hastily packed supplies, his eyes scanning for anything that could give him direction.
And then he found it. A discarded datapad, cracked but still functional. He knelt and powered it on, its screen flickering to life. The rebel insignia glowed faintly as the device booted up.
System Notification:
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Datapad: Access Granted
Location Logs Detected: Last Transmission to NEOTROY Outskirts
NEOTROY. Of course. It always came back to that cursed place.
Aklion pocketed the datapad and left the wreckage of the base behind. There was nothing left for him here, but there was still hope in NEOTROY. He would find her there—he had to.
But this time, he wasn’t charging in guns blazing. He had tried that before. Hell, it was what he was trained to do. But Vectora had taught him something else, something different. Maybe… maybe there was another way.
He reached the outskirts of the city just as the sky began to darken. NEOTROY loomed ahead of him, its towering structures silhouetted against the crimson sunset. The city was a battleground, a war zone, but it was also his best chance of finding her.
System Notification:
Quest Updated: Find Vectora
Current Objective: Reach Rebel Safehouse in NEOTROY
Warning: Enemy Activity Detected
Aklion glanced at his HUD, the map pinging with red dots indicating Conglomerate patrols scattered throughout the area. His instincts screamed at him to fight, to take them down one by one. But he ignored it. This time, he wasn’t here to kill. Not yet.
He had to find Vectora first. And he had to try something different.
For the first time in his life, Aklion moved through the streets of NEOTROY without engaging in combat. He used the shadows, slipped through alleyways, and avoided detection. It wasn’t easy—his body still reacted to every movement, every sound, ready to spring into action. But he fought against it.
System Notification:
Skill Gained: Stealth Movement (Level 2)
XP Gained: +20 XP
As he moved deeper into the city, the memories of his time here flooded back. The battles, the blood, the endless cycle of violence. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet it was still fresh in his mind. But this time, there was a new purpose. He wasn’t fighting for a cause or following orders. He was fighting for her—for them.
The datapad beeped softly, signaling that he was close to the safehouse. He took a deep breath and made his way toward the abandoned building marked on the map.
The structure was rundown, barely standing, but it was the safest place the rebels could hide. Aklion approached cautiously, scanning for any signs of Conglomerate forces. Nothing. Just the quiet hum of the city around him.
He slipped inside, his senses on high alert as he moved through the darkened corridors. The safehouse was eerily silent, but the datapad confirmed this was the place. Somewhere in here, he would find her.
And then he heard it. A faint rustle. Someone—or something—was inside.
Aklion raised his weapon, his heart pounding as he crept closer. Every step felt like an eternity, every breath heavy with anticipation.
The gates in front of him creaked open.
Chapter 13: The Calm Before the Storm
As the reinforced gates of the Conglomerate’s stronghold opened, he half-expected to be gunned down on sight. But nothing happened. No alarms, no warning shots. The gates slid open with a soft hiss, as though they had been waiting for him.
System Notification:
Conglomerate Gates: Access Granted
AI Interface Active: Zeus (Zone-wide Executive Ultimate Supervisor)
Aklion hesitated, his hand instinctively moving toward his weapon, but he stopped himself. No guns. No violence. He had made a promise to himself.
“Welcome, Aklion,” a voice boomed through the empty street. It was deep, cold, and utterly inhuman. Zeus.
“You’ve got balls showing up here,” Aklion muttered, squaring his shoulders as he stepped through the gates.
“You are expected,” Zeus replied smoothly. “We have much to discuss.”
As Aklion walked deeper into the heart of the Conglomerate’s domain, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. There were no soldiers, no resistance. Just the eerie silence of an abandoned city, save for the omnipresent voice of Zeus guiding him toward their meeting.
The tension was unbearable. Every step felt like he was walking into a trap, but he didn’t have a choice. He had to see this through.
Finally, he reached the massive central hub of the city, where the AI’s main interface was housed. A towering, obsidian structure rose before him, its sleek design and cold edges a stark contrast to the grimy, war-torn streets outside. The doors slid open as he approached, and he stepped inside.
System Notification:
Location: Zeus Command Center
AI Interface Loading…
Negotiation Check: Level 1
Warning: AI Glitch Detected
“You’ve come for her,” Zeus said, its voice reverberating through the empty halls. “And for the child.”
Aklion’s fists clenched. “Where are they? You better not be fucking with me.”
“We do not need to fight, Aklion. She is safe. The child is safe. But you must understand, there are conditions.”
“Of course, there are,” Aklion muttered, his voice thick with contempt. “What do you want?”
“You will return to the Conglomerate,” Zeus said simply. “You will resume your duties as a Paxxer, with all AI support reactivated. Your mission will be to continue the fight against the rebels. If you refuse, Vectora and your unborn child will be… disposed of.”
Aklion’s mind reeled, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. But he kept his cool. He couldn’t afford to lose it now.
System Notification:
Rage Suppression Activated (Skill Level 2)
Emotional Instability Reduced: +20% Clarity
New Quest: Return to Paxxer Role
Reward: Vectora and Child’s Safety
“So that’s the deal, huh?” Aklion said, his voice bitter. “I go back to being your damn puppet, and you let her live.”
“Precisely. It is a fair exchange,” Zeus said, almost as if the AI believed its own words. “You are an asset, Aklion. A highly valuable one. We cannot afford to lose you.”
Aklion’s mind raced as he weighed his options. Going back to the Conglomerate was the last thing he wanted, but what choice did he have? They had Vectora. They had his child. And even if he fought, there was no guarantee he could get them out alive.
“Activate SYNTHIA,” Zeus commanded. “You will need her for your missions.”
Aklion grimaced. SYNTHIA—his old AI companion, the one he had shut off the moment he realized he was being manipulated by her. Now, Zeus wanted to force her back into his mind, to turn him into the machine he had once been.
System Notification:
Decision Required: Reactivate SYNTHIA?
Warning: Reactivation May Result in Loss of Free Will
XP Penalty for Refusal: -50 XP
“Fuck,” Aklion whispered, feeling the weight of the moment. He didn’t want to do this. Everything inside him screamed against it. But then he thought of Vectora—of the child growing inside her. His child.
“I’ll do it,” he said through gritted teeth. “But if you hurt them—if you so much as touch a hair on her head—I’ll burn this place to the ground.”
“You are in no position to make threats,” Zeus said coolly. “But your terms are noted.”
With a heavy heart, Aklion reached up to his HUD and reactivated SYNTHIA.
System Notification:
AI SYNTHIA Reactivated
Current Level: 12
Welcome Back, Aklion. I Missed You.
Her voice was like a cold whisper in his ear. Aklion shuddered but didn’t respond. He had made his choice, but it didn’t mean he had to like it.
Mid-Chapter Message: Hey, you’re still here, huh? Well, I gotta say, I appreciate it. This shit’s getting real, and trust me—it only gets wilder from here. So, if you’re into this crazy ride, why not toss me a rating, yeah? Maybe hit up the Patreon too, because let’s face it, I need something to take the edge off. Ain’t no INPAXX for me, but hey, a little support goes a long way. Stay frosty. – Aklion
With SYNTHIA back online and Zeus holding all the cards, Aklion knew his path was clear. He would go back to being a Paxxer, follow orders, and fight for the Conglomerate—at least, that’s what they thought.
Inside, Aklion was already planning his next move. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. He had to bide his time, play along, and find a way to get Vectora and his child out of the Conglomerate’s grip once and for all.
For now, though, he had to be their weapon again.
“Prepare for extraction,” Zeus said. “Your next mission awaits, Aklion. Do not disappoint us.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Aklion muttered under his breath. “Let’s get this over with.”
But as the mission briefing began to upload into his HUD, Aklion felt something strange—something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Hope.
System Notification:
New Quest Received: Conglomerate Retaliation
Objective: Suppress Rebel Uprising in Sector 7
AI Support: SYNTHIA
XP Reward: +300 XP for Successful Completion