Prologue
Asimov University was the center of academic pursuits in Neo Atlantis, and its halls had seen not only several prominent figures in high technology industries but also more local personages such as the Imperative and the Affirmative, the highest authorities in the nation and whose hands and wills were responsible for keeping its moral compass true and its eyes turned to the future.
As a new generation of scientists, scholars and other innovators proceeded with their training, the need for fresh ideas and new ways of thinking was made more evident, and so the University had greatly expanded its campus, nearly doubling the size of the original complex.
In one of those new new areas, a young woman, seemingly just shy of the twenty year mark, was standing behind a polished metal desk, making a presentation for a group of about sixty assembled students.
"And so, in the aftermath of the Sigma Uprising, the gathered nations concluded that the Reordering had been a tremendous failure, as despite all the changes in borders, national sovereignty laws and administrative structure, it had still failed to provide a reliable framework to ensure the continued safety of the general population, geopolitical stability or integration of the various national and supranational law enforcement and civil protection agencies."
She spoke with a calm confidence, surveying her audience with a pair of deep blue eyes behind sturdy glasses of a simple and practical design, with a silvery titanium frame and slim circular lenses forming a set that was elegant in its simplicity. Her entire figure projected dignity and serenity, the light of the room casting her smooth features as some kind of ancient statue. A comfortable white wool sweater covered her chest, sheltering her from the excessive levels to which some of the custodial staff tended to set the air conditioning, while her lower body was snugly embraced by a pink dress, and her feet were covered by soft, flat soled white shoes. This was the very image of a person who prized both elegance and comfort, as she had obviously put care in her wardrobe but had not bothered putting on make up or excessive, uncomfortable ornaments and was clearly unwilling to subject her back and feet to the torments of high heels.
As she raised her left hand to straighten her glasses with slender fingers, an unusual digital watch came into view. The strap and casing seemed to be made of some kind of black plastic, with various buttons protruding from the circular central area. Even to a casual observer though, the display seemed disproportionately large, which suggested the watch might have other less common functions.
"Despite the best intentions of its proponents eighty years ago, national and ethnic identities are not something so easily overridden." she continued, pushing a button on the compact remote controller she was holding her right hand.
The image on the projection screen behind her changed, showing a world map with several areas marked in red.
"In the end, the world lashed out against the very concept of the Reordering, and many of the borders and statutes reverted to approximations of their original forms. While some areas such as the Middle East eventually came out of the experience with the conditions for a renewal, and an end to old feuds that had spilled so much blood over the centuries, other regions by the same note saw theirs escalated to entirely new and horrifying levels, such as the near catastrophe of Attari where a nuclear exchange was averted my mere minutes."
Pausing for a moment to let the students take notes, she then continued.
"To this day, some of these areas are still feeling the repercussions of these renewed animosities, and while groups such as the United Nations came out of the Dissolution with their power and authority reinforced, we are still far from achieving global stability. Human nature has once again proved difficult to overcome, even in situations where disunity can result in collapse."
Meanwhile, in a dark chamber…
"So you're sure about this?" a man's voice asked, gentle but clearly apprehensive.
"Yes sir." another man's voice replied, composed and professional.
"We had hoped that this day would never come." a woman's voice said, soft but tinged with regret. "But we have to hope that our preparations will be enough."
"It's time to send the signal." the first man's voice said. "We must gather everyone."
After a momentary pause, the same voice spoke again, clearly annoyed.
"And get someone to take a look at the damn lights!"
Back at the University, moments later...
The young woman was interrupted by a loud beeping sound and stopped in her tracks. She tensed up and with a frown, she looked at her watch. An insignia in the shape of a red hawk with its wings spread, shielding a white swan, appeared on the display, flanked by three chevrons on the sides. She tensed up for a moment and then pushed a red button on the side of the watch. Receiving her acknowledgment, the device went silent and the display returned to normal.
"Class dismissed." she said to the assembly as she moved to disconnect the cables form her white laptop on the desk and close the lid. "We will continue tomorrow."
And with that she rushed out of the room with the laptop under her arm, leaving her audience dumbfounded. As she made her way through the halls and to the main entrance, she noticed a small crowd had gathered in front of a large flat screen mounted on a wall. Glancing at it, she inhaled sharply.
The sound was muted, but the image itself told her everything she needed to know. A great city across the ocean was engulfed in flames, one of its landmarks brought low. Scrolling across the bottom of the screen she saw words that confirmed her apprehension.
"NOVA VINEA UNDER ATTACK BY UNIDENTIFIED FORCES"
Prying herself away from the screen, she rushed outside where a blue car seemed to already be waiting for her, hovering in place without wheels of any kind, its front doors decorated with a golden insignia of a trident with clockwork wings. The back door facing the sidewalk opened and she took her place inside.
"Your presence has been requested, Ms. Amelia." the driver said with professional composure.
"I am aware." she replied, looking downcast. "Straight to the Sanctum. No stops. No slowing down."
"Of course, Ms. Amelia."
"And what do I keep telling you?" she scolded, slightly puffing her cheeks, breaking her demure and composed persona. "None of that Ms. or Madam talk. You don't use titles in this family."
The driver cracked the slightest smile in an amused reaction to her remark. It was far too easy to annoy her like this.
Elsewhere…
In a small, secluded beach on the other side of the island, a tall young man, seemingly just short of the twenty year mark, with a lean but clearly well toned build and a soft, gentle face, was sitting cross legged on the sand by the water, wearing a simple pair of blue swimming shorts. While to the untrained eye he would have looked like a vacationing student or perhaps an idle tourist, the tablet resting on his lap would tell a different story, its screen displaying what looked like a series of meditation exercises and techniques for dealing with anxiety. He remained practically motionless, with both hands on his chest, breathing in the sea air.
As his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a beeping sound, he quickly opened his deep blue eyes and gazed upon the elaborate black watch on his left wrist. Steadying himself, he pushed the red button on the side and darted to his feet. He picked up his backpack, located the nearest shower stall, and was fully dressed in less than two minutes, clad in a white short sleeved shirt, a matching white coat with black interior lining, simple blue jeans and a pair of black modern looking running shoes with white highlights.
He quickly sprinted up the metal stairs leading out of the beach area and soon saw someone waiting for him. A beautiful woman of indeterminate age, perhaps somewhere around the late twenties to early thirties mark, wearing a black business dress with matching stockings and heeled shoes was waiting for him. There was something steely about the glare of her azure eyes, even through the sunglasses on her face, and her smooth features were marred by a frown. Her hair, blue as the ocean below, cascaded down her head all the way to the shoulders, without a single strand out of place.
"What's going on Aunt Levi?" he asked, clearly apprehensive. "We never use this alarm."
"We do now." she replied. "Come, Atreus. There's no time to explain."
She led him to a parked blue hoverbike next to the red brick sidewalk and climbed on it. He took his place in the back and it darted vertically into the air, then shot forward towards the center of the island.
Meanwhile, a vast distance away…
The two identical men somewhere in their thirties stood side by side on an elevated catwalk, overlooking a large room with white walls where a small crowd of what appeared to be teenagers was standing. Both of them were wearing simple, unassuming white lab coats of a stylish yet practical cut, blue dress trousers and black running shoes that seemed out of place in the ensemble. They both had the same build, lean, elegant, handsome and still in their prime, fit and agile. Both sported the same brown hair, short, somewhat ruffled as if too stubborn to be tamed by a comb for any extended length of time, the same deep brown eyes, glittering with a childlike curiosity for the world and passionate intensity that the years had only served to enhance. Both of them were also wearing wedding rings on their left ring fingers, one a platinum band and the other golden. The only visible difference between them other than the rings was that the one with the platinum ring was wearing a red scarf around his neck while the other was wearing a white one instead.
"And so it begins..." the man with the white scarf said rather solemnly.
"The day we had hoped would never arrive is here." the man with the red scarf added with a nod.
Regardless of how much time they'd had for preparations, a faint hope had remained that the predictions had been wrong, and that the premonition had been nothing more than a fanciful nightmare.
"Dr. Hikari?" a young woman, somewhere between her late teens and early adulthood called out, drawing the attention of the two identical pairs of brown eyes. She seemed uneasy about something, a frown marring her smooth face.
"Yes?" both of them replied in unison.
"Uh..." the young lady muttered, temporarily at a loss for words in her state of unease.
In unison, each of them raised a hand, patting one of her shoulders.
"Relax, Miss Yumi." the man with the red scarf said with a disarming smile.
"Deep breaths." the man with the white scarf added with the exact same smile.
The woman did just that, her chest rising and falling three times before she settled down. Her long brown hair was meticulously combed and her brown eyes were highlighted with a trace of eyeliner, but her white lab coat bore a couple of obvious coffee stains and her purple work trousers were slightly rolled up on the left ankle, suggesting she had tripped on the way there. Her green rubber boots clashed with the care she had put into her head area, suggesting she had just run in from a separate department with no time to change her footwear.
"The class is assembled downstairs, but we're having some hydraulics issues with the hangar doors. Access to hangars G and J is conditioned right now."
Another young woman around the same age as the first, with long black hair and a prominent pair of round glasses, ran into the room, clad in a white lab coat over a pink dress with a matching knee length skirt and shoes. Her build was slim and agile and she carried herself with nearly boundless energy and badly contained trepidation. In fact her blue eyes were practically sparking behind the lenses. Unlike the other girl, she had not bothered with makeup.
"Ms. Bonne, you're going to hurt yourself one of these days if you keep running around the halls like that." the man with the white scarf admonished.
"S-Sorry, Dr. Hikari." she said, lowering her head. "I'll try to be more careful."
"Have they heard the news yet?" the man with the red scarf asked, turning his gaze to the group below.
"Not yet, but it's only a matter of time." the brown haired woman said said with a mournful nod.
"Then I guess it's time we spoke to them." the man with the white scarf concluded.
"Go on ahead." the man with the red scarf said. "We'll be along shortly."
"Good luck out there." the black haired woman said, watching them go with an intense stare.
Lan Hikari, renowned legend, veteran hero with eight global crises under his belt, and acclaimed scientist, felt a familiar trepidation he had almost forgotten since his younger days. Adjusting his red scarf, he sighed.
With a steady pace, he reached for the nearest wall mounted console and, with taps on the touch screen, opened a channel. As if already expecting it, a beautiful woman around his age appeared on the screen, with a soft face decorated by a pair of brown eyes where a burning determination shone and long pink hair cascading down her shoulders, decorated near the top of her head with a large heart-shaped red hairpin. She was clad in a simple yet elegant pink dress, which looked quite flattering on her despite the conservative style. If not for the circumstances, he might have taken the time to make some flattering remark. Even he sometimes struggled to believe how his wife seemed to become even more beautiful with each passing day.
"Is everyone all right over there?" he asked with a frown.
"Mostly scared, as expected." Mayl replied, tense but composed. "And over there?"
"We still have time before they reach our shores." Lan said. "Good thing our brave volunteers were already here when this started. We were about to do the unveiling."
"Are we going ahead with the plan then?" Mayl asked.
Lan nodded.
"Evacuate the school and get everyone here. If what happened last time is any indication, then we don't want people scrambling through the streets on their own."
Mayl nodded in turn.
"Twenty minutes then, at most."
"See you soon then." Lan said, flashing a slight smile despite the circumstances. "Safe trip, honey."
The long years of peace had not made him and Hub lose their edge or their courage, but he couldn't help feeling uneasy about what was coming. Seeing his wife's face, even if just for a few moments and through a screen, was a welcome comfort.
And with that, twins walked to a small platform on the side of the catwalk where the younger woman was already waiting for them, and Lan pushed a button on a small control panel. A metal security net closed up behind them and the platform descended to the bottom level, where they stepped off.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." Lan started. "You are probably wondering why you are all here today."
"You are probably wondering why we have put you through this particular series of training exercises in simulators and with test models." Hub continued. "Why we built these machines in the first place and prepared you to handle them."
"As of today, we've had confirmation of an event that we hoped would never come to pass." Lan continued. "An event... we have been carefully preparing for."
"A long time ago, a wiser man once said this." Hub added. "Two distinct possibilities exist. Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying."
"Over twenty years ago, the former possibility was decisively discarded when a weapon of immense destruction in the shape of an artificial asteroid deemed our world its next target." Lan added. "And now, once again, we are facing an enemy unknown."
And so it began.
Cyberworld Immortals, Book II – Of Gods, Men and Machines
Chapter 1 – Fire From the Sky
In Neo Atlantis...
In the complex above and below ground known as the Sanctum of the Founders, two figures stood with a heavy frown, gazing upon countless monitors. The situation was clear and dire – for the first time in its four decades of history, the nation of Neo Atlantis was under siege, not by another known country or by a rogue faction, but from somewhere else entirely.
Clad in a modest and practical blue suit, which would have looked like protective lab gear if not for the golden embroidery with the golden trident and clockwork wings insignia on the arms and a crest with an open winged red hawk over the left side of the chest, Cadmus Atreides, the Imperative, monitored the situation with concern and composure. His complexion somewhat pale from long hours working indoors, he still maintained a healthy if thin physique even after two decades of intense work as both a researcher and head of state. While a few wrinkles adorned his gentle face here and there, he was still exceedingly well preserved, with his light brown hair cut short, piercing blue eyes that took in their surroundings with surprising intensity and soft but firm hands that flew over the controls with practiced ease.
Next to him, in a matching outfit, only cut in the shape of a functional yet elegant dress decorated with the same crests, stood Ciel, the Affirmative, his research partner for over two decades and constant companion, sharing the burden of leadership while working to keep both the nation and her counterpart from losing their way. Once a petite young prodigy, she had fully blossomed over time, cutting a striking figure with her golden hair, caught in a braid and wrapped around her neck, a soft, gentle face ornamented with blue eyes just as deep as those of her companion and an elegant, slender frame that commanded attention and respect. As she handled her share of the controls, adjusting tactical displays, her brow furrowed, betraying her intense concentration. If anything, the years had only served to sharpen her focus, just as they had heightened her graceful beauty.
"Their numbers are considerable..." he said with a deepening frown.
"Still within what we expected for this type of scenario though." she added with confidence.
Given the growing instability in certain portions of the world since the Dissolution, they had spent a considerable amount of time racking their brains and drafting plans should the unthinkable take place. Now their preparations would be put to the test.
Their frenzied activity was interrupted by a loud, deep rumbling sound, and an alarm siren reverberated across the chamber. Ciel quickly turned her attention to one of the displays.
"What's this?" she pondered as Cadmus turned his attention to it as well.
"This was not part of the plan… What are they thinking?!" he protested with a hint of annoyance.
On the display they saw a large white form, pounding into an even larger flat metallic surface with both fists.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Ciel protested in turn, glaring at the screen. "Are you trying to tear the hangar apart?!"
"Open this door woman!" an otherworldly voice roared, not through the communications system, but directly into their minds. "We have no time to sit around!"
Ciel clenched her teeth and shook her fist at the display.
"If you wanted to get out so badly, you could have just asked instead of trying to tear the door down!" she snapped back. "But when you get back, we'll to need to have another conversation about your manners!"
And with that, she pushed a button on the large keyboard she was handling, and the surface blocking the large form slowly parted. There was a blur of motion, and the camera was knocked offline.
In the network of tunnels running underground and underwater from the Sanctum of the Founders to the adjoining areas, there was a large, ominous rumbling. Moments later, half a kilometer off the coast, in an area previously declared off limits to ships, a colossal plume of water surged upwards.
"This moves our timetable forward somewhat..." Cadmus said. "But it was to be expected. Let's not wait around. Time to deploy the Pantheon."
Elsewhere…
Atreus could barely see the menacing silhouettes in the sky, but he could already feel a palpable sense of dread. His mind was flooded with questions, but he steadied himself and focused on maintaining his grip as his escort did her best to get them to their destination in time. He had no idea what was going on, but he trusted his Aunt Levi like a second mother and he knew that if she was hiding something from him, it was for a very good reason.
As they drew closer to the Sanctum, some of the menacing shapes descended from the sky. To his perplexity, he realized that they looked like a combination of aircraft – or perhaps spacecraft – in configurations not too different from fighters and bombers... and humanoid robots. They all followed the same aesthetic, clearly made of some kind of gray-bluish metal, focused on function over form, and frankly ugly, with blocky bodies and heavily armed. While the craft appeared to have the typical gun ports, the robots were also carrying ranged weapons suitable to their size and shape, in forms reminiscent of rifles and grenade launchers.
As some of the robots turned their attention to the speeding hoverbike, a flash lit up the sky, much like lightning, and out of nowhere, a huge beam of golden energy surged through, obliterating them without a trace.
"What the hell is that?" he muttered, though at that height and speed not even his companion should be able to hear him.
For her part, she stopped, hovering in mid-air, staring at the form that suddenly appeared before them.
Atreus found himself face to face with a colossal shape, easily five or six times the size of the robots that had just been obliterated. It hovered in the air, perfectly motionless, without any visible propulsion systems. Its form was clearly humanoid, evoking the appearance of an armored knight of old, but sleeker in design, powerful but slender, with its surface covered in some kind of shining, white metallic substance. Its elegant but powerfully built hands were each ornamented by a large golden orb at the back, while a larger one was prominently on display at the center of the chest. Its most unsettling features, however, were the headdress, comprised of five golden spikes in a shape reminiscent of wings, ornamenting the temples and the top of the head, and the face, clearly mechanical but still with piercing intensity even with no visible mouth, staring at him with golden eyes.
There was something about the entire thing, a presence both majestic and ominous, but Atreus found himself at a loss for words to describe it.
As the fighters and bombers tried to move in to engage, the construct fired two smaller golden beams from its eyes, which set them ablaze with ludicrous ease.
"At last..." an otherworldly voice said, speaking directly to his mind.
Atreus realized that this powerful presence was addressing him from within the construct, projecting an almost palpable force simply by being there, but still maintained his composure and stared right back.
"Who or what are you?" he asked, somewhat defiantly. The way the thing stared at him was rather unnerving, but he would stand his ground.
"A question for another time." the being replied, rather dismissively. "For now, I believe we have some filth to drive from your ancestral home."
"We?" Atreus asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Of course." the voice said with a hint of annoyance, as if stating the obvious. "While I am more than capable of fighting on my own, plans have been in place for our partnership for a very long time."
The construct extended its open hand, firmly but carefully grabbing the hoverbike from below.
"This filth will not wait the rest of the day for you to make up your mind." the presence insisted. "You will have your answers later, but for now… I believe the expression was 'come with me if you want to live.'"
Atreus pondered his options. This invasion would definitely put a damper on any plans of flying around, and he didn't want his Aunt Levi to end up shot down trying to get him to his destination. He definitely knew she was tough, but had no desire to let her test her piloting skills against that level of opposition.
As if sensing his hesitation, she smiled, turned to him and ruffled his hair.
"We've been planning this surprise for a long time." she said with a confident smile. "We've trained you for it, and we know you have what it takes to handle it. I'll go make sure your sister is safe."
Then her expression changed, and she grinned at him in an almost predatory way.
"Go ahead and end them. Make us all proud."
Atreus nodded and, after giving her a quick hug, got off the hoverbike and started trying to run up the length of the construct's arm. He was abruptly stopped as the construct released the hoverbike and picked him up with its other hand. A sound much like laughter filled his mind.
"Eager, I see." the voice said with amusement. "But I would rather you not take any stupid risks at this height."
With that, the construct brought him closer to its face. In a flash of light, his surroundings shifted, and he found himself in a surprisingly ample chamber. From there, he had a magnificent view, as if standing at the top of a lookout tower, only without the unpleasant chill typical of those heights.
"Time to lay out some ground rules." a second voice said, calmer and gentler than the first. "First of all..."
And suddenly, Atreus felt his backpack slipping off, and as it fell to the floor he found himself sitting on a rather comfortable black chair, much like the ergonomic seats in the flight simulators he had practiced with before. To his surprise, the chair felt as if it had been tailored specifically for his body proportions. The rest of the chamber was slowly shifting as well, going from a vacant circular space to something else.
"Comfortable?" the second voice asked.
"Well, yes. Thank you, I suppose." Atreus replied, somewhat confused.
"Well then. I will keep this simple. This construct is called the Apotheosis, and with it we will shape the future of this orb. Its form will grow, shaped by what you are. Its true power will become apparent as you show your ability to handle it. For now, here is your first lesson. Will is power. Will becomes motion and motion becomes action. Don't lose your head and you will be fine."
"And now, let us break this filth and drive it before us!" the first voice proclaimed with glee. "They taint this land with their presence!"
It was surprisingly simple, Atreus found, to control the strange construct. Its presence all around him soon felt as it if was watching him from the back of his mind, and the massive thing reacted like an extension of his body. He could not see any electronics or other obvious control systems, but as he settled on the chair, the familiar shapes of displays, communications arrays and other devices materialized, as if the entire cockpit were adapting to a form he was comfortable with. He had no idea if the thing he was currently controlling was even a machine at all or something else entirely, but he was sure of two things – he was in control, and more enemies were heading his way. The thrill of feeling himself flying through the air definitely overshadowed anything the simulators could have given him, but he had no time to revel in it.
He willed it, and the construct's entire body shifted, as his own would have. It spun around in the air and charged at another humanoid robot with a raised fist, which smashed through its head. The machine fell lifeless and he could see a cockpit ejecting, darting away on thrusters.
Those things were attacking his homeland, firing indiscriminately at the buildings and trying to take potshots at the few people still out on the streets. Feeling a seething rage washing over him, Atreus kicked the discarded robot aside and grabbed his fleeing adversary's escape pod.
"Coward!" he growled. "Not so fun to be on the receiving end, is it?"
His anger took a more concrete form as the construct reacted to his emotional state and its hand started glowing with an angry golden light.
Anger rose like bile to his throat, and between that and the tremendous power he felt at his command he had to restrain himself from crushing the cockpit like a walnut.
"Why do you hesitate?" the angry presence asked, seemingly befuddled.
"A life is a life." he said pointedly, with a bitter scowl. "Whoever these bastards are, I will not disgrace myself or my family name by becoming like them."
With that, he brought the escape pod up to the construct's eye level and growled.
"I know you can hear me, so listen well." he said, willing the Apotheosis to project his voice like it had done to its own when addressing him. "Surrender or leave. If you take up arms against my people again, there will be no mercy next time."
With that, he darted through the sky, still marveling at the sudden lightness and speed, and unceremoniously dumped the cockpit on a deserted beach.
Moments later, at the Sanctum…
The blue hovercar parked in front of the entrance, next to a large statue of several gathered figures pointing skyward that decorated the front yard.
Amelia quickly stepped outside, followed closely by her driver. As he moved alongside her, his black tailored suit glistened under the sun, and his mirrored shades concealed most of his facial features, though the slender frame and short black hair were still visible. Seemingly unbothered by the late morning heat, he did not waste time removing or unbuttoning his coat, instead keeping pace with his charge's hurried steps towards the tempered glass doorway at the front of the building.
As she moved, the biometric sensors automatically opened every door in her path. She strode past the reception, returning the salutes from the uniformed guards without breaking stride, and made her way to the main elevator. Her escort pushed the button to open the door and as soon as the doors opened she stepped inside and placed her hand on a sensor pad next to the floor selection panel. The doors quickly shut behind the two and the elevator darted down several floors until it reached the inner sanctum. Rushing out the door, she ran down the corridor until she reached the control room. The Imperative and Affirmative turned around just in time to see her enter, and she wasted no time pulling both into a hug.
"Glad you could make it safely." Ciel said, returning the hug. "We were worried about you."
"I'm in good hands." Amelia said with a smile. She then frowned and looked around. "But wait… Where's Atreus?"
"There were some… complications." Cadmus said, returning the hug as well before stepping back and motioning at the screens.
"What's all this?" Amelia asked, quirking an eyebrow as she saw what was on display.
"You've seen the schematics and some of the preparations." Ciel explained. "Of course we made some adjustments to the original design. We hoped never to have to deploy them, but before this is over we'll be glad to have them."
"Behold..." Cadmus said with a sweep of his arm. "The defenders of our homeland for a new age. The Pantheon."
On the screens Amelia could see countless humanoid robots the size of buildings, all of them with sleek, blue armored frames with white highlights and large circular visors with a red glow that gave them a rather cyclopean appearance, bearing various armaments and modular attachments. Some were equipped for land combat, while others clearly for naval and aerial engagements. Other displays showed several hangars from which they were deploying, as well as readouts of their numbers and positions.
"My parents named me after a mythical figure who, among other feats, sprouted an entire army out of the ground." Cadmus remarked with bitter irony. "Regrettably fitting that I would get to pull off something like this in my lifetime."
"We had two decades to prepare for this eventuality." Ciel said. "Our technology is still ahead of most of the world by at least ten to fifteen years, and we will need every advantage we can get in the times to come."
"I saw the news on the way here..." Amelia said with a sad expression. "What's going on? Who's doing this?"
"As far as we can tell, most of the world is under attack right now." Cadmus said. "We still don't know who or why. Evidence suggests they came from… out there. All we know with complete certainty is that the onslaught is brutal and indiscriminate. Military, civilian, it doesn't seem to matter to them. Everything is a target."
"Not another Day of Sigma..." Amelia lamented.
"Not exactly." Ciel pointed out. "We are still in control of all our systems and communications have not been compromised, at least not in our sphere of influence. The world has learned from that painful lesson… but things are still dire."
"And where is Atreus?" Amelia insisted.
"About that..." Cadmus explained. "We had planned to bring both of you here so you could wield the greatest weapon in our arsenal together, but… the thing has a will of its own. It intercepted your brother on his way here and is already engaging the enemy."
Cadmus brought up another display window and moved it to the main screen.
"What is that thing?" Amelia asked with a gasp.
While elegant in design, it radiated an aura of menace that left her rather uncomfortable.
"It will take a long time to explain everything, and we would like both of you to be present." Ciel replied, looking somewhat frustrated about the whole situation. "For now, we can tell you that it's called the Apotheosis, and we're still not sure of its full set of capabilities even after testing it for years."
"My parents built a giant robot in our basement..." Amelia muttered incredulously.
"We have something else you can use in the meantime." Cadmus said. "It's not quite what we've planned, but the other machine will do for now. Take the elevator to hangar 3."
"Not hangar 2?" Amelia mused. "What's in that one anyway? You never let anyone in there."
Cadmus stiffened up, looking rather uncomfortable, but did not elaborate.
"We'll talk about that later. For now, get on board the Hoplon and help coordinate the Pantheon forces. We need to secure the island before we can get your brother back here."
"Just like that?" she protested. "I was never properly trained in its operation."
"You do, however, have extensive general training." Ciel pointed out. "Part of the education plan we drafted for you and your brother included universal vehicle piloting. If it moves, you can control it."
"That's true, but I don't have any practical experience with… giant robots." Amelia protested. "I thought including those in the simulators was just you two making a nerd joke or throwing in something different for variety's sake."
"We definitely had our fun with that." Cadmus reminisced with a smile. "But no, we were preparing for the future. We would go in there ourselves, but we have to coordinate the rest of the effort from here and figure out where exactly your brother ended up. But make no mistake. We would not ask this of you if we did not think you were up to the task."
"Admittedly, we could have told you in advance what exactly we were preparing you for..." Ciel conceded. "But we hoped it would never actually happen. That you and your brother would be able to live normal lives, or as normal as possible in these strange times… which just got even stranger."
"What do you mean?" Amelia asked, rather confused. "You knew something like this was going to happen?"
"We had some warnings..." Ciel said. "But they were vague. We mostly knew that there was a great threat, that conventional weapons would not be enough and that we would all be sorely tested. We never knew what exactly was coming, or when."
"Still, both of you have the skill and the potential to stand up to this menace." Cadmus said reassuringly. "All you need is experience that you could not have gained just from the simulators."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence then." Amelia said, feeling somewhat less apprehensive about the prospect.
"Don't worry. We made the interface as easy to use as possible." Cadmus said. "It also has the best shielding technology we could cobble together. You'll be safe. Trust us."
Amelia nodded, understanding there was no time to argue in the middle of an emergency situation.
"Fine. Just watch me." she said with a smile. "I'll make both of you proud."
"You already have dear." Ciel said, smiling back and giving her a quick hug. "Every single day. Now go. Give them a thorough trashing."
After a short elevator ride, Amelia found herself in a long corridor, flanked by large, sturdy doors that appeared strong enough to withstand a bomb, each of them marked with a number. To her left were the even numbered ones, and to her right the odd ones.
Quickly moving to hangar 3's door, she pressed the palm of her hand against a panel and the biometric lock disengaged, opening a small passage in the larger door.
Inside she found a large humanoid robot with a silvery coat of paint, very similar to the Pantheon models, only clearly of a sturdier build, with additional plating and utility parts and with a double visor. True to its name, a large round shield was attached to its left forearm while its right hand clutched a long spear. Both armaments appeared to be made from a different metal than the plating, one she did not recognize. A large engine, which her trained eyes recognized as an antigravity unit, was attached to the construct's back like a backpack.
Amelia rode the platform to the hatch in the back of the robot's head and smoothly slid into an ample cockpit. Another biometric lock recognized her and with a low hum the other systems went online, sealing the hatch behind her just as she strapped herself to the chair. Various screens lit up, displaying various internal readouts and tactical data, which her keen mind was quickly able to become accustomed to.
Meanwhile, a few floors up…
"While I do not doubt the young lady's tenacity..." Amelia's escort said. "I would rather not let her sortie alone."
"I knew you would say that." Cadmus said with a knowing smile. "After all, your loyalty and dedication have been a comfort all these years. You don't need to ask for permission, but we know you like these formalities."
With a grin, Ciel continued.
"Which is why not only you, but all the Four Guardians hereby have green light to deploy your units. Drive out these invaders, Phantom."
Now it was Phantom's turn to grin. Perhaps he had been spending too much time with his hotheaded brother and sister, or perhaps it was simply another part of learning how to become more human, but he relished the chance to engage a tangible enemy that might put up an actual fight after two decades of relative peace. The fact that he would finally get to test new hardware, tailor made for him, definitely helped.
"By your command." he said flatly, though the look on his eyes told a different story.
As Phantom dashed out of the chamber, the Imperative and the Affirmative turned their attention to the largest monitor at the center of the array. A world map appeared on the screen, with their location prominently marked with the hawk and swan crest, while another location, on the other side of the world, was marked with another insignia, in the shape of a red circle, diagonally bisected by a black line with a triangle facing inward at each end. Before their eyes, the image started being updated with real time data on troop movements and enemy numbers, pulled both from local sensors and satellites spread over orbit.
A handful of minutes later, four familiar voices were heard through the communications system, and the display was updated once again.
"Great Phantom, launching." Phantom reported.
"Great Leviathan, launching." Levi – or rather the former Agent Fairy's voice chimed in.
"Great Fafnir, ready to shoot these bastards!" a fiery man's voice added with a hint of juvenile irreverence.
"Great Harpuia, taking flight." another male voice, calm and composed added.
From an underground hangar not far from the Sanctum, a black humanoid machine emerged, closely followed by a bulkier red one, armed with a prominent pair of shoulder mounted cannons. Meanwhile, a slimmer one, painted green and white, flew overhead, already reaching speeds close to Mach 2. Meanwhile, out in the ocean by the shore, not too far from where the Apotheosis had emerged, the prongs of a golden trident with a futuristic design emerged from the water, followed by the blue hand wielding it.
"Proceeding to rendezvous with the Hoplon." Phantom informed.
"Engaging the opposition in the eastern sector." Fairy reported. "I will deal with these fools and then we can track down the Apotheosis."
"Go nuts!" Fighter interjected. "I don't need a Pantheon squad to deal with these clowns."
"Providing air support and target identification." Sage reported. Engaging in 5… 4..."
"Stay safe out there." Cadmus said to himself.
"They're stronger than you think." a third voice, also male, said from within the chamber.
"You're right." Ciel said with a nod. "But they're not doing this alone."
"We'll handle this hemisphere." Cadmus said pensively as as he stared at the display. "Good luck on your end… Robot Masters."