Cyberknight: One Path

⁕ Athena (part 1)

The rank of Marshal knight is a title granted only to an individual who served both as a marshal in the Empire's military and as a member of the cyberknight order. As for Athena Alkiviadis, one of only two Marshal knights of the Empire, she obtained her position at the age of 21 for her command of the 9th Imperial fleet, the Falling Spartans. Out of the 21 official fleets of the Imperial Navy, the 9th was one of the most fearsome fleets, not because its marines and soldiers were as brutal as the Blitz Marines of the 5th or as surgical as the Crimson Marines of the 10th, but because they had a leader who cared.

Unlike other martial knights, cyberknights employed in the military, Athena proved herself to be a compassionate warrior who'd rather use her abilities to aid her men and protect the helpless. She wasn't just a faceless commander to her men, nor was she a merciless leader who conquered in Sniper's name. Like Mike, she believed in the virtuous teachings of the Empire and fought to bring justice to a corrupted world.

No matter where she stood, whether it be her standing above the hill overlooking the land she had liberated from the enemy, or her holding the hand of one of her soldiers in the field as he succumbed to his injuries, Athena never forgot her roots and her core values as a cyberknight. No matter how hopeless the situation, no matter how tired you are, no matter how the darkness of the night seemed to never fade, she would rely on the shine of her cyberknight runes to refill her faith.

As the shiny golden light of the cyberknight symbol glinted over Mike's helmet, Athena, now newly graduated as a knight of the order, presented herself before him and knelt down on one knee. Below her, it was an altar decorated with the golden shine of embedded cyberknight symbols which surrounded her. With a ceremonial sword in hand, Mike began the ceremony to Athena's ascension into knighthood by placing the tip of the blade against her chest.

[Mike] - "By the will of the Emperor, the first knight of our great order, you are being judged through the compass of your soul today for your right to ascend to knighthood within our sacred order. Athena Alkiviadis, are you prepared to bear the responsibility of the divine on your shoulders for as long as your services are required by this world? "

Said Mike as the ceiling above Athena suddenly opened.

In an instant, Athena was bathed in a shower of light from above, casting her entire body in a shade of pure white shine. Despite the sword being dangerously pressed against her chest, Athena showed no fear, nor hesitation as she raised her eyes and looked at the Grand Knight.

[Athena] - "The responsibilities entrusted to me by you or the will of the emperor will be my reason to live. I, Athena Alkiviadis, will pledge myself to the eternal servitude of the Empire until the day I draw my last breath. "

Said Athena as her voice echoed across the room.

As soon as she uttered her phrase, engineers and mechanics of the cyberknight order began to approach her with pieces of armour. One piece after another, a full set of cyberknight gear began to materialize around her higher torso. However, none of them has yet the cyberknight rune yet with only blank markings and decorations without any significance.

[Mike] - "What is your duty? "

[Athena] - "To serve the will of the Empire and to crush all those who defile our values. "

[Mike] - "What are our values? "

[Athena] - "The ascension of those who desire to fight, the application of justice, the uphold of virtue, and the selfless sacrifice of our own vices for the greater good of all. "

By this point, the armour was complete, as two engineers in golden armour presented to Athena, on their knees, with the two diamond-shaped crystals that were meant for her two arms. With a nod of gratitude, Athena accepted the offering as the men gently lowered the crystals into the sockets of her forearms.