The wind is picking up, and visibility is becoming poor from the sandstorm. Yet, we continue to follow Skylar's car through the desert about ten kilometers away from Black Rock City's borders. After some time, we arrive at an industrial charging station for commercial transport units. Truckers from various companies charge their big rigs while enjoying snacks and coffee from the vending machines.
We park our bikes and cars about fifty meters away from the depot, behind some foliage.
Skylar says while remaining seated in her Civic, "Looks like this is where we part ways. I wish you all the best of luck."
"Thanks," I say with a light salute while Rowynn and I attach my motorcycle on to the dual-bike hitch behind the Challenger.
"I hope you return with Mathilde. Take care." And then Skylar drives away.
Samza pulls out a book and summons her bronze floating jellyfish-like familiar, Alexander.
"Alexander," Samza commands, "take the car and assist The Revelers and The Hoon Squad."
"Of course," Alexander says as it hovers itself on to the driver's seat of the Challenger and follows Skylar back to Black Rock City. "I'll report to you if anything strange is worth mentioning."
Rowynn says, looking ahead, "From here, we hitch a ride on to the truck leading to The Aether Dome. From there, we get in, shut it down, and get out."
I ask, "In what way do we shut it down?"
Mezos answers, "Ideally, we want to keep the facility intact. Samza and I can hack the controls and reset permissions to The Remnants."
Samza adds, "If that doesn't work, I have explosives in my backpack. Let's hope we don't have to use them."
Plan A and Plan B. The latter being the nuclear option. The thought of mixing explosives and aetheric energy can be devastating. Still, if it boils down to it, then we have to do it.
I follow behind Samza and Mezos, watching our backs, while Rowynn leads.
The En'ari android leads us to the back side of a 16-wheeler with CrystalCorps' branding on the sides. "Assuming the truck sticks to its schedule, it should leave this facility in five minutes. From there, the truck will arrive at The Aether Dome in about fifteen to twenty minutes, depending on the weather. Once we arrive, we can use the digital maps Milani provided us to navigate our way to the central core."
I activate Librascope and scan the truck's surroundings. The app detects cameras on the truck, but only the interior cameras are active while the exterior cameras are not. "We should disable the cameras."
"Good idea," Mezos says as he pulls out his tablet and begins a hacking program.
Samza adds while doing the same, "We should also disable the truck's cellular communications modules. That should prevent the truck from calling home."
Rowynn and I climb on to the roof of the truck, but keep ourselves prone to minimize our visibility. Rowynn radios, "Samza, Mezos, how's the hacking?"
"Communications disabled," Samza says over the radio.
"Cameras down," Mezos answers.
Rowynn motions to me, "See that lumpy thing next to you? That's an antenna. Use your utility knife to pry it off."
I find the bulb-shaped antenna and use my knife to cut the it off the container. With a quick lift, I remove the antenna, leaving only an exposed wire.
Meanwhile, Rowynn opens a hatch and enters the storage area from above. "Come, Ari," she says, motioning to me.
I follow her and leap into the hatch, entering the dimly lit container filled with heavy plastic boxes. Rowynn and I open the rear door, allowing Samza and Mezos to sneak into the storage vessel.
"Quickly," Rowynn urges as the truck's electric motors hum. "Sounds like we're moving soon." She closes the door and we hide between the containers.
Samza inspects a nearby box. "I wonder what's in these things."
Mezos checks a meter on his book-arm. "Whatever is inside, it's letting off some unstable aetheric energies."
Rowynn says, "Unpurified aetheric crystals are my best bet. The Aether Domes in Esthial would harvest these crystals and purify them, amplifying their magical properties. I'd imagine The Aether Dome here on Earth would do the same. However, where they're harvesting them is a mystery to me."
"I guess that gives us a reason to shut that place down," I say.
"Yes." Rowynn nods.
Twenty minutes pass by and the vehicle is still moving. Mezos checks his tablet. "We're about two kilometers away from The Aether Dome. It seems the driver is being cautious because of the sandstorm."
For each unnecessary minute passing by, I wonder what's happening in Black Rock City. Perhaps the invasion is still going on. I wonder how long the gang can hold up. The Hoon Squad, Cithara, Miss Hikaru — all of them. Yet, I need to focus on this mission, and that's shutting this place down and rescue Mathilde.
"It stopped," Rowynn says, as we no longer feel movement. The engines stop whirring and it sounds like the driver is exiting the truck.
Mezos says, "According to the GPS, we are now at The Aether Dome."
I hear a conversation through the metal walls of the shipment container. It sounds like the driver is talking to someone.
The driver says, "The reason I'm late is that my communication modules malfunctioned, and the GPS signals were poor. I had trouble navigating through the dense sandstorm, so I used the GPS app on my phone, which resorted to me taking a longer route than usual."
A second voice, high-pitched, sounding vile and wicked, says, "Let us make haste, then. The Usurper is growing impatient."
A short moment later, a loud clunk sounds from above us.
Rowynn's body floats towards the ceiling of the shipment container. So do Mezos and Samza's book-arms. My triggerblade is also moving upward. I think it's a magnet. Yet if my skeleton has metal in it, then it sure isn't magnetic.
"It's a magnet," Mezos says as he removes his arm from his metal sleeve contraption. "It's moving this giant crate somewhere." The boy wobbles as the container remains suspended by the powerful magnet.
Then a loud thud bangs the floor as the magnet deactivates, and both Samza and Rowynn descend. Instead of landing face first on to hard steel, Mezos casts a floating spell, cushioning their fall. Mezos's book-arm and my triggerblade also take a gentle descent.
Rowynn grunts, "that was not a pleasant feeling." Her voice turns robotic and mutters, "Reinitialising programs. Checking digital and physical modules. Data integrity complete. Now rebooting." Rowynn's eyes glow for a few seconds, then return to a normal hue. She speaks in her normal voice, "Well, lass. I forgot what it's like being around powerful magnets. No matter, it's a minor thing."
I scan the area with Librascope. It seems we're in a caged outdoor area housing other shipment containers. However, I don't spot any security drones. Only robots hauling cargo to and from the shipping area. Instead, as we exit the shipping container from the rear hatch, I spot strobing red lights near the entrance to the facility. Next to the door is a card scanner.
Samza points at the lights. "I don't like the look of this."
Mezos adds. "I wonder if they know we're here."
I say nothing, only sharing Mezos's sentiment.
Rowynn crosses her arms. "Considering the chaos at the northern borders of Black Rock City, I gather CrystalCorp or The Eyes did not expect the bohemian town to put up a resistance."
Samza pulls out a metal card from her inner coat pocket. It's Milani's employee badge, and Samza taps the card on to the card reader.
The door opens and a happy robotic voice greets, "Welcome, Mr. Sorsha. Reminder: your corporate account is on Restricted Mode. Please consult your emails in order to rectify this situation at your earliest convenience. Have a nice day at work. And remember to keep smiling, because a happy employee is a productive employee."
Samza mumbles, "What kind of whacky-ass greeting is that?"
Mezos shrugs. "I agree. I'd hate my job, too, if a robotic voice greeted me like that every time I clock into work."
As we enter, I take an immediate notice of more strobing red lights through the corridors. I hear people screaming in terror and a scrambling clatter of footsteps on the brushed metal floor. Then a reverberating roar like something demonic. Somehow, it feels like a scene from my early childhood playing on repeat; except Hikaru is not here to guide me away from the terror.
"Brace yourself," Rowynn says, while arming her triggerblade.
Mezos and Samza prepare their books.
I draw my triggerblade, readying for what's coming ahead.
From Samza's summoning rift came an old man with gray wooden skin, leafy clothing, a thorny crown, a deer skull face mask, and sharp steel fingers. I remember him. That's the same familiar who accompanied the fae on the day of the WarGames championship, but I never knew who he was.
"Fae child, we meet again," the wooden man greets, "and to thy friends of fae, mine name is Oberon, the First King of Esthial's Great Fae Tree, now assuming the form of the leshy. I will assist thee in thine adventures most perilous."
Samza bows her head. "It's good to see you again, King Obie."
Oberon glares at Mezos's conjured wooden staff, where pastel colored butterflies flutter around it. "Ah, thou possess Titania's Staff of Metamorphose. Use it well, boy, as its power requires utmost consideration."
"Of course," Mezos says in a low tone. "Someone's turning into an ass today, and it's definitely not me."
Rowynn commands, "Let us proceed."
Screams wail and echo, and a small crew of scientists rush past us out the door where we came in. A few stragglers remain but meet an untimely demise as a shadowy demon and a heavenly statue-like angel strikes them down with claw and blade. A few seconds later, the fallen stragglers transform into white bear and black wolf-like monsters. They face us and let out a ferocious, echoing roar.
I stand my guard, preparing to counterstrike.
"Get 'em, Obie!" Samza says, commanding Oberon.
The hulking wooden man-beast rushes at the demon with an overhand slash attack, clashing his steel bladed fingers on to the demon's flesh. The demon roars in pain and counters with a similar attack, its claw clashing with Oberon's hand.
Mezos twirls Titania's magical staff, and thorny vines constrict the wolves and bears in place. Then he summons a swarm of butterflies with razor sharp wings, inflicting a multitude of slashes on the bears and wolves.
"Ari," Rowynn says, charging at the angel. "Let's engage." The android delivers a powering upward slash, leaving a trail of explosive bangs.
I follow with a downward slash, triggering one hard explosive from my triggerblade. The angel recoils and flies backward, preparing for a bee-line flying attack, the sword pointing forward. Then a white holy aura envelopes the angel.
"Everyone get down!" Rowynn yells.
All of us except Oberon dive as the angel flies by at light speed. Oberon grapples the demon and, with swift reflexes, uses the demon's body as a shield.
The demon roars as the angel's blade pins both it and Oberon to a metal wall.
With one quick slash from Oberon's bladed fingernails, he dismembers the demon's claw, and impales the severed appendage on to the eyes of the angel. Black and white blood spews from the creatures.
Mezos waves Titania's staff, commanding the bladed swarm of butterflies to finish the demon and angel.
"Obie!" Samza cries.
The creatures crumple to the cold steel form and dissipate into aetheric nothingness.
Oberon appears slumped in the corner with a grievous cut on the side of his abdomen, orange sap-like blood oozing from it.
"I must return," Oberon grovels as he places his hand over his deep cut. "It seems I have suffered a wound most calamitous in that struggle."
"It's okay, Kingly dude. You did good." Samza opens one book and allows Oberon to return through a rift.
Mezos checks a meter on his book-arm. "The aether here is unstable. This staff is feeling harder to use."
Rowynn taps the side of her head. "Aetheric energy seems stronger and more stable towards the center of this facility, at the reactor core. It is there where you can activate your most powerful familiars." She then turns to me and hands me a core cartridge. "Use this. Attach it to the engine core of your triggerblade. It allows you to siphon stray aetheric energy, further amplifying your attacks."
I take the metal puck-shaped device and attach it to the triggerblade's engine core. "I'll give it a shot. Thanks."
We proceed down the main corridor leading to the reactor core. Around me, I spot through the glass walls guards fighting the black and white nightmares — angels, demons, and strange animal-like hybrids. Yet, their efforts are for nothing. The guards falter and succumb to the nightmares' overwhelming numbers.
The nightmares notice our presence through the glass walls, but do not engage. Perhaps they're aware of our strengths. Instead, the creatures proceed to the center, where the reactor operates. Owls, ravens, bears, wolves, demons, angels, and hybrids of such monstrosities roam the area.
We arrive at a metal door wide enough for three trucks to drive through side-by-side. On both sides of the door are keypads.
"Bro," Samza says, inspecting the keypads, "looks like this requires a synchronized hacking scheme."
"Yup." Mezos nods as he positions himself on the left keypad and pulls out his tablet.
Samza pulls out her tablet and begins hacking the keypad. So does Mezos.
Rowynn taps the side of her head. "I sense Helayne's radio signals. She's behind this door."
I turn to Rowynn. "Why do you think Helayne would be here?"
"I don't know. This doesn't feel right. In the past, Helayne would never appear at the Aether Domes. Instead, she would watch from afar either at The Dreamscape Citadel of the Floating City of Yuna'tora or at the Temple of Equilibrium. One or two high-ranking officials would see to the operations in person."
I say, "Perhaps Helayne is no longer the one on the top of the Chain of Command."
"I think you're right," Rowynn says. "It's possible Helayne's programming recorded her previous attempts as failures and regulated that authority to someone else."
My eyes shift. "That someone else being Gunhild."
The gate's hydraulic locks release and the door splits open at a crawler's pace.
Inside are two giant glass containment chambers housing an armored angel and a mutated demon in each one. A cloudy bluish fluid suspends the two along with tubes attached to their backs. Their lowered heads and colored fluid makes it hard to identify who they may have been before their transformations.
Standing at the front of the chambers is a tall, familiar pale skin woman in a white business suit. Her white long hair flows with the ominous cold breeze of the reactor core.
"Helayne!" Rowynn yells, pointing her triggerblade forward.
"Rowynn," CEO Mun Seul-Ki — or rather — Helayne Thoriana greets with a calm tone. "I'm glad you have made it to my final curtain. Alas, I have finished my task. Barbelo no longer requires me, and neither does The Usurper. And thus, my programming has reached the only possible conclusion: permanent retirement. Good bye, sister."
Rowynn grumbles. "Helayne, you can't do that. You can't wipe your memory in just a blink."
"Who said I would wipe my memory? That's an action relegated to The En'ari Tribunal of Yuna'tora. No, instead, my memories will live on and these two behind me will benefit from it." Helayne's opens her arms wide open. "It's time. Come and embrace The Metal."
Tubes expand from behind the chambers and latch on to Helayne's spine. Her eyes open wide. One eye glows white while the other goes pitch black. Then the creatures inside the tubes awaken, their heads becoming erect and facing us direct.
Helayne slumps on to the cold steel floor, lifeless and emotionless, with her eyes open with a dead stare.
Both tubes shatter and the two tall creatures, both female and monstrous, lurch from their sleep. Upon closer inspection, the two bear a grim familiarity.
"Shit," I gasp as I recognize the faces and hairstyles of both tall nightmares.
Both the demon and the angel appear twice as tall as me. The demon has thick braids with gold and blue bands resembling an Egyptian style. Reminds me of how Cleo styles her hair before a WarGames match. The demon woman also has a cannon grafted on to her arm. She wore goggles with three lenses, and had eyes on her wings, jewelry, and anklets. Biblically accurate. The goggles are like the ones worn by Lucia and special forces units in top secret military organizations. The angel woman wields an ornamental kite shield in one hand, and a fancy repeater rifle on the other. She also has a sword holstered on her side.
"Arizona," a familiar woman's voice announces. "Your friends miss you. You should join them."
I scream with fury, "You're a horrible excuse for a mother! You turned them into monsters."
Gunhild makes her grand appearance, jumping down from above, landing with a cat's grace. She stands and flairs her woad blue cloak to the side, brandishing herself in her dark iron valkyrie armor. "I'm amazed to see all of you here," she says, a grin forming on her lips and then faces Rowynn. "To think — your people forged you from the same metal as Helayne, yet Barbelo did not influence your artificial intelligence."
Rowynn says, "I was not at Yuna'tora when Barbelo's magic reprogrammed my people. Yet, I knew for certain that such programming would cause the regression of my people's collective code."
Gunhild turns to Samza and Mezos. "Ah, the children of Pádraig. The creatures — no — gods you summon from your fairy tales, Samza. Fascinating beings, though no match for the Word of Barbelo. And you, Celayna and your ancient antiquated devices—"
Mezos interrupts, teeth gritting, "That's Mezos, you dead-naming fiend."
"Of course. How can I forget about your curiosities of other genders? And naming yourself after an old fae sage? Such a strange child, and speaking of children—" Gunhild turns to me.
I say, my triggerblade engaged. "I don't give a shit about what you have to say about me. Where's Mathilde, you freak?" I charge straight at Gunhild, unleashing an explosive slash.
Gunhild jukes to the side, evading the attack. "I sense the fire igniting your determination. If it is Mathilde you seek, then I dare you to follow me."
Rowynn barks, "Ari, go after her. We'll take care of these two."
Samza summons the celestial samurai master, Tsukuyomi, from a rift, while Mezos conjures Amaterasu's mirror.
I glance at the transformed Cleo and Lucia one last time. They look back, their faces solemn. Instead of pursuing me, they leave me alone. I don't hear them speak, but it feels like Cleo is giving me that look. "After that crazy bitch," she would say. With a stern face, I give her a thumbs up and make chase.
"Gunhild," I let out a furious yell, "I'm coming for you, bitch!" I spot Gunhild leaping on top of the containment chamber and on to an upper level rafter and follow her path.
She stands in front of a control panel which, I assume, regulates the power flowing in and out of the Aether Dome. Behind her is a massive jet black orb irradiating with white flames, almost like a solar eclipse. Gunhild taps a few buttons and now the orb transforms from black to pure white with black smoke.
Gunhild announces, "I will ensure The Balancing proceeds according to plan." She readies her triggerblade, and the sparring begins with a few quick slashes, unleashing waves of black and white magic.
I dodge the first two and block the third. The aetheric siphon on my triggerblade's engine core develops a cloud of black swirling energy. With swift footing, I counterattack with a horizontal slash, unleashing a blast of black magic. Gunhild jumps up, evading the attack as the projectile collides with the control panel. Mid-flight, she counters with a diving axe kick.
I leap backwards, evading the force of Gunhild's black iron boot as the impact resonates loud on the metal platform. Yet, in that split second, the orb cracks. It shifts back to its original black color.
Gunhild follows up with a quick leap forward and a spinning slash, unleashing a wave of white energy.
I block the attack and the aetheric siphon absorbs the flood of white energy. With my element shifted, I fire a shot.
"What a sloppy shot," Gunhild mutters.
"I wasn't aiming at you," I say with a grin as the projectile whizzes past Gunhild's shoulder and crashes on to the orb.
The orb explodes like glass shattering, revealing the one girl I've been after sleeping in a containment pod. It's Mathilde, and I have to get her out.
"Fool," Gunhild mutters. "It's only a matter of time before her true form comes to fruition."
Mezos yells from behind, "Ari, look out! They're coming for you."
I turn around and spot both Cleo and Lucia behind me, lumbering forward. Behind them are Rowynn, Mezos, Samza, and Tsukuyomi.
"Come, my subjects," Gunhild commands. "Bring Arizona to me."
A voice echoes in my head. She sounds like Lucia. "Be not afraid."
Cleo rests her demonic, clawed hand on my shoulder. Yet, instead of handing me over to Gunhild, her voice projects into my mind, "Don't worry, Ari. You get the girl. Lucia and I will take care of this." She releases her grip and marches along with Lucia towards Gunhild.
"No way," I say to no one in particular.
Rowynn charges with her blade ready, but I motion her to stop.
"Don't worry," I say with a gasp. "They're on our side."
Lucia tosses her shield, but not at Gunhild. No. The kite-shaped slab of metal flies and crashes on to the glowing central reactor core. The core explodes, triggering a meltdown.
"Oh, fuck," Samza says. "There goes the idea of saving the place."
A voice announces over the radio, "Reactor Core critically damaged. Meltdown imminent. Please evacuate the premises."
Gunhild hunches forward, confronting the two nightmares, and grumbles, "What are you two doing? You dare betray me?"
Cleo and Lucia strike, lashing out at Gunhild with claw, blade, and bullets. Gunhild's triggerblade clashes, sparks flying, steel on steel, rockets and bullets blasting.
Mezos gasps. "How's that possible? They're attacking Gunhild."
While the two occupy Gunhild's attention, I carry Mathilde out of her pod with great haste. "Let's get out of here before it gets real stupid."
Rowynn asks, "How about your new friends?"
How about my friends? I wonder, glancing back as the two continue their skirmish with Gunhild. I wouldn't say they're new. They just have new bodies.
Cleo's voice projects into my head. "Don't worry about us, Ari. We got this. Do it for her. Do it for your sister. The one who you care about the most."
I hate it when Cleo talks like this. In a WarGames match, it usually means she's going suicidal. Most of the time, it works out in our favor, except there's one fatal flaw in this situation: Cleo can't respawn in real-life if she messes this up. Yet, perhaps this is what Cleo has in mind and will risk everything, including her life, to ensure our safety. And what about Lucia? I mean, the two are like a tag-team, though Lucia prefers lurking in the shadows instead of charging head first with a sword and shield. Then again, maybe there's something about their new nightmarish forms that I don't know about. If I ever see these two alive again, then I don't know what to think.
The radio announces, "Aetheric radiation reaching critical levels. Please evacuate the premises."
I can't think about Cleo and Lucia much longer. We need to go, and fast.
Rowynn leads the way as we navigate through crumbling debris, dead bodies, and dangling electrical wires. Meanwhile, I wonder when Mathilde will wake up as I continue to carry her in my arms. I'm sure the sirens, the screaming, the creaking of twisted metal — all that noise has to give her alertness, right? No time to think. Instead, I follow Rowynn, Samza, and Mezos as we reach the exit where a Remnants dropship awaits.
The rear hatch opens where Skylar urges, "Get in! We have no time to lose."
We rush in and the hatch closes.
"Dax," Skylar yells, "We're good to go. Ready for take-off."
"Hold on tight, bros," Dax says over the radio.
Mezos stows Amaterasu's mirror in one of his portals while Samza sends Tsukuyomi home back through a rift to their celestial realm.
Meanwhile, I hold on to Mathilde tight, wondering when she'll wake up. She has to wake up. After all we went through, she needs to open her eyes. Please Mathilde. Open your goddamn eyes!
A loud bang ignites and the ship tumbles.
Dax announces, "Aftershocks are coming from the Aether Dome. Brace for it."
I hold on, yet something is tiring me, like a heavy weight closing my eyes. I'm not sure what it is, but I don't feel right. Thoughts swirl in my head, making me feel nauseous. My vision becomes blurry.
"Ari," Mezos gasps as he rushes close to me, noticing me falter. "Ari, are you okay? Hey! Wake up." He shakes my shoulders, trying to get my attention.
I'm too weak to answer. Instead, I pass out and everything goes black.