A few minutes ago, when Cognitron X-12 was slowly lifting the ship, it suddenly spoke through the speakers inside the control room.
[I felt something strange, as if there was something not part of my programming.]
"Something strange? What do you feel different?" asked Kraynnor as he checked his friend's programming, although he saw nothing unusual.
[I don't know, now I don't feel anything out of the ordinary, maybe it was an error.]
"...Let's leave that for when we leave Caelum," he narrowed his eyes with suspicion. It wasn't his style to leave something unchecked, as such errors shouldn't happen in something he had laid his hands on.
If someone tried to infiltrate his AI's programming, they would find out sooner or later!
[Alright, leaving the fourth level. Soon we'll be on the surface of Caelum.]
Nodding, Kraynnor watched as the landscape changed slowly: factories and workshops shrouded in dust, laboratories hidden under dark roots that seemed to decompose, devastated libraries, mountains of destroyed androids and bones of countless humans, various metro stations, and, at the end of the visual journey, the ruins of what had once been a splendid city...
He couldn't avert his gaze from the hundreds of thousands of androids facing the few thousand Astrylites with frenzy; unfortunately, not even that overwhelming number seemed to have an effect.
The fallen enemies so far were the result of pure strategy and luck, making it impossible to inflict more casualties.
"!"
Casually, his gaze landed right on the place he once called home with his parents!
During his childhood, he resided in an imposing glass building that stood majestically on the horizon. This building, a symbol of status, was reserved for those privileged with abundant resources and a prominent reputation as scientists. His parents, fulfilling both criteria with mastery, stood out as pioneers in the research of neurodegenerative diseases that had claimed countless lives over the years.
However, in the pursuit of various cures, his parents ventured into unknown territory by manipulating something from space.
Something they shouldn't have manipulated with the technology they had.
"..."
Inevitably, a slow succession of memories paraded before his eyes, from the first look at his parents at birth to the joyful expression on their faces when they discovered he was an unmatched genius!
Quickly, sad memories surfaced, precisely the day he saw his parents die of old age at thirty due to that strange disease.
A disease he tried to learn more about years later, but all samples had mysteriously disappeared. So, he was left with putting all his efforts into increasing human longevity.
"It was so illogical..." he murmured sadly.
It still seemed incredible to him how in just one year, his parents went from being young scientists full of dreams to a couple of elderly people who seemed to be over a century old. Although at the same time, he wondered what would have become of him if he hadn't experienced that traumatic situation at such an early age.
Of course, he had a rough idea of what might have happened; he probably would have perished on that invasion day, along with the billions of humans who once populated this world...
More and more memories kept emerging: his days as a solitary student, always isolated while perfecting his AI or conceiving plans for the future.
Some might have called him arrogant and antisocial back then.
Kraynnor understood; a kid who was always the best at everything but never hung out with anyone was probably hated and envied. Still, he never hated anyone; in fact, he always felt that humans were a miracle.
A product of nature destined for great things!
So, against all odds, instead of repudiating them, he loved them to the point of wanting to find a way for no human to die of old age, or at least, that no one had to face the same situation as his parents. He longed to see how far they could go, maybe even witness how they spread among the stars.
But that dream no longer made sense...
Even if he could make his High Humans immortal in the end, the fact that the human race had ceased to exist would always weigh on his mind.
He could try using all the genetic information he had to create humans again, but it would be like bringing small rabbits into a wolf-infested forest.
Kraynnor wasn't so cruel as to do that; the era of humanity had ended, and now those who would rise would be the High Humans. A race that would soon see the birth of two new members!
"Eh?"
Suddenly, while lost in his thoughts, he saw a golden-armored Astrylite flying towards them at such speed that it would probably reach the ship in seconds. Fortunately, he had thought everything through beforehand; the biomass shield drones were in position for a while, and without hesitation, he told his friend to activate them.
Kraynnor soon saw the final form of his shield drones, an impressive barrier covering hundreds of meters!
From the top of the ship, there was a small white elongated weapon that continuously shot a green substance, making the barrier thicker and practically impenetrable by normal forces.
"Well, it seems like Xylo is doing what we asked obediently. I'll have to give him some reward later..." Kraynnor muttered with a big smile.
Gluuurp... Gluuuurp...
Indeed, it was the mutant plant, Xylotoxus Carnivorus, using its slime to provide large amounts of biomass to the barrier. It was in a large room where its roots spread everywhere, its unsettling sounds resonating everywhere; it was quite excited as it looked out of a large window to the outside world.
Thud!
Kraynnor smirked with disdain as he saw the Astrylite hitting the barrier.
But his smile quickly faded, and he said, "Have the seven war robots activate their Explosive Fusion Cells; the barrier won't withstand the terrifying plasma attack from that alien."
[Alright, I'll push the thrusters to the limit too, in case the explosion reaches us...]
"You're right, but I already knew that. I always entrust you with those things, after all, you're the best when it comes to understanding what I'm thinking," Kraynnor settled into his seat and patiently waited for the fireworks.
He left his memories behind; it wasn't the right time to dwell on them.
With narrowed eyes, he watched as the Astrylite accumulated ridiculous amounts of plasma in its arms.
As the energy buildup unleashed, he noticed how the air tens of meters away began to distort. Kraynnor couldn't deny the terrifying presence of that damn alien; he even felt that if it fired, his ship would turn to ashes in a matter of seconds...
"What a stupid..." said Kraynnor with disdain. He would have no compassion for these aliens, never!
That Astrylite was so distracted by showing off that it didn't notice the approach of seven huge robots, and when it realized, it was too late. Kraynnor clenched his fists with excitement as the ship took off amid a strong blue light. He looked at the rear cameras, and, even if for a second, he saw how that golden-armored bastard was sent flying by the impact.
"A destiny of destruction, huh?" he also observed with sadness how all of Caelum was destroyed beyond recognition. Even the debris melted, androids, everything...
Chirr!
The ship vibrated with a thunderous metallic impact as it abruptly stopped hundreds of meters away!
"What happened?" asked a confused Kraynnor.
[An enemy is trying to enter the ship from the outside. Should I send the androids?]
He didn't respond instantly; instead, with a cold look, he activated his cube, creating a biomass glove on his right hand: "Show me where that alien is; I'll take care of that vermin myself."
Facing an enemy like that could be dangerous, but he wouldn't allow those bastards to roam freely in his new home!
Soon, on one of the main holographic screens, Kraynnor identified an Astrylite soldier with an imposing armor clinging to the outside of the ship. Its hand clung to the metal of the ship, deforming it with its fingers, while on its back, it carried a weapon similar to a sniper rifle.
Zzzzchhk!
With anger, Kraynnor watched as the soldier's fist glowed in red tones as it hit the ship, triggering the formation of a tiny hole that instantly started expanding by itself!
This phenomenon intensified because they were at an altitude higher than fifty meters above the ocean surface. At this elevated position, the instantaneous release of air inside the ship marked the beginning of a delicate pressure balance between the inside and the outside.
Kraynnor watched as that bastard started infiltrating his ship.
"Give me biomass and that great weapon we got from the alien I killed," he finished speaking, and a pair of androids appeared, one with a compartment full of Xylo's slime and the other with a huge weapon, similar to a rocket launcher.
Kraynnor instantly formed his biomass armor.
Wielding the weapon in his hands, he coldly advanced towards the location where the alien was entering the ship...
Craaack!
"Ha, as expected from the metal of an inferior civilization, I entered easily!" exclaimed Zyrgon. His tone of voice took on a strange tone, as if his mental state were unbalanced.
In comparison to his usual state, marked by a more evident calmness, the shift towards the unique desire for revenge was noticeable. It was clear that Draylith's death had left a deeper mark on him than he himself recognized.
Swooosh!
The force of the wind hit him fiercely. His armor, designed to withstand the rigors of space, responded firmly without taking a step back!
"That's..."
He was about to advance, but stopped when he saw a figure in green armor moving slowly towards him.
"You!" he remembered that figure; it was the wretch who had killed Draylith!
Zzchhhuuumm!
Without thinking twice, he fired!
Boooom!
But the other party, as if predicting what he was going to do, also fired the BlasterX; the plasma ball followed perfectly the trajectory of his electromagnetic energy shot. The white and blue light met, causing a horrendous explosion that pushed him several meters, almost falling from the ship through the hole he had created.
Zyrgon quickly looked at his enemy, trying to verify his condition.
If he, with Xenotech armor, had retreated so much, a simple biomass armor should be in a much more precarious situation!
"!?"
But what he saw were multiple biomass shields protecting that scoundrel.
There were dozens of them; on the ground, there were many charred drones, indicating that there were more shields before, and the worst part was that more drones kept appearing, forming more biomass shields!
"This isn't fair..." he whispered helplessly as he tried to advance, struggling to face close combat.
Boom, boom, boom!
"Arghhh! Damn it!"
Sadly, he could only watch as that being in green armor shot mercilessly. He tried to dodge, but he seemed to predict all his movements, hitting him over and over again!
"No!"
Each shot tore a part of his armor and made him retreat further.
He desperately tried to protect his Magnetic Hunter, but in the end, a shot reached it. Zyrgon could only helplessly watch as the weapon that had accompanied him for centuries turned into twisted metal...
His head hit the inside of the armor incessantly; he felt his brain trembling to the point of feeling like he was going to lose consciousness.
Still, he clung with pure willpower!
"I'll kill you, you son of a bitch! I won't rest until I kill you! I'll make you pay for Draylith's death!" Zyrgon shouted in anger, seeing nothing but blue plasma hitting his entire body. Suddenly, the shots ceased; the BlasterX was cooling down.
Zyrgon didn't hesitate and tried to run while shouting, "Now you're screwed!"
Thud! Thud!
He advanced with a cruel and deranged smile, replaying in his mind the scene of strangling that bastard to death.
Clank!
Unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to fulfill that fantasy, as Kraynnor instantly used his xenogenic fusion. He lunged forward, and with a powerful kick, endowed with absurd force, he threw Zyrgon out of the ship. Since he couldn't destroy his armor, what better option than to send him swimming?
"Pathetic... Pray that I don't find you again when I've learned to create these weapons of his race," Kraynnor said mockingly, pointing at the rocket launcher.
Swooosh!
Zyrgon didn't understand what that bastard in green armor was saying, but he was sure he was mocking him!
"Shit..."
He fell unable to do anything, watching as that ship moved away. His consciousness was already at its limit, and now that he realized he couldn't avenge Draylith, he slowly closed his eyes, and finally, his mind darkened.
Splash!
Zyrgon sank quickly, but his Xenotech armor instantly activated small thrusters on his back that brought him to the surface.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
There he stayed until he felt someone hitting his face.