All Chapters of Iron Sentinel: The Shadow Crown: Chapter 11
- Chapter 20
53 chapters
CHAPTER 11: SILENCE AND THE COUNTDOWN
“We have to block that door so it doesn't gape like that.”Valerius' voice sounded hoarse in the smoky workshop. Several hours had passed since the explosion. They had spent most of the time in tense silence.They listened intently for any sounds in the charred corridors, waiting for Jax's return or for the arrival of more Vexxos troops. But nothing came. There was only silence.“That door weighs half a ton and you saw it thrown twenty meters away,” Cogs said from his perch on the lathe. “Unless you suddenly grow muscles like Hercules, I don’t see how we’re going to move it.”“Cogs is right, Prince,” said Grimbolt from where he was leaning against the wall.His efforts to assist in the defense had depleted his temporary power reserves. His optics were dimming again.“And even if we could, it would only be a temporary solution,” the robot added. “They know we’re here. This is no longer a fortress. It’s a trap waiting to be sprung.”The reality of those words sounded cold and heavy.Val
CHAPTER 12: SELLING FAIRY TALES
“Remember the plan, Prince,” Grimbolt’s voice was weak but urgent. His optics flashing dimly. “Your goal isn’t to get the cash. That’s impossible without verification. Your goal is to lure them here. Make them believe this asset is too large, too valuable, and too dangerous to move without a team.”“I know,” Valerius replied, nodding.He tightened his belt to suppress the hunger that was churning in his stomach.“I sold a nightmare as a good dream. ‘Rare cargo unit, slightly dented, previous owner died suddenly.’ That’s classic.”“And try not to die,” added Cogs, perched on Grimbolt’s head. The bird was cleaning its dirty metal wings. “Your death would be a hassle for my repair schedule. Who’s going to turn the screwdriver if you’re a corpse?”Valerius stared at his two friends. One was a giant, dying machine, and the other was an annoying mechanical bird.They were part of his kingdom now. His people. And a king had to feed his people, even if it meant entering a lion's den.“I'll be
CHAPTER 13: KILL ZONE
It was a bluff. But Valerius delivered it with the confidence of a prince accustomed to giving orders.The Rust Worm grinned, revealing yellow teeth. “Don’t worry, kid. I’m an honest businessman. Tomorrow night. Don’t be late.”Valerius turned and walked out. He resisted the urge to run. His legs felt weak. He had already cast his bait. Now, he could only pray that the incoming shark wouldn't swallow him whole.In the dimly lit shop, Rust Worm took the paper. He didn't keep it in his pocket. He stared at it with a sly smile.He wouldn't look for a buyer. He knew there was one party that had spread the word throughout the underworld, offering a large reward for any information about Sentinel technology or a boy with blue eyes.He reached for the communicator in his pocket. His fingers quickly dialed the encrypted frequency code.“Connect me to the Vexxos line,” he whispered into the microphone. “Priority code: Kael. Tell him I found what he’s looking for. And tell him the price just do
CHAPTER 14: THE OFFER THAT'S TOO GOOD
"Then we will fight with what we have," he replied. "And we will make the price of our lives very high. We will make sure they pay with blood for every step they take on this floor."The answer was not reassuring for Valerius but it did provide reassurance.Time continued to tick by. It must have been late night in the upper world. Valerius began to nod off, his head drooping. Physical and mental exhaustion began to take its toll.Suddenly, Cogs raised his head. His sensitive audio sensors had picked up something inaudible to the human ear.“Shh! Be quiet!” whispered the crow.Valerius was instantly awake. He grabbed the lever.“What is that?” he asked warily.“Sounds,” Cogs whispered. “In the tunnel. Far away but approaching. Footsteps.”Valerius held his breath. His heart pounded in his ears. He listened intently. And then he heard it too. The sound of shuffling footsteps on wet concrete. One person? Two? It was hard to tell because of the echo. But they were coming.“They're here,”
CHAPTER 15: COWARDS AND HEROES
“Calm down!” said the Rust Worm, his voice rising an octave. “Look, it’s open!” He opened the suitcase lid with a quick jerk. Valerius leaned forward, squinting. Inside was no gold. Or a pile of glowing power cells. The suitcase was empty. Except for a small black device affixed to its center. A red LED light blinked on it. “It's not gold,” said Valerius. “No,” the Rust Worm replied quietly. He then took a quick step back, trying to get away from the drum and away from Grimbolt and toward the pillar. “That’s a tracking transmitter. And it’s been active since I stepped inside.” The Rust Worm's face changed, previously filled with friendliness, now crumbling, replaced by fear and despair. “I’m sorry, son,” he whispered, trembling violently. “But they found me.
CHAPTER 16: HAMMER AND NAILS
It was Commander Kael's voice. Clear, calm, and intimidating. Grimbolt limped towards the soldier and then smashed his communicator helmet with a single stomp of his massive foot.
Last Updated : 2026-01-18Read more
CHAPTER 17: STRIKE IN THE BELT OF THE EARTH
Inside the cramped operator's cabin, the heat was becoming unbearable. The temperature gauge on the dashboard cracked, its needle frozen above the red zone. Thick black smoke billowed from the floorboards. “The reactor temperature is… critical,” Grimbolt’s voice came over the intercom calmly. Yet, it carried a sense of urgency. “The cooling system is failing. If we don’t shut it down within 45 seconds, the core will melt.” “If we turn it off now, we’ll be the ones buried alive!” Valerius retorted. He gripped the red-hot control levers. “Kael’s behind us. There are tons of rocks here. We have to get through somewhere! I don’t know where.” “30 seconds.” Grimbolt began counting. “The engine vibrations are damaging the structure of the tunnel behind us. It’s slowed down the pursuit, but it’s also blocking our re
CHAPTER 18: EYES IN THE CAVE
The glowing green eyes emerged from behind the giant stalagmites and crept out of the rock crevices at the edge of the underground river. A low hiss began to sound. Cogs, now perched on Valerius' shoulder, his claws gripping the boy's coat tightly, tried to tilt his head. His eyepieces swiveled to zoom in on the distant image.
Last Updated : 2026-01-19
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CHAPTER 19: THE COLLAPSE OF THE WAY HOME
“I can see the sky. Or at least, something that isn't pitch black.” Valerius' voice was hoarse from dust and exhaustion in his throat. He climbed the remains of a maintenance ladder attached to the wall of the giant chimney. Above, a blinding yellow light marked the end of their underground journey. The wind howled through the chimney, carrying the smell of rust and chemical fumes. “Cooling system… stable at 85 degrees,” Grimbolt reported as he climbed. He climbed by digging his steel fingers into the concrete of the chimney wall, then pulling his three-ton weight inch by inch with hydraulic power. “But my energy reserves… remain critical,” Grimbolt informed again. “The fight in the cave drained… 40 percent of my remaining power.” “Save your stats for later, Rusty Tin Can,” scree
CHAPTER 20: WE ARE GHOST
They were hurtling down at full speed, bobbing up and down in the metal tunnel, towards the rubbish heap. Moments later, they were vomited out of the end of the duct. Valerius was thrown into the air and landed hard on a mountain of soft but foul-smelling trash. He rolled and then hit a used tire before finally coming to a stop. “It hurts so much,” complained Valerius rubbing his ribs. His entire body ached. He chose to lie there, gazing up at the distant yellow sky above, to dull the pain. Then, a loud thud shook the ground. Grimbolt landed a few meters away. The robot didn't land on its feet, but instead fell like a meteor, crashing into a pile of trash and burying itself halfway inside. Valerius saw this and crawled closer, ignoring the pain in his ribs. “Grimbolt! Grimbolt!” he called out in panic.