Iron Sentinel: The Shadow Crown

“They have reached the door of the throne room, my Sentinel. This is my final dance.”

Empress Elara Alaric's voice was calm. So calm, like the center of a storm, that even the thud of Vexxos's sledgehammer against the bronze door echoed throughout the marble-floored chamber.

Outside, the Annual Gear Festival had transformed from a celebration of industrial progress into a whirlwind of screams and mass slaughter. Thick, jet-black smoke billowed from the park pavilions, carrying the ozone smell of energy weapons and the coppery tang of blood.

“This door will hold for another 7.4 minutes, Your Majesty,” Grimbolt reported.

Its three-meter-tall chassis glinted in the light of the crystal chandelier. It stood between the throne and the door like a motionless fortress of steel and bronze. Its yellow optics scanned every corner while its machine's processors raced inside.

“The evacuation protocols have been activated,” Grimbolt said again. “Prince Valerius is safe in the chamber behind the throne.”

“Safe for now,” Elara corrected in a soft tone.

The Empress straightened her silver-colored gown, made of silk and copper wire. The graceful woman was completely unfazed by the chaos.

“Mother!” Valerius ran out from his hiding place. He walked towards Grimbolt.

Then she stood close to the robot's feet. "What should we do, Mom? What should we do?" he asked in a trembling voice.

Elara turned to his twelve-year-old son with a pale face who was now standing trembling while holding one of Grimbolt's legs.

“Valerius, look at me,” Elara said softly.

The boy looked up from his position, his blue eyes wide with fear as he watched the increasingly frenzied surroundings.

“Mother, we have to go!” she pleaded loudly. “Grimbolt can take us!” he pleaded again when Elara didn’t move.

“Grimbolt has other duties,” Elara replied, her smile turning sad. “His duty is to protect you. Always.”

BOOM!

Bronze shards flew as the door began to open. Valerius, who saw the door, stared at Elara in fear.

“Mom, let's go!”

Valerius said half-shouting. He jumped up in panic and moved to grab Elara's hand. Tears began to well up in his eyes. The fear of being separated from his mother loomed before his eyes.

“They used sonic blasters,” Grimbolt said, his voice strained slightly. “The door was breached in 48 seconds.”

“That’s enough time,” Elara replied.

“Mother, come on!” Valerius was now crying as he pulled Elara’s hand even tighter, forcing her to leave this now terrifying place. His blue eyes were wet with tears.

“Valerius,” Elara said calmly. One hand reached out and stroked Valerius’s head affectionately. “I’m a queen and must face them.”

The Empress knelt before Grimbolt and placed her hand on the robot's cold leg plate. An unusual gesture for a Queen.

“My faithful Sentinel,” Elara said, her voice still calm. “You have served me well.”

“I failed to anticipate this attack, Your Majesty,” Grimbol replied, guilt laced in his voice. “My intelligence—”

“It’s not your fault, my old friend,” Elara interrupted quickly. “They all attacked from within the palace. Treachery is a weapon that even the most sophisticated sensors cannot detect.”

Elara stared intently into Grimbolt's yellow optics.

“When this door breaks, they’ll come for me,” Elara said again, as Grimbolt remained silent, absorbing every word from his master. “Just ignore me. I’ll keep them busy. Your top priority is Valerius. Take him to the Pauper’s Lane beneath the old workshop. You’ll know where it is. Promise me, Grimbolt.”

“Mother! No!” Valerius protested when he heard Elara’s order for Grimbolt. His head snapped up at Grimbolt when Elara ignored him. “Grimbolt, take Mother too! Take her too!” Valerius screamed in panic.

Valerius couldn't imagine his life without Elara. He didn't know what to do. His world is Elara. His mother.

Grimbolt glanced at Valerius. He considered Valerius's words. “But, Your Majesty, my protocol—”

Elara stood up and looked up at Grimbolt.

“Forget your protocol! This is my order!” Elara’s voice turned sharp like shattered glass. “You must protect him. You must guide him. Promise me that!”

"Mother!"

Valerius panicked when Elara said such things to Grimbolt. He cried in fear. He didn't want his mother to just stand there waiting for something terrible to happen.

The palace was in ruins. It was completely destroyed, and only that room remained standing. Its door was almost completely open.

“Valerius,” Elara bowed to her son. “Promise me you’ll always be by Grimbolt’s side. No matter what happens.”

Valerius shook his head in disapproval. Tears streamed down his cheeks. The nightmare he'd been experiencing for days had now become a reality.

Just as he and Grimbolt were about to answer, the protective door exploded, sending a shower of hot metal shards into the air. Grimbolt immediately shielded Valerius from the onslaught.

In the shattered doorway stood a dozen or so Vexxos warriors in jet black armor wielding energy rifles held high.

“They—” Valerius’s words stopped when he saw so many soldiers charging in. His heart was beating wildly.

Elara gently tugged Valerius to move. “Hide,” the graceful woman whispered to her son.

Valerius obeyed. He began to hide behind the throne room. He covered his eyes and ears with his hands. He was scared to death. His heart was still beating erratically, as if it would jump out of his chest. He had never imagined this terrifying day would ever happen in his life.

Meanwhile, in front of the soldiers, a tall man strode in with the calmness and poise of a predator. His armor was more refined than that of his fellow soldiers, and his helmet was pulled back, revealing a handsome yet cruel face with a thin scar running down his brow. The man was Commander Kael.

“Empress Elara,” Kael said in a voice as smooth as silk. Yet, it was as cold as ice. “In the name of true progress and the unity of all Industrial Clans, your stagnant reign is over.”

“Kael,” Elara replied, rising to her feet with the grace of a queen. “So, the Vexxos dog is finally showing its fangs now, not just its tail.”

Kael smiled upon hearing that.

“We brought more than just fangs,” he said. Then Kael raised his wrist. “Target: ‘Iron Sentinel’ unit. Activate ‘Nanorite Swarm’.”

Grimbolt immediately reacted to those words.

“Threat detected!” he roared as the steam cannon on his shoulder spun around.

But the robot was too late.

From Kael's wristguard, a small, shimmering black cloud shot swiftly into the air. It wasn't smoke. It was a swarm of billions of micromachines moving with collective intelligence. The swarm ignored Elara and Valerius and swiftly enveloped Grimbolt.

“Argh… System… under attack…” Grimbolt said in a crackling voice. His chassis emitted blue sparks. “Circuit… shorted… Motor protocol… failed…”

The giant robot shuddered violently and then fell to its knees with a deafening thud, causing the crystal chandelier above it to vibrate and send pieces crashing to the marble floor. The Nanorites wormed their way into every crevice in Grimbolt's armor, crippling the massive robot from within.

Even though Valerius covered his ears, the sound of Grimbolt's fall still reached him. He was even startled by the crash. He immediately came out of hiding.

“Grimbolt!” Valerius screamed in terror as he saw the large robot lying helpless on the floor fighting something invisible to his eyes.

Meanwhile, Elara could only stare at Kael with burning hatred.

“Pathetic old technology,” Kael sneered, watching Grimbolt still struggling against Nanorite. “Brute strength is nothing against a sharp mind.”

Then Kael signaled to his men with his head, "Finish him!"

Two Vexxos soldiers raised their rifles. But before they could pull the triggers, a deafening sound of grinding metal rang out.

On the floor, Grimbolt trembled violently. His blinking optics suddenly flashed red.

“PRIMARY… PROTECTION… PROTOCOL… OVERRIDE… SYSTEM… FAILURE!” he roared, his voice distorted by static.

With sheer willpower beyond his programming, he rose to his feet. His right arm rose shakily. He tried to create a shield for his Queen.

Valerius held his breath, his eyes filled with hope. “He did it! He saved Mother!” he whispered happily.

But that was when Kael calmly raised his wrist again. “Increase the Nanorite’s power. Burn the circuit.”

The black cloud around Grimbolt grew denser. Thick smoke billowed from every joint in its chassis. Its raised arm jerked and fell to the floor.

His red optics dimmed to a flickering yellow. He had given it his all and it still wasn't enough.

“That was… very sad,” Kael said.

He nodded to his soldiers. And the energy shot was released.

Grimbolt could only watch helplessly with his optics flickering.

The sound of the gunshot rang so clearly in Valerius' ears.

"Mother!"

The boy screamed at the top of his lungs as Elara's body jerked backwards and fell on her back helplessly.