Iron Sentinel: The Shadow Crown

CHAPTER 6: THE DOOR OF THE SET SUN

“Probability…of survival…below…one percent,” Grimbolt replied. His optics flickered wildly. “Laser usage…depleted…last reserves. Power status…1 percent.”

The rubble didn't just bury Jax. It completely blocked his way back.

“We have to find another way out,” Valerius said, his voice now strained. He turned on the small flashlight that had been lying near his feet. Its weak light pierced the darkness.

Just as Valerius did so, the light stopped on something hidden behind the pillar where Jax had previously been hiding.

It was a door. It was a distinct shape. It was made of reinforced steel with a symbol Valerius recognized engraved on it: the faded sun symbol of Alaric's Kingdom.

“Grimbolt… look,” he whispered in a voice full of wonder.

Grimbolt, barely able to lift his head, followed the flashlight's beam. He knew the place.

“An… old… era… emergency… shelter… post. Built… by… your… grandfather.”

That was the shelter Elara had prepared. The old workshop had been found. That was what Elara had meant.

“Power status… critical,” Grimbolt whispered, his optics just barely visible embers. “Shutdown… imminent….”

Valerius looked at the dying Grimbolt and then at the door with hope.

“No,” he said firmly. “You’re not going to shut down. Not now.”

He rushed to the door, searching for a panel or a lock. His hands fumbled around the door in confusion.

"How do we get in?"

Valerius' question echoed through the silent, shattered valve junction. The boy was still groping the cold, wet steel surface of the door. He searched for a crack, a keyhole, or a hidden panel. But to no avail.

The steel door was smooth and solid as a cliff. Behind Valerius, who was still groping for the door with his fingers, Grimbolt let out a low, growing hum, like the final breath of a giant machine.

“There is no… external… mechanism,” Grimbolt whispered. “This door… was designed… to keep… the outside world out. Not… to welcome it in.”

“Then how do we get in?!” Valerius growled, his frustration mounting.

They found the door of salvation right before their eyes, but being refused entry was unbearable cruelty. The door was meant for Alaric's family.

Valerius pounded on the door with a clenched fist. A clanging sound was the only response. Behind them came the clatter of a pile of pipes collapsing.

Valerius glanced over and began to think that Jax or the Vexxos soldiers might still be alive and trying to find them.

“We don't have much time, Grimbolt,” Valerius complained through gritted teeth.

“There is… one way,” Grimbolt said then. “Only… one.”

Valerius turned to face Grimbolt. The robot's nearly extinguished optics were now flashing in a strange, irregular pattern.

“What is that?” Valerius asked curiously.

“Genetic… recognition,” Grimbolt replied, his voice still broken. “The panel… is hidden. It requires… blood… from Alaric’s… bloodline.”

“Blood?” Valerius repeated with furrowed brows.

“Carved… into the sun,” Grimbolt continued, each word a struggle. “In the center. There’s… a… needle… hole.”

Valerius turned back to face the door. He took out his flashlight and shone it carefully on the faded sun carving.

Grimbolt was right. In the center of the sun symbol was a small, barely visible hole filled with rust and dirt. Valerius tried to dig it out with his fingernail, but the hole was too small to clean.

“I can’t, Grimbolt,” he said, continuing to try to dig with his not-so-long nails.

“Use… your dagger,” said Grimbolt.

Valerius immediately pulled his father's simple dagger from under his coat. He had forgotten the dagger he always carried with him everywhere.

With trembling hands, he carefully and slowly used the sharp tip of the blade to clean the needle hole. After a few tense moments, the hole was clean.

“Now what?” Valerius didn’t know what to do with the hole once it was clean.

“Now… your blood,” Grimbolt replied.

Valerius stared at Grimbolt, then at the sharp edge of the dagger, then at his own palm. Valerius swallowed hard. He had never intentionally injured himself in his life.

He lowered his hand. Fear. Then he turned to Grimbolt. The robot who had sacrificed everything for him. Starting from protecting him when he was in the palace, instead of taking Elara with him, until now dying on the floor of the sewer. The doubt finally disappeared.

“Okay,” he said, taking a breath and exhaling slowly.

With a sharp intake of breath, he sliced ​​open his palm, wincing. The cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to draw a few drops of blood.

Valerius then pressed his wounded palm against the sun carving to ensure his blood entered the needle hole.

After he felt it enter, he pulled back. For a few seconds, nothing happened, leaving him confused.

“It didn't work, Grimbolt,” he whispered desperately.

Slowly, a sound is heard click. A very soft sound came from inside the door as if someone was opening it. Thin lines of soft blue light around the sun carving began to glow.

A calm, mechanical female voice was recorded. It echoed from a hidden speaker somewhere, saying, “Genetic identity confirmed. Welcome, Successor of the Alaric Kingdom.”

With a soft hiss of hydraulics, the steel door slid aside, revealing a dark room beyond. The air emanating from it was dry and musty, a smell trapped for years.

“We… did it,” Valerius whispered, staring into the darkness of the room with his mouth agape.

His voice was between amazed and shocked, all because with just a drop of blood, the door was wide open.

“Well done, Golden Boy,” squealed Cogs, perched atop Grimbolt’s head. “You got the door open. Now, will you help me lift this three-ton pile of metal before it becomes a permanent fixture in the gutter?”

Valerius covered his mouth, recovering from his shock. He rushed to Grimbolt's side.

“Grimbolt! We did it! We can get in!” he shouted happily as he jumped up and down.

There was no answer. Valerius didn't realize that Grimbolt's optics had completely extinguished. The last embers of his flame had died.

“No,” Valerius whispered when he realized the optics weren’t glowing yellow as usual. “No, no, no. Grimbolt!”

Valerius shook the giant metal's shoulder, but it was a futile effort. The metal was cold and unresponsive. It didn't even budge an inch even when Valerius shook it.

“He’s not dead, you silly boy,” Cogs said, his voice softer than usual. “He’s just… sleeping. An emergency shutdown that protects his core circuits. But if we don’t power him soon, his sleep will become permanent.”

Valerius stared at Grimbolt's giant body, then at the open door. He couldn't move the robot alone.

Suddenly, from behind the pile of rubble behind them came the sound of grinding metal. A smoking cybernetic arm tore through a pile of pipes, followed by the battered and partially burned figure of Lieutenant Jax. Half the man's face was charred, but his remaining eyes burned with hatred.

“Oh no,” Valerius whispered in horror at the sight of Jax still alive despite his horrific physical condition.

“You… won’t be able… to escape,” he growled and dragged himself out of the rubble.

“Get in, now!” Cogs shouted. “Leave Grimbolt alone!”

Valerius shook his head. Although he hated Grimbolt for not bringing Elara with him, the robot had already made a bet on protecting her.

“I won’t leave him!” he replied half shouting.

Valerius ran into the workshop and turned on his flashlight. Its light swept across the vast room.

“Anything,” he whispered. “I hope I can find something to break Grimbolt,” he said again hopefully.

A workbench, a tool rack, and on one wall a series of large power levers. And on the ceiling a small hanging crane.

'Found it,' he cheered in his heart.

“Cogs! Find the crane power lever!” Valerius shouted at Cogs.

Cogs flew with dented wings towards the control panel and Valerius ran back outside.

Jax was now standing and limping towards Grimbolt's helpless body.

“I'll take you to pieces,” Jax hissed.