The Dead Zone Sovereign

Chapter 10: The Severed Sun

The line did not make a sound when Grand Inquisitor Kael crossed it. The air just felt different like a drop in temperature. To a soldier it would have been hard to notice.. To Kael, whose whole being was connected to the global grid it was like being plunged into a deep dark ocean.

Kael stopped walking. His big Aetherite shield, the Sun-Forged Bulwark started to shudder. The bright plasma that was dancing along his blade suddenly got smaller shrinking from a big aura to a tiny flickering flame.

For the time in ten years Kaels mind was completely silent. The usual chatter of millions of subroutines, geographical data and tracking vectors was gone. Instead there was a bronze-tinted static that hovered at the edges of his consciousness.

He lowered his visor. Looked at Valen, who was standing a few hundred yards away. Valen was not moving his garb blending in with the dark earth.

What kind of sorcery is this? Kaels voice boomed through the canyon. You think you can hide under a dome of stolen energy and escape judgment?

Valen did not. Draw a weapon. His right hand was by his side his fingers relaxed.

This is not a dampening field, Inquisitor. It's a change in ownership. The rules here are no longer written by your creators. They are written by me.

Kael snarled, his heavy boots slamming into the ground as he advanced. The system does not belong to individuals. It is the world. To deny the Core is to deny the ground you stand on.

He raised his shield, which began to glow as he forced his plasma reservoir to ignite. Advance! he commanded. Purify the gate!

Behind him twelve elite paladins moved forward into the ravine. They carried heavy steel lances and rectangular tower shields their silver armor polished to a shine.

They did not look up at the cliffs. See the avian beastmen leaning over the ledges with their crossbows.

Zarek stood hidden his eyes tracking the paladin formation. He held a silver-tipped signal dart in his hand. The moment the infantry line cleared the marker stone he flicked his wrist sending the dart flying.

The release signal was given.

High above the canyon floor five avian beastmen pulled the triggers of their modified repeating crossbows simultaneously. Fifty Gravitational Impact Bolts left the magazines in a volley.

The paladins did not have time to raise their shields. The velocity of the volley was too fast.

The moment the tip of the bolt made contact with the silver shoulder plate of the lead paladin, the spatial matrix of the projectile inverted. The result was a catastrophe.

The silver shoulder plate caved inward the metal liquefying under an introduction of extreme mass. The paladin was driven down into the canyon floor with the force of a falling meteor.

The remaining bolts found their targets across the formation. The narrow ravine became a scene of structural failure.

Six paladins were neutralized in the second of the engagement. Their armor was. Their health bars dropped into the critical red zone.

Ambush! the sub-captain shouted. Clear the ledges!

Before the surviving soldiers could orient their crossbows toward the cliffs a fierce roar echoed from the ridges.

Garrok leaped from the shadow of an obsidian pillar his massive lupine frame covered in reinforced leather. He held one of Valens Aetherite Vibro-Blades, the green edge humming with a high-pitched vibration.

The beastmen vanguard tore through the remnants of the guard. The twenty Aetherite vibro-blades moved like lightning, through the dust ignoring fifty percent of the physical armor values.

Kael did not turn back to assist his men. His gaze remained locked entirely on Valen, his eyes burning with fury. To a Grand Inquisitor the paladins were simply assets; if they were being deleted it merely meant the threat level required his intervention.

You are a cancer on the layout Kael said, his voice dropping to a growl. He raised the Sun-Forged Bulwark. You have introduced weapons that break the class progression rules. The High Core will see this change. They will record your face.

Then let them watch Valen said. He took his step forward. His black vanguard clothes felt light against his skin. The silver and gold lines in the fabric hummed as they synced with the bronze battery in the keep.

Kael activated his core. A huge column of plasma shot out from his boots. It scoured the grey ash into a black glass floor.

He did not run; he just moved fast. His agility allowed him to cover the remaining distance in one breath. He brought his blade down towards Valens neck. The plasma made the air smell like ozone and melting iron.

Valen did not try to dodge. He did not raise an arm to block.

System Valen thought. I want to know the temperature of Kael's plasma.

A bronze warning window appeared in his vision. It had a deep warning tone.

The plasmas heat just disappeared. The brilliant light. It was cold and harmless. It looked like moonlight.

The temperature of the blade dropped to zero in a millisecond. Kaels visor frosted over. The sudden lack of heat made the air freeze against his silver helm.

The golden edge hit Valens shoulder plate. There was a thud. The kinetic force was huge. Without the heat the blow was just physical.

Valens armor absorbed the shock. His health bar dipped by a twelve points.

Your light has no heat Inquisitor Valen said. His face was inches from Kaels visor.

Kaels eyes widened. He tried to pull his blade but before he could Valen grabbed the shield.

He was within his five-meter radius. He was touching the tier defensive item.

System Valen commanded. I want to know the kinetic storage capacity of the Sun-Forged Bulwark.

The bronze interface windows flashed. Valens soul collided with the epic-grade item.

Warning: The item has a density Aetherite core. Extraction will cause an inversion. Stamina cost: 110 points.

Extract Valen insisted.

A deep pop echoed from the shield. The Aetherite crystal turned opaque. Its capacity to absorb force was drained.

The Sun-Forged Bulwark was no longer grade. It was a slab of gold and brass.

What have you done to the bulwark? Kael demanded. His voice trembled with panic.

You rely much on their definitions Valen said. He stepped inside Kaels guard. His right fist drove forward into Kaels silver breastplate.

He did not use a weapon. He used the concept of weight he had retained.

The physical result was catastrophic. Kaels defensive attributes were overwhelmed.

The silver breastplate caved inward. Kael was lifted off his feet. He flew thirty yards across the valley floor.

His health bar plummeted.

Valen did not chase him immediately. He stood in the center of the valley. His stamina pool was at fifty points.

Across the valley floor the engagement was already over. Zarek and Garrok stood among the ruined armor of the twelve paladins.

Kael coughed up a mouthful of blood. His fingers clawed at the broken fragments of his breastplate.

You... You cannot replace the core Kael whispered. If you kill me... The regional capital will know.

I know they will Valen said. Walking slowly toward Kael. I have already extracted the layout of their citadel from your sentinels memory.

He stopped two feet away, from Kael. He extended his hand.

System Valen thought. I want to access the class database within Kaels soul. Extract the path definition: Holy Avenger of the First Order.

The bronze interface screen flared with a violet light. A series of glyphs spun around Valens hand.

Request: Host is attempting to extract a Legendary-Grade Class Definition from a living vessel. This action requires structural segregation of the targets soul matrix. Stamina cost: 200 points.

Valen verified his stamina bar. It had recovered to two hundred and ten points.

Proceed he commanded.

A blinding white thread of plasma drifted from Kaels eyes and mouth. It coiled upward through the slits of his visor and wrapped around Valens fingers.

Kaels body stiffened. His remaining right hand clenched into a fist. His framework was systematically unraveled from the inside out. He did not scream; the extraction of a class definition did not cause pain but a profound emptying of the self—a deletion of the identity that the system had written for him.

The blue light in his eyes faded to a grey. His muscles. His broad shoulders went back to normal. The silver armor that fit him before was now loose and big. It clattered against his body as he fell forward into the ash.

With one effort Valen pulled the golden thread into his hand. He made it into a gemstone that glowed like a small star.

Item Acquired: Class Core: Holy Avenger of the First Order (Grade: Legendary).

Description: This is a path for a celestial vanguard. It can be used to change a class make a strong weapon or create a template for defense units.

System notification: Kael is no longer a threat. Has lost all control. Experience calculated for class deconstruction...

Level Up! Level 22 reached.

Level Up! Level 23 reached.

Stamina pool expanded to 300. Health regeneration set to maximum.

Valen put the legendary class core away. His chest expanded as he felt the energy from leveling up. He looked at the youth in the ruined armor. The former Grand Inquisitor was still breathing. His eyes were blank and grey. His identity was completely gone.

Zarek walked up from the ravine. His big sword was on his shoulder. His face was covered in ash and silver fluid. He looked at the youth. Then at Valen. His eyes showed respect and excitement.

The infantry has retreated past the four-mile marker, Sovereign Zarek reported. They are leaving their equipment at the basin mouth. Garrok’s warriors are securing it. We have three transport siphons on our border.

Have them taken apart Valen ordered. Bring the parts inside. We will use the iron and silver coils to make the lower vaults stronger. Garrok, collect the armor from the paladins. We have fifty kilograms of high-grade silver plate that can be melted down.

Understood, Sovereign Garrok said, bowing his head as he led his warriors into the ravine to harvest the spoils.

Valen walked back into the fortress. His boots were silent on the stone. The silver dome above his head glowed stronger. The sanctuary felt safe now.

As he entered the room he found Noa sitting at the table. She had not moved. Her eyes were wide. Fixed on the map.

The star is gone she said softly. The frequency that was Kael... It didn't just fade. It was deleted. The voices in my head are silent now. They aren't singing anymore. They are screaming.

They have reason to scream Valen said, sitting down. He took out the Geographical Memory Slate and the Class Core of the Holy Avenger. He laid them on the table.

The regional capital will realize the vanguard has been lost within twelve hours Valen said. When they see that a level thirty legendary class has disappeared they will prepare for a siege.

Are we going to wait for them to finish their preparations? Noa asked.

No Valen said. We are going to launch our strike before they can react. Zarek will organize the beastmen into three vanguard squads. Tomorrow at dawn we move out.

He placed his hand on the Class Core of the Holy Avenger. His mind was already planning the phase.

The empire built their wall to keep the waste out Valen murmured.. They forgot that the waste is where the raw material lives. We are going to take their wall down piece by piece.

Outside the keep the silver dome glowed brighter. It was preparing for the campaign that would change the sector.

Deep, within the chambers of the border citadel a massive bronze mirror cracked. The silver fluid turned black. A notification flared across the capitals monitoring array.

Critical System Error: Unit Kael (Grand Inquisitor) Has Ceased Transmission.

Sector Seven Status: Absolute Divergence.

The Light has left the Basin.