The city of Zanadin was arranged in a ring, surrounding the outskirts of the Okean imperial palace. Covering nearly a square mile of oasis, the limestone palace was as decadent as it was imposing. Keith’s back was prodded by spears as he stumbled forward in his shackles, wincing in pain through his smile.

The stairway up to the throne room was lined by statues of saints leading up to the entryway. Its doors were carved with artwork of the previous emperor shaking hands with Saint Kaenith, overlooking all of the world. For the Okean Empire which covered almost the entire Southern Ghalaran continent, the palace of Kihan’Saduum was the beating heart for both government and religion.

Shoved inside the grand hall, Keith was taken aback by the sheer splendor of the design. It was truly a display of how despite the way many thought of them due to their current reclusivity, the Okean Empire was the largest standing nation in the world. Arches inlaid with gold crossed a ceiling covered in religious tapestry as the stained glass windows splashed color around the limestone room. Even the patterned carpets below Keith’s feet were a marvel of sewing prowess.

After his father had led a crusade to conquer the continent, the previous emperor had become reclusive to the northern nations. He spent vast amounts on the military to combat the savages of the far south, causing a rise in taxation and overwork of their armies.

For nearly three decades Okea had faced economic decline and resistance against the current government from the upper class. In the chaos the church, which had worked hand in hand with his father in his conquests, turned power hungry. Their influence now far outclassed even the emperor.

Keith was shoved down before the throne, looking over to his right to see Octavia standing proudly. He grinned, brushing unwashed blonde hair away from his eyes.

“Hey Via. Looks like you somehow managed to get a warmer welcome than me for once.”

“I had some help along the way.”

Octavia motioned over to a well dressed man standing beside her.

“I thought you might have died for a moment there. Having no contact for such a long time wasn’t very comforting.” said Keith.

“I thought you knew me better than that, I’d never go down so easily.”

They awkwardly hugged each other around Keith’s shackles, laughing in the face of their situation.

Terezia popped out from behind them, slamming Octavia on the back.

“Nice to see you, princess.” She smiled smugly at Keith. “So she’s who all this is for huh?”

“Surprised you didn’t figure that out sooner. Who else would get themselves in so much trouble I had to make a whole trip to help them?”

“I’m just messing with you, of course I knew. Who else would you be so dedicated to helping you’d travel across a closed border to meet them?” Terezia kissed the air mockingly, mimicking Keith’s voice. “Of course my gallant Octavia, I’d do anything to help you!”

Keith kicked her in the shin as Octavia rolled her eyes. Terezia fell to the floor in a fit of laughter while the guards looked down in confusion.

“Zu’in haren!” shouted a young boy, emerging from the back of the room to sit upon the throne.

“The imperial heir demands silence!” spoke a middle aged woman standing by the boy’s side. She strode forward and gestured to the guards, who lowered their weapons.

Keith spoke first, bowing with theatrical flair. “Greetings, empress regent Hi’ Zadiim. I am Prince Keith Caines of Blackhall, accompanied by Princess Octavia Servius of Xenon.”

The regent stepped down the stairs approaching the throne, stopping directly above Keith and Octavia.

“A princess who we were told had died, and the prince of a failing kingdom who arrives during a time of lockdown. Tell me, why should I not execute you two on the spot?” She narrowed her eyes and glared at Octavia. “Especially you, after the grave offense Xenon has committed.”

Octavia stepped up, staring straight into Hi’ Zadiim’s eyes. Within an instant the guards drew their spears to point at her, yet they stood in place waiting for her next move.

“You said it yourself, the princess of Xenon died a month ago. She was betrayed by those closest to her and thrown off the side of a building. I’m not the princess of Xenon, I’m her avenger.” Octavia pulled away her sleeve, revealing her mechanical arm clicking away. “My previous life is as gone as my arm. I was there when your emperor died and couldn’t save him. So I’ve come to you for a single goal.”

Octavia knelt down onto a single knee, laying her sword flat across her leg. The gesture of knights who swore fealty to Xenon’s king in the past. “I’ve seen your armies, war is brewing. When it arrives, you’ll need me in the fight against Xenon. I’ll claim vengeance, not just for the Princess of Xenon, but the Emperor of Okea. For everyone they’ve killed in cowardice and in their lust for control. Xenon plans to exterminate every other nation in existence and they call it saving the world. I can’t let them continue to stand.”

“You won’t be able to win by yourselves either. I’ve seen the strength Xenon holds in its machines. The power to crush a thousand troops with a single automaton. However…” said Keith. “Xenon is surrounded. To the west lies Blackhall, to the North lies Kelkarii, and to the east and south is Okea. Drawing together the strength of all our nations into one is the only way we can win.”

The regent spun around to the child emperor. He looked on, unable to understand the foreign language they were speaking in. He kicked his feet silently while watching his mother.

“The Okean Empire is the most powerful force on the planet. We are the heavenly lord’s chosen people. A nation as small as Xenon stands no chance.” spoke Hi’ Zadiim. “Guards, escort out the prisoner. We have no need for his assistance.”

The guards grabbed Keith. He shrugged, allowing himself to be carried away. The regent gently held Octavia’s sword, passing it to the child emperor.

“As for you, Knight Octavia, you have pledged your service to the Okean Emperor. A pledge he has graciously accepted. Report to the Knight Commander for assignment.” Hi’ Zadiim smiled warmly. “Do not fear Sir Knight, Xenon will fall at the hand of Okea’s power. With you leading the charge in our holy name.”

Octavia bit her tongue to hold it in place before she could fight back. Her honor forbade her to refuse after she had offered her fealty.

“Of course, thank you my Emperor.” She nodded to the boy, rising to her feet. “May I be permitted to take my leave?”

“Of course, I shall see you soon. Welcome to the greatest empire on the planet, my valiant knight.”

The regent waved lightly after Octavia as she exited the chamber, laughing softly under her breath.

***

Octavia awoke to the bottom of an unfamiliar bunk bed above her head. She rolled out of her blankets to the bustle of the knights around her. In a way she was mesmerized, she was living her childhood dream. She had become a knight.

Words in a language she couldn’t understand came from all around her as she rose out of bed, pulling boots onto her feet. A tanned young man tapped her shoulder with a smile.

“You aren’t fully fluent in Kiisa right? My father was from the north so I speak New Caynan.” He grabbed Octavia’s hand for a vigorous shake. “My name is Haraan Seiro. You can call me Hara if you like!”

Hara placed a neatly folded gray uniform on Octavia’s bed.

“You might need this. After you get dressed you should head downstairs, you don’t want to be the last one to the breakfast rush.”

“Thanks. I’m glad I have someone to talk to, even here.” said Octavia. She gazed into the distance, considering her situation. A smile cracked Hara’s face. With a thumbs up he ran downstairs into the bustling mess hall.

It felt wrong to wear a different kind of uniform. The material was rough and scratchy, yet it held a cool temperature well even in the beating Okean sun. She fastened a glove over her robotic hand and buckled a sword to her belt.

She pushed her way through a crowd of soldiers filing down the stairs to grab a table before anyone else could. Spotting Hara across the room, she sat beside him with a plate of falafel and yogurt. The sounds of loud banter and clinking silverware filled the small room.

The sheer diversity of the knights crowding each table was surprising to Octavia. Dozens of languages and skin colors were on display, all united under a sense of comradery.

“Surprised you don’t feel like the odd duck out here?” laughed Hara. “The Empire covers the entire continent. People come here from all across the Empire to serve.”

The soldiers around her joked and ate, playfully messing with their friends as they grinned. It felt warm in a way the halls of the royal palace could never reach. The lively atmosphere spread through Octavia. She bit into a falafel, enjoying the exotic blend of spices and beans.

However her joyful mood quickly fell apart. These people were the front line, the first to charge into Xenon’s deathtrap. The Empire would send them to die for nothing but pride.

Octavia was knocked out of her dark thoughts as Hara prodded her cheek with a piece of pita.

“Hey Octavia, you there? Want some of my food? I think I’m full.”

She accepted with a nod, nibbling the edge of the flatbread.

A large tanned man in full plate crashed down into the seat across from the two, chewing on a kebab.

“I heard we’re going on a hunt to celebrate your first day, rookie. We’ve got some high expectations.” he spoke in a heavy accent.

A woman who looked nearly identical appeared, leaning forward from behind his seat. “Make sure not to let us down. I placed my bets on you being at least passable.”

Hara tossed the man a bag of coins, slamming his hand into Octavia’s back with a smile.

“I’ll take those odds.”

“A hunt? Don’t boars seem a bit below our skill level?” said Octavia.

The three knights burst out laughing.

“Pigs? Is that what they hunt over in Xenon? Maybe I should take back my bet.” The woman made a show of grabbing her coin sack from the man.

“This isn’t an animal hunt, this is a demon beast hunt.” Hara explained.

Demon beasts were nothing but an exotic tale in Xenon. Animals with the same microscopic crystals in their blood as those which allowed humans to use magic. The power mutated their bodies and drove them mad, creating a deadly yet mindless threat. They only existed in the ruined lands of the Old Caynan Empire, but at times they would venture out and attack fringe settlements.

“We share an north-eastern border with the Caynan Scorchlands. Making sure to regularly push them back is one of our duties as royal knights.”

“Lets party up when the hunt starts. I’m Muhar.” The large man grabbed Octavia’s hand, shaking up and down. “And this is my sister, Hular.” He pointed at the woman behind him as she waved.

“I’m Octavia. I’ll look forward to seeing you two in action.”

Muhar and Hular grinned, flexing their muscles. The sound of bells blasted through the room, and the knights crammed down the rest of their food before neatly lining up before the door. The chaos from moments before had disappeared in an instant. Octavia took her place between Hara and the siblings, saluting towards the entrance. A tall man in neat military attire stepped in, observing the lines of soldiers.

“Looking good this morning. Let’s start by welcoming our newest member, Octavia Servius.” He clapped lightly as he turned to face her, speaking in Kiisa. “You have agreed to live, fight, and die for the empire. A duty you will accept with gratitude.”

“Yes sir!” Octavia shouted. She attempted to roughly translate the foreign language in her head.

“Very good. I expect you’ll fit right in. I am Knight Commander Leshan, your commanding officer. Now that the introductions are finished…” Leshan pulled a papyrus scroll from his side, displaying it to the room. “As I’m sure you’ve all heard by now, today’s mission will be a hunt. A classic for welcoming newbies. With the invasion approaching, the next month will be dedicated to training and battle prep. Make sure to enjoy this little outing while you still have time. We’ll meet at the carriages by eight, you’re all dismissed.”

The bustle from breakfast resurfaced as the knights exited the building, excitedly chatting about the hunt. Hara grabbed Octavia’s shoulders from behind and started pushing her forwards.

“Trust me, you don’t want to be the last one to the carriages on your first day. They never let you live it down.”

“That’s right, you don’t want to end up like Haraziim here.” Hular punched Hara playfully in the arm as they exited the building.

“Haziim… That means ‘To be late’ right?” questioned Octavia.

“That’s right. It took nearly two years for them to stop calling me that, and some still haven’t.” Hara kicked Hular in the shin.

Muhar stepped aside, pulling a pale teenage boy from the crowd. Unlike the rest of the knights he wore a longer coat, similar to a robe in design. The bronze sigil on his arm signified his status as a magician rather than a swordsman. He shuffled forward meekily behind Muhar, hiding his eyes behind a hood.

“I’ve got our fifth party member!” Muhar proudly exclaimed, showing the boy off to Octavia. “This is Zeke. Not the most talkative, but he’s the best magician in the empire.”

“Nice to meet you…” Zeke spoke quietly, hiding behind Muhar’s back.

“I’m sure he’ll get used to you in no time. Apparently he came here all the way from Blackhall.”

Zeke lightly nodded.

“Nice to meet you too, Zeke. I look forward to fighting with you.” said Octavia with a warm smile.

***

Octavia stepped out of the carriage. They had been riding for hours and finally stopped at a small village in the far northeast. The border was lined by mountains as far as the eye could see, with only a small crack leading into the Old Caynan wastelands.

Even from miles away they could see flashes of red lightning in the pitch black fog past the mountains. The tops of the mountains were snowless, their scorched tops radiating heat into the sky above. Having never seen Old Caynan before, the sight entranced Octavia.

There was something strangely beautiful about the crimson crystal outcroppings scattered across the mountain, glowing with light as each strike of lightning emerged from the fog. This was a place of magic, the antithesis to everything Octavia had lived around her whole life.

Hara walked off to go get their hunting assignment from the Knight Commander as Hular approached Octavia’s side.

“Seeing it for the first time is pretty amazing isn’t it? I remember when I came here for my first hunting trip. Stared for nearly an hour.”

“...I hate it. There’s malice in the air.” Zeke said softly, appearing from the shadows behind Octavia.

Octavia nodded as she peered into the dark fog.

“Maybe it’s just in Blackhall’s blood. Who wouldn’t be unsettled after seeing the ruined land of their ancestors?”

Behind them Muhar grumbled, keeping his eyes on Zeke.

“Even I get uncomfortable. This place digs into the minds of people gifted by magic. Maybe it’s trying to turn us into demon beasts as well.”

“You can use magic?”

“Of course, anyone can. I’m just more gifted at using it.” Muhar glanced at Octavia, clearing his throat. “I mean anyone besides Xenon. Sorry.”

“It’s not a sore spot for us. We found our own ways to excel without magic.” She glanced down at her robotic arm. “Although that seems to have backfired lately.”

“If you got turned into a demon beast you would make a wonderful ursafang, Muhar.” Hara popped out behind them, holding a roll of parchment. “We’re assigned to an Ether crystal mine up north. They uncovered an old wyvern nest after digging too deep into the mountain.”

He strode forward down the trail leading up the mountains. Zeke mumbled something under his breath before moving forward with the rest of the party in tow.

The entrance to the mines emitted a faint blood red glow from the Ether crystals inside. The torches lining the walls were all burnt out, leaving nothing for light in the caves but the dim crimson.

Zeke conjured a small ball of light to float behind them as they stepped inside.

“If there’s arachnos here I’m leaving…” He said, holding tight to Muhar’s side.

Hular patted his head, venturing deeper into the tunnel.

“We’re hunting wyverns, I doubt there’s anything else left alive they haven’t eaten yet.”

“Remind me never talk to you when I need reassurance.” said Hara with a strained laugh.

The caves wound down into the mountain in twists and curves, each dark turn feeling more menacing than the last. Every time Octavia passed by a crystal outcropping she could feel the gems in the mana reactor pulling at her heart. Once in a while they would encounter a scorched skeleton, stopping to let Zeke send their souls off into the afterlife.

“I think I found a cavern!”

Hara’s voice reverberated through the dark caves to the other four as they explored branching pathways. Octavia arrived first, followed by Hulan and eventually Zeke and Muhar. The exit into the cavern looked as though it was hole punched through ancient metal, with just enough room for a single person to squeeze in at a time.

“Well, who wants to go first? Because I don’t.” joked Hara, gesturing to the open hole.

“No use waiting around, let’s go.” Octavia pushed herself in, jumping down into the cavern with a roll.

Unlike the rest of the caves there didn’t seem to be a single mana crystal within the cavern, submerging it in total darkness. Each member of the party followed her, their landings echoing through the room with metallic clanks.

Zeke’s small light barely illuminated the next couple of feet, hiding the interior from the group. He knelt down, whispering into his cupped hands. He released a large new ball of light from his palm, allowing it to float up towards the ceiling, revealing the entire cavern.

The walls made a perfect rectangle of old rusted metal, lined by complexly engraved pillars and decrepit machinery. The center of the strange hall came together to form an empty pedestal, the fractured surface glowing a faint blue. Letters stretched across the pedestal’s front in a language unrecognizable to the group, “HEXXAN CONTAINMENT”.

“I don’t think this cave is a natural formation…” Murmured Octavia, fixating on the pieces of broken machinery. She ran her hands down a slanted table covered in dusty buttons. “This technology, it’s nothing like what Xenon uses.”

“Is this a relic from Old Caynan? How did they get their architecture so complex, especially with metal…” Zeke’s words trailed off as he approached the remains of a statue in the back of the room. The armored design was angular and bizzare, cracks where limbs should be connected spilling bundles of brightly colored cords and rusted machinery.

He lightly touched the helmet, recoiling back in shock as the broken statue began to move. One of the eyes lit up with green as the other shot sparks from its empty socket. The single remaining arm grabbed the floor, pulling the statue across the floor with the sound of screeching metal.

“In… trud… er… de… tec..ted. Intruder… detected… A.W.C.S Mech entering combat… mode…”

The statue’s arm began to clank loudly as the noise of old mechanical parts breaking echoed through the room. Parts of the forearm began to move, rearranging themselves around a shiny chrome cannon barrel emerging from within the machinery.

Streams of blinding green light shot from the arm, blasting the back wall into chunks. The party desperately dove out of the way to avoid the rain of debris crashing onto the floor. Hular and Muhar nodded to each other, preparing to charge the machine.

Muhar pulled a shield nearly as large as himself from his back, whispering lightly as he touched the surface. Mana emerged around him and poured into the magic circle engraved on the shield’s surface. Hara drew a bow, nocking three arrows at once. Zeke nodded quickly to him, whispering into his hand. He blew into his palm in the direction of Hara, causing the arrow tips to begin rippling with magical force. Octavia drew her sword, focusing her magical reactor to light the blade on fire.

The siblings charged out first, Muhar shielding his sister as she ran forward with a greataxe. The cannon powered up for another shot while parts fell off onto the floor. Beams of light shot from the barrel, impacting Muhar’s shield. As the energy hit the magical engraving it was deflected into the surrounding debris, blowing it to pieces.

Readying her greataxe, Hular charged the cannon. Seconds before she reached it, the cannon gave into its disrepair and exploded. The wall dented as she blasted back across the room from the explosion. She crumpled to the floor while Muhar rushed to her side.

“What the hell was that?” shouted Octavia. She backed away from the statue as the light slowly drained away from its eyes.

“I don’t know but we don’t have time for that, we weren’t exactly being quiet.” Zeke called out behind them, looking at the back wall. A dark crack in the metal lit up with dozens of reflective circles, shining in the darkness. “I think we woke them up.”

The circles grew closer as pointed heads formed around them. A pale white lizard fell from the hole, reflecting the light of the magical sphere in its eyes. The long, snakelike body fell from the crack, landing onto four tiny legs.

Hara spun around to face it, readying his bow.

“Wyverns.”

A pack of wyverns slipped from the hole onto the floor, crawling forward as their horizontal lids blinked glowing, magical eyes.

Octavia and Hara stepped forward slowly, choosing a target. Zeke ran back past Hular as her brother pulled her to her feet. Muhar passed her the greataxe she dropped, readying himself to face wyverns.

The first beast charged forward and leapt into the air. Tiny wings emerged between its legs and body, keeping it aloft as magic propelled the wyvern forwards. Octavia sidestepped out of the way, slicing the creature’s body in half. Hara shot his arrows forwards into the crowd. A handful of the beasts were blown to the side in the enchanted shockwave while the others rushed towards him.

Flame erupted from under Hara’s feet, pushing him backwards to avoid it. Zeke drew a flute from his coat. He blew softly into the instrument, causing the ground underneath the beasts to liquify. They sank into the floor and became trapped as it hardened again around them. Hular chopped the heads off of two in a single swing as the rest blasted themselves free.

Zeke retreated backwards into the wall, gripping his flute.

“I have an idea! Protect me for a bit.”

He concentrated, playing a calming melody over the fight as Octavia dodged around two at once. She bounced off of the wall to flip over a wyvern. The serpent flew up to bite her, lighting its own mouth on fire. Octavia spun around as she landed to chop the head off the snake while Hara quickfired his bow at point blank range across from her.

More wyverns slipped from the crack to attack them. A pair charged Zeke, only to be knocked away by Muhar’s shield. Zeke continued playing his flute as beads of sweat ran down his face from concentration. The music swelled while Hara held a beast down with his foot, releasing four arrows at once into the wyvern’s head.

Suddenly the flute stopped, and Zeke fell onto a single knee. Sunlight coursed from the tunnel they had entered through into the room. The wyverns hissed in fear, attempting to crawl back into the crack as any left behind slowly turned to stone in the sunlight.

“I managed to guide light from outside the mines into here, but it won’t last long. We have to strike the nest.” Zeke said, gritting his teeth to combat the impact on his body.

Octavia rushed over to the cracked wall, pressing her hand against the surface.

“I think this isn’t a wall, it’s a door.”

“But where’s the handle?” said Hara as he ran to her side.

Octavia punched the door, hearing the hollow ring behind it. Her fist hit a disk of black glass in the door’s center. The disk cracked as it began to beep repeatedly.

“Please… tr-y aga… n. Place… -hand on… sens… r. Please try again… Place… hand on sensor…”

A strangely distorted female voice spoke from the door, reminding Octavia of the Automatons back home. She complied and gently pressed her palm onto the disk. It began to beep again as blue lines ran down the surface of the disk, tracing her hand.

“DNA seq…ence rec… ong… nized. DNA Sequence Recognized… Welcom… e to the… SYSTEM Duo… Engine AI Core.”

The door slid upwards, disappearing into the ceiling. Light spilled into the room as it opened. Strings of fleshy matter that covered the walls and knotted to form grotesque nests hardened into stone. The wyverns attempted to run away, but they couldn’t escape the sunlight.

The room seemed less touched by the elements, maintaining a slight metallic sheen on the dusty equipment. Strange cylindrical devices lined the walls, stretching forward for hundreds of meters. Octavia approached the front of the room. She gingerly avoided the stone strings, approaching a single machine in the back of the room. A round plate adorned by two glowing blue circles, spinning around in circles.

Zeke walked up beside Octavia. He examined the machine, brimming with excitement.

“How do you think that thing is still moving after so much time? Everything else is in ruins.”

The device spun slower as Octavia approached, stopping completely as her hand touched the surface of the plate. More of the unrecognizable text appeared on the surface of the device. The letters dug at Octavia’s mind, forming meanings in her head beyond explanation.

“This says… Omega.” She pressed on one of the glowing circles, and it popped out of the machine as a small cylinder. “The letters on this side of this cylinder say… Alpha.” She popped out the other cylinder, reading the text on its side. “And this one is Theta.”

“How do you know?” questioned Zeke, pressing forward with curiosity.

“I just… do.” Octavia looked down at the small device, trying to dig something deep out of her mind. “Whatever these devices were meant to hold, I think it left them long ago. They’re nothing more than chunks of metal now.”

Zeke stared into her eyes, unable to figure out what had come over her.

“We should go now,” said Octavia, tossing the cylinder to the side. “We did what we came here to do. The less time we spend in this place the better. It’s hurting my head.”

The sunlight began to fade as they exited the cavern. As the last person left, the ceiling began to fall in on itself, sealing it away forever. Octavia nodded silently in thanks to Zeke while the rest of the party looked in shock.

“Come on, let’s not stay here any longer. More of the caves could collapse at any moment.”

The other four agreed with Octavia, making their way towards the entrance.