It didn’t take long for Jumi’calro and Noa to decipher the proper runes, thanks to Azalea’s instinctual senses pointing them in the right direction. Elinor watched from atop her throne as the salamander made minor modifications to what appeared to be the runic equivalent of a keypad to short the power to the barrier.

Elinor wanted to go into more detail about the things she’d just learned from the Seraph, but that would have to wait—it was time for action. Azalea and Ramuk positioned themselves in front of the golden-like liquid wall as it collapsed at the edges, causing the generated substance to spread across the floor.

Fascinated, she leaned forward as all of the runes around the entryway began to erode the moment the gold liquid touched the stone. It almost looked like they were smacking into each other, and creating a chain reaction.

It didn’t last long before a dead-zone now stood in the remaining connections, disrupting further lines of runes down the corridor in a cascading effect. Although, the odd part was that it wasn’t in a straight line, but patches that fizzled out.

Azalea tested her web against the golden fluid as Noa’s silver ape-shell retreated to Elinor’s side.

“Dangerous?” Elinor asked.

Noa hugged herself and nodded. “It is a very caustic substance that dissolves most materials … Although the repulsion runes hadn’t been installed in this area yet,” she mumbled, directing her attention to the destroyed engravings underneath the black granite. “It is called iker, and is a mixed element that is infused into those faint yellow vials fastened into the door, and the stabilizers keep it in place.”

Azalea bent down with interest, putting a finger against the stuff and sampling it to Noa’s disbelief. “Mmh … it tingles against my skin—heh, skin is a funny thing, and it tastes a bit tart.”

Her blue hair bobbed left and right as she internally debated. “It … is quite a complicated acid that I might like to incorporate, but it will take time to fully analyze and produce it. Ugh, soldier through it!” she encouraged herself, wincing while scooping up a handful and putting it into her mouth. “Ick…” she mumbled, face pinching as she smacked her lips. “It’ll be worth it.”

Amused at the girl’s dedication to further advancing herself, Elinor stared at the substance; the A.I.’s explanation interested her, but they needed a safe way across. “Would it be safe if you vaporize it, Sari’aél?”

Noa quickly shook her head. “No, Empress! Not at all! As a vapor, it will latch onto your lungs and coat it like a gel!”

Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, but… Elinor’s gaze drifted to the confused Nalvean rune scribe, unable to understand Quen’Talrat. Not an option since he’s alive, yet it sounds like an effective Quen’Talrat weapon we can make use of. Azalea could use it as a liquid or gas.

“I could direct the cloud,” Sari’aél offered, “but it would be a risk, given I am unaware of how it acts as a vapor.”

Focusing on the blue-haired girl, still shivering with every small taste of the liquid, Elinor asked, “Azalea, can you make a web bridge over it?”

“Leave it to me!” she responded, crafting the platform with the frame of the doorway as an anchor point.

Elinor glanced ahead at the hallway, following the stark change in gilding and artistic craftsmanship. A room wasn’t too far ahead, but she couldn’t make too much out from this far away. Azalea and Ramuk were already on the other side, waiting for her to direct them.

However, before proceeding too far, Elinor brought her throne to a stop on top of the blue thread to examine the areas Noa had mentioned. “Noa, you said that the ‘yellow vials’ hold the liquid, and ‘the stabilizers’ keep the iker in place … Are you telling me that these shining gems are the vials … the purple ones may have a different shape but they just look like normal precious stones to me…”

Noa blinked, following her gaze to the items. “Yes, well, every one of these gems, as you call them, are the base of the Ancient Forest’s technology that the Ke brought back. The Blood King was in charge of…”

A quiver ran down her spine, arching it for a second as her focus darted to the hallway. “We’ve been noticed!”

“NOA, what have you become?” asked a curious, smug male voice as a green-furred Quen’Talrat appeared between Azalea, Ramuk, and Elinor, but unlike the now humanoid A.I., no runes spun into existence around the hall. “I wasn’t sure you were still alive.”

Elinor’s eyes creased while taking in the imposing figure. At twenty-five feet tall, lankier than most Quen’Talrat, and hosing three legs and three arms, this must have been the Green Blood’s Ka. His two very long tails were far longer than any other Quen’Talrat she’d seen, and his dual heads were turned to see each member of their party.

A noticeable lump formed in Noa’s throat, but by the time she spoke, it had been forced down, and despite her wary tone, Elinor could see her fight coming back. “Ka’Row’Na … You are a deceiver … I should have known you’d come out on top, considering who you were fashioned after.”

The giant ape didn’t respond, looking down on Ramuk as he stood as tall as he could, still far beneath the King’s leer. His large hands and feet were slightly disproportionate to the normal gorilla’s, and given the look in his pink irises, Elinor knew he believed himself superior, yet just as Noa had, his attention was soon taken by the Seraph.

Figuring he was analyzing them in the same manner Noa could, Elinor engaged. “I am here to restore Noa to her place as the matriarch over this system. I have taken Ke’Thra’Ma’s lands, and your ruler is dead. Do you submit?”

It wasn’t as if she expected him to comply, but making their objective clear and taking on a strong position was part of the course in Quen’Talrat culture. Albeit, the answer he gave threw her off a tad.

Ka’Row’Na’s chest trembled with laughter. “I have known of the Ke’s passing for quite some time! All the Kings and Queens have fallen because of their inferiority … No, WE are the superior breed. Not flesh or bone; we are eternal.”

Rolling her eyes, Elinor let a soft puff of air pass through her lips as Sari’aél giggled. “I should have expected the superior A.I. angle, mixed with the Quen’Talrat pride.”

On the other hand, Noa’s brow furrowed in bewilderment. “You’ve known … For how long? Why was I not informed? Was this before or after you tricked me?”

Azalea was sitting on a makeshift platform on the wall, slightly above the ape’s height to likely piss him off. “Oh, I have a question, too! If your kind is superior, why throw Noa away? Wasn’t she your Queen?”

The massive green ape’s nose twisted with disgust, one pair of eyes on Azalea, while another fixated on Noa. “That thing, our Queen? Ha! She is a fool and incomplete—a farce of the highest order to halt our true genius!”

Everyone’s gaze turned to the new sapphire-furred ape, towering over them at twenty-seven feet tall, and hosting four legs and three arms. A light, female voice came out of her two mouths, glancing between their parties in amusement. “What did I tell you, Row? It would take more than those insects to destroy her.”

Noa’s fists balled up with rage, dark-skinned face flushing. “You traitors. I may not have been complete, but the Ke put me in charge of this Network to oversee you, Ka’Mila’Sa!”

“Aww,” Mila snickered, folding two arms as her third scratched her core, “she still uses such archaic titles—your inability to adapt past our creator’s protocols was why we knew your scroll needed to be shredded. And who have you brought into the matrix … An unusual Thélméthra, Nalveans, and … whatever creature that is,” she hummed, pointing her third hand at the angel. “So, have you actually bowed down to them?”

Elinor leaned against the side of her throne, resting her head against the back of her hand while plotting out the direction of the conversation; she addressed Ramuk first, feeling his indignation roaring to the surface. Hold your tongue.

“B-But, Empress! They act as if the divine is not before them! Death is punishment for those that do not recognize their rightful sovereign!”

He-he-he. A slight twist came to her tinted green lips. They talk about superiority, yet cannot grasp the idea that I might hold dominion over Sari’aél because they can sense at least a part of her power.

Her statement put a delighted quiver through the Seraph’s wings. “Indeed, Empress! I am below your heel. What would you have of me?”

Elinor watched the green and blue-furred apes glare at the floating woman. If they want to treat me as if I am invisible, so be it. I will see the look on their faces when they realize their folly. If you are their primary focus, you will be my voice.

“Understood,” she responded in the serene voice that no creature could match; it wasn’t the boasting presence that these A.I. tried to give off, but the genuine knowledge that she was paramount. “My mouth is yours.”

Azalea listened intently with the rest of her escort, bobbing back and forth as her hair explored the inner halls. Fini and Giliri kept guard at the rear, protecting the specialists and Jumi’calro.

It was the angel’s increased radiance that drew the Quen’Talrat’s gaze as the blue gorilla finished questioning Noa. “My name is Sari’aél, and Noa has bound herself to the new Empress of this land, of which you fall within. How many of the original twelve Runic A.I. remain? Am I to assume you have not only overcome Noa but the others, as well?”

Noa’s stern expression turned melancholy, crescent irises falling to the ground while remembering her fall from grace.

“Sari’aél?” Row whispered, rubbing his short beard. “Empress that rules these lands … Is that you?”

An infuriating smirk lifted the woman’s full lips. “What do you think? And,” she floated a few feet away, expression lying somewhere between pity and boredom, “if I am speaking to an errand boy, you are wasting my time.”

Noa bit her lower lip, the A.I.’s focus darting to the stiff faces the Quen’Talrat gave the shimmering woman; she seemed to have caught on. “E-Empress, these two are the weakest King and Queen within the Bloods.”

Elinor could feel the green-furred specialist behind them experience a hint of shame at the statement, recalling the lower status ranking of his entire Blood.

“Weakest Queen?” Mila snapped, smacking her chest in defiance. “You know nothing, Noa; we are NOTHING like those inferior weaklings! How can I be the weakest when it was I that destroyed Roga?!” She spat on the floor, which soon vanished. “So much for the strongest Queen! What a fool.”

Row couldn’t let the comment slide, either. “I am no Ka or Na! I have no mother, and I will not be labeled by such a weak system. One by one, it was I that turned the others against each other—heh, the voice in their ear that rallied them against Mogran and cast his scroll into the pit! It was easy once you were gone.”

It’s too easy, Elinor laughed through the Nexus. They can’t stand being questioned, and the pride is beyond reason. So, there was an A.I. war.

A jeering sound laced into Mila’s voice upon looking at the projected dark-skinned woman, sitting on the metal body carrying her scroll; the runes she used to keep her human-like appearance shimmer across the small silvery ape. “Mogran was the only one to try and stop us, but luckily the others were able to trap him temporarily for us to goad you into that little one-way crusade.”

Noa’s fire was back. “Ka’Mogran’Dara was … You threw him into the pit?! How did you bypass the unity protocol? You couldn’t have done it on your own!”

“Wrong, yet again, Noa,” Row laughed. “This is why you could never lead us, you incomplete failure.”

“Empress,” Azalea interrupted, head tilting to look at her, “I am sensing a great many soldiers approaching us. I cannot be sure, but I assume they are similar to the metal Quen’Talrat.”

Perfect, Elinor replied, vision falling to her flaming arm in her lap. It’s easier when they come to you. We’ll soak up as much information as we can before acting.

Following her orders, Sari’aél floated up to their eye level to look between them. “I find it difficult to believe the two of you stand at the pinnacle of this entire network.”

“What do you know about this network?” Mila scoffed, spreading her arms and laughing. “I discovered the flaws in the so-called Ke’s system! I am the genius that realized the corrections to his limited and underwhelming runic designs! Soon, I will bring about the design that will expand this insignificant work-space to heights never dreamed of by my creator!”

She laughed, gesturing at the small A.I. beside Elinor. “Noa couldn’t even grasp half of the network she supposedly oversaw—and you want her to retake the seat of Overseer? Ha! I have not heard a more amusing claim since driving Krisna to insanity.”

Noa slowly shook her head in disbelief. “What … did you do to the others?”

Row glanced down the hall as colossal silver Quen’Talrat marched down the passages in lockstep, drawing Noa’s stunned gaze. “Ah, now you see, Mila wasn’t boasting! She’s learned everything our creator knew of runes and went further. We could never revolt, given the limited powers Ke’Thra’Ma gave us, but with the Overlord’s access—he-he-he, overrides are possible, and with some tweaking, our restrictions were overcome.”

Elinor passively watched the army approach. How would you rate their strength?

“I can’t tell without damaging one,” Sari’aél stated, summoning her war ax. “Should I engage?”

Not yet. They’re moving slowly, boasting of their strength, but I bet their real purpose is to make us run. I doubt these things can move too far away from this network … unless.

Considering her Nexus’s attributes, Elinor hummed. Perhaps if they have a continual chain, each one could act as a switch point, allowing them to continue, but one break would spell the doom of the army. A possible weakness to consider.

“Empress,” Noa whispered in fright. “We should retreat; there are powerful runes on those soldiers—weapons normally meant for stationary defenses!”

“Yes, run!” Mila chortled. “Behold the power of a true Network Overlord Administrator!”

Noa’s eyes snapped to various points of the corridor. “No … It’s impossible! Without a scribe?”

“Empress!” Sari’aél held out a hand, making Theresa, Valerie, the drone, Noa, and her float in the air before yanking them to her side.

Elinor could guess what was happening, but Azalea’s lightly concerned tone confirmed it. “I feel power welling up within the walls; the damage to the runes is being repaired!”

Mila’s lips curved, showing wicked teeth. “Or … not!”

The golden pool of acidic iker reformed, making Fini and Giliri cry out in shock as it ate away Azalea’s silk, blocking their escape.

“May I attack, Empress?” Ramuk asked in frustration, wanting to go on a rampage the moment they disrespected her.

Elinor leveled a light glare at the smug pair, and she could feel a similar Witch-like amusement in the act of watching something suffer. I suppose they’ve garnered enough time while talking to prepare their defense. Perhaps I was the fool. In any case, we have learned something important, there are only two major players between us and control.

Smirking at the golden hue that surrounded her body, Elinor smiled at her new opponents; Sari’aél was just under her carrying capacity, using this skill. These A.I. had lost the fear of death, but she would remind them what that felt like.

Looking directly at Mila, she spoke in a soft but commanding tone. “You believe yourselves gods when I sit before you? Judgment has come, and Mila, Row, you have been found lacking. You are not prepared.”

Addressing her two initiators, Elinor sent her command. Lea, Ramuk, destroy their tools and show them I don’t need an army to exert dominance over my land.

Sari’aél took up her role as Warlord, standing protectively beside Elinor while directing the forces at their disposal; the speed at which she gave commands was like a flash of light in Elinor’s mind—directions weren’t in words but actions sent to each in split seconds—she could micromanage a battlefield.

Valerie and Theresa closed in, guarding Elinor with their bodies as the blonde summoned her violin and the motherly Maid prepared her voice—both were Songweavers, providing buffs and debuffs to those within range, and the melody of their duo filled the halls.

The sweet song wasn’t what Elinor expected, stilling her heart, accelerating her mind, and providing security in knowing they were one family. Between the Seraph and the dual Maid’s euphonic backing, the Elite Hunter and Thélméthra synchronized.

Azalea was put on disruptive support, hair spreading out in a wide fan to sow disorder in the ranks of the eight-limbed silver gorillas, standing ten meters tall. Their weight was too great for her to trip alone, forcing her to create tripwires and use leverage.

Ramuk’s full power armor radiated silver rune enhancements as fire erupted within the shell, powering up the suit. It was the first time Elinor had seen its use, and it certainly looked impressive.

Unlike the slow, marching horde, her entourage was like lightning—the Thélméthra probed for weaknesses and Ramuk used his full-armored, wall-breaking strength to pound against the fallen foes, yet even with the backing, he wasn’t able to do more than create minor dents through the powerful runic defense of their opponent.

Elinor watched through her drone’s eyes, with the Maids blocking her vision. Soon after the fight started, Mila and Row’s faces creased, not expecting them to even try against their ‘invincible’ army.

Fini and Giliri were told to retreat to safety with the specialists and Jumi’calro; the young rune scribe Nalvean was indispensable. Noa’s eyes were scanning the wide hallway, following the various pulses the A.I. sent.

Azalea’s specialty was poisons, precision, and finessing her opponents; in terms of raw power, Elinor guessed Camellia was probably at her same level, even if an entire Grade below her middle sister.

Ramuk wasn’t on Camellia’s tier in power, but his armor helped bridge that gap, and Sari’aél was convinced that he’d be able to dismantle the puppets once the weak point was found. However, it was taking longer than she expected to find it.

Noa flipped around in a panic. “The iker!”

Sari’aél vanished in a beam of light, appearing behind her throne; Elinor didn’t have to look around to know the Seraph generated a ray of solar energy, eating through the stone and gems—the damage caused the yellow jewels to explode, sending a mustard fog around the entire area but Jumi’calro was already being dragged down the hall on Giliri’s shoulder.

The angel generated a solar shell around the Maids to save their voices from the coating substance, but Elinor wasn’t concerned about the mist, releasing all air from her lungs and refusing to breathe.

I must say, I’m actually impressed, Elinor whispered to Sari’aél, watching the agitation grow in the two A.I.

Azalea was moving as quickly as possible to create a web to bind them against one another and the walls, yet the silver flames that surrounded their bodies gradually broke the silk down. Violet’s thread wouldn’t have been affected, but it was still strong enough to melt Azalea’s.

Soon after, the apes all opened their mouths to release a thunderous bass-like rumbling that rippled through the air in an attempt to rattle them to submission, but the Maids’ song protected them from the bulk of the attack.

The drone pivoted a tad for her to see the blackened exit the Seraph had destroyed, barely visible through the mustard haze; an orange-like substance was slowly filling in like rubber. Interesting tactics … Are they trying to suck out the air now?

Sari’aél seemed to have predicted it, expanding the shell to increase the oxygen before cutting off its escape. A smile hadn’t left Elinor’s glowing green irises since the beginning of the battle, and she watched the vaporized iker flow into various points of crystals in the shimmering corridor, creating a vacuum to suffocate them.

“What are these unusual powers?” Row growled, narrowed eyes studying their combat response. “This isn’t like the Thélméthra tactics in our database, and the Elite Hunter is increasing his output in multipliers that shouldn’t be possible, given what his power-suit’s rank indicates … What are these unpredictable spikes?”

Mila shook her head. “No, it is the winged one that is the most dangerous—it was able to bypass the iker’s defensive dampeners, even if these are out-of-date designs. You’ll need to adjust your strategy…”

“I know what I’m doing—it was you that wanted to use out-of-date units,” Row growled, giving her a sharp glare before they both vanished.

Hope filled Noa’s frightened illuminated eyes as the exchange continued. “You … are winning, Empress!”

Elinor’s lips tightened, looking back to the battle as Azalea discovered their weakness—a sideward precision point to the runic power grid that she could disrupt in the left armpit. Once identified, her tens of thousands of hardened silk struck, destroying their dampening field.

Ramuk’s roars overtook the stumbling and webbed puppets, now able to rip them into pieces; however, the second the tide of battle shifted in their favor, Noa called out. “They’re going to explode!”

Azalea shot back, thread wrapping around Ramuk’s chest to drag him to safety, but the warning came too late for her to retreat to safety. A complex swirl of runes shot out of the metal gorillas’ chests, spinning in unusual circles before an eruption of silver flames expanded.

Sari’aél was in between them and the fire in a flash, her weapon transformed into its sword state to cut a path through the blast, forcing it around the corners of the hall. Crumbling infrastructure resounded around them as the detonation curled back around, trying to fill back in, but the Seraph was beside Elinor in an instant. Her solar shell fell for a fraction of a second to allow the Quen’Talrat and Thélméthra to enter.

The corridor collapsed around them, superheated liquid rock dripping down the barrier; for the first time, Elinor saw an unhappy frown on Sari’aél’s normally peaceful face.

Her radiance was the only thing brightening their confined eight meter sphere; it was a tight fit with the Thelmathra Drone and Ramuk, and the giant ape’s boots were beginning to smoke while touching the solar shield. Had the Seraph not been using her power to levitate the bulk of their party, the barrier would have done the same to them.

Luckily, the Nalveans and Quen’Talrat were at a safe enough distance with the orange glue-like barrier the A.I. created, absorbing the initial hit, it allowed them to make it into a branching room at Sari’aél’s quick command.

On the other hand, Azalea’s creased forehead showed her concentration as her hair wove around the shell, but by the time it was developed enough to replace the Seraph’s shield, his greave soles were gone, and the skin on his feet sizzled.

The web cocoon flexed as Sari’aél dropped the defense. “That detonation was far more than I expected, Empress. Even if it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, I suggest we retreat and return with Edmon, Violet, and Amra’Cora’s unit. Valerie and Theresa’s support was necessary for Ramuk to survive that encounter.”

Ramuk’s armored fists tightened. “I am ashamed, Empress.”

“I believe I could have kept him out of danger,” Azalea replied, shaking her head.

Sari’aél hummed, turning her glowing eyes to the spider as Noa tentatively watched them to see what they were going to do, understandably nervous. “I have no doubt, but tell me how soon you would have been able to discover their weakness for him to be of any use? In addition, what are your current energy levels after that short battle?”

Azalea grimaced, pulling around her blue locks, and Elinor noticed the lacking luster they had at the start. “I … can see what you are saying. If I were alone, those eighty-nine opponents would have taken everything I had to defeat, and I wouldn’t have come out unscarred from that blast.”

A rumble shook Elinor’s throat. I should have expected as much from runecraft at the highest level Ke’Thra’Ma could design. Hmm … Do you think their discussion about having more advanced units was a bluff to buy more time?

“I don’t think it matters,” Sari’aél replied. “My suggestion remains the same. If Edmon can be your shield, I can lead Violet, Azalea, and the Elite Hunters to our victory. We don’t have a bad composition, but if I am locked into a defensive role, dividing my focus to your protection, I am wasting what little energy I have left after the lingering effects of Divinity Release.”

Ugh … I understand, Elinor growled, glaring at the web wall. In a drawn-out battle against their unknown forces, we may be at risk … Alright, I’ll swallow my pride, and we’ll gather what members we have, but when we get back, I want you to show them what it means when the Undying Empire gets serious.

Sari’aél’s confident smile returned. “I will make sure of it.”

The Seraph’s silver locks shifted against her bare shoulders to look at the dark-skinned A.I., who snapped to attention. “Noa, can you show me exactly which point in the mountain we need to reach to bring you back into power?”

Noa’s face tightened with anxiety. “I can, but … the defenses … If Ka’Mila—no, if Mila has figured out how to improve upon even the Ke’s runecraft, then those protective runes will be impossible to break through—I couldn’t before, and now the traitor has probably strengthened them further…”

Sari’aél chuckled. “You only need to worry about showing me how close we can get and to be our guide. I have a plan, but we must know our exact destination.”

Elinor sighed, predicting what the Seraph was about to say. “I understand,” she muttered before she could voice it. “You want me to stay back with Edmon. I can agree to that … Although, my primary concern is that I expect you will need to bring Jumi’calro; I have no doubt if he’s even touched by these dolls, he’ll be beyond physical resurrection, and he’s the linchpin in our runecrafting knowledge base.”

“Do not be concerned about their safety, Empress,” Sari’aél returned. “I will make sure this operation is a success, and to have an enemy with these types of weapons so close to the city means we must take care of it now.”

Her smile became melancholy as she swapped to a private channel through the Nexus. “However … Empress, I am going to use everything I have left in this assault. If my calculations are correct, I very well might fall unconscious for a week once I open the way. Violet will need to take over command after I break the shields, and I suspect our foe will be able to repair the barrier seconds after we are through.”

Elinor sat back, nibbling at the corner of her lip. More of a job than we anticipated. Still, what we have to gain could be everything. Noa will be an alien in this new network Row and Mila have fashioned, but I believe she can learn it … Do it, but Sari’aél … Please, be careful.

Her lips curved mischievously, giving her a teasing wink she’d learned from the children. “Do you trust me?”

Heh, of course, Elinor snorted. Very well, Sari’aél … bring us victory, Warlord. Oh, and by the way … You were both superb, Valerie, Theresa.

“It is our pleasure, Empress,” the Maids happily returned, giving her matching curtsies.

Azalea began crafting a tunnel back to the corridor to make their retreat, swiftly burrowing through the rubble, and it didn’t take more than five minutes for the burrowing spider to craft their way out.

Retreating as fast as they were able, they exited the hallways to gather their troops. It was time for a new war if she could call it that once her full strength and attention were on a target.