Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided-Chapter 258. True Ruler

258. True Ruler

The sleek HUD dashboard was crowded with various types of live parameters, feeding streams of data into glowing text fields.

The upper and lower sections of the console were lined with buttons, toggles, and levers marked with different colours and symbols.

It looked like the dashboard of a hover car, but far more complex.

Is that an altitude indicator? She puckered her lips in thought. And what’s that heatmap thing? A radar? That’s just like the one I’ve got on the Arc Comm.

A constant white noise hummed, rumbling in the air; she could almost feel the vibration through the fine hairs on her skin. Together with the hum, various chiming beeps of different pitches rang occasionally in the background.

Watching with awe, Nyrethein scanned the cockpit, the insulated walls, and the sleek metal panels. However, she kept her motions slow enough to hide her excitement from Zetius.

He couldn’t possibly know that this was her first time ever inside an Armatus mobile suit.

A sudden jolt shook them as the Armatus entered a thick cloud bank.

Nyrethein let out a low grunt, her hands grasping the edge of the armrest on instinct.

A ding rang out.

"Hang tight. Apologies for the rough ride; the cloud was 13.5% denser than I initially anticipated," Cubie reported monotonically.

Zetius grimaced, cushioning the impact—an effort made significantly more difficult, and awkward, by the young lady seated on his lap. He suppressed a gasp as her weight shifted.

"You’re sweating," Cartier’s innocent voice drifted from the side as the little Wildren poked her floppy ears.

Essentially, she occupied the only passenger seat. With their rush to pursue the Empress—or rather, the spur-of-the-moment decision—Zetius couldn’t exactly pinpoint how he had ended up in this shameful position.

He really wished they had made an extra seat for the next model, despite the fact that it wasn’t necessarily crucial. Just like a shiny sports car, the Celer wasn’t meant to transport a crowd to begin with.

Before Zetius could muster the strength to speak, Nyrethein blurted out, "Oh my, am I heavy?"

She shielded a devious smile behind her hand.

"No," he clipped, despite the heat searing his cheeks.

To make matters worse, her shiny, wavy hair hung loose, swaying past his face. A scent sweet and lush, like a daisy field, wafted to his nose.

He bit his knuckle, burying his flustered feelings and the physical reaction threatening to betray him. He was only human, after all.

Mission before anything. Mission before anything.

Rivalries seemed forgotten in that moment, and Nyrethein knew exactly what she was doing—playing the damsel every knight loved to cradle in their big, strong arms. Especially when it came to allure.

She wasn’t necessarily aiming for full reconciliation; after everything, she knew he didn’t like her, and she didn’t particularly like him. But regarding her underlying aim... she just didn’t want to see that raging fire between them again.

At least, not for a while.

"Good!" The Dark Elf beamed, swinging one leg over the other and arching her chest upward.

After a few moments of the engine's low hum, Nyrethein shifted slightly. "So… what does this thing do?"

She asked the question, albeit she could already guess the answer from the glove-like mechanism. She decided to play oblivious anyway.

Zetius cleared his throat. "It’s the mechanical glove controller."

"I see!" She nodded twice, interlacing her fingers loosely and feigning interest. "Like a multi-dimensional sensor? I surmise each finger can control the movement of one unit, resulting in the simultaneous manoeuvre of multiple machines."

She could imagine Zetius’s surprise without looking backward.

"Yes… I didn’t expect you to know about sensors, let alone the fine details of the control system," Zetius said with a chuckle.

"Wow! How many Armatus can you control?" Cartier perched her hands on Zetius’s arm.

"I think maybe six… or eight if Cubie helps!" Zetius said, keeping his tone neutral.

"That’s as good as any seasoned Gold Knight, isn't it?" Nyrethein glanced back, meeting his eyes.

It worked; he no longer feigned hostility.

He shrugged. "I suppose so."

They bobbed their heads in unison, a placid atmosphere finally settling over the cockpit.

"Incorrect assessment!" Cubie corrected with her fake robotic tone—which she believed was necessary for professionalism, or perhaps just for the sake of it. "We can control up to twelve individual machines and thousands of Armatus drones."

Cartier snapped her head around, her lips parting in surprise. "Is that true?"

After a second of wrestling with his thoughts, Zetius replied. "Hard to say… In theory, with the mirroring protocol, it is achievable with Cubie’s core processor."

He trailed off, taking a swallow. "We simply never have that many available Armatus to test out the theory."

"Correct!" Cubie chirped, delight coating her system voice.

"Aw! Too bad!" Cartier slouched, her excitement slipping away.

"The little bird says Armatus supply is at an all-time low after the Umbral War." Nyrethein tapped her cheek. "They inadvertently took the major hits there, along with the manufacturing lines. All thanks to the Darkless Knight."

She closed one eye in a tease.

Zetius chewed his lip over the term. "It was Rhok Wagner who destroyed the backbone of the Dunkelheit."

He said it harder than he’d intended, but the finality in his tone was clear.

"I see," Nyrethein whispered, taking the signal.

Zetius was there when it happened—the execution of the Umbral Platinum Knight, and ever more so, his former ally. Someone he knew personally, indeed.

She could almost sympathise with the man; a trusted ally turning into the enemy truly stung. And the fact was, it was going to happen all over again with his former master. She couldn’t fathom how he must feel.

Awkwardness returned, and the hum continued over the soft rattle of the floorplates as the Armatus began to descend through the patch of cloud.

A distraction would help, Nyrethein thought amusedly.

"If you use this thing to control the Armatus," she pointed at the mechanical gloves, "then how does this machine move on its own accord? Pre-programmed? Autopilot? Or?"

She earned an ear from him.

"Because I am controlling this machine!" Cubie replied before he could.

Zetius nodded along gently.

"Oh! It makes sense now!" Nyrethein let out a high-pitched chortle. "Silly me, I should have extrapolated that from what you said earlier."

"It’s fine." Zetius shook his head, craning his neck to look over a map on the dashboard. They were close to the abyss.

"What I meant," Nyrethein continued, the corner of her lips tucking upward as she inclined back over his chest, which earned her a restrained grunt, "is that there’s no point for you to be in this pilot seat, is there?"

Her question was sharp and actually logical, now that Zetius thought about it.

A hand drifted to his lips. The surge of heat caused him to fluster profusely now.

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"Scribe girl!" Nyrethein turned her face to Cartier. "Would it be appreciated if it’s you on my lap rather than me on his lap?"

The cat girl nodded frantically with a big smile.

Sweat formed on Zetius’s neck. He hadn't thought about this at all up until now. He was always in this seat because it was his seat.

"So tell me, do you instinctively enjoy this?" Nyrethein let her weight crush onto him completely now. Triumph painted her smile as she felt his heart drum erratically against her back.

"I… I…" He stammered. He was indeed trapped.

"Ahahahaha!" Cartier blurted out, laughing through her hands. "I think she got you good, Zetius!"

Cubie added her giggle to the pot.

The man brushed his face, hoping to wipe the humiliation away. "She got me."

"I’m glad you can find some levity in this situation, Scribe." Nyrethein’s voice pulled him out of the embarrassment; her tone was soft and caring, almost motherly.

Still giggling, Cartier purred as Nyrethein patted her head. "Thanks, Celestius! I feel much better."

Zetius’s jaw hung open once he realised she didn’t plan to use him as a humiliation ritual. Well, she did, but she didn’t do it out of spite like she usually would; she merely wanted Cartier to cheer up.

In that case, he could respect the gesture.

Celestius Nyrethein is a freak. Zetius made peace with that fact.

A sudden ping sucked the giggles out of the room. "Empress Aurora located!"

Zetius sat up straight. "Bring up the visual!"

"Right away!" Cubie replied.

Everyone tuned in; none spoke a word.

The image beamed up onto the HUD screen, revealing dark, melted masses like a smouldering post-lava floor. Trails of smoke roared, interspersed all over the terrain.

"What are those?" Cartier gasped, her voice lost.

"Demons… or what’s left of them," Nyrethein said sombrely, her entire body stiffening.

With a twisted gut, Zetius’s jaw tightened. "Holy Gaia..."

When he thought his battle had been massive, this was easily quadruple the size. The gargantuan effect zone was a testament to that.

"The Empress appears to be unharmed," Cubie reported as she zoomed into the edge of the spiral abyss.

The pre-dawn light still drew out; no morning sun yet peeked over the horizon.

The lone figure stood listlessly, her hair drifting ghostly to the side, her Ventiff’s cape covering her back. Immaculate. Not even a speck of ash marred her silver strands of hair.

"That’s a relief." Cartier brushed her chest, blowing out a breath of air.

"Run a quick scan," Zetius commanded, his finger flicking a button.

"Copy that."

After a few seconds, Cubie chimed in. "The area is safe. Engaging the landing protocol."

With that, they began to descend.

Their stomachs lurched as they lost altitude, the thrusters flaring red as they drew more Arcanite power to combat gravity.

The ground drew closer now, and the dark masses began to take distinguishable shapes.

Hands, horns, legs, armour pieces, and cannon barrels—all fried to a crisp—poked out from the cold pool of black slag.

A touchdown thud shook the hull as they grounded. The mechanical joints whirred while Celer crouched to a kneel, its hands forming a makeshift ladder.

Zetius wrinkled his nose at the familiar scent; the corrosive and pungent smell of sulphur seeped through the ventilation even before the hatch opened.

He heard Cartier retch briefly before she breathed through her sleeve. Nyrethein, for some reason, seemed unbothered.

It was hell on earth. They traversed cautiously through the battlefield. The warmth underfoot was palpable, radiating through the soles of their boots.

A sickening crunch caused Cartier to bounce.

"Eek!?" She cringed, lifting her boot. Cracked white plates surfaced—likely the remains of a dead demon.

"Are you okay?" Cubie asked, floating to her side.

"It’s…" She gulped. "I’m fine!"

"Mind your step!" Nyrethein grabbed her wrist. "Follow me."

Cubie hadn’t parked the Armatus very far; it wasn’t long before they reached Empress Aurora.

"You found me," Aurora said, her tone impressionless as she spun to meet them. Her palm held out several coins.

Cartier was happy to see the Empress in her glory, but something gnawed at her. "What are the coins for, Empress?"

"To test a theory." Aurora beckoned them to the edge of the abyss.

They followed, despite the confusion etched on their faces.

Then, she tossed a coin into the darkness. A second later, the darkness claimed the object whole.

"And?" Cartier tilted her head.

"Wait for it." Aurora’s voice was soft, almost bored.

A loud echo followed, then a high, thin note as the coin crested its arc back up. The Empress caught it with her hand.

"See? A one-way barrier," Aurora concluded.

Impatient, Nyrethein approached. "Empress, let me bridge—"

A palm raised to the air. "No." The Empress spoke with an unwavering gaze.

Then, she crouched to Cartier’s level, pulling the child into a close embrace.

"Empress?" Cartier gasped, surprised but ever more perplexed. Her arms returned the hug instinctively.

Snuggling close, Aurora whispered so only the girl could hear. "Kitten, I haven’t prepared a goodbye speech. You weren’t supposed to wake up to this."

Simultaneously, Zetius rested a hand on his hip, exchanging a blank look with Cubie. Celestius Nyrethein, on the other hand, pretended to draw her gaze away.

"What do you mean?" Cartier asked. The words were filled with warmth and care, yet they sent a chill down her spine. "I don’t understand."

Her voice was a shaky breath.

"I must stop the demons… I must stop Hades’s army for good."

"We can find a way, Empress. We always have!" Cartier insisted, hinting at her refusal to accept what the Empress was about to utter.

"If only it were that easy, Cartier." Aurora stroked the dark hair. "We’re running out of options, and more so, of time."

While the little girl struggled to find her words, Aurora continued. "I promise, I’ll return soon."

"You promise, Empress?" A whispered plea.

"I promise."

Aurora parted from Cartier and looked into those glassy eyes, brimming with sorrow. The orphaned girl was going to be alone again, and that thought pained her greatly.

Aurora wiped a tear from the corner of the little girl’s eye. "And you must be strong for me. Listen to Mirai, okay?"

Cartier nodded, her lips trembling.

Rising to her full height, Aurora placed her arm on Zetius’s shoulder and squeezed firmly. "My prime disciple…"

"Empress." Zetius already knew. He feigned strength, though his heart quivered. His knees could barely hold his weight.

All those months in Borealis Castle had been so surreal—Cartier, Cubie, Triss, and Her—a light in his grim life. He wished it could last forever; there was so much he still wanted to learn from her. How much he looked up to her as a symbol of unchallenged power.

He knew it had to end eventually, but little did he know, it would come when he least expected it.

The blood thumped in his ears; he could barely make out what Aurora said. "…Take care, Zetius, Cubellina."

"Empress—"

When he opened his lips, Empress Aurora was already talking to her Celestius, her quiet murmur addressing a concise decree, politics, and everything else.

Nyrethein drew her lips into a thin line, digesting the words with care. Her mind ran like clockwork; plans and strategies took shape in her mind.

"And lastly, don’t take this personally," Aurora said. "This is my destiny—one I choose not to defy—so that young ones like you can live and prosper."

Her words hung heavy, her unfazed expression indicating that she truly meant it.

Nyrethein took a big swallow and nodded. "It seems you’ve already made up your mind. In that case, I dare not convince you otherwise."

A soft, unexpected chuckle escaped Aurora’s lips. "I’m a very stubborn Empress."

As she spun toward the edge, Nyrethein called out. "Empress!"

Aurora paused and looked back at her wearily.

"Please take this on your journey." Nyrethein opened her palm; black mist erupted and twirled. As the smoke cleared, it revealed a shimmering Arc gourd floating in the air.

"That’s… the real one?" Zetius mumbled to himself.

Obviously not the one she broke at the castle, he thought begrudgingly.

The authentic Everfeast levitated into Aurora’s open palms. The Empress smiled gratefully as the Arc gourd dissolved into her skin. "It will serve me well. Thank you, Nyrethein."

The party grew quiet now, leaving only the sound of Aurora shuffling to the edge of the abyss.

She didn’t glance back; she had said what she needed to say. She considered herself fortunate, for not many people got this chance to say goodbye to their loved ones.

"Ahh… The promised dessert…" Thanatos’s voice rumbled while the death flame burnt from the chest.

"Empress?" Cartier choked out. Her reluctant step surged forth, only to be halted by Nyrethein.

With a soft grunt, Aurora collapsed to her knees… and her body tumbled into the abyss.

The threat of extinction had always loomed over the world.

When the massive sun unleashed its excess energy, hurling it toward the light, its radiation sought to bombard the surface of the Earth.

It was destined to turn the world into a living hell. No sentient life could endure such harsh conditions.

However, it did not happen.

It was not allowed to happen.

There was a force—immense and inherently powerful—generated from a colossal body. A force that fought to protect. A massive magnetic field that shielded mortals from the scorching radiation.

And when the destructive waves of light collided with that barrier, that was when the most beautiful phenomenon danced across our horizon.

That was when we saw her.

That was when we saw Aurora Vere Borealis.

"Empress… when you said your definition of strength was loneliness…" Cartier said, her voice threatening to fade into a whisper.

"I understand that now…"

Her small body collapsed to the floor, knees digging into the dirt. Her tearful eyes were lost in the abyss that reflected the waving light of the aurora in the sky, expanding all over the entire world to behold.

The true Aurora Borealis.

Her sobbing turned into loud weeping, while Cubie gently patted her small shoulder, offering any sort of solace in this dire time. She knew that Aurora was her only guardian, and to lose her was to experience the pain of loss all over again.

Nyrethein bit her lip; she could barely look at the child. It was too much to bear, even for the century-old Celestius who had seen too much.

Behind them, Zetius clenched his fists until they shook violently, yet there was nothing he could offer. It had happened so quickly, like a flash of light. Recently, he had lost more than he could count, and it would never end until the cause of it all was destroyed.

The fringe of his hair curtained the seething fire in his eyes.

"Ignius must pay for this." His resolve solidified into stone.

Soon, the aurora faded as the darkness reclaimed the night.

The sky would never look the same when the world had seen its last light.