Daniel then realized as he was walking the halls, that there were lower levels to the fortress. He decided to check it out, as he did, this Astralink Band pulsed on his left wrist. He was wondering what the pulsing on his watch meant. As he walked on, he saw the mysterious stranger, he was talking with someone through a projection. Like him and Lyra would, he laid low and listen. "I did everything you told me to do! Damn it!" The mysterious stranger frustrated with whoever he was talking too. To Daniel, it seemed like they were wearing the same thing, except this hidden figure had some ranks on his cloak as the stranger who was present with Daniel did not have anything like them on his cloak. Clearly someone who is much higher rank then him, Daniel recorded everything with his drone as he wanted to make sure, he had evidence against this person. The other person on the projected screen explained that the stranger Daniel was looking at could not take out the king of Aurellion. The other stranger explained that the one in the room with Daniel would be killed if they met up. And was now outcasted by the rest, apparently for being too weak. The call ended as the mysterious stranger clearly frustrated, removed his mask and cloak in defeat. Daniel's eyes went wide after seeing who the mysterious stranger really was.
"Milo?! What the fuck?!" Daniel yelled finally seeing the mysterious stranger, who was his cousin. Milo was two years older than Daniel, but the difference showed more in his eyes than in his face. His hair was jet?black, slightly messy, falling forward in uneven strands that he kept brushing back out of habit. A short, equally dark beard framed his jaw, giving him a more mature look than Daniel remembered — older, but not hardened.
His build was slim, almost lanky, the kind of frame that suggested long nights spent reading instead of training. He wore a soft, worn hoodie layered over a faded fandom T?shirt, the colors muted by travel and dust. A small satchel hung at his side, stuffed with folded notes, charcoal sketches, and strange magical readings he’d collected during his time alone in this world.
His eyes were the most striking part — hazel, warm, thoughtful, carrying that familiar mix of nervousness and quiet intelligence. When he looked at Daniel, there was a flicker of guilt, relief, and something like protectiveness all tangled together.
His voice matched him perfectly:
gentle, medium?light in pitch, smooth with a faint melodic lilt, the kind that made even urgent information sound strangely calm. He spoke softly, often with a small breath or before important words, as if he was always trying not to overwhelm anyone.
There was nothing imposing about him.
Nothing heroic at first glance.
But there was a steadiness in the way he held himself — a quiet resilience, a mind always working, always observing. "Hey, cousin, long time no see." Milo said as he nervously stayed back from Daniel who was approaching him in a threatening manner. Daniel was yelling asking why he was with the enemy, or why he was even here in the new world as Daniel reached for Milo's left wrist exposing his Astralink Band. "What are you doing with one of these?!" Daniel voice still raised. Milo explained everything to Daniel, about why he was there and why he was with the enemy. He told Daniel his father worked for Parallax Innovations, to try and stop them from creating the Archon Engine. But he could not stop them from doing so, only slow them down. Milo also explained to Daniel that he worked with his father, as they tried stopping the Archon Engine from being created as they knew its power was limitless. How it could open portals to other realms, Milo pulled out notes from his satchel and showed them to Daniel. Notes Milo and Daniel's father wrote together. Daniel now knows this Archon engine is some living being created by humans. "What's its purpose?" Daniel asked his cousin, as his cousin did not know why the company wanted to build such a thing. He only knew it was too powerful, too advanced for humans. Milo finally explained why he was with the enemy; he was only with them to keep an eye on them as he could no longer do anything on his own. Milo explained he tried finding a weakness to the Archon Engine as it was too perfect, it had no weaknesses. "And my father?" Daniel asked his cousin, as he looked down sad. He explained, before the Archon Engine was completed, the company found out about him and had him killed. Milo told Daniel his father protected him, the only reason he is still alive.
Daniel stood up walked a few steps and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry cousin, I couldn't do anything to help uncle in the end." Milo said as he stared at Daniel, looking like the whole world was dropped on him. "It's fine." Daniel managed to say. "Why are you in this world though? Daniel asked his cousin. Milo explained to Daniel, some of the leaders of the Parallax Innovations company wanted to test the Archon Engine out in this world. Meaning it was a new world to discover and test out their new technology. "And what about those massive towers that popped out of nowhere in our world? Daniel asked his cousin who was still sitting on some debris. Milo explained they were some kind of control towers to change their world. As the Archon Engine could change, or manifest things in a created world. It's not finished yet as they could still stop it and save their world, or that area the massive tower was in. Daniel asked about his cousins Astralink Band, He explained they are the more common ones, as only Daniels is special. He even explained Daniel could travel to other worlds he's visited, or fast travel like a video game. The two laughed as Daniel did not know how to do it. "I know how" Milo said as Daniel looked at him with excitement. "How?!" Daniel said with a raised voice. Milo explained Daniels band is the most powerful and only one existed, he opened up the menu on Daniel's band and opened up pages of the menu. Milo typed some words into the projected screen allowing Daniel to see more menu pages on his Astralink Band. And a new feature showing up on his band as Milo set it for him, now Daniel could travel between worlds. Milo explained he needed to set magical anchors to do so. He showed Daniel how to set those magical anchors as it was explained in Daniel's band, where Daniel chose the feature for a magical anchor and aimed his band down as a magic circle was being projected. He pressed the confirm option on the projected screen as now a magical circle appeared on the ground to where he could teleport too. As it would allow him to travel whenever he wanted, but there was a cool down on the band. The more the people involved in teleporting, the more energy used and therefore a much longer cooldown on the band. There was also an option to teleport back to his own world. Daniel began thinking, maybe to one or both of the kingdoms, but he has no anchor there. "Shit." Daniel said as he could only teleport to his world. Most likely since the watch is connected to Lyra.
"Milo! You have an anchor point to Aurellion kingdom?!" Daniel asked excitedly as he might be able to call for help. Milo explained he does, but since he is now the enemy to the others, they are most likely watching that anchor point and will likely kill him. Both cousins slumped down in defeat, both trying to figure out how to get out of this hell they were in. Daniel then thought, he might be able to go to his world and bring Lyra back. As soon as the two were deciding on an idea, one of the Varkenn knights found them and told them about the situation. All three rushed to the main hall as the army marching towards them were right outside the fortress's walls. Daniel and his cousin looked outside and saw the army and were out of time. "Who's this? Vaelen asked Daniel, he then proceeded to explain the situation with his cousin. Now everybody was caught up with current events. As Daniel finished explaining his cousin's role in all of this the Astralink Band pulsed again. "What is this?" Daniel asked as he was looking at his band. His cousin explained the band could be reacting to some magic as his band was powered by it. Daniel said it pulsed a lot more when they were downstairs, his cousin told him there might be something there to help them out. As he explained ancient magic is extremely powerful.
Milo explained there could be something deeper inside the fortress that could help them and he wanted to help Daniel find it. "Daniel, you and your cousin should find out what it is, we'll hold as long as we can" Arcturon said as the others agreed. "We'll be as fast as we can" Daniel replied as him and Milo went back downstairs to find out what it was that Daniel's band was responding too. Daniel contacted Lyra through his Astralink Band letting her know to get ready as he is going to try something in the world he's in. Daniel and Milo reached where they were earlier, the band pulsed heavier on Daniel's left wrist. He then opened up the teleport tab on his band and tried teleporting, instead a portal opened to his world where Lyra was at. "Woah, hang on! They way your band works is totally different than mine." Milo said in a surprised voice. As Milo's band would teleport the person or people immediately, where Daniel's band creates portals to walk through. As the portal was opened Lyra walked through into the new world surprised as Milo was. "I figured I tried it, I didn't know it would work this way" Daniel said surprised like the rest. Lyra hugged Daniel relieved he was alright. The portal still opened as he saw his friends, Kieth then walked through it. "What the fuck? Kieth?! It's not safe here" Daniel said as his friend Kieth wanted to try the portal. It then closed behind him as Ronan tried walking through it, but closed before he could get close to the portal. Daniel looked on his band as a timer appeared that said an hour before he could use the teleport option again. "Lyra! Long time no see" As Milo and Lyra hugged each other as friends who haven't seen each other in a long time. "So, Milo told you everything?" Lyra asked Daniel as he was surprised Lyra and Milo knew each other. Lyra quickly explained Milo worked with Daniel's father on many projects. She was one of them. "No time for stories though Daniel, what's the situation? Lyra asked trying to be quick as she knew little about the situation Daniel was in. Milo quickly explained the situation, as Kieth was walking around in the background excited to be in a new world. "My longtime friend Kieth, Kieth my cousin Milo" Daniel introduced the two as Kieth was looking around. Milo laughed saying Kieth looked like him when he first got in the new world. "No time let's find this source as to why your band is pulsing, it could help in the situation." Lyra said looking serious as usual.
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Daniel walked towards a wall that looked to be stone of some sort, like a door carved into a wall where the pulse was strongest. Daniel raised his Astralink band and it resonated with the wall, which appeared to be an actual door. It opened revealing another room, Kieth followed Lyra closely as Milo was right behind Daniel, the four walked inside. "It's dark in here" Kieth said as Milo looked at his band and tapped the side of it. A small drone the size of a fist appeared over his left shoulder and a single white light glowed on the front that looked like a lens from a camera. "Better?" Milo said smiling. As the fours walked inside, they saw stairways leading down on both sides of the room. Daniel stuck his left wrist forward feeling the pulse the same when he pointed it at the left and right stairs. Daniel then explained they might lead to the same place. The four began walking towards the right staircase and began walking down. They reach the bottom, and see stone statues, "Damn, Magic golems!" Milo yelled, summoning his staff. The magic golem stands eight feet tall, built from dark, heavy stone reinforced with streaks of ancient metal. Its body is broad and solid, shaped with simple, purposeful lines that make it look more like a carved monument than a creature. Its head is a smooth, featureless block of stone with only the faintest suggestion of a human shape—no eyes, no mouth, no markings of any kind. Deep runes are etched across its chest and limbs, lying dormant until magic flows through them, causing the lines to glow with a cold blue pulse. Its right forearm ends in a massive metal blade fused directly to the limb, thick and weighty like an ancient greatsword. The left arm is unarmed, built for balance and raw strength. When the golem moves, it does so with slow, deliberate weight, the air vibrating with the hum of magic running through its runes, giving the faceless construct an eerie presence. The magic golems light up and begin moving as they sensed Daniel, Lyra, Milo, and Keith. Keith ran up the stairs a bit staying back, Daniel locked onto the first golem walking towards the group as he released an arcbolt that split into ten all hitting the first golem, it was not affective.
Milo raised his staff that was black matte and had a flame spiral design at the top that glowed. He summoned water around the first golem that slowed it down much more then froze the water surrounding the golem. The golem stood locked in place, its entire body encased in a thick shell of frost. The freezing burst had stopped it mid?lunge, blade?arm raised, runes flickering weakly under the ice. Cracks crept across its torso as the cold tightened around the stone.
Lyra didn’t wait for anyone.
A ripple of blue light flashed behind her, and her scythe materialized in her hands — a long, curved blade of shimmering energy anchored to a sleek, dark handle. The weapon hummed softly, reacting to her focus.
She moved. One step. A blur of motion.
A single, perfect arc of the scythe.
The blade sliced cleanly through the frozen stone, passing through the golem’s torso as if it were brittle glass. For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then the entire upper half of the construct slid sideways and shattered on the floor, breaking into dozens of icy fragments. The runes on the remaining half flickered once, then went dark as the magic inside collapsed.
Lyra lowered the scythe."Veilbreaker!" Daniel yells as he summons his sword with the blue glowing blade already active. "You actually gave it a name?" Lyra questioned Daniel as she looked at him with a smile. "Oh yeah" Daniel replied as he rushed the other active golems. Lyra joined Daniel at his side as he rushed the next golem in line, Milo tried summoning water again to slow down the golems as one of the launched its left hand at him, the hand connected to a thick heavy silver chain. Milo stopped and summoned a barrier instead and was hit by the large hand. His barrier being crushed as Daniel swung his blade at the chain cutting it with little effort. The hand that was crushing Milo in his barrier dropped as it was no longer powered, by being connected to the golem. The same golem swung at Daniel with its right hand that had the giant greatsword attached to it. Lyra in a flash, appeared in front of Daniel grabbing the greatsword with one hand and stopped the golem. The greatsword’s stone tip ground to a halt in Lyra’s palm, the force behind it enough to crack the floor beneath her feet. Runes along the blade flared brighter, the construct driving its full weight forward to complete the thrust.
Lyra didn’t move.
Her fingers tightened.
A sharp, splintering crack split the air as the stone tip crumbled in her grip, fragments spilling between her fingers like coarse sand. The golem’s arm lurched forward from the sudden loss of resistance, its stance shifting just enough to expose the seam along its torso.
Lyra stepped in.
Her scythe manifested in a ripple of blue light, the curved blade forming with a clean, silent sweep. She didn’t wind up. She didn’t posture. She simply moved — a single, precise motion.
The scythe passed through the golem’s midsection.
Stone didn’t shatter.
It separated. A glowing fissure split across the construct’s torso, runes flickering violently as the internal binding magic failed. The golem froze mid?motion, its body held together for a fraction of a second by dying enchantments. Then gravity took over. The upper half slid off the lower, collapsing into a heavy cascade of rubble. The runes dimmed to nothing. The magic died. The construct ceased.
Lyra dismissed her scythe, blue particles dissolving into the air as she brushed stone dust from her palm. Milo wondered just how powerful Lyra had become since she went on her own way. The final golem stomped forward, heavier than the others, runes burning hotter as it locked onto Lyra. No hesitation. No thought. Just programmed annihilation.
Lyra rolled her shoulders once.
“Alright,” she murmured, “your turn.”
The golem swung first — a wide, brutal horizontal cleave meant to bisect anything in its path. Lyra didn’t dodge. She stepped into the swing, letting the blade pass inches behind her as she slid under the arc with inhuman smoothness.
Her hand brushed the stone as it passed.
A hairline crack formed where her fingers touched.
The golem tried to recover, pivoting its massive frame for a downward smash. Lyra was already moving. Her scythe manifested mid?stride, blue light rippling along the curved edge as she spun behind the construct. One step. One pivot. One perfect cut. The scythe carved across the back of the golem’s knee joint — not shattering it but severing the binding magic inside. The leg buckled instantly, the entire construct dropping to one knee with a thunderous crash.
Lyra didn’t give it a second to stabilize.
She vaulted upward, planting a foot on its shoulder, using the momentum to flip over its head. As she passed above it, she dragged the scythe’s blade across the top of its head — a clean, diagonal slice that left a glowing fissure from temple to jaw.
She landed behind it, light footsteps on stone.
The golem froze.
The runes along its body flickered once… twice… then collapsed inward as the internal enchantments failed all at once. The fissure across its head widened, splitting the entire construct down the middle.
Two halves fell apart like a broken statue.
Lyra dismissed her scythe, blue particles dissolving into the air as she exhaled softly. "Lyra, how have you become so powerful?" Milo asked as he was walking towards her. Lyra explained she had no choice but to become powerful. "I swear, she's such a broken character" Daniel joked as Keith came down the stairs looking at the mess left behind by Lyra. Milo explained the sword Daniel has belonged to his father. The blade was Aether, a legendary element. "No way" Daniel said as he wondered why it cut so easily. Milo explained it was the same as Lyra's scythe, Daniel also asked Milo what his father would be doing with such a weapon. Milo explained it would cut through dimensions, how his father was an amazing swordsman. But Milo just said that was a story for another time. Daniel's band pulsed again, this time quickly as he was close to the source of that ever was making his band pulse. Let's continue, Daniel said with a determined look on his face.
