The air in the meeting hall was thick with tension. Lane, Mario, and a handful of soldiers stood around the wooden table, their expressions stoic as they studied the rough maps and makeshift battle plans. The Grayman stood at the far end of the room, arms crossed, his cold gaze scanning the room. Zed departed for his own task, though he had been frustratingly vague about what that was.

  Two drones hovered silently nearby, their worn, egg-shaped exteriors showing the scars of time. The soldiers kept stealing glances at the drones and the Grayman, their expressions a mix of curiosity and unease. Questions lingered unspoken on their lips, but the weight of the moment kept them silent.

  Lane’s earlier explanation—that the drones came from a benefactor intent on ending the battle with the Count—had momentarily satisfied their curiosity. But as the machines hovered with eerie precision, their presence became more of a distraction. The steady hum of their systems, the flickering of unseen sensors, the sheer alien nature of their design—it was difficult to ignore.

  Sensing the unease in the room, Lane turned to the gathered men, his tone firm yet reassuring. “I understand that this is beyond what any of you expected when you took up arms. The gentleman man here is not our enemy. He is an ally, and an important one at that. His knowledge, his skills—they will help us survive this”

  He let his words settle, his gaze sweeping across the wary faces while a heavy silence followed. The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances, but no one spoke against him. The Grayman himself remained impassive, watching with his usual quiet intensity. Satisfied, Lane shifted to focus back to the task at hand, “Now, let’s get back to work. We don’t have time for hesitation.”

  Mario broke the silence first, exhaling sharply. “So, we’re supposed to hold off an invading army with these… machines and sheer determination?” He shook his head. “I don’t like our odds.”

  Lane shot him a look. “We’ve faced worse.” Mario snorted. “Name one time.”

  Lane ignored him his hand stroking his chin as he was deep in thought.

  Lane stood near the hovering drone, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in thought. The soldiers were still eyeing the machine warily, but Lane’s focus was elsewhere—an idea forming in his mind.

  Mario noticed the shift in his expression and frowned. “I don’t like that look. You’re about to suggest something crazy, aren’t you?” Lane smirked. “Depends on your definition of crazy.” He turned to the Grayman. “These drones—how much weight can they carry?”

  The Grayman studied the machine for a moment before answering. “Their propulsion are designed for maneuverability, not heavy lifting. But with proper calibration, one could carry a moderate load.”

  Lane nodded, already forming the rest of the plan. “What if we strapped a basket underneath? Something big enough to hold two, maybe three people?”

  Mario blinked. “Wait. You’re not seriously thinking—” Lane grinned. “We use the drone to drop us into the enemy camp. We grab the Count, take him as a hostage, and throw their entire command into chaos.”

  A silence followed. The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. The Grayman was the first to respond. “It’s risky,” he said, his voice measured. “But… not impossible.”

  Mario groaned. “It’s insane is what it is.” He gestured at the drone. “That thing has been sitting at the bottom of a lake for centuries! And now you want to ride it into an enemy stronghold?”

  Lane turned to the gathered soldiers, his expression serious. “I need a volunteer for this mission,” he said, his voice carrying through the dimly lit space. A heavy silence followed. The men exchanged glances, hesitation clear on their faces. The idea of flying into the enemy camp in a makeshift aerial basket wasn’t exactly comforting.

  Seconds passed. Then, one soldier stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”

  Lane turned to him. The soldier’s face was composed. His dark hair was cropped short, and a faint scar ran along his jawline, a testament to past battles. His eyes, sharp and assessing, held no trace of uncertainty. He had the look of a man who had seen his fair share of war and knew exactly what he was signing up for but there was no hesitation in his voice.

  “What’s your name?” Lane asked. The soldier gave a small nod. “Risty.”

  Lane nodded back, appreciating the resolve in his voice. “Alright, Risty. This is going to be dangerous. No guarantees we make it out clean.”

  Risty smirked slightly. “Figured as much. Someone’s got to do it.”

  Mario exhaled sharply. “You two are really committed to this crazy plan, huh?”

  Lane grinned. “More like we’re committed to winning.” He turned back to the Grayman. “Can you make the adjustments?”

  The Grayman nodded. “I will need time. But yes.”

  Lane’s grin widened. “Oh and also, Do you think General Zed can act?” he asked with a sheepish smile.

  +++

  The night sky stretched endlessly above, its vast expanse dotted with cold, distant stars. Zed stood alone outside the town hall, the hum of his control module barely audible as his fingers moved through the air, interfacing with the drone’s systems. His gaze remained fixed on the holographic display hovering before him.

  Zed reached out to his ever-present mental companion. Ai, now that the stars are out, do you suppose you can triangulate whether we're indeed on planet XR-3? he asked, his gaze fixed on the vast expanse of the night sky.

  On it, Ai responded instantly. A few seconds passed before her voice returned with a tinged of surprise. Well, I'll be. I can't match any of the stars we're seeing to those in our database.

  Zed's HUD flickered as Ai highlighted various star groups, the constellations glowing in his vision. But despite the overlays and calculations, no match was found.

  This is impossible. There are billions of stars in our view right now. The probability of finding zero matches in our database is… well, zero, Ai stated, her tone laced with uncertainty.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  A brief pause followed before she continued, Unless…

  Zed’s brows furrowed. Unless what? he asked, his voice steady but expectant.

  Unless there's some kind of technology capable of distorting our view of the stars, Ai explained, her tone carrying a hint of unease.

  Zed sighed, deep in thought, then shifted his gaze to one of the drones hovering nearby. Activating his control module, he murmured, "Then there's only one way to find out."

  With a silent command, the drone shot into the sky, accelerating rapidly in mere seconds.

  The drone steadily climbed, breaking free from the lower atmosphere with ease. Wisps of cloud cover faded beneath it, and the planet’s surface grew distant. The drone reached 4,000 kilometers from the surface and then—

  A bright streak followed by a sudden impact.

  The feed fractured into static before freezing on a single, final frame. Zed’s expression remained neutral, but his mind processed the image. Then and there he saw a tower.

  It was massive, constructed from dark, seamless material, stretching impossibly high—so high that its peak disappeared beyond the planet’s atmosphere.

  Ai’s voice crackled through his module. That is… one peculiar structure, she intoned. The structure extends into orbit.

  Zed’s gaze lingered on the image. A space elevator? A defense platform? Something else entirely? Maybe that is the atmosphere distortion machine Ai was talking about? The implications spiraled outward. His fingers twitched, sending a direct command to replay the last moments again, analyzing energy signatures. The projectile that took down the drone had come from the tower itself, most probably from a defense system. That meant the structure was not just a remnant of some forgotten age. It was active and someone was controlling it.

  Zed shut down the display with a thought striding back toward the townhall. Zed lingered just outside the room, his expression unreadable as he listened to the muffled discussions within. He waited patiently as the remaining soldiers filtered out, their hushed voices fading into the hallway. Only when the room was empty—except for Lane, Mario, Emilia, and the Grayman—did he step inside.

  The three men and Emilia looked up as he entered. His movements were deliberate, his posture controlled. Without preamble, he spoke. “Tell me what you know about the tower.”

  Mario exchanged a glance with Lane, then back to Zed. “Tower?” he repeated, brow furrowing.

  Zed activated his control module, and a holographic projection flickered into existence above the table—the final captured frame from the destroyed drone. The massive, dark structure stood stark against the thinning atmosphere, reaching beyond the sky.

  Emilia’s eyes widened while Mario let out a low breath. The Grayman narrowed his gaze, stepping closer to inspect the image. “This,” Zed continued, his voice calm but firm, “is what shot down my drone before it could ascend to outer space.” He turned his head slightly, scanning their faces. “And I need to know why it’s there.”

  Mario’s expression darkened, Emilia inhaled sharply, and the Grayman looking at the other’s expressions. Lane, however, hesitated. His fingers tapped lightly against the table. He knew the tower and where it is. But how much should he tell Zed? Their alliance with him was still fresh, fragile. The wrong words could shift the balance.

  He exhaled slowly, deciding. “It’s in the Imperial Capital,” Lane finally admitted. His voice was measured, carefully weighing each word. “That tower belongs to the God Emperor.”

  Zed’s gaze sharpened. “God Emperor?” he asked. Mario muttered a curse under his breath. Emilia looked uncertain and the Grayman remained silent.

  Lane nodded. “The ruler of the Empire. The most powerful figure in the world. That tower is a symbol of his reach which extends beyond the capital—it means he’s watching everything.” He glanced at Zed.

  The room fell into a heavy silence. Zed’s expression remained unreadable, but his mind processed the implications swiftly. An empire with this level of technology? A ruler with the means to control a structure that extended into orbit? It altered the equation significantly. Zed paused mid-step, his back still turned to them. Lane’s voice had been steady, but there was an undertone of concern beneath it. Slowly, Zed turned around, his gaze settling on Lane.

  “Mr. Zed,” Lane repeated, watching him closely. “Is there something we need to worry about?” Zed studied them for a moment before exhaling through his nose, his expression unreadable. His fingers moved slightly, looking the holographic projection once more—the final image of the towering structure.

  “That depends,” he said, his voice measured. “That thing is more advanced than anything I’ve seen on this planet so far. It shot down my drone before it could complete a planetary scan.” He let that sink in before continuing. “That means two things: One, the technology in this world is far more developed than I initially believed. And two—” he turned his gaze to Lane “—someone is watching the skies. Very carefully.” Zed’s words hung in the air, their weight pressing down on the room.

  “Whoever is watching now knows something foreign was in the sky. Whether he knows it was mine is another question.”

  A tense silence followed—until Mario, who had been quiet up to this point, suddenly straightened. His expression shifted as a realization struck him.

  “I’m curious,” he mused aloud, his voice edged with something between caution and intrigue. “Will this incident force the Emperor to send a Judge?” He paused, then added with a wry glance at Zed, “A real one this time.”

  The room reacted in different ways—Lane tensed, Emilia frowned, and the Grayman, who had remained still, finally stirred.

  Zed arched an eyebrow. “Speaking off, I’ve been curious about who they are since the first time I heard about them” His tone was neutral, but he clearly caught the implication in Mario’s words.

  Mario smirked slightly but didn’t drop his guard. “The God Emperor’s enforcers. His will made flesh. If something—or someone—disturbs the order of the Empire, they step in. And if one gets sent here…” he let the sentence hang.

  Lane crossed his arms, nodding. “It means we’re no longer dealing with just an army or a Count. It means the Emperor himself is taking an interest.” Emilia glanced at Zed, studying his reaction.

  Zed remained quiet for a beat, processing his thoughts thoroughly. Then, his expression hardened slightly. “What can they do?” he finally asked.

  Mario’s smirk faded. “Depends on the Judge. Some are strategists. Some are warriors. Some… well,” Zed’s expression remained unreadable as Mario spoke, but there was no mistaking the sudden intensity in his gaze.

  “Judges can fly, so obviously, they are not human anymore,” Mario continued, his voice edged with thoughtfulness. “They seldom concern themselves with a country’s civil war—unless thousands of lives are at stake, specially the lives of their kind.” He folded his arms, studying Zed carefully. “That was why I was curious when you showed up and Emilia said you were a Judge.”

  He glanced briefly at Emilia, then back at Zed. “I didn’t deem our skirmish important enough to matter to the Emperor.”

  Emilia shot Mario an annoyed look, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I only said that because he came from nowhere and had… technology beyond our understanding,” she huffed. “Excuse me for not having all the answers the moment he appeared.”

  Mario smirked, unfazed. “Still, you were pretty confident about it”.

  Emilia crossed her arms. “And you were pretty quick to assume I was wrong.”

  Lane let out a short sigh. “Enough,” his voice cut through the tension, bringing their focus back to the discussion at hand. He turned to Zed.

  Zed tilted his head slightly. “So, if a real Judge arrives, we can assume the Emperor considers this situation… significant?”

  Mario nodded. “More than significant. If a Judge is deployed, it means this is no longer a matter of politics or war. It means the Emperor sees something bigger. Maybe… something dangerous.” Mario’s smirk faded, his gaze sharpening as he studied Zed.

  Zed met his stare without hesitation, his expression calm but resolute. “I won’t allow it to escalate to that.” His voice was even, but there was an undeniable finality in his tone. “Since we are allies, naturally, you will be under my protection.”

  Mario’s brow furrowed slightly, skeptical but intrigued. Zed took a step closer, his posture unwavering. “I assure you, the Emperor will not touch you.” His voice lowered, the certainty in it absolute.

  A heavy silence settled in the room. Emilia glanced at them, her expression unreadable. Lane inhaled through his nose, measuring Zed carefully. The Grayman, as usual, said nothing, but something in his gaze hinted at deep contemplation.

  Mario tilted his head, considering Zed’s words. “That’s a bold promise, Mr. Zed.” His voice carried a trace of amusement, but his eyes remained searching. “I hope, for all our sakes, you can keep it.”

  Zed didn’t blink. “I can. And I will.”