Crystalla

The Dreadnoughts awaited any sign of movement from the floating continent, as a forward operating base was being set up on the Steppe below. Dozens of airships flew around below, delivering supplies, as Crystalliam Knights arrived.

On the floating continent above, Infernus paced back and forth, restlessly.

"Seem to be stressed" Rychard's voice rang metallically through Infernus' digital brain.

"I've been having memories, memories that should not exist" Infernus sighed, as he kicked the throne.

"My memories?" Rychard asked.

"No, they're of ancient times, long forgotten" Infernus shrugged.

"Perhaps you are more than those things from the rift led you to believe" Rychard suggested.

"It does not matter either way, your world will not be spared, Rychard. I will end it, and myself along with it. Memories mean nothing" Infernus shrugged as he looked at the rift above. A beacon crafted by trillions of nanomachines reached up to the maw itself. "Everything will end" Infernus shrugged, as he slammed his fist down on a console.

As he did, a light shot up from the beacon, into the rift, the rift itself slowly began to increase in size. Lighting shot across the skies as it began to grow darker, the air was filled with an eerie momentary silence, before horrific screeching was heard emanating from the void beyond the rift.

The Dreadnoughts sprang into action, unloading their full arsenal at both the sky and the beacon, to minimal effect. From the rift flooding thousands of abhorrent beasts in a swarm, within seconds the Dreadnoughts had been overrun, the battlefields below turned into a bloodbath in mere seconds as the Crystalliam Knights were decimated.

The Steppe fell before the Council Chambers could even be informed about what had happened. Only two Dreadnoughts managed to make a retreat, the abhorrent beasts did not pass beyond a certain point.

Back at the Council Chambers comms centre, a call came in from one of the Dreadnoughts, Mizu answered.

"We've suffered a near total loss at the Steppe, making a swift retreat along with Dreadnought #5" The Dreadnought captain explained.

"Is this related to the strange beacon?" Mizu asked. "We saw the light shoot up to the sky from here" She continued.

"Affirmative, the moment the beam of light hit the rift, it unleashed countless abominations, the Crystalliam Knights are wiped out along with the majority of the Dreadnoughts" The Captain replied.

"Okay, make a swift return to the chambers, we need a plan of action" Mizu sighed deeply.

"Affirmative, mission control, over and out" The captain replied as the call ended. Mizu frowned as she headed out of the comms hub. People were running about making preparations for the return of the survivors. Mizu took a deep breath, and looked around, she saw Aran watching her from across the room, before she beckoned Mizu over.

Mizu nodded and made her way across the great hall, toward where Aran was stood.

"I heard the news" Aran shook her head. "The first conflict was always going to be the worst, but now we know what we are up against, we need to prepare" She continued.

"Where have you been hiding?" Mizu raised her eyebrow.

"Hiding?" Aran shrugged.

"Yeah, I've not seen you for days" Mizu shrugged.

"I've been around, working on stuff, mostly avoiding Roisin and the others so there arent any awkward questions about who I am" Aran shrugged.

"Why?" Mizu asked.

"Just makes it easier this way, they don't want to get to know me" Aran replied.

"For you or them?" Mizu pondered.

"It doesn't matter. Focus on defending this place from those things. The Dreadnoughts hopefully will have recorded some intel" Aran explained.

"Have it your way" Mizu shrugged, as she looked at her datapad. "We're getting vague reports in now, the creatures recorded seem to be an amalgamation of dozens of different types of creatures, such as reptiles and mammals. Though there are signs of even overgrown microbial lifeforms among them" She explained.

"We need to know what is beyond that void" Aran suggested.

"Part of me would rather not know" Mizu sighed. "But it would hopefully give us an edge, learning just who the Senior Partners are" She nodded, as the two headed to the science hub, as green lightning ran across the skies above Crystalla.