UGT: 31th Ascent 280 a.G.A. / 11:59 a.m.

  Location: restricted areas, Aurolin Ruins, Au'Shalis Prime, Clinton's Beak system (red dwarf), Republic of Nox, Second Human Federation, Milky Way

  The chamber’s oppressive stillness pressed down on me as I staggered towards one of the ornate walls slumping down against it with a groan. Blood still seeped from the gash in my leg and the cut at my side, the flow slower but unrelenting. My head throbbed, my shoulder ached and the world around me felt as though it might collapse at any moment.

  [ You’re not going to make it far like this. At the very least do something to stop the bleeding. You need to stabilize now. ]

  I nodded weakly, barely registering his words over the pounding in my ears. Fumbling at my jacket, I tore at the hem ripping a length of cloth free. My fingers trembled as I wound it around my leg above the wound and tying it tightly to slow the blood flow. I didn’t have tenough time to do more and every motion sent sharp stabs of pain shooting through me. But for now it was enough to ease the worst of the dizziness.

  My side was trickier. I pressed the remainder of the torn cloth against the gash, hissing through clenched teeth at the fiery sting. There was no way to properly do something against this wound so the pressure would have to do for now.

  [ It’s not much, but it’s better than bleeding out in a ruin. You need to keep moving. ]

  Every step felt like a battle against my own body as I pushed myself upright again. My leg screamed in protest and the makeshift bandage on my side was already starting to slip. But the glowing archival node ahead demanded my focus, its energy pulsing in faint rhythmic beats. “This better be worth it in the end.“, I whispered, my voice barely audible.

  I pressed my hand to the display and the glyphs came alive, light spilling from the interface in streams that coiled and twisted through the air. A sharp pulse of energy surged through me, colder and more brutal than before. My neural interface buzzed, filling my mind with disjointed images and fragments of data.

  One stood out. A stasis pod. Inside it an Aetherian lay motionless, their body perfectly preserved. “A cryostasis pod?” I murmured, surprised.

  [ And more than that. That’s another Aetherian alive. Or at least as close to alive as you can get in stasis. ]

  The glyphs shifted again, resolving into a stark and ominous message: “I slumber so I may rise again. When the stars align, I will reclaim what is ours.”

  I pulled my hand back, the display dimming as the node’s energy ebbed away. It had shared all it could, leaving me with no more than a cryptic promise and a heavy knot of unease. But I lacked the time to do anything right now.

  [ You’ve gotten all you can. Now get out of here. The ruins are still active, and the SHF’s surface patrols might or might not have already noticed our intrusion. They are unable to follow us, but given how obvious we were, they most likely know we‘re here. ]

  “Right,” I muttered, my voice dry and cracked. My body screamed for rest, but I pushed off the wall and began limping back the way I’d come. Every step was agony but it was better than dying here. The glyphs on the chamber’s interface were still active, offering one last chance to turn the ruin’s systems in my favor. I limped back toward the platform, biting down a scream as the movement jolted my leg. “I need the shortest route to something that can heal me and afterwards out of here.“, I stated.

  [ Inheritor-Protocol detected. ]

  [ Inheritor-Protocol #2-A override blocked. ]

  [ ERROR ]

  [ Limited authorization acknowledged. ]

  [ Path towards destination formed. ]

  The passage twisted sharply, its walls pulsing with energy that seemed to react to my presence. Panels along the corridor shifted and clicked, their patterns forming strange sequences as I passed. The ruin’s defenses weren’t entirely dormant.

  I stumbled, barely catching myself against the wall. My body felt like it was on fire. My side ached, my leg throbbed and my shoulder was a dull roar of pain. The crude first-aid measures were doing little more than delaying the inevitable.

  “Fen give me an update. How far?”, I rasped.

  [ Two hundred meters give or take. But the ruin’s systems are still tracking you. That unusual support you’re currently having is probably a bait to end you before you reach the surface. ]

  “How optimistic.”, I muttered, forcing myself forward.

  As if to prove Fen’s point a faint hiss echoed from deeper within the passage. Panels along the walls slid open, releasing spindly drones that glided into view. Their movements were erratic, their shapes less refined than the constructs I’d encountered earlier.

  [ Damaged units. But they’ll still kill you if they catch up. ]

  “No kidding. There‘s nothing in these damn ruins that isn‘t out to kill me!“, I said, pushing myself harder, hobbling through the narrowing corridor. The drones followed, their glowing optics flickering like fireflies. A sharp turn brought me face-to-face with a barrier of light stretching across the passage. Its energy shimmered with the same greenish hue as the ruin’s glyphs.

  [ That’s a containment grid. You need to disable it fast. The drones are closing in. ]

  I slammed my hand against the nearest wall panel, the glyphs lighting up in response. My vision blurred again making it harder to decipher the patterns. But I had no choice. Fumbling through the sequences, I aligned the glyphs in what I hoped was the correct order. The barrier flickered, then collapsed, just as the first drone came into range. I limped through the opening hearing the faint crackle of electricity as the barrier reactivated behind me, cutting off the drones’ pursuit.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The passage finally opened into a wide cavern, its far side illuminated by ?sunlight“ filtering through a jagged opening above. Freedom was in sight.

  [ Don’t get careless now. Those SHF units are probably waiting for us outside. ]

  Honestly, I couldn’t care anymore. My body was running on fumes and the prospect of getting out of these ruins and healing were the only thing driving me forward. The last short climb to the surface was brutal. The path twisted upward, forcing me to use the jagged walls for support. Every movement jarred my wounds sending fresh waves of agony through my body. My breathing grew shallower, my vision narrowing to the light above.

  Finally I reached the opening, collapsing onto the rocky ground outside. The sunlight felt like fire on my skin after the ruin’s oppressive gloom, but it was worth it. I was alive. At least for now. But the reprieve was short-lived. A distant shout cut through the air, followed by the unmistakable hum of engines. I lifted my head to see SHF soldiers descending toward the ruin’s entrance, their figures silhouetted against the sky.

  [ They know you’re here. And in your state, running’s not really an option. ]

  “Great,” I whispered, struggling to my feet. The world spun around me but I steadied myself against a boulder. I wasn’t going to die here! Not after everything I’d survived!

  [ There’s a ravine to the west. That‘s the direction the Aetherian system wantedus to take. It‘ll most likely be a chance to heal and maybe even to escape. ]

  I nodded, dragging myself forward. My wounds screamed in protest but I gritted my teeth and pressed on. The fight wasn’t over and I wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet. I didn’t have much time anymore. My body was failing, blood loss turning the world into a blur of muted colors and sharp, stabbing pain. Each step toward the ravine Fen mentioned was a gamble against my limits and I wasn’t winning. The SHF soldiers were closing in, their shouts growing clearer over the whine of engines. The sound of boots crunching against loose rock meant they were splitting into search teams. If they found me now I wouldn’t last long enough to explain myself, let alone escape.

  [ You’re not going to make it far without help. If they find you first, they’ll patch you up but only so they can interrogate you. I’m guessing that’s not ideal. ]

  “No kidding.“, I muttered, collapsing behind a jagged boulder. My hands trembled as I pressed against the makeshift bandages. It wasn’t enough.

  [ Wait… hold on! There’s another signal! Medical-grade systems. Close to us! ]

  “You’re just now mentioning this?”, I questioned, to exhausted to be angry.

  [ It wasn’t active before. Must’ve powered up when you accessed that extraction route. A last gift from the Aetherian ruin. ]

  I managed to push myself upright, following Fen’s guidance through the ravine. The path narrowed, winding between sharp outcroppings of rock until I spotted something gleaming in the distance. A small, concealed alcove. Inside the alcove a med-station glimmered faintly with the unmistakable glow of Aetherian design. It was ancient, battered by time, but functional. The main console’s glyphs pulsed faintly, inviting input. “Can it... patch me up?” I asked, nearly collapsing against the station.

  [ Enough to stabilize you. But this technology is old and seemingly weckende by time. Don’t expect any miracles. ]

  I placed my bloodied hand on the interface and the system whirred to life. It scanned me with a soft hum and a holographic overlay appeared, highlighting my injuries. A mechanical arm unfolded from the station, holding what looked like a vial of faintly glowing liquid.

  [ Good news, this is a rapid-coagulant and cellular stabilizer. We are lucky they still have working versions. Bad news, this is going to hurt like hell. ]

  “Just do it.“, I rasped. Some pain was definitly better than capture or death. The arm injected the serum into my side, and I bit down on a scream as the liquid burned through me. The sensation was a mix of fire and ice, searing through my veins and making my entire body convulse.

  But it worked. The bleeding slowed, and the throbbing in my side dulled to a manageable ache. My leg still protested every step but the sharp edge of agony had receded.

  [ That bought you time. Maybe an hour before you need real medical attention. Don’t waste it. ]

  The med-station emitted a faint chime before going dormant, its resources depleted. I forced myself back into the open air, scanning the ravine for any sign of SHF patrols. They were close. Too close in my opinion. I could hear their radios crackling, orders being barked to tighten the search perimeter.

  “Options?” I whispered, gripping a jagged rock for balance.

  [ West ridge leads to a trade road. You might be able to flag down a passing transport if you’re lucky. It definitly won‘t take longer than a few minutes for the SHF forces to find the medical station. Nothing we can do there. ]

  “That’s a big if Fen.”, I muttered.

  [ Or you can double back into the ruin, though I wouldn’t recommend it. You’re already half-dead. ]

  I chose the ridge. Every step felt like dragging a mountain but I forced myself to keep moving. The ridge was steep, the loose gravel shifting treacherously beneath my feet. I could see the trade road below, a faint ribbon of movement in the distance. And then came the unmistakable whine of a drone. I turned sharply, catching the glint of a SHF scout unit cresting the ridge behind me. Its optics flared, locking onto my position.

  [ They’ve got you! You need to lose this thing now! ]

  “I’m trying!”, I yelled, forcing myself forwards faster. I stumbled down the ridge using the uneven terrain to my advantage. The drone’s sleek form struggled to navigate the jagged rocks but it kept pace, firing low-energy pulses that exploded into bursts of dirt and debris around me. The trade road came into full view, and my heart leapt at the sight of a transport vehicle rumbling along its path. It was an old, clunky hover-truck, its cargo bed loaded with supplies.

  I waved frantically, using what little strength I had left to shout.The driver spotted me, their face a mix of caution and alarm as they slowed the vehicle. Behind me, the drone’s hum grew louder, its pursuit relentless.“Help!”, I yelled, stumbling onto the road. “Please!”

  The driver hesitated but the sight of the drone closing in spurred them into action. They opened the cargo hatch and motioned for me to climb in. I threw myself onto the bed, collapsing among the supplies as the drone fired one last pulse that seared past the truck’s rear. The vehicle accelerated, leaving the drone behind as it struggled to recalibrate its pursuit.

  The driver didn’t ask questions, but their expression was grim as they glanced back at me. “You’re bleeding all over my cargo,” he muttered, pulling a first-aid kit from the dash and tossing it to me. “Patch yourself up before you pass out.” I nodded weakly, my hands shaking as I fumbled with the kit. The painkillers were a godsend, dulling the worst of the agony as I applied more bandages.

  [ You made it. Barely. But this isn’t over. ]

  “I know.”, I whispered, slumping against the side of the truck. The world outside blurred as exhaustion finally overtook me. For the first time in hours I let myself drift, knowing I was still alive. And at least for now safe.