Chapter 271: Cosmic Destruction (1/2)

The deformed behemoth traversed across the vast void of space. Supporting the Spatial Fortress, vessels cascaded out in an endless torrent. These ships were of all sizes, many of them colored green with orichalcum. The greatest of these vessels were plated in dull gray, an ancient design and appearance dictating their lineage.

These were the chosen shuttles of Schema, the blue plasma ebbing in glowing lines. Their designs stood as both foreign and overwhelming with sharp, angular edges. They warped gravity and space alike with their arrival, each of them defying even the most fundamental laws of physics. More of these constructs arrived until the entirety of the spaceline was filled to the brim with ships facing Giess.

Schema came prepared.

This supporting force gathered around the Spatial Fortress, protecting their most vital asset. As they arrived, Obolis gestured towards the individual fleets,

”As you may have gathered, the largest of those are a part of Schema's personal fleet. They wield his tools, using forbidden magic and technology. Those around him are a part of his various guilds. For example, you'll note the fleet to his left, those are the Steel Legion's highest order of ships.”

I crossed my arms, ”They landed on my homeworld too. I ended up taking their members and tech in when I formed my guild. I honestly don't know how it worked exactly. They weren't too peeved about it, though.”

Obolis grinned, ”You thwarted Yawm, correct? This means that you gained the right to ownership over the guild preceding you. Schema grants resources to the successful, and in that instant, you were victorious.”

I pointed at a petite ship at the edge of the fleet,

”What about those ships? It looks like they weren't even designed for warfare.”

”Those are the golemite's ships, a race of scouting, aetherial beings. I've contracted with them many times to discover far off locations. They orient themselves towards finding the hard to find more so than killing those that are hard to kill. If you look beside the golemite's sleek builds, you'll find the various heads of each class structure in Schema's society.”

He pointed at a spiked shuttle. It was lined with pods on the surface.

”Those are the breakers. Their assault class utilizes arcane energy as a weapon. It's actually just militarized antimatter that's been converted into an energy form.”

Thoughts of Einstien and his theories whizzed through my head. I mean, if matter equals energy, I guess antimatter would equal anti-energy too. Obolis gestured further down,

”The slim vessels beside them are for the Speakers, and the thickly plated vessel below both are for the Fringe Walkers. They are the highest-ranked and most ancient classers in Schema's universe, and we will likely never be this close to the heart of their faction again. Soak in these sights while you can.”

I shrugged, ”Eh, they're just ships.”

”But they shall tear this spaceline apart as soon as the Adair family arrives. That is the only reason Schema has called in this many of his forces. This would be more than enough to level my entire Empire, let alone a weakened planet like Giess.”

I gawked at all the ships as Obolis said that. Damn, so this was a solar system culling kind of force? It was impressive, though these guy's secrets had yet to be unveiled. They hovered towards Giess, taking a while to get there. I pointed at some of the gray hulled vessels,

”What about those? They seem like the head honchos here.”

Some random alien guy walked up, ”They are. Those are the shuttles for Schema's chosen.”

Obolis raised his eyebrows, ”In a manner of speaking, I suppose. More specifically, they are the vessels for the Sentinels, Overseers, and his personalized A.I.'s. They act at a moment's notice, offering tactical oversight of what's occurring. They also use their absolute weaponry to evaporate enemies.”

I peered at the gray that mirrored Obolis's own suit of armor. I gestured to them both, ”So why do all the highest-ranking people wear gray armor? Is a fashion trend or something?”

Obolis tapped it with his claws, ”This is an orichalcum and aluminum alloy that has been augmented by graphene layering. It requires printing thin, atomically thin sheets of graphene to strengthen the underlying metal base. This is due to the low friction point of graphene. When pulled into many layers, it converts into graphite, a soft, doughy material.”

I raised my eyebrows, ”So is graphene stronger than orichalcum?”

”Indeed, it is. For reference, orichalcum is about twice as heavy as steel but 30% harder. It is used primarily for its antimagical properties more so than its strength. Graphene is 200 times stronger than steel yet six times lighter. Both of those metals are incomparably inferior to graphene from a sheer physical resilience perspective.”

Obolis pointed at Schema's ships, ”These materials do not appear in nature, and they exist at the apex of science and technology. My own armor was found outside of Schema owned space, in fact. Even with all of my resources, I cannot construct this material on a whim. Schema can, however.”

I gave the ships a begrudging nod,

”Well, shit. That might be tougher than my armor.”

Obolis shook his head, ”No matter how tough one's shell is, the insides tend to be soft. That ship might never break, but those within it would be smashed by the hull meant to protect them. You are saturated to the core with that metal of yours to the point of bleeding silver. This makes you resilient in a way most people cannot be.”

I narrowed my eyes, ”You have good eyesight.”

Obolis gave a slight smirk, ”My ability to perceive is my greatest asset.”

We peered back at the ships as they sauntered about. They neared Giess, the rebels neglecting to show up. Before the anticlimax came to fruition, a golden portal spawned.

I grimaced, ”It's Lehesion.”

The massive, spatial entity crawled out of his gateway. Immune to the cold of the void, he tilted his head, cracking his enormous neck. No sound permeated out, the empty space nulling everything silent. Like a black and white film, the events played out in absolute quiet. Despite that quiet, the face-off sent shivers up my spine.

In the face of the Spatial Fortress, Lehesion was but a pebble. To me, he was a mountain staring down at an anthill. No one shared my sentiment, many laughing at Lehesion and how puny he was compared to the Spatial Fortress. Around Lehesion, thousands upon thousands of portals snapped open as the gialgathen lifted his head. He stared down with a godly arrogance as his forces arrived.

This was why the rebels committed genocide against the gialgathens. Their forces arrived in the tens of thousands, the blighted ones swimming through space. They collected around Lehesion, acting in a manner similar to how Schema guarded his Spatial Fortress. Further allies congregated around the golden beast over the next minute.

Dreadnoughts, fighters, drones, and other blighted ones came to the forefront. These were the main forces we fought on Giess, their numbers so high they could darken a horizon. Even in space, they remained unharmed, the Hybrid's internal engines keeping them from turning brittle and cold.

More forces arrived than those sent to Giess, however. From their rebelling worlds, many ships and vessels from other races arrived. These ragtag ships were reinforced with the Adair's signature markings and welding styles. They helped make their allies stronger in exchange for their support, and it showed as their fleet swelled. These were those that chose to defy Schema at the cost of a bloody war.

Even more forces arrived, their numbers exceeding Schema's own fleet. From dozens of portals, they took gnarled eldritch adapted for space and summoned them. These were followed by suited revenants, each of them mentally shackling these mutated eldritch. They arrived in growing hordes, becoming a living, breathing mass of monster that allied against Schema.

Obolis's eyes widened, ”They've used radiation to strengthen the eldritch then taken control of their shattered minds. Illegal in Schema's territory, yet it's an undeniably effective tactic.”

I remembered the bout of radiation we suffered when inspecting a portion of Lehesion's tail. This was what they were using it for. As the enemies piled up, my fears were fully realized. The Adair's armed forces dwarfed Schemas.

And yet, still, even more arrived.

From twisted worlds and dark recesses, sentient eldritch crawled from colossal portals. They allied with the Adairs. These were the kinds of eldritch that dictated whether a world was fringe or not, and they mounted in space, crawling like an infestation given life. They commanded enormous numbers of eldritch, the likes of which could create eclipses by swallowing the sun in their shadow.

Instead, they blended into space, a moving darkness that proliferated like a disease. They took the form of massive worms, fallen archangels, writhing hiveminds, deformed krakens, and lesser evolved Spatial Fortresses. At least they looked like it, their bulk not up to par with the mechanical monstrosity that Schema chained to his cause.

Obolis crossed his arms, his heartbeat elevating,

”They've even allied with the eldritch. It seems they'd prefer winning to winning well.”

I grimaced, ”I know an eldritch that helps us. She pulled me out of a tight spot against Yawm, actually. In the end, the enemy of my enemy is a friend.” I turned back at the sentient eldritch,

”Even if they are ugly.”

Obolis frowned but said nothing. Those around us weren't laughing anymore, the Adair's preparations both intimidating and resourceful. Even those that didn't truly understand Lehesion's strength, they realized that this was going to be a bloodbath. The number of enemies meant that would be the case. It left a sort of vibrant buzz in the air, everyone ready to see something they'd never see again.

This was the kind of battle that would go down in history at the very least, no matter which side came out victorious. The sheer hum of that fact saturated the air around us. It left everyone gazing at an event akin to an incoming hurricane.

This would leave no doubt that the rebellion was not something to dismiss. It was an immeasurable storm, the likes of which we may never see again. The Adair's and the revenants were going to make their last stand here.

And their stand would be carnage given life, a battle cry that echoes across all of Schema's owned space.

As the forces closed, my armor shivered. I stared down at it, and the metal trembled. In the distance, Lehesion lifted his head with the confidence of a celestial. Energy collapsed through his frame, envigorating him with the strength of both the old and the new. He radiated light, a second sun breathing out pure, radiant power.

In a snap, he shot out a telepathic wave. This wave tethered those nearby to his mind, this mental roar absolute. It extended onto Schema's ships and further beyond. When it rolled over our station, my heart sank. His mind was a boundless ocean like an Old One given a body and flesh. Lehesion's voice resounded, everything else quiet and still by comparison,

”So you are the forces that Schema rallies against me? How quaint. I expected a being that many consider omnipotent to muster a force worthy of fear. I see now that I was wrong.”

Obolis's hair stood on end. At this moment, we were ants staring at a being beyond us. Those of high status trembled. In their own lives, they were the elite. In this other realm, they were nothing but the tiniest of entities, like drops in an endless ocean. I stood amid this vast sea, and I held onto my aura and mind. I refused to allow this being to send fear through me anymore.

Those around me could not withstand it, however.

Even Obolis shivered. He reached out a shaking hand and clenched it into a fist. It quivered as he murmured,

”You fought him and lived?”

I rolled my shoulders, ”On more than one occasion. He was taking it easy on me. I doubt he'll do that here.”

Lehesion announced,

”Know this, Schema. This battle shall be the mark I leave upon your history. Long have I waited for an epoch where my talent may truly shine. I was a leviathan trapped in the smallest of ponds. Now I am that behemoth unleashed, a might that shall force gods to tremble and space to thrash. Hear me, one and all.”

His noiseless laugh was a battle cry,

”You shall regret making an enemy of me, for I am a god given flesh and bone.”

Lehesion's eyes twitched, his pupils dilating. He shook his head, his control being ripped from him. He gasped before Tohtella's voice radiated through his colossal mind,

”I am here to announce our grievances, along with an offer for you to surrender.”

No voice returned her call, so she continued.

”We have never been given a place to voice what our real concerns are. This will likely be our only chance, so listen well. The Adair family is a group of psionic revenants. We have gained control of Lehesion, and we have committed grave atrocities against the gialgathens. We would like to apologize for what we have done.”

I grimaced, ”Oh yeah, a mass genocide can be washed away with a one-sentence apology. Man, if like were that easy.”

Tohtella's gestures reflected on Lehesion's face,

”We understand that many of you find our actions unforgivable and horrendous. We wish to let you all know that, we too, think that our chosen path is deplorable. Know this, however - we were given no other alternative for what we've decided to do today.”

A massive screen appeared above Lehesion, showing a status. It wasn't blue or red, but golden with black lettering. My eyes widened as Tohtella announced,

”We wish to form a counter alliance to Schema, one known as Elysium. We will be offering any joining planets access to our own system, one that is far gentler and less brutal than Schema's. You will not face level restrictions. You will not be thrown against wolves and watch your loved ones die during the tutorial. Neither will you be enslaved to serve a race that cares nothing about you.”

Lehesion's eyes narrowed as Tohtella spoke through him,

”No, we wish to establish a system where the occupants are given the power to kill the eldritch before they are faced against them. Instead of watching over half of dungeon clearers die before they reach level 1,000, we wish for no one to die in a dungeon again. We want to eradicate the eldritch as a threat forever.”

They weren't kidding when they said they wanted to start a revolution. Holy shit.

”We will be giving free lessons in psionics to those that will join us. We will be using the eldritch to create the menacing Hybrids you know of. Every man, woman, and child of every race will be given one as a servant to assist with killing the eldritch. The eldritch fear them, and your Hybrid will allow you to conquer dungeons without fear of death.”

Everyone around us stood dumbfounded. One member dropped their glass behind us, no one reacting to the sharp squeal of glass shattering. That sound was nothing when compared to what the Adair's were announcing.

”We will do away with the lack of structure and the 'cullings' of Schema's system. We will allow every species to establish control of their own world, and we will ensure that an overarching government will offer support if certain species struggle. This will prevent weaker races from being subjugated into servile roles by better combatants.”

Some of the aliens behind me gasped, many of them looking around to gauge everyone else's reactions. Much of what Tohtella said left me flabbergasted. It really was revolutionary, though I didn't want to admit it. She continued,

”Unlike Schema, we will not horde the most effective weapons only to ourselves. We understand that each of you is a competent, able individual. You will be given the necessary technology and weaponry to fight Schema and the eldritch. We will not stop each of you from researching better methods of stopping the eldritch. We have no desire for an endless war with those monsters. We wish for them to follow our laws or be devoured by our Hybrids.”

A few enigmatta and other sciency types peered down, affected by Tohtella's words. It looked like I wasn't the only one that noticed Schema's rejection of permanent solutions to the eldritch. The Adairs noted that behavior as well, and they aimed to rectify it.

”Elysium will also ally with eldritch that are non-threatening. These eldritch here have decided to follow our laws, and they have even joined our cause. They too wish for a better future where their hunger can be satiated. It is not endless, and we can work towards a compromise.”

Many of the nobles nearby began sweating. An intense wave of cognitive dissonance radiated through those present. I considered allying with the eldritch, but only because I met and knew Hod and Amara. They were both stable, useful allies, and that's really all I asked for. If anything, taking eldritch like Plazia and Baldag-Ruhl would be boons for society in general. Even know, I'd yet to see anyone rival my armor's complexity with the cipher.

Neglecting to consider that possibility was a flaw with Schema's approach. In fact, everything Tohtella mentioned so far was a part of many crippling issues with how Schema ran things. Even I accepted all of it without questioning further, but that was because I couldn't create a better system on my own. Apparently, the Adair family could, though they offered no proof of that outside of a single status. At least not yet.

As if reading my mind, Tohtella expanded a status screen for many of those present in her fleet. These screens popped up above everyone outside of the eldritch lying at the edges of her fleet. Tohtella said,

”This is proof of our system. Lehesion is connected with an endless, overflowing energy source that we can tap into. He is the center of this new system. We used ancient technology from our forefathers and built off those blueprints. Just as the revenants before us created Schema, we've created another, fairer system that recognizes many talents.”

Lehesion peered towards the classers in their ships,

”No longer will you deal with archaic, hidden trees, and a lack of transparency. The paths of progression will be outlined for all to see, a true meritocracy where ignorance is a choice, not a given.”

Lehesion's eyes narrowed,

”Know that this is a living, breathing system. We are not set in our ways. We wish to hear your voices, and we will do our best to respond to your concerns. Unlike Schema, we will roll frequent patches to the framework to reduce any glitches, unfairness, and to promote system-wide balance across the board.”

Lehesion lifted his head, ”And most of all, understand this final statement - we do not want war.”

Obolis scoffed, ”Ah yes, the army made that much obvious.”

Tohtella continued,

”We will not force worlds to join us. No other planet or species will be handled as Giess was either. This was a necessary sacrifice we used to establish this new system. We preemptively accrued this army to combat the certain military response Schema would send. He did not respond to our calls for negotiations or recognize us as a state. We knew he would attack the moment we announced ourselves.”

From all angles, another vast entity approached. It resonated across all those present, speaking through our status screens.

It was Schema.