“Your ancestors made this whole canyon to fit the Steadfast in,” stated Spirit. “Pretty amazing.”

  Angar stomped the strange material he stood upon. He wished he could see better. And see more of this colossal thing.

  “Over a hundred million people left the Sol System on this ship,” Spirit said. “Most of the remaining faithful of all religions. They rejected Nexus’ control and didn’t want to take part in Neural Communities. They wanted away from Sol, to live normal lives.

  “Almost as strong as Nexus’ drive to control everything was its drive to learn, its curiosity, so it helped construct this incredible ship. I’m sure getting rid of so many problem Terrans played into this.”

  Spirit floated close to Angar. “Part of Nexus is still in this ship, deactivated when emergency power kicked on. There’s a good chance we can get you one of the more valuable Glorious Achievements while we’re here.”

  She put her hands on his face again. “But first, let me show you what you’ll be up against.” Angar lost himself in Spirit’s impossible eyes as she said, “See.”

  Images flooded his mind once more. Like the last vision, this one came with just enough knowledge to make sense of the scene. Barely enough, but without it, it’d be so alien to him, it would’ve made no sense at all.

  On a bright world, an impossibly blue and clear sky swarmed with flying machines of metal, their bodies shining like the sun when it managed to break through the gloom of Vefol’s atmosphere.

  Below, on the ground, walked enormous mechanical creatures of this sturdy metal, some as tall as the ancient trees, others quick and nimble like the badland predators.

  All these machines, from the smallest flying construct to the largest walking beast, were under the command of a force so powerful it was beyond his comprehension.

  A force called Nexus, ruling over not just the land he stood on but also far beyond, into the very stars and other planets where many human colonies settled.

  The focus of this overwhelming army of machines was a colossal gateway. A very different gateway than the one in Mecia, a dark and burning thing from which fire and shadow poured.

  In front of this gateway was a being of such terrifying size that it dwarfed even the mightiest of these constructs. He knew this was a Demon Lord Mammon, the Eater of Souls. His form vast and disgusting, his skin marked by the scars of endless conflicts, and his eyes glowing with a sinister light.

  As these flying machines and metal beasts assaulted Mammon, he let out a laugh of pure malice, one that shook the very ground. His laughter was deep, resonant, filled with scorn for Nexus’ efforts against him.

  With a wave of his hand, a surge of dark energy radiated outward, clashing with the metal constructs. The flying machines fell from the sky like dead insects, their bodies crumpling or exploding into shards. The ground-bound beasts of steel faltered and fell over in a shower of sparks.

  But the unseen force controlling these machines persisted, sending an endless army to meet their doom at Mammon’s feet. Far-off machines lobbed powerful explosives, while those high above rained down burning light, testing the limits of this ancient evil.

  Somehow, Angar knew neither Nexus nor Mammon would ever stop until one of them, or the planet itself, was destroyed.

  As the vision ended, the fear wouldn’t leave Angar’s heart. He worriedly asked, “I must fight this Mammon?”

  Spirit laughed, shaking her head. "No, of course not. Just some machines like those Nexus controlled. Not even the big ones. Terrans stood no chance against the early forms of these machines, especially when controlled by artificial intelligence, AI. So, over the long centuries that Nexus controlled everything, these machines never had to really improve."

  "The vision was meant to give you an idea of how these machines operate. The good news is they aren’t being controlled by a directing AI. They’re running on core programming and seed scripts, so they’ll be easier to fight."

  “Understood. How many will I face?" Angar asked.

  "That depends on how connected they are and the range at which they can communicate," replied Spirit. "These machines are outside of Theosis’ sphere, so I’m unsure."

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  Angar grunted. He doubted these machines were as powerful as reavers. He wasn’t worried. And he’d know the truth of it soon enough.

  Spirit said, "Nexus fought and ended thousands of Hellspawn invasions with these kinds of machines for 73 years. These are much older versions, but you shouldn’t underestimate them. And you won’t be able to use your Abilities when fighting the ones near the drive core. Come. Follow.”

  Angar followed, matching the fast pace Spirit set as he tried seeing more of this spaceship. All he saw was the material he stood upon, what he now knew was sturdy and shaped metal, very unlike pyrrhotite, hematite, or magnetite. It looked like a flat, massive bone or polished rock, but different, and dark.

  The chamber ceiling was too high above to see in the blackness, so he had little to look at beside the flat metal he walked upon.

  Curiously, he asked, “If I have things right and I didn’t get too turned around, we’re heading back the way of that vast hole.”

  “We are,” replied Spirit, adding nothing more.

  A while later, Spirit stopped near jagged cuts as if the metal was ripped open. She went around the hole and said, “Hang down from this spot, then drop down. It’s a six-meter drop. And be careful where you place your hands. Metal cuts easier than stone.”

  Angar dropped through the jagged hole, his feet thudding on something smooth, cold, and unyielding.

  He crouched, maul gripped tight, eyes wide as he took in the vastness before him.

  The inside of the ship was illuminated by dimly glowing strips that seemed to be everywhere, running along the walls, ceiling, and ground, evenly spaced.

  The interior stretched farther than the widest and most yawning of galleries or chambers he'd ever seen, its walls rising like cliffs of polished bone, similar but very different from the metal of the exterior, glinting faintly under the dim glow.

  The air was dry, sharp in his nose, like the breath of a long-sealed chamber, but it carried no real stench. For something so old, there was no smell of rot, no decay. There was only a stillness that seemed oppressive.

  He stood, turning slowly, his shadow stretching long across the floor. The space was a forest of strange shapes, frozen and silent.

  Towers of metal and glass, smooth and unbroken, rose like giant trees, their surfaces reflecting his face back at him, warped and unfamiliar. He touched one, his fingers tracing its cold, unblemished edge. It was hard as stone. He pushed on it, testing it, and it didn’t crack or yield under his calloused hands.

  He was on some sort of large, raised platform. The floor beneath him was a patchwork of colors, a seamless weave, like the hides of a hundred beasts stitched together, but it bore no seams at all, not that he could see, and it was flawless.

  He moved to the edge and hopped down. The colorful ground under him was soft under his bare feet. With every step he sunk a little into the strange floor.

  He stomped, expecting it to give more, but it held firm, unyielding.

  “The flooring has a layer of foam tile,” said Spirit. “You’ll see a lot of stuff you’ll want to investigate, but we don’t have time. Please, follow.”

  Angar sighed and followed, still looking around.

  Lights, faint and yellow, flickered in the gaps of the ripped metal above.

  Scattered across the giant chamber were shapes he could almost name, but all were wrong, and all seemed too perfect.

  As he passed some cube, its surface smooth and black, he ran his hand along it. It began to hum, a low, unnatural sound, and he leapt back, maul raised, his heart thudding for a moment. Nothing else happened, but the hum lingered.

  "Stop touching things," grumbled Spirit. “Keep up.”

  He followed. The silence was heavy, broken only by his breathing, the light thud of his padded footsteps, and a faint humming in the background he almost more felt than heard.

  This place made him feel small. Smaller than he'd ever felt in the deepest caves or widest plains. For some reason, he felt almost insignificant as he walked among mysteries.

  He passed row upon row of entrances to chambers, some blocked with doors, some not, revealing the insides.

  In front of him, Spirit stopped and turned.

  Behind him, he heard a hissing noise. He turned with his maul held ready.

  A machine like in the vision he was granted flew into the room, except this was much, much smaller and shaped differently. It was a good way away. Then, in the blink of an eye, it flew in front of him.

  A cold, odd voice cut through the air. "Attention! Radiation levels critical. Drive core malfunction detected. All personnel must evacuate immediately. Proceed to designated evacuation zones. Do not delay."

  The words sounded strange, as if heavily accented, but understandable.

  "Warning! Exposure to drive core radiation is lethal. Exit the ship now. Follow illuminated pathways to safety. Do not return until repairs are complete."

  As Angar turned to see if Spirit would provide guidance, the machine said, "This is an automated directive. Compliance is mandatory. Evacuation is for your safety. Proceed to the nearest exit."

  Spirit had vanished from his side. As he scanned the chamber, the machine spoke again. “Non-compliance detected. Evacuate immediately or face consequences. This unit is programmed to enforce safety protocols.”

  She’d warned him he’d have to fight these things. With a surge of will, Angar unleashed Ground Current. He flickered, reforming nearly in place, and a bolt of lightning lashed out. The machine hissed and sparked, then crumpled to the floor, lifeless.

  All along the chamber, as far as his eyes could reach, blinding flashes erupted. A cascade of sparks showered from the walls and ceiling, igniting his fear that the entire structure might rupture. The dazzling chaos lingered for long, tense moments.

  Spirit reappeared. “That was a drone,” she said, her tone clipped. “Remember when I said you couldn’t use Abilities near the drive core?”

  “Yes,” Angar replied, still looking around, worried this spaceship would explode.

  “Well, bad news – it seems you can’t use them anywhere inside this ship. Let’s go.”