The massive chamber pulsed with energy, the suspended AI core glowing brighter as the mechanical constructs came to life. The ground beneath them rumbled, as centuries-old machines reactivated, their joints grinding from disuse but their movements unnaturally precise. Their glowing eyes locked onto Elias, recognizing him as the primary target.
Elias barely had a second to react before the first construct lunged forward, its massive arm swinging toward him. He fired his thrusters, dodging just as the metallic fist slammed into the ground, cracking the floor beneath it. Sparks flew as the machine adjusted, recalculating.
Lira was already moving, weaving through the chaos like a shadow, her daggers flashing as she targeted the construct's joint points. She struck fast, slicing through exposed cables, but the machine barely staggered.
"They're reinforced!" she shouted. "Blades aren't cutting deep enough!"
Reinhardt grinned, swinging his hammer. "Then we just hit harder!"
His hammer collided with the machine's side, sending a shockwave rippling through its frame. The construct reeled, its arm sparking from the impact. But then—its armor shifted, plating realigning as it adapted to the damage.
Marco yelled from the back. "They're learning—each hit makes them stronger!"
Elias's mind raced. These weren't normal security droids—they were Vanguard trial constructs, built to push commanders to their limits. Fighting them the same way twice wouldn't work.
He activated his gauntlet, his HUD running rapid calculations. If they adapted to damage, then they needed to overload their processing speed—force them to adjust faster than they could handle.
"Ivy, aim for their sensory nodes! We need to disrupt their targeting!"
Ivy was already moving, loosing arrows mid-air, each one striking directly at the glowing orbs in the constructs' heads. The first shot staggered a machine, its vision flickering. The second pierced deeper, sending error signals across its frame.
"Got it!" she called.
Elias saw his opening. He fired his thrusters, closing the gap between him and the nearest construct. It registered his approach too late—he slammed his gauntlet directly into its core, activating an EMP pulse.
The shockwave rippled outward, sending feedback through the machine's circuits. Its body locked up, systems struggling to recalibrate.
Varian moved like lightning, his golden sword flashing as he cut through the exposed gaps in the machine's armor. Sparks erupted as the construct collapsed, its systems shutting down completely.
"Confirmed," Varian said. "They can be disabled—but only through precise strikes."
Elias landed, his gauntlet humming with residual energy. "Then we take them apart piece by piece."
The constructs adjusted again, moving faster, more aggressively. Two of them targeted Cecilia, recognizing her ability to phase through attacks.
She grinned. "Oh, you're learning? Cute."
As the machines lunged, she vanished, reappearing behind them. She drove her blade into their joint locks, her strikes landing just before they could recalibrate.
Marco was still at the back, furiously typing. "Uh—guys? I'm tapping into the AI's logs, and I found something that might be very important."
Elias deflected a strike, barely sparing a glance. "Let's hear it!"
Marco's voice was tight. "This isn't just a trial for Vanguard officers. It's a data collection process. The AI is recording every move you make."
Lira swore. "You mean this thing's studying us?"
Marco hesitated. "Worse. It's comparing you to… someone else."
That made Elias stop. "What?"
Marco's screen flashed with old combat logs, sequences of another fight—one from centuries ago.
Elias's blood ran cold as the holographic playback flickered.
There—a figure clad in black and gold armor, wielding technology that looked eerily familiar. The way he moved, the way he fought—
It was him.
Or at least, someone just like him.
Elias's heart pounded. "That's… impossible."
The AI core's voice echoed again, its tone almost curious.
"Your technique mirrors the one who came before. The one who failed."
Elias's hands clenched into fists. "Who?"
The AI pulsed. "The last Technomancer."
The words hit like a hammer. The term wasn't new to him—he had started calling himself that as a joke, a way to define his unique use of technology and magic.
But this wasn't a joke.
Someone else had held that title before him. And that person had failed.
Lira took a step closer. "Elias… What the hell does that mean?"
He didn't have an answer.
Before he could say anything, the AI's energy pulsed again. The remaining constructs halted, their bodies freezing mid-movement.
Then—they collapsed.
The entire room dimmed, the only remaining glow coming from the AI core itself.
Cecilia exhaled. "Okay. That was weird."
Marco's screen beeped. "Uh, we've got something new. The AI just unlocked the next chamber."
Ivy frowned. "It's letting us through?"
Elias took a deep breath, stepping forward. The AI was testing him. It wasn't just defending the Vault—it was evaluating his worth.
He looked up at the core. "Why are you still active? What is this Vault's true purpose?"
The AI flickered.
"Continue forward, Vanguard Commander. Your answers await."
The doors rumbled open.
Beyond them, the next part of the Vault stretched into darkness.
Elias squared his shoulders. Whatever waited ahead, it wasn't just old technology.
It was his past.
And he was going to uncover the truth.