Earth Defense Command, Geneva - 12,049 CE
General Sophia Chen stared at the holographic display with hollow eyes, watching as another orbital defense platform disintegrated under alien fire. Around the command table, the remaining Joint Chiefs sat in grim silence, their faces illuminated by the red emergency lighting that had become standard in all military installations since the invasion began.
"Mars has gone dark," reported Admiral Jackson, his voice devoid of emotion after weeks of delivering nothing but catastrophic news. "The colony at Olympus Mons held out longer than expected, but our last transmission indicated the dome was breached. Two million civilians, gone."
Sophia closed her eyes briefly, adding those numbers to the mental tally she'd been keeping. Titan, Europa, the Ganymede Collective... all fallen in the three months since the Scourge had entered the solar system. Billions dead. Humanity retreating ever closer to its ancient homeworld, sacrificing colony after colony in desperate attempts to slow the alien advance.
"What about the Lunar Refuge?" she asked, though she already suspected the answer.
The communications officer shook his head. "Twenty percent evacuated before the lunar defense grid failed. The rest..." He trailed off, the implications clear.
"So Earth stands alone," Sophia said, straightening her shoulders despite the weight pressing down on them. "What are our remaining assets?"
Admiral Jackson gestured at the holographic display, which shifted to show Earth's remaining defensive capabilities. The once-dense constellation of orbital platforms had been reduced to a handful of scattered points. The planetary defense grid, designed to intercept incoming threats, showed multiple sectors offline or operating at reduced capacity.
"We have seven functional orbital platforms, thirty-six atmospheric interceptor squadrons, and the ground-based laser arrays on six continents. The underwater rail guns in the Pacific and Atlantic remain operational but are running low on projectiles."
"And the Scourge?" Sophia asked.
The display shifted again, showing the approaching alien armada. Hundreds of vessels, ranging from fighter-sized craft to massive dreadnoughts that defied conventional physics, arranged in the distinctive hexagonal formation that had become synonymous with death.
"Their main fleet will be within striking distance of Earth in approximately seventy-two hours," Jackson reported. "Advance scouts are already testing our remaining defenses."
Sophia studied the projection with the detached analysis of someone who had moved beyond fear into a strange, fatalistic clarity. Humanity was losing—had effectively already lost—but surrender wasn't an option. The Scourge had made their intentions clear from the first encounter: total extermination. They didn't take prisoners, didn't establish occupation, didn't negotiate. They simply annihilated all sentient life they encountered, methodically and thoroughly.
"What about Project Lazarus?" asked General Wei, breaking the heavy silence. "Any word from Dr. Matsuo's team?"
Jackson exchanged a glance with Sophia, his expression darkening further. "The research facility in Antarctica was hit six hours ago. Direct orbital strike. No survivors."
The room fell silent again. Project Lazarus had been humanity's last, best hope—an attempt to reverse-engineer Scourge technology captured during the early skirmishes. With it died any realistic chance of developing a weapon capable of turning the tide.
"Then we fight with what we have," Sophia said firmly. "Distribute the remaining atmospheric squadrons to protect the major population centers. Prioritize evacuation to the deep shelters. If we can't win this war, we can at least make those bastards work for every inch of ground."
As the officers moved to implement her orders, Sophia remained at the command table, studying the holographic display of their doomed world. Her gaze drifted to a small island off the coast of what had once been called Britain, a landmass so insignificant it barely registered on the tactical overlay.
Avalon.
Even now, with humanity facing extinction, that mysterious island maintained its impenetrable defenses. For thousands of years, it had been the subject of legends, scientific curiosity, and military interest. Visible to all but accessible to none, the island repelled every attempt to set foot on its shores with an invisible force that became increasingly powerful the closer one approached.
Some had theorized it was a remnant of ancient technology, others believed it was some natural phenomenon that science had yet to explain. In the early days of space exploration, there had been attempts to observe it from orbit, but even advanced scanning technology showed nothing but atmospheric distortion when directed at the island.
Now, with the end approaching, Sophia found herself thinking of the old legends—of a sleeping king who would return in humanity's darkest hour, of a promised salvation when all hope seemed lost.
Childish fantasies, she knew. But in these final hours before the Scourge arrived to finish what they had started, such fantasies were all that remained.
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Scourge Command Vessel 'Eradicator' - Sol System Approach
High Marshal Vex'nar moved through the command center of the massive dreadnought, his armored exoskeleton clicking against the metallic floor with each step. Around him, subordinates worked at their stations, monitoring the ongoing assault on the human defenses. None looked up as he passed—to do so without being directly addressed would be an offense punishable by immediate execution.
"Report," he commanded, taking his position at the elevated platform overlooking the operation.
Sub-Commander Draz approached, keeping her head lowered in deference. "The human resistance continues to deteriorate according to projections, High Marshal. Their lunar colony has been eliminated. The main fleet will reach their homeworld within three cycles."
"Casualties?" Vex'nar asked, though the question was merely procedural. The Scourge had encountered few species capable of inflicting significant losses on their forces.
"Minimal, High Marshal. Seventeen scout vessels lost to defensive fire, two medium cruisers damaged but operational. A single heavy destroyer was lost when the humans detonated their fusion reactor on the satellite they call 'Titan.'"
Vex'nar made a dismissive gesture. "Acceptable attrition. The Cleansing Protocol will proceed as scheduled."
He turned his attention to the central display, which showed a detailed scan of the planet they were approaching. Earth, the humans called it. A unremarkable world, distinguished only by the unusually diverse biosphere and the tenacious species that had developed intelligence there.
"Curious," he noted, focusing on a small island highlighted by the scanning system. "This location shows anomalous readings."
Draz gestured to a specialized technician, who immediately approached with data tablets. "Yes, High Marshal. Our initial scans detected unusual energy signatures from this island. The readings do not match known human technology, nor any other species in our database."
Vex'nar studied the data with increasing interest. "Ancient technology? Perhaps remnants of a previous civilization?"
"Unknown, High Marshal. The energy signature defies conventional analysis. It appears to be generating a localized distortion in space-time around the island perimeter."
Such anomalies were rare but not unprecedented. Throughout their campaign of galactic cleansing, the Scourge had occasionally encountered artifacts from long-extinct species, remnants of civilizations that had reached technological pinnacles before disappearing. Usually, these relics were easily neutralized once identified.
"Designate this location as a primary target," Vex'nar ordered. "I want it eliminated in the first wave of the assault."
"Yes, High Marshal," Draz acknowledged, already relaying the commands to the weapons officers. "The anomaly will be neutralized before we commence the main planetary bombardment."
Vex'nar turned his attention back to the broader tactical display. The humans had fought with surprising determination, given the hopelessness of their situation. Some species begged for mercy when faced with the overwhelming might of the Scourge. Others attempted to flee, abandoning their worlds in desperate attempts to preserve some fragment of their civilization. The humans had done neither, standing their ground and fighting with primitive but creative tactics that had occasionally proven effective.
It made their inevitable destruction all the more satisfying. Worthy adversaries deserved thorough elimination.
"Prepare the vanguard," Vex'nar commanded. "We will accelerate the timetable. I want the first strikes on their homeworld to begin within one cycle."
As his subordinates rushed to implement his orders, Vex'nar's gaze returned to the anomalous island on the display. Something about it triggered an unfamiliar sensation in his neural pathways—a feeling primitive species might have called unease. The High Marshal made a mental note to personally oversee the bombardment of that particular target.
Whatever secret the humans were hiding there, it would be reduced to atoms along with everything else on their doomed world.
Evacuation Zone, London Megacity - 36 Hours Later
Dr. Eleanor Matsuo pushed through the panicked crowd, clutching her data tablet against her chest as she fought her way toward the military cordon. Above, the sky flashed with the distant light of orbital combat—humanity's last defensive platforms engaging the advance scouts of the Scourge armada.
"Let me through!" she shouted at the soldiers guarding the entrance to the command bunker. "Priority clearance Lazarus-Alpha!"
A lieutenant examined her credentials, expression shifting from suspicion to surprise. "Dr. Matsuo? We received reports that the Antarctica facility was destroyed."
"I wasn't there," Eleanor explained, trying to control her breathing after the frantic rush through the evacuation zone. "I was following a lead in the British Archives. Please, I need to speak with whoever's in command immediately."
After a brief communication with his superiors, the lieutenant escorted her through a series of checkpoints and down into the reinforced bunker beneath what had once been the historic center of London. The facility buzzed with frantic activity—officers relaying orders, technicians monitoring defensive systems, medical personnel preparing for the casualties that would inevitably follow.
General Wei looked up in shock as Eleanor was led into the command center. "Dr. Matsuo? How—"
"No time for explanations, General," Eleanor interrupted, activating her data tablet. "I think I've found something about Avalon."
The officers around the command table exchanged glances. Under almost any other circumstances, archaeological research about a mysterious island would be the lowest possible priority. But with extinction looming, even the faintest hope warranted attention.
"What kind of 'something'?" Wei asked cautiously.
Eleanor displayed a series of ancient texts and diagrams on the central holographic projector. "These were in sealed archives, preserved from the early post-medieval period. They reference 'The Once and Future King' and contain technical specifications disguised as mystical drawings."
"Dr. Matsuo," Wei said gently, "I understand your dedication to historical research, but we're in the middle of—"
"This isn't about history," Eleanor cut in. "These diagrams contain systematic descriptions of technology that shouldn't have existed in that era. Quantum manipulation. Molecular restructuring. Dimensional physics that we still haven't mastered."
She highlighted specific sections of the text, which the system automatically translated. "And they all point to Avalon as the source—describing it not just as an island, but as a vault of advanced technology left behind by someone called 'Merlin' for humanity's 'darkest hour.'"
General Wei studied the documents with increasing interest. "Even if this is true, the island has repelled every attempt to reach it for thousands of years. What exactly do you propose we do with this information?"
Before Eleanor could respond, alarms blared throughout the command center. The tactical display shifted, highlighting a new threat approaching Earth's atmosphere.
"Incoming!" shouted the tactical officer. "Multiple Scourge dreadnoughts breaking formation. They're accelerating toward... wait, they're not targeting major population centers."
"Where?" demanded Wei.
"Calculating trajectory... They're heading directly for Avalon."
Eleanor's face went pale. "They know," she whispered. "Somehow, they've identified it as important."
General Wei turned to his communications officer. "Get me General Chen. Now."
As the command center erupted into renewed activity, Eleanor stared at the tactical display showing the massive Scourge vessels changing course to target the isolated island. If her research was correct, Avalon wasn't merely a curious anomaly—it was humanity's last, hidden weapon, preserved across millennia for precisely this moment.
And the Scourge were about to destroy it before it could be activated.
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Avalon Defense Systems - Automated Protocol Initiation
Deep beneath the surface of the island, in chambers untouched by human presence for ten thousand years, ancient systems stirred to life. Sensors designed by a mind millennia ahead of even modern technology detected the approaching threat—massive vessels entering low orbit, weapon systems charging.
Primary defensive protocols initiated automatically, executing commands programmed ages ago with perfect precision. Throughout the island, dormant technologies awakened from their long slumber, power systems channeling energy that had been accumulating for thousands of years.
In the central chamber, where a transparent sarcophagus housed a figure suspended in perfect stasis, monitoring systems registered the external threat and began the awakening sequence. Medical diagnostics confirmed optimal physical condition. Neural pathways showed activity increasing from the baseline maintenance level to full consciousness.
Around the chamber, thirteen additional sarcophagi containing the sleeping knights began similar activation sequences, preparing them to serve their commander once more.
Outside, the first Scourge bombardment reached Avalon's shores.
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Earth Defense Command, Geneva
General Sophia Chen watched in stunned silence as the massive Scourge dreadnoughts positioned themselves in low orbit above Avalon. The tactical display showed energy readings spiking as they charged their primary weapons—destructive capacity beyond anything humanity's defenses could withstand.
"They're firing," reported the tactical officer, voice hollow with resignation.
On the display, multiple energy beams lanced down from the Scourge vessels, converging on the island below. The devastation should have been absolute, the island vaporized in an instant of overwhelming force.
Instead, something unprecedented happened.
Just before the beams reached the surface, a shimmering dome of energy materialized over the entire island. The Scourge weapons didn't penetrate it; they didn't even impact it directly. Instead, the energy beams appeared to bend around the dome, redirected back into space in graceful arcs that terminated at their points of origin.
Three Scourge dreadnoughts erupted into fireballs as their own weapons turned against them.
"What the fuck just happened?" breathed Admiral Jackson, breaking protocol with his stunned profanity.
Before anyone could respond, the tactical display shifted again, highlighting new energy readings emanating from the island itself. The dome that had protected Avalon was expanding, transforming from a defensive barrier into something else entirely.
"Sir, we're detecting... I don't even know how to describe this," the tactical officer reported, frantically adjusting his instruments. "The island is generating some kind of dimensional distortion. Space itself is folding around it."
Sophia leaned forward, her exhaustion forgotten in the face of this impossible development. "Show me visual."
The display shifted to satellite imagery, revealing a sight that defied comprehension. The island of Avalon was changing, its familiar coastline transforming as structures rose from beneath the surface—towers, domes, and architectural forms that seemed to exist partially outside normal reality, their geometries shifting in ways that made the observers' eyes hurt.
"Good God," someone whispered. "It's not just an island. It's a ship."
As they watched, Avalon continued its transformation, revealing what appeared to be massive propulsion systems and weapon emplacements that dwarfed anything humanity had ever constructed. The dimensional distortions around it intensified, creating a protective barrier that shimmered with energies no human scientist could identify.
Then, with horrifying precision, it attacked.
From multiple points around the transformed island, beams of controlled energy lanced outward—not the crude destructive force of the Scourge weapons, but something far more sophisticated. Where they touched the alien vessels, they didn't simply destroy; they unmade, creating localized rifts in space-time that caused sections of the massive ships to simply cease existing.
"Those weapons," gasped Dr. Eleanor Matsuo, who had been patched into the command center feed from London. "They're not destroying matter—they're severing the dimensional bonds that hold reality together."
The Scourge armada, faced with a weapon beyond their comprehension, responded with overwhelming force. Hundreds of vessels redirected their attack, converging on Avalon with singular purpose. But the mysterious island-turned-battleship continued its defense, each shot eliminating another alien vessel with terrifying efficiency.
"It's helping us," Sophia realized, watching as the Scourge fleet's attention diverted from the populated centers they had been targeting. "Whatever Avalon is, it's fighting for humanity."
As the command center erupted into cautious celebration, Sophia kept her eyes fixed on the tactical display. The legends she had dismissed as fantasy hours earlier now seemed prophetic. Avalon had awakened in humanity's darkest hour, just as the ancient stories had promised.
But who—or what—was controlling it? And what would happen after the Scourge were defeated?
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The Hall of Heroes, Avalon
Art opened her eyes, consciousness returning with unexpected clarity. There was none of the disorientation she had anticipated after millennia of suspended animation. Her mind felt sharp, her body responsive as the transparent cover of her stasis chamber slid away with a soft hiss.
She sat up, taking in her surroundings with a soldier's instinctive assessment. The Hall of Heroes remained exactly as she remembered it—the round table, the thirteen thrones, the rows of guardian automatons standing at attention along the walls. Nothing had changed, yet everything felt different.
"Bobby?" she called, though she knew there would be no answer. He had been displaced long ago, torn from this reality by the quantum temporal energies that had accumulated within him.
Instead, a familiar voice responded—not Bobby's, but one she had known well in her previous life.
"My king," said Gwen, approaching from where her stasis chamber had opened. "We are awakened."
Art turned to see her most trusted knight, looking exactly as she had ten thousand years ago. The automaton bodies Bobby had created for her companions were perfect in every detail—from the scar across Gwen's eyebrow to the particular way she carried her weight when walking.
"Report," Art commanded, falling naturally into the role of leader despite the millennia that had passed.
"External sensors indicate we are under attack," Gwen reported, her programming providing her with immediate access to Avalon's monitoring systems. "Automated defenses have engaged. The other knights are awakening."
Around the hall, the remaining stasis chambers were opening, each releasing another of Art's loyal companions. Lord Pellinore emerged first, followed by the others—twelve knights in total, each created in the image of those who had followed Art during her rise to power in ancient Britain.
Art's mind processed the information with unnatural speed, another gift from Bobby's preparations. Her consciousness had been enhanced during the integration process, allowing her to interface directly with Avalon's systems. Data flowed into her awareness—tactical information about the attackers, defensive capabilities, strategic options.
"Non-human aggressors," she observed, analyzing the information. "Technologically advanced. Intent on extermination."
"Yes, my king," Gwen confirmed. "They call themselves the Scourge. They have destroyed multiple human settlements throughout this solar system. Earth is their final target."
Art nodded, her purpose crystallizing with perfect clarity. This was exactly the scenario Bobby had prepared her for—humanity facing extinction at the hands of an overwhelming alien threat. Her role was clear: defend Earth, repel the invaders, ensure human survival.
"Activate full defensive capabilities," she commanded. "Prepare Excalibur protocol."
At her words, the pedestal containing her legendary sword illuminated. Art moved toward it with purposeful strides, her body feeling light and powerful after its long rest. As her fingers closed around Excalibur's hilt, energy surged through her—the enhanced blade recognizing its rightful wielder.
"My knights," Art addressed the fully awakened companions now standing at attention before her. "Humanity faces its greatest threat. We have slept for ten thousand years, preserved for this moment. It is time to fulfill our purpose."
She raised Excalibur, the blade glowing with inner fire that shifted through impossible colors. "To your stations. Prepare for battle."
As the knights moved to comply, each taking their predetermined position within Avalon's command structure, Art approached the raised dais where her throne awaited. The command nexus would allow her to directly control Avalon's most powerful weapons and defensive systems.
Before taking her seat, she paused, looking around the Hall of Heroes one final time. For a moment, she could almost sense Bobby's presence—the immortal being who had shaped her destiny, prepared her for this moment across the gulf of ages.
"I will not fail you," she whispered, a promise to both her absent mentor and to the humanity he had tasked her with protecting.
Then she seated herself upon the crystalline throne, allowing her consciousness to fully merge with Avalon's systems. Her perception expanded exponentially, giving her simultaneous awareness of every aspect of the island fortress and the battle raging around it.
Through Avalon's sensors, she could perceive the Scourge fleet—hundreds of vessels of varying sizes, arranged in tactical formations designed to overwhelm through sheer numbers. She could access detailed analysis of their weapons, defenses, communication systems. Most importantly, she could see their vulnerabilities.
With a thought, Art redirected Avalon's main offensive systems, targeting the command vessels coordinating the Scourge attack. Excalibur—the weapon and the protocol named after it—responded to her will, dimensional rifts opening precisely where she directed them.
The effect was devastating. Scourge dreadnoughts, each capable of destroying an entire city, simply ceased to exist as portions of their structure were severed from reality itself. No explosions, no debris—just clean, precise removal from existence.
Through Avalon's communications array, Art became aware of human military chatter—disbelieving voices reporting the sudden turning of the tide, desperate hope replacing resignation as the alien fleet found itself under attack from a weapon it could neither understand nor counter.
"They need more than defense," Art realized. "They need hope."
Making a decision, she opened a communication channel to all Earth military frequencies, allowing her voice to reach those who were fighting to preserve humanity.
"People of Earth," she began, her words translated automatically into all human languages. "I am Art, the Once and Future King, awakened from Avalon to stand in humanity's defense. The enemy that threatens your world will be defeated. Stand firm. You are not alone."