Alan only unlocked the elevator to the top floor, not all the way to master control zone. "Sorry…" He genuinely apologized to us. "This space station was entrusted to Lady Asta by Madam Herta. I must do this for the safety of the master control zone and the staff there." Unfortunately, we have to a take a different route, but it's not something we can't work with.
"So I'll have to trouble you to take a bit of a detour... Apologies." He sat down on a chair, slightly messaging his wrist. "Huh? You're not coming with us?" I was already at the door, a single step away from continuing on, when March spoke up.
"My leg is injured…" I turned around, taking as long of a stride as I could. "I'd only slow you down. I'll stay here and- H-Hey!" Remarkably, despite being slightly smaller than me, he was quite light and easy to pick up.
"You should be able to shut down the elevators from the master control zone, right?" It seemed only logical to me that a place called the master control zone could be used to do that. "Yes! But-" I ignored his protests.
Despite his struggles to basically self-sacrifice, I moved him to a piggyback position and locked his legs with my arms until he gave up. "You're injured and should be attended to, so just leave this to us." I smiled at him, "Fine…" He reluctantly agreed and stopped fighting my help.
March and Dan Heng nodded in agreement as we started to leave the room. "They've got the front and should be able to handle anything we encounter on the way." Quickly, I caught up to the pair and we started on our way.
This time we took a different door, one that was at the back of the room and not see through. On the way through the hallways, we encountered other small groups of enemies. March and Dan Heng were able to make quick work by dividing them up and taking them out 1-by-1 while I trailed be hind and played the babysitter for our injured head of security.
Honestly, If it wasn't for Arlan's directions, I would've gotten lost in the maze of a research facility.
And I did have to wonder why the Antimatter Legion was here in the first place. From what I could gather, this research facility seemed to be in the middle of nowhere and didn't have a lot of staff. Or it could be that the staff were all hiding in designated safe zones…
Still, if they craved destruction, what do they stand to gain from invading and destroying this place? If this was a war, and they were an army, what strategic advantage would they or could they gain from this.
Or are they instead just a horde of locus, hell-bent on wiping everything out in the universe and just so happened to come across this place…
"Hey Arlan?" I shifted him slightly, getting his attention. "Do you know why the Antimatter Legion would invade the station?" I felt him stiffen at my question. "I can't remember much, and my knowledge is spotty…"
"I can't think of any strategic advantages for trying to take it." I shrugged and took a step back, letting Dan Heng quickly dispatch the ambushing Antimatter legionnaire. "Unless they are entirely focused on destroying everything in their path." He hands tightened on my should, like he was apprehensive of even answering me in the first place.
Finally, after a minute or so of silence, he spoke up. "They must've come for Madam Herta's collection…" His voice quivered, as if he was unsure himself of his own reason. "But as to why, I still…"
"They must've come for Madam Herta's collection…" So that's at least something, presumably Madam Herta is an important Figure wherever I am and owns this place if it houses her own private collection of something.
"I heard there's something called a Stellaron in Madam Herta's collection." I looked at Dan Heng with a raised brow as we reached a console that he started fiddling with. "... That's not the kind of information someone in my position would have access to." Arlan seemed slightly depressed about that.
Though… Stellaron… Stellaron… It sounds really… Familiar. Like it's something I should be intimately knowledgeable on. AS we walked up the now activated light bridge, I finally spoke up about it. "It sounds like something I should know, but, what's a Stellaron?"
Dan Heng glanced back at me with an unreadable expression. "Stellarons are mysterious objects that spread across the universe like a cancerous growth." He looked forward and started droning on and on in a lecturing monotone. "Which led them to be nicknamed the Cancer of All Worlds by the IPC."
He stopped talking as we rounded the corner, taking on another small group of Legionnaires before continuing with the history lecture. "They are considered seeds of disaster, which cause massive changes to both civilizations and ecosystems. And they result in the appearance of Fragmentum."
So, something you most definitely don't want to encounter. Not study. But if Madam Herta truly has a Stelleron here, it would make sense for a group of assholes to attempt to capture it to unleash upon some place to specifically fuck up a Civilization's day.
"Oh…" I paused in front of what was essentially a hole in the floor.
"The repulsion bridge has been shut down?" Dan Heng crossed his arms, sending Arlan a look. "Yes. To stall the enemy, more or less." Despite what he said, it's not like it would slow anyone determined to get up there.
"No need to turn it back on." I walked along the side, easily bypassing the entire hole in the floor. "You'd only need to step on the cables and pull yourself up." I turned around after reaching the top, smiling at both March and Dan Heng. "Or, you can do what I did and walk up the lip on the side.
…
…
No one really reacted to me completely bypassing what was clearly meant to stop and slow down the Antimatter Legion or any other invade. Dan Heng merely deadpanned at me before taping the console and activating the bridge.
I felt the side eye Arlan gave me as we continued forward, and when we finally reached the upper level we stopped in a room with a weird card suspended in the middle of the air, seemingly encased with a blue box and idly spinning.
"Light Cones-" I had no interest in whatever the object was as Dan Heng continued to drone on and on about for a little bit. I didn't know who or what the 'Interastral Peace Corporation' was, and I didn't really care to learn.
Nor did I know anything about the "Garden of Recollection", let alone what sorts of technology they employed that let them physically carry around memories. But it might be worth looking into them if I can, they might be able to help with my own current memories issues.
Still, when told to apply the card to my weapon, I was left standing there confused for a moment. March, after watching me look between them with a slight glare, finally stepped up and showed me how to use the Light Cone after a minute.
I was thankful that she did, because I never would've guessed how to use it nor remove one from a weapon without at least having some written instructions to follow… Maybe I should've listened to Dan Heng's explanation.
At Arlan's behest, we moved forward onto a balcony and were able to see the elevator from it. "Is that it? We've reached the elevator already?" March surveyed the area around us for a moment, and I had the feeling she was slightly disappointed at the lack of targets to eliminate.
"That wasn't too many monsters~" I kicked her shin from the side, getting a yelp from her as she jumped in place, rubbing it. "Probably shouldn't have said that, you might have just jinxed us." I glared at her before walking backward and meeting up with Dan Heng across the repulsion bridge.
"For the record. This one would probably stop most. Not the flying one's though." all we had to do now was just walk across a bridge made of glass. And we were home free to take the elevator up.
…
…
I felt my heart cease, like it froze for a second before a burst of energy flooded my body. I felt it gather near my eyes in a split second. The world slowed down, colours growing more vibrant and far way things seemingly growing closer. Dan Heng was already moving, his hand firmly planting on my chest and making me take a step back.
"Shhhhhhiiiiittttttt!"
My voice reached my ears in a slow, slurred form, my eyes locked onto the purple Arrow. The sound it produced while clashing with Dan Heng screeched in my now sensitive ears. I flinched when it slipped from Dan Heng's spear and flew past my head. Nicking my cheek bone before time seemed to return to normal and the energy dispersed from my eyes.
I had felt that energy flow, it was something that BURNED while it was travelling along my body. From my Heart, to my Stomach, to my Throat, to my brain and finally settling in my Eyes. I felt the pain linger for a moment, before disappearing.
"Arlan, stay back!"
Before I knew what was happening, my body moved on its own, my legs straining with that now familiar burn for a second before I seemingly teleported away from an arrow. I crouched on the ground, sliding against the glass and almost falling over the edge.
"March, Cover me!" I rushed forward, intercepting one of the Archer's knife hand minions. "Dan Heng!" I felt his shadow cover me just before I let myself lose the clash, allowing him to take my position and push it back.
My blood pumped through my body, carrying the burning from the legs to my heart and invigorating me.
I don't have the words to describe how I'm feeling, just this well of energy pulsating from my heart to the tips of my limbs.
I felt the way my lips parted into a smile so wide that my cheeks hurt as I rushed up to cover Dan Heng and block one of the arrows.
"This party's getting Crazy!"