Space screamed.
Not with sound — space had no air — but with distortion. Gravity bent, starlight twisted, and reality itself warped as the Starfall Sovereign advanced toward Earth.
It was not a ship.
It was a weaponized celestial body.
Black crystalline structures the size of continents rotated slowly around a core that glowed like a devouring star. Rings of violet energy pulsed outward, dissolving asteroids into dust as they passed.
Entire fleets would be erased without the Sovereign even noticing.
Inside the Aethern vessel, alarms pulsed in silent waves of light.
"Impact with Earth's defensive perimeter in 11 minutes," the Aethern announced.
Human fleets scrambled in desperation. Hundreds of ships formed a defensive wall between the planet and the incoming monstrosity.
It meant nothing.
The Sovereign released a single wave of energy.
Coalition warships disintegrated like sand in a furnace.
No explosions.
No debris.
Just absence.
Inside Requiem Prime, Kael Draven floated within a neural interface sphere, his body suspended in liquid light. Streams of data burned across his vision — weapon systems, spatial vectors, threat probabilities beyond human comprehension.
And something else.
Emotion.
The mech's memories.
War without end.
"Pilot," the machine's voice echoed inside him, deep and ancient."Target recognized. Historical adversary."
Kael's jaw tightened. "You've fought this thing before?"
"Affirmative. Result: mutual annihilation."
"…Great."
Outside, the Aethern vessel opened its forward hull.
Space poured in.
"Ascended Unit Requiem Prime," the Aethern transmitted. "Engage."
Kael didn't hesitate.
"Launching."
The black mech exploded forward like a bullet fired by a god.
Stars stretched into lines as Requiem Prime accelerated beyond conventional physics. Crimson energy trailed behind it, tearing faint scars in spacetime.
Human pilots watching from nearby carriers went silent.
"What… is that?"
"Unknown contact approaching Sovereign!"
Aris Kade's voice cut through the comm network.
"Kael…? That better be you."
Kael opened a broadcast channel.
"Fall back."
Aris exhaled shakily. "Yeah. Was hoping you'd say that."
Requiem Prime stopped directly in front of the Sovereign.
For the first time, the colossal entity paused.
Its energy rings slowed.
Massive crystalline structures shifted… orienting toward the tiny black figure blocking its path.
Recognition.
Hostility.
Ancient hatred.
A voice reverberated through Kael's mind — not mechanical, not human.
Cosmic.
"Extinction Engine… you persist."
Kael winced. "I'm guessing that's not a compliment."
Requiem Prime answered for him:
"Designation confirmed: Starfall Sovereign Unit 01."
Energy surged through Kael's body.
Weapons unlocked.
Blades formed from condensed singularity matter unfolded from the mech's arms, bending light around them.
The Sovereign fired first.
A beam wider than a city erupted forward.
Kael moved on instinct.
Not human instinct.
Machine instinct.
Requiem Prime slipped sideways through warped space, the beam passing through the afterimage it left behind.
He counterattacked instantly.
One slash.
A line of darkness carved across the Sovereign's outer shell.
For the first time in centuries…
The weapon bled energy.
The Sovereign retaliated with impossible speed. Fragments of its structure detached, transforming into autonomous warforms — colossal biomechanical entities that swarmed Kael like cosmic predators.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Kael roared. "Bring it!"
Requiem Prime unleashed hell.
Gravity wells detonated.
Energy blades tore through warforms like paper.
Reality fractured with every strike.
But there were too many.
Even this godlike machine couldn't hold forever.
"Damage accumulating," the mech warned.
Kael glanced at Earth below.
Blue.
Fragile.
Home.
"…What's the win condition?"
Silence.
Then:
"Pilot survival probability: 0.3%."
Figures.
"Alternative?"
A pause.
Then the machine spoke quietly.
"Core overload will destroy Sovereign Unit 01… and Requiem Prime."
Mutual annihilation.
Just like before.
Kael laughed softly.
"Yeah. That sounds about right."
Memories flashed in his mind.
New Carthage burning.
Fallen pilots.
Aris's reckless grin.
Lyra's calm voice.
Billions of lives.
He opened a channel to all human forces.
"This is Commander Kael Draven."
Silence fell across the fleet.
"If this works… rebuild better than we did."
Aris shouted, "Kael, don't you dare—"
Kael cut the transmission.
"Requiem Prime."
"Awaiting command."
"Overload the core."
The mech's voice softened.
"Pilot termination confirmed."
Crimson light flooded the machine as energy levels spiked beyond containment. Space warped violently around Kael, forming a collapsing sphere of destructive power.
The Sovereign reacted — finally recognizing true danger.
Its entire structure shifted, attempting to retreat.
Too late.
Kael whispered:
"For Earth."
He charged straight into the Sovereign's core.
Impact.
Light consumed everything.