Chapter 718 Betrayal (1)
The desolate landscape of Celestria's Verge lay still, and the metallic insects seemed pacified by Ashton's presence. Astaroth and Rood exchanged glances of astonishment. They watched as the once-aggressive guardians moved in a synchronised pattern around Ashton, their metallic bodies reflecting the dim light.
"By the stars," Rood muttered, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "He's controlling them."
Astaroth nodded, unsurprised by the gods of plot armour protecting Ashton. "He's a Precursor. Only god knows what else he is capable of."
While the two chatted, Ashton stood amidst the robotic creatures and maintained a focused connection. His thoughts seemed to guide the creatures, and the once-chaotic assembly moved in a harmonious and orderly way under his command.
A more significant part of the group slowly moved towards him, revolving around Ashton like a dog would to its long-lost owner. Once they confirmed whatever they wanted to, the creatures began happily chirping around. "I didn't expect this," Rood admitted, still observing the surreal scene. "I guess Ashton is in more touch with his Precursor side."
Astaroth, though intrigued, remained puzzled. Having been cloned after Ashton, he was, in theory, just as much a Precursor as Ashton was. Yet he couldn't control the creature even if he tried. Little did Astaroth know that the robotic creatures didn't recognise Ashton due to his Precursor lineage but because of a program written in them by Jo'Han. Like Ava had said, Jo'Han had mapped every event of Ashton's life even before they had planned to create him. As such, it wasn't odd that Jo'Han knew Ashton would get to the Verge and left the creature to guard the place till he did. But how could Jo'Han ensure that the creatures would only serve Ashton and his master and not an impostor? It was a bit of a gamble, but instead of trusting his son, Jo'Han decided it would be better for him to imprint that information on the Precursor Armour Ashton was sporting, as only Ashton could wear it. "Incredible... the trials would be easy to clear if Ashton can keep this up," Rood commented, but Astaroth was too busy inside his head to register Rood. Ashton, sensing their conversation, turned towards them. Following his gaze, the robotic insects seemed to acknowledge the presence of Astaroth and Rood and didn't attack them anymore, even without Ashton's input. Before approaching the two, Ashton waved the creatures away, and they dispersed without a fuss, returning to their dormant state but ready to help in case Ashton needed them. "He controls them like they're an extension of himself," Astaroth remarked, a hint of wariness in his voice. "Is it only me, or is he getting stronger by the day?"
Ashton approached, meeting their gaze. "They're not a threat. They're like guardians to this place and probably mistook strangers as adversaries."
"How can you control other Precursor technology as well?" Rood asked. "Were you taught all this?"
Ashton shrugged. "I don't know. This is the first time I've tried, and it just... happened."
"That has to be the case! I expected no less from Lord Jo'Han... it's a shame he isn't with us."
"..." Ashton and Astaroth were both silent after seeing a respectable elder fanboying so hard for someone. It was like a century-old man on the Verge of death, supporting the nth generation of his favourite K-pop idol. Ignoring the fanboy, Astaroth crossed his arms, studying Ashton intently. "Well, this changes things. With this newfound ability, we might have an edge against Kro'Han."
Ashton, however, remained contemplative. Like him, Kro'Han was a Precursor- a more knowledgeable one, no less. However, bringing him anywhere near Precursor tech could spell disaster for them. "Yeah... I don't think that's a good idea," Ashton commented. "If anything, keeping Kro'Han away from all this tech should be our priority."
"Hm... he is correct," Rood nodded in agreement. "For now, let's proceed cautiously and gather whatever information or resources we can from this place."
As the trio ventured deeper into Celestria's Verge, the remnants of Precursor technology loomed like silent sentinels. Ashton's connection with the ancient defences facilitated their exploration, guiding them through the ruins of the old empire.
"Oi! Burden, I mean Ashton, come check this out!"
Suddenly, Ashton heard Astaroth call out to him. He and Rood hurried to Astaroth's location only to find him standing in front of a rundown building. "What is it, Ass-taroth?" Ashton replied, mocking the Xyran like old times. Astaroth scoffed playfully before nodding towards the building. "It looks like some kind of foundry. At least that's what I remember from the time I went excavating for Precursor tech."
"At least you remember something useful from the past, old man," Ashton took a jab before getting close to the sealed doors. "Let's see what I can here..."
As usual, Ashton's touch activated the long-dead entrance. As they entered the dimly lit interior, holographic displays flickered to life, revealing ancient texts, images, and records suspended mid-air.
"Looks like you were right, Astaroth," Rood commented, staring at the holographs. "This is written in Precursor language..."
Ashton, drawn to the holographic displays, witnessed images of a flourishing civilisation, advancements in science, and the cosmic wonders they had once explored.
"Yeah, well, I don't know Precursor language, so you better start translating all this shit and see if we get anything useful from this place," Astaroth said before pinching his nose as the place had a very distinctive smell. "You don't need to tell me about it," Rood said as he spurted his wings and flew upwards, wanting to decipher the words in an orderly manner. Ashton, engrossed in the holographic projections, traced the timeline of events. The records unfolded the tale of the Precursors' cosmic endeavours, encounters with diverse species, and the intricate web of alliances and conflicts that defined their era.
"Wait a minute..." Ashton mumbled as he saw something strange. "The war that Precursors lost happened long before they created the humans, right?"
"That's what the old man said," Astaroth replied, looking strangerly as Ashton. "Why? Is something wrong?"
Ashton hastily pointed at a panel and replied, "If the Verge was left isolated after the war, then how the heck is there a record of humanity's creation here?"
Astaroth leaned in to double-check Ashton. But as he did. A thunderous sound echoed above them, and before they knew it, Rood had attacked Astaroth, pinning him to the ground with a lightning trident.
"What the hell?" Ashton yelled and brought out Balmond, but he was kicked away before he could do anything. "Finally... centuries of patience paid off..." Rood sniggered. Unlike before, he didn't look old and frail. Instead, he appeared to have buffed up considerably more than Ashton or Astaroth.
"The fuck is wrong with you!" Astaroth yelled, but Rood ignored him, saying something that made everything clear. "You rats won't put any hurdles on Lord Kro'Han's path... I'll make sure of it!"
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m