Skybound Odyssey – Chapter 23: The Mother Code
Night draped Skyspire like a shroud of stars. For the first time since the city's descent, calm returned—if only for a moment.
In the former Emperor's private archive, deep beneath the shattered throne room, Ryo stood before an ancient terminal. The room was dark, lit only by a soft amber glow from the data crystal resting in the reader.
Sena's fingers danced across the controls. "This file predates even the earliest Stormheart entries. Whoever embedded this didn't want it found."
Lyra stood at Ryo's side. "You sure you want to see it?"
"I need to."
The console hummed. The crystal pulsed.
And then—she appeared.
A hologram of a woman in a lab coat, with wind-tossed hair and tired but kind eyes. She looked young, but her voice carried the weight of war.
> "This is Dr. Kaelin Stratus. Stormheart Project, Phase Zero. If you're seeing this… then Subject Zero survived. Gods help us, you survived."
Ryo's breath caught.
> "They told me to erase you. Said your emotions made you a failure. But when I looked at you, I didn't see failure. I saw my son."
Ryo's knees nearly buckled.
> "I used my clearance to extract you from the lab. Hid you inside the slums of Skydrake Port. I paid smugglers to get you off the grid. I knew they'd come for me next… and they did."
Tears welled in Ryo's eyes. Lyra reached for his hand.
> "You were never meant to be a weapon. You were meant to be free. And if you found this, it means you made it. I love you, Ryo. Remember that—even if the whole world calls you a storm… you were always my calm."
The hologram ended.
Silence.
Then Ryo whispered, "Kaelin Stratus. My mother…"
Sena quietly said, "She didn't just defy the Empire. She sabotaged their legacy."
Juno's voice crackled in over the radio. "Uh, I hate to interrupt a really touching moment, but we've got eyes on something crazy."
---
Above the Veilstorm Seas
A scout drone fed live footage into Skyspire's holodisplay.
Far off the coast, obscured by a massive storm vortex, another floating city hovered above the water.
But this one wasn't crumbling or dying—it was active. Alive. Its towers glowed crimson, and massive engine cores burned like suns.
Letters on its side, partially obscured by the storm:
> "NEXUS CITADEL – PHASE OMEGA++"
Lyra narrowed her eyes. "What is that?"
Sena's face went pale. "That's the real final phase. Omega wasn't the end… Nexus is."
Juno's voice was grim. "And guess who's already headed there?"
The holofeed zoomed in on a sleek, jet-black cruiser bearing the mark of the Crimson Crown.
Captain Vermillion—the fire-wielding pirate warlord Ryo had once clashed with—was back.
And he was headed for Nexus.