Skybound Odyssey – Chapter 26: The Reclamation Protocol
The sky turned red.
Across the globe, seismic sensors lit up like a heartbeat. From the frozen wastes of North Arkael to the volcanic tombs of Eldross, six more Citadel signals erupted from the earth—each older, deadlier, and more dormant than the last.
> "RECLAMATION PROTOCOL ACTIVATED."
"SIX PILOT KEYS REQUIRED."
"GLOBAL SYSTEM REBOOT: IN 37 DAYS."
The message broadcast itself across every frequency, every nation—friend and foe alike.
Lyra stared at the hologram in stunned silence. "Reboot… of what?"
Sena answered grimly, "Not a network. A world order."
---
Skyspire – Command Deck, One Hour Later
Panic spread like fire among the rebellion's high command.
"The Empire's dead," one commander barked, "but these machines—they don't need it anymore! They're programmed to reclaim the planet!"
Juno paced. "And if they each need a pilot…?"
"They'll find one," Sena said. "Volunteers. Mercenaries. Fanatics."
Lyra turned to Ryo. "Or people like Vermillion."
Ryo's jaw tightened. "Then we stop them before they find their keys."
He slammed his palm on the map table. Six new red Citadel markers glowed across the planet, each like a cancer waiting to spread.
> "We find the keys first. We shut them down. We end this."
---
But far away… someone else was listening.
Deep in a jungle temple swallowed by vines, a girl with violet eyes knelt before a broken altar. The beacon's pulse reached her.
A small shard on her necklace glowed.
She stood, whispering: "Stormheart has awakened…"
Her hand lit up with blue flame.
> "Then I'll make sure he doesn't awaken the rest."
---
Ryo's Crew Gathers
Back aboard the Skywing Falcon, Ryo stared at the map. "We split into three teams. Lyra and I go north—Citadel 'Leviathan' is buried in the Korran Ice Cradle. Juno and Sena hit the desert marker—'Aegis Prime'. The rest? We recon the other four."
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're ready for a fight like this?"
Ryo smirked. "If I wasn't, the throne would've eaten me alive."
The crew laughed—tired, bruised, but burning with purpose.
Skybound once more.